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

New Ecommerce Tools: February 20, 2025

This week’s rundown of new products and services for ecommerce merchants includes updates on AI-powered agents, wholesale management, fraud prevention, marketplace advertising, influencers, and social commerce.

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

New Tools for Merchants

Wholesale platform Joor launches matchmaking tool for brands and retailers. Joor, a wholesale management platform for the fashion sector, has introduced Joor Discover to streamline the matchmaking process between brands and retailers. According to Joor, by leveraging proprietary data and a network of authenticated retailers, the tool offers a more efficient and targeted approach to wholesale expansion. Joor Discover allows brands to search and filter through its retailer directory to identify potential partners.

Joor

Meta will show rival classified ad providers on Marketplace. Meta will allow rival classified ad service providers to post listings of their ads on Facebook Marketplace. Calling it the Facebook Marketplace Partner Program, Meta said the scheme is a response to a recent antitrust decision by the European Commission. Meta also said it tested the program in Germany, France, and the United States with eBay last month.

Trustfull launches AI-powered Domain Intelligence domain agents. Trustfull, a provider of identity intelligence for fraud prevention, has launched Domain Intelligence, a suite of AI agents designed to automate “know your business” checks and merchant verification with online due diligence. Domain Intelligence’s AI agents perform a website analysis and checks on social media, business platforms, and marketplaces to confirm active commercial operations. Additional insights include reviews, digital advertising activity, business photos, and data from online sources to verify the company’s legitimacy.

Hightouch raises $80 million for AI-powered marketing tools. Hightouch has raised $80 million for its platform to allow sales, marketing, and customer service teams to synchronize data warehouses and other locations, along with AI agents. Sapphire Ventures led the funding round with NVC, Amplify Ventures, ICONIQ Growth, Bain Capital Ventures, and Y Combinator. The funding will additionally advance Hightouch’s technology, business development, and hiring.

Hightouch

Sprout Social launches rebranded influencer marketing platform. Sprout Social, a social media management platform, has launched its rebranded influencer marketing portal, called Sprout Social Influencer Marketing, formerly Tagger Media. Influencer Marketing is designed to make discovering influencers and executing campaigns more efficient and intuitive. Sprout Social says Influencer Marketing equips brands with AI-powered insights and advanced analytics to help identify the right influencers, build authentic partnerships, and maximize campaign performance.

Commerce platform MarketLeap raises $8 million. MarketLeap, a platform to simplify and scale direct-to-consumer ecommerce, has announced an $8 million Series A funding round led by Smedvig Ventures, with participation from Expon Capital and Motier Ventures. MarketLeap offers customers a platform that uses AI-powered automation to navigate the complexities of marketplace operations and backend management. MarketLeap says the funding will facilitate more automation across multiple functions and enhance analytics capabilities.

Swap and Signifyd partner to empower brands with global commerce. Swap, an ecommerce tool that consolidates global operations, has announced a strategic partnership with Signifyd, a provider of fraud and abuse prevention. According to the companies, merchants can scale internationally by streamlining cross-border logistics and compliance through Swap and mitigating fraud risk through Signifyd. Signifyd’s AI-powered fraud detection protects checkout conversion by approving more legitimate transactions while blocking fraudulent ones.

Signifyd

Locafy introduces Localizer to boost local search visibility. Locafy, a provider of location-based digital marketing capabilities, has launched Localizer to help businesses improve their online visibility and rank higher in local search results. According to Locafy, Localizer distributes across more than 120 platforms, deploys optimized landing pages, optimizes Google Business Profiles, applies search optimization technology to boost local pack rankings, and produces content to target key search intent categories.

Wyrld lands €1 million for social commerce with content creators and influencers. Hamburg-based startup Wyrld has secured €1.0 million ($1.04 million) in pre-seed funding to launch a social commerce platform and blend traditional ecommerce with the creator economy. Wyrld says it offers content creators and brands a direct way to market and sell products while it handles logistics and customer support. Set to launch this year, Wyrld is being tested by influencers and select brands.

Gupshup launches AI Agents for businesses. Gupshup, a conversational AI platform, has launched its AI Agent Library, a suite of pre-built and customizable AI agents. Gupshup says its AI agents can handle inbound queries and outbound notifications, reminders, and alerts. The agents leverage large-language models to engage in natural language conversations with the user. The agents integrate with relevant backend tools, such as catalogs, CRMs, ticketing systems, and calendars.

Gupshup

New Ecommerce Tools: February 13, 2025

We publish a rundown each week of new products from companies offering services to ecommerce merchants. This installment includes updates on Amazon offers, product displays, subscriptions, cross-border sales, Meta campaigns, fraud prevention, recommerce, headless commerce, and packaging.

