Juphy’s Weekly E-Commerce News Express – 03-07 February 2025
Ceyda Duz
Welcome to this week’s edition of everything e-commerce & AI! In this episode, we explore how non-retail platforms are emerging as the next big shopping destinations, dive into Forrester’s European e-commerce growth predictions through 2029, and catch up on the latest updates from Poshmark, Vengo AI, AppSumo, and Kepler. Stay tuned for insights that could reshape your approach to the evolving e-commerce landscape, from emerging trends to new tools that drive growth and innovation.
How Non-Retail Platforms Are Becoming Shopping Destinations
Retail is no longer confined to traditional e-commerce sites and brick-and-mortar stores. Entertainment, social media, and gaming platforms are increasingly integrating shopping features, transforming how consumers discover and purchase products. Companies like Netflix, TikTok, and Roku are leading this shift, creating new opportunities for brands to reach customers in unexpected places.
Streaming Services Expanding into Retail
Netflix is pushing beyond content into commerce with its growing retail strategy. While the company already operates an online store selling merchandise from its hit shows, it’s now taking things further by launching immersive retail experiences. These large-scale stores will allow visitors to step into replicas of Netflix’s most popular series, shop exclusive products, and even dine on themed food. This move follows the playbook of entertainment giants like Disney, leveraging brand engagement to drive sales.
Other streaming platforms are also exploring shoppable content. Roku’s ad platform enables viewers to purchase products directly from ads using QR codes, while NBCUniversal’s “Must Shop TV” integrates shopping links into Peacock’s content. These innovations signal a larger trend of media companies transforming entertainment into a direct path to purchase.
The Rise of Social Commerce
Social media platforms are becoming powerful e-commerce hubs, with TikTok leading the charge. Its in-app shopping feature, TikTok Shop, has seen explosive growth in Southeast Asia and is expanding into Western markets. The platform’s influence on purchasing decisions is undeniable—nearly half of internet users say they discover brands and products through TikTok.
Despite regulatory hurdles in the U.S. and Europe, the success of social commerce is undeniable. Euromonitor International projects that global purchases made directly through social platforms will skyrocket from $361 billion in 2024 to nearly $800 billion by 2028. As consumer behavior shifts, brands must prioritize strategies that integrate seamlessly with these digital ecosystems.
What This Means for Retailers
The rise of non-retail platforms in commerce presents both challenges and opportunities. Brands can no longer rely solely on traditional e-commerce or brick-and-mortar channels—they need a presence where their customers are spending time. Whether through shoppable content, social media marketplaces, or immersive retail experiences, businesses that adapt to this evolving landscape will have a competitive edge.
As the boundaries between entertainment, social media, and shopping continue to blur, one thing is clear: the future of retail belongs to those who embrace these new consumer touchpoints.
Forrester Predicts Strong Growth in European E-Commerce by 2029
Online retail in Europe is set for significant growth over the next five years, according to a new report from Forrester. The research firm projects that online sales will increase from €389 billion in 2024 to €565 billion in 2029, expanding their share of total retail sales.
E-Commerce Growth Slows but Remains Strong
Forrester’s latest findings indicate that online sales will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8% between 2023 and 2029. While still substantial, this is a slight slowdown from the 9.2% annual growth rate predicted in previous reports. By 2029, online retail will account for nearly 21% of all retail sales, up from 16% in 2024.
Offline Retail Faces Slower Growth
While e-commerce continues to surge, offline retail is expected to grow at a much slower pace. The report forecasts that brick-and-mortar sales will increase at a CAGR of just 1.7% by 2029. This marks a significant decline compared to 4.1% growth in 2023 and 8.9% in 2022, signaling a continued shift toward digital shopping.
The UK Leads European E-Commerce Expansion
Among Europe’s largest economies, the United Kingdom is set to dominate e-commerce growth. Forrester predicts UK online sales will reach €207 billion by 2029, up from €152 billion in 2023. The UK will also have the highest e-commerce penetration, with online sales making up 32% of total retail sales.
Other key markets include:
- Germany: Expected to grow from €97 billion in 2023 to €146 billion in 2029, reaching 21% of total retail sales.
- France: Forecasted to hit €106 billion by 2029, making up 17% of total retail sales.
