Marketplaces - WORLDEF

Retail Transformation Shows Philadelphia Malls’ Resilient Shift in the E-Commerce Era

Philadelphia’s shopping malls are no longer operating as they did decades ago, but their role in the retail ecosystem is far from over. As e-commerce continues to reshape consumer behavior, malls across the Philadelphia region are adapting to a new era of shopping, entertainment and community engagement.

The region is home to more than a dozen indoor malls, many of which once served as major social and commercial hubs. Philadelphia’s first mall, The Gallery, opened in Center City in 1977, followed by Franklin Mills in Northeast Philadelphia in 1989 and The Shops at Liberty Place shortly after. These destinations attracted strong foot traffic and sales during their early years.

From Retail Hubs to Experience-Driven Destinations

However, the rise of online shopping, changing consumer expectations and pressure on traditional retail brands have transformed the mall model. The 2008 recession and the pandemic further accelerated this shift, leaving many malls with lower foot traffic and new financial challenges.

Instead of disappearing, malls are being reimagined. Retail experts say their future will depend on experiences that cannot be fully replicated online, including dining, entertainment, services, mixed-use spaces and community-focused concepts. E-commerce has not eliminated malls; it has pushed them to become more flexible and experience-driven.

The transformation of The Gallery into Fashion District Philadelphia in 2019 reflects this broader trend. Across the region, malls are increasingly moving beyond traditional shopping and positioning themselves as lifestyle destinations.

As retail continues to blend physical and digital channels, Philadelphia’s malls show how brick-and-mortar spaces can evolve rather than vanish.

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Mirakl Introduces Agentic Activation, the First Enterprise Solution That Makes Product Pages Ready for LLMs

Mirakl, the operating system for Intelligent Commerce, launched Mirakl Agentic Activation, the first production-ready enterprise infrastructure that enables sellers and retailers to be discovered, recommended, and transacted by AI agents at scale.

Agentic Activation offers two live and functional features: Agentic Product Enrichment and Agentic Channels. Thus, it transforms a market overwhelmed by theoretical roadmaps into a measurable, applicable, and revenue-generating agentic commerce reality.

Mirakl Report: The Average GEO Score of Pages Is 48 Out of 100

According to the data revealed based on 427 product pages analyzed in 35 countries through Mirakl’s GEO Readiness Analyzer, e-commerce is not yet ready for agentic commerce, starting with discovery! The average GEO score across all pages is 48 out of 100. This rate remains well below the 61-point threshold where products become competitive for AI agent visibility.

43% of pages have no customer reviews, ratings, or FAQs. 86% of pages have poorly optimized product images that AI cannot fully read or index. Only 9% provide the machine-readable data structure that allows AI to understand basic product details such as price, size, and availability without ambiguity.

In practice, these gaps determine which products AI agents will recommend and which ones they will never encounter. Currently, less than 1% of e-commerce meets the minimum standards to be recommended by LLMs.

Mirakl Agentic Activation is the first enterprise-grade product developed to close these gaps. This readiness deficit brings with it a direct and growing revenue consequence.

Global Agentic Commerce Volume Will Reach $3-5 Trillion by 2030

AI agents influenced $67 billion in global Cyber Week 2025 sales, meaning 20% of all purchases (Salesforce). On Black Friday alone, AI-referred traffic to U.S. retail sites increased 805% year-over-year (Adobe); AI-referred shoppers converted 42% more often than those arriving from traditional channels (Adobe).

McKinsey projects that global agentic commerce volume will reach $3 to $5 trillion by 2030. Mirakl’s research confirms that the overwhelming majority of sellers remain below the LLM readiness threshold and that these sellers simply cannot participate in this growth.

“Agentic Commerce Is Not a Distant Horizon; It Is the Reality Sellers Are Managing Right Now”

Amelia Van Camp, Head of Agentic Commerce at Mirakl, said, “Agentic commerce is not a distant horizon; it is the reality sellers are managing right now. What Agentic Activation represents is the moment the infrastructure catches up with the vision: the ability for AI agents to find the right product for the right consumer and complete the transaction seamlessly. This is a genuinely exciting capability to put in the hands of enterprise sellers.”

