AI-powered shopping tools helped drive a surge in U.S. online spending on Black Friday, as shoppers bypassed crowded stores and turned to chatbots to compare prices and secure discounts amid concerns about tariff-driven price hikes. U.S. shoppers spent a record $11.8 billion online, up 9.1% from 2024 on the year’s biggest shopping day, according to Adobe Analytics, which tracks 1 trillion visits that shoppers make to online retail websites.
Black Friday online sales hit $11.8 billion, up 9.1% from last year, Adobe Analytics says
AI tools help consumers find deals, boosting online shopping
Physical store traffic subdued due to inflation, trade policy concerns
Cyber Monday projected to hit $14.2 billion in online sales, Adobe says
Despite wider economic uncertainty hovering above this year’s holiday season, shoppers turned out in big numbers for Black Friday — spending billions of dollars both in stores and online.
Adobe Analytics, which tracks e-commerce, said U.S. consumers spent a record $11.8 billion online Friday, marking a 9.1% jump from last year. It was a slight increase from the company’s spending estimate of $11.7 billion.
Traffic particularly piled up between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time nationwide, when $12.5 million passed through online shopping carts every minute. Mobile shopping was estimated to drive more than half of all sales, according to Adobe.
Consumers also spent a record $6.4 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, per Adobe. Top categories that saw an uptick in sales across both days included video game consoles, electronics and home appliances. Shopping services powered by artificial intelligence and social media advertising have also particularly influenced what consumers choose to buy, the firm said.
Meanwhile, software company Salesforce estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $18 billion in the U.S. and $79 billion globally. And e-commerce platform Shopify said its merchants raked in a record $6.2 billion in sales worldwide on Black Friday. At its peak, sales reached $5.1 million per minute – with top categories including cosmetics and clothing, according to the Canadian company.
As a result, in-store traffic has continued to dwindle. Initial data from RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in physical stores, found that U.S. Black Friday traffic fell 3.6% from 2024.
Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday: What’s the difference?
Feature
Black Friday
Cyber Monday
Typical focus
In-store + online; doorbusters; big appliances, TVs
Online-only; gadgets, wearables, personal tech
Peak discounts
Strong early; 20–28% range
Highest of the week: 30% off electronics, 26% off apparel
Shopping behavior
Mix of mobile + desktop
Mobile-dominated (56.1% of purchases this year)
Cultural meaning
Kickoff to holiday shopping
“Last call” for ultimate deals
‘White Friday’ Reflection in the UAE and MENA
In the UAE, the event is also referred to as “White Friday”. This is in recognition of the region revering Fridays as a day of worship and a time for gatherings of friends and family.
Across the MENA region, November online purchases rose 10%, but White Friday drove the real climb: GMV — the total value of everything bought online before discounts and fees — jumped 40%, and the number of orders increased 20%. Within this surge, UAE residents stood out for making higher-value purchases without falling into impulse spending.
Average order value, or AOV (the average amount shoppers spend per order), rose across MENA from $33.5 (Dh123) to $38 (Dh140). In the UAE, AOV moved from $95 (Dh349) to $103 (Dh378) — 2.7 times higher than the regional average. Bigger spends here reflect a preference for well-considered purchases that hold up longer and reduce replacement costs.
Electronics spending rose 22%, while fashion climbed 21%. Many residents used White Friday to upgrade work devices, refresh wardrobes or tick off items they’ve planned to buy.
The sharpest growth came from categories tied to daily life. Instead of grabbing eye-catching deals, shoppers focused on home, family and wellbeing. This shift shows a mindset that treats White Friday as a chance to make the coming months smoother and more affordable.
Many UAE residents also use the White Friday period to organise upcoming travel, especially with long booking windows and seasonal rate drops. One example this year includes hotel discounts of up to 50% on Expedia.ae between November 20 and December 2, with stays allowed until December 30, 2026 — a timeline that appeals to travellers planning well in advance.
BARQ, one of the pioneering companies in last-mile delivery in Saudi Arabia, was founded in mid-2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, reliable delivery had become not a luxury but a necessity. From the very first day, its vision was clear: to empower businesses of every size with smart, seamless, and extremely fast delivery solutions. The company aims to transform last-mile delivery in Saudi Arabia and beyond, setting new standards for speed, reliability, and customer satisfaction.
BARQ Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Mohammed AlMarwani was a guest of WORLDEF E-COMMERCE MAGAZINE. AlMarwani explained what BARQ contributes to e-commerce in Saudi Arabia, the company’s vision, the future of the sector, and the transformation of artificial intelligence.
“Our promise is simple: To make logistics invisible”
BARQ CCO Mohammed AlMarwani gave the following answer to the question “What do you promise to the ecosystem?” regarding the company’s products and services related to the e-commerce ecosystem: “We serve as the bridge between e-commerce businesses and their customers. Through our in-house technologies and dedicated fleet, we offer services ranging from 15-minute express delivery to same-day delivery. Our promise to the ecosystem is simple: To make logistics invisible. That means no delays, no uncertainty; just a smooth, reliable delivery experience. This builds trust and ensures that customers keep coming back.”
