Latest / Selling on Giants: The eCommerce Marketplace Podcast / $310B Holiday Wave, Google’s AI Ad Shake-Up, and Amazon’s FBA Push

Transcript

$310B Holiday Wave, Google’s AI Ad Shake-Up, and Amazon’s FBA Push · Selling on Giants: The eCommerce Marketplace Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to Selling on Giants e-commerce news and updates.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Mr.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: Will, host of the Selling on Giants podcast, and every week I break down what's happening across Amazon, Walmart, and the wider retail universe so you don't have to wade through endless forums or corporate PR.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: Let's get into it.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: Deloitte forecasts a$310 billion e-commerce holiday.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: Deloitte says US holiday sales will hit up to$1.62 trillion, with e-commerce doing the heavy lifting at over$310 billion, growing 7 to 9% year over year.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: Shoppers have a little more spending power, but they're chasing value above all else.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: Promotions, bundles, and pricing strategy will decide who wins and who gets ghosted at checkout.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: The bottom line, polish your product pages, lock in inventory, and make deals feel meaningful.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: The growth is online.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: If your digital shelves aren't ready, you'll miss the wave.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: And speaking of capturing attention, Google is arming advertisers with AI tools that could make or break holiday performance.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: Google reveals new AI marketing tools ahead of holiday mayhem.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: Google's rolling out upgrades designed for the fuzzy middle of holiday shopping.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: AI-powered search ads will now insert products directly into AI-generated search summaries.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: YouTube mastheads turn shoppable.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: Creative tools like Product Studio can bulk edit image backgrounds, and Imagein4 is sliding into performance max campaigns.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: Loyalty goals now let you reward repeat buyers.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: For sellers, this means more visibility in broad inspiration searches, cheaper creative production, and stronger retention levers.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: Test these tools early.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: Whoever adapts fastest will own the season.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: But Google isn't stopping there.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: They're also bridging the gap between search and retail media.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: Google opens the door to Cratio retail ads.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: This holiday, advertisers can buy retail ads from Cratio's network directly through Google's Search Ads 360.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: Translation, one workflow to handle both Google campaigns and retail media without extra contracts.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: The beta launches in the Americas with sponsored product ads expanding globally and into video and display.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: For sellers, it means simpler retail media buying, centralized reporting, and easier testing of new channels.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Competition will spike as access broadens, so the smart play is to get in now, benchmark returns, and prepare for a crowded field later.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: And while Google is streamlining ad buying, Amazon's busy streamlining your operations.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: Amazon's new party trick, delivery selfies for MCF, Amazon Logistics is now snapping delivery photos for multi-channel fulfillment orders.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: Think proof of life for your packages.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: Customers can get them via SwishIP links, you can share them manually, or even pull them via API.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: High quality shots only, no human photobombs.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: For sellers, the payoff is fewer where's my order tickets and a prime-like delivery experience for your DTC channels.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: It's Amazon extending its trust halo to your non-Amazon orders.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: And from selfies to sales, Amazon's also pushing sellers harder toward its favorite fulfillment method.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: Amazon wants you to put a ring on FBA.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: FBA enrollment opportunities are now built right in to manage all inventory.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: Sellers will see up to 50 daily recommendations showing which FBM listings should move into FBA, backed by data on promo eligibility, sales history, and conversion rates.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: This is Amazon serving you a curated why list instead of making you guess.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: If you've been holding out on moving SKUs into FBA, the writing's on the wall.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: Amazon's not asking.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: It's nudging you into compliance with what it believes drives growth.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: From operational pressure to strategic growth, another big name in marketplaces is showing Wall Street how it's done.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: Patternize$2.6 billion valuation in US IPO.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: Pattern Group is prepping its IPO at a valuation north of$2.6 billion.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: Revenue hit$1.8 billion last year with strong profitability, and they're raising more than$300 million.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: Unlike the aggregator bubble, Pattern isn't selling hype.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: It's selling operational depth across 60 plus marketplaces, from Amazon and Walmart to TikTok shop.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: For sellers, the message is clear.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: Resilience and fundamentals attract capital, not just scale.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: Margins, retention, and multi-channel presence are what investors want now.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: And speaking of fundamentals, compliance is quickly becoming the cost of entry across retail.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: Retail compliance, it's complicated.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: Retailers are tightening fulfillment and supplier standards, labeling, packaging, data sharing, and on-time delivery.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: Miss the mark and you face chargebacks, fees, or delisting.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: Sellers with strong compliance systems don't just survive, they stand out.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: If your peers are struggling and you're reliable, retailers will prioritize you.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: Treat compliance as a growth lever, not a tax.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: But while compliance protects your seat at the table, consumer demand is what fills the plate, and groceries are showing us how fast that's shifting.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: Online grocery sales hit$11.2 billion in August.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: Online grocery sales surged 14% year over year to$11.2 billion.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: Delivery jumped 30%.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: Ship-to-home grew nearly 19%, but pickup dropped 4%.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: Convenience wins.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: More households are mixing methods, and AOVs are rising.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: For sellers, this means investing in delivery capabilities, tightening ship-to-home experiences, and balancing pricing against inflation.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: If you're over-indexed on pickup, it's time to pivot.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: From groceries to beauty aisles, Ulta is showing what long-term adaptation really looks like.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: How Ulta Beauty is doubling down on AI.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: Ulta isn't dabbling, it's integrating AI everywhere.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: Shoppers can try on hairstyles or run AR skin analysis in the Glam Lab app.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: Machine learning drives recommendations, while AI powers supply chain and scheduling behind the scenes.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: The bigger bet is AI agents coming in 2026, designed to help both associates and customers in real time.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: Ulta's also backing startups through its Prisma Ventures Fund, doubling down on AI as both a consumer experience and operational backbone.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: For sellers, the lesson is clear.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: AI isn't a gimmick, it's infrastructure.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: Start laying foundations now.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: Personalization and efficiency at scale will soon separate leaders from laggards.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: And while Ulta is pushing tech forward, Walmart is giving sellers sharper insight into what happens before the buy button.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: Walmart's Scintilla, Digital Landscapes Sheds, Light on What Shoppers Do Before The Buy.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: Walmart's updated Scintilla module shows traffic sources, search behavior, conversion blockers, and basket abandonment.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: In one case, a viral TikTok drove sales spikes, and digital landscapes let the brand spot and respond fast.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: For sellers, this tool is a playbook for where to spend, what to fix, and how to react when demand surges.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: If you're on Walmart, ignoring it is leaving data and sales on the table.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: Finally, let's talk seasonal strategy.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_00: Because while Deloitte's modeling growth, Target is showing us how to make shoppers care.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: Target reboots style on Instagram with its fall campaign.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: Target relaunch Target Style with the Forever Fall campaign.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: Think micro influencers, New York Fashion Week timing, lookbooks for transitional outfits, and 1500 early Halloween drops, many priced under$25.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_00: The lesson is timing plus storytelling.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: Launch seasonal products early, use influencers to drive authenticity, and hit value price points to maximize reach.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: Discovery doesn't happen by accident, it's engineered.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: That's your selling on Giants News and Updates for the Week.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: We covered Deloitte's$310 billion holiday forecast, Google's AI marketing shakeup, Amazon's delivery selfies and FBA nudges, Patterns IPO, compliance pressure, online grocery growth, Ulta's AI Play, Walmart's Shopper Insights, and Target's Fall Campaign.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: If this saved you hours of form scrolls and Slack debates, leave a review wherever you listen.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_00: It helps us keep the lights on and land stronger interviews for the weeks ahead.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Mr.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: Will, host of the Selling on Giants podcast.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: See you next week.