EC & AI Commerce News Digest (February 27, 2026)

Today's Top Stories

Bain Publishes Comprehensive Report on How Agentic AI Is Redefining Retail

Agentic AI in Retail: How Autonomous Shopping Is Redefining the Customer Journey

As agentic AI transforms retail economics, industry leaders will compete for shoppers and agents alike.

Consulting giant Bain & Company has published a comprehensive report analyzing the impact of agentic AI on the retail industry. The report predicts that agentic commerce — where AI agents autonomously handle product discovery, comparison, and purchasing — will account for 15-25% of US e-commerce sales by 2030, reaching a market size of $300-500 billion.

Currently, 30-45% of US consumers are already using AI for product research, and 17% of shoppers begin their holiday shopping on AI platforms like ChatGPT or Perplexity. However, about 50% of consumers remain cautious about letting AI handle end-to-end transactions.

Bain recommends three strategic priorities for retailers: (1) strengthening exclusive products and loyalty programs that are hard for AI to replicate, (2) rebuilding retail media strategies to account for AI search, and (3) protecting first-party data and negotiating data-sharing terms with AI partners.

Full article: Bain Forecasts a $500B Agentic Commerce Market by 2030

eBay Lays Off 800 Employees, 6% of Workforce

eBay layoffs today: 6% job cuts amid AI spending, Depop purchase

E-commerce retailer eBay is downsizing its workforce by 800 employees as it shifts strategic priorities, and continues to invest in AI.

eBay has announced the elimination of approximately 800 positions, about 6% of its total workforce. The company cited a focus on "strategic priorities" as the reason, with increased AI investment believed to be a key factor.

The layoffs come shortly after eBay's acquisition of trading card marketplace TCGPlayer Hub. The move reflects a broader trend across the e-commerce industry where companies are simultaneously investing in AI capabilities while restructuring their organizations.

Agentic Commerce

Mirakl Turns Profitable, Bets on Agentic Commerce

Mirakl Reached $218M ARR (+23%) and Launched Agentic Commerce Platform (Mirakl Nexus)

Mirakl announced strong 2025 results marked by consistent growth and full-year profitability at group level. Annual Recurring Revenues (ARR) increased by 23% to $218 million in 2025.

Marketplace platform leader Mirakl has achieved profitability. The company provides enterprise marketplace solutions and serves over 400 clients across retail and B2B sectors.

With a stabilized business foundation, Mirakl is positioning agentic commerce as its next growth pillar. The company is expanding its platform capabilities to prepare for a future where AI agents autonomously search, compare, and purchase products on marketplaces. This represents a notable example of a marketplace platform operator explicitly incorporating agentic commerce into its business strategy.

Full article: Mirakl Achieves Full-Year Profitability After 13 Years

Google and Klaviyo Deepen AI Partnership for Agentic Commerce

Google & Klaviyo deepen AI pact for agentic commerce

Google and Klaviyo are deepening ties to power AI agentic commerce, linking ads, search and RCS messaging to real-time customer data.

Google and CRM platform Klaviyo have announced a strengthened AI partnership to advance agentic commerce. The integration connects Google Ads, Search, and RCS messaging with Klaviyo's real-time customer data, enabling AI agents to automatically execute optimal actions based on customer purchasing behavior.

This partnership enables e-commerce merchants to become more discoverable to AI agents through Google Search while delivering personalized purchasing experiences through Klaviyo's data. The formation of a tripartite ecosystem connecting advertising, CRM, and AI agents represents a significant development for the industry.

Full article: Google and Klaviyo Announce Strategic Partnership

AI Commerce Tools

Bilt Launches AI Neighborhood Concierge to Compete with ChatGPT

Bilt's new AI 'Neighborhood Concierge' goes head-to-head with Amazon as the battle for home-based commerce heats up

Bilt Rewards launches an AI-powered Neighborhood Concierge to help users discover local businesses and services.

Rewards platform Bilt Rewards has launched an AI-powered "Neighborhood Concierge" feature. The system recommends local restaurants, services, and events tailored to users' residential areas, differentiating itself from general-purpose AI tools like ChatGPT.