What Does Mirakl Agentic Activation Promise?

Mirakl Agentic Activation is the first enterprise product specifically developed to transform this readiness deficit into a structural commercial advantage through two operational capabilities:

Agentic Product Enrichment (open beta): Most product pages were created to rank on Google, not to be understood by AI agents. Agentic Product Enrichment automatically rewrites and enriches product content; thus, AI platforms can read, compare, and recommend this content accurately. This feature is powered by Mirakl’s Catalog Transformer; it is built on more than 10 proprietary commerce-focused GenAI models and has been proven across more than 47 million product transformations with a 98% success rate.

Agentic Channels: Agentic Channels connects sellers directly to LLM platforms, starting with Microsoft Copilot, and manages the entire purchase process end-to-end, from inventory and pricing to delivery and after-sales, while AI agents autonomously complete transactions on behalf of consumers. Built on more than 13 years of enterprise commerce expertise and a curated network of more than 100,000 sellers, this feature brings the reliability of the Mirakl platform to every agentic transaction. Both capabilities are activated on existing seller infrastructure to avoid architectural rebuilding and custom integrations.

Mirakl is turning Agentic Commerce into reality. With Agentic Activation, Mirakl customers can prepare their product catalogs for AI discovery and support commerce in LLM-driven experiences where eligible. Mirakl’s strategic partnership with Stripe and JP Morgan strengthens its role in the emerging agentic commerce ecosystem.

About Mirakl

Founded in 2012, Mira kl has been at the forefront of marketplace innovation, empowering every business to compete in the platform economy.

Today, Mira kl’s operating system combines an enterprise marketplace solution (Mirakl Platform) that enables retailers and B2B organizations to launch, scale, and operate marketplaces and dropship, AI-powered multichannel selling (Mira kl Connect), retail media (Mirakl Ads) and an agentic commerce infrastructure (Mirakl Nexus).

Newegg Announces 2025 Fiscal Year Results; Average Order Value Reaches $448

Newegg Commerce, one of the leading global technology e-commerce retailers, announced its results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025.

According to the 2025 data announced by Newegg, the average order value was $448; this figure was $396 in the previous year. Active customers, defined as unique customer IDs with at least one item purchased on Newegg platforms in the past 12 months, reached approximately 2.2 million; this figure was 2.1 million in the previous year. The repeat purchase rate, the percentage of active customers who made at least two purchases on Newegg platforms during the past 12 months, was 26.9%; this rate was 26.0% in the previous year.

2026 Net Income Expectation: $6.1 Million – $15.7 Million

Newegg expects net sales to be between $1.23 billion and $1.47 billion in 2026. In addition, 2026 GMV is expected to be between $1.50 billion and $1.79 billion. Gross profit is expected to be between $144.0 million and $170.9 million. Net income is also expected to be between $6.1 million and $15.7 million. In addition, adjusted EBITDA is expected to be between $10.0 million and $19.6 million.

“2025 Was a Year of Strong Execution and Meaningful Growth”

New egg Chief Executive Officer Anthony Chow said, “2025 was a year of strong execution and meaningful growth for Newegg. We achieved double-digit year-over-year GMV growth, driven by robust demand for next-generation PC components and continued scaling across both our direct and marketplace businesses.”

Chow added: “We are celebrating New egg’s 25th anniversary with a year-long series of promotional initiatives building on the success of our 2025 campaigns. By combining our strength in high-performance hardware with a forward-looking AI strategy, we believe we are well positioned to further expand market share in key categories while continuing to deliver long-term value to our customers, partners, and shareholders.”

About Newegg

New egg Commerce, Inc. (NASDAQ: NEGG), founded in 2001 and based in Diamond Bar, Calif., near Los Angeles, is one of the leading global online retailers in PC hardware, consumer electronics, gaming peripherals, home appliances, automotive and lifestyle technology. Newegg also serves businesses’ e-commerce needs with marketing, supply chain, and technical solutions in a single platform.