“Artificial intelligence is at the core of our operations”
Touching on the impact of artificial intelligence in the sector, AlMarwani then explained the company’s artificial intelligence strategy: “Artificial intelligence has changed the game in last-mile delivery. It enables us to operate faster, smarter, and more sustainably. From predicting demand to finding the fastest routes through city traffic, artificial intelligence has transformed delivery from a basic service into a personalized experience. In a market where speed is everything, artificial intelligence guarantees that orders reach customers exactly on time and at the right place.
For us, artificial intelligence is not just a tool, it is at the core of our operations. We use it to optimize routes in real time, forecast demand and always have the right fleet available, and personalize the delivery experience for every customer. Our strategy is to always stay one step ahead; ensuring that our technology evolves in sync with the expectations of modern e-commerce.”
“Customers will want to receive their orders almost instantly”
BARQ CCO Mohammed AlMarwani also shared his predictions about the future of the sector. Stating, “The future of last-mile delivery will be fast, green, and intelligent. Customers will want to receive their orders almost instantly and will expect transparency at every step,” AlMarwani added: “At the same time, sustainability will play a much bigger role; electric vehicles, smart hubs, and eco-friendly solutions will become the standard. As BARQ, we aim not only to keep pace with this future but also to be the one shaping it.”
“We can deliver in 15 minutes”
Mohammed AlMarwani shared the following information about BARQ’s fast delivery network: “BARQ’s fast delivery network combines two strengths: powerful in-house technology and a fleet we fully own and operate. Our system intelligently assigns orders to the right driver at the right place at the right time. Our presence in major Saudi cities shortens the distance to the customer. This is how we can deliver reliably in as little as 15 minutes.
Our secret is not a single factor; it is many factors working flawlessly together. Our AI-powered platform ensures real-time order assignment and routing. Our strategically placed fleet keeps us close to customers. Our trained, in-house fleet guarantees accountability and consistency. When you put all this together, delivering within two hours—or even just 15 minutes—becomes not only possible but standard for BARQ.”
Obstacles and challenges in fast delivery in Saudi Arabia
According to the information provided by Mohammed AlMarwani, the obstacles and challenges in fast delivery in Saudi Arabia are as follows: “Saudi Arabia is a unique and dynamic market. On one hand, there are rapidly growing cities with very high demand for speed, and on the other hand, vast distances and infrastructure challenges that make consistency harder to achieve. Add to this the traffic during peak hours and the challenges of scaling fleets, and the picture becomes clear. However, as BARQ, we see these challenges as opportunities; opportunities to invest in smarter systems, develop innovative solutions, and raise the standards of fast delivery…”
About Mohammed Almarwani
Mohammed Almarwani brings a wealth of international experience to his role as Chief Commercial Officer at BARQ, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading technology/logistics companies. Before joining BARQ, Mohammed achieved significant success in his intercontinental career in public relations, brand management, marketing, and high-value commercial negotiations.
Throughout his global career, he designed and implemented strategic initiatives that increased brand awareness, expanded market share, and built profitable partnerships. This diverse background gives him a unique cross-cultural perspective in overcoming challenges; blending storytelling expertise, brand-building competence, and negotiation skills to ensure sustainable business growth. Mohammed’s local and global expertise in technology, logistics, marketing, growth strategies, and investment ecosystems provides valuable insights.
About BARQ
BARQ is a pioneering company providing “bullet delivery” services, setting higher standards in speed, reliability, and customer satisfaction in the logistics sector. It offers delivery within 1–2 hours in a 5 km radius from the pickup point and within 2–4 hours inside the city limits. The company’s goal is to revolutionize the customer experience; ensuring that every merchant receives their orders within two hours with flawless service, continuously expanding our coverage, and offering innovative and reliable delivery solutions.
The company offers a wide range of delivery services tailored to meet the needs of merchants. It ensures that orders are delivered in record time. Thanks to our wide coverage, we can deliver to different regions. Customers can choose the payment method that suits them.
eBay has brought its livestream shopping experience from the United States and the United Kingdom to Germany. The company launched its livestream feature in an effort to keep pace with strong competitors such as TikTok Shop, Whatnot and Fanatics, which are rapidly expanding in the market. However, experts point out that this move is a delayed step for the platform.
eBay launched its livestream shopping feature in Germany on November 29, 2025 at Comic Con Stuttgart. As part of the event, the company hosted live broadcasts by well known sellers at its dedicated booth in Hall 10 for two days. The first livestream was held by Jannik Alfter, owner of Crocus Cards, known for Pokémon products and trading cards. eBay Live will initially focus on collectibles and fashion categories and plans to expand its product range in 2026.
Although eBay Live has been active in the United States for more than three years, its entry into the German market is considered a significantly delayed step. Competitors have already begun dividing the market.
eBay’s Claim of Being One of the First Sparks Debate
eBay’s statement that it is “one of the first platforms to introduce the livestream shopping format in Germany” has been criticized by industry experts. Platforms such as Whatnot, Fanatics Live and Voggt had entered the German market as early as 2024. TikTok Shop also launched in Germany in March 2025 and quickly built a massive user base.