These markets are also poised to drive marketplace-led growth, with platforms like Amazon and local marketplaces continuing to play a crucial role in shaping online shopping behavior.
E-Commerce is Reshaping the Retail Landscape
Forrester advises European retailers to invest in digital transformation and omnichannel strategies to stay competitive. Success in the coming years will depend on enhancing the customer experience across both online and offline channels to meet evolving consumer expectations.
Poshmark’s Smart List AI to Streamline Seller Listings
Poshmark, a fashion resale marketplace, has introduced Smart List AI, a cutting-edge tool designed to enhance the listing process for sellers. By leveraging generative AI, Smart List AI acts as a co-pilot for users, helping them create detailed listings more efficiently. Sellers can upload a single photo, and the AI will automatically generate essential listing components such as title, description, and category. This AI-driven feature is designed to simplify the selling process across all product categories and departments, saving sellers valuable time and effort. With Smart List AI, Poshmark is streamlining the user experience, allowing sellers to focus on growing their businesses while the AI takes care of the technical aspects of listing creation.
Google Launches Meridian: Open-Source Marketing Mix Model for Marketers
Google has introduced Meridian, an open-source marketing mix model designed to help marketers and data scientists optimize their campaigns. This powerful tool analyzes campaign performance by examining key business metrics such as sales, website visits, profit, and conversions. By using Meridian, businesses can gain deeper insights into the effectiveness of their marketing strategies and make data-driven decisions to improve overall performance. In addition to the model, Google has launched a partner program with over 20 certified measurement partners, offering marketers access to expert guidance and advanced measurement tools.
Kepler’s AI-Powered Tools to Optimize E-Commerce Product Pages
Kepler, a digital marketing agency, has launched PDP+, an AI-powered solution designed to enhance e-commerce product pages. The tool utilizes Kepler’s advanced AI engine to optimize product-page content by identifying high-performing keywords, restructuring titles for improved discoverability, and prioritizing product features based on consumer search patterns. Beyond content optimization, Kepler’s AI technology elevates product imagery, transforming basic photos into immersive visuals and videos that capture customer attention. These enhancements are reviewed and refined by Kepler’s team of brand and creative experts to ensure the best possible presentation.
Turn Instagram DMs into a Powerful Sales Channel with Juphy AI
As platforms like TikTok and Netflix integrate shopping features, Instagram remains a major driver of social commerce. With millions of users engaging with brands daily, Instagram DMs have become a crucial touchpoint for customer interactions. However, managing high volumes of messages manually can be overwhelming and lead to missed sales opportunities.
Juphy’s AI-powered sales agent helps Shopify merchants automate their Instagram DMs, providing instant responses to product inquiries, personalized recommendations, and seamless checkout guidance. By turning conversations into conversions, Juphy enables brands to engage customers 24/7, boost sales, and enhance the shopping experience effortlessly.
Start turning Instagram conversations into revenue! Try Juphy for free: apps.shopify.com/juphy
Key Takeaways
Non-Retail Platforms New Shopping Destination: Streaming services and social platforms are reshaping retail by integrating shopping features. Netflix is expanding into immersive retail experiences, while TikTok Shop is driving in-app purchases globally. Roku and NBCUniversal are enabling direct shopping through ads and shoppable content.
Forrester Predicts Strong European E-Commerce Growth: Forrester forecasts a 45% growth in European e-commerce, reaching €565 billion by 2029. The UK is set to lead, with online sales making up 32% of total retail. Germany and France will also see significant expansion, driven by marketplace platforms like Amazon.
Poshmark’s Smart List AI: Poshmark is transforming the resale experience with its new Smart List AI, designed to simplify the listing process for sellers. By using generative AI, the tool can automatically generate key details like titles, descriptions, and categories from just a single photo.
Google Unveils Meridian: Google has introduced Meridian, a powerful open-source marketing mix model designed to help marketers and data scientists optimize campaign performance with greater precision.
Kepler’s AI-Powered Tools: Kepler has launched PDP+, an AI-powered tool designed to maximize product page effectiveness. The system enhances e-commerce listings by optimizing keywords, refining product descriptions, and improving imagery for higher engagement.
