New Ecommerce Tools: April 17, 2025

We publish a rundown each week of new products from companies offering services to ecommerce merchants. This installment includes updates on tools to reduce tariff exposure, influencer marketing, installment payments, shipping, logistics platforms, and conversational AI for customer service.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

PolyAI unveils Agent Studio with generative AI for customer service. PolyAI, a provider of AI agents for enterprise customer service, has launched its latest version of Agent Studio, a voice-first omnichannel platform for conversational AI. The platform offers safety features while providing new agent control and self-service capabilities. Users can provide feedback on agent behavior, knowledge, and speech recognition performance to train models to react best for their customers. Analytics confirm tuning choices and deliver deep-dive conversational review.

PolyAI Agent Studio

Swap launches service for tariff reduction. Swap, a backend connector of operating systems, has unveiled Clear by Swap Global, a tariff reduction service. According to Swap, the service partners with brands to reduce exposure to tariffs through leveraging a B2B2C model and provides customers 2-day delivery from U.K. and E.U. warehouses. Partners utilize a streamlined invoicing platform and end-to-end setup to ensure all U.S. operations are structured for customs, tax, and legal compliance.

eBay releases simplified mobile selling tool with Magical Listing AI technology. eBay has simplified the listing experience, integrating its Magical Listing technology with a guided, mobile-friendly flow to improve the ease, speed, and quality of listing creation. The new experience starts with photos and a title and leverages AI automation, maximizing image match and inference capabilities to suggest product details and suitable categories, so sellers can review and approve content and list more quickly.

Sprout Social launches AI-powered updates to its influencer marketing platform. Sprout Social, a social media management platform, has released its updated influencer marketing tool. Sprout Social Influencer Marketing features a refreshed design, AI-driven natural language discovery, and data analysis. Updated features include AI-powered creator search, Creator Lists, Brand Fit Score, and customizable brand safety reporting. Sprout’s search is now topic-led to match how networks serve content, enabling brands to identify creators to foster partnerships quickly.

Sprout Social

iDenfy launches a know-your-customer identity plugin for Shopify. iDenfy, an identity verification provider, has introduced its new “Know Your Customer” tool for Shopify merchants. According to iDenfy, the app is a no-code solution for merchants who don’t want to build an ID verification tool from scratch. iDenfy’s integration provides businesses with an automated verification system that ensures compliance while reducing fraud risks, helping save time and money on integration and management.

Affirm and Shopify accelerate global expansion of Shop Pay Installments. Affirm, a buy-now, pay-later network, and Shopify are accelerating the international expansion plans of Shop Pay Installments, exclusively powered by Affirm. Shop Pay Installments will become available to Shopify merchants in Canada and the U.K. this summer, with cross-border commerce capabilities between the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. to follow. The companies will expand to Australia and Western Europe next, starting with France, Germany, and The Netherlands.

Temu and PlentyOne partner to streamline global expansion for sellers. China-based marketplace Temu has reached a collaborative agreement with PlentyOne, an ecommerce enterprise resource planning provider, to help sellers expand into international markets. With the implementation of PlentyOne’s marketplace infrastructure, Temu’s vendors can improve their efficiency across operational facets such as inventory management and order fulfillment while exploring new avenues for global market expansion. Vendors within the PlentyOne network gain access to Temu’s marketing and logistics capabilities.

PlentyOne

UPS introduces Ground Saver and Ground with Freight Pricing. UPS has introduced two ground shipping options: Ground Saver and Ground with Freight Pricing. Ground Saver is an economical shipping option that takes a day or two longer than regular UPS Ground service. Ground with Freight Pricing is for businesses with shipments over 150 pounds looking for small package reliability while saving money compared to traditional less-than-truckload carriers, with no additional costs for lift-gate, inside delivery, or pallet weight.

Warp launches FlowSkip, unifying B2B and D2C freight. Warp, a middle-mile logistics provider, has launched FlowSkip, a freight service combining B2B and D2C shipments through a shared cross-dock and truck network. According to Warp, by leveraging zone-skip routing and real-time orchestration, FlowSkip improves speed, reduces costs, and unlocks efficiencies. For D2C shipments, FlowSkip utilizes zone-skip trucks to bypass legacy parcel sortation networks. Retailers and apparel brands use FlowSkip to streamline store replenishment and wholesale less-than-truckload orders.

JD.com launches retail platform Joybuy in London. China-based ecommerce giant JD.com has launched its retail platform, Joybuy, in London as part of its international expansion. Joybuy provides a range of products, including daily essentials, beauty items, electronics, and home goods from domestic and global brands. Joybuy features promotions such as discounts, free shipping, and options for same-day or next-day delivery. The platform is undergoing a soft launch with select users while it recruits merchants.

Amazon Freight launches less-than-truckload inbound shipping. Amazon Freight is now offering less-than-truckload services to customers shipping inbound to Amazon’s facilities. Businesses with shipments that won’t fill an entire trailer can book a portion, depending on the space they need. Like Amazon Freight FTL (full truckload), Freight’s LTL inbound offering utilizes the Amazon network, including 60,000 trailers and advanced tech capabilities. Access LTL and FTL via the self-service portal.

Amazon Freight

New Ecommerce Tools: April 10, 2025

Every week we publish a curated digest of new products and services that could help ecommerce merchants. This installment covers new initiatives from Amazon, PayPal, Doola, Appriss Retail, DHL, Temu, Visa, Spire, Best Buy, and more.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

Amazon launches “Buy for Me” feature to purchase products from other brands’ sites. Amazon is testing a new feature in the Amazon Shopping app. “Buy for Me” helps shoppers discover and purchase select products from other brands’ sites if they are not sold in Amazon’s store. Buy for Me is live in the Amazon Shopping app on iOS and Android for select consumers for a limited number of brands and products.