According to data from analytics firm EchoTik, TikTok Shop generated approximately 19 billion dollars in global sales in the third quarter of 2025. During the same period, eBay’s total global sales volume reached 20.1 billion dollars. This shows that TikTok is getting very close to challenging eBay in the collectibles category, where eBay has historically been dominant. The figures clearly explain why eBay is now investing aggressively in livestream commerce.
Technical Issues and Strategic Missteps Have Set eBay Back
eBay’s livestream strategy has been criticized not only for being late but also for several mistakes made throughout the process. Although eBay Live was already active in the United Kingdom in 2024, company executives miscommunicated the launch date, raising concerns about internal communication issues.
In addition, for a long period, the company encouraged small sellers not to join eBay Live but instead to build their livestream presence on rival platforms such as TikTok, Whatnot and Instagram. This led many sellers to grow their communities and customer bases outside of eBay.
On top of this, eBay Live experienced serious technical problems in the past. For example, the Elton John charity event ended in a major failure due to poor image quality, lag and stream interruptions. Although eBay has stated that it has improved the platform since then, criticism remains that the user experience still lags behind competitors.
A Critical Turning Point for eBay
The livestream shopping move in Germany may represent a comeback opportunity for eBay. However, with giants like TikTok, Whatnot and Fanatics expanding rapidly, eBay faces significant challenges. The company must address two key questions: Can it quickly strengthen its technical infrastructure and expand category access? Can it win back sellers who have grown on rival platforms? Investors and sellers are closely watching how quickly eBay will respond to these challenges.
AWS‘s new investment will add approximately 1.3 gigawatts of computing capacity across all classification levels in the AWS Top Secret, AWS Secret, and AWS GovCloud (US) regions. This expansion provides government agencies with access to AWS’s reliable infrastructure and comprehensive AI services, helping advance America’s leadership in artificial intelligence.
Amazon has announced an investment of up to $50 billion to expand artificial intelligence and supercomputer capabilities for AWS U.S. government customers. This investment, planned to be implemented by 2026, will add AI and supercomputer capacity of approximately 1.3 gigawatts by building data centers with advanced computing and networking technologies in the AWS Top Secret, AWS Secret, and AWS GovCloud (US) regions.
Federal Agencies to Gain Expanded Access to AI Services
Federal agencies will gain expanded access to comprehensive AI services, including model training and customization with Amazon SageMaker AI, model and agent deployment with Amazon Bedrock, and leading open-weight foundational models such as Amazon Nova, Anthropic Claude, AWS Trainium AI chips, and NVIDIA AI infrastructure. These new capabilities will be available to U.S. government customers in the AWS Top Secret, AWS Secret, and GovCloud (US) regions and will strengthen America’s leadership in AI while providing federal agencies with the secure, scalable infrastructure needed for next-generation innovation.
This investment will accelerate exploration and decision-making processes for government agencies in their official duties. By integrating AI with simulation and modeling data, agencies will now be able to perform tasks that once took weeks or months within hours, using autonomous experimental guidance and real-time feedback loops.
What Does Amazon’s New Investment Promise?
Research teams will be able to process global security data in real-time across hundreds of variables, converting complex pattern analyses into actionable insights instantly, while drastically reducing massive datasets. Advanced computing will enable fragmented supply chain, infrastructure, and environmental data to be merged into a unified picture.
Defense and intelligence workflows, which once required weeks of manual analysis, can now automatically detect threats and create response plans by processing satellite imagery, sensor data, and historical patterns. The integration of AI with modeling and simulation will drive progress in solving America’s most complex challenges with unprecedented speed and precision.
This investment will further solidify America’s leadership in AI and will allow federal agencies to access innovative systems more quickly, while also transforming critical tasks from industrial base missions to national security, scientific research, autonomous systems development, cybersecurity, energy innovation, and health research.
Amazon’s investment also directly supports the priorities outlined in the Administration’s Artificial Intelligence Action Plan and contributes to other advanced computing initiatives deployed on secure, U.S.-based AI and cloud infrastructure.
Garman: Investment Will Fundamentally Transform How Federal Agencies Use Supercomputing
AWS CEO Matt Garman said, “Our investment in AI and cloud infrastructure specifically built for government will fundamentally transform how federal agencies use supercomputing.” He continued, “We are expanding access to advanced AI capabilities that will help agencies accelerate critical missions, from cybersecurity to drug discovery. This investment will remove the technological barriers that have held the government back and further cement America’s leadership in the AI era.”
Amazon’s investment emphasizes the strategic importance of AI and supercomputing to maintain technological superiority, safeguard critical infrastructure, and drive industrial innovation. Federal customers and supporting industries share a common vision on the combination of AI and HPC, coordinating expert AI models, agents, and natural language interfaces, and enabling researchers and engineers to explore complex problems through conversation.
