EC & AI Commerce News Digest (January 9, 2026)

Today's Top Stories

Spangle AI Raises $15 Million for Agentic Commerce Infrastructure

Spangle AI raises $15 million for agentic commerce infrastructure

Ex-Amazon executives lead startup building ProductGPT, an AI reasoning engine for e-commerce brands

Spangle AI, founded by former Amazon executives, has raised $15 million in a Series A round led by NewRoad Capital Partners. This brings total funding to $21 million with a company valuation of $100 million.

Spangle AI is a startup building "agentic infrastructure" for e-commerce. Their "ProductGPT" is a commerce-focused reasoning engine specialized for each brand, learning product information, advertising context, buyer intent, and conversion factors. Nine fashion retailers with combined online sales of approximately $3.8 billion, including REVOLVE, Steve Madden, and Alexander Wang, have already adopted it.

Steve Madden reports concrete results after implementation, with cart addition rates up 41% and overall conversion rates up 20%. The company is led by CEO Maju Kuruvilla, former Bolt CEO and CTO, and co-founder and CTO Fei Wang, former CTO of Saks OFF 5TH, bringing extensive e-commerce experience to the leadership team.

As attention to agentic commerce grows, this funding represents an important indicator of industry direction, with investment in infrastructure startups for the field gaining momentum.

2026 Is the Year of 'Zero-Click Buying'

2026: The year of 'zero-click buying'

Forrester analyst predicts AI agents will enable purchases without clicking the buy button

"Zero-click buying" is emerging as the biggest trend in retail for 2026. According to Forrester analyst Sucharita Kodali, this refers to experiences where consumers can purchase products without clicking the "buy" button and without leaving the app.

Gartner research shows that 29% of marketing leaders are already running AI agents in production, with 52% testing them with customers. Gartner's Kassi Socha predicts "2026 will be the year of hockey-stick adoption for agentic AI." Consumers will encounter AI agents at store displays, websites, and every touchpoint.

However, current technology still has challenges. Features like ChatGPT-Instacart integration and Walmart's ChatGPT instant checkout require manual payment information entry due to lack of Apple Pay support, falling short of a seamless experience. 2026 is expected to be a year of building where "actual adoption" progresses beyond just announcements.

Agentic Commerce

Shopify Upgraded by Analysts on Agentic Commerce Potential

Scotiabank has upgraded Shopify's investment rating to "Sector Outperform" with a target price increase of 21% to $200. Analyst Kevin Krishnaratne analyzes that agentic commerce could boost Shopify's GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) by 300 basis points.

Shopify released "Winter Edition 2026" in early January 2026, adding over 150 new features. The core "Agentic Storefronts" feature enables Shopify store products to be directly displayed and purchased on AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot. CEO Tobi Lutke declared "we're making all Shopify stores agent-enabled by default."

Wells Fargo and Barclays also rate Shopify as the company most likely to benefit from changes in AI search and discovery. However, some concerns have been raised about the high valuation with a P/E ratio of 123.86.

Microsoft, Mirakl, J.P. Morgan Discuss Agentic AI at NRF 2026

Microsoft, Mirakl, J.P. Morgan Payments Lead Agentic AI Discussion at NRF 2026

Tech giants and financial institutions unite to discuss the future of AI-powered retail

Microsoft, Mirakl, and J.P. Morgan Payments have been announced as leading major sessions on agentic AI at the "AI in Retail (AiR)" conference held alongside NRF 2026 (the National Retail Federation's annual conference).

Microsoft Vice President Keith Mercier will present a keynote titled "Unlocking the New Retail ROI: Return on Intelligence," presenting new ways of thinking about ROI in the era of automation and agent-driven systems. Additionally, Mirakl's Chief AI & Data Officer Anne-Claire Baschet and J.P. Morgan Payments' Prashant Sharma will deliver a joint presentation on "beyond discovery" in the agentic commerce era.

Microsoft announced "Copilot Checkout" at the conference, a feature allowing purchases to be completed within Copilot without being redirected to retail sites. Integration with Shopify, PayPal, Stripe, and Etsy has launched in the US.

Global EC Trends

China Introduces New Livestream E-Commerce Regulations Managing AI Use

China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) jointly announced new measures regulating livestream e-commerce. The regulations take effect on April 10, 2026.