Amazon’s Buy for Me

PayPal Launches ads platform in the U.K. PayPal Ads has launched in the U.K., delivering personalized ads to shoppers based on their past purchases to improve sales and the shopping experience. PayPal Ads will deliver insights based on shopping intent and transaction data, allowing brands to optimize ad messaging and full-funnel campaigns.

Doola launches Business-in-a-Box for E-commerce. Doola, a developer of all-in-one business portals, has launched Business-in-a-Box for E-Commerce. According to Doola, the tool brings the back-end of ecommerce into one place for sellers by providing limited liability corporation formation, a registered agent service, a virtual business address, an employer tax I.D., a U.S. business bank account, phone number, and payment processor through its partners, bookkeeping, business tax filings, sales tax compliance, business analytics, free U.S. tax consultations, and more.

Appriss Retail introduces returns fraud tool for Shopify. Appriss Retail, a provider of tools to combat returns and claims fraud, has announced an integration with Shopify. The integration equips Shopify merchants with features to protect against returns and claims fraud across all channels. Appriss Retail states it can prevent fraudulent claims and minimize returns, leading to better profitability. The Appriss Retail Returns & Claims App integrates with the Shopify POS app or through a company’s commerce engine.

Appriss Retail

DHL and Temu partner to support local businesses. DHL Group, the global logistics company, has partnered with ecommerce marketplace Temu. The agreement aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises in established and growth markets in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. As part of the agreement, DHL Group will support Temu’s operations in Europe, including its local-to-local model, which enables local merchandise partners to sell on its platform with local fulfillment.

Visa upgrades Authorize.net, Unified Checkout, ARIC Risk Hub. Visa has expanded its value-added services with three upgrades: reimagined Authorize.net, Unified Checkout, and the ARIC Risk Hub. The new Authorize.net platform features a streamlined user interface and AI capabilities to help businesses analyze data, summarize insights, and identify trends. Part of the Visa Acceptance Solutions platform, Unified Checkout orchestrates over 25 card and alternative payment options. Powered by Visa’s acquisition of Featurespace, the ARIC Risk Hub is a fraud-fighting platform.

Spire launches Pay with Spire, a merchant-branded pay-by-bank POS solution. Spire, a payment solution provider, has launched the Pay with Spire platform, leveraging the Discover Network to deliver a merchant-branded Automated Clearing House payment service at the point of sale with no integration required. Designed for seamless transactions across point-of-sale systems, digital wallets, in-app purchases, and online environments, Pay with Spire reduces merchant processing costs by 50-90%, according to Spire, while offering customers a secure, bank-linked payment option and over 55,000 merchant locations.

Spire

Best Buy debuts creator program and shoppable storefronts. Best Buy has announced a platform to partner with influencers and creators. The program introduces storefronts wherein consumers can shop the latest tech from their favorite influencers and creators, who earn a commission on sales referred through their storefront, with no cap.

Clearco and Cavela partner to help brands optimize vendor sourcing and funding. Clearco, a provider of growth capital for ecommerce companies, has partnered with Cavela, an AI platform to automate product sourcing. The partnership combines Cavela’s private network of over 200,000 suppliers across 40 countries with Clearco’s funding. According to Clearco, the collaboration streamlines ecommerce efficiency with suppliers while providing working capital to fund invoices.

Trustfull launches login solution to combat account takeovers. Trustfull, a developer of identity intelligence for fraud prevention, has launched its login solution, which analyzes behavioral and device-related signals to combat account takeover fraud. Trustfull captures the user’s behavioral patterns and device characteristics during the login enrollment phase. At every subsequent login, Trustfull compares new data against the original enrollment to assess similarity, enabling silent, instant verification for genuine users while flagging when additional checks, like multi-factor authentication and one-time passcodes, are required.

Blackhawk Network helps brands build branded gift card programs. Blackhawk Network, a payment service provider, has launched branded payments for physical and digital gift card programs. According to Blackhawk Network, the offerings encompass end-to-end services available through a single vendor, including digital gifting platforms, card production, AI-driven customer care, comprehensive processing, demand planning, marketing, advanced fraud protection, and distribution.

Blackhawk Network

The Real Test of Unified Commerce

Unified commerce is a retailing strategy combining multiple systems for a single view of customers, products, and profits. The concept has been around for a decade, initially for small and mid-sized retailers to compete with enterprises.

It’s now one of ecommerce’s most promising trends, with Shopify, BigCommerce, and a slew of others offering solutions.

Unified Commerce

Unified commerce merges sales, inventory, and fulfillment software across all channels into a shared, real-time interface for both shoppers and employees, comprising three concepts:

• Composable architecture,
• Experience first,
• Unity across touchpoints.

Composable architecture

Composable architecture (composable commerce) refers to a technology stack of interchangeable components connected via application programming interfaces.

“Composable” means any part of the stack — checkout, product search, order management — is replaceable without breaking everything else.

Combined, the various applications are modular and scalable.

Experience first

Shopify and the research firm Gartner emphasize that unified commerce is “experience-first” or “experience-led,” meaning how a customer, employee, or business interacts with systems is key for building the stack.

For a shopper, “experience first” might dictate a system to browse for a product on Instagram, add it to a social commerce cart, purchase it several hours later via the merchant’s website, and pick it up in-store — all without losing context.