This represents a fundamental shift from traditional HPC workflows, where scientists would specify challenges and receive AI-driven suggestions supported by high-accuracy simulations and analyses.
Building on the Foundation of Government Innovation
The announcement highlights AWS’s leadership in government cloud computing and its support of over 11,000 government agencies. AWS’s proven commitment to large-scale government innovation has been defined by over a decade of first-place successes across many sectors:
2011: Launched AWS GovCloud (US-West), becoming the first cloud provider to build infrastructure for government security and compliance requirements;
2014: Introduced AWS Top Secret-East, becoming the first commercial cloud with an accredited air-gapped environment to support classified workloads;
2017: Launched AWS Secret Region, becoming the first cloud provider accredited for all U.S. government data classifications;
2018-2025: Expanded government cloud infrastructure with AWS GovCloud (US-East), AWS Top Secret-West, and AWS Secret-West regions.
AWS has the expertise to build infrastructure at all scales and provide comprehensive security, compliance, and governance tools for both unclassified and classified data, enabling federal agencies to focus on mission outcomes instead of managing complex, on-premise systems.
The Mindsite Brand – Marketplace Performance Summit brings together Türkiye’s leading e-commerce brands and industry leaders. The summit promises a comprehensive program that will address the evolving dynamics of marketplaces and the performance trends shaping 2025.
The Mindsite Brand – Marketplace Performance Summit will take place on December 4th at HAN Spaces in Beşiktaş, Istanbul. This year, for the first time, the “Brand Marketplace Performance Report” will be shared at the summit. The report offers rich content ranging from marketplace statistics to category benchmarks, visibility analysis to category champions.
Mindsite Brand – Marketplace Performance Summit Aims to Provide a New Perspective to the E-Commerce Ecosystem
The Mindsite Brand – Marketplace Performance Summit is organized to share the findings of the latest report and provide a new perspective to Turkey’s e-commerce ecosystem. During the event, marketplace dynamics will be evaluated in light of data-driven insights, together with leading e-commerce brands and industry stakeholders.
The summit will focus on four main themes:
Marketplace statistics: A data-driven overview of Türkiye’s e-commerce marketplaces, growth trends, and competition dynamics. Category benchmarks: Comparative insights showing how brands perform within and across categories. Category champions: The top brands standing out in visibility, price stability, content quality, and engagement. E-commerce best practices in 2025: Data-driven strategies and approaches that help brands achieve measurable growth.
Throughout the summit, key findings from the report will be combined with real-world brand examples, showcasing how leading companies have increased visibility, strengthened competitiveness, and built flexibility across marketplaces. Attendees will receive exclusive early access to the Marketplace Performance Report 2025 after the launch.
What’s Included in the Brand Marketplace Performance Report?
E-commerce marketplaces in Türkiye are becoming more competitive and dynamic each year. Pricing strategies, visibility, content accuracy, and customer engagement have become key factors determining brand success. The Mindsite Marketplace Performance Report was prepared to help brands better understand this transformation. The report aims to provide a clear, data-driven framework that allows brands to measure and improve their marketplace performance.
Using data collected from over 250 subcategories on the Mindsite platform, performance was analyzed through the “Brand Performance Index” methodology developed in collaboration with Metheus Consultancy, ETID, and Inveon. More than 30 metrics, including product visibility, pricing, content quality, and logistics performance, were evaluated. This revealed how brands are positioned on digital shelves and how these positions change over time.
Through the report, brands can objectively assess their performance, identify areas for improvement, and strengthen their competitive advantage with data.
About Mindsite
Mindsite is a platform that helps e-commerce professionals boost their online sales by tracking and analyzing e-commerce metrics such as product availability, price and promotion strategy, product content, brand visibility, and more. By using data from over 320 retailers across 14+ countries, it enables users to turn data into actionable insights while sending alerts to optimize their daily operations. This ensures that their strategies and actions are in perfect harmony.
The fastest-growing e-commerce platform in the Balkans: Ananas.rs
Continuing its rapid growth in the Balkans, the Serbia-based online marketplace Ananas.rs offers hundreds of thousands of products to online consumers in Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The marketplace also aims to expand to other European countries. By setting its regional strategies on technological infrastructure, logistics, partner integration, and artificial intelligence, Ananas.rs positions itself as “the first true regional e-commerce ecosystem in the Western Balkans.”
We spoke with Sandra Dordevic, Head of Cross-Border E-Commerce at Ananas.rs, about the story of Ananas.rs. Dordevic stated
Sandra Djordevic – Head of Cross-Border E-Commerce
that they continue to expand with the goal of “positioning Ananas as a regional champion and preparing for entry into EU markets.” She also made essential remarks on a range of topics, from the development of e-commerce in the Balkans to the challenges of logistics.
Ananas.rs lists more than 1,000,000 products in four markets
Positioned as “the fastest-growing e-commerce platform in the Balkans,” Ananas.rs was founded in Serbia in 2021 as part of Delta Holding, the largest holding company in the Adriatic region. As part of the digital transformation strategy, Ananas was launched as a major project aimed at redefining online shopping. The platform itself was developed in record time, in just nine months, and officially launched in February 2022.
