TikTok’s AI-powered video creation tool...what is it? 🎵

Hey there! Did you know that today is National Button Day? 🧵

Whether you're mending a jacket or buttoning up your latest eCommerce strategy, we’re here to help you stay sharp.

This week, we’re bringing you the scoop on Walmart’s AI-powered holiday push, Mastercard’s all-in-one small business platform, the latest innovations in social commerce, and more.

So, grab your favorite snack and button up for a week of exciting updates!

ECOMMERCE AI & SOCIAL MEDIA

TikTok Unveils Symphony Creative Studio: AI-Powered Video Creation for All Businesses

TikTok has expanded access to its AI-powered video-generation tool, Symphony Creative Studio, for all TikTok for Business users. Part of TikTok’s Symphony AI suite, this tool simplifies video production, making it easier for advertisers to ideate, create, and scale content effectively.

Symphony Creative Studio offers three main features:

• AI Video Generation: Businesses can input information, assets, or URLs to generate videos using licensed materials and TikTok partners' assets, which can be edited and exported.

• Avatar Integration: Users can create AI-driven avatars, choosing from stock or custom options, to produce videos by inputting scripts in various languages. Brands can even create custom avatars representing their IP or spokesperson by verifying consent and identity.

• Enhanced Video Tools: Features include video translation, dubbing, editing, and auto-generating videos based on an advertiser's past platform activity.

TikTok’s latest innovation bridges the gap between creativity and efficiency, empowering advertisers to focus on strategy while reducing production hurdles. This move places TikTok alongside other giants like Amazon and Walmart, which are also leveraging AI tools to revolutionize advertising workflows.

Symphony Creative Studio is now live for all TikTok for Business users, offering a cutting-edge way to streamline video marketing.

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ECOMMERCE TECH

Instacart’s Tech Push Drives Growth Through Retailer Integrations

Instacart is doubling down on retailer integrations and advanced technology to redefine grocery shopping, CEO Fidji Simo shared during the company’s Q3 earnings call.

With innovations like loyalty hubs, digital flyers, and Carrot Tags, Instacart's "secret sauce" of deep retailer partnerships is driving significant growth in sales and customer satisfaction.

• Deeper Integrations, Bigger Gains: Retailers adopting new services like EBT SNAP, alcohol delivery, and loyalty programs saw sales grow twice as fast as those without.

• Tech-Enhanced Savings: Customers saved over $1.1 billion through tools like Kroger’s in-store price parity on digital flyers and fuel point collection.

• AI-Powered Precision: With prediction models from 1 billion orders, Instacart improved “found and fill” rates for large baskets, representing 75% of industry value.

• Expanding Tools for Retailers: The new Storefront Pro solution, used by 1,500+ retailers, includes features like clickable flyers, loyalty hubs, and 30+ customizable savings options.

Instacart’s GTV grew 11% to $8.3 billion, with 72.9 million orders in Q3. CEO Simo emphasized the company’s strategy: “We remain hyper-focused on leading North America’s grocery technology market.”

ECOMMERCE FINANCE AI

Revolutionizing Accounts Payable: Automation Turns Pain Points Into Profit

Businesses are increasingly embracing automation to streamline accounts payable (AP) processes, boosting cash flow and efficiency.

Steve Tackett, EVP of Operations at Priority, highlights how manual AP processes like invoice approvals and paper checks create costly bottlenecks, but automation is transforming AP from a cost center to a profit engine.

Tackett's Framework: The "Three Cs" of AP Automation

1. Completeness: Integrated payables platforms unify card, ACH, check, and wire transfers into a single system for seamless reconciliation.

2. Configurability: Custom workflows reduce onboarding time and allow businesses to tailor AP processes.

3. Curation: Personalized supplier interactions, from branded communication to customized reporting, enhance the experience.

The Role of Virtual Cards

• Faster Payments: Near-instant transactions eliminate mail delays.

• Fraud Prevention: Virtual cards offer greater security.

• Profit Potential: Cash-back incentives and credit terms transform AP into a revenue-generating function.

AI-powered tools are on the horizon, enabling predictive analytics to craft payment strategies and negotiate better supplier terms automatically. Tackett sees a world where AP automation frees businesses to reinvest working capital for growth.

Automation isn’t just about efficiency — it’s reshaping how companies manage and monetize payments.

ECOMMERCE AI RETAIL TRENDS

Walmart’s AI Edge: A Game-Changer for Black Friday and Beyond

Walmart is betting big on artificial intelligence (AI) this holiday season to optimize e-commerce and strengthen its foothold as a tech-forward retailer. The retailer’s GenAI-powered shopping assistant is expanding in beta, and its use of generative AI for data enhancement is already transforming customer experiences.

AI's Role in the Walmart Experience:

• Enhanced Product Discovery: AI predicts shopper preferences, providing tailored recommendations and streamlining decision-making.

• Catalog Optimization: Generative AI updated over 850M catalog data points, improving search results and inventory management.

• Associate Tools: High-quality product images assist associates in fulfilling online orders more efficiently.

Walmart’s AI and automation investments are elevating its supply chain and enabling Every Day Low Costs (EDLC). The company projects $167.5B in Q3 revenue, a 4.2% YoY increase. Analysts, including Jefferies and Bank of America, forecast a positive earnings surprise, fueled by increased engagement across income groups and holiday spending shifts toward omnichannel players like Walmart.

With 51% stock growth YoY and holiday demand rising, Walmart is poised for sustained momentum, leveraging AI to redefine customer experiences and e-commerce profitability.

ECOMMERCE TECH

Mastercard Launches Biz360 to Simplify Small Business Operations

Mastercard has unveiled Biz360, a platform aimed at simplifying how small businesses manage their digital tools and workflows. By consolidating operational tools, payment gateways, and marketing resources into a single interface, Biz360 seeks to empower small business owners to focus on growth and customer service.

Key Features of Biz360

• Centralized Platform: Combines operational tools, subscriptions, and payment gateways in one dashboard.

• Automation: Simplifies administrative tasks like invoicing and expense management.

• Performance Insights: Offers personalized business reports to help track growth.

• Customer Engagement Tools: Facilitates personalized email campaigns, website creation, and marketing initiatives.

Biz360 is built in collaboration with Hello Alice (a FinTech platform for small businesses) and vcita (a technology provider specializing in business management tools).

Mastercard plans to roll out Biz360 to more markets in 2025, broadening its partnerships to include additional service providers.

Signing off,

The Merchant @CartHustle