The Commerce Brief: Fri 5th Dec

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

🗓️ This week’s industry updates

👗 Google has expanded its virtual apparel try-on tool to the UK and India, letting shoppers upload a selfie to see how items fit without entering a changing room. The rollout follows a successful US debut and strengthens Google’s push into AI shopping. (source)

🛒 A leak suggests ads may soon appear inside OpenAI conversations, with some users already noticing early tests. One report came from Yuchen Jin, CTO of Hyperbolic Labs, who said he was served a Peloton ad despite being on the ChatGPT Pro plan. This signals a potential shift in how AI assistants will be monetized. (source)

🌍 River Island and Debenhams are reportedly closing their Middle East stores, operated by the Alshaya Group. Debenhams partnered with Alshaya in 2021, but both brands now appear to be exiting the region. (source)

📈 Frasers Group revenue rose 5 percent to £2.58 billion in the first half of the year, driven by strong international growth of 42.8 percent. The group continues to expand across key markets. (source)

🚫 Nike, Superdry and Lacoste have had ads banned in the UK for making unsubstantiated sustainability claims. The ASA ruled their paid Google ads used terms like “sustainable materials” without providing evidence. (source)

➡️ Hugo Boss announced a multi-year strategy to return to growth from 2027. The restructuring will reduce 2026 sales but is expected to set up a recovery in the years that follow. (source)

🎥 Kim Kardashian will host a holiday shoppable livestream for Skims on TikTok, produced with OBB Media. The 45-minute event blends entertainment with direct shopping functionality. (source)

🕶️ Snapchat has launched Winter Village, an augmented reality shopping experience featuring immersive digital boutiques from Chopard, Lancôme and Boss. The feature aims to elevate holiday engagement with premium brands. (source)

📺 Ocado Ads has partnered with Epsilon to integrate its COREid identity platform, allowing brands to target verified individuals across offsite channels including connected TV. This enhances Ocado’s precision retail media offering. (source)

🎁 Lidl has unveiled its first ever Lidl Wrapped, using app data to spotlight top products in ten UK cities. Each region received a custom wrapping-paper design, and select stores now offer free gift-wrapping stations through 17 December. (source)

✨ M&S is running a five-day holiday live shopping event featuring influencers such as Shanie Ryan, Katherine Ormerod and Vernon Kay. The event focuses on fashion, beauty, gifting and hosting for the festive season. (source)

💡 Phoebe Gates is raising 30 million dollars for Phia, an AI-powered shopping search engine that helps users find products, compare prices and track deals. The app has been downloaded 750,000 times in eight months. (source)

⏱️ TikTok Shop recorded its biggest ever UK sales day on Black Friday, with sales up 50 percent year over year. At the peak, 27 items were sold every second and shopper numbers rose 28 percent compared with last year. (source)

🇺🇸 Ralph Lauren will outfit Team USA for the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, marking its 10th consecutive Games collection. The Opening Ceremony look draws from an Italian aesthetic. (source)

💶 Inditex reported a 3.2 percent year-over-year increase in gross profit to €16.8 billion for the nine months to 31 October. The group continues to see stable momentum across its flagship Zara brand and portfolio. (source)

🏋️‍♂️ Gymshark will open its first US flagship store in New York on 13 December as it accelerates its expansion in the American market. (source)