☕ Your Ecommerce Coffee Break (Issue 199)

👋 Happy Thursday! Here’s your latest ecom news roundup: US holiday spend hit $257B, Amazon and TikTok Shop gain ground in beauty, and returns surge into 2026.

Grab your coffee—skim in 60 sec or read in 3 minutes.

In Today’s Edition:

📰 Top Headlines: News, Marketplaces, and Platform updates
🎧 On the Pod: How To Launch A Clothing Brand In 2026 With Zero Inventory
🗨️ Claus’s Hot Take: Stop Chasing Clicks, Start Dominating AI Discovery

Feedback? Hit me up at [email protected] — I love hearing from you.

📰 WHAT’S HAPPENING

📈 General Ecommerce News

• US ecommerce holidays spend reached $257B [read more]

• Amazon, TikTok Shop gaining beauty dollar share [read more]

• Holiday returns expected to spike [read more]

• 6 customer experience trends to watch in 2026 [read more]

🛒 Platforms & Marketplaces

• Shopify competitor Swap raises $100M [read more]

• Amazon's AI shopping tool sparks backlash from retailers [read more]

• TikTok is aggressively expanding its US logistics network [read more]

• Google Merchant Center: New rule for multi-channel products [read more]

📱Social Media & Advertising

• X launches 2026 Marketing Calendar [read more]

• Top social marketing trends of 2026 [read more]

• OpenAI May Be Looking to Acquire Pinterest [read more]

• State of AI Search Optimization 2026 [read more]

🎙️ ECOMMERCE COFFEE BREAK PODCAST

How To Launch A Clothing Brand In 2026 With Zero Inventory

In this episode, we explore how to launch a fashion brand without the risk of buying huge amounts of inventory upfront.

Paul Yu, Founder and CEO of eProlo, explains how modern supply chains allow sellers to start small and test products before committing to large orders. He also discusses why focusing on a tiny niche is the best way for new brands to survive and scale in today’s market.

🎧 Listen on: [Website] [Apple Podcasts] [Spotify]

Don’t forget to rate the ECB Podcast on Apple (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

🗨️ CLAUS’S HOT TAKE

Stop Chasing Clicks, Start Dominating AI Discovery

The old SEO playbook is dead. In 2026, traffic isn't just about ranking on page one of Google; it’s about Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). If your brand doesn't show up in ChatGPT, Perplexity, or AI Overviews, you’re invisible to the highest-converting shoppers.

Why it matters

AI searchers aren't just "browsing"—they are deeper in the funnel. When an AI recommends your product, the click is pre-qualified.

How to win traffic with AI Master GEO:

• Feed AI engines by securing brand mentions on high-authority podcasts, niche forums, and Reddit. AI models prioritize "verified" human conversations over keyword-stuffed blogs.

• Scale Creative with AI: Use tools like AdCreative. ai or Pencil to launch 100+ ad variations for TikTok and Meta. Volume is the only way to find winning patterns in 2026.

• AI-Powered Search: Replace basic site search with Klevu or Algolia. These tools understand intent, not just words, keeping traffic on-site longer.

The Bottom Line: AI is shifting commerce from "search" to "answer." If you aren't the answer, you're the background noise.

Next Step: Want to audit your AI visibility? Check out the latest Ecommerce Coffee Break Podcast on GEO to learn how to future-proof your brand.

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