Employees have similar experiences. A support rep chatting with a customer via direct messages on X can access her shopping history in any channel and easily check on orders, in-store returns, or even newsletter subscriptions.

Likewise, the merchant’s entire marketing team benefits from the experience-first approach. The composable stack connects all customer touchpoints to a marketing attribution system, providing data for multi-touch attribution and marketing mix modeling.

Unity

In unified commerce, all systems share a single source of truth — for inventory, orders, pricing, customer data, content distribution, and more.

The front-end shopper-facing systems are consistent and connect across:

• Online storefronts,
• Content marketing,
• Brick-and-mortar locations,
• Mobile apps,
• Social media platforms,
• Social commerce integrations,
• Marketplaces,
• Customer service channels.

The company’s back-end systems are tightly integrated for real-time visibility and coordination.

“Unified” means real-time, fully integrated, and seamless across the board.

Advantage Enterprise?

Ironically, unified commerce — conceived to help SMBs — now attracts enterprise companies.

Delivering a seamless, real-time experience across every customer touchpoint and back-end system is technically complex and resource-intensive. Large retailers are more likely to have the capital, engineering staff, and operational maturity to unify legacy systems, integrate emerging channels, and invest in the modular components.

Moreover, unified commerce is more than accessing a few APIs. It means rethinking how systems are constructed, how employees interact with the tools, and how customer data flows securely and consistently through the business.

Thus, while unified commerce via Shopify or BigCommerce could help SMBs, big stores seem to have the advantage.

The Real Test

Despite its promise, unified commerce succeeds only if it drives profits.

Take the hypothetical shopper who begins a buying journey on Instagram only to finish with a buy-online, pick-up in-store purchase from the merchant’s website.

Does the profit from integrating social media with an ecommerce platform justify the investment? Increased conversion rates, reduced returns, better inventory turnover, and higher customer lifetime value — those are the metrics that matter.

How to Change a Domain Name in Shopify

For most Shopify merchants, switching primary domain addresses is easy and automated.

A store might have any number of reasons for changing its internet address, but it’s often a rebrand reflecting new products or focus.

An example is an Idaho-based manufacturer. The direct-to-consumer company originally made fishing rod lockers, and its domain name included “locker.” But the company pivoted to produce primarily high-end trailers for fishing kayaks.

Shoppers were confused when visiting a “locker” site only to find a trailer, so the rebrand made sense.

SnakeRiverLocker.com rebranded to SnakeRiverManufacturing.us.

Switching Shopify Domains

Let’s walk through the process of switching a domain in Shopify.

• Add the new domain connection.
• Change the domain type.
• Shopify creates the redirects.
• Promote the change.

Shopify allows a business to change its primary domain only once.

Add a New Domain

In the Shopify admin, navigate to Settings > Domains and click “Connect existing” if the domain is already registered. Shopify can register a domain on a customer’s behalf if necessary.

Click “Connect existing” if the new domain is already registered. Then enter the URL in the modal.

Type in the domain, and Shopify can connect directly to many registrars, such as GoDaddy. Otherwise, the process takes two or three steps at the registrar to add records to the domain’s DNS.

• Add an “A” record.
• Add a “CNAME” record.
• In some cases, add a “TXT” record.

The setup varies slightly from one domain registrar to another, but the process is generally the same. Shopify will verify the new domain shortly after the records are set up.

Change the Domain Type

Once Shopify verifies it, assign the new domain to your store. Navigate to Settings > Domains. Click on the domain you want to change.

On the lower right of the page is a link, “Change domain type.”

Click “Change domain type” on the lower right.

Change this to “Primary domain,” and in a few moments your Shopify store will be live at the new domain. Ensure the old domain redirects to the new one. Before changing, make sure the domain is correct, as Shopify, once more, allows only a one-time change.

The updated domain type appears on the lower left.

Redirects

An unfortunate side effect of changing a domain is reduced search engine traffic.

“Similar to a new URL structure, domain changes require 301 redirects, which leak equity. I’ve seen rankings slip for months afterward,” wrote my colleague Ann Smarty in a March 2024 article, “Traffic Recovery from Domain Changes.”

While 301 redirects are an established and reliable tool for passing ranking signals, some, like Ann, have suggested that a small percentage of link equity may not transfer to the new domain. This loss can be due to how search engines interpret redirects or the inherent limitations in the redirect process. For example, the redirect requires an extra step for search engine bots.

In her article, Ann describes an audit process (using Google Search Console, the Wayback Machine, Semrush, and Screaming Frog) to help locate redirect errors and excessive redirect chains.

Shopify will generate the initial 301 redirect — oldurl.com/product will point to newurl.com/product — but it cannot prevent the reduction in link equity.

Promote the New Domain

The Idaho-based trailer brand took two further actions for its name change.

First, the company contacted the most significant websites that link to the business’s Shopify store, asking those site owners to update the link with the new domain. Some publishers made the change.

Second, the company launched a social media campaign with several short and long videos on Instagram and YouTube. Some featured the company’s founder addressing the rebrand, while others focused on its manufacturing standards and products.

The promotions boosted traffic and garnered several new links.

New Ecommerce Tools: April 3, 2025

Our weekly digest highlights the latest innovations for online retailers. This installment covers developments from Perplexity, Shopify, Amazon, Commercetools, UPS, Veho, Pipe17, Chord Commerce, Contentful, Ordoro, and BlueSwitch.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

Perplexity partners with Firmly’s agentic shopping. Perplexity, an AI answer engine, announced it will integrate Firmly.ai’s agentic ecommerce technology to scale access to Perplexity’s native shopping experience. By integrating Firmly.ai’s Agentic Commerce platform, Perplexity says it will empower more users to complete their entire shopping journey, from product discovery to secure transaction, without leaving the platform. Merchants can tap into this new sales channel instantly while retaining their merchant-of-record status, ensuring control over transactions, customer relationships, and data, according to Perplexity.

