Digital commerce stories

ACI clinches its first UK bank for the Connetic cloud platform, unifying SWIFT, CHAPS and Faster Payments on Microsoft Azure.

Unilever taps Google Cloud’s AI and data platforms in a five-year deal to build an enterprise-wide digital backbone for its global brands.

Bolt and Paysecure integrate one-click checkout into Cashier, promising faster repeat purchases while preserving merchant routing and risk controls.

AliExpress tempts budget-conscious UK shoppers away from Amazon, as new research highlights price as the dominant factor in purchases.

Online Valentine’s discounts shrink as shoppers browse earlier, research more and spread spending beyond traditional romantic gifts.

Creative agency 30Acres will rebuild Zulu & Zephyr’s global eCommerce platform on Shopify 2.0, with a new site launching in Q2 2026.

Visa survey finds most Asia Pacific shoppers use AI to browse, but many still distrust it with payment details at online checkout.

Exactly.com and GP Solutions team up to embed streamlined payments into travel platforms, targeting simpler, cheaper options for smaller firms.

Global CDN spending is forecast to soar from USD $27.25bn in 2025 to USD $42.89bn by 2030, driven by edge demand and performance pressure.

AI shopping assistants win over UK and US consumers, but most abandon tools instantly when product suggestions feel irrelevant or pushy.

Safer Internet Day highlights how AI is transforming online trust, child protection and digital commerce, amid calls for stricter safeguards.

Criteo launches an AI-powered commerce service that plugs into shopping assistants, promising more relevant product picks from real purchase data.

Agencies rush to adopt AI to boost efficiency and margins by 2026, yet many fear churning out low-quality ‘slop’ that could erode trust.

cside launches browser-based AI Agent Detection toolkit, helping businesses spot agentic traffic and tailor site experiences in real time.

AI-powered tools are rapidly reshaping UK retail as most shoppers embrace chat-based assistants and retailers ramp up investment for 2026.

Loop integrates Sendcloud into Ship by Loop 2.0, giving Shopify merchants wider UK and EU carrier choice for simpler, label-free returns.

Umbraco launches Compose, a GraphQL-first SaaS to standardise data flows across composable digital experience and eCommerce stacks.

SEON launches global partner programme to embed its AI-powered fraud and AML tools deeper into platforms as online scams surge worldwide.

Holiday refunds jumped 18.1% in 2025, with each USD $1 million in refunds costing retailers about USD $1.3 million once overheads are included.

E-commerce growth is shifting across Europe, with Central and Eastern Europe and the Nordics surging as returns and AI reshape online retail.