From the very beginning, Ananas.rs was recognized as “one of the most ambitious corporate start-up projects in Southeast Europe.” It brought together an international team of experts with experience from companies such as Amazon, Google, and Mercado Libre. In less than three years, Ananas succeeded in building a complete business ecosystem by combining its own retail operations, a state-of-the-art 10,000 m² e-fulfilment centre, AdTech and FinTech solutions, and a strong online marketplace.
Today, the platform operates in four markets, with more than 3,000 active sellers offering over 1,000,000 products to customers. This year, Ananas also launched the Ananas Seller Academy, the first online e-commerce educational center in the region. Achieving this level of scale in such a short time validates Ananas’s mission: to revolutionize online shopping in the Balkans by offering customers maximum choice and delivering the best possible user experience.
Targeting EU markets!
Sandra Dordevic, Head of Cross-Border E-Commerce at Ananas.rs, said that since 2022, Ananas has quickly established itself as the leading e-commerce platform in the Serbian market. Building on this success, in 2023, they expanded regionally by launching Ananas.mk and thereby entered the North Macedonian market. Dordevic stated that in 2024, they simultaneously expanded their operations to Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. She noted that during this six-month expansion project, they prepared infrastructure, logistics, and partner integration.
Sandra Dordevic continued: “As a result, both Ananas.me (Montenegro) and Ananas.ba (Bosnia and Herzegovina) were successfully launched within the same month. This marked an important milestone in our regional strategy. The simultaneous launch proved that our model is scalable and adaptable and reinforced our role as the first true regional e-commerce ecosystem in the Western Balkans. Looking ahead, our long-term strategy is clear: to position Ananas as a regional champion and to prepare for expansion into EU markets.”
“Strong local and regional champions are emerging in the Balkans”
Dordevic also evaluated the development of e-commerce in the Balkans: “E-commerce in the Balkans is growing rapidly, but it is still at an early stage compared to Western Europe and more mature markets. Instead of being dominated by global players, strong local and regional champions are emerging. As consumers gain trust in online payments, merchants are quickly digitalizing, and logistics is steadily improving. For Ananas, the Balkans represent a region full of potential. In just three years, we have proven that a regional platform can scale quickly, onboard thousands of sellers, and offer a million products. Innovations in logistics and technology – such as fulfillment centers and flexible delivery options – play a key role in enhancing the customer experience and building long-term trust.”
“Customers now expect fast delivery as the standard”
We also asked Dordevic, “How do you see the future of the logistics sector in e-commerce?” She replied: “Logistics is the backbone of e-commerce, and the future of this sector will be shaped by speed, flexibility, and technology-driven efficiency. Customers no longer see fast delivery as a premium service; they now expect it as the standard. Same-day and next-day deliveries are increasingly becoming the norm, driving continuous innovation in the sector. In addition, we see flexible delivery models as important for the future. Customers want full control; they want to choose when, where, and how they receive their packages. Solutions such as automated parcel lockers, flexible pick-up points, and real-time delivery rescheduling are becoming essential. For example, at Ananas, we have introduced Paket Zones and Lockers to provide greater convenience and more delivery options to our users. Another important trend is the integration of artificial intelligence and data analytics into logistics. In addition, warehouse automation – from smart systems and sorting to robotic processes – will significantly transform the order fulfillment process.”
“We are fully committed to applying the AI-first approach”
On Ananas’s artificial intelligence strategies and solutions, Dordevic said: “As an AI-first and data-driven company, we are fully committed to applying the AI-first approach across all areas of our business.” She continued: “For us, artificial intelligence is the key to understanding user behaviour, anticipating market needs, and making faster, more accurate decisions. Artificial intelligence allows us not only to solve current challenges but also to think long-term about building a platform that constantly evolves and delivers the best possible customer experience. One example is Dynamic Yield, a tool that uses artificial intelligence to create real-time personalized shopping experiences. In addition, predictive algorithms help us forecast demand more accurately, while optimization models ensure that inventory is in the right place at the right time.”
Highlighting that artificial intelligence helps merchants improve the content of their listings – from product descriptions to images – thereby making their offers more visible and attractive to customers, Sandra Dordevic said: “In addition, artificial intelligence contributes to greater trust and operational efficiency. It strengthens transaction security through advanced fraud detection and supports automation across warehouse routing systems and customer support chatbots. In short, artificial intelligence is not just a tool for Ananas; it is the foundation of a smart, scalable, and customer-centric ecosystem.”
Challenges of logistics in the Balkans
Sandra Dordevic also addressed the challenges of logistics in the Balkans and the solutions to them. Pointing out that logistics in the Balkans carries unique challenges, Dordevic said: “Unlike in Western Europe, where infrastructure is well integrated, in this region we face fragmented markets, different regulations, and uneven infrastructure development between countries. In addition, last-mile delivery remains costly and complex due to geography, dispersed populations, and traffic congestion in cities.”
