Headlines moved fast this quarter, but the throughline is unmistakable: AI now sits at the center of e‑commerce strategy. We dig into Amazon’s shift toward agentic AI that actually does the work—fixing listings, launching campaigns, and resolving account issues—then follow the ripple on the shopper side as Rufus becomes a core shopping layer. When customers type “best drain cleaner for old pipes,” the assistant doesn’t just find keywords; it selects solutions. That’s why GEO—optimization built for how AI understands goals, entities, and outcomes—now beats traditional SEO.
We also unpack TikTok Shop’s growing pains and progress. Counterfeiters tried to ride generative tools to fake reviews and visuals; TikTok answered with a combined AI and human crackdown that removed tens of millions of listings and hundreds of thousands of sellers. The message is clear: trust is the moat. Meanwhile, Walmart tested a premium pivot, chasing higher-end assortments. The opportunity is real, but shopper expectations and merchandising still lag. Premium brands should enter with care, protect price architecture, and watch for improvements in content modules, ads, and service SLAs before scaling.
Numbers tell the rest of the story. Cyber Monday hit a record $14.25B, Black Friday reached $11.8B, and total Cyber Week spend landed at $44.2B. Mobile accounted for 57% of Black Friday purchases, and AI-assisted shoppers were 38% more likely to convert—proof that the path to purchase runs through a small screen and a smart agent. Looking forward, AWS is pushing custom silicon to cut AI costs, and TikTok is preparing a U.S. data migration by March 2026 alongside stricter AI labeling. Our takeaways are simple: build mobile-first content, structure product pages so assistants can parse real outcomes, invest in authentic creator proof, and price for promotion-heavy peaks.
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