This week\u2019s rundown of new services for online merchants includes updates on livestreaming, product images, logistics, agentic commerce, one-click checkout, customer experience tools, analytics, and Amazon marketing services.<\/p>\n
Got an ecommerce product release? Email updates@practicalecommerce.com.<\/em><\/p>\n Text announces Shopify app and integration with WhatsApp.<\/strong><\/a> Text<\/a>, an AI-powered customer service and sales platform, has launched a Shopify app<\/a> and an integration with WhatsApp for Business<\/a>. The launches add to Text\u2019s integrations with WordPress, Webflow, and Meta Business. With the Shopify<\/a> app, Text combines its suite of products (LiveChat, ChatBot, Inbox, HelpDesk) into a single dashboard featuring advanced AI agents. Separately, WhatsApp Business conversations can now connect directly to a brand\u2019s Text Inbox.<\/p>\n Text<\/p>\n<\/div>\n AllyHub provides AI automation for ecommerce, marketing, and content.<\/b><\/a>\u00a0AllyHub<\/a> has launched its browser-native AI tool that automates research, content creation, data collection, and repetitive online workflows<\/a>. Instead of asking users to rebuild workflows manually, the platform captures successful executions as reusable assets that improve future tasks with minimal additional effort, according to AllyHub.<\/p>\n X launches Live Studio for creators.<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0X<\/a> is building out its creator tools<\/a>, with Live Studio (part of Creator Studio) replacing X\u2019s Media Studio Producer. From Live Studio, creators can go live, create private test streams, schedule streams, broadcast using Real-Time Messaging Protocol, and monitor live audience data. Live Studio is available to X users in select U.S. states (Virginia, Oregon, California) and overseas in Sydney, Seoul, Mumbai, Singapore, Paris, S\u00e3o Paulo, Frankfurt, Dublin, and Tokyo.<\/p>\n CMA CGM Group to acquire FedEx Supply Chain.<\/strong><\/a> The CMA CGM Group<\/a>, a global logistics<\/a> provider, has agreed to acquire FedEx Supply Chain<\/a>, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp, for $1.4 billion. The acquisition will nearly triple the size of CEVA Logistics<\/a>, a North American subsidiary of the CMA CGM Group. The combined entity will operate approximately 150 warehouses with multi-year commercial agreements for air and ocean freight to follow.<\/p>\n PixPix adds Google Nano Banana 2 Lite for ecommerce content.<\/strong><\/a> PixPix<\/a>, an AI-powered image and video platform for ecommerce, has announced support for Google\u2019s Nano Banana 2 Lite<\/a>, the newly released lightweight image generation model in the Nano Banana<\/a> family. With Nano Banana 2 Lite through PixPix, ecommerce teams (sellers, brands, marketers, designers, writers) can quickly complete creative tasks, such as product images<\/a>, marketplace visuals, lifestyle scenes, social media covers, advertising concepts, short-form video thumbnails, and more.<\/p>\n PixPix<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Pie raises $19.5 million to bring AI to local businesses.<\/a><\/strong> Pie<\/a>, an AI-powered growth platform for Main Street businesses<\/a>, has announced a $19.5 million Series A led by Lightspeed Venture Partners with participation from Capital One Ventures, Max Levchin\u2019s SciFi VC, F-Prime, Commerce Ventures, WEX Venture Capital, and existing investors. Pie also announced its emergence from stealth and launched Front Desk, an AI product that answers calls for small business owners 24\/7, takes bookings and reservations, and responds to customer questions.<\/p>\n Moburst acquires Hyperzon, adding Amazon marketing services.<\/strong><\/a> Moburst<\/a>, a provider of digital marketing and AI-powered tools, has acquired Hyperzon<\/a>, a marketing agency that helps brands grow, optimize, and scale their presence on Amazon. Hyperzon will now operate as \u201cHyperzon by Moburst.\u201d The deal gives Moburst clients access to a specialized Amazon team<\/a> covering product listings, content and creative generation, storefront management, media buying, and ongoing performance.<\/p>\n Knowband launches AI-powered suite for PrestaShop merchants.<\/strong><\/a> Knowband<\/a>, an ecommerce agency, has launched three AI-powered PrestaShop<\/a> features: Smart AI Admin Assistant, SocialAI Pro, and AI Review Generator. Each targets a routine PrestaShop<\/a> task: checking store performance, keeping social media active, and building trust on new product pages. Store owners can choose OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google as the AI provider for the suite.<\/p>\n Zen.com launches Mastercard Click to Pay.<\/strong><\/a> Zen.com<\/a>, a Europe-based fintech, has launched Mastercard Click to Pay<\/a>, enabling tokenized one-click checkout for online purchases. Click to Pay allows consumers to complete purchases<\/a> without re-entering card details for every transaction. Once they enroll a payment card and a trusted device, users can complete purchases at participating merchants with a single click. The integration is available across all 33 markets (Europe, Singapore) where Zen.com operates.<\/p>\n Zen.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n WPP announces expansion plans for its enterprise tools.