Mailjet launched in France in 2010 with a focus on making email collaboration easier for teams. Today it serves over 100,000 customers across 150 countries. Now part of the Sinch group (following the Pathwire acquisition in 2021), it covers both marketing campaigns and transactional email through a single account.

In this Mailjet review, a few things stand out: volume-based pricing that doesn't penalize you for list size, real-time co-editing built into the campaign builder, and deliverability tools that most platforms either charge extra for or don't include at all.

TechRadar Pro has been reviewing email marketing software since 2012. Our contributors have tested leading email marketing tools like Mailchimp and Brevo year after year. That track record gives us a solid benchmark for where Mailjet fits in the market today.

My experience with Mailjet

Getting started takes slightly longer than you'd expect. Before you can launch your first campaign, Mailjet's support team runs a verification check on your business details and intended sending volume. It's a minor but noticeable friction point compared to platforms that let you start sending immediately after signup.

Once your account is active, the experience is organized and straightforward. The dashboard separates campaign tools, API settings, and contacts into clearly labeled sections, and the onboarding guide forks into different paths depending on whether you're setting up as a marketer or a developer.

Value for money is strong, especially on the Essential plan, where unlimited contacts and access to deliverability tools make the $17/month price point hard to argue with.

Mailjet review: Features

Mailjet's standout feature is its real-time collaborative editor. Multiple users can work on the same campaign at once, leave inline comments, and lock individual sections to prevent unintended edits. For teams that typically bounce email drafts around over Slack or shared folders, this alone is a meaningful upgrade. It's an unusual capability at this price range.

Beyond collaboration, the platform covers both marketing and transactional email through a shared API infrastructure. The MJML-based editor generates responsive layouts automatically, and A/B testing supports up to 10 campaign variations, which is one of the more flexible implementations we've come across. The Brand Kit, which can generate your visual identity from a website URL, speeds up template setup and keeps designs consistent across sends.

Where Mailjet trails the field is automation. The workflow builder handles standard drip sequences and basic triggers, but it doesn't support the behavioral conditions or multi-path journeys that tools like ActiveCampaign or Brevo offer. The template library (around 65 designs) is functional but limited in variety. There's also no built-in landing page builder, which some competitors include as standard.

Mailjet review: User experience

The interface is clean and logically laid out.

Campaign creation follows a clear progression: pick a template, edit in the drag-and-drop builder, select your recipients, and schedule. Non-technical users should find the flow intuitive from day one, and the editor works well for standard newsletter and promotional campaigns without needing any code knowledge.

A few details worth knowing: Mailjet automatically applies dark mode CSS and meta tags to your emails, which prevents the broken-layout issues that affect many campaigns in dark-mode inboxes. The Brand Kit also makes it faster to stay on-brand across multiple campaigns without manually re-entering colors and fonts each time. The overall UI is functional, though it feels less modern than newer platforms, and some sections look like they haven't been refreshed in a while.

Mailjet review: Customer support

Support access is tiered by plan, and the lower tiers are restrictive. Free and Starter subscribers get online support for the first month only; after that, you rely on Mailjet's documentation center and its self-serve Email Academy. Essential and Premium customers retain ongoing access to online support, which is a step up but still falls short of live chat options offered by some rivals.

Custom enterprise customers receive a dedicated Technical Account Manager plus an API expert, which is a meaningful upgrade for high-volume senders. For a platform that serves developers and teams running critical email infrastructure, the gap in support between entry-level and enterprise plans is wide enough to matter. If deliverability issues arise on a lower-tier plan, your path to resolution is mostly self-service.

Mailjet pricing and plans

Mailjet's pricing model is one of its clearest advantages over contact-capped competitors. Because Essential and Premium charge by email volume rather than contacts stored, businesses with large but infrequently mailed lists get considerably better value than they would on Mailchimp or Klaviyo.

The free plan covers 6,000 monthly sends with a 1,000-contact cap and a 200-per-day limit. Starter at $9/month removes that daily cap but tops out at 8,000 emails per month with no way to scale it further, making it a transitional tier rather than a long-term home. Essential at $17/month is where the platform opens up: unlimited contacts, 500 email validations, 500 email previews per month, and volume scaling from 15,000 to 500,000 sends.

Premium at $27/month adds expanded preview credits, team and account management tools, and a dedicated IP on plans with 100,000+ sends, with the same volume range. Annual billing reduces Essential to $15.30/month and Premium to $24.30/month. For senders above 500,000 emails, a Custom enterprise tier is available with dedicated support and tailored terms. All prices listed are in USD and exclude VAT where applicable.

Mailjet review: Specs

Should I buy Mailjet?

Buy it if…

• You manage email with a team. The real-time co-editing and granular permission controls speed up campaign production in a way most platforms don't match at this price. If your team currently passes drafts around over email or Slack, this feature alone justifies the switch.
• Your contact list is large but you don't email often. Because you pay for sends rather than contacts stored, Mailjet is significantly cheaper for businesses that maintain big lists but only campaign occasionally.
• You need marketing and transactional email in one place. A shared API infrastructure means your developers and marketers aren't managing separate tools or reconciling sender reputations across two platforms.

Don't buy it if…

• Advanced automation is central to your strategy. The workflow builder covers basic scenarios, but behavioral triggers, complex segmentation, and multi-path journeys require a platform like ActiveCampaign or Brevo.
• You want a wide template selection. Around 65 designs is enough for straightforward campaigns, but it's a thin library compared to what Mailchimp offers, and design variety leans minimal.

Also consider

• Brevo: This platform has volume-based pricing like Mailjet's but with more capable automation, SMS support, and a more polished interface. A natural comparison for teams weighing their options.
• MailerLite: Worth a look if landing pages, digital product sales, or a more contemporary design experience matter to you, alongside solid email tools.
• ActiveCampaign: Stronger choice if sophisticated marketing automation and integrated CRM are non-negotiable.

How I tested Mailjet

• Signed up for a Mailjet account and completed the onboarding flow for both marketer and developer setup paths.
• Built and sent test campaigns using the drag-and-drop editor, A/B testing tool, and automation builder across free and paid tiers.
• Reviewed official pricing documentation alongside user feedback from major review platforms.

For this Mailjet review, testing focused on the features a typical small business or marketing team uses day to day: campaign creation, contact management, collaboration tools, and the analytics available on standard plans. I also assessed the setup experience, support quality at each tier, and how the platform compares against competitors at a similar price point.

beehiiv launched in 2021, founded by former Morning Brew engineers who built the platform around what actually drives newsletter growth: cross-promotion, referrals, and monetization without fees. That origin story shows up clearly in the product. If you've been looking for a beehiiv review, you might also want to weigh it against Substack or Kit — two platforms with very different philosophies on how (and how much) to charge creators.

We've been reviewing email marketing software at TechRadar since 2012, covering platforms like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, ActiveCampaign, and more. What distinguishes beehiiv in that group is the combination of a newsletter publishing environment, a web presence builder, and a monetization layer that most ESPs simply don't offer.

My experience with beehiiv

Getting started on beehiiv is fast. You can be publishing within minutes of signing up, with no credit card required on the free plan. The onboarding flow asks you about your newsletter topic and helps you configure a basic website, which is a nice touch that sets expectations early: beehiiv treats your newsletter as a publication, not just an email blast.

For solo creators, especially, the value is hard to argue with at the free tier. You get a custom domain, unlimited email sends, campaign analytics, and a podcast channel, all before paying anything. The caveat is that key monetization features, including the ad network and paid subscriptions, require upgrading to Scale.

beehiiv review: Features

beehiiv's feature set is clearly built around newsletter publishers rather than email marketers. You get subscriber segmentation, an audience referral program, Boosts (a cross-promotion network where you earn per new subscriber from recommendations), and an in-platform ad network that starts matching you with advertisers once you hit around 1,000 subscribers. These features work together as a growth engine rather than a checklist of add-ons.

The platform added AI writing assistance, a website builder with custom webpages, polls, and surveys. The Max plan goes further with dynamic content and audio newsletters. One area where beehiiv trails traditional ESPs is automation: triggers are fairly basic, and complex behavioral sequences are harder to build here than in something like ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo. Third-party integrations also rely heavily on Zapier rather than native connectors, which adds friction and cost for anyone running a more complex tech stack.

The 0% take rate on paid subscriptions is the headline differentiator. Substack takes 10% of every subscription; beehiiv takes nothing beyond Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee. For a newsletter with 500 paying subscribers at $10 a month, that works out to $600/month more in the creator's pocket.

beehiiv review: User experience

beehiiv's writing environment is built more like a blog CMS than a typical email builder. There's no conventional drag-and-drop layout editor, so if you're accustomed to Mailchimp's block-based design tools, the experience will feel stripped down. What you do get is a clean, distraction-free writing interface that makes publishing fast, though not visually flexible.

Navigation across the dashboard is logical, and the analytics surface is more detailed than most: you can track opens, clicks, subscriber growth, revenue, and verified click rates (which filter out bot activity) from one place. The 3D analytics feature, available on Scale and above, adds a useful multi-dimensional view of audience engagement. New users from a content background tend to adapt quickly; those migrating from traditional marketing platforms may need a short adjustment period.

beehiiv review: Customer support

Support quality depends on your plan. Free (Launch) users get access to an AI assistant and documentation, but no direct human support. Scale users unlock human support via email, along with access to a Slack community. Max subscribers receive priority support with faster response times, and Enterprise customers get a dedicated account manager.

Several user reviews note that when support is available, the team responds with real platform knowledge rather than generic troubleshooting scripts, which is worth noting. The absence of live chat or phone support across all paid tiers is a limitation if you run a time-sensitive publication and hit a sending issue before a big send.

beehiiv pricing and plans

The free plan covers real ground for early-stage newsletters, offering custom domains, campaign analytics, and the recommendation network. Upgrading to Scale unlocks the ad network, Boosts, paid subscriptions, automations, and human support. The jump from $0 to $49 is the sticking point: there's no intermediate tier for creators who've outgrown 2,500 free subscribers but aren't yet ready to monetize seriously.

