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Lead DevelopmentFACT · 4/5•28 Sept '26•Via techcrunch

Shopify Opens Checkout to Browser-Based AI Agents

Shopify has extended its WebMCP support to checkout, enabling browser-based AI agents to complete purchases on merchant sites, including via Shop Pay. Three new tools—get_checkout, update_checkout, and complete_checkout—allow agents to inspect, update, and finalize orders with buyer authorization, while existing customizations, business rules, and security checks remain intact. In Shopify's benchmark, WebMCP reduced average time per attempt from 27.4 to 10.3 seconds, cut costs by 58%, and achieved a 100% success rate (60/60) versus 56/60 for traditional browser automation. This rolling out to all eligible merchants positions Shopify as an open infrastructure for agentic commerce, with top agents like Muse and Instinct partnering directly. This contrasts with retailers like Amazon and Adidas that are blocking AI agents from purchasing on their platforms.

•Shopify extends WebMCP support to checkout, including Shop Pay, for browser-based AI agents.
•Three new tools: get_checkout, update_checkout, complete_checkout.
•WebMCP reduces average time per attempt from 27.4 to 10.3 seconds and cuts costs by 58%.

Entities:Meta Amazon Shopify adidas

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FACT · 4/528 Sept '26· Via Ant International

Ant International News Roundup: AI-Native Solutions, Agentic Commerce, and Strategic Partnerships

Ant International announces industry-first full-stack AI-native solutions, global rollout of Agentic Mobile Protocol with Mastercard and Visa collaboration, and secures payment institution licence in Brazil.

Ant International

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FACT · 4/527 Sept '26· Via Linas Newsletter

Weekly FinTech Pulse #417: Amazon blocks Meta Muse; Revolut dual IPO

This weekly newsletter covers multiple topics. Amazon blocked Meta's AI agent Muse from its retail site, citing unauthorized operation and credential concerns, but the article emphasizes Amazon's $76.1 billion ad business is at risk if agents bypass search. Shopify chose the opposite strategy by partnering with Muse, enabling agentic checkout with Shop Pay, positioning itself as the checkout layer for all agents. Separately, Revolut confirmed plans for a dual IPO on Nasdaq and the LSE, targeting a valuation of $150-200 billion, with Nasdaq determining the price. Other briefs include Airtel Money's London IPO, Ant International's FinAI stack, Coinbase IPO Access, and funding news for Atum and Paymob.

•Amazon blocked Meta's Muse AI agent from its retail site, citing unauthorized operation and credential concerns.
•Amazon's trailing-twelve-month ad revenue through June 2026 is $76.1 billion, roughly 10% of total revenue.
•Shopify partnered with Meta's Muse to enable agentic checkout with Shop Pay on all Shopify stores.

Mubadala Meta Ant International Coinbase Amazon Shopify S&P Global Revolut

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FACT · 4/527 Sept '26· Via techcrunch

Google Tests Direct Flipkart Purchase via Gemini in India

Google has begun testing a feature allowing Indian shoppers to buy products from Walmart-owned Flipkart directly through its Gemini assistant and AI Mode. A 'Buy' button appears on selected Flipkart product listings, leading users to a Flipkart-branded checkout flow without leaving the AI interface. The test is limited to a small subset of users and products, including smartphones, electronics, and mobile accessories. Google plans a broader rollout in October ahead of India's festive shopping season. This initiative is part of Google's broader strategy to integrate commerce into AI services, complementing its Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) introduced earlier. Notably, Google has a financial stake in Flipkart, having invested about $350 million in 2024. The test is significant as it pits Google against rivals like OpenAI in the race to facilitate AI-driven transactions.

•Google tests 'Buy' button on select Flipkart listings in Gemini and AI Mode in India, leading to Flipkart-branded checkout.
•Test limited to some users and product categories: smartphones, electronics, mobile accessories.
•Broader rollout planned in October 2026 ahead of India's festive season.