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

New Tools for Merchants

Amazon tests product offerings from other brands’ sites. Amazon is testing a shopping experience that shows select products in its search results even if it doesn’t sell them. Shoppers can click the link and purchase directly from the external brand’s website. The experience is live for select U.S. customers in Amazon Shopping‘s iOS and Android apps.

Amazon’s referral to external brands.

Simon partners with Shopify to help ecommerce brands enter brick-and-mortar retail. Mall owner Simon has partnered with Shopify and physical retail platform Leap to help ecommerce brands launch or expand into brick-and-mortar. The three companies will offer tools to help digital brands quickly open new stores across Simon’s real estate portfolio and at other locations. The partnership continues Simon’s efforts to support the brands in its malls and shopping centers adapt to changing consumer behaviors.

Meta introduces Advantage+ AI features for marketing campaigns. To help businesses maximize performance with AI, Meta is testing a streamlined Advantage+ campaign setup, wherein marketers will no longer need to choose between a manual and an Advantage+ shopping campaign. Meta is also rolling out Advantage+ lead campaigns, allowing advertisers to apply AI-powered automation to find quality leads. Meta is additionally expanding “opportunity score,” a tool to improve performance by offering recommendations and AI optimizations.

Cloudinary extends the product platform with 3D. Cloudinary, an image and video platform, has launched Cloudinary 3D to assist ecommerce brands in showcasing products. With Cloudinary 3D, a single model powers visual asset variations, enabling businesses to create interactive 3D images, augmented reality, and photorealistic packshots. Cloudinary 3D says it simplifies and accelerates the creation of immersive experiences, eliminating the need for expensive photo shoots and customization.

Cloudinary

TikTok tests a subscription model for Shop. TikTok is testing a feature that allows shoppers to purchase goods on Shop via a subscription. The tool encourages users to make repeat purchases of items in exchange for a discount. Sellers can lock-in recurring revenue in return. The feature is not yet available to all sellers. TikTok Shop offers a variety of features for sellers, including logistics and fulfillment services and a dedicated app.

Rakuten Rakuma expands into the U.S. with cross-border sales on eBay. Rakuten Rakuma, an online flea market of new and used goods, has announced a full-scale launch of cross-border sales on eBay US, to begin later this month. The initiative, called the Rakuma Overseas Omakase Plan, is open to applications from Rakuma Official Shop owners. Expanding customer channels for Rakuma Official Shops and promoting merchants’ international sales, the initiative currently hosts over 30 shops on eBay.

Loop and Global-e partner on cross-border returns. Loop, a returns platform for Shopify sellers, has partnered with direct-to-consumer ecommerce platform Global-e. The collaboration enables merchants to consolidate returns management into a single system. According to the companies, by handling duties, taxes, and other cross-border operations, the partnership ensures compliance, reduces administrative burdens, and unlocks revenue opportunities in global markets.

Global-e

Yuno launches Mastercard Payment Passkey Service for LatAm merchants. Yuno, a global payments orchestrator, is launching Mastercard Payment Passkey Service across Latin America, enabling merchants in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile to streamline online checkout processes, enhance fraud protection, and reduce cart abandonment rates. Mastercard Payment Passkey Service boosts the security and convenience of online transactions by using device-based biometrics, such as fingerprints and facial recognition already available on smartphones, to authenticate purchases. This replaces traditional authentication methods, such as one-time passwords.

ReturnPro launches a returns platform for SMBs. ReturnPro, a returns management and reverse logistics platform, has launched ReturnPro for small and medium-sized ecommerce businesses. ReturnPro for SMBs provides multiple features to streamline returns, including integration with marketplace accounts for consistent returns experiences across platforms; capabilities to offer “Keep It” services, instant exchanges, store credit incentives, and customer profiles; tools to automate returns, prevent fraud, and manage costs; and real-time returns visibility, warehousing solutions, and recommerce services.

MikMak announces ecommerce platform innovations and API enhancements. MikMak, an ecommerce enablement and analytics platform for multichannel brands, has updated its APIs. The MikMak Insights API integrates with existing data sources in real time. The MikMak Headless Commerce API enables brands to build custom shoppable websites powered by MikMak’s retail network, inventory data, and sales attribution.

Ranpak partners with Rabot to expand AI-powered packaging solutions. Ranpak, a provider of sustainable paper-based packaging and automation for ecommerce and industrial supply chains, has partnered with Rabot, an AI platform to streamline the packing process with visibility into warehouse operations. Rabot utilizes an AI camera system to collect and analyze data at manual pack stations, providing actionable insights to help businesses optimize packing workflows, reduce material waste, and improve quality.

