Shopify stories

Worldline and YouLend launch Cash Advance in Belgium and the Netherlands, offering SMEs embedded card-based funding of up to EUR €250,000.

AI contract software startup Ivo secures USD $55 million Series B to speed contract review, as revenue surges 500% and UK expansion looms.

Google has launched an open Universal Commerce Protocol to standardise AI shopping flows across search, apps, merchants and payments.

YouLend teams up with Teya to launch flexible cash advances of GBP £1,000-GBP £2 million for more than 30,000 UK SMEs, ahead of EU rollout.

Google launches a Universal Commerce Protocol and Business Agent tools as it bets on AI agents to drive the next era of online shopping.

Google launches Universal Commerce Protocol to link AI shopping agents, retailers and payments in a new ‘agentic commerce’ push.

Patchworks debuts MCP integration layer to plug AI into retailers’ live systems, promising real-time workflows beyond basic recommendations.

Loop Returns warns UK brands that neglected international returns risk eroding margins and loyalty as global eCommerce hits USD $6.3 trillion.

Widdop launches its first direct-to-consumer eCommerce site for Softies plush toys, marking a major digital shift for the 140-year-old brand.

Sibling-founded app Villagehood launches in beta, using geo-based meetups to help local mums tackle loneliness and build real-life support.

Brands are ditching fragmented martech stacks for centralised platforms as AI, richer messaging and costs expose the limits of siloed channels.

Linux Foundation unites Anthropic, Block and OpenAI in new Agentic AI hub to standardise tools and protocols for autonomous AI agents.

Value for money drives online customer sentiment three times more than price, delivery speed or product quality, a study of reviews finds.

Cloud Nine streamlines global sales and fulfilment, using BPA to knit together NetSuite, Salesforce, Shopify and logistics partners.

Freshworks rolls out new AI tools for Freshdesk to unify channels, cut agent drudgery and boost resolution speeds for service teams.

Linux Foundation launches Agentic AI Foundation to standardise open protocols for interoperable AI agents with backing from major tech firms.

IDHL launches IDHL Labs, a group-wide AI incubator backed by GBP £1.5 million to fast-track automation, tooling and data-driven services.

Value for money, not low prices or rapid delivery, is the strongest driver of eCommerce satisfaction, Judge.me’s study of reviews finds.

As AI reshapes marketing teams, experts warn of a global redundancy wave-and argue human experience is now the industry’s rarest asset.

Creative Hut has outsourced logistics to 3PL, aiming to enhance fulfilment efficiency for its complex range of educational STEAM products.