Walmart Amazon OpenAI Flipkart Google

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FACT · 5/526 Sept '26· Via Ed Sim (IT/VC)

Meta's Muse AI Agent Hits 2.8M Downloads, Sparks Commerce Shift

Meta's consumer AI agent, Muse, has rapidly gained traction, reaching 2.8 million downloads in its first 12 days, outpacing ChatGPT's early mobile launch. Announced as the centerpiece of Meta Connect, Muse integrates with partners like Shopify, PayPal, and Expedia, and its partnerships have already moved stock prices. The agent's ease of use has led consumers to grant it access to personal data and make purchases, raising security concerns and sparking a competitive response from Amazon, which has blocked Muse. Wall Street projects significant revenue potential for AI agents. The launch underscores a shift from model quality to user experience, with implications for agentic commerce, identity management, and infrastructure demands. Muse's success positions Meta as a leader in consumer AI, while also highlighting the need for enhanced security and identity verification in agent-driven transactions.

•Meta's AI agent Muse reached 2.8 million downloads in its first 12 days, outpacing ChatGPT's early mobile launch.
•Muse partnerships with Shopify, PayPal, and Expedia led to stock gains of +13%, +4.9%, and +7.2% respectively.
•Amazon has blocked Muse, signaling a competitive battle over agentic commerce.

Forerunner Meta Cognition Anthropic Amazon Expedia Group Shopify PayPal Microsoft OpenAI

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FACT · 5/525 Sept '26· Via Newcomer

Meta Muse Launch Sparks Agentic Commerce Debate

Meta's launch of its personal assistant Muse, supported by national ads and a dedicated device, signals a major push into consumer AI agents. The market reacted strongly: Instinct, a rival agent startup, is reportedly seeking a $10 billion valuation, while Shopify announced a partnership for agentic checkout. However, the rollout has also triggered fears of disintermediation across travel, banking, and subscription media, with Amazon blocking Muse and Expedia's stock dipping despite an integration. The article examines the technical and business challenges ahead, including CAPTCHA issues, restaurant reservation swarms, and the need for new commerce plumbing to accommodate autonomous agents.

•Meta launched personal assistant Muse with national advertisements and a dedicated device called 'Muse Charm', targeting a holiday rollout.
•Shopify announced a deal with Muse to enable agentic checkout across its platform; Shopify stock jumped more than 10%.
•AI agent startup Instinct is reportedly seeking a $10 billion valuation, up from $2.5 billion.

Amadeus DoorDash OpenTable Meta Sabre Lightspeed Venture Partners Founders Fund Amazon Expedia Group Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP)Shopify Bain & Company State Farm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)The New York Times Oracle Conviction Partners

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FACT · 5/525 Sept '26· Via ARMIS

ARMIS participe aux Retail Days Automne 2026 les 5 et 6 octobre à Deauville

ARMIS announces its participation in the Retail Days Automne 2026 event, scheduled for October 5-6 in Deauville, France.

ARMIS

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FACT · 4/524 Sept '26· Via Modern Retail

Costco Digital Sales Hit $33B, Up 20%

Costco reported that digitally-enabled sales, including third-party delivery, surpassed $33 billion in fiscal 2026, growing over 20%. The company expanded partnerships with DoorDash and Uber Eats for nationwide U.S. delivery, complementing its long-standing Instacart relationship. CEO Ron Vachris noted these channels drive incremental sales and attract younger members, with members under 40 growing 60% since Covid and now representing over 25% of the base. Costco's total net sales reached $297.2 billion, up 10% year-over-year, with pharmacy growing 20% due to digital capabilities. Delivery partners require membership verification at checkout, reinforcing the membership model.

•Costco digitally-enabled sales exceeded $33 billion in fiscal 2026, growing over 20%.
•Costco partnered with DoorDash and Uber Eats for nationwide U.S. delivery.
•Costco total net sales reached $297.2 billion, up 10% year over year.

DoorDash Instacart Costco Uber

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FACT · 4/524 Sept '26· Via CNBC Technology

McDonald's Launches Media Network for Third-Party Ads

McDonald's announced plans to build its own media network to display third-party ads, aiming for a $1 billion advertising business. The fast-food chain has begun showing ads on digital drive-thru order boards at its U.S. company-owned restaurants, joining Amazon and Walmart in the retail media space. However, CEO Chris Kempczinski noted that inflationary pressures and traffic are not expected to ease, and shares fell nearly 5% following the investor presentation. The company also shared plans for restaurant upgrades and employee training programs.

