AI traffic to US retailers rose 393% in Q1, and it’s boosting their revenue too

Adobe says AI traffic to U.S. retail sites also jumped 269% in March, with visitors converting better and generating more revenue than non-AI shoppers.

You are about to see a flood of product recommendations on Instagram and Facebook

Your Instagram and Facebook feeds are about to get more shoppable, as Meta rolls out new affiliate tools that let creators tag products directly inside posts and Reels, pushing more buying opportunities into your scroll.

Instagram and Facebook are about to be filled with affiliate content
Instagram and Facebook are about to be filled with affiliate content

Instagram and Facebook content will soon have shopping links baked into posts, essentially cutting out third-party “link in bio”-style tools. Meta announced Tuesday that it’s adding commerce features on the two platforms, though the functionality will be slightly different for each. On Facebook, content creators will be able to link their affiliate accounts they have […]

Amazon expands a program that lets customers shop from other retailers’ sites

The changes allow more merchants to participate in Amazon’s Shop Direct program, which sends Amazon customers to other retailers’ websites.

Every influencer eventually becomes a merch store
Every influencer eventually becomes a merch store

Tucker Carlson’s online store sells right-wing apparel and home goods, like hoodies in the Supreme streetwear style mocking Somali people or mugs with The Godfather puppetmaster iconography edited to feature AIPAC. But last week, a handful of other products caught the attention of those outside Carlson’s typical audience: one is a red and yellow “NY […]

You could be an influencer without even realizing it
You could be an influencer without even realizing it

In late February, Puck reported on a strange case: An influencer with more than a million followers was inadvertently promoting products on Instagram. On some of Julia Berolzheimer’s posts, a “Shop the look” button hovered in the corner. When followers clicked it, they were fed similar items to what Berolzheimer was wearing. Her job is […]

Shein’s ‘addictive design’ and illegal sex dolls under investigation
Shein’s ‘addictive design’ and illegal sex dolls under investigation

The European Union has opened a formal investigation into Shein after French regulators found listings for “child-like sex dolls” on the retail platform last year. The investigation will assess whether the systems Shein is using to curb illegal product sales are compliant with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), according to the European Commission, including […]

Here are the brands bringing ads to ChatGPT
Here are the brands bringing ads to ChatGPT

OpenAI officially launched its advertising pilot in ChatGPT, leaving us with a better idea of the kinds of products we might see stuffed beneath our conversations with the AI chatbot. Several companies have announced plans to show ads inside ChatGPT – placements that will reportedly cost them a pretty penny – ranging from major retailers […]

I saw the future of retail, and it’s all AI
I saw the future of retail, and it’s all AI

Several people are gathered around a bleach blond man in a bright pink suit suspended in a clear plastic tube. With a microphone in front of him and a giant sign reading TALK TO ME placed above, “Mike” waits, hands clasped patiently in front of his body, to take questions from his public. “Mike” is […]

Microsoft will put buy buttons directly in Copilot
Microsoft will put buy buttons directly in Copilot

Microsoft is launching a new feature in Copilot that will allow you to make purchases during conversations with the AI chatbot. Now, when you’re asking for suggestions about what kind of sneakers you should buy, Copilot can surface a checkout option for the product you choose directly inside the app. An example shared by Microsoft […]