Online shopping stories

Record Black Friday online sales risk hollowing out profits as soaring returns, refunds and BNPL queries squeeze retailers’ margins.

A vast Coupang data breach and mass camera hacks in South Korea expose Asia’s widening cyber security gaps and weak identity defences.

Verified brand logos in emails are boosting Australians’ trust and clicks in Boxing Day sales, as AI-driven phishing threats intensify.

Online marketplaces now dominate UK high-value shopping journeys, as brands risk invisibility without strong, optimised product data.

Retailers brace for a “Christmas Returns Hangover” as eDesk reports a 45% spike in return requests from 26 December, denting profits.

Australian holiday shoppers are spending strategically, forcing retailers to sharpen promotions, personalise offers and boost in-store experience.

Reolink launches Australian Boxing Day sale with up to 48% off 4K home security kits, led by the Go Ultra solar 4G camera bundle.

Cyber Weekend spending of AUD $6.8 billion shows retail’s strength, but AI-powered scams mean cyber readiness is now a peak-season necessity.

AI takes centre stage in logistics as Infios predicts 2026 supply chains built for constant disruption, resilience and human‑machine teamwork.

AI, safety tech and sustainability are set to reshape Australia’s fleets by 2026, as managers race to integrate data and retain drivers.

Gen Z now trust online creators over tech brands, reshaping how phones, wearables and smart home devices are discovered and bought.

ASOS’s GBP £130m stock write-off shows AI gloss cannot mask a broken ERP, as messy data turns clever tools into costly liabilities.

Festive-season cyber fraud is surging across India, with Karnataka alone reporting losses above INR ₹2,000 crores, experts warn.

ChatGPT has swept Apple’s 2025 app charts in Australia, topping both free iPhone and iPad download lists as AI tools surge in popularity.

AI agents are tipped to sweep through enterprises, shops and security by 2026, automating work, reshaping retail and redefining digital trust.

AI-fuelled cybercrime will outpace human intuition by 2026, as deepfakes, emotional scams and synthetic identities erode online trust.

Gen Z’s ‘Returniture’ habit of sending back bulky furniture bought online is soaring, leaving UK retailers to shoulder rising costs and complexity.

Nearly half of UK IT websites fail basic accessibility checks, new research warns, risking exclusion of disabled users and lost sales.

Infobip logs 12.2 billion Cyber Week interactions as retailers drive a 277% Black Friday surge in rich messaging such as RCS and WhatsApp.

Softonic issues festive-season guide warning of rising scams in fake shops, apps and delivery messages as online bargain hunting surges.