Max adds white-labeling (removing beehiiv branding), audio newsletters, a sponsorship storefront, up to 10 publications, and unlimited team seats. Both Scale and Max use subscriber-based pricing, so your monthly cost rises as your list grows toward the 100,000-subscriber cap. All plans include unlimited email sends, which compares favorably to volume-based pricing at competing platforms.

beehiiv review: Specs

Should I buy beehiiv?

Buy it if…

• You want to monetize without fees. beehiiv takes 0% of paid subscription revenue, compared to Substack's 10%. At even modest subscriber counts, that difference adds up quickly.
• Newsletter growth is your primary goal. The Boosts network, referral program, and cross-promotion tools are purpose-built for audience building in ways that generic email platforms aren't.
• You need a publication hub, not just an ESP. beehiiv combines email delivery, a hosted website, archive pages, and podcast support, giving creators one place for everything.

Don't buy it if…

• You need sophisticated automation. Behavioral email sequences, advanced segmentation triggers, and CRM-style flows are better served by platforms like ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo.
• You rely on deep third-party integrations. Native connectors are limited; you'll need Zapier for most external tools, which adds cost and complexity.
• You're on a tight budget below $49/month. There's no mid-tier plan between free and Scale, so creators who've outgrown 2,500 subscribers but aren't yet earning from their list will feel the jump.

Also consider

• Substack: A simpler entry point for writers who want built-in discovery and don't mind the 10% revenue cut. It's worth considering if you prefer a reading-app-style ecosystem over a standalone publication.
• Kit (formerly ConvertKit): Offers more mature automation and landing page tools, making it a better fit for creators who sell digital products through complex email funnels.
• Ghost: An open-source alternative with no platform fees and strong CMS features, though it requires more technical setup and self-hosting or a paid Ghost Pro subscription.

How I tested beehiiv

• Signed up for a free account and walked through onboarding, newsletter creation, website setup, and the analytics dashboard hands-on.
• Reviewed the full feature comparison across Launch, Scale, Max, and Enterprise plans using beehiiv's official pricing page.
• Assessed third-party reviews and user reports from G2, EmailToolTester, and creator case studies to evaluate real-world performance.

I tested beehiiv by setting up a publication from scratch, publishing test sends, and walking through the monetization features available at each tier. Pricing and feature details were verified directly against beehiiv's official pricing page at beehiiv.com/pricing. I also cross-referenced competitor pricing to evaluate the platform's relative value, particularly around Substack's 10% take rate versus beehiiv's 0%.

Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has switched on the UK's first satellite-to-mobile service in its bid to help boost phone coverage across the country.

Powered by Starlink's Direct to Cell, the new O2 Satellite service will mean users can stay connected in areas with no traditional mobile coverage, known as ‘not-spots’, often in rural or remote areas.

Initially annouced in October 2025, the launch is the first in the UK and Europe, and boosts Virgin Media O2’s UK landmass coverage from 89% to 95% - equivalent to an area around two thirds the size of Wales.

O2 Satellite

The service uses Starlink’s low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites to deliver connectivity direct to mobile devices using O2’s licensed mobile spectrum transmitted from space.

It will initially support not just text messaging, but also mobile data across a number of popular apps, including the likes of WhatsApp, Messenger, Google Maps, AccuWeather and BBC Weather - again looking to help those in remote areas, anyone travelling, or even those taking part in activities such as hiking, climbing, water sports and sailing.

O2 Satellite will be initially available as a £3-per-month bolt-on, with VMO2 including it for all Ultimate Plan customers at no extra cost in the near future. However, it will initially only be able to customers with some of the latest Samsung smartphones (namely, Samsung Galaxy S25, Samsung Galaxy S25+, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge) - although VMO2 says support for other devices, manufacturers and apps to be introduced soon.

"This is a defining moment for UK mobile connectivity and a statement of our intent to keep innovating and ensure our customers can stay connected no matter where they are," said Lutz Schüler, CEO of Virgin Media O2.

"By launching O2 Satellite, we’ve become the first operator in Europe to launch a space-based mobile data service that, overnight, has brought new mobile coverage to an area around two thirds the size of Wales for the first time.

“We already have the UK’s largest 5G+ footprint and we’re not standing still, investing heavily this year in our mobile network to give O2 customers a brilliant, reliable service that they can depend on.”

The news follows VodafoneThree's recent pledge to boost UK network coverage as it wiped out further 16,500 km2 of UK "not spots" due to its deployment of 'Multi Operator Core Network' (MOCN) technology across more than 8,000 sites nationwide.

• Virgin Media O2 has partnered with Starlink
• This brings satellite connectivity to Virgin Media O2 users’ phones
• It’s due to roll out in the UK over the next 12 months

If you’re sick of mobile dead spots and poor signal strength when you’re out in the countryside, you could be in luck, as Virgin Media O2 has just announced it will start rolling out Starlink connectivity to its UK customers over the coming 12 months. If you’re wondering what that involves, read on.

Firstly, this is set to be the first partnership between Starlink and a UK phone network provider. Mobile firms like T-Mobile have been working with Starlink in the US, but no UK company has teamed up with Starlink here in the UK.

The new service is called O2 Satellite, and Virgin Media O2 says it will “initially deliver messaging and data services, with further improvements and applications to follow in the future across a range of handsets.” The company added that “App support will grow over time, with a focus on targeting support for the most asked-for applications at launch, primarily messaging, maps and location services.”

Fourthly, according to the BBC, O2 Satellite will be an optional extra for O2 customers. And the final, and perhaps most important, thing we know so far is that it's due to launch in the first half of 2026. This will require an additional monthly fee, but we don’t yet know how much that will be.

Most of the UK covered – for a fee

As well as that, Virgin Media O2 claimed that the move would enable users to connect to over 650 satellites in order to get cellular service that might not be available otherwise. That could enable Virgin Media O2 to cover more than 95% of the UK in the year after the new satellite offering launches.

However, we don’t yet know exactly how O2 Satellite will work. With T-Mobile’s T-Satellite, your phone automatically connects to a Starlink satellite, even if it’s in your pocket, meaning you don’t need to wave your phone around in the air to get enough signal.

Virgin Media O2 hasn’t said if O2 Satellite will function in a similar way, although the BBC describes it as “automatic,” suggesting it might work along in a similar way to T-Satellite. We’ll have to wait for more details on this aspect.

Virgin Media O2 might not be alone for long. Vodafone has previously claimed to have made a satellite-based video call in the UK, and other providers will no doubt be watching O2 Satellite closely to monitor its progress.

If you’re looking to polish up your portfolio or resume to stand out this fall when you return to school, then look no further than one of the best website builders on the market.

Squarespace is an all-in-one platform that abounds with easy-to-use features that you can utilize without coding knowledge. The numerous templates ensure your website will be mobile-friendly, while built-in marketing tools such as email campaigns & SEO tools, which will help bring the necessary public to your creation.

If you’re feeling entrepreneurial, you can also build an e-commerce website using a powerful drag-and-drop editor.

Why choose Squarespace?

Compared to numerous other website builders, Squarespace brings versatility thanks to its unbeatable templates and an easy-to-use layout. And as we said in our Squarespace review, you are covered by secure hosting and 24/7 customer support.

For the laziest among us, there is also an AI website builder included that builds your site in a few clicks.

With the perfect blend of flexibility, ease of use, built-in powerful tools, and 24/7 support, Squarespace makes it easy for you to have an online presence.

And now, you can get all of it at a discount thanks to our back-to-school savings, and turn your ideas into a website that will do the heavy lifting for you.

• Study finds 96% of SMBs agree tech could help them reach new markets
• AI, digital marketing and ecommerce offer the biggest opportunities
• High costs and limited budgets highlight the need for removed barriers

Nearly all (96%) of the small and medium-sized businesses surveyed in a recent study by Shopify agree technology will help them to reach new markets in the next 12 months - but key hurdles are preventing them from full success.

Unsurprisingly, AI tools topped the list, with 43% seeing it as the most helpful for global expansion, but many raised cash concerns.

High costs and limited budgets (44%) and uncertainty around ROI (30%) are currently preventing SMBs from full rollout, while larger cash-backed enterprises are accelerating with a more trial-and-error approach.

SMBs are more cautious about tech rollouts

With larger companies proving that artificial intelligence investments can bring huge rewards, one in three (35%) UK SMBs are now taking more risks to gain an edge in a competitive landscape, with previous caution highlighting a gap between ambition and execution.

Shopify Head of Northern Europe Partnerships Matthias Kleven said: “SMBs are ready to innovate – but need clear pathways, affordable tools, and measurable outcomes to fully commit.”

Digital marketing tools (38%) and ecommerce platforms (36%) also emerged as key areas for investment among UK SMBs, with around three in five agreeing that their own website allows for more personalized marketing strategies (57%) and allows them to build an emotional connection with customers (63%).

What the study fails to note is the type of AI that’s helping SMBs the most – customer-facing AI like chatbots and personalized marketing have the potential to create more tailored experiences, but automation and predictive analytics can help businesses do more with their data.

Looking ahead, SMBs could pilot technologies they’re not already using in certain areas to gauge ROI before fully deploying, taking lessons from larger enterprises that have already made these types of investments.

Shopify is also calling for the removal of barriers, enabling business owners to more easily access tech that delivers value.

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• Many SMBs say they can't get to grips with AI, need more training
• Why not try the best AI writers?
• We’ve listed the best productivity apps

Imagine a digital version of yourself that moves faster than your fingers ever could - an AI-powered agent that knows your preferences, anticipates your needs, and acts on your behalf. This isn't just an assistant responding to prompts; it makes decisions. It scans options, compares prices, filters noise, and completes purchases in the digital world, all while you go about your day in the real world. This is the future so many AI companies are building toward: agentic AI.

Brands, platforms, and intermediaries will deploy their own AI tools and agents to prioritize products, target offers, and close deals, creating a new universe-sized digital ecosystem where machines talk to machines, and humans hover just outside the loop. Recent reports that OpenAI will integrate a checkout system into ChatGPT offer a glimpse into this future – purchases could soon be completed seamlessly within the platform with no need for consumers to visit a separate site.

