We publish a rundown each week of new products and services from vendors to ecommerce merchants. This installment includes updates on AI-powered checkout, loyalty programs, subscriptions, payments, tax compliance, shipping optimization, and AI research and analytics.
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New Tools for Merchants
HubSpot launches a research connector with ChatGPT. HubSpot has launched a deep research connector with ChatGPT. Customers can now bring their customer context into the HubSpot connector, ask questions, and take action on insights to empower marketing, sales, and support teams. The connector will be available automatically to all HubSpot customers across all tiers with a paid ChatGPT plan.
HubSpot
Pattern unveils suite of AI-powered ecommerce tools. Pattern, an ecommerce acceleration provider, has announced a suite of AI-powered tools for brands. Chessboard is an analytics engine using data science, visibility modeling, and attribute-level analysis to identify product features that drive purchases. TrendVision, a tool for brands on TikTok and Instagram, analyzes social content and generates scripts and assets. The Portal is a product photography engine that combines high-fidelity image capture with data-driven creative generation.
Bolt and Palantir launch AI-powered checkout. Bolt, a checkout technology company, and Palantir, a provider of AI software, have partnered on intelligent ecommerce checkout. According to the companies, Checkout 2.0, a self-learning, self-improving checkout system, provides an adaptive, real-time solution that responds to each shopper’s preferences, behaviors, and context. Checkout 2.0 delivers personalized flows that evolve with the user, prioritizing preferred payment methods, remembering selections, and surfacing relevant information at just the right time.
RevenueCat and Paddle integrate to power cross-platform subscription growth. RevenueCat, a subscription platform used by mobile apps, and Paddle, a merchant of record for SaaS and digital product companies, have launched an integration to help developers unify subscriptions across web and mobile. With the integration, users can subscribe on one platform and automatically unlock access across web and mobile. All subscription events across iOS, Android, and web are centralized in the RevenueCat dashboard, enabling accurate real-time analytics, while Paddle handles payments, tax, and compliance.
RevenueCat
Google adds markup support for loyalty programs. Google has announced the addition of structured data markup support for loyalty programs. Businesses that add structured data for loyalty become eligible to appear with member benefits directly in search results. The update establishes a pathway for merchants without Merchant Center accounts to define their loyalty programs through Organization structured data, combined with loyalty benefits under Product structured data. However, businesses with Merchant Center accounts should define their loyalty programs within that platform instead.
Santander UK partners with Worldpay on merchant services. Santander UK, a financial services provider and part of multinational Banco Santander, has partnered with Worldpay, a provider of payments technology. The partnership will provide Santander Business Banking customers with solutions for point-of-sale, ecommerce, and integrated payment needs. Santander Corporate and Commercial Banking customers will also benefit from dedicated ecommerce and implementation consultants on hand to offer support and provide value-added services.
Sovos partners with Shopify to automate sales tax compliance for merchants. Sovos, a tax and regulatory compliance provider, has partnered with Shopify for the preparation, filing, and remittance of sales tax returns for merchants. Sovos’s Sales and Use Tax Filing service now integrates with Shopify Tax, offering merchants a streamlined experience for managing sales tax compliance. With automated filing, merchants reduce the time preparing and filing monthly returns. This feature is available to Shopify‘s eligible U.S. merchants.
Sovos
Intelligent Audit launches a parcel audit platform for SMBs. Intelligent Audit, a freight bill and payment optimization platform, has launched Catalyst, a program to help businesses optimize their parcel shipping operations and recover hidden overcharges. Businesses can audit parcel invoices, reclaim shipping overcharges, and get cost-effective shipping strategies. This program is designed for retailers and manufacturers who ship high volumes of small parcels, including growing ecommerce and D2C brands, regional specialty retailers, and subscription box companies.
Amazon launches an infrastructure region in Taiwan. Amazon has announced the launch of the AWS Asia Pacific Region to provide developers, startups, entrepreneurs, enterprises, and more a greater choice for running their applications and serving end users from AWS data centers located in Taiwan. Additionally, Amazon plans to invest more than $5 billion to support the construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of its data centers in Taiwan.
Block adds conversational AI assistant to Square’s business technology platform. Square, the point-of-sale app from Block, now has a conversational AI assistant, Square AI, integrated directly into the Square dashboard. Sellers can ask questions about their business using natural language and receive instant, direct answers. Square AI interprets the question, digs through relevant data, and surfaces the answer. Square AI is now available in public beta for all sellers in the U.S.
Glance and Samsung Galaxy produce AI shopping experiences. Glance, a Google-backed smart lock screen provider for Android devices, has launched Glance AI, a platform delivering genAI-led commerce and content discovery. Glance AI users can instantly visualize themselves in outfits and destinations, and purchase their favorites with a tap. As part of the partnership, Samsung Galaxy users will gain access to Glance’s AI shopping and styling experiences for trending content, local events, and social media.
Glance AI
