Did you know that this Tuesday, October 22nd, is International Stuttering Awareness Day? 🌍

In this week’s newsletter, we’re diving into the latest eCommerce trends that can help you stay ahead of the game:

• Holiday Shopping Surge: Retailers and E-Commerce Gear Up: Get insights into preparing for the upcoming holiday rush.

• Bargain-Hunters Drive Online Shopping Demand: Understand consumer behavior as shoppers seek value.

• Google Revamps Shopping Experience with AI-Driven Features: Discover how AI is enhancing the online shopping journey.

• AI-Assisted Software Transform eCommerce Content Creation: Learn about tools that can boost your content productivity.

• Buybuy Baby Shifts to Digital-First Strategy: Explore the implications of retail's digital transformation.

Let’s get started!

ECOMMERCE HOLIDAY TRENDS

Holiday Shopping Surge: Retailers and E-Commerce Gear Up

With the holiday season fast approaching, retailers and e-commerce platforms are gearing up for the shopping rush.

DHL Supply Chain CEO for North America, Patrick Kelleher, shared insights into how the industry is preparing:

• More promotional items are moving from warehouses to retailers, but volumes are consistent with past years, indicating steady consumer demand.

• E-commerce delivery strategies are shifting, with big events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday spreading shipments over several days to reduce labor costs.

• National Retail Federation forecasts holiday spending will grow by 2.5% to 3.5%, reaching up to $989 billion.

Additionally, Amazon plans to hire 250,000 workers for the season, maintaining last year’s hiring levels. Meanwhile, supply chains are stable, and freight volume is expected to remain strong despite economic uncertainties.

SPONSORED BY OMNISEND

Black Friday without Panic Thursday

As exciting as Black Friday is, the problem is that everyone is doing it.

But don’t worry — Omnisend has a cheat sheet so you can stand out on the big occasion. It includes:

1. A checklist on what to do (including the important business of when to drink coffee) 

2. What emails to create

3. When to start your promotions

4. Real examples of texts that actually get read

5. [Another important point about why you should check it out]

Download the Omnisend BFCM cheat sheet here, print the checklist, and prepare one step at a time. 

ECOMMERCE HOLIDAY TRENDS

Bargain-Hunters Drive Online Shopping Demand Ahead of Holidays

As the holiday season approaches, online spending is experiencing a notable rise, fueled primarily by lower-income consumers seeking value.

In a recent discussion on Yahoo Finance, Bank of America Institute senior economist David Tinsley highlighted this trend, noting, “Over the last two years, we've begun to see a rise in online spending again.”

Key Insights:

• The increase in online shopping is attributed to value-seeking behavior, where consumers are trading down to find the best deals.

• Shopping online offers convenience, allowing consumers to cover more retail territory without the hassle of navigating malls.

• Tinsley maintains an optimistic outlook on the consumer landscape, stating that despite economic pressures, wage growth remains solid, and spending continues.

This trend suggests that consumers are prioritizing convenience and savings, which could shape the upcoming holiday shopping landscape significantly. Brands that adapt to these changing preferences will likely thrive in this competitive environment.

ECOMMERCE TRENDS

Google Revamps Shopping Experience with AI-Driven Features

Google has introduced a revamped shopping platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI), set to roll out across the U.S. in the coming weeks. This update leverages 45 billion product listings from Google’s Shopping Graph and Gemini models to improve how users research and shop online.

Key Features:

• Personalized Home Page: Shoppers receive tailored product suggestions and videos based on preferences.

• AI-Powered Tools: Includes price comparison, insights, tracking, and a dedicated deals page.

• Generative AI: Google uses AI-generated briefs to recommend products for specific needs (e.g., “Men’s winter jacket for Seattle”).

• Interactive Design: The platform aims to be more dynamic and visually rich with personalized search results.

As part of its experimental phase, users can explore the new platform via Google Search’s “Shopping Tab” or at shopping.google.com.

For more insights, visit Google’s AI innovations in shopping and check out the PYMNTS article.

ECOMMERCE AI

AI-Assisted Editing Platforms Transform eCommerce Content Creation

Recent advancements in AI-assisted editing platforms are set to boost productivity for eCommerce teams, enabling faster creation of everything from multilingual product descriptions to marketing copy.

OpenAI recently unveiled Canvas, a new interface for ChatGPT that promises to revolutionize collaborative writing and coding. This beta release introduces a workspace where users can collaborate directly with AI, jointly developing ideas in real time. It’s part of a shift from traditional dialogue-based AI assistance to a more interactive, side-by-side creative process. Learn more about Canvas.

Paul Morville, CEO of Parrot AI, explained in an interview with PYMNTS: “This next phase is about getting humans and AI together into the tool, working towards a desired outcome.” The goal is seamless cooperation between the person and AI, akin to two humans collaborating. More details on AI collaboration trends.

Key Features of AI-Assisted Tools:

• Canvas offers content creation features such as suggesting edits, adjusting text length, and adding final polish.

• Anthropic’s Claude recently introduced Projects, enabling team collaboration and AI-assisted workflows. Read about Claude’s new Projects feature.

• Tools like Canva, CapCut, and MidJourney allow teams to produce a high volume of content faster, in multiple languages, while maintaining quality.

According to Lauren Petrullo, CEO of Mongoose Media, "AI can generate multiple outputs simultaneously, enhancing the content creation process for eCommerce businesses."

ECOMMERCE RETAIL TRENDS

Buybuy Baby Shifts to Digital-First Strategy

Buybuy Baby's brick-and-mortar comeback appears to be short-lived. The baby retailer, formerly part of Bed Bath & Beyond, closed 115 locations last year during its parent's bankruptcy. After announcing the opening of 11 new stores, the strategy has shifted again as Buybuy Baby started to close its physical locations since October 18.

The company stated, “Buybuy Baby is transforming into a digital-first brand, focusing on providing an exceptional online shopping experience.” This decision, they say, comes from actively listening to their customers and partners.

Last year, CEO Pete Daleiden shared the vision of a revitalized beginning for Buybuy Baby, emphasizing a quick return to market in response to community demand.

In contrast, the retail industry sees players like Agility Retail Group enhancing in-store experiences. CEO Peter Stevens highlights the importance of partnerships in understanding and addressing retail challenges.

As Buybuy Baby pivots away from physical stores, it reflects a broader trend in retail: the digital transformation of shopping experiences.

Signing off,

The Merchant @CartHustle