<\/a><\/strong> WPP<\/a>, an agentic commerce and digital marketing platform, has announced expansion plans for its Enterprise Solutions<\/a>, with an initial portfolio that combines data foundations<\/a>, advanced intelligence, and customer experiences to help businesses leverage the AI-powered economy. Users activate the tools through partnerships with Adobe, AWS, Braze, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Shopify, among others.<\/p>\n Hostinger turns product photos into checkout links.<\/strong><\/a> Hostinger<\/a>, a hosting provider, has launched its platform<\/a> that turns a product photo into a checkout link. With Quick Links, sellers define their business, connect sales channels, and upload product photos. Hostinger\u2019s AI creates product pages with descriptions, key details, and even suggested prices. Sellers then connect a payment method and share the product link anywhere. Each link provides the essentials: cart, checkout, payments, shipping, and store management.<\/p>\n Metapack named OneStock\u2019s delivery management partner.<\/strong><\/a> Metapack<\/a>, a logistics optimization firm and part of the ShipStation family, was named a strategic delivery-management partner by OneStock<\/a>, a provider of order management systems. The partnership connects OneStock\u2019s inventory orchestration<\/a> with Metapack\u2019s global carrier network, giving enterprise retailers a single stack from order placement through to carrier selection, label generation, and branded returns, according to the companies.<\/p>\n Metapack<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Square introduces ChatGPT and Claude integrations.<\/strong><\/a> Square<\/a> has announced a new ChatGPT app and Claude plugins, helping sellers get discovered and transact through AI-powered conversations. Eligible sellers can opt in with no additional fees. Sellers manage AI discoverability<\/a> through their Square Dashboard, while Square handles the infrastructure layer, syncing business information, menu data, availability hours, and ordering information. Square says it\u2019s also working with Amazon to bring sellers into Alexa+, the voice assistant.<\/p>\n Akixi launches CX Suite.<\/strong><\/a> Akixi<\/a>, a customer service<\/a> platform, has launched CX Suite, featuring call analytics, call recording, CRM integration, and call scoring. CX Analytics delivers real-time and historical reporting and dashboards. CX Score applies sentiment analysis and call scoring. CX Record provides cloud call recording with full search, replay, and 90-day secure storage. CX Integration connects the platform to 300 CRM and business systems.<\/p>\n NielsenIQ acquires Flywheel\u2019s China and Southeast Asia ecommerce data business.<\/strong><\/a> NielsenIQ<\/a>, a consumer data intelligence provider, has acquired the China and Southeast Asia ecommerce data and insights business from Flywheel,<\/a> an Omnicom Media-owned agency. The acquired business operates in China under the YiMian brand and provides ecommerce, social commerce<\/a>, and digital shelf services. The acquisition expands NIQ\u2019s capabilities across China and Southeast Asia and strengthens its ability to measure consumer behavior across retail, ecommerce, social commerce, and digital environments.<\/p>\n NielsenIQ<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Lightspeed and Klaviyo integrate to give merchants marketing automation.<\/strong><\/a> Lightspeed Commerce<\/a>, an omnichannel payments platform, has expanded its partnership with Klaviyo<\/a>, a marketing and B2C CRM platform. The integration brings real-time, automated email, SMS, and omnichannel marketing capabilities to Lightspeed Retail, giving merchants a seamless, data-driven way to build stronger customer relationships. The integration syncs customer, sales, and product data<\/a> in real time so merchants can launch lifecycle flows such as welcome, post-purchase, and re-engagement campaigns, as well as targeted omnichannel outreach.<\/p>\n Alli AI launches WordPress plugin for visibility on ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude.<\/strong><\/a> Alli AI<\/a>, an AI search visibility<\/a> platform, has launched a plugin that makes WordPress sites more accessible to AI search platforms. When an AI crawler requests a page, the plugin serves a complete, pre-rendered HTML version containing the full content, while human visitors continue to receive the normal site experience. The plugin also deploys structured data across the site automatically, helping both traditional search engines and AI platforms extract and cite content accurately.<\/p>\n Lantern unveils agentic commerce platform.<\/strong><\/a> Lantern<\/a> has launched its platform to help ecommerce brands measure and improve how products appear<\/a> inside AI-powered shopping portals. The platform deploys specialized AI agents to monitor and improve product appearance across AI systems. The platform (i) predicts how AI portals interpret products, (ii) identifies visibility constraints, and (iii) applies changes across product pages, catalogs, and structure. Key capabilities include agent-ready scoring, AI visibility tracking, product-level analysis, and category benchmarking.<\/p>\nNew Tools for Merchants<\/h3>\n
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