Joan Verdon

Strong discounts and recommendations from AI shopping assistants motivated consumers to spend during the holiday season, Adobe reported.

Explore how companies are tapping into the booming secondhand economy with business models that attract value‑driven consumers.

Joan Verdon, Senior Contributor 12 min read Ethosphere CEO and Co-Founder Evan Smith presenting the company's AI powered voice

Google's AI commerce tools, including conversational search, instant checkout, and brand-customized virtual assistants, signal a shift toward seamless, personalized shopping experiences.

Alexa+ , Amazon's next generation personal assistant, is helping drive three time more purchases, and increased customer engagement. Courtesy of Amazon

Toymaker Hasbro today unveiled a project it has been working on in stealth mode for the past year - an AI studio tasked with giving iconic Hasbro properties like Mr.

This year's Prime Day sales event marked a significant shift, with AI-powered search and browsers effectively driving consumer purchases. Adobe data revealed that shoppers using AI had a 40% higher conversion rate compared to non-AI channels like paid search or email, a dramatic improvement from last year's negative performance. Though AI traffic volume is still modest, it's increasingly shortening the path to purchase for consumers. Overall, Prime Day generated $26.4 billion in online sales, a 9.3% increase year-over-year, nearing holiday season spending levels. Electronics, appliances, tools and home improvement, home and garden, and furniture and bedding saw the biggest sales boosts.

Lionel, the 126-year-old model train maker, is using its acquisition by collectibles company Round 2 to turn nostalgia into a growth strategy.

Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks spent much of the earnings call today explaining why Magic:The Gathering is a safe, long-term bet. View Original Article

American families are grappling with economic worries as they prepare for back-to-school, yet record spending is anticipated. Parents prioritize essential school items, driving K-12 spending to $43.3 billion and college to $103.5 billion. Many households, especially higher-income ones, are cutting back on discretionary purchases, while lower-income families contend with rising prices. To cope, parents are aggressively seeking deals, switching to private labels, and leveraging buy-now-pay-later options. A significant number are also working extra shifts or resorting to credit card debt, and are extending the shopping season to find savings amidst financial pressure.