Paul do Forno 🛒 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇵🇹

Could Instacart’s (CART) Business Tools Unlock a Competitive Edge in B2B E-Commerce?

🛒 Instacart is rolling out new Cart Business Tools, aiming to empower brands and retailers with enhanced analytics, marketing, and operational capabilities.

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Amazon, US Postal Service expand doorstep returns

🚚 Amazon and the US Postal Service have expanded their partnership, now offering doorstep returns for more customers nationwide. This move greatly simplifies the returns process—no box, label, or trip to the post office required.

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Amazon Adds New ‘Help Me Decide’ AI Tool to Suggest Product for Indecisive Customers

🤖 Amazon introduces its 'Help Me Decide' AI tool, aiming to support shoppers who struggle with product choices by offering tailored, intelligent suggestions.

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Why ChatGPT checkout could take a bite out of Walmart's $4B ad business
💡 ChatGPT-enabled checkouts are poised to reshape online shopping, offering consumers a conversational, pathway from discovery to purchase
🛍️ This new shopping paradigm could disrupt traditional ads
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"Additional U.S. Tariff Costs Exceed $100 Billion"
➡️ Additional tariffs imposed by the Trump administration caused U.S. customs revenue to surge to $215.24 billion in fiscal year 2025, an increase of nearly $120B YoY
➡️ The burden is disproportionately falling on domestic retailers
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Executive Roundtable: B2B Commerce Excellence Forum
📍 Roscioli, NYC
📆 Thursday, Oct. 23
➡️ 5:30 pm
Seats are limited apply below:
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AGENDA
Decoding B2B Buyer Behaviour: Data-Driven Insights for Growth
Shaping the Next Decade of B2B Commerce: Lessons from Global Leaders

Adobe: U.S. online holiday sales to hit new record of $253B
🛒 deep discounts fueled spending, with top categories including electronics, apparel, & toys showing strong yoy growth
💻 Mobile shopping played a significant role, with nearly half of the purchases completed on smartphones
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Summary of Amazon Prime Big Deal Days
🛒 Prime Big Deal Days drove high participation, with consumers showing strong engagement & enthusiasm for exclusive discounts and limited-time offers.
📦 Top-selling categories included electronics, home goods, & apparel, mirroring broader trends
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Parcel Delivery: The impact of changing tariffs on e-commerce peak volumes

🌍 Evolving global tariffs are reshaping e-commerce logistics, leading to shifts in cross-border shopping behaviors and delivery flows.
📦 Tariff changes can impact peak season volumes, as higher costs
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Do you want to be your own e-commerce model?
🧑💻 Brands are now enabling shoppers to virtually “model” products on themselves, using AI-powered tools and digital avatars to preview fit, style in real time.
👗 Customer-as-model technology is enhancing the online experience

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Going to Dreamforce next week? I will be presenting and with Caila Schwartz Salesforce
➡️ Accelerating your Organizations Digital Sales: The Latest B2B Commerce Trends Driving Growth
🗓️ Wednesday Oct. 15 noon
📍Deloitte Digital House – 667 Howard St | Tent Venue
Sign up:
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Kroger expands use of DoorDash’s DashMart for grocery delivery and fulfillment

🚚 DashMart stores will stock hundreds of Kroger-owned products, offering “quick, access to essentials” in new markets.
📦 “streamlining last-mile delivery and meeting evolving expectations.”

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Home Depot B2B ecommerce: Digital project planning sets the pace
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🛒 Home Depot is investing in advanced ecommerce tools and integrations, enabling contractors and B2B buyers to coordinate, manage, and track large-scale projects from quote to delivery.

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Going to Dreamforce?
Join me talking about Latest B2B Commerce Trends and AI:
"Agentic AI that Pays for Itself: Unlocking SAP & Accelerating Salesforce B2B Commerce"
Presenting with Gerald Schlechter founder of enosix
📆 Monday Oct 13 5pm
📍 The Box SF - 1069 Howard St, SF
Sign up:
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What the U.S. government shutdown could mean for the holiday commerce season  
🛒 Consumer confidence could see a significant impact, as shoppers may delay or reduce holiday spending due to economic uncertainty
🚚 Shipping delays and logistical challenges are likely
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TikTok is talking to brands like it’s a grocer now
🛒 This approach with brands, offering shelf-like placements for products within its app and expanding its in-app shopping features
🚀 Brands are shifting their strategies to treat TikTok as a distribution channel, showcasing products
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Get ready for the first Cyborg Monday
🛒 Cyborg Monday marks a shift: Brands blending human creativity with AI-driven insights can deliver hyper-relevant offers
🚀 "AI leaders" will dominate sales growth, using advanced tools to predict demand, optimize pricing
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. @Salesforce 2025 holiday shopping predictions:
➡️ Hyper-personalized product discovery is here
➡️AI agents will boost employee productivity
➡️Unified commerce experiences will supercharge online/offline sales
➡️Trade uncertainty will push shoppers to resale, as discounts are cut back
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🛒 OpenAI unveils a new feature: Buy it in ChatGPT: Instant Checkout and the Agentic Commerce Protocol allowing users to search for, compare, and purchase items seamlessly within the ChatGPT environment.
🤖 This breakthrough brings conversational commerce front and center
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Returns now key to revenue retention and brand growth: Report
🔄 Product returns have evolved from a cost center to a strategic lever for revenue retention and brand growth, according to report
🛍️ e-commerce businesses are prioritizing seamless, customer-friendly return processes
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Bucks roll !

India mulls easing e-commerce rules to boost exports via Amazon
🇮🇳 aiming to support small businesses and drive export growth
🌐 Simplifying compliance and logistics could help Indian merchants access global markets more easily, enhancing the country’s position in international trade
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eBay to acquire social marketplace platform Tise

🔗 eBay has announced the acquisition of Tise, a leading social marketplace platform, signaling its intent to strengthen community-driven commerce and expand its reach among Gen Z and sustainability-focused shoppers.

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Amazon to Pay $2.5B Settlement Over Deceptive Subscription Practices

🚨 The case centers on claims that Amazon made it difficult for customers to cancel Prime subscriptions, raising important questions about transparency and consent in online services.

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China reaches global majority of Sellers on Amazon
📈 This shift is driven by competitive pricing, agile manufacturing, and advanced supply chain processes, enabling Chinese brands and merchants to capture significant market share.

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B2B Commerce: MercadoLibre launches new B2B unit to tap corporate market
🏢 This division focuses on supplying businesses and organizations with tailored digital solutions—moving beyond its traditional consumer marketplace.
💼 The initiative unlocks new growth opportunities
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How Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni used Gen Z methods to raise $8M for PHIA Shopping App

📱 Their strategy included harnessing social media storytelling, influencer engagement, and authentic community outreach to reach investors aligned with their mission.

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New: Agents to Payments (A2P): A new protocol for AI agents to make payments
🤖 Google Cloud introduces the (A2P) protocol, enabling AI agents to initiate and complete payments securely on behalf of users.
💳 The A2P protocol is designed to streamline transactions for AI
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Retail sales show US consumer spending holds up, but almost everyone is looking for deals

🛍️ US retail sales remain resilient, signaling that consumers are still spending despite economic pressures.
💸 Deal-seeking is on the rise: Nearly every shopper is hunting for discounts
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Amazon adds Walmart, Shopify, Shein to Multi-Channel Fulfillment coverage
🚀 Amazon has launched a new Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF) service, allowing brands to leverage Amazon’s logistics network to fulfill orders from any sales channel—not just Amazon’s own marketplace.
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