AI agents becoming autonomous

As AI agents become more capable and autonomous, they will redefine how consumers discover products, make decisions and interact with brands daily.

This raises a critical question: when your AI agent is buying for you, who’s responsible for the decision? Who do we hold accountable when something goes wrong? And how do we ensure that human needs, preferences, and feedback from the real world still carry weight in the digital world?

Right now, the operations of most AI agents are opaque. They don’t disclose how a decision was made or whether commercial incentives were involved. If your agent never surfaces a certain product, you may never even know it was an option. If a decision is biased, flawed, or misleading, there’s often no clear path for recourse. Surveys already show that a lack of transparency is eroding trust; a YouGov survey found 54% of Americans don't trust AI to make unbiased decisions.

The issue of reliability

Another consideration is hallucination - an instance when AI systems produce incorrect or entirely fabricated information. In the context of AI-powered customer assistants, these hallucinations can have serious consequences. An agent might give a confidently incorrect answer, recommend a non-existent business, or suggest an option that is inappropriate or misleading.

If an AI assistant makes a critical mistake, such as booking a user into the wrong airport or misrepresenting key features of a product, that user's trust in the system is likely to collapse. Trust once broken is difficult to rebuild. Unfortunately, this risk is very real without ongoing monitoring and access to the latest data. As one analyst put it, the adage still holds: “garbage in, garbage out.” If an AI system is not properly maintained, regularly updated, and carefully guided, hallucinations and inaccuracies will inevitably creep in.

In higher-stakes applications, for example, financial services, healthcare, or travel, additional safeguards are often necessary. These could include human-in-the-loop verification steps, limitations on autonomous actions, or tiered levels of trust depending on task sensitivity. Ultimately, sustaining user trust in AI requires transparency. The system must prove itself to be reliable across repeated interactions. One high-profile or critical failure can set adoption back significantly and damage confidence not just in the tool, but in the brand behind it.

We've seen this before

We’ve seen this pattern before with algorithmic systems like search engines or social media feeds that drifted away from transparency in pursuit of efficiency. Now, we’re repeating that cycle, but the stakes are higher. We’re not just shaping what people see, we’re shaping what they do, what they buy, and what they trust.

There's another layer of complexity: AI systems are increasingly generating the very content that other agents rely on to make decisions. Reviews, summaries, product descriptions - all rewritten, condensed, or created by large language models trained on scraped data. How do we distinguish actual human sentiment from synthetic copycats? If your agent writes a review on your behalf, is that really your voice? Should it be weighted the same as the one you wrote yourself?

These aren’t edge cases; they're fast becoming the new digital reality bleeding into the real world. And they go to the heart of how trust is built and measured online. For years, verified human feedback has helped us understand what's credible. But when AI begins to intermediate that feedback, intentionally or not, the ground starts to shift.

Trust as infrastructure

In a world where agents speak for us, we have to look at trust as infrastructure, not just as a feature. It’s the foundation everything else relies on. The challenge is not just about preventing misinformation or bias, but about aligning AI systems with the messy, nuanced reality of human values and experiences.

Agentic AI, done right, can make ecommerce more efficient, more personalized, even more trustworthy. But that outcome isn’t guaranteed. It depends on the integrity of the data, the transparency of the system, and the willingness of developers, platforms, and regulators to hold these new intermediaries to a higher standard.

Rigorous testing

It’s important for companies to rigorously test their agents, validate outputs, and apply techniques like human feedback loops to reduce hallucinations and improve reliability over time, especially because most consumers won’t scrutinize every AI-generated response.

In many cases, users will take what the agent says at face value, particularly when the interaction feels seamless or authoritative. That makes it even more critical for businesses to anticipate potential errors and build safeguards into the system, ensuring trust is preserved not just by design, but by default.

Review platforms have a vital role to play in supporting this broader trust ecosystem. We have a collective responsibility to ensure that reviews reflect real customer sentiment and are clear, current and credible. Data like this has clear value for AI agents. When systems can draw from verified reviews or know which businesses have established reputations for transparency and responsiveness, they’re better equipped to deliver trustworthy outcomes to users.

In the end, the question isn’t just who we trust, but how we maintain that trust when decisions are increasingly automated. The answer lies in thoughtful design, relentless transparency, and a deep respect for the human experiences that power the algorithms. Because in a world where AI buys from AI, it’s still humans who are accountable.

We list the best IT Automation software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

If you’d told a room full of risk-averse insurance executives five years ago that nearly half of UK consumers would soon welcome health advice from AI, you’d have been met with serious skepticism, if not outright laughter.

Our latest report shows that 49% of UK respondents would take health recommendations from AI, with 36% open to financial advice and 40% willing to accept insurance suggestions.

The shift is a wake-up call.

To be clear, I’m not advocating for AI to replace doctors, advisers or brokers. But what the research has uncovered is more interesting: consumers are already crossing that line themselves. The trust threshold, that digital Rubicon, has been crossed. And it raises urgent questions for brands and regulators alike.

If people are prepared to make high-stakes decisions based on machine recommendations and AI tools, organizations must rethink how they communicate with transparency, accountability and humanity front and center.

A shift in expectation

Consumer behavior change in the last decade has been relentless, with high expectations set by the frictionless experiences of eCommerce giants and streaming platforms. Now, even in traditionally cautious sectors like healthcare and finance, people want the same speed, ease and responsiveness.

And they expect the communications to match the seamlessness and immediacy of the service. In other words: the way organizations communicate is now as important as what they deliver.

Research shows that nearly seven in ten insurance consumers would walk away from a brand if its communications fell short. That number has risen sharply, from 51% in 2023 to 67% in 2025.

The message is loud and clear: it’s how you talk to people that matters.

That includes AI. In 2024, 77% of consumers wanted clear disclosure when AI was involved in customer communications. A year later, that figure has plunged to just 37%.

On the surface, it looks like comfort is growing. But that drop says more about shifting expectations than confidence: consumers are getting used to AI being part of the conversation, but they still want reassurance that it’s being used responsibly.

Consider that while just under half of UK consumers say they’re actually willing to trust AI, and in financial services, nearly half of those respondents say AI-generated content should always be checked by a human.

That’s why clarity, control and human oversight are non-negotiable, for both compliance and trust in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Where trust gets tested

So how does this play out in reality?

This is where many organizations slip up. Not by using AI, but by using it in a way that feels impersonal: generic messaging, disconnected channels and clunky digital journeys. These things erode trust at the exact moment customers are willing to place more of it in your hands.

So, what can you do to grow trust?

From communication to conversation

The brands that will thrive in this AI-enabled future will be the ones who stay human, who treat communication as a conversation, not a transaction.

This starts with modernizing omnichannel experiences, how brands communicate across channels like email, web, mobile and more, in ways that feel seamless and connected. Data shows that only 54% of UK consumers are satisfied with how brands deliver across channels. Yet 60% say they would trust companies more if those experiences were consistent.

It’s not just a UX issue. It’s a trust issue.

AI, when used well, can be part of the solution. From intelligent data capture to personalized, real-time messaging, AI can help organizations move from one-way broadcasts to contextual, responsive conversations. But only if those experiences are designed with transparency, human oversight and consistent brand voice across every channel. That’s where trust is built and where the real value of AI begins.

But even the smartest communications strategy can fall apart if the most basic interactions, like submitting a form, are broken.

Don’t let bad forms break the journey

One of the most overlooked and most damaging elements of the customer journey is data intake. In insurance, 65% of customers say they’ll abandon an interaction if providing documentation is too difficult. Among Millennials and Gen Z, that number jumps to over 70%.

This isn’t a surprise. In a world of voice-responsive Gen-AI platforms and real-time chat, handing someone a PDF feels antiquated; Gen Z would tell you it’s an insult. Increasingly, we’re seeing younger generations turn to platforms like TikTok for financial guidance. These channels offer bite-sized, easily digestible content that fits their lifestyle far better than booking an appointment with a traditional financial advisor.

But the solution here isn’t just digital forms. It’s smarter, guided, mobile-friendly experiences that adapt to each unique context and channel. This is where AI can shine: streamlining processes without stripping away the human touch. It’s about using technology to reduce friction, not automating away relationships.

The moment of opportunity is now

Let’s be clear: AI isn’t a fix-all. Yes, it’s a powerful tool, but not a replacement for the emotional intelligence, empathy and judgement that define real communication and forge real bonds.

The moment we’re living in is rare: consumers are more open to AI than ever and their expectations are rapidly changing. The organizations that rise to meet these expectations, without overpromising or hiding behind the tech, stand to earn something that’s increasingly scarce: genuine, lasting trust.

If nearly half the country is ready to take life advice from AI, the question for brands isn’t should you evolve? It’s how fast you can evolve, and how human can you stay along the way?

We list the best customer experience (CX) tools.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

As TechRadar’s Phones Editor, my desk is inundated with accessories from all manner of case makers. I’ve got colorful cases from Casetify, leather cases from Nomad, and sustainable cases from Moft. I’ve got MagSafe wallets, portable chargers, and at least one accessory for every phone in our best phones guide. But until recently, I’d never in my life received a phone case made of human skin.

Okay, the appropriately named Skincase isn’t actually made from human skin (that would be a little too Se7en), but it is clad in a synthetic material that’s designed to look, feel, and react to the elements like our birthday suits – which, quite frankly, is just as gross as the real thing.

This product is the brainchild of UK mobile network O2, researcher Marc Teyssier, and The British Skin Foundation, who have joined forces to raise awareness about the dangers of excessive sun exposure as temperatures soar in summer-hit regions across the globe.

In essence, the Skincase burns when exposed to UV rays, mirroring the damaging effects of the sun on our bodies. To make the case, Teyssier combined 3D printing techniques with flexible filament and silicone, and the surface is pigmented with specialised composites that react to UV light. This combination creates a lifelike simulation of sun exposure, making the effects of ultraviolet radiation shockingly obvious. Check it out in the video below:

O2's involvement in the collaboration comes as it commits to remaining the only major UK network to offer inclusive EU roaming to all holidaymakers as standard, and it says the Skincase has been created to highlight the significant disconnect between awareness and behaviour when it comes to sun protection.