40 Billion Boost EU Small Businesses Hit Record Amazon Sales Milestone

Small and medium-sized enterprises across Europe have reached a new level of scale, generating more than €40 billion in sales through Amazon. The figure marks a record milestone and reflects the increasing reliance of European businesses on digital marketplaces to expand beyond local economies.

The growth is closely tied to the continued rise of cross-border e-commerce within the European Union. A significant share of total sales comes from exports, with EU-based SMEs generating €17 billion in cross-border revenue. Of that, €13.5 billion was driven by trade within EU countries, highlighting the importance of regional integration in enabling digital commerce.

Marketplace Infrastructure Expands SME Reach

For many European sellers, Amazon has evolved from a sales channel into a core infrastructure layer supporting international expansion. By providing fulfillment networks, warehousing, delivery solutions, and localized storefronts, the platform allows SMEs to operate across multiple markets without establishing a physical presence in each country.

This shift has enabled smaller businesses to compete in ways that were previously limited to large enterprises. Instead of navigating fragmented logistics systems independently, sellers can rely on centralized operations that simplify shipping, inventory management, and customer service.

At the same time, the ability to reach customers across borders has contributed to a more diversified revenue base. Rather than depending solely on domestic demand, SMEs are increasingly building international customer portfolios, reducing exposure to local market fluctuations.

Cross-Border Trade Becomes Core Strategy

The strong export figures indicate that cross-border commerce is no longer a secondary growth lever for European SMEs. Instead, it is becoming a central component of their business models. Access to a broader customer base, combined with streamlined logistics, has lowered the barriers to international expansion.

This transformation is particularly important in a region like Europe, where multiple languages, currencies, and regulatory environments historically made cross-border trade complex. Digital marketplaces are helping to standardize many of these processes, making it easier for businesses to scale regionally.

Regulatory Complexity Continues to Challenge Growth

Despite the progress, structural challenges remain. European SMEs still operate within a fragmented regulatory landscape that includes varying VAT systems, compliance requirements, and environmental regulations across different countries.

These differences create additional administrative burdens, increasing operational costs and slowing down expansion efforts. For smaller businesses with limited resources, navigating these complexities can become a significant barrier to growth, even when demand exists.

Industry stakeholders continue to highlight the need for greater harmonization across EU markets. Simplifying tax structures and aligning regulatory frameworks could further accelerate cross-border trade and improve competitiveness.

A Defining Moment for European Digital Commerce

The €40 billion milestone underscores a broader shift in how European SMEs approach growth. Digital marketplaces are no longer supplementary tools but are becoming foundational to how businesses operate, scale, and compete internationally.

As infrastructure continues to improve and regulatory discussions evolve, the role of platforms like Amazon in shaping Europe’s e-commerce landscape is expected to expand further.

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Data of 500,000 Volunteers from UK-Based UK Biobank Was Put Up for Sale on Alibaba

Data belonging to volunteers of the UK-based UK Biobank was put up for sale on the Chinese e-commerce platform Alibaba. The British government is investigating how the data was listed for sale.

Ian Murray, Labour MP for Edinburgh South and Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology in the United Kingdom, told the House of Commons that data belonging to the health organization UK Biobank was briefly listed for sale on Alibaba by at least three vendors. Health data voluntarily provided to a charity for research purposes was put up for sale by three vendors on the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. One listing was seen to contain data from 500,000 people.

UK Biobank Confirmed That the Data of Approximately Half a Million People Was Anonymized

UK Biobank, which holds a vast biomedical dataset, confirmed that information relating to approximately half a million volunteers had been anonymized and listed for sale on Alibaba. Bio bank acknowledged that it could not guarantee individuals could not be identified if the data fell into unauthorized hands. However, the organization stated that this data did not contain people’s names, addresses, contact details, or telephone numbers.

“We Revoked Access for the Three Research Institutions Identified as the Source of the Information”

Ian Murray said that the data was no longer listed on Alibaba and that they did not believe any buyer had paid to obtain the data. Murray thanked the Chinese government for “the speed and seriousness with which they worked with us to help remove these listings.” Murray stated that they ensured the Bio bank charity revoked access for the three research institutions identified as the source of this information.