Bilt has grown as a rewards service where users earn points from rent payments. With this AI concierge, the platform aims to evolve from covering just "living" to encompassing all aspects of daily life. This approach combining location-specific data with AI for local commerce offers valuable insights for e-commerce operators.

Full article: Bilt Rewards Launches AI Neighborhood Concierge

Global E-Commerce Trends

US E-Commerce Market Reaches $1.38 Trillion, Maintains Second Place Globally

U.S. e-commerce market nears $1.4T, trails one country

The U.S. recorded e-commerce revenue of $1.38 trillion in 2025, making it the second-largest e-commerce market in the world.

The US e-commerce market reached $1.38 trillion in 2025, maintaining its position as the world's second-largest market. China continues to lead, with a significant gap remaining between the two markets.

Growth in the US market is driven by mobile commerce expansion and the evolution of AI-powered shopping experiences. With the $1.4 trillion milestone within reach, the spread of agentic commerce is expected to further accelerate growth.

Coupang Fined 2.18 Billion Won for Pressuring Vendors on Pricing

Coupang fined for pressuring vendors to cut prices

Coupang was slapped with a fine of 2.18 billion won ($1.53 million) for unfairly pressing vendors active on its platform to cut prices.

South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang has been fined 2.18 billion won (approximately $1.53 million) by the Korea Fair Trade Commission for unfairly pressuring vendors on its platform to cut prices.

Coupang has simultaneously been affected by a data breach, resulting in quarterly revenue falling below market expectations. The rapidly growing company faces challenges from regulatory friction and security issues that could impact future growth.

India's E-Commerce Market to Grow 12.4% in 2026, Led by AI and Social Commerce

India's e-commerce market to register 12.4% growth in 2026, forecasts GlobalData

India's e-commerce market registered an estimated growth rate of 11.3% in 2025, to reach INR17.5 trillion ($200.9 billion).

India's e-commerce market is projected to grow 12.4% in 2026. Key growth drivers include AI-powered personalization and the expansion of social commerce.

India's e-commerce market is forecast to reach $280-300 billion by 2030, attracting attention alongside Southeast Asia as a global e-commerce growth market. Penetration into smaller cities and payment infrastructure development will be key to sustaining growth.

Corporate Developments & Partnerships

DHL Group and JD.com Formalize China-EU Retail Corridor Partnership

DHL-JD.com deal formalises China-EU retail corridor

JD.com's European expansion has continued with DHL Group, formalising a trade corridor between Germany, China and the wider EU.

DHL Group and JD.com have signed a memorandum of understanding to support German brands entering the Chinese market. The partnership, announced alongside German Chancellor Merz's visit to China, creates a strategic framework for strengthening cross-border e-commerce logistics between China and the EU.

As de minimis reform advances, cross-border e-commerce logistics structures are being reorganized. The DHL×JD.com partnership serves as an important reference for global e-commerce operators as a new standard in B2C cross-border logistics.

Shein Plans Major Supply Chain Investment

Shein to strengthen supply chain with major investment in Guangdong

Shein plans major supply chain investments to strengthen its global operations.

Chinese fast-fashion e-commerce giant Shein has reportedly planned a major investment to strengthen its supply chain. The move is seen as preparation for an IPO, aiming to improve the stability and efficiency of global operations.

Amid changing regulatory environments including US-China trade tensions and de minimis reform, Shein is pursuing a strategy of supply chain diversification and strengthening regional hubs. This highlights the growing importance of supply chain resilience for global e-commerce operators.

Summary

Today's news makes clear that agentic commerce is accelerating in concrete ways. Bain's comprehensive report provides market size forecasts, while Mirakl's profitability and the Google×Klaviyo partnership show that platform-side preparations are steadily advancing.

Meanwhile, eBay's mass layoffs and Coupang's regulatory challenges highlight the difficulty existing e-commerce companies face in pursuing AI investment and organizational restructuring simultaneously. The DHL×JD.com cross-border partnership and Shein's supply chain investment signal an ongoing reconstruction of global e-commerce logistics infrastructure.

Going forward, attention should focus on corporate responses to the Bain report and concrete implementation examples of agentic commerce adoption.