The network notes that over half (56%) of Brits check their phones three times or more during peak sun hours (11am – 3pm), yet only one in five (20%) reapply sunscreen with the same frequency. More alarmingly, almost one in 10 (9%) do not wear sunscreen at all during these crucial hours when UV levels are at their strongest. I suspect the figures are equally damning for US citizens.

To be clear: you can’t actually buy the Skincase. It’s a limited-run product that’s intended to be a conversation starter – a visceral reminder that we should take as much notice of our skin as we do our phones – rather than something you can purchase and use.

That said, I do now have one on my desk, so if you want it, you’re welcome to it – though I will be reporting you to the police.

For other health-related gadgetry, check out our roundup of three high-tech home health gadgets that will boost your wellbeing – from home sauna hacks to ambient lights.

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• Google tests shoppable Gmail ads that expand into product-rich experiences
• New format blends Promotions tab with eCommerce shopping carousel interface
• Gmail may become a new performance channel for ecommerce-driven marketers

Google has long dominated the digital ad market by placing ads across its vast ecosystem, including Search, YouTube, and millions of partner sites and apps.

The tech giant’s strength in the market lies in combining intent signals with massive reach, giving brands a range of tools to promote products and services.

A report from Search Engine Land has now claimed Google is now testing a new ad format that brings shopping features straight into Gmail.

Invading the Promotions tab

This update focuses on the Promotions tab, where a new visually rich ad unit will display featured products and include brand names and images.

Once clicked, these ads will expand to show a carousel of products, complete with images, pricing, average star ratings, and labels like “Free shipping.”

This format will transform the Promotions tab into a lightweight shopping platform rather than just a folder for marketing emails.

Screenshots from the test, shared by Thomas Eccel of JvM IMPACT, show pool cleaner brands iRobot and Wybot using the new format.

The layout mirrors a mini product gallery, encouraging users to explore multiple listings directly from their inbox.

This new format blends Google’s Demand Gen targeting with product-first visuals that resemble its Shopping ads.

If it goes ahead, it could allow ecommerce brands to connect with users in a space that’s usually for promotions and announcements rather than transactions.

Marketers who focus on performance and conversions will likely see this as a new way to capture user interest in an already attention-saturated environment, but for those of us who don’t want to be sold to in our inbox, it might feel like one more ad too many.

Still, it’s hard to deny that it’s a good fit for Google's email provider. Gmail already filters out promotional content, and this gives the company a way to use that space for ads that look native to the experience.

It also fits a broader move by Google to inject more native ecommerce features into its platforms.

Search Engine Land points out that if the test succeeds, the ad format could expand to surfaces like Discover and YouTube, which are already part of Google’s Demand Gen campaigns.

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We’ve considered Squarespace among the top website building platforms long before it became even better with AI-powered enhancements or advanced ecommerce solutions.

Everyone, from bloggers and writers to microbusinesses and SMBs, as well as large enterprises with revenues in the billions, can utilize the tool to build elegant, high-performing websites with ease.

If the icing on the cake is its affordability, then the cherry on the icing is a new deal, active at this very moment, offering 10% off any Squarespace subscription.

All you have to do is enter the code TECHRADAR10 during checkout, and you’ll get an amazing discount on one of the best website builder platforms.

Why go for Squarespace?

We recommend Squarespace for a myriad of things, its biggest advantage being that it’s an all-arounder.

Even without advanced coding knowledge, you’ll have everything you need to create a stunning website - from visually striking templates, to an amazing AI website builder, from advanced ecommerce features (payment gateway integrations, marketing tools, analytics), to stellar integrations with third-party services.

Initially, Squarespace was designed for bloggers and writers, but like any good product, it has evolved to serve practically any industry and any type of business.

It is also rather affordable, with its entry-level plan starting at $16/mo for an annual plan, and users get to benefit from a 14-day free trial.

Overall, you can’t go wrong with Squarespace to build out your website, and with the new discount code, it’s an opportunity you wouldn’t want to miss.

Phishing has long been a staple of cybercrime, historically betrayed by clumsy spelling, suspicious URLs and poor formatting. Today, however, the rules have changed. What once required technical knowledge, time, and effort can now be executed with frightening ease by virtually anyone.

Thanks to generative AI, automation, and easy access to malicious toolkits, the barrier to entry for cybercrime is fast collapsing. Phishing emails are now convincingly written, well branded, and often hyperpersonalized. Deepfake audio and video tools make it possible to impersonate trusted individuals in real time.

Even entry level attackers can now deploy high quality campaigns that look and sound legitimate. Ironically, a spelling error might be the only clue that a message was created by a real human, rather than an AI.

Meanwhile, across the business world the stakes for defenders are rising fast. As multichannel attacks grow in scale and sophistication, even experienced employees are falling victim. In this new landscape, the cost of inaction isn’t just a data breach- it’s operational disruption, financial loss, and lasting reputational damage. Let’s unpack how advancements in technologies such as AI expands the talent pool for threat actors.

Social engineering made scalable

Phishing may be evolving but it still hinges on the same psychological tricks: urgency, trust, and fear. But where scams were once generic and mass distributed, AI now allows attackers to tailor them at scale. The result? A surge in spearphishing - targeted messages crafted with context to deceive specific individuals.

According to the OpenText 2025 Cybersecurity Threat Report, November 2024 saw the highest rate of spearphishing to date, making up 56.56% of all phishing activity. Attackers no longer have to choose between volume and precision- they can get the best of both worlds. And with users increasingly conditioned to trust branded platforms, phishing emails delivered via Google Docs or Amazon AWS (“living off the land” techniques) are slipping past defenses unchecked.

This democratization of tools means that cybercrime no longer requires deep expertise- just access to the right AI tools and a few stolen credentials. That’s a worrying trend for businesses who rely on traditional training to build user awareness. Keeping pace means continuously updating training to reflect emerging tactics, particularly those that blend email, SMS, voice and video across channels.

AI and automation, cybercrime’s force multiplier

The rise of generative AI has redefined the phishing threat. Not only are messages more convincing, but campaigns are faster to build, harder to detect, and significantly more dangerous. Deepfakes, once the domain of state actors, are now available to anyone with an internet connection.

This sharp rise in attack sophistication is mirrored in infection trends. In 2024, malware infections on business PCs jumped yet again from 1.86% to 2.39%- the steepest increase since 2020. And it’s not just the first hit that hurts: 43% of affected business endpoints were reinfected within the year. For consumers, the number is even higher, at 56%.

Attackers are increasingly using .zip files as a delivery mechanism, now the most popular format for malware laden attachments, making up 53% of the total. Their perceived legitimacy, combined with password protection (often provided in the email), creates a perfect storm of trust and risk.

AI isn’t just raising the quality of phishing, it’s removing the learning curve. That’s what makes today’s threat environment fundamentally different from even two years ago.

To counter this, organizations must fight fire with fire: deploy AI-enabled security tools that learn and adapt as quickly as attackers’ methods evolve.

From inbox to checkout

Phishing is no longer confined to email inboxes. Attackers have expanded into ecommerce, financial platforms, and cryptocurrency ecosystems - anywhere users engage digitally and make decisions quickly.

During busy shopping periods, scammers launch fake order confirmations and spoofed storefronts to steal payment details. Fraudulent investment schemes targeting decentralized finance and crypto wallets are also on the rise, often engineered with the same social engineering techniques seen in traditional phishing.

The OpenText report notes that phishing attacks are becoming more opportunistic, with over 235 million malware emails quarantined in 2024. Zip attachments dominate due to their effectiveness in bypassing user skepticism, and their ability to mask malicious content under the guise of security. This shift underscores a critical point: phishing is no longer just about access - it’s about fraud, financial theft, and long-term compromise. The digital trust model that underpins modern commerce is being weaponized.

Cybersecurity strategies must now span customer journeys, supply chains, and transaction flows, not just internal email systems.

Going forward

Phishing has evolved into a democratized, AI powered weapon, used by threat actors of all skill levels to exploit human trust and unlock IT infrastructure. The tools are widely available, the learning curve is shrinking, and the consequences of even one successful attack are growing.

This new era demands a new mindset. Defensive efforts must shift from reactive to proactive, combining real time threat detection with intelligent automation and continuous user education. Our data shows that companies using layered defenses, such as endpoint and DNS protection, experience 19.4% fewer infections than those relying on endpoint security alone.

In short, cyber resilience is no longer a mere competitive advantage - it’s imperative for survival.

Business leaders must act now. Audit your digital defenses, modernize your detection tools, and raise cyber awareness and response readiness at every level. Because when attackers can operate with minimal effort, organizations must respond with maximum intent.

We list the best online cybersecurity course.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Over the years, I’ve tried and tested dozens of website builders, be it for personal use, or for product reviews I frequently write. Squarespace is one of those products that easily stand out in the crowd, mostly for its award-winning templates, which you can heavily tweak with its powerful block-based editor.

And since the introduction of its Blueprint AI and Design Intelligence tools, Squarespace has cemented its position as one of the best website builders out there, possibly even taking the throne in its category.

That being said, if you’re in the market for a strong solution, now is a great time to try out Squarespace since it’s 10% off for both new and old customers alike.

Is Squarespace worth it?

If I were to summarize Squarespace in a single sentence, I’d say, you can’t go wrong with it, but we unpack all the features in our Squarespace review if you want to get a thorough understanding of what it has to offer. It is simple to use but comes with numerous templates that keep getting better with each new version. Jam-packed with tools and features, this website builder scores high across the board, making it an amazing all-arounder in the market, capable of serving businesses both small and large in size.

A detailed help section and a customer support service that never sleeps are there to address any concerns, and finally, there is a 14-day free trial to give the platform a spin. It allows you to test out all of the functionalities before committing, and even then, with 10% off, I’d say - it’s a bargain.