As a short-term precautionary response to the incident, UK Biobank suspended all access to its research platform. UK Biobank CEO Rory Collins published an apology message, saying: “We have temporarily suspended all access to the UK Biobank research platform, while putting in place a strict limit on the size of files that can be taken off the platform.”

One of the Largest Biobanks in the World

The charity UK Biobank is one of the large biobanks in the world. These bio banks are often government-supported projects that aim to collect and organize various medical data and samples, typically on an anonymized basis. These systems are regarded as one of the most important breakthroughs in modern biomedical research by enabling researchers to access vast datasets quickly and easily.

Top 3 Nordic Retailers Lead Europe’s Cross-Border Seller Ranking

Europe’s cross-border ecommerce market is being led by major Nordic multichannel retailers, with Ikea, Jysk and H&M ranking as the best-performing cross-border sellers in Europe. The ranking comes from the eighth edition of the TOP 500 B2C Cross-Border Retail Europe report by Cross-Border Commerce Europe.

The report evaluates companies based on several factors, including sales performance, SEO indicators, international market presence, cross-border visitors, brand authority and local customer options. Ikea kept its leading position, while Jysk moved up from fifth place to second. H&M remained in third place.

Retail Leaders Dominate Cross-Border Sellers in Europe

The top three companies all come from the Nordics and have strong physical retail backgrounds, showing that store-based brands continue to play a major role in online international commerce. Germany’s Zalando is the first pure online player on the list.

Cross-Border Commerce Europe estimates that cross-border ecommerce spending in Europe reached 108 billion euros in 2025, excluding travel. The TOP 500 companies generated 86 billion euros in cross-border online sales, marking 25 percent growth compared to the previous year.

Despite this growth, the market is entering a slower and more stable phase, shaped by macroeconomic pressure and a stronger focus on profitability and operational efficiency.

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The National E-Commerce Marketplace Postcom Launched in Uganda

The national e-commerce marketplace Postcom has been launched in Uganda. Developed by Posta Uganda, the platform aims to strengthen the digital economy.

Postcom was officially unveiled by Kabbyanga Godfrey Baluku at the Uganda Media Centre. Posta Uganda, one of the agencies under the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, has officially launched POSTCOM, a government-owned national e-commerce platform designed to connect Ugandan businesses to both local and global markets.

Postcom Will Integrate Posta Uganda’s Physical Network with a Digital Marketplace

Postcom was launched within the framework of the Digital Transformation Roadmap, the country’s strategic framework aimed at building a strong digital economy. On the marketplace, Ugandans, especially micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, will be able to easily showcase, buy, and sell locally produced goods. The platform has been designed as a secure and accessible online marketplace.

The Postcom marketplace integrates Posta Uganda’s nationwide physical network with a digital marketplace, creating a structured system for buying, selling, and delivering goods across the country and beyond. With more than 100 branches nationwide and established last-mile delivery routes, the platform positions the postal service as a central player in Uganda’s growing digital economy.

“We Are Not Just Delivering Parcels; We Are Delivering Opportunities”

State Minister for National Guidance Godfrey Baluku Kabbyanga said, “Postcom will provide a national e-commerce platform that empowers citizens to buy and sell products online, while enabling MSMEs to reach broader markets both locally and globally.”

Managing Director Arinaitwe James said, “We are not just delivering parcels; we are delivering opportunities. With Postcom, we are combining technology and logistics to enable Ugandans to buy and sell online, while we handle delivery efficiently and affordably across the country.” He also stated that the platform enables Ugandan businesses to access international markets, noting that sellers can now reach customers in up to 192 countries through a system built on trusted postal infrastructure.

Board Chairperson Sulaiman Kirunda Balyejjusa said, “Posta Uganda stands on a strong foundation of both physical infrastructure and digital capability, enabling us to serve communities across the entire country effectively. With post offices in every district, citizens can access services without unnecessary travel.”

Postcom Will Use Posta Uganda’s Logistics Network

The Postcom marketplace will use Posta Uganda’s extensive logistics network. The platform also addresses the last-mile delivery issue, one of the main barriers to e-commerce growth in developing countries. This integration opens access to both local and international markets for entrepreneurs. It also enables the efficient distribution of goods across the country.