Dordevic stated that Ananas responded to these challenges with a combination of innovation and investment: “We built our own 10,000 m² e-fulfillment center to centralize and streamline operations, ensuring the smooth flow of goods from sellers to customers. We introduced Paket Zones and Lockers to provide customers with flexible and convenient pick-up options, thereby reducing inefficiencies in the last mile. Our proprietary Anapak software uses artificial intelligence to automatically allocate the most suitable courier in real time, optimizing cost and speed. At the regional level, we are developing cross-border logistics models that simplify customs procedures and accelerate flows between the Western Balkans and the rest of the world. This is a long journey, and we are only at the beginning, but we believe it is the key to unlocking the full potential of e-commerce in our region.”
“We see MENA as a natural direction for our long-term growth”
Finally, Sandra Dordevic, Head of Cross-Border E-Commerce at Ananas.rs, spoke about their goals regarding the MENA region. “Our goal is to build partnerships with regional players and explore opportunities for cross-border e-commerce flows. We also see MENA as a natural direction for our long-term growth,” Dordevic said, and concluded:
“The MENA region is highly attractive to us, both because of its rapidly growing e-commerce markets and its strategic trade connections with Europe, and we see it as a natural direction for our long-term growth. With our strong marketplace model, fulfillment infrastructure, advanced logistics solutions, and AI-powered merchant tools, we can create value for both customers and sellers in MENA markets. At the same time, many companies in the MENA region are looking for reliable entry points into Southeast Europe, and Ananas can serve as that bridge between the Balkans and MENA. This is a logical step in our vision to transform Ananas from a regional champion into a platform with international reach.”
Africa’s online retail landscape is undergoing a significant transformation with the introduction of Nile, designed to combine messaging apps, content creators, and artificial intelligence into a unified shopping experience.
Positioned as one of the first social e-commerce models on the continent, Nile aims to bring the product discovery and purchasing process to the mobile apps consumers use every day. Instead of browsing traditional websites, users can begin their shopping journey directly through WhatsApp or Instagram. Nile’s AI-powered assistant, Sabrina, manages product reviews, answers questions, suggests alternatives, and handles the payment process all within a single chat interface, reflecting existing buying habits in Africa.
With Nile, Social Conversations Turn into a Sales Channel
Nile’s model is a reflection of the global trend of chat commerce, where messaging platforms combine stores and customer service into a single point. What sets the platform apart in the African market is its ability to formalize informal shopping behaviors that already exist in everyday life on a large scale. Brands and content creators can track interactions that convert into sales when sharing Nile-connected content, seeing which content and creators drive real purchases. This feature addresses the long-standing need for sales measurement in Africa’s growing content creator economy.
Nile’s founder and CEO, Joy Des Fountain, sees the platform as part of a broader transformation in digital retail. Des Fountain highlights that while the content creator community in Africa is highly active, the infrastructure to turn their influence into a revenue-generating structure is lacking. Nile aims to close this gap by making content instantly purchasable and moving the entire sales process to daily messaging apps.
A Ready Market for Social Shopping
Africa is considered one of the fastest-growing social commerce regions in the world. Industry forecasts suggest that the continent’s social commerce market could exceed 9 billion dollars by 2030. Key drivers behind this growth include mobile internet usage and WhatsApp’s central role in daily communication. Over 90% of internet users in South Africa are active on WhatsApp, making it an ideal starting point for Nile’s mobile-first model.
The rise of shopping through social referrals is also linked to Africa’s young, mobile technology-friendly population. In many markets, informal trade already takes place via messaging apps, voice messages, and product photos. Nile’s technology enables these behaviors to be organized and secured without changing them, streamlining payment flows, product catalogs, and delivery processes.
A New Stage in Africa’s Digital Retail
The launch of Nile aligns Africa with the chat commerce trend seen in Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. However, the platform’s strategy is fully aligned with the continent’s unique digital habits. By combining discovery, interaction, and purchase into a single chat interface, Nile aims to provide both large brands and independent sellers easier access to online commerce.
In this rapidly evolving era of digital commerce, Ni-le aims to build the infrastructure for Africa’s next retail era. By combining social interaction with the shopping experience, the platform offers a new definition of how consumers shop and how content creators and brands generate online revenue.
The decision by the UK government to impose customs duties or remove customs exemptions on low value e commerce parcels has been welcomed by retailers. However, the postponement of the regulation to 2029 is considered a delayed step. Local retailers state that they face a significant disadvantage when competing with low cost China based e commerce platforms and are calling for an acceleration of the process.
The UK Treasury announced that the customs exemption applied to products under 135 pounds (179 dollars) will be lifted no later than March 2029. However, retailers are not satisfied with the announced date. The CEO of the British Retail Consortium, Helen Dickinson, said that this date is “unacceptably late.” Citing government data showing that 1.6 million parcels benefit from this exemption every day, nearly twice as many as last year, Dickinson said, “Businesses cannot afford any further delay.”
Low cost platforms such as Temu, Shein, AliExpress and Amazon’s new service Amazon Haul benefit from the exemption by sending products directly from factories in China. This increasingly causes local retailers to fall behind in price competition.