•McDonald's announced plans for a media network to display third-party ads, targeting a $1 billion business.
•Ads have started appearing on digital drive-thru order boards at company-owned U.S. restaurants.
•McDonald's joins Amazon and Walmart in the retail media network space.

Walmart McDonald's Amazon

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FACT · 4/524 Sept '26· Via Retail Dive

Tapestry sells Coach, Kate Spade via Google Gemini AI Mode

Tapestry Inc. announced that shoppers can now purchase Coach and Kate Spade products directly through Google's Gemini app and AI Mode in Search. Using Google Pay, consumers can complete transactions without leaving the AI interface. The company utilizes the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) for agentic commerce, with checkout currently available in the U.S. and plans to expand internationally. This move extends Tapestry's omni-channel strategy to AI-driven shopping environments. CEO Joanne Crevoiserat emphasized meeting customers at the moment of inspiration, whether in stores, online, or via AI chat. Tapestry reports no substantial change in customer data received from these transactions, as orders are still placed through its brands. The company's Q4 revenue rose 9% year-over-year to $1.9 billion. The initiative aligns with a broader trend of retailers like Ulta Beauty and Walmart integrating their inventories into Google's AI shopping ecosystem.

•Coach and Kate Spade products are now available for purchase in Google's Gemini app and AI Mode.
•Transactions are completed with Google Pay without redirecting to external sites.
•Tapestry uses the Universal Commerce Protocol for agentic commerce.

Walmart Ulta Beauty Tapestry Google

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FACT · 4/524 Sept '26· Via Digiday

Sephora Launches on TikTok Shop with Exclusive Beauty Set

Sephora has launched its TikTok Shop with a beauty set exclusively on the platform, starting with a livestreamed shopping session hosted by influencer Mikayla Nogueira, co-founder of POV Beauty. The initial offering is limited to POV Beauty and Sephora Collection products, with nearly 2,300 products sold as of publication. This move reflects the growing influence of social commerce, as TikTok Shop has become the No. 4 health and beauty retailer in the U.S., with $4.4 billion in sales since its 2023 launch. Competitor Ulta Beauty also joined the platform in July. Retailers face challenges balancing TikTok's coupon-heavy environment with premium brand positioning and must convert one-time buyers into loyal customers while integrating platform sales with in-store experiences and loyalty programs.

•Sephora launched its TikTok Shop with a livestream hosted by Mikayla Nogueira on September 24, 2026, featuring a 12-piece POV Beauty set priced at $265.
•Sephora has sold nearly 2,300 products on TikTok Shop as of publication.
•TikTok Shop is the No. 4 health and beauty retailer in the U.S., with $4.4 billion in sales since its 2023 launch.

Ulta Beauty NIQ Rithum TikTok Sephora

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FACT · 4/524 Sept '26· Via techcrunch

Meta Expands Muse AI Agent with Avatars, Mac Control, and Commerce

At its Connect event, Meta unveiled major updates to its personal AI agent, Muse, including a new real-time avatar feature, macOS integration, and a dedicated email address. The company also announced partnerships with Stripe, Shopify, PayPal, and retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Sephora to enable agentic shopping. Meta aims to make Muse a central platform for everyday tasks, leveraging its Muse Spark multimodal model. CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized a long-term vision of Muse as a 'personal superintelligence,' with monetization expected through transaction fees. The announcement also highlighted the opening of its connector platform to developers, which has already received over 1,500 applications.

•Meta announced Muse Realtime Avatar, a new AI model for real-time video chat with a digital avatar of the agent.
•Muse will be integrated with Meta's smart glasses, allowing voice-activated interactions.
•Muse will come to macOS, enabling the agent to operate any app on a user's desktop.