Ranpak

New Ecommerce Tools: February 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, product pages, marketing models, point-of-sales solutions, payment platforms, and conversational commerce.

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

New Tools for Merchants

Palona AI launches a platform for AI sales agents. Palona has released its suite of AI tools to accelerate the growth of direct-to-consumer and other consumer-facing businesses. The company also announced $10 million in seed funding from investors, including UpHonest Capital, Fusion Fund, Maynard Webb, NEO Investment Partners, and others. Palona’s mission is to give customers AI they can trust with key parts of any business: their brand, customer relationships, and sales.

Palona AI

Google launches an open-source marketing mix model. Google has launched Meridian, an open-source marketing mix model available to all marketers and data scientists. Google has also introduced a partner program with over 20 certified measurement partners. Meridian analyzes campaign results based on a business’s key performance indicators, such as sales, website visits, profit, and conversions.

Poshmark marketplace debuts Smart List AI. Poshmark, a fashion resale marketplace, has unveiled Smart List AI to streamline the listing process with the power of generative AI. According to Poshmark, Smart List AI acts as a co-pilot for sellers. It uses artificial intelligence to generate listing details across any category and department from a single photo. The AI also automates the creation of key listing elements such as title, description, and category.

Paymob partners with Woo to help MENA merchants. Paymob, a financial services provider in the Middle East and North Africa, has partnered with Woo, the open-source ecommerce platform. Using Paymob, WooCommerce merchants can integrate over 50 global and local payment methods, including  Apple Pay, Google Pay, and regional alternatives. According to Paymob, the integration aims to simplify the checkout process by providing a secure and seamless experience with embedded 3D Secure and PCI compliance.

Paymob

Qeen.ai raises $10 million to provide AI agents for ecommerce businesses. Qeen.ai, a provider of AI tools for ecommerce, has raised $10 million in funding, ​​led by Prosus Ventures, with participation from existing investors, including Wamda Capital, 10x Founders, and Dara Holdings. Qeen.ai develops AI agents that autonomously execute tasks and optimize outcomes based on observed user behavior. Ecommerce businesses can leverage Qeen.ai’s agents to carry out functions such as content creation, marketing, and conversational sales.

Vengo AI partners with AppSumo to launch an AI sales platform. Vengo AI, a platform for customizable AI sales agents, is now a featured partner on the AppSumo marketplace. Vengo AI says it enables businesses to create AI sales agents that reflect their unique voice and branding, available 24/7 through text and voice. Businesses can add Vengo AI to any website or platform to capture and track customer data.

Alloy.ai and CloudPaths partner on supply chain planning for consumer products. Alloy.ai, a data integration and retail analytics platform for consumer brands, has joined forces with CloudPaths, a SAP partner, to offer supply chain planning, guidance, and implementation. According to the companies, the partnership enables consumer product businesses to transform their supply chain and planning by combining CloudPaths’ SAP expertise with Alloy’s real-time data integration platform.

Alloy.ai

Kepler launches AI-powered tools for ecommerce product pages. Kepler, a digital marketing agency, has launched PDP+ for ecommerce product pages. Kipler’s AI engine optimizes product-page content, identifying high-performing keywords, restructuring titles for better discoverability, and prioritizing product features based on consumer search patterns. Kepler’s AI-powered engine elevates basic product photography, turning standard background shots into immersive imagery and video. A team of brand and creative experts crafts and reviews the enhancements, Kepler says.

Bookshop.org launches an ebook platform for indie bookstores. Bookshop.org, a site promoting independent bookstores, has launched a platform enabling independent bookstores to sell ebooks. According to Bookshop.org, the digital books initiative enables local bookstores to sell digital products and retain 100% of the profits. The platform, available through Bookshop.org, launches with 3 million ebooks.

Moniepoint tests a POS that manages inventory. Moniepoint, a digital payment company, is testing a point-of-sale service that combines payment and transaction processing with inventory management. Following its acquisition of Grocel, a provider of inventory management tools, Moniepoint has integrated Grocle’s features into its POS terminals. Moniepoint’s new integrated POS will manage the combination of business processes and record keeping.

Gallabox raises $3.5 million for AI-driven business on WhatsApp. Gallabox, a no-code conversational commerce platform, has raised $3.5 million to address how businesses leverage WhatsApp for marketing and sales. The seed round was led by Fuse, with participation from existing investors Prime Venture Partners and Neon Fund. Gallabox says its platform for WhatsApp automation enables businesses to create AI chatbots for lead qualification, deploy drip marketing campaigns, and manage team collaboration through shared inboxes.