Firmly.ai

Shopify’s AI-powered assistant Sidekick now supports 20 languages. Shopify’s Sidekick, an AI-powered commerce assistant, is expanding from English to 20 supported languages. Sidekick blends Shopify’s platform knowledge with each merchant’s store. Merchants can analyze data, enhance product descriptions, automate routine tasks, and more, according to Shopify. Sidekick automatically detects and responds in the merchant’s language.

Amazon launches AI-powered Interests feature for product discovery. Amazon has introduced AI-powered Interests to help shoppers discover products by checking new items on the marketplace in real time. With Interests, users create personalized shopping prompts, price limits, and preferences, from mainstream to niche, using everyday language. Interests is available to a limited number of U.S. customers, with a full rollout coming soon, per Amazon.

Commercetools launches Payment Hub. Commercetools, an enterprise commerce platform for brands, has launched Payment Hub, giving enterprises control over their payment strategy. Payment Hub allows businesses to negotiate directly with leading payment service providers. Commercetools has also expanded its partnership with Stripe, the first payment-provider integration with Payment Hub.

Commercetools’ Payment Hub

UPS unveils Global Checkout to guarantee cost of fees at checkout. UPS has launched Global Checkout to assist consumers worldwide with buying shipping. UPS Global Checkout guarantees upfront the amount online shoppers pay in duties, fees, and taxes, eliminating the possibility of unexpected delivery costs. Available in 43 origin countries, Global Checkout is one of several new tools UPS offers for cross-border ecommerce.

Veho and Shippo offer 2-5 day delivery to ecommerce brands. Veho, a logistics and technology company that operates U.S. parcel delivery platforms, and Shippo have launched a 2-5 day premium delivery for ecommerce. The integration enables merchants to access Veho’s delivery network through Shippo’s platform, with features including simplified label creation, address validation, proactive tracking, and hassle-free returns. Shippo handles all carrier integrations.

Pipe17 order management partners with Shopify. Pipe17, an order management platform for brands and retailers, has partnered with Shopify. Powered by AI, Pipe17 orchestrates order and inventory updates and real-time visibility. Pipe17 provides Shopify merchants with a managed network of marketplaces, third-party logistics providers, and other commerce applications. The integration will help Shopify’s direct-to-consumer, B2B, and enterprise merchants by simplifying the complexities of omnichannel selling and fulfillment, according to Pipe17.

Pipe17

Chord Commerce raises $5.5 million for AI-driven marketing. Chord Commerce has raised $5.5 million to expand its AI-powered data and marketing platform. Combining AI-powered insights, attribution, and activation, Chord helps commerce brands make faster, more informed decisions and execute real-time marketing strategies, according to the company. Led by M13, with participation from Act One Ventures and GR0 Capital, the investment will help Chord grow its customer base and develop its AI orchestration platform.

Digital experience platform Contentful partners with Shopify. Contentful and Shopify have partnered to connect and synchronize content and commerce systems. Contentful is launching an app in the Shopify Liquid Storefront that empowers marketers to enhance content, streamline localization, and leverage AI-driven personalization.

Shipping platform Ordoro partners with multichannel operations portal SureDone. Ordoro, a shipping and inventory management platform, is partnering with SureDone, a multichannel ecommerce operations portal. According to the companies, SureDone’s capabilities in multichannel listing and automation combined with Ordoro’s shipping and fulfillment features will help online sellers manage operations.

BlueSwitch launches a B2B Shopify agency. BlueSwitch, an ecommerce software developer, has launched B2, a Shopify agency to help enterprise B2B businesses scale. Per BlueSwitch, B2 provides ecommerce solutions to enhance the front-end user experience and back-end technical performance.

B2 by BlueSwitch

New Ecommerce Tools: March 27, 2025

We publish a rundown each week of new products from companies offering services to ecommerce merchants. This installment includes updates on automated ads, payments, AI-powered agents, personalization, cross-border shipping, and more.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

TikTok updates shopping ads and tools for merchants. TikTok has announced updates on ecommerce tools for merchants. Smart+, TikTok’s AI-powered automated ad service, is expanding its Catalog ads to include website and app promotions within a single campaign. TikTok is also expanding its GMV Max automated ad campaigns, enabling merchants to include affiliate content and live formats for GMV Max. Lastly, TikTok is extending its search ads and offering new tools for generating videos and avatars.

TikTok for Business

Splitit integrates one-click installment payments with Shopify checkout. Splitit, a provider of credit card-linked payments, has launched Card Installments, a Shopify app. Splitit’s app is embedded into the Shopify checkout, letting shoppers choose between paying in full or installments directly within the credit card section, without any redirects or applications. A white-label solution, the app allows merchants to maintain control over their brand and caters to shoppers in over 100 countries with localized payment options.

Walmart develops an AI-powered assistant for its merchants. Walmart has developed a genAI assistant, Wally, to help its merchants streamline and automate tasks. With Wally, merchants can generate insights from complex datasets, diagnose why certain products are underperforming or overperforming, automate complex formulas and predictions, answer operational support questions, raise tickets for unresolved issues, and more. According to Walmart, Wally requires no technical training. Merchants ask questions and receive actionable insights in seconds based on Walmart’s proprietary data.