One of the biggest differences between being rich and poor is having people to do things for you. When a person moves from being poor to the middle class, they might get a cleaner or take their clothes to a dry cleaner; when they become rich, they might get a driver, a private chef – an entire entourage devoted to making their lives easier.

There’s growing excitement about the rise of AI-powered agents that act on behalf of consumers - not just during product discovery, but right through to purchase. Search-like queries on ChatGPT might only represent 1% of those on Google, but 1% of the colossal global search market is a huge number of searches, with potentially millions in revenue.

Originally conceived as digital concierges to simplify search, these agents are now making actual purchases, and they’re doing it without ever handing control back to the shopper.

Large payments players are laying the groundwork for AI-based commerce. Visa recently launched a Digital Credential Innovation Hub to explore new identity models for agent-based transactions, while Stripe confirmed it is developing secure transaction capabilities for AI agents. And just yesterday, Google revealed plans for an AI agentic checkout for shopping — a move that confirms this shift is no longer speculative, but imminent.

But beyond the optimistic headlines lies a more complicated picture. What happens when an AI agent makes a purchase for you? And more importantly, what can go wrong?

What’s Really Going On Behind the Scenes (Usually)

Let’s be clear: there’s no single “standard” for how agentic shopping works – the process is still evolving, and different platforms take different approaches. That said, here’s a common flow we’ve observed in early implementations.

When a consumer uses an AI agent to shop, the process is superficially simple, but technically intricate. First, the user saves their payment card details — including full PAN, CVV, expiry, billing, and delivery addresses — with their chosen AI platform.

Shoppers are unlikely to be buying very inexpensive items like a pizza or very expensive items like a new car. They probably won’t be using it for goods with a heavy visual emphasis, where part of the enjoyment is browsing until something hits you – clothing being the best example. They are likely, at first, to use agentic AI to help them decide between relatively expensive products that are difficult for non-experts to understand: let’s use a good pair of Bluetooth headphones as an example.

The agent, which could be powered by ChatGPT, Google, TikTok Shop, or Amazon’s AI initiatives, uses natural language to respond to a shopper’s request. Just like a shop clerk, it will ask questions to refine results: how much do you want to spend? Do you want over-ear or in-ear headphones? Are there any features like noise cancelling or waterproofing that you need? It can then refine results and present purchase options.

Once the shopper decides a payment process begins that will be mostly invisible to the shopper:

• The shopper stays in the AI interface and never visits the merchant’s site.
• A “Buy” command within the agent UI triggers the agent to autofill the checkout form on the merchant’s site.
• The merchant receives the full card details as if a human shopper were typing them.
• The agent submits the order, and confirmation is sent via both the agent and the merchant.

Critically, the merchant is unlikely to know that they’re dealing with an agent rather than a human. This introduces risks, because if anything goes wrong — an incorrect item, a delivery mix-up, or pricing error - the shopper must resolve it directly with the merchant, even though they never interacted with the merchant’s website themselves.

In other words: don’t talk to me – talk to my agent.

Known Risks (So Far)

There are several emerging pitfalls already evident:

Security vulnerabilities: In January 2025, Chinese AI platform DeepSeek was hacked, exposing users' stored credentials. The centralization of payment data in AI agents makes them lucrative targets.

Susceptibility to scams: Fraudsters may design sites specifically to trick agents into completing fake checkouts.

Ambiguity in liability: If an agent misplaces an order or inputs incorrect details, it’s unclear whether the AI provider or the consumer bears responsibility.

Poor compatibility:

• It may not support alternative payment types like PayPal, digital wallets or bank transfers (which account for roughly 45% of eCommerce volume in the EU).
• It can’t easily handle additional checkout steps (e.g. seat selection, delivery slots).
• Struggles with card declines, especially in international transactions, where decline rates can be anywhere from 5 to 30%.

In markets like the EU or Japan, legal requirements around Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) mean that consumers must approve each card transaction, making AI-led flows problematic or non-compliant.

The Bigger Picture: Are We Witnessing a Commerce Revolution?

Beyond the immediate risks and logistics, the rise of agents raises fundamental questions about the structure of digital commerce.

Will this model gain traction with consumers? It could fizzle like voice commerce and Amazon’s Dash buttons, which failed to take off due to trust and usability issues. Or it could explode, much like the rise of marketplaces or in-app mobile buying. The answer depends on how much value consumers place on convenience, and how well AI agents can overcome trust and control issues.

If AI agents become the preferred interface for eCommerce, the web as we know it may fragment. Why visit a merchant site at all, when your agent can do the work? This shift could drive the development of Model Context Protocols (MCPs) - AI-optimized data layers that replace websites altogether. Some merchants may respond by blocking known agent IPs or designing checkout flows that frustrate automated systems to force direct interaction. Industries like marketing would fundamentally change as it becomes more important to engage with AI agents than human beings.

Meanwhile, platforms like ChatGPT will need to find ways to monetize their newfound influence. That might mean charging merchants referral fees, sparking the emergence of a new SEO-for-AI ecosystem. But such monetization introduces new questions about trust: if your agent is taking commission from merchants, how unbiased are its recommendations?

As we stand on the edge of this transformation, one thing is certain: the infrastructure of digital payments is being rewritten. The question now is whether consumers - and merchants - are ready to follow their agents into this new era.

And I, for one, will be watching closely - either directly, or via my agent.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

I’ve worked in SEO for over a decade, and I can say with confidence: ecommerce brands have never had it tougher than they do right now when it comes to organic visibility.

Not because SEO is dying, but because the SERP (Search Engine Results Page) is undergoing a major transformation, whether we like it or not.

In 2024, we’ve seen a major shift in how search works. AI Overviews, Shopping Ads, and rich Google SERP features are no longer just experimental additions, they’re dominating the search experience, particularly on mobile.

Recent data from AccuRanker confirms what many in the industry have felt for months: ecommerce click-through rates (CTR) for organic results are nosediving, especially for high-intent transactional keywords.

The good news?

There’s still a path forward, but it requires e-commerce brands to rethink their approach to SEO completely.

In this article, I’ll break down what’s happening to organic traffic, why traditional SEO tactics are losing ground, and four ways ecommerce brands can adapt to stay visible and competitive.

The data: CTRs are down, especially on mobile

AccuRanker’s latest white paper examined how organic listings perform across various devices and user intents. The findings were stark:

1. CTR for transactional keywords is down across the board, with mobile suffering the biggest drops.

2. Even in the absence of paid ads, rich SERP features, such as “Popular Styles,” “Shop the Look,” image carousels, and AI Overviews, dominate the top of the page.

3. On mobile, organic CTRs are up to 50% lower than desktop for the same keywords.

In short, ranking #1 still has huge value, it just doesn’t guarantee the same volume of clicks it once did.

The rise of zero-click search, where users get answers directly within Google's interface, means that even top-performing organic listings are seeing reduced traffic, not because SEO is ineffective, but because more users are engaging with SERP features before ever scrolling.

Why e-commerce SEO is under pressure

1. AI overviews are reducing the need to click

Google’s AI Overviews, which have now rolled out globally, are designed to answer user queries instantly, often pulling product suggestions from the Google Shopping Graph or summarizing content from multiple sources.

For informational or top-of-funnel searches (e.g., “best hiking boots for wet weather”), this used to be prime SEO real estate. Brands would publish buying guides or product roundups and earn high CTRs.

Now?

AI Overviews often display product suggestions directly in the search result, removing the need to visit a third-party site entirely.

2. Google Shopping is consuming the SERP

Google Shopping Ads and organic Shopping features are everywhere, even when you don’t pay for them.

SERP features like:

• Shop the Look
• Popular Stores
• Popular Styles
• Image Product Carousels

...are now appearing even when no paid Shopping Ads are present. They pull directly from merchant feeds and product schemas, providing Google with a visually rich, shoppable experience and reducing the likelihood that users will need to visit traditional listings.

This means traditional organic category and product pages are often buried below these features, especially on mobile, where screen real estate is limited.

3. SERP features create more competition for attention

Google’s obsession with rich features means your listing isn’t just competing with other brands; you’re competing with Google itself.

Here’s a rough example of what now appears above most organic ecommerce listings:

• Google Shopping Ads
• “Popular Stores” carousel
• AI Overview summary
• “Shop the Look” grid
• “People Also Ask” box
• Image product packs
• Youtube videos

Each one reduces the chance of a user clicking through to your site, even if you’re sitting at position #1.

What can e-commerce brands do about it?

So, how do you fight back when Google keeps pushing your organic listings further down the page?

Here are four core strategies we’re implementing with ecommerce clients right now that are helping them remain visible and competitive in an AI-dominated SERP:

1. Leverage digital PR to boost brand recognition and CTR

With organic visibility declining, brand recognition is more important than ever.

When users see your name in a cluttered SERP, familiarity can be the difference between a scroll and a click. And that’s where Digital PR comes in.

Digital PR isn’t just about backlinks, it’s about building authority and visibility across trusted publications and media outlets. These mentions not only enhance your brand strength but also increase brand recall when users encounter your listing in search results.

Action steps:

- Secure top-tier backlinks and mentions in industry publications.

- Promote branded content on platforms your audience trusts.

- Ensure that when your site does appear in search, users recognize and trust the brand enough to click.

2. Build digital authority outside of Google

This is the era of Digital Authority PR, where it’s not just about where you rank, but where else you show up that influences both human behavior and algorithmic trust.

Google’s AI Overviews and LLM-powered tools, such as Gemini, Chatgpt, and Perplexity, rely heavily on high-authority, frequently cited web content to generate responses. That includes trusted blogs, media outlets, and other widely referenced sources that are publicly accessible.

Brands that appear in well-cited articles, contribute expert commentary, or are mentioned on platforms with crawlable transcripts, like YouTube videos with descriptions, Reddit threads, or podcast blogs, increase their chances of being referenced by AI tools in the future.

If your brand is absent from these ecosystems, you may not show up in AI-generated responses, even if you rank well in traditional search.

Action steps:

- Get featured on niche podcasts, relevant YouTube channels, and Reddit threads.

