E-commerce news and archive

AI start-up ChatBlu raises 500,000 US dollars in pre-seed funding

London-based artificial intelligence start-up ChatBlu, which bills itself as the first autonomous AI agent for multi-platform inventory management, has raised 500,000 US dollars in pre-seed funding. The round was led by Matador Venture Capital, with participation from angel investors associated with Google and Amazon Web Services. The funding...

Fashion

Topshop relaunches standalone website

Topshop has officially returned to the online sphere as a standalone brand. The British label has relaunched its e-commerce site, a significant next step in its ongoing roll out. Currently only available to UK customers, the site offers the full collections of both Topshop and Topman, spanning everything from dresses and jeans to footwear and...

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Business

Temu under scrutiny: EU investigates potential digital law breaches

The Chinese online marketplace Temu is in breach of European digital law, according to an analysis by EU Commission experts. A preliminary assessment by the Brussels authority revealed a high risk for EU consumers encountering illegal products on the platform. The EU Commission stated that, under the Digital Services Act (DSA), Temu is obligated...

Retail

5 Sneaky Online Shopping Fees Consumers may be Unknowingly Spending Money On

The convenience and ease of online shopping today remain unrivalled. As consumers across the world opt for benefits linked to ecommerce, many reportedly remain unaware of the amount of “hidden fees” associated with it that may silently increase their final bill. To help consumers better understand the costs linked to online shopping, an online...

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Business

Brunello Cucinelli: Revenue up 10.2 percent in first half

Brunello Cucinelli Spa has reviewed the preliminary revenue figures for the first six months of the year. Revenues totalled 684 million euros. This represents a 10.2 percent increase at current exchange rates (10.7 percent at constant exchange rates) compared to the first half of 2024. Across geographical areas, the Americas saw an 8.7 percent...

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Competition authorities give green light: Zalando on the verge of acquiring About You

The Berlin-based online retailer Zalando SE is set to complete its acquisition of competitor About You Holding SE in a matter of days. The e-commerce specialist announced on Tuesday evening that the European Commission had granted "final regulatory approval" for the planned merger of the two companies. Zalando emphasised that "all closing...

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Business|Background

Innovative packaging companies helping fashion kick its plastic addiction

Opportunities for sustainability exist in all parts of the fashion industry and its supply chain. Not just in the production of items or logistics, but also in order packaging. Consider, for example, reusable packaging, alternatives to bubble wrap and seaweed-based polybags. These innovations, however, are not often in the spotlight, even though...

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Aliexpress strengthens European presence with local warehouses

Chinese online marketplace AliExpress has brought its services closer to European customers. The company further expanded its European strategy with the launch of the new fulfilment channel, Local+. With this initiative, AliExpress aims to shorten delivery times by shipping products from local warehouses in Europe. To this end, the company...

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Luxury and AI: Are superhuman customer advisors on the horizon?

With the emergence of chatbot applications driven by artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT or Gemini, web browsing and search habits have evolved considerably. The effectiveness of these tools and the new behaviours they induce have influenced purchases and raised the expectations of luxury brand consumers to a higher level of demand in terms...

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AI personal shoppers hunt down bargain buys

Internet giants are diving deeper into e-commerce with digital aides that know shoppers' likes, let them virtually try clothes on, hunt for deals and even place orders. The rise of virtual personal shoppers springs from generative artificial intelligence (AI) being put to work in "agents" specializing in specific tasks and given autonomy to...

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Slikk secures 10 million dollars to expand fast fashion delivery and Try & Buy model

Slikk, an online platform that delivers clothing and accessories within 60 minutes in Bengaluru (southern India), secured 10 million dollars in a series A round. Nexus Venture Partners led this round, with participation from Lightspeed. The founders announced this via the career platform LinkedIn. Slikk is using the investment to expand its...

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EU wants to implement small levy for imported packages

The EU is one step closer to introducing a levy on small packages from outside the EU. The Financial Times reports that the EU is considering a levy of 2 euros per package. Various national customs authorities have recently sounded the alarm. The authorities are being flooded with packages arriving from outside the EU and called on the region to...