Walmart Meta Expedia Group Instacart Shopify Stripe Best Buy PayPal

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FACT · 4/524 Sept '26· Via Retail-News

Made on YouTube 2026: AI, Shopping, Creator Commerce

At the Made on YouTube 2026 event, Google unveiled a suite of new features aimed at transforming YouTube into a comprehensive commerce and creator platform. Key announcements include AI-powered 'Custom Feeds' for personalized video recommendations, an expanded 'Ask YouTube' assistant for product queries, and the growth of its shopping affiliate program to 35 markets by end of 2026, with over 1.3 million creators participating. The Gemini AI model will assist in video editing within Shorts and YouTube Create, while YouTube Studio gains AI tools for thumbnails and A/B testing. Livestreaming will see new monetization features like 'Live Showdowns' and 'Live Auto Dubbing' planned for 2027. The platform is also enhancing creator-brand collaborations through 'Ask Studio' and expanding its likeness detection to include voice. These moves position YouTube as a more integrated shopping and commerce ecosystem, challenging traditional search and social commerce platforms.

•Google announced new AI-powered 'Custom Feeds' and expanded 'Ask YouTube' shopping features at Made on YouTube 2026.
•YouTube's shopping affiliate program will expand to 35 markets by end of 2026, with over 1.3 million creators already participating.
•Gemini Omni will support video editing in Shorts and YouTube Create.

Amazon YouTube Google

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FACT · 4/524 Sept '26· Via Retail-News

Airbnb Integrates Instacart Grocery Delivery in Booking Process

Airbnb is integrating Instacart's grocery delivery service directly into its app for guests in the US and Canada. US guests can now order groceries up to three weeks before check-in, with delivery fees waived on orders over $10. The rental address is automatically used for delivery. In Phoenix and Orlando, participating hosts can receive and stock groceries before guests arrive. Canada will get the service in the coming weeks. This partnership extends Airbnb's services beyond accommodation booking, while giving Instacart access to travelers as a customer segment.

•Airbnb integrates Instacart grocery delivery into its app for US guests.
•US guests can order groceries up to three weeks before check-in.
•Delivery fees waived on orders over $10.

Instacart Airbnb

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FACT · 4/524 Sept '26· Via AnyMind Group

AnyMind Group and Alibaba Cloud partner to advance AI-powered live commerce in Asia

AnyMind Group announced a strategic agreement with Alibaba Cloud to integrate Qwen, Alibaba's family of large language and multimodal AI models, into AnyLive, its AI-powered live commerce platform. The integration aims to improve real-time customer interaction and response accuracy.

AnyMind Group

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FACT · 4/523 Sept '26· Via Adweek

Best Buy to Sell Amazon Fire TV Ads

Best Buy is partnering with Amazon to sell and measure retail media on Amazon Fire TV inventory. The consumer electronics retailer will sell ad inventory on all existing and new Insignia Fire TVs, its private label brand, which operate on Fire TV OS. Advertisers can purchase this inventory through Amazon's demand-side platform. This partnership enables advertisers to target and measure Best Buy shoppers on the streaming platform. The announcement was made by Lisa Valentino, chief ads and media officer at Best Buy. The deal expands Best Buy's retail media network and deepens its ties with Amazon's advertising ecosystem.

•Best Buy will sell Amazon Fire TV inventory to advertisers.
•The partnership covers all existing and new Insignia Fire TVs, Best Buy's private label brand.
•Advertisers can buy the inventory through Amazon's demand-side platform.

Amazon Best Buy

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FACT · 4/523 Sept '26· Via techcrunch

YouTube's Ask YouTube expands into AI-powered video shopping

At its Made On YouTube event, YouTube announced that its AI-powered conversational search feature, Ask YouTube, will now serve as a shopping companion. The feature will provide organized product recommendations, comparison tables, and follow-up question capabilities on watch pages. This leverages a custom Gemini model that maps complex queries to specific moments in videos. YouTube reported that over 140 million people used Ask YouTube in June, a 500% increase since December, highlighting the growing adoption of AI-driven discovery and its potential impact on commerce.

•Ask YouTube, an AI conversational search feature, will now function as a shopping companion.
•The feature will provide product comparisons and follow-up questions on video watch pages.
•Over 140 million people used Ask YouTube in June, up 500% since December.

Alphabet YouTube

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FACT · 4/523 Sept '26· Via Kevel

On-Site Meets Off-Site: Inside the Partnership Fixing Retail Media's Fragmentation Problem

The Trade Desk's Matthew Fantazier explains how a new Kevel, Dollar General and Trade Desk partnership connects on-site and off-site retail media into one measurable campaign, and why he thinks the term “retail media” disappears within five years.

