The Commerce Brief: Fri 19th Dec

Welcome to another exciting week in the world of eCommerce and retail 🛍️

🛒 Temu has launched a new app for Shopify merchants, allowing sellers to list and manage products on Temu directly from their Shopify accounts, opening up access to its local seller programme across more than 30 markets including the UK, US, Germany, Spain and Australia. (source)

🤖 Amazon is reportedly considering an investment of over £7.5bn ($10bn) in OpenAI, a move that would help OpenAI fund its growing cloud capacity needs and further tighten the strategic link between AI development and hyperscale infrastructure. (source)

🚚 Boots has expanded its on-demand delivery service to 500 stores after a surge in last-minute Christmas orders last year, giving shoppers access to more than 10,000 products via Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat. (source)

🏬 Mango continues its US expansion with the opening of its first Chicago store on North Michigan Avenue, marking the Spanish fashion brand’s debut in Illinois. (source)

👗 Fashion rental platform Hurr has expanded its Dress to Door partnership with Deliveroo, enabling customers in more UK locations to order pre-loved fashion from brands including Rixo, Self-Portrait and 16 Arlington for delivery in as little as 25 minutes. (source)

🌍 Footasylum has partnered with Dubai-based Apparel Group across wholesale, ecommerce and franchise channels, with plans to open 40 stores across the Gulf region over the next five years. (source)

🌸 Beauty retailer Douglas closed the financial year with sales of almost €4.6bn, up 2.8 percent, but flagged growing price sensitivity among consumers and increased competition, prompting the group to consider expansion into the Gulf States. (source)

📸 Zara is using AI to generate new images of real models wearing different outfits, speeding up content production and signalling a wider shift that could significantly change fashion photography workflows. (source)

🍔 The UAE’s online food delivery market is forecast to grow from $2.5bn in 2024 to $3.9bn by 2030, driven by mobile-first ordering behaviour and evolving dining habits. (source)

📈 Activist investor Elliott Management has built a stake of more than $1bn in Lululemon and is reportedly pushing for leadership changes as it seeks to revive performance at the athletic apparel brand. (source)

💎 Frasers Group has sold Matches to the founders of members-only shopping app Mile, with plans to relaunch the luxury platform next year. (source)

💰 Puma has secured more than €600m in additional financing facilities to increase financial flexibility and reduce reliance on its existing revolving credit facility. (source)