Customs Exemption: The US and EU Move Faster
Customs exemption policies for low value parcels are changing rapidly between countries in global trade. Although the United States is the largest market for Shein and Temu, it removed the “de minimis” exemption for packages under 800 dollars for products coming from China and Hong Kong in May, and then abolished it entirely in August.
The European Union took a similar step, bringing forward its plan to eliminate the customs exemption for parcels under 150 euros from 2028 to 2026. South Africa began applying VAT on low value parcels last year, while Brazil introduced a 20 percent tax on international purchases under 50 dollars. The trend is clear worldwide: countries are narrowing or eliminating exemptions to protect local retailers.
Will the Price Gap Narrow
According to experts, the removal of the customs exemption will increase costs for international e commerce companies that ship directly to consumers. Andrew Thurston, Senior Customs Duty Manager at MHA, stated, “This regulation may reduce the price gap between online platforms and local stores. This could encourage consumers to return to UK retailers.”
Dan Finley, CEO of Debenhams Group, which owns Boohoo, argued that delaying the implementation “means billions of pounds in potential tax loss for the UK.” Boohoo has experienced significant declines in sales in recent years due to Shein’s aggressive growth. Similarly, Argos, owned by Sainsbury’s, said the timeline is too late and that the UK could become an “outlier” in international trade.
Rapid Implementation Requested Against Fast Growing, Low Cost Global E Commerce Platforms
While the UK government’s move to remove the customs exemption is seen as an important step toward protecting local retailers, industry representatives believe that postponing the regulation until 2029 will increase economic losses and weaken the country’s position in international competition. A faster implementation is being requested so that the UK retail sector can remain strong in the face of rapidly growing low cost global e commerce platforms.
The creator economy continues its rapid growth, and new industry data reveals a strong shift in how brands are reshaping their marketing budgets. Creator economy spending is expected to reach 37 billion dollars. According to the new report by IAB, influencer advertisements are showing double digit growth across all sectors.
The latest analysis by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) estimates that advertising spending directed at content creators in the United States will reach 37 billion dollars in 2025. This figure represents a 26 percent annual increase and clearly surpasses the overall media market, which is expected to grow only 5.7 percent in 2025.
Marketing leaders emphasize that working with content creators is no longer an experimental method, but has become a fundamental strategy for brands seeking more authentic engagement and measurable results in a competitive digital environment.
Retail Sector Leads Creator Economy Advertising
The retail sector continues to lead creator economy advertising by a wide margin. Spending in the sector is expected to reach 12.3 billion dollars in 2025, representing a 38 percent increase compared to last year. Analysts note that retail brands are increasingly turning to creator economy collaborations for real time consumer engagement and sales focused storytelling.
Consumer goods companies are expected to spend 5.5 billion dollars (24 percent increase), while financial institutions will spend 2.2 billion dollars (31 percent increase). The apparel sector is projected to allocate 2.1 billion dollars (14 percent increase) and technology companies 1.9 billion dollars (26 percent increase).
Other categories are also showing strong growth. Automotive will spend 1.6 billion dollars, telecom 1.5 billion dollars, and travel 1.3 billion dollars, each with double digit increases. The home category is projected at 1.2 billion dollars (16 percent increase), health and wellness at 1 billion dollars (40 percent increase), and media and entertainment at 0.4 billion dollars (39 percent increase).
Despite its strong growth trend, the creator economy faces structural challenges. Marketers state that collaborations still progress in a fragmented way, budgets are separated, and the lack of standardized measurement tools makes the process difficult.
Many teams struggle to evaluate the credibility of content creators, audience alignment, and long term value at scale. One third of industry leaders identify finding the right content creator as the biggest challenge. Retail and consumer goods brands state that maintaining control over content quality is their biggest problem.
As part of the report, one third of the 453 industry leaders interviewed by IAB ranked finding the right creator partner as the biggest problem in influencer marketing. Meanwhile, retail and CPG brands stated that controlling content quality is their number one challenge.
Companies Turn to AI Powered Discovery Platforms
For this reason, companies are increasingly turning to AI powered discovery platforms, creator verification tools, and analytical systems. Venture capital investments are also increasing in platforms focused on creator scoring, fraud prevention, and workflow automation. Analysts predict that these technologies will play a major role in reducing fragmentation in the ecosystem and helping brands carry out creator economy collaborations more strategically in the future.
As brands shift away from traditional advertising and move toward creator driven storytelling, the creator economy appears to be entering a new era. Partnerships with content creators are no longer an optional marketing choice; they are becoming a foundational pillar of growth strategies across many industries.
“Reaching Audiences Through the Creator Economy Is a Necessity”
IAB CEO David Cohen said, “Reaching audiences through the creator economy is no longer experimental for marketers, it is a necessary requirement. The significant growth we are seeing reflects the increasing commitment of brands to invest in creator driven strategies.”
