How E-commerce is Changing in April 2025

Hey there,

April has arrived with groundbreaking developments reshaping eCommerce. In recent weeks, the industry has experienced dramatic shifts— AI shopping assistants that complete purchases without human supervision, new selling platforms, and stronger marketplace protection. Here are the key developments reshaping your customer's buying journey today.

Meet Nova Act: The AI That Buys for You

Amazon launched Nova Act on March 31, bringing automated shopping to a whole new level. This AI agent doesn't just find products—it completes entire shopping journeys without human supervision.

Nova Act can search across websites, compare products, add items to your cart, complete checkout, update billing information, and monitor price drops. Unlike similar tools from competitors that require constant oversight, Nova Act operates independently by breaking complex tasks into reliable smaller actions.

Developers can already access this technology through Amazon's SDK at nova.amazon.com, part of Amazon's broader investment in practical AI applications through their new San Francisco-based AGI Lab.

Shop Directly Through Perplexity's Answer Engine

Perplexity.ai and Firmly.ai announced a partnership on March 27 that transforms how consumers shop online. With over 15 million users, Perplexity has noticed people asking detailed shopping questions like "Which 55-inch TV under $2,000 fits in a 10-by-10 room?"

Now, instead of sending users elsewhere to buy products, Perplexity lets them complete purchases directly within its platform. Firmly's technology connects merchants through a single API, allowing them to instantly sell across multiple channels while maintaining control over their brand and customer relationships.

Initially focused on tech products, this partnership is quickly expanding into household essentials, meal planning, health products, travel, and sports categories—creating a new sales channel exactly where consumers are making decisions.

Amazon vs. Fakes: 15 Million Down

Amazon removed over 15 million counterfeit items in 2024, according to their March 26 Brand Protection Report. Their AI tools now block 99% of suspected fakes before brands even need to report them, resulting in 35% fewer infringement notices since 2020 despite marketplace growth.

The company's Counterfeit Crimes Unit has taken action against more than 24,000 bad actors since 2020 through lawsuits and law enforcement referrals. Their protection programs continue to gain traction, with 35,000 brands using the Project Zero anti-counterfeiting program and 88,000 enrolled in the Transparency verification system, which has authenticated over 2.5 billion products.

This aggressive approach addresses a significant problem identified in a recent Michigan State University study, which found that nearly 70% of consumers had unknowingly purchased fake items online in the previous year.

Amazon & Walmart: Making Shopping Smarter and Faster

Amazon introduced its AI-powered "Interests" feature on March 25, creating a more personalized discovery experience. Shoppers can now set up custom queries based on their preferences, price limits, and specific interests. The system then continuously scans Amazon's inventory, sending notifications about new products, restocks, and deals that match these criteria.

Meanwhile, Walmart is enhancing convenience with improved one-click ordering, same-day pickup, and Express Delivery options. They're also working with suppliers to minimize the impact of potential tariffs on consumer prices and expanding into the metaverse through a new Minecraft partnership called "Skyward."

Both retailers continue developing financial services, with JPMorgan Chase and Walmart launching an embedded finance solution that helps marketplace sellers manage payments and cash flow directly within the platform.

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