Kibo launches Agentic Commerce. Kibo Commerce, a provider of composable commerce solutions, has launched Agentic Commerce, an AI-powered platform to transform how businesses engage with customers and optimize commerce. Kibo Agentic Commerce will initially consist of nine agents to support commerce operations: Shopper, CSR, Promotional, Merchandiser, Order Routing, Reverse Logistics, Forecasting, Analytics, and Developer. The first two agents — Shopper and CSR — will provide smart customer assistance.

Kibo Agentic Commerce

Logistics platform Ordoro partners with Mirakl on marketplaces. Ordoro, an ecommerce logistics and inventory management platform, has integrated with Mirakl, a SaaS solution for marketplace and dropship platforms. Merchants selling on Mirakl marketplaces can sync orders, manage inventory, and automate fulfillment — all through Ordoro. Merchants can simplify operations, reduce manual work, and focus on growing their business, according to Ordoro.

Monetate launches Orchid AI for commerce. Monetate, an ecommerce personalization platform, has launched Orchid, an AI-powered engine that unifies search, navigation, personalization, testing, and more. According to Monetate, Orchid AI (i) delivers higher search revenue by personalizing results using real-time intent, (ii) creates custom category page experiences for different segments, (iii) generates product suggestions, and more.

Yottaa acquires SpeedSense for ecommerce optimization. Yottaa, a provider of optimization tools for ecommerce sites, has announced the acquisition of SpeedSense, a pioneer in web performance consulting and creator of Sensai technology. The acquisition enhances Yottaa’s Web Performance Cloud and Web Performance Services offerings. By integrating Sensai with Yottaa’s Web Performance Cloud, ecommerce brands can measure revenue impact across the entire customer experience, capturing performance data from real users, Google Core Web Vitals, and third-party applications.

Yotta

Noibu launches ecommerce site health solution for Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Noibu, an ecommerce performance and error monitoring service, has integrated its AI-powered platform with Salesforce Commerce Cloud. According to Noibu, merchants can detect, investigate, and resolve critical site issues faster with the integration of Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Noibu monitors key performance indicators, including loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability, and provides recommendations to improve speed and user experience. Salesforce Commerce Cloud logs are ported into Noibu, allowing advanced analytics, anomaly detection, and more.

Amazon introduces the next generation of Connect. Amazon has announced an update of Connect, delivering first-party AI across all channels and featuring support for future AI capabilities with pricing tied to channel usage rather than AI consumption. According to Amazon, this next generation of Connect makes it simple for organizations of any size to leverage AI across all touchpoints, enabling them to better focus on improving customer experience without cost-driven compromises.

Big Sur AI unveils an ecommerce AI suite. Big Sur, a provider of AI-powered ecommerce tools, has launched an expanded AI ecommerce product suite with specialized AI agents. The new agents include Sales, Content Marketer, Adaptive Quiz, and Data Scientist. Per Big Sur, users can generate conversational product guidance, landing pages, guided product discovery, and answers to business and product metrics questions.

ShipperHQ launches Duties & Taxes feature powered by DHL. ShipperHQ, an ecommerce shipping experience service, has launched its carrier-agnostic duties and taxes calculator integration, powered by DHL eCommerce. According to ShipperHQ, the integration allows online merchants to calculate and collect duties and taxes upfront at checkout across more than 200 countries. ShipperHQ’s integration with DHL eCommerce’s calculator will soon be available for merchants using leading ecommerce platforms, including Shopify, BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce (Magento), and Salesforce Commerce Cloud, or via its SDK.

ShipperHQ Duties & Taxes

New Ecommerce Tools: March 20, 2025

This week’s rundown of new products for ecommerce merchants includes AI-powered agents, mobile app builders, buy-now-pay-later services, logistics, B2B payments, and email marketing.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

Adobe introduces 10 AI agents to automate marketing workflow. Adobe has unveiled a suite of AI agents for its enterprise applications. According to Adobe, the Experience Platform Agents are designed to augment the capabilities of marketing and creative teams to drive personalization at scale. The 10 agents are Account Qualification, Audience, Content Production, Data Engineering, Data Insights, Experimentation, Journey, Product Advisor, Site Optimization, and Workflow Optimization.

Adobe Experience Platform

Amazon provides sellers with personalized restock recommendations. Amazon is providing merchants with restock recommendations in Seller Central, using a demand forecasting model to help maintain healthy inventory levels for Fulfilled by Merchant listings. The model calculates suggested restock quantities and dates for products that meet specific criteria, including active sales, projected demand, and current days of supply less than 14 days. To access these insights, go to the Manage Inventory page and click Restock notification in the Inventory column.

Veho expands its parcel delivery platform in New York City. Veho, a U.S. parcel delivery provider, has expanded coverage to New York City. Veho’s platform has begun serving consumers in Queens, The Bronx, Upper Manhattan, and Staten Island — with plans to cover the entire city. Veho enables ecommerce brands such as Macy’s, Saks, and Lululemon, as well as fulfillment providers such as Flexport, ShipHero, and Stord, to provide one to three-day deliveries.

Spangle optimizes paid traffic for retailers with Agentic AI and ProductGPT. Spangle has emerged from stealth to launch an AI-powered commerce platform for retailers to maximize revenue from paid traffic. Backed by leading firms Madrona Ventures and Streamlined Ventures, Spangle delivers self-optimizing shopping journeys that are contextually relevant and adaptive based on consumer engagement in real-time. Spangle’s proprietary ProductGPT powers this experience with a large product model that decodes context, consumer interactions, and merchant data. Spangle says its AI agents autonomously tackle complex challenges at scale.