Experience Center Vice President Zoe Soon added, “The creator economy marketing ecosystem is still highly fragmented. Different partnership models, separated budgets and limited standardization make it difficult for marketers to evaluate elements such as audience alignment or creator credibility at scale. The result is an environment where strategic matching is often more art than science, and where brands are calling for better discovery tools to guide their investment decisions.”
OpenAI has rolled out Shopping Research Tool, a new feature designed to deliver more in-depth, structured product insights to ChatGPT users, just as global holiday spending begins to accelerate.
The Shopping Research tool produces detailed, well-organised product guides that highlight leading items in a category, compare their key differences, and reflect the most up-to-date information from public retail sources. OpenAI positions this feature as a solution for users who want more than a quick answer and instead prefer evidence-based shopping support.
Shoppers can customise their Shopping Research results by specifying a budget range, preferred features, or the intended recipient of a gift. Unlike standard ChatGPT replies, these research-focused guides take a few minutes to generate, signalling their role as an advanced, high-accuracy companion for online buying.
The feature activates automatically when users type prompts such as “Find the quietest cordless stick vacuum for a small apartment” or “Suggest a gift for a four-year-old who loves art.” It can also be accessed directly through the ChatGPT menu.
OpenAI confirmed that Shopping Research will integrate with Instant Checkout in the future, allowing users to move from product comparison to purchase in a unified flow.
OpenAI states that Shopping Research delivers organic, non-sponsored results based on publicly available retail websites. The company will not share user interactions with retailers, though it warns that occasional inaccuracies in pricing or product availability may occur.
Shopping Research is rolling out globally to logged-in users across all tiers, Free, Go, Plus, and Pro, making it one of the most broadly accessible e-commerce-focused tools OpenAI has released to date.
What Shopping Research Means for E-Commerce Sellers?
1. Product Discovery Will Become AI-Layered, Not Platform-Layered
Until now, product discovery primarily flowed through platforms (Amazon search, Google Shopping, TikTok Shop). With Shopping Research, discovery increasingly happens at the AI assistant level, where:
Product categories are curated by ChatGPT, not by marketplace ranking algorithms.
Users receive “top picks” before they even land on a marketplace.
The AI becomes the first filter for relevance, quality, and differentiation.
2. High-Quality Product Information Matters More Than Ever
Shopping Research gathers data from public retail sources, which means:
Poor product pages = poor AI ranking
Inconsistent data = weaker recommendations
Missing information = reduced visibility in AI-driven guides
E-commerce sellers who invest in well-structured product content will gain a direct competitive edge.
This pushes the industry toward cleaner catalogues, accurate titles, richer product descriptions, and professional photography.
3. The Gap Between Strong and Weak Brands Will Widen
Unlike marketplace algorithms that may still show mediocre listings based on bidding or keyword stuffing, Shopping Research highlights top products based on quality signals.
Strong brands will rise faster. Weak listings will disappear from the recommendations altogether.
This tool will accelerate natural selection in e-commerce. Sellers relying on cheap catalogue tricks will slowly lose visibility.
4. AI Will Influence Consumer Preferences Before They Even Start Browsing
When ChatGPT curates “top 5 gifts for kids” or “best budget phones under $300,” the user is already mentally committed to certain products before visiting any online store.
Brands recommended by Shopping Research will be “pre-trusted.” For others, earning trust becomes harder.
5. Conversion Funnels Will Become Shorter: Especially After Instant Checkout Integration
OpenAI has already announced that Shopping Research will integrate with Instant Checkout. This means:
Users will compare products with Shopping Research
Then buy instantly without leaving ChatGPT
Merchants instantly become part of a closed-loop purchase ecosystem
Visibility + reasonable price + clean data = near-immediate conversion. The friction of switching platforms gets almost eliminated.
6. Sellers Must Prepare for a New Form of “AI Shelf Space”
Just like physical shelves and marketplace rankings, Shopping Research will create AI shelf space, a new competitive arena where:
Only the best products per category appear
Recommendations are organic, not paid
The selection influences millions of purchasing decisions
Practical steps for sellers now:
Ensure product specs are complete and consistent
Maintain updated pricing and availability
Strengthen branding and customer reviews
Improve public-facing data (website, retailer pages, catalogue feeds)
7. Marketplaces May Lose Some Control Over Consumer Journeys
As Shopping Research positions itself between the consumer and the marketplace, Amazon, Noon, Trendyol, and others may become transaction layers, not decision-making layers. This change will force marketplaces to compete not only with each other but with AI assistants that increasingly shape user intent.
8. The Opportunity: Equal Visibility for New, High-Quality Brands
Because Shopping Research uses organic, publicly available data, smaller, high-quality brands can finally compete without large ad budgets. A well-optimised, well-reviewed product with strong differentiation can be recommended alongside global brands.
This democratises discovery if sellers invest in high-quality data.
OpenAI’s Shopping Research Tool marks the beginning of an AI-first retail environment where product visibility is determined by:
objective quality signals
accurate data
transparent value
consumer-first content
For e-commerce sellers, this moment is both a challenge and an opportunity. Those who adapt early, clean catalogues, precisely position, and use AI-friendly product data will benefit the most from the shift.
