EC & AI Commerce News Digest (March 17, 2026)

Today's Top Story

E-Commerce Retailers Plan Major Investments in Agentic Commerce — CX Dive Study

E-commerce retailers plan hefty investments in agentic commerce, study finds | CX Dive

Top applications include Al-powered product discovery, Al chatbots and personalized recommendations.

According to the latest study reported by CX Dive, a majority of e-commerce retailers are planning large-scale investments in agentic commerce — AI agent-powered purchasing assistance and automation. The top three investment areas are AI-powered product discovery, AI chatbots, and personalized recommendations.

These findings indicate that agentic commerce is transitioning from the "concept stage" to the "implementation phase." Following last week's Shopify Agentic Storefronts announcement and the Azoma AMP standard development, e-commerce retailers themselves are now moving toward serious investment, in step with platform-side developments.

As we approach an era where AI agents handle consumers' purchasing processes, the entire industry is increasingly focused on how to adapt existing e-commerce infrastructure.

Deep Dive: 96% of E-Commerce Retailers Have Invested in AI, Major Agentic Commerce Investments Accelerating

JD.com Officially Launches Joybuy in Europe — China's Third E-Commerce Challenger Takes on Amazon and Temu

China's JD.com launches Joybuy, its Amazon rival in Europe

JD.com is pushing same-day delivery and international brands as a way to help it compete with Amazon.

Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com has officially launched its European e-commerce platform "Joybuy" across 13 countries, starting with the UK and Germany. This is today's biggest e-commerce news, reported simultaneously by over 20 media outlets including CNBC and TechCrunch.

Joybuy positions itself as a direct competitor to Amazon, with same-day delivery and international brand assortment as key differentiators. While Temu and Shein have swept across European markets in the low-price segment, JD.com is entering with a strategy focused on higher quality and superior service. The Chinese e-commerce offensive in Europe has entered a new phase.

For European e-commerce operators and Amazon, this represents the emergence of a new threat that competes on quality as well. In particular, whether differentiation from existing Chinese platforms resonates with consumers in Germany and the UK will be closely watched.

Agentic Commerce

How Acquirers Should Prepare for Agentic Commerce — PYMNTS x Visa Study

How Acquirers Prepare for Agentic Commerce - March 2026

How Acquirers Prepare for Agentic Commerce - March 2026 - A PYMNTS Intelligence report commissioned by Visa Acceptance Solutions

A report published by PYMNTS, commissioned by Visa Acceptance Solutions, analyzes how payment processors (acquirers) should prepare for agentic commerce.

As we approach an era where AI agents autonomously handle everything from purchasing decisions to payment execution, significant transformation is required on the payment infrastructure side. Agent authentication and authorization, real-time fraud detection, and machine-to-machine payment flows require architectures fundamentally different from traditional card payments.

Combined with AWS's recent publication of the x402 protocol, it's clear that standardization of the "payment layer" for agentic commerce is progressing rapidly.

Deep Dive: Visa-Commissioned Report Reveals How Acquirers Are Preparing for Agentic Commerce

Shopify Accelerates AI Shopping Agent Readiness — TechCrunch In-Depth

Shopify is preparing for AI shopping agents to change everything, exec says | TechCrunch

Shopify is preparing for an e-commerce transformation via AI shopping agents, says president Harley Finkelstein.

Shopify President Harley Finkelstein told TechCrunch in an interview that AI shopping agents will change everything about e-commerce. This follows up on the "Agentic Storefronts" announcement from last week.

Finkelstein revealed plans to adapt Shopify's entire platform for a future where AI agents search, compare, and purchase products on behalf of consumers. The shift is underway from UI/UX designed for "humans browsing" to structured data and APIs optimized for "agents efficiently retrieving information."

AI Commerce Tools

TikTok Unveils New Advertising and Commerce Solutions at Spotlight Event

Tiktok unveils new advertising and commerce solutions at Spotlight | Mi3

TikTok is no longer content with selling attention alone. At its Sydney Spotlight event, the platform unveiled new ad formats and shopping tools designed to turn viral videos into a global retail engine.

TikTok Shop unveiled new ad formats and shopping tools at its Spotlight event in Sydney, aiming to transform viral videos into a global retail engine.

Notably, TikTok is making a clear shift from "selling attention" to becoming a "commerce platform." The new commerce solutions further strengthen the pathway from creator content to direct purchasing behavior.

The evolution of social commerce represents an important trend transforming the e-commerce experience through an approach distinct from agentic commerce.

Deep Dive: TikTok Announces New Ad Formats and Shopping Features

OEN Technology Building "Last Mile" Payment Infrastructure for AI Commerce

OEN on the Last Mile of AI Commerce - Taiwan Business TOPICS

AI agents may soon initiate transactions on behalf of users, but the final payment step still requires trusted infrastructure. OEN Technology is building systems to power that last mile of AI commerce.

