Jason Del Rey

Why the most popular mobile shopping app is saying No to AI shopping Live-shopping giant Whatnot has other plans. Plus, a first look at Google's new "buy button" rollout.

While many in Ecommerce are chasing new shopping features from AI labs, Whatnot is focusing elsewhere

I interviewed the head of product for the #1 shopping app in the US, about where the “live commerce” giant is/isn’t making AI bets

His answers surprised me

www.readtheaisle.com/p/whatnot-ai...

“You’d also maybe be surprised how many X thinkbois hate on the media publicly but don’t behave the same in private” – reporter Jason Del Rey on going Indie with The Aisle, who inspires him, and why h... I think Peter Kafka originally intro’ed me to Jason Del Rey, bunch of NY/NJ guys hanging out. I’m thankful for that connection because Jason and I have spent a lot of time in the years …

“You’d also maybe be surprised how many X thinkbois hate on the media publicly but don’t behave the same in private”

My interview with @jasondelrey.bsky.social

hunterwalk.com/2026/02/10/y...

One take on my latest exclusive for @fortune.com

Inside the rapid rise of Whatnot, the wildly-entertaining, FOMO-inducing, most popular shopping app you’ve never heard of Livestreaming shopping app Whatnot will sell $6 billion in goods this year. Can it keep growing?

I spent the last few weeks digging into the remarkable, under-the-radar success of Whatnot -- a $5 billion live-streaming app that's like eBay meets Twitch

Is it the booming collectibles industry? A design that encourages impulse buys? An eclectic group of sellers?

Yes

My latest for @fortune.com

Panicked Chinese suppliers are offering a tariff solution to Amazon sellers — but it's not legal In emails and WeChat messages viewed by Fortune, Chinese suppliers proposed illegal workarounds to executives from a brand with a large presence on Amazon.

My latest exclusive for @fortune.com:

Chinese suppliers are offering some solutions to US Amazon sellers to combat crazy high tariffs ….

The problem? They sure sound like customs fraud.

Desperate SMBS are being forced into very tough choices

cc @mcuban.bsky.social

fortune.com/2025/04/12/c...

“Dynamic” paywall :)

Exclusive: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is considering suing the Trump administration to halt global tariff assault Many big-company CEOs have been resistant to speaking out against the tariffs: No one wants a target on their back. Enter trade groups like the Chamber of Commerce.

This headline in @fortune.com: "Exclusive: U.S. Chamber of Commerce is considering suing the Trump administration to halt global tariff assault" - @jasondelrey.bsky.social fortune.com/2025/04/07/c... (Paywalled)

Exclusive: The US Chamber of Commerce is considering suing the Trump administration to halt global tariff assault Many big-company CEOs have been resistant to speaking out against the tariffs; No one wants a target on their back. Enter trade groups like the Chamber of Commerce.

Exclusive for @fortune.com:

The US Chamber of Commerce is considering suing the Trump administration to halt global tariff agenda

The move would effectively provide cover for CEOs distressed about the tariffs but fearful of incurring the President’s wrath

fortune.com/2025/04/07/c...

The pain—and glory—of a self-made billionaire's insatiable drive Marc Lore is worth an estimated $2.8 billion and his drive has already cost him his marriage of 22 years. Why is he still working 90 hours a week on Wonder, the startup aiming to be the Amazon of food...

My most recent magazine feature for @fortune.com is one of my favorite pieces I've ever written.

It's ostensibly a profile of the serial entrepreneur Marc Lore.

But it's really a story of trauma, of entrepreneurial ingenuity, and the pain and glory of insatiable ambition.

I hope you'll read it.

The pain—and glory—of a self-made billionaire's insatiable drive Marc Lore is worth an estimated $2.8 billion and his drive has already cost him his marriage of 22 years. Why is he still working 90 hours a week on Wonder, the startup aiming to be the Amazon of food...

My most recent magazine feature for @fortune.com is one of my favorite pieces I've ever written.

It's ostensibly a profile of the serial entrepreneur Marc Lore.

But it's really a story of trauma, of entrepreneurial ingenuity, and the pain and glory of insatiable ambition.

I hope you'll read it.

Side by side headshots of Jason and Sumit, with details on the content, time and location of their discussion underneath

If you're at sxsw today, I hope you'll consider dropping into my session with Chewy's CEO at 4 pm

With all the talk of AI displacing jobs, I'm intrigued to talk to the leader of a Fortune 500 company that is known for great, HUMAN-led customer service but also is aggressively investing in tech

Top U.S. Amazon sellers want Trump to intervene in battle with Chinese competitors. The billionaire investor Mark Cuban is also warning that competition with Chinese merchants on Amazon is a 'huge problem' for small U.S. brands.

Top U.S. Amazon sellers have long complained about an unlevel playing field battling against an "avalanche" of Chinese sellers

Now they are pushing for Trump & Co. to intervene

My latest for @fortune.com explores this dynamic, with a cameo by @mcuban.bsky.social

fortune.com/2025/02/12/a...

Amazon is boasting record profits but one mystery remains: How much are seller fees boosting the bottom line? Amazon's cloud and ad divisions are key contributors to its record profit. But the tech giant keeps the full picture murky.

In 2024, Amazon posted more than $150 BILLION in revenue from fees it charges sellers, EXCLUDING ads

That's basically a Fortune 25 biz

But how much profit Amazon banks from this is a mystery. So after record Amazon earnings, I decided to dissect this in
@fortune.com

fortune.com/2025/02/07/a...

Stoked to help program and host this great London AI event. Interested in attending or speaking? Please reach out!

Mark Zuckerberg has lost at least $60 billion over 5 years chasing virtual reality. www.businessinsider.com/meta-apple-m...

At last night’s #FortuneBrainstorm dinner, @mcuban.bsky.social told guests that BlueSky is where he’s spending most of his social media time since the discourse is by and large level-headed

“Twitter’s a shithole these days”

Thanks to @quinnypig.com & other sources who helped me craft this profile of Amazon's most important exec not named Andy

While Garman is seen as a steady hand who's been with AWS since launch, he faces big challenges on people, product & policy fronts

I hope you'll take a read below (free link)

As wrong as wrong can be 🍸

Looking forward to these interviews I'm conducting Monday and Tuesday at @fortune.com 's #brainstormAI conference.

Have questions for Dave, Sanjay or Mano? Hit me up!

Amazon's new AI cloud strategy is ripped straight from the ecommerce playbook that built a $2 trillion juggernaut AWS is betting that an AI model marketplace with low prices and wide selection will be the key to success.

Amazon's AI strategy for AWS now centers on low prices and wide selection with the introduction of its Nova AI models and its Bedrock Marketplace.

Feel like I've witnessed this playbook inside Amazon before

My latest for @fortune.com with a nod to @simonwillison.net

fortune.com/2024/12/04/a...

non-update update:

Amazon =CEO Andy Jassy said at today's @amazonwebservices.bsky.social Re:Invent conference that "you can expect [the new Alexa] in the coming months"

wait until the tariffs

Because of mix of non-gen AI content? Or deeper than that?

Thought this was a great interview on both sides. Appreciated Jason’s candor on the stuff that 404 thinks it has figured out and the stuff that’s still a work in progress

I have a sinking feeling that we are gonna have to talk with family about crypto again this thanksgiving

me digging on a story before contacting amazon pr

I’ve tried few times. Very mixed results

Thank you very much!

It's amazing to experience a new platform where I'm not greeted with different versions of a post like this every time I log on...

"Today, we said goodbye to my little brother for the final time"

sadly, I haven't stumbled upon any provocative wolves