Gallabox

New Ecommerce Tools: January 30, 2025

Every week we publish a list of new products from companies offering services to ecommerce merchants. This installment includes updates on automated marketing, social commerce, product reviews, AI-powered shopping agents, value-added tax, drone deliveries, and more.

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

New Tools for Merchants

TikTok Shop U.K. introduces automated ad campaigns for sellers. TikTok Shop U.K. has launched GMV Max, an AI-powered campaign management tool that maximizes sellers’ gross merchandise value. Available for products and live shopping sessions, GMV Max automates campaign creation — audience targeting, bidding, creative — to optimize results. Sellers can choose a performance target.

TikTok Shop: GMV Max

Wix partners with YouTube on social shopping. Wix has integrated with YouTube Shopping, enabling merchants to sell products directly through the video platform. Merchants can display their products in a store format directly on their YouTube profiles and tag products in videos, live streams, and shorts. Merchants can track performance using YouTube’s analytics tools. Product details such as descriptions and images automatically sync between Wix and YouTube.

Test Squared connects sellers with product testers. Test Squared has launched its platform to help sellers generate product reviews quickly and ethically. The platform connects businesses with verified product testers to gather authentic feedback, offering sellers a way to build trust and increase product visibility while ensuring compliance with review regulations.

OpenAI introduces Operator with shopping agents. OpenAI has released Operator⁠, an agent that can perform online tasks, including shopping. Using its own browser, Operator can interact with a web page by typing, clicking, scrolling, and executing browser tasks such as filling out forms and ordering groceries. As part of the release, OpenAI is collaborating with companies such as DoorDash, Instacart, OpenTable, Priceline, StubHub, Thumbtack, and Uber.

OpenAI Operator

Amazon Ads launches Brand+ to leverage shopping, browsing, streaming. Amazon Ads is launching Brand+, which combines data from shopping, browsing, and streaming across the company’s total footprint. The data-powered offering seeks to predict consumers looking for a brand’s product or service within the next three months. Marketers can use Brand+ to deliver messages on (i) video streaming platforms such as Prime Video and Twitch, (ii) video publishers such as BuzzFeed and Fox, and (iii) the streaming marketplace with Fire TV.

Meta introduces ads in Threads. Businesses can extend their existing Meta ad campaigns to Threads by checking a box in Ads Manager. During early testing, ads in the Threads feed will be images that appear between content in the Threads home feed for a small percentage of users. Meta will also give users control over the ads they see.

Klaviyo to be the preferred marketing solution for WooCommerce. Klaviyo, a marketing automation platform, has been named the preferred marketing automation partner for the WooCommerce WordPress plugin. Klaviyo says more than 15,000 brands use its WooCommerce integration to gather and unify real-time data. The consolidated data allows brands to create and manage personalized omnichannel marketing campaigns, streamline product reviews, and improve performance through actionable insights.

Klaviyo

Amazon unveils location of first drone delivery in the U.K. In 2023, Amazon announced plans to launch drone deliveries in the U.K. It has now identified the northern city of Darlington as the location of the first planned U.K. Prime Air drone delivery. Amazon will seek permission to build flight operations facilities at the site and apply for authorization from the Civil Aviation Authority to fly drones in the airspace.

eBay U.K. helps sellers with value-added tax. eBay U.K. is running a trial program to help merchants manage value-added tax. Merchants who sell goods in any E.U. country or the U.K. may be required to collect and remit VAT on sales. The eBay trial program enables sellers to automatically download VAT invoices while providing buyers with accessible VAT receipts — all from the view order details page.

PriceSpider launches an API to customize ecommerce shopping and analytics. PriceSpider, a provider of omnichannel selling tools, has launched API Accelerate Suite, featuring two integrations, Custom Commerce and Data Share. Custom Commerce enables brands to access PriceSpider’s omnichannel data to power personalized user experiences across brand-owned media. Data Share provides access to PriceSpider’s data, powered by Snowflake, to track product performance, shopper engagement, and sales.

Ad management platform Shirofune integrates LinkedIn Ads. Shirofune, a Japan-based advertising automation tool, has integrated with LinkedIn Ads. The integration allows advertisers to manage LinkedIn campaigns alongside other ad platforms, including Google, Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, Pinterest, TikTok, X, BigCommerce, and Shopify. Shirofune’s AI-powered platform automates budget allocation and bid adjustments on LinkedIn. It also features enhanced targeting capabilities with automated audience segmentation and performance tracking.

Shirofune