Happy Tuesday!
We asked our AI stylist to pick out an outfit for tariff season. It came back with a Kevlar vest and a parachute.
Between AI shaping ecommerce discoverability, tariff hikes disrupting supply chains, and drone deliveries reaching champagne speeds, this week’s updates aren’t just buzzy—they’re business-critical.
Let’s dive into the week’s biggest shifts in ecommerce, from llms.txt visibility to agentic AI stylists and skyborne logistics. 🛒📦
ECOMMERCE ADVERTISING
🧠 llms.txt: The New Standard for Getting Found by AI
A new proposed file—llms.txt—aims to help websites like ecommerce stores get discovered by AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. Think of it as SEO for LLMs.
Created by Fast.ai’s Jeremy Howard, the llms.txt standard mimics robots.txt and XML sitemaps, but for AI visibility. It allows websites to signal what content AI can use, summarize, and cite.
🔍 How it works:
“Allow” or “Disallow” rules help LLMs ignore checkout flows and focus on helpful content (e.g., blog posts, product guides).
Markdown docs linked in llms.txt provide simplified, citation-ready content (think: AI-friendly CliffsNotes).
Early adopters include Perplexity and Anthropic, with growing industry interest.
AI-first discoverability is here. Just like early SEO, llms.txt could give proactive sites an edge in chatbot-driven commerce. Ecommerce teams should consider creating LLM-readable files today.
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ECOMMERCE NEWS
📈 U.S. Tariff Hike Incoming—70% Rates Kick In August
The 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs ends July 9, and starting August 1, the U.S. will impose tariffs of 10% to 70% on imports from select countries without deals in place.
The Trump administration is targeting 18 key trading partners, sending formal notices detailing tariff rates Monday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the pause will not be extended and that affected countries will revert to the April 2 tariff baseline unless deals are reached immediately.
🔍 Key points:
Letters sent at noon EST Monday will confirm country-specific rates.
Countries like Vietnam already reached new agreements (20% tariff); China and the U.K. have preliminary deals.
Negotiations after July 9 remain unclear, but implementation is locked for August 1.
Importers should prepare now—review contracts, evaluate supply chain exposure, and consider front-loading inventory. This move may trigger price volatility and strategic sourcing shifts well into Q4.
ECOMMERCE AI
🛍️ Your Next Stylist is an AI
Daydream, a new AI-powered shopping platform from Stitch Fix veteran Julie Bornstein, launches with $50 million in funding. The platform combines expertise from tech giants like Google, Meta, and Amazon to revolutionize online fashion shopping.
Unlike generic AI, Daydream analyzes 2 million products across 8,000 brands, understanding nuances from fabric quality to brand positioning. The platform learns from user interactions to provide increasingly personalized recommendations.
👗 Key Features:
Personalized styling via chat interface
Brand-aware recommendations
Visual search capabilities
Size-specific curation across brands
As traditional search bars become obsolete, Daydream’s sophisticated AI could mark the shift from keyword shopping to conversation-based commerce, potentially transforming how we discover and buy fashion online.
ECOMMERCE TRENDS
📊 DHL Report: AI and Social Commerce Reshape Shopping
DHL’s landmark study of 24,000 shoppers across 24 markets reveals a seismic shift in retail, with 70% of consumers expected to shop primarily through social media by 2030. The comprehensive report signals fundamental changes in how people discover and buy products.
AI-powered features top consumer demands, with 7 in 10 shoppers wanting smart tools like virtual try-ons and voice assistants. Already, 37% of global shoppers use voice commands, rising to nearly half among social commerce users.
🔍 Key Findings:
81% abandon carts over poor delivery options
82% influenced by social trends and buzz
TikTok dominates with 86% adoption in Thailand
One-third drop purchases over sustainability concerns
Explore more findings here
As social commerce bypasses traditional websites and AI becomes essential, retailers must adapt to a future where digital innovation and social integration aren’t just options, they’re survival requirements.
ECOMMERCE AI
🚁 Drone Delivery Takes Flight: Champagne to Chicken Sandwiches
The drone delivery revolution is transforming last-mile logistics, with the market projected to soar from $5 billion in 2024 to $33.4 billion by 2030. This remarkable 37.3% annual growth reflects a fundamental shift beyond traditional delivery methods.
Amazon Prime Air leads innovation with its MK30 drone model, while competitors like Alphabet’s Wing and Zipline push boundaries with hybrid drones and beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations. Recent launches in Texas and Arizona signal growing commercial adoption.
🛸 Market Innovations:
Amazon targets 500 million annual drone deliveries by decade’s end
New MK30 model features weather resistance and noise reduction
Use cases span from VIP champagne service to medical supplies
Regulatory clarity enabling broader commercial adoption
Since drone delivery evolves from novelty to necessity, it’s reshaping commerce expectations, from poolside prosecco to prescription drugs, the sky’s literally becoming the new frontier for retail innovation.
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