The marketplace also supports the government’s Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU) policy. BUBU was established to encourage local production and consumption. The platform is expected to increase digital transformation, create new income opportunities, and strengthen Uganda’s economy. Officials positioned Postcom as an important tool to expand Uganda’s participation in the digital marketplace.

Uganda to Host 2026 Digital Government Africa Summit

Amazon Detected More Than 15 Million Counterfeit Products in 2025

Amazon has published its first “Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report.” The report shares details on how the company protects customers, brands, and selling partners across its global store. According to the report, more than 15 million counterfeit products were detected worldwide in 2025.

For the past five years, Amazon had been publishing its annual Brand Protection Report. This report examined in detail how the company combats counterfeit products, protects intellectual property, and safeguards the brands selling on its platform. However, the fact that bad actors are constantly evolving their tactics, criminal networks are operating across borders, and the threats facing retail extend far beyond counterfeit products led the company to take new measures.

At the same time, advances in artificial intelligence made it possible to analyze billions of signals simultaneously and detect threats before they ever reached customers. For this reason, the “Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report” was published.

In its statement on the matter, Amazon said: “The report provides a comprehensive look at how we work to protect customers, selling partners, and brands across our global store. The report expands our commitment to trust and safety; while continuing to cover brand protection and anti-counterfeiting, it now also includes organized retail crime, product safety, scam prevention, and trustworthy reviews.”

Amazon Pursued More Than 32,000 Bad Actors

According to the report, Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit pursued more than 32,000 bad actors across 14 countries through litigation and criminal referrals to law enforcement. In 2025, more than 15 million counterfeit products were detected worldwide. These products were seized and appropriately disposed of. In addition, more than 100 websites attempting to facilitate fake reviews and scams targeting the Amazon store were shut down through legal action. Amazon is also a member of 10 organized retail crime task forces led by attorneys general across the United States.

Amazon stated: “Our goal is to protect the store equally for customers, brands, and sellers. However, we understand that policies designed to protect customers can sometimes create friction for sellers trying to grow their business. For this reason, we have invested in tools such as Amazon’s Account Health Dashboard, which provides sellers with transparency and control regarding their compliance with policies, performance targets, and more. Ensuring that legitimate selling partners can thrive on Amazon is central to our mission, and this report reflects that commitment.”

The AI Systems Amazon Used to Protect the Shopping Experience

Amazon’s Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report provides a comprehensive look at how we work to protect customers, selling partners, and brands across our global store. The report expands our commitment to trust and safety; while continuing to cover brand protection and anti-counterfeiting, it now also includes organized retail crime, product safety, scam prevention, and trustworthy reviews. The systems described in the report are evolving every day, built on decades of learnings, billions of data points, and a continuous flow of feedback.

Some of the important data included in the report are as follows:

Omniscan, an advanced machine learning system that verifies the readability and language of essential safety information at scale before products are listed, was deployed across Amazon’s global fulfillment network in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Europe. The system generated image sets for more than 12 million products.
In 2025, hundreds of millions of suspected fake reviews that could have appeared on Amazon were proactively blocked.
A bad actor attack targeting a viral new branded product trending on social media was anticipated in advance, and infringing listings were blocked a full eight days before the brand owner shared the intellectual property with Amazon.
AI technology SENTRIX, which improves the ability to identify and remove malicious websites even faster, was launched in 2025. Thanks to SENTRIX’s proactive controls, successful phishing URL takedown rates increased by more than 10 percent.
Amazon’s collaboration with Chinese law enforcement and brands resulted in more than 70 successful local raids against counterfeit product manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors. These operations led to criminal convictions, including fines and prison sentences.

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Dubai SME Partners with noon Food

Dubai SME and noon Food have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enable Emirati-owned F&B businesses to compete and grow sustainably within the digital marketplace.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Dubai SME) operates under the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). Dubai SME has partnered with noon Food to drive the growth and competitiveness of Emirati-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food and beverage (F&B) sector. The collaboration has been established through a broad range of support mechanisms, including tailored commercial terms and structured digital enablement.