Spangle

Sezzle adds features for smarter spending. Sezzle, a buy-now, pay-later provider, has introduced new features. Sezzle’s new price comparison tool helps users quickly find the best values. A new auto couponing feature allows shoppers to access deals directly through the app, with coupons automatically applied at checkout.

Adobe announces new offerings with AWS and Amazon Ads. Adobe has announced a collaboration with Amazon Web Services, integrating Adobe’s products with AWS’s generative AI services, Amazon Connect, and Amazon Ads. These offerings will enable organizations to create more meaningful customer interactions while benefiting from AWS’s enterprise-grade security, reliability, and global infrastructure.

Persado launches AI-powered dynamic email for marketing. Persado, a provider of content optimization and personalization services for marketing, has released Dynamic Email, an AI service that manages campaign setup, content library creation, and launch. Persado Dynamic Email enables marketers to update, optimize, and personalize content without additional setup.

Persado

Visa launches B2B Integrated Payments in Australia. Visa has partnered with four of Australia’s biggest banks — ANZ, NAB, HSBC, and Westpac —  to launch B2B Integrated Payments. The solution, which is embedded into the SAP Business Technology Platform, allows businesses to automate payments, removing the need for additional reconciliation. Businesses using the SAP platform can route commercial payments to all suppliers, including those that do not accept card payments.

Nowutalk AI launches voice sales agent for Shopify stores. Nowutalk AI, a developer of AI-powered voice sales agents, has launched a voice agent for Shopify stores. Customers can browse products, get instant recommendations, and complete purchases with a simple voice command.

Knowband launches mobile app builder to enhance ecommerce sales. Knowband, a provider of plugins and add-ons for online stores such as PrestaShop, OpenCart, WooCommerce, and Magento, has launched its mobile app builder. The solution includes dynamic product catalogs, multi-language and multi-currency support, a customizable tab bar layout, and a drag-and-drop editor.

eHub and Osa Commerce partner on logistics and fulfillment. eHub, a provider of ecommerce logistics and shipping services, and Osa Commerce, a unified commerce and operations software provider, have announced a collaboration to help businesses manage their supply chain and fulfillment operations. The partnership integrates eHub’s shipping API and rate optimization capabilities with Osa Commerce’s ability to unify fragmented data across ecommerce platforms, warehouses, and marketplaces. The integration enables businesses to manage their entire fulfillment process from one platform.

Osa Commerce

New Ecommerce Tools: March 13, 2025

We publish a weekly roundup of new products and services for ecommerce merchants. This installment covers international expansion, Amazon selling, Shopify themes, customer support, payments, shipping, and B2B solutions.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

eBrands raises €7.5 million to help consumer brands grow internationally with AI. eBrands, the Nordic export platform, has secured €7.5 million ($8.2 million) in equity funding, bringing its total raised to €50 million. The funds will support Apollo, eBrands’ AI tool that helps brands enter 60 markets without local infrastructure or heavy investment. The platform streamlines supply chain, sales, finance, and compliance processes.

eBrands

Amazon adds a tool to guide shoppers to the right product. Amazon has launched Product Selector for branded sellers, allowing them to guide shoppers through customized quizzes that recommend products based on their responses. Only items matching all criteria are shown. Sellers can customize the questionnaire and branding to create a tailored shopping experience.

Shopify merchants can now prompt AI to design a store theme. Shopify has launched an AI-powered store setup that generates custom themes from simple business descriptions. Merchants can write a description and generate up to three free personalized themes. This feature is available for free trial, as well as Basic, Shopify, and Advanced plans with English storefronts.

Loopia raises pre-seed funding to expand AI-powered ecommerce support. Brazil-based Loopia secured $650,000 in pre-seed funding led by Espírito Santo’s Sovereign Fund. Loopia’s AI platform automates customer interactions across marketplaces such as Mercado Libre and Amazon, plus messaging platforms WhatsApp, Instagram, and others. Funding will expand operations, develop AI technology, and support strategic hiring.

Loopia

ShipStation announces ShipStation API, unifying shipping solutions. ShipStation, a provider of cloud-based shipping solutions, has announced plans to consolidate its API, ShipEngine, into the newly branded ShipStation API. ShipEngine empowers businesses with access to 200 carrier integrations, including local, regional, national, and international, as well as freight and LTL options. The unification process will start with ShipEngine rebranding into ShipStation API, and work will continue throughout the summer of 2025.

Best Buy Canada expands marketplace with cross-border payments; U.S. readies relaunch. Best Buy Canada is expanding its marketplace by integrating cross-border payment service PingPong. With this move, Best Buy Canada can open its marketplace to international sellers, as PingPong supports transactions in more than 100 currencies and operates in over 200 countries and regions. Additionally, Best Buy U.S. plans to relaunch its marketplace later this year. Mirakl powers both the Canadian and the new U.S. marketplaces.

Payment platform Nomupay partners with ecommerce solutions provider Venditan. Nomupay, a global payments platform, has partnered with Venditan, a provider of multichannel ecommerce tools. The partnership will integrate Nomupay’s advanced payment solutions into Venditan’s ecommerce platform, providing payment acceptance and cross-border transaction capabilities for independent retailers and distributors. Venditan customers will gain access to Nomupay’s features, including simple payouts, payment reconciliation, checkout optimization, and alternative payment methods to help businesses scale internationally.