Taiwan-based OEN Technology is building infrastructure for the "last mile" of payments in AI commerce. Even as AI agents become capable of initiating transactions on behalf of users, the final payment step still requires trusted infrastructure.

This initiative from the Asian market deserves attention as an AI commerce infrastructure effort. While discussions around agentic commerce tend to focus on Western companies, a Taiwan-based fintech startup specializing in the payment last mile is significant from the perspective of global ecosystem formation.

Deep Dive: Taiwan's OEN Technology Building "Last Mile" Payment Infrastructure for AI Commerce

Global E-Commerce Trends

EU Industry Bodies Call for Early Implementation of "Deemed Importer" Rules for E-Commerce

European industry bodies call for the introduction of "deemed importer" status for e-commerce to be brought forward

Several European industry confederations in the textiles and clothing, footwear, beauty, and retail sectors are urging Brussels to expedite the implementation of the "deemed importer" concept for e-commerce operators.

Multiple European industry bodies in the textiles and clothing, footwear, beauty, and retail sectors are urging the European Commission to fast-track the implementation of "deemed importer" regulations for e-commerce platforms.

This regulation would hold cross-border e-commerce platforms responsible for product safety and compliance, aiming to curb the influx of low-quality and non-compliant products from Chinese platforms. Reported on the same day as JD.com Joybuy's European launch, this development is essential for understanding the evolving regulatory landscape in European markets.

Indonesia Re-Evaluates E-Commerce Rules to Strengthen Online Fraud Countermeasures

Indonesia Re-Evaluates E-Commerce Rules to Curb Online Fraud

Trade Minister Budi Santoso announces a re-evaluation of Indonesia's e-commerce regulations to tackle online fraud and prioritize MSME products.

Indonesian Trade Minister Budi Santoso has announced a re-evaluation of e-commerce regulations aimed at combating online fraud and prioritizing MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise) products.

In Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest e-commerce market, the rapid growth of social commerce and live commerce has led to escalating fraud and quality issues. The regulatory tightening could also impact cross-border e-commerce operators.

Coupang's Grip on Korean E-Commerce Shows Cracks as Core Shoppers Drift Away

South Korea's largest e-commerce company Coupang is showing signs of weakening dominance. According to Korea Bizwire, core user segments are drifting away.

Intensifying competition and changing regulatory environment are the backdrop. In addition to AliExpress and Temu's expansion into Korea, domestic competition from Naver Shopping and SSG.com is also heating up. As the lead built through Rocket Delivery gradually narrows, Coupang's next growth strategy is being called into question.

Corporate Developments & Partnerships

Shinsegae Partners with Reflection AI to Build South Korea's Largest Standalone AI Data Center

Shinsegae Builds South Korea's Largest AI Data Center

Shinsegae partners with U.S. AI startup to build 250MW data center, expanding AI commerce.

South Korean retail conglomerate Shinsegae Group is partnering with US AI startup Reflection AI to build a 250MW standalone AI data center, the largest of its kind in South Korea.

This is a notable case of a retail and distribution company investing directly in AI infrastructure. Shinsegae operates department stores, E-Mart (hypermarkets), and SSG.com (e-commerce), and aims to accelerate its AI commerce strategy by combining its proprietary commerce data with AI infrastructure.

Logistics & Fulfillment

Amazon Overtakes USPS as Largest Parcel Carrier in the US

Amazon overtakes US Postal Service as largest parcel carrier

Amazon has taken the lead as the largest U.S. domestic parcel carrier and smaller independent couriers are also taking market share from the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS.

Amazon has surpassed the United States Postal Service (USPS) to become the largest domestic parcel carrier in the US, as reported by FreightWaves via Yahoo Finance.

This is a historic turning point for Amazon, which has been building its own delivery network for years, finally surpassing the public postal service. Additionally, smaller independent couriers are also reported to be gaining market share from USPS, FedEx, and UPS. This data demonstrates that the structure of e-commerce logistics is undergoing a fundamental transformation.

Summary

Today's news featured clear signals that real investment in agentic commerce is underway. Investment plans from e-commerce retailers (CX Dive study), payment infrastructure adaptation (PYMNTS x Visa), and Shopify's company-wide agent readiness — movement is accelerating simultaneously across every layer of the supply chain.

Meanwhile, in the global e-commerce market, JD.com Joybuy's entry into Europe represents a major tectonic shift. The trend of Chinese e-commerce players mounting serious offensives in overseas markets not just on price but also on quality and delivery speed warrants continued close monitoring alongside European regulatory developments (deemed importer regulation).

Looking ahead, key points to watch include JD.com Joybuy's initial reception in Europe, detailed data from the CX Dive agentic commerce investment study, and the specific content of Indonesia's e-commerce regulatory reforms.