Dubai SME Will Identify Eligible F&B Members and Promote the Initiative Across Its Network

The signed MoU will provide members with access to noon’s customer base, delivery fleet, payment infrastructure, as well as promotional and marketing campaigns. It also aims to strengthen Dubai’s position as a competitive and attractive hub for SMEs and local businesses. Dubai SME will identify eligible F&B members and promote the initiative across its network.

As part of the agreement, noon Food will waive all onboarding fees for Dubai SME members participating in the programme. It will also implement a tailored five-year commission structure, starting at 10 percent in the first year and gradually increasing to 20 percent by the fifth year. noon has also committed to making a significant marketing investment to support participating businesses, providing advertising credits, and offering structured visibility during major seasonal campaigns.

“The Agreement Enables Effective Competition and Sustainable Growth in the Digital Marketplace”

Ahmad Al Room Almheiri, Acting CEO of Dubai SME, said: “The agreement delivers tangible advantages to our members, from tailored commission rates to structured promotional investment. It enables them to compete effectively and grow sustainably within the digital marketplace.”

Faraz Khalid, Group CEO of noon, said: “Partnering with Dubai SME allows us to provide Emirati entrepreneurs with the digital infrastructure they need to grow.”

In Dubai, SMEs represent more than 95 percent of registered businesses. Within the F&B sector, Emirati-owned businesses make significant contributions to the city’s evolving culinary landscape and growing digital commerce ecosystem. Through this five-year collaboration, DubaiSME and noon Food aim to create measurable commercial impact for Emirati entrepreneurs in the F&B sector by expanding market access, strengthening brand visibility, and accelerating digital transformation.

Noon Completed Its First Drone Delivery Pilot

Marketplaces Account for 83.4% of Global E-Commerce Revenues

The popularity of marketplaces, which dominate the global e-commerce ecosystem, continues at full speed. Third-party marketplaces are gaining strength globally. Marketplaces account for 83.4% of global e-commerce gross merchandise value (GMV). As of 2025, the share of first-party online stores remained at only 16.6%.

E-commerce is no longer just about running your own online store. Around the world, marketplaces are playing a significant role in shaping how consumers shop. E-Commerce Database (ECDB), a market intelligence platform that provides data on global e-commerce, has released some data for 2025.

According to ECDB data, third-party marketplaces are steadily increasing their popularity worldwide. While marketplace penetration in Europe stands at 60.8%, a mixed picture emerges in the Americas. In Asia, 97% of e-commerce revenues are generated through marketplaces. 83.4% of global gross merchandise value is generated through marketplaces.

Marketplaces Dominate Global E-Commerce

Marketplaces are becoming increasingly widespread on a global scale. The share of revenue generated through third-party marketplaces within global e-commerce revenues is also increasing. In 2023, 19% of global e-commerce revenues were generated by online stores. This rate declined to 16.6% as of 2025. In contrast, revenues generated through global marketplaces increased from 81% to 83.4%.

Asia Leads in Marketplace Shares

Asia stands apart from all continents with its marketplace dominance. The share of marketplaces in Asia’s e-commerce revenues reached 97% in 2025. The reason for this is that major platforms played a central role in building e-commerce infrastructure in the region. Marketplaces created habits that continue to influence online shopping today.

Marketplaces Account for 61% of European E-Commerce

A large majority of online transactions in Europe take place through marketplaces. In 2025, marketplaces accounted for 60.8% of total e-commerce gross merchandise value (GMV). The GMV share of marketplaces in Europe stood at 56.2% in 2023. Europe still lags behind other parts of the world because many heritage brands on the continent traditionally focus on direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales or their own online stores.

A Mixed Picture Prevails in the Americas

In the Americas, the picture is more complex. North American brands still rely heavily on their own online stores. South American consumers prefer large marketplaces such as MercadoLibre and Shopee. In many emerging markets, most of the GMV flows through these ecosystems. The GMV share of marketplaces in the Americas reached 67.8% last year.

Digital Economy Gains Momentum Again in the UAE: E-Commerce and Online Marketplaces Are Recovering