Retail stories

Distributors stockpile more inventory as a Phocas report warns planning gaps and data limits are raising costs and operational complexity.

Vudoo partners with PubMatic to bring shoppable, commerce-enabled ads to its programmatic marketplace via a single deal ID integration.

1Kosmos adds embedded identity checks to ServiceNow AI workflows to curb social engineering in high-risk service desk interactions.

AI search tools cast brands in starkly different lights, with Google skewing early negative and ChatGPT souring sentiment near purchase.

RedCloud passes 100,000 users and deploys agentic AI across its trade platform after enabling over USD $6.91 billion in FMCG transactions.

Criteo joins OpenAI's ChatGPT ad pilot as first adtech partner, testing conversational commerce ads across ChatGPT Free and Go in the US.

Amperity names seasoned SaaS marketer Bridget Perry as CMO to drive global growth and sharpen its AI-focused customer data platform.

Shoddy search tools are driving Australians from favourite online retailers, with 72% abandoning brands and many paying rivals more.

Microsoft's new Cyber Pulse briefing warns ungoverned AI agents and 'double agents' pose rising security and compliance risks for firms.

Milestone Systems has rehired Mike Metcalfe to lead key South Pacific accounts, driving video intelligence growth in New Zealand and Australia.

AI is racing into business plans, but NashTech research finds brittle legacy systems and poor integration are quietly throttling progress.

Infobip launches AgentOS, an AI orchestration layer unifying customer data and channels so autonomous agents can manage and personalise service.

AI has become the default weapon against fraud and AML, but SEON warns fragmented systems mean higher spend and rising operational strain.

ANZ marketers embrace AI to meet soaring demands for real-time, two-way customer conversations, but patchy data and generic campaigns hold them back.

New Zealand small firms notch strongest sales in three years as December spending surges and easing interest rates speed up payments.

AI is driving sharp rises in cyber spend, yet boards still see it as the easiest line to cut when budgets come under pressure.

Retailers risk USD $796bn in losses from returns and shrink in 2025, with omnichannel gaps fuelling preventable fraud and abuse.

Half of fraud chiefs say fast-changing, AI-powered scams are outpacing their defences, forcing a shift to real-time, adaptive protection.

Brands swapping 'Valentine's Day' for personal 'Valentine' subject lines see big email gains, as generic “love” talk and “shop” prompts drag.

Wesfarmers is deepening its AI and cloud pact with Microsoft to roll out Copilot tools, agents and data platforms across its retail brands.