Kevel

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FACT · 4/523 Sept '26· Via https://marketingtechnews.net/feed/

Kroger AI Shopping Assistant Drives Larger Baskets

Kroger reported that customers using its AI-powered shopping assistant are adding more items to their carts, contrary to expectations. The tool, launched in July across Kroger's websites and apps, helps with meal planning, recipe discovery, and cart building based on budgets and dietary needs. Yael Cosset, Kroger's EVP and Chief Digital Officer, discussed the basket size growth at Groceryshop 2026. Kroger is integrating more personalization features, leveraging its loyalty data from over 63 million households. The retailer also uses AI for demand forecasting and operational functions. Kroger partners with Google Cloud for Gemini Enterprise to power the assistant. The article also mentions similar results at Albertsons and increased conversion from AI-referred traffic per Adobe Digital Insights. Kroger's retail media business, Kroger Precision Marketing, is integrating sponsored products within the assistant.

•Kroger's AI shopping assistant is driving larger basket sizes, though the exact increase is undisclosed.
•The assistant was rolled out across Kroger's websites and apps in July.
•Yael Cosset discussed the basket increase at Groceryshop 2026.

Albertsons Companies Google Cloud Kroger

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FACT · 4/523 Sept '26· Via onlinemarketing.de

AI Overviews Impact on German E-Commerce SEO Revealed

A study by LEAP and SISTRIX analyzing 2,496 top German online shops reveals that organic visibility in e-commerce has declined for the first time in years, with a median drop of 16.7%. The share of searches with AI Overviews tripled from 4.3% to 14.2% in a year. AI Overviews appear in 69.7% of informational searches but only 0.2% of transactional ones, indicating the disruption is currently at the research stage, not purchase. However, this may change as Google tests AI Mode and the Universal Commerce Protocol. Top organic shops capture 72% of AI citations, and only 9.3% of informational AIO cases include the shop. The decline in organic traffic share (from 42.5% to 33.3%) translates to an estimated €7.5 billion in lost reach.

•Organic visibility in German e-commerce declined by 16.7% year-over-year.
•AI Overviews now appear in 14.2% of search queries, up from 4.3%.
•AI Overviews are present in 69.7% of informational searches but only 0.2% of transactional searches.

Google

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FACT · 4/523 Sept '26· Via PAYBACK

PAYBACK wird zur Commerce Plattform: Start von „PAYBACK Produkte“

PAYBACK erweitert seine App um einen neuen großen Shopping-Bereich: Mit „PAYBACK Produkte“ können die mehr als 35 Millionen Kundinnen und Kunden des Loyalty-Programms künftig direkt in der PAYBACK App…

PAYBACK

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FACT · 4/522 Sept '26· Via Retail-News

Meta and Shopify Link Muse AI to Shop Pay

Meta and Shopify are advancing agentic commerce by enabling Meta's AI assistant, Muse, to make purchases at participating Shopify merchants via Shop Pay. This integration, announced by Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke, allows Muse to handle product search, comparison, and transactions after user approval. For Shopify, this aligns with its strategy to open its commerce infrastructure to AI agents, positioning itself as a backend for agent-driven purchases. Meanwhile, Amazon has blocked Muse from executing purchases on its platform, reflecting different strategic approaches. The partnership highlights the growing importance of standardized checkout and integrated payment solutions in the emerging agentic commerce landscape.

•Meta's AI assistant Muse will be integrated with Shopify's Shop Pay to enable purchases at participating merchants.
•The integration was announced by Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke on X.
•Meta had previously announced an integration with Stripe's Link for payments.

Meta Amazon Shopify

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FACT · 4/522 Sept '26· Via SiteMinder

SiteMinder unveils Dynamic Commerce Engine to close the ‘execution gap’ in hotel distribution

SiteMinder has announced the launch of its Dynamic Commerce Engine, a new product aimed at closing the 'execution gap' in hotel distribution. The announcement was made on 22 September 2026, and the news is featured prominently on the company's news page.

SiteMinder

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