Venditan

Platter secures funding and launches app to optimize checkout. Platter, a startup focused on Shopify store performance, has raised $1.6 million in a pre-seed round to give brands tools to run their online store more profitably. Animal Capital led the investment. Now available in the Shopify app store, Platter+ allows brands to add product upsells, cross-sells, and social proof at their checkout and post-purchase pages.

Ordoro and Syncware partner on ecommerce operations for SMBs. Ordoro, an ecommerce logistics and inventory management platform, has partnered with Syncware, which connects ecommerce systems with back-office tools. This partnership combines Ordoro’s inventory and order management capabilities with Syncware’s integration technology. Ordoro users can now connect with Mirakl, Faire, ShipBob, NetSuite, MarketTime,  ApparelMagic, and other platforms.

HSBC collaborates with TreviPay on ecommerce trade solutions. HSBC, the London-based financial services company, is collaborating with TreviPay, a B2B payments and invoicing network, to enhance digital purchasing experiences for businesses by offering flexible payment options and financing solutions at the point of sale. HSBC and TreviPay are looking to enable businesses to expand their reach, drive sales, and offer seamless payment experiences. In addition, risk mitigation strategies can enhance transaction security.

DDS Wireless launches Scheduled Routes for fleet optimization. DDS Wireless, a provider of fleet management technology, has launched Scheduled Routes, a routing and scheduling optimization platform. Scheduled Routes dynamically adjusts deliveries based on capacity, time windows, vehicle availability, and real-time traffic conditions — optimizing fleet movements, minimizing unnecessary mileage, and enhancing on-time performance. Scheduled Routes supports logistics, last-mile delivery, field service management, on-demand delivery services, waste collection, and passenger transportation.

DDS Wireless Scheduled Routes

New Ecommerce Tools: March 6, 2025

We publish a rundown each week of new products from companies offering services to ecommerce merchants. This installment includes updates on AI agents, financing, fulfillment, audience targeting, popups, security, and China.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

Meta tests AI agents for businesses. Meta has launched a business AI pilot, offering AI agents to interact with customers on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Agents can operate via ads and direct messages. Businesses can delegate which tasks they want the AI agent to handle and which to hand off to customer service representatives. Business AI tasks include managing returns and exchanges, recommending products, and handling purchases.

Meta’s business AI

ShipBob debuts financing program for merchants. ShipBob, a supply chain and fulfillment platform, has launched ShipBob Capital, enabling U.S. customers to apply for working capital through the company. Slope, a J.P. Morgan-backed B2B payments platform, is partnering with ShipBob to operate the program. Eligible merchants can receive up to $250,000 instantly, according to the ShipBob. To qualify, businesses must have an employer identification number and more than $100,000 in annual revenue.

Swap secures $40 million to expand and release ecommerce inventory tool. Swap, an ecommerce platform to manage operations for direct-to-consumer brands, has announced a $40 million funding round led by ICONIQ Growth. With this capital, Swap will accelerate expansion into the U.S. and E.U. and open new regions, including Australia and Canada. The capital will also allow Swap to launch new products, including Swap Inventory, which provides pricing modeling and smart AI-driven recommendations around restocking and replenishment.

Helium 10 releases advertising platform powered by Pacvue. Helium 10, a provider of ecommerce marketplace data, has launched Helium 10 Ads, a merging of search optimization and ad technology powered by Pacvue, a retail media provider. The solution combines Pacvue’s ad technology with Helium 10 to help sellers unlock smarter advertising at scale.

Helium 10

FedEx launches picture proof of delivery in China. Federal Express Corp. has launched picture proof of delivery for express residential deliveries in mainland China, where signatures upon delivery are not required. FedEx couriers can deliver the parcel to customers’ doorsteps and take a real-time photo showing its position. Recipients can view photos of successful deliveries via FedEx’s website Tracking and Advanced Tracking and FedEx’s WeChat account, using the free service without enrollment, an account, or login.

Shop Circle raises $60 million for AI-powered B2B software. Shop Circle, a provider of AI-powered B2B software, has closed a $60 million funding round led by Nextalia Ventures with participation by Endeavor Catalyst, an investor in over 50 unicorn companies. With the funding, Shop Circle has completed its first platform-agnostic acquisition, Aiden, an AI-powered guided selling software.

Skydeo launches Audience Manager for targeting. Skydeo, a provider of predictive audience data and insights, has launched Audience Manager, a platform to help brands, agencies, and platforms discover, activate, and optimize predictive audience segments across social, mobile, connected TV, and programmatic channels. According to Skydeo, Audience Manager allows marketing teams to identify and engage the most valuable prospects quickly.

Skydeo

Amazon Web Services marketplace in China launches professional services product type. Amazon’s marketplace for AWS customers in China has launched a professional services product type, which includes assessments, implementation, premium support, managed services, and training. Marketplace sellers can publish professional services listings to the public catalog and extend offers directly AWS customers. Example services include cloud solutions, procurement, customizing pricing, scope of work, and contract terms.

LegitScript unveils AI-powered platform for merchant risk management. LegitScript, a provider of security solutions for online transactions, has launched its Xray AI Risk Intelligence platform for payment companies, ecommerce marketplaces, and online platforms. The platform enables companies to scan merchant websites for violations instantaneously, match merchants against its database to uncover already identified risks, and more. LegitScript is also introducing Risk Landscape Reports, a subscription-based offering for security insights.

Australia-based StoreUp to launch platform to sell online instantly. StoreUp, an Australia-based ecommerce platform, announced the launch of a mobile-first ecommerce platform for small businesses. According to the company, the platform will help sellers create a functional online store in minutes without technical knowledge. StoreUp has not disclosed pricing other than the “first three transactions” are free.

