Early Spending Boom OR Bust, TikTok’s Selling Secrets, Walmart’s Pricing Scrutiny, Shoppers Rethink AI - This week in Amazon & eCommerce - Oct 14

Is October’s boom Black Friday’s bust?

1. Prime Day Pulls Holiday Spending Forward: US shoppers spent $9.86 billion online during Prime Big Deal Days, up 8.5% year over year. Mobile led sales, while social media grew fastest. Discounts boosted electronics and essentials, while early holiday shopping could affect November’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday spending. [Learn more]

2. TikTok Shop Plays by Its Own Rules: Marketplace Pulse’s 2026 report finds that TikTok Shop sales are dominated by beauty and personal care, with content influencing seller success. Rankings change rapidly, while seller concentration, platform badges, and limited overlap with Amazon distinguish the marketplace. [Learn more]

3. Walmart Not Out of the Woods: Walmart is facing renewed scrutiny over its pricing and data practices. Progressive consumer advocacy group Groundwork Collaborative has released a new report arguing that the retailer’s technology patents could enable personalized pricing and a level of consumer surveillance well beyond traditional retail. Walmart continues to maintain that it prices products, not people, though the privacy questions raised by the technology remain largely unaddressed. [Learn more]

4. 2027 Shoppers Shift Beyond AI Hype: In 2027, consumers may become more cautious about AI-driven products and services if expectations fall short. Market uncertainty could influence spending, encourage value-conscious purchases, and increase demand for practical benefits over hype. [Learn more]

Thank you for sharing your day with us,

Isaiah Fritz, Joe White and the OSP Team

We hope this info brought you value!

If you know anyone that would enjoy this newsletter please share this link on social media and with your friends: https://onlinesellingpartner.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Make sure to follow us on LinkedIn!