The new rules prohibit platform operators from enforcing "lowest price" contracts. Using traffic restrictions, search ranking demotions, and algorithmic penalties to pressure sellers into destructive price cuts or exclusive pricing is also regulated. Setting different prices based on user data without consent is also prohibited.

Regarding AI, AI hosts (AI-generated live streamers) must be clearly labeled, with consumers always notified that they are AI-generated. Platforms are obligated to monitor content in real-time and intervene immediately upon violations. Strict penalties will be imposed for compliance violations.

The stance of Chinese authorities toward consumer protection and ensuring a healthy competitive environment in the rapidly growing live commerce market has become clear.

China's Online Retail Share More Than Doubles in Nearly a Decade

China's E-Commerce Share of Retail Sales More Than Doubles in Nearly a Decade

Online shopping now accounts for 26.8% of China's consumer retail sales

According to the latest report from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), online shopping accounted for 26.8% of China's consumer retail sales in 2024, more than doubling from 10.8% in 2015 over nearly a decade.

This figure stands out globally, demonstrating China's position as an e-commerce powerhouse. Mobile commerce adoption, payment infrastructure development, and logistics network expansion are cited as factors supporting this rapid growth.

Meanwhile, as seen in the livestream commerce regulations mentioned above, responses to challenges accompanying rapid growth are also progressing. As the market matures, establishing a healthy competitive environment becomes the next phase's challenge.

Thailand's Last Local EC Platform 'NocNoc' Closes with 450 Million Baht in Accumulated Losses

Brutal e-commerce war forces NocNoc to close

Thailand's last local EC platform shuts down after 6 years of losses totaling 450 million baht

BetterBe Marketplace, 50% owned by Thai home improvement giant SCG (Siam Cement Group), announced the closure of its EC platform "NocNoc." Order acceptance will stop on February 9, with services completely ending by May 9.

NocNoc never achieved profitability in its 6 years of operation, accumulating losses of approximately 450 million baht (about 1.8 billion yen). SCG expects to record approximately 1.8 billion baht in accounting losses (non-cash items) in Q4 2025.

Thai e-commerce expert Pawoot Pongvitayapanu points out that NocNoc was the last local player aiming to become Thailand's "national EC marketplace." Its withdrawal reflects the reluctance of listed company shareholders to prioritize short-term profits and continue absorbing losses. Considering that Shopee and Lazada took over 10 years to achieve profitability, the competitive environment was disadvantageous for local players.

With NocNoc's withdrawal, Thailand's EC market is now dominated by three foreign players: Shopee, TikTok, and Lazada.

Portugal's Online Sales Grow 19% During Christmas Period

Online sales grow 19% during Christmas in Portugal

E-commerce accounts for 18% of retail sales with 446 transactions per second at peak

According to the latest data from SIBS Analytics, e-commerce transactions in Portugal during the 2025 Christmas period increased 19% year-over-year. Total transaction value also increased by approximately 14%.

E-commerce accounted for 18% of total retail sales and 21% by value. December 24 was the day with the most concentrated transactions, with 446 transactions processed per second at peak. December 22 and 23 also saw similarly active trading.

Digital payment growth is also notable. According to data from Portugal's major payment system MB, one in five purchases during this period was made via MB WAY. MB WAY payments increased 36% online and 21% at physical stores.

Corporate News & Partnerships

Rich Sparkle Acquires TikTok Star's Live Commerce Platform for $975 Million

Rich Sparkle to Acquire TikTok Star-Led E-Commerce Live Streaming Platform

$975 million deal to acquire Khaby Lame's live commerce platform sends stock up 300%

Rich Sparkle Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: ANPA) has signed an agreement to acquire Step Distinctive Limited for approximately $975 million in stock, with 75 million new shares to be issued.

Step Distinctive, the acquisition target, is 49% directly and indirectly owned by global TikTok influencer Khaby Lame, who will continue to lead the business after the transaction closes. The target company owns 100% of Hong Kong Prosperous Sheep Corporation Limited, operating a live commerce business with established supply chain infrastructure.

This transaction represents approximately 4 times Rich Sparkle's current market capitalization (approximately $253 million). Completion requires a new NASDAQ listing application and involves a change of control. Following the announcement, Rich Sparkle stock surged over 300%, rising from $24.2 per share to over $100.

The deal is attracting industry attention as a major investment in influencer-led live commerce business.