- Contribute expert commentary to high-authority blogs and newsletters.

- Create thought leadership content that answers key audience questions, content that LLMs might pull into future AI Overviews.

3. Optimize for SERP features — not just rankings

It’s no longer enough to optimize for keywords. You need to optimize for the features Google is displaying.

That means treating your product feed and structured data with the same care you give your on-page SEO.

Action steps:

- Keep your Google Merchant Centre feed up to date. Product titles, descriptions, availability, pricing, reviews, and images all influence whether you appear in organic Shopping features.

- Implement a comprehensive product schema, including price, availability, reviews, and brand information.

- Use the FAQ schema carefully; it’s less likely to impact AI Overviews now, but still useful for People Also Ask boxes.

- Ensure your site loads quickly, looks clean on mobile devices, and features rich media (e.g., lifestyle product photos).

Optimizing for these SERP features gives you multiple entry points into the search experience, not just the traditional 10 blue links.

4. Shift from lead capture to demand generation

With fewer clicks available, you can’t just wait for users to search and find you; you need to create demand.

This involves building awareness through paid social, influencer marketing, and content campaigns that encourage users to search for your brand directly or convert through other channels.

Action steps:

- Use paid social media to promote new product launches and seasonal offers.

- Partner with creators and influencers to drive awareness.

- Nurture audiences through email and remarketing to bring them back, even if the initial discovery wasn’t from Google.

SEO is no longer the sole driver of e-commerce growth. It's part of a larger demand generation ecosystem.

The AI search shift is just beginning

Currently, Google dominates the search market, but the rise of AI-powered tools is reshaping the playing field.

While SparkToro data shows that tools like Chatgpt haven’t yet displaced Google for consumer searches, we’re seeing early signs that users are increasingly relying on AI tools for discovery and research, particularly for complex or multi-step decisions.

That means now is the time to future-proof your presence. By showing up in trusted places, publications, podcasts, and social conversations, you increase your brand’s visibility in LLM training data and improve your odds of inclusion in AI-generated content.

The brands that adapt early will build long-term authority that can’t be gamed or reverse-engineered overnight.

Final Thoughts: SEO Isn’t Dead — But the Playbook Is

Yes, e-commerce click-through rates are declining, and yes, organic rankings don’t deliver what they used to.

But this isn’t the end of SEO. It’s a sign that SEO needs to evolve.

The brands winning today are doing more than optimizing their websites. They’re building authority, showing up in high-trust ecosystems, and future-proofing their visibility for an AI-driven future.

SEO in 2025 isn’t just about where you rank. It’s about where you’re recognized.

We've featured the best online marketing service.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• A security researcher found a way to pull all sorts of sensitive data from a call
• Among the data was geo-location information as well
• The bug was present since early 2023 but was now fixed

O2 UK has fixed a vulnerability in its VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling implementations that allowed malicious actors to discover people’s locations and other identifiers.

Back in 2017, the company introduced the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) service, called “4G Calling”. The service provides better audio quality, and more reliable phone calls. However, Daniel Williams, a security researcher, recently analyzed the feature and discovered that during the call, he was able to pull all sorts of information about his conversation partner, straight from the network.

That data includes IMSI, IMEI, and cell location.

Applying a fix

"The responses I got from the network were extremely detailed and long, and were unlike anything I had seen before on other networks," Williams said in a detailed blog post. "The messages contained information such as the IMS/SIP server used by O2 (Mavenir UAG) along with version numbers, occasional error messages raised by the C++ services processing the call information when something went wrong, and other debugging information."

Luckily enough, the vulnerability was not present since early 2017 but was rather introduced in February 2023.

To get cell location, Williams used the Network Signal Guru app on a Pixel 8 device. He pulled raw IMS signaling messages during a call, and used them to find the last cell tower the call recipient connected to. He then cross-referenced that data with a map of cell towers, pinpointing a person’s location within 100 m2 in an urban environment. In a rural environment, though, the information was somewhat less precise.

Williams said he reached out to O2 UK multiple times and, at first, got no response. The company later reported the issue had been fixed, which Williams also confirmed.

"Our engineering teams have been working on and testing a fix for a number of weeks – we can confirm this is now fully implemented, and tests suggest the fix has worked, and our customers do not need to take any action," Virgin Media O2 told BleepingComputer.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Amazon wants to add 80 new sites to its existing 600 US facilities
• The plans could cost the company an estimated $15 billion
• Trump’s tariffs have impacted certain orders

Amazon is reportedly planning to invest a staggering $15 billion across no less than 80 new logistics facilities across the US in a bid to better serve both cities and rural areas.

A report from Bloomberg claims the company is planning to develop new delivery hubs, with some being large fulfillment centers equipped with state-of-the-art robots.

Amazon is now inviting capital partners to submit proposals in what’s seen as welcome news amid ongoing tariff-induced economic uncertainty.

Amazon wants to spend $15bn on 80 US logistics facilities

When the world moved to remote and online habits during the pandemic, Amazon was believed to have overspent on retail infrastructure and staffing, leading to multiple rounds of layoffs. Between November 2022 and March 2023, Amazon laid off around 27,000 workers.

Although its ecommerce business continues to grow, recent investments have largely focused on cloud and AI technologies, so it’s reassuring to see that the online retail giant is hasn’t given up on what it’s known best for by consumers.

Speaking about the company’s fourth-quarter and year-end results, Jassy noted Amazon had delivered its “fastest speeds ever” for Prime in 2024, with a 65% year-over-year increase in US orders delivered on the same day or overnight, thanks largely to its expansive network of logistics facilities and transportation resources.

The company now has around 600 fulfillment centers in the US alone, but no timeline has been shared for the addition of another 80.

Despite a positive outlook, it’s clear that Amazon isn’t immune from the ongoing trade war, having reportedly canceled numerous orders from China and other Asian countries over tariffs.

Amazon told us that the projects being discussed aren't finalized, but they are still ideas that are up for consideration.

Steve Kelly, a spokesperson for Amazon, noted: "Meetings like this with our capital partners are routine and part of the normal due diligence process, as we consider potential, future projects."

The company also confirmed some figures to us – Amazon supports nearly five million jobs across the US, having invested over $244 billion into the nation in 2023 alone.

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• Amazon just overtook Walmart in revenue for the first time
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Application Programming Interfaces, (APIs) are a hot topic right now. With the rise of AI, APIs are crucial for integrating AI into apps, chatbots, as well as automating workflows. There is also the growth of microservices and cloud computing where APIs allow different services to communicate efficiently in the cloud.

APIs are transforming the integration and flow of data and information between different software applications and operating systems. The possibilities of what this will enable us as consumers to do is endless and for businesses its evolution is presents exciting opportunities across the board.

APIs enhance the connectivity between multiple platforms by allowing different systems to communicate and work together more seamlessly, streamlining operations and greatly improving the flow of data to be benefit of end users. It can save staff time and increase the value of tools including payment gateways, social media platforms, cloud services and more to help businesses improve functionality, create scalability and you get better value from existing systems.

An opportunity to grow

In fiercely competitive markets, APIs also provide businesses with an opportunity to grow and enhance their position as leaders in the field bringing significant advantages over competitors. There are other benefits too. Greater efficiency and reliability: APIs ensure consistent and accurate data transfer between systems which reduce errors and enhance the reliability of your operations.

By centralizing and connecting data from various sources, APIs provide a unified view of all the information. With this business leaders can make more informed decisions that enable expansion, moving and adapting quickly to respond to market demands and opportunities.

The operational enhancements that APIs bring mean that companies can enhance their customer experiences, facilitate more personalized services, apply seamless payment solutions, and share real-time updates, all of which lead to greater user satisfaction and engagement.

Everyday examples of this include integrating Google Maps into apps to show location data or where an online retailer provides the ability to pay with PayPal without the need to access sensitive data. APIs are already being used in our everyday lives.

Businesses can also use APIs to integrate chatbots, recommendation engines, and other AI-driven tools to deliver a more customized experience. The ability to connect with third-party services also improves functionality and helps companies offer comprehensive solutions to their customers.

Key considerations

Technology moves at pace and keeping up with these changes can bring key considerations that need to be considered throughout the development process.

The need to ensure the API meets end user needs – it needs to do the job it set out to do therefore it’s important that all stakeholders are involved in the development stage of the process to ensure success and buy-in at the implementation stage. Think about who the end user is, what the efficiency is you’re hoping to gain. The planning stage is key. Design an API with simplicity and test regularly throughout the development.

Consider security aspects – cross-sharing of data across platforms poses possible cyber security risks and APIs can be prone to threats like unauthorized access and data breaches if proper security measures are not adhered to. Robust authentication measures such as OAuth2 and token-based methods can ensure secure access along with encrypting data. This should be regularly reviewed.

Optimize API performance – APIs need to be able to handle high volumes of requests. Poor performance can cause slow response times and cause programs to crash. There are ways to mitigate this including caching for data that is frequently requested and sending only essential data. Developers can create database queries to minimize the level of data retrieved and processing required. Breaking the data retrieval down into more manageable chunks improves scalability and the ability for the API to cope with traffic spikes.

Consider cross-system compatibility – APIs need to work lots of different systems and programs and this needs to happen seamlessly for it to be effective. This can be particularly challenging when dealing with legacy systems that use old programming methods. Widely accepted standards such as JSON or XML should be used to ensure broad compatibility and help futureproof the API.

Summary

The rise of APIs is reshaping digital transformation across industries. From the best ecommerce platforms and fintech to healthcare and logistics, businesses increasingly rely on APIs to innovate and scale at unprecedented rates. As cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and IoT continue to evolve, APIs will serve as the backbone of interconnected digital ecosystems.

Companies that embrace APIs will not only streamline their operations but also gain a competitive advantage by unlocking new markets and partnerships. The future of business lies in connectivity, and APIs will continue to play a crucial role in shaping this dynamic landscape.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

AI has dominated headlines, product strategies, and investment for the past two years, but as businesses reflect heading into 2025, an uncomfortable question lingers: where is AI’s financial impact, really?

Amidst the AI hype climate, businesses have been eager to invest in emerging technologies that promise the world. So eager, in fact, that the market is now saturated with hastily-developed products designed more to showcase adoption than to deliver measurable impact.

While AI tools have existed for some time, the rise of generative AI — starting with the release of ChatGPT just over two years ago — has captured broader attention and rekindled a frenzy of innovation, akin to the dot-com boom of the late 1990s. Generative AI's accessibility is lowering barriers to entry, sparking both a rush to investment and concern across industries.

When applied strategically, it’s clear that AI can revolutionize user experiences at places like websites, where the potential for customer experience enhancement is unparalleled. But to keep up with lofty AI predictions and heavy investor demands, many businesses today are investing first and looking for ways to measure return on that investment later — an approach that’s led to over-promised and under-delivered initiatives, followed by disappointment among customers and teams alike.

AI has the potential to deliver transformative outcomes when businesses align it with strategic goals, such as improving website functionality and user satisfaction. Rather than integrating AI first and looking for a problem to solve later, it’s time to return to the tried and true formula for innovation: find a problem, figure out how to solve it.

The AI Paradox: ROI vs. FOMO

ROI must be the central factor in AI investment decision-making.

While the number of senior business leaders investing $10 million or more in AI is set to double next year, a Gartner report found that at least 30% of AI projects will be abandoned by the end of 2025. These circumstances — high costs and low success rates — make prioritizing business needs and ROI critical.

AI is an expensive, time consuming endeavor — so in order for an AI product to be worth it, especially in consumer-facing applications, it must add real value to customers. Rushing to bring high-potential technology to market can often hinder, rather than enhance, user experience — particularly in the case of websites, where users increasingly demand seamless interaction.

The early surge of businesses racing to adopt AI chatbots is a prime example. In the push to get the latest feature onto their websites, a critical question was often overlooked: will this actually improve our customer service? Despite their high-potential, chatbots were introduced widely before the technology was developed to the point of adding proper value, often resulting in frustrating user experiences and failing to provide accessible support.

Consider Watsonville Chevy’s viral failure, where a chatbot offered to sell a customer a brand new Chevy vehicle for only $1. Rather than helping customers buy cars, the under-developed technology — despite its high-potential — caused an embarrassing headache for the dealership. More than the technology itself, this failure underscores the critical importance of businesses putting appropriate guardrails in place. Effective AI implementation requires not only understanding the potential of off-the-shelf solutions, but ensuring they are adapted to the specific needs and limitations of the business environment.

In another recent counterproductive AI use case, Spotify whiffed on its perennially popular Wrapped feature by going all-in on AI. While removing features like top genres, the music streaming giant opted to add experiences like an AI-generated podcast. Listeners, predictably, were critical, highlighting the importance of using AI to enhance user experience rather than diminishing features that made products popular in the first place.

Businesses must ask themselves: is this AI use case truly adding to the customer experience? Investments must prioritize functionality and customer needs over hype. By focusing on thoughtful, ROI-driven AI adoption, businesses can avoid costly mistakes and improve outcomes.

Solving Problems, Driving Results

But of course, not every AI investment is destined to fail or hinder customer experience. There are many examples of how AI brings clear value-adds when implemented strategically, especially in ecommerce and content.

In a crowded online environment, frustrated users are a sales killer — customers have access to limitless products and content online, so when their search fails to draw results, they leave.

Netflix, Google and Amazon have all dominated their respective verticals for several years in no small part because of their use of natural language processing. In 2017, more than 80% of the TV shows users watched on Netflix were discovered through its recommendation system. In 2012, 35% of purchases on Amazon came from product recommendations. Google has utilized AI since 2015 to process and provide more relevant search results.

All of these use cases have had a tangible impact on customer experiences — an impact that has long differentiated them from competitors with less resources.

More recently, the rise of generative AI is amplifying this trend — as the current AI frenzy has led to not only the development of cutting-edge technology by major AI players, but also made it more accessible for businesses of all sizes. These advancements enable even mid-market players to leverage tools once exclusive to industry giants, creating new opportunities for differentiation and growth.

In short, these technologies are no longer limited to just big tech like FAANG — AI democratization is unlocking more cost effective tools for SMBs and mid-market companies to optimize their websites. The potential of AI is immense when businesses choose the right product, and legacy examples in e-commerce and user experience, like Netflix’s recommendation engine or Amazon’s personalized shopping, offer a blueprint for websites leveraging AI to create transformative, ROI-driven outcomes. AI-driven smart search and recommendation technologies already exist; businesses just need to evaluate problems and responsibly implement solutions to unlock AI's transformative potential.

Starting with the pain point — such as low conversion rates — and answering with AI empowers better business outcomes. Implementing AI technologies can help bridge the gap between mid-market companies and enterprises, drive higher conversion rates and justifiable ROI for the cost of AI.

Thoughtful AI integration has the potential to revolutionize industries, and in some cases, already has. These use cases underscore AI’s potential to add real value, making a tangible impact on conversion rates and customer experience.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Wix Functions will make the online shopping experience more customized
• Sites will react in real-time to customer trends and business needs
• Launch comes shortly after a new Automations tool was launched

In a bid to keep up with emerging tech and boost customer acquisition and retention, website builder giant Wix has unveiled its new no-code interface, Wix Functions.

Businesses can use the no-code tool to create custom business flows and elements like dynamic pricing rules, checkout conditions and tailored loyalty rewards without needing any coding expertise.

Besides creating their own flows from scratch, users can also pick from a library of templates to help them get up and running.

Wix Functions

In an announcement, the company described how businesses may want to impose location-based fees for some customers and trigger discounts for returning buyers, which they can now do through Wix Functions with ease. “

The function then outputs the desired action, which the Wix app executes in real-time,” the announcement explains.

“Wix Functions gives businesses even more control over their operations, enabling them to customize more workflows, further automate processes and implement advanced business rules," said Tomas Petras Rupšys, Head of Wix Functions.

“The function’s output directly influences how the Wix app behaves in real-time, ensuring that businesses can seamlessly adapt their operations to meet unique needs, further empowering business owners to operate more efficiently and scale with ease,” Rupšys added.

To get the most out of Wix Functions, Wix suggests customers use it in conjunction with Wix Automations, a feature that was launched earlier this month and described as a tool to “support advanced business workflows” with a fully customizable automation engine.

Wix and Wix Studio for Wix Stores, Wix Bookings, Wix Restaurants, Wix Donations, Wix Forms and Wix Loyalty Program will all work with Functions, which is available for free, just like Wix Automations.

Also like Automations, the company is also charging for optional premium upgrades, unlocking unlimited actions and access to business solutions like checkout and payments.

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From Netscape to Chrome, the consumer browsers we have used since the dawn of the internet were first built for a singular need: accessing information. They worked brilliantly for that purpose, which is why – thirty-five years later – the browser remains one of the most pervasive consumer-grade technologies on the planet.

In the early browsing days, the internet just consisted of websites. Applications, on the other hand, lived outside the browser. Until one day someone had the brilliant idea to deliver apps inside the browser itself. Users have been accessing web apps ever since, from communications platforms to online banking. Today, it is the most pervasive way to engage applications on the planet. Extensions were tacked onto the browser, adding productivity and other features to extend the consumer browser’s capabilities.

However, consumers have not been the browser’s only users. Over the past three decades, enterprises – from banks and manufacturers to hospital systems and universities and beyond – have inextricably integrated the browser (as well as myriad apps and extensions) into their everyday operations.

Here’s where the friction starts to arise.

Unchanged browser, evolving needs

The core functionality of the traditional browser has remained largely unchanged, continuing to serve its original purpose for consumers without evolving to meet the enterprise's specific security and productivity needs. In fact, when you consider that the consumer browser must support billions of users worldwide, it must have a great deal of openness and flexibility to meet a wide array of consumer and advertiser needs. After all, consumer browsers were not designed to be a safe application delivery platform. They were designed for accessing websites and content.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that enterprise IT teams have always fought an uphill battle to place control around consumer browsers, not to mention browser extensions, which number more than 200,000 today. When these consumer browsers are used, security teams must layer on complex stacks of tools to secure their environments​​. Further, applications teams must commonly bolt on Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) environments and Virtual Private Networks (VPN) for connectivity. These measures are expensive, inefficient, and ineffective.

It’s not a knock on consumer browsers – these tools were simply never designed for enterprise needs.

It’s like putting a Rolls-Royce in the Daytona 500: the car may be perfect in its own right, but it isn’t built to perform in that environment.

The browser designed for the enterprise

That’s where the enterprise browser comes in.

The enterprise browser uses its native mechanics to deliver corporate applications while embedding security, control, and productivity features directly into the browser itself – retaining the same experience users have enjoyed for decades while eliminating the need for complex add-on application delivery technologies and security stacks to keep them safe.

In an enterprise browser, security teams have full visibility into what employees can see and do at the appropriate times. Security features are native, from zero-trust and data loss prevention to session isolation and encryption. Workforce enablement is seamless, nearly eliminating the need for VPNs or virtual desktops for secure access to corporate resources. And access to cloud applications is fine-tuned without extra security tools.

For example, the enterprise browser can empower the user to freely engage personal applications such as ChatGPT, personal email, etc., while preventing users from copying sensitive data from corporate applications into such personal applications. It can enforce role-based access, ensuring that users only see and interact with resources that are appropriate for their role. And it can log and monitor all browser activity for security and compliance purposes where needed, providing visibility into who accessed what, from where, and how.

It can govern who uses what extensions under what circumstances and shut down high-risk extensions and access to unsanctioned GenAI websites in real-time. All while preserving privacy and without adding user delays or disruptions.

It’s a win for CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, and users. Employees enjoy faster, more efficient workflows in a familiar browser-based experience, while leadership gains visibility, compliance, security, and cost savings.

Secure browsers are not enterprise browsers

And what about secure browsers? Are they enough to address enterprise needs and issues? In a word, no. It’s a lingering misconception that an enterprise browser equals a secure browser. They are fundamentally different. Sure, an enterprise browser is a highly secure environment to operate within, but the concept of an enterprise browser is so much more than the old-school secure browser approaches.

Secure browsers were built primarily to prevent security breaches, relying on clunky and restrictive measures that can interfere with necessary work tasks. These browsers are often virtualization engines wrapped around consumer browsers. They degrade the user experience while offering little to no enterprise-level control.

The bottom line is security is table stakes for an enterprise browser. However, they are designed from the ground up as an application delivery platform designed to secure and optimize the entire enterprise IT environment while giving the user a very natural and familiar environment to operate within. It is an optimistic landscape where the user has freedom and comfort while the organization can rest safely knowing their applications and underlying data are secure. Indeed, that’s why we coined the term “enterprise browser.”

Different cars for different tracks

Today’s consumer browser has evolved beyond a window to the web to an unwitting participant for application consumption. It helps billions of people communicate across borders, learn new skills, watch their favorite sports, manage their money, and more – and drive trillions of dollars in ecommerce every year. Like the Rolls Royce, it’s an engineering marvel that has stood the test of time.

But at the end of the day, the enterprise requires a different vehicle. The enterprise browser finally delivers on challenges that have thus been out of reach for its consumer counterpart – empowering organizations to safeguard data, enforce policies, gather app and user insights, and more, all without compromising performance. Both have value, but enterprise demands require a different approach that can change everything.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Lookalike products on Temu spark authenticity concerns
• Temu’s review system faces scrutiny amid signs of manipulation
• Price alone won’t dethrone Amazon - Temu must earn consumer trust

Chinese ecommerce giant Temu has emerged as a strong competitor to Amazon by offering significantly lower prices on a wide range of products in recent months

A new Omnisend report has claimed Temu’s prices are, on average, 40% lower for items closely matching Amazon listings. The site relies heavily on discounts to attract shoppers, with around 65% of its listings featuring markdowns, compared to 47% on Amazon, with some items seeing price cuts as high as 98%.

Temu has gained traction in budget-friendly categories such as clothing, shoes, jewelry, and beauty products, where it offers cheaper alternatives to Amazon. The overlap in these categories is high, with a 94% match rate for items listed on both platforms. However, despite its aggressive discounting, it has yet to surpass Amazon in consumer trust and product transparency, which may limit its ability to shift customer loyalty.

Pricing strategies and consumer perception

Amazon remains dominant in trust-sensitive segments like automotive products, where it consistently offers lower prices - being about 12% cheaper than Temu. Shoppers also favor Amazon for food and beverages, where Temu’s match rate is the lowest.

Amazon also holds an edge in electronics and home appliances, where factors like warranties, reliable reviews, and trusted customer support play a significant role in purchasing decisions.

It also maintains an advantage in consumer trust, partly due to its robust review system. The average Amazon product has around 50,000 reviews, while Temu listings typically have only 1,500.

Researchers have found signs of possible review manipulation on Temu, such as disappearing negative reviews and low-rated products being reuploaded under new listings. While Amazon also faces issues with fake reviews, its enforcement measures are more transparent.

Meanwhile, many Temu listings closely resemble well-known brands but feature altered packaging or blurred logos, raising doubts about authenticity.

Ultimately, Temu’s ability to compete with Amazon depends not just on lower prices but also on building credibility. While deep discounts attract budget-conscious shoppers, trust and reliability remain crucial for long-term consumer preference.

On the subject of trust - Temu and similar marketplaces have attracted millions in the last year, but, in September 2024, Temu denied a data breach relating a database containing 87 million users' personal information.

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• Amazon’s most recent quarterly revenue was $8bn higher than Walmart’s
• Solid holiday season 2024 performance raises Amazon figures
• Walmart continues to battle with the high costs of physical stores

It might be the world’s fourth-most valuable company, with a market cap of $2.36 trillion dollars, but Amazon has never been able to reach Walmart's levels of quarterly revenue - until now.

In the three months ending December 31, 2024, Amazon reported a 10% year-over-year increase in revenue to $187.8 billion, putting it ahead of Walmart ($180.6 billion) for the first time ever.

This is despite the ecommerce platform being around three times larger than Walmart, which has a valuation of $780.92 billion.

Amazon vs Walmart

Despite the historical moment, projections for 2025 suggest that the two companies could be battling it out for months to come. Walmart’s full fiscal year projection stands at $708.7 billion, just a small jump ahead of the $700.8 prediction for Amazon.

Speaking on its earnings release, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy thanked the most successful holiday season yet for strong growth. Cloud developments within AWS also propped up company revenue, acconting for $28.8 billion, or around 15% of the entire revenue.

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said that “low prices, a growing assortment, and an eCommerce business driven by faster delivery times” were all responsible for strong results.

However, while Walmart may have expanded into third-party marketplaces, fulfillment services and advertising, its core business remains centered around in-person shopping, and maintaining physical stores is costly due to increasing wages and other expenses.

To put the two companies’ revenues into perspective and to highlight what’s at stake, Apple, the world’s most valuable company and one of three with a $3 trillion+ market cap, posted quarterly revenue of $124.3 billion. Nvidia, the second-most valuable company, posted $35.1 billion and Microsoft, in position three, posted $69.6 billion.

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Weebly is among the best website builder platforms, assisting more than 50 million sites globally with its simple drag-and-drop editor. In 2018, Square acquired Weebly with the goal of turning it into a simpler version of its ecommerce platform. Weebly is known for being user friendly and affordable, offering plans ranging from $10 to $26 per month, and there is a limited free plan.

Square's website builder partially employs Weebly's technology, while still being a solid ecommerce player in its own right. It is unique in that it integrates with Square's numerous business tools, such as payment processing and inventory management. That makes it a suitable option for businesses that need everything in one place, with plans ranging from $0 to $72 per month.

Weebly and Square are similar, but not identical, which can make things a little confusing. Weebly still assists small online stores that need something simple and inexpensive, but, Square's option is more comprehensive especially if you use Square's point-of-sale systems too.

Weebly vs Square: Features

Weebly is one of the best small business website builders with a uniquely easy to use website creator, more than 50 professionally designed templates, and complete drag-and-drop capabilities. The platform offers basic ecommerce functionality, with product adds, stock management, and search engine-optimized product page building. Through Square integration, Weebly offers the capacity for accepting payments both online and offline, selling gift cards, managing customer reviews, and shipping labels with customizable email templates.

Weebly's levels of customization and functionality are more limited than other platforms. While users are able to include basic HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in sites, the platform's App Center offers fewer integration choices than competitor platforms, limiting somewhat the capability for additional functionality.

Square Online's platform is aimed at offering strong business management and sales solutions and not extensive design functionality. Its strength is its comprehensive toolset for inventory, employees, and customer data, and it is thus especially beneficial to businesses with online and offline sites. The platform offers more than 300 integrations through its app marketplace, aimed at many aspects of business operations such as delivery, ordering, booking, and inventory management.

Square's ecommerce functionality is targeted to its POS system, with an integrated experience for businesses employing Square for offline sales. The platform offers advanced functionality such as inventory tracking and abandoned cart recovery, though it offers fewer design customization options with only about 28 templates to choose from.

When comparing both sites' functionalities, Square is a more feature-packed solution for businesses needing robust sales and management functions. Weebly, however, provides a more straightforward solution with more emphasis on site building and basic online shopping functions. Integrating the two sites allows businesses to utilize the simple website builder of Weebly and yet benefit from the robust business management functions of Square.

Weebly vs Square: Ease of use

Weebly is extremely easy to use thanks to its uncomplicated drag-and-drop setup process. The site provides straightforward ways of adding new content to pages and modifying settings, although there are comments that there can be delays with the editor. The system includes useful tools such as info buttons, pop-ups, and a checklist to assist users in building the site.

Square's site is more geared towards useful functionality rather than complicated design, and it is more accessible for businesses transitioning from in-store to online sales. The site is designed to be simple, particularly for users who are familiar with Square's POS system, although it has fewer options to offer for personalizing compared to specialized website builders for that purpose.

Both platforms provide sufficiently to meet different users' requirements. Weebly is appropriate for users who want to build a site quickly without necessarily needing technical expertise, while Square is appropriate for businesses needing an all-in-one solution to manage both online and offline business. The integration of Weebly's simple website builder and Square's business functions provides a robust yet friendly solution for small business owners.

Weebly vs Square: Customer support

Weebly provides various means of getting support, depending on your subscription option. Basic subscribers get online self-help guides and community forums. Professional plan subscribers get email support. Enterprise subscribers get additional features such as live chat and priority support from the Customer Success team. Support is available Monday through Friday, 6 AM to 6 PM Pacific Time.

Square provides more comprehensive support channels such as phone, email, and chat support. Customer support is available Monday through Friday, 6 AM to 6 PM Pacific Time, with 24/7 support for more premium subscriptions such as Square for Restaurants Pro. Square employs real product experts who collaborate with engineers to address technical questions, but it takes time to speak to a human agent due to the automated system.

When it comes to taking into account the support of both websites, Square is more convenient to access due to its direct phone support and expert representatives. However, both websites have some limitations to availability outside business hours unless users subscribe to premium plans. Since the two services are hosted together, users can access both support systems based on what they require.

Weebly vs Square: Security

Weebly values security through the employment of in-built SSL certificates and automatic platform updates to address vulnerabilities. The platform handles server-side security such as firewall protection so that websites on the platform remain secure without users requiring technical expertise. All sites have custom TLS certificates that are easy to enable to secure transactions.

The platform takes extra measures to protect user data and has features to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information. Security patches are automatically applied to keep the platform safe and patch potential vulnerabilities as they arise.

Square uses advanced encryption methods to protect data while it is being transmitted and stored, with a strong focus on protecting sensitive customer information. The platform mandates sensitive data to be encrypted during storage on disk or when transmitted over public networks, and it has strong access controls on sensitive data, application data, and cryptographic keys.

Square's security model includes diligent monitoring of each transaction and ongoing development in the prevention of fraud. The platform has strong security measures, including two-factor authentication requirements, strong password controls on admin access, and ongoing security systems testing by trained personnel within and outside the company