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Marketplace
6. Amazon Launches Seller Expert Pilot — Taking a Page from eBay
Amazon's new Seller Expert Pilot Program mirrors eBay's volunteer "Mentors" model — experienced sellers volunteering to guide newer merchants on forums and community spaces. This is Amazon's latest move to improve seller retention and satisfaction amid growing marketplace competition.
Opportunity: If you're an established Amazon seller, this program could be a way to build authority and visibility. For newer sellers, peer-sourced advice often beats Seller Support for practical, real-world solutions. Keep an eye on the program rollout.
EcommerceBytes →
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Data
7. Etsy Shows Flat GMS Growth in Q4 — Now It's All-In on Core
Etsy reported consolidated GMS growth of just 2.4% in Q4 2025 year-over-year (1.3% FX-neutral). With Depop sold and Reverb excluded, Etsy is now purely focused on its maker-and-creator marketplace. Active buyers and GMS have been declining on the core platform throughout 2024 and 2025.
What to watch: Under CEO Kruti Patel Goyal, Etsy is betting that a leaner operation focused on handmade and creative goods will reignite growth. Tariff pressures and reduced consumer discretionary spending make this a challenging environment for Etsy sellers. Diversification across platforms remains critical.
Earnings Breakdown →
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AI & Tools
8. The Agentic Commerce Wave: New Tools Reshaping Ecommerce
This week's new tool launches signal that AI-driven commerce infrastructure is maturing fast. True Fit launched a fit-and-fashion shopping agent powered by 20 years of purchase data (available March 2026). Metapack introduced AI tools that predict delivery failures before they affect customers. Worldline launched One Commerce for omnichannel payment integration across Europe.
Best practice: Start structuring your product data for AI consumption now — rich attributes, standardized sizing, clean descriptions. As shopping agents become a primary discovery channel, unstructured data means lost revenue before a buyer even reaches your site.
Practical Ecommerce Tools Roundup →
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Platform Alert
9. eBay Auto-Filling "China" as Country of Origin — Sellers Flagging Errors
eBay has started auto-populating the country-of-origin field in seller listings, and many sellers report that the platform is incorrectly setting "China" as the default. Some sellers say they cannot correct the errors, raising concerns about buyer trust, listing accuracy, and potential tariff implications.
Action required: If you sell on eBay, audit your active listings immediately for country-of-origin accuracy. Incorrect origin data could impact buyer purchasing decisions (especially amid tariff concerns) and potentially create customs compliance issues. Document errors and escalate through seller support.
Full Report →
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Strategy
10. Your Post-SCOTUS Tariff Playbook: 5 Best Practices for Q1
With the tariff landscape shifting under ecommerce merchants' feet, here are five actionable steps to navigate the next 150 days:
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1️⃣ File for IEEPA refunds now. If you imported goods under IEEPA tariffs, start the protest process with CBP within 180 days of liquidation. Up to $175B in refunds are on the table.
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2️⃣ Recalculate landed costs under the 15% uniform tariff. No more country-specific rates means simpler math — but Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum, and autos remain separate.
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3️⃣ Plan for the July 24 cliff. Section 122 tariffs expire in 150 days. Build two pricing scenarios: one where they lapse, one where Congress extends. Flexibility wins.
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4️⃣ Diversify your supply chain. Regionalized fulfillment and multi-carrier strategies reduce exposure to future tariff shocks and improve delivery reliability.
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5️⃣ Communicate transparently with customers. Tariff uncertainty is consumer-facing now. Proactively explain pricing, offer value bundles, and reinforce BNPL/wallet payment options to ease purchase anxiety.
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📅 Upcoming Events
Mark Your Calendar
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Shoptalk Spring 2026 — "Retail in the Age of AI"
📍 Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas · 📅 March 24–26, 2026
10,000+ attendees. 180+ speakers from Victoria's Secret, OpenAI, Wayfair, Walmart, and more. Sessions on AI agents, retail media measurement, and personalization at scale.
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SubSummit 2026 — Subscription Commerce
📍 Los Angeles, CA · 📅 April 8–9, 2026
Focused on recurring revenue, retention, and renewal strategies. Ideal for subscription-model businesses and retention operators.
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Adobe Summit 2026
📍 Las Vegas, NV · 📅 April 19–22, 2026
Marketing leaders, CX architects, and personalization teams. Platform-driven with broad relevance for data/analytics investment.
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GROW Conference 2026
📍 West Hollywood, CA · 📅 April 23, 2026
Sharply focused on online retail brands with 1-on-1 meetings, actionable tactics, and high-energy networking.
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