Walmart Appoints Tech Industry Leader Shishir Mehrotra to Board

Walmart Names Shishir Mehrotra to Board of Directors

Former YouTube CPO and Coda CEO joins Walmart board as company builds toward agentic AI future

Walmart Inc. has appointed Shishir Mehrotra, CEO of Superhuman (formerly Grammarly), to its board of directors. He will join the Compensation and Management Development Committee and the Technology and eCommerce Committee.

Mehrotra has over 25 years of tech industry experience. Before joining Superhuman, he co-founded and served as CEO of Coda, a business productivity and AI platform, growing it to millions of users and tens of thousands of teams. Prior to that, he served as Chief Product Officer and CTO at YouTube, contributing to its growth into the world's largest video platform.

Mehrotra commented that "joining Walmart's board as they build toward an agentic AI future is a rare opportunity to be at the forefront of the most significant technological shift in my career." Walmart Board Chairman Greg Penner stated this appointment strengthens the company's "people-led, tech-powered" approach.

Logistics & Fulfillment

Micro-Fulfillment Market Forecast to Grow at 41.2% CAGR

Micro-Fulfillment Market Expected to Witness 41.2% CAGR Growth

Market to expand from $6.49B in 2024 to $44.06B by 2032 driven by AI automation and hyperlocal e-commerce

According to the latest report from AnalystView Market Insights, the micro-fulfillment market is projected to expand from $6.49 billion in 2024 to $44.06 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 41.2%.

This rapid growth is driven by e-commerce acceleration, urbanization, and advances in automation and robotics technology. Micro-fulfillment centers are small automated facilities located near or within high-density urban areas, improving order processing efficiency and last-mile delivery performance.

With global e-commerce sales of approximately $27 trillion, over 5.5 billion internet users, and approximately 58% of the world's population living in urban areas, government-led digital trade and smart logistics initiatives are accelerating the adoption of AI-enabled micro-fulfillment infrastructure.

However, challenges remain. High initial investment costs create barriers to entry for small and medium-sized retailers, while real estate constraints and high rents in densely populated cities limit scalability.

Giant Co. to Close 6 E-Commerce Fulfillment Centers

Giant Co., Giant Food to close 6 e-commerce fulfillment centers

Ahold Delhaize USA shifts from centralized to store-based fulfillment affecting 493 employees

U.S. supermarket chains The Giant Co. and Giant Food announced the closure of a total of 6 e-commerce fulfillment centers. The Giant Co. will close 5 locations in Pennsylvania, and Giant Food will close 1 in Manassas, Virginia.

The centers being closed are in Lancaster, Philadelphia, Willow Grove, Coopersburg, and North Coventry. A total of 493 employees will be affected, but opportunities to transfer to other positions within the group will be provided. Closures are expected to be completed by the end of April.

Parent company Ahold Delhaize USA explained, "Over the past few years, we've learned that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to e-commerce business, particularly in fulfillment models. We need to operate as efficiently as possible to serve customers who expect faster delivery."

Going forward, they will transition from centralized fulfillment to store-based fulfillment, with Giant Direct orders picked by store staff and delivered by third parties like Instacart and DoorDash. Ahold Delhaize USA expects to record approximately $50 million in non-cash impairment losses associated with these closures.

Summary

January 9, 2026 was a day symbolizing the full arrival of the agentic commerce era. From Spangle AI's $15 million funding to Shopify's stock upgrade to Microsoft, Mirakl, and J.P. Morgan's discussions at NRF 2026, industry expectations and investment in AI-driven shopping experiences are accelerating rapidly.

As represented by the keyword "zero-click buying," a future where consumers discover and purchase products through AI agents without clicking buttons is taking shape. Technologies foundational to this, such as Shopify's "Agentic Storefronts" and Microsoft's "Copilot Checkout," are being announced one after another.

Meanwhile, NocNoc's withdrawal from Thailand highlights the reality that local EC operators are struggling in competition with global players. China's new regulations represent efforts to ensure consumer protection and fair competition in the rapidly growing live commerce market.

On the logistics front, Giant Co.'s withdrawal from centralized fulfillment and the rapid growth forecast for the micro-fulfillment market indicate industry movements seeking optimal solutions for last-mile delivery.

Announcements from NRF 2026 and agentic AI-related news are expected to continue in the coming days. Microsoft's retail AI strategy details and each company's agentic commerce responses will be key points of interest.