Intuit Mailchimp announces product enhancements and refreshed popup forms. Intuit Mailchimp has announced product enhancements, including revamped popup forms in beta. Marketers can target and engage site visitors with branded popups to collect data for AI-powered personalized marketing. With eight new offer types, businesses can use popups to drive conversions with offers such as discounts, free shipping, consultations, contests and giveaways, event signups, newsletter subscriptions, and more.

Intuit Mailchimp

New Ecommerce Tools: February 27, 2025

Every week we publish a list of new products from companies offering services to ecommerce merchants. This installment includes updates on Canada-based selling, buy-now pay-later, CRM platforms, logistics, shipping tools, long-term domain registration, and seller financing.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

Temu invites Canadian businesses to sell on its ecommerce platform. Temu, a marketplace for low-cost products operated by the China-based PDD Holdings, is inviting Canadian businesses to sell directly on its platform. Temu is introducing a local-to-local model, connecting Canadian sellers with Canadian consumers and expanding access to a broader range of products and faster order fulfillment. The program is open exclusively to businesses registered in Canada with local inventory and fulfillment capabilities.

Temu

Affirm and Shopify expand partnership into new markets worldwide. Affirm, a pay-over-time payment network, and Shopify have announced an expanded global agreement. The multi-year partnership expands Affirm’s position as the pay-over-time provider for Shop Pay Installments in the U.S. In the coming months, eligible Shopify merchants in Canada can offer Shop Pay Installments powered by Affirm at checkout. The partnership is entering new markets worldwide, including the U.K.

Amazon U.K. and TradeBridge offer term financing for sellers. Amazon U.K. and TradeBridge, a fintech company that provides multi-currency funding for ecommerce businesses, have announced the launch of term financing to support the continued growth of U.K. businesses selling on Amazon. Eligible sellers can access funds of up to £5 million ($6.35 million) based on their Amazon revenue and performance. According to TradeBrdge, the application process is simple, and applicants can expect to hear a response in as little as two hours.

Klaviyo debuts a CRM for business-to-consumer companies. Klaviyo has launched “B2C CRM,” a customer relationship management platform built for consumer brands. According to the company, the platform is composed of several new products. Customer Hub, Klaviyo’s first service product, is a shopper experience to track orders, manage subscriptions, and discover products. AI-powered Marketing Analytics helps brands understand customer and purchase behavior.

Klaviyo’s B2C CRM

PayPal announces an omnichannel partnership with Verifone. PayPal has partnered with Verifone to deliver omnichannel payment acceptance solutions. This strategic partnership will combine Verifone’s in-person payment processing with PayPal’s enterprise payment and ecommerce capabilities (known as Braintree) to offer merchants an omnichannel payment acceptance solution. Also, PayPal has announced its new merchant offering, PayPal Open, a platform for businesses to discover and integrate commerce enablement tools — payments, financial services, risk solutions — within the PayPal ecosystem.

Flexport unveils new tech and AI-powered products to modernize supply chains. Flexport, a supply chain platform, has launched more than 20 tech and AI-powered products for global logistics, featuring Flexport Intelligence and Flexport Control Tower. Flexport Intelligence allows shippers to ask questions in natural language and receive insights about their supply chain performance. Flexport Control Tower enables businesses to use Flexport’s supply chain technology even for shipments where another carrier or forwarder moves the freight.

Bridgeline enhances search for BigCommerce Catalyst. Bridgeline, a provider of AI-driven search and merchandising tools, announces the launch of the HawkSearch Catalyst Connector, which, according to the company, integrates AI-powered search into BigCommerce Catalyst, enabling real-time product discovery, dynamic personalization, and advanced analytics to optimize engagement and conversions. The HawkSearch App for BigCommerce synchronizes product data in real time, ensuring accurate search results. The Catalyst Connector renders search results dynamically.

Bridgeline

Yottaa launches managed service for ecommerce brands and retailers. Yottaa, a provider of ecommerce site performance optimization, has launched Web Performance Services, a managed solution for brands and retailers. The platform integrates Fastly Edge Cloud for content delivery, HUMAN Defense Platform for fraud prevention and security, and Yottaa’s Web Performance Cloud for real-time monitoring. According to Yottaa, the managed platform provides fast, secure, high-performing storefronts.

Typeform releases AI tools for data collection. Typeform, a form builder platform, has released its Winter 2025 update with multiple AI-powered capabilities to help brands understand their audiences. Typeform’s Creator AI streamlines and enhances form creation and design with AI Form Builder, AI Brand Kit, AI Content Optimizer, and more. Interaction AI improves engagement to elicit stronger responses, automatically detecting vague responses with prompts for clarification. Insights AI transforms raw data into actionable insights.

WordPress offers 100-year domain name registrations. WordPress has introduced “100-Year Domains,” an option to secure a domain name lasting 100 years for $2,000. The new domain name registration is available for .com, .org, .net, or .blog domains and is managed in a trust account controlled by the person registering the domain. Additionally, WordPress is relaunching its 100-Year Plan, a hosting service equipped with enhanced features to preserve a website and legacy.

FedEx launches Collaborative Shipping Tool. Federal Express has launched the Collaborative Shipping Tool to simplify the import process. The tool allows importers to share the airway bill creation process directly with shippers, enabling them to confirm shipment details and schedule pickups based on their readiness. According to FedEx, this collaborative feature will improve the success rate of shipment pickups, ensuring greater efficiency in the import journey.

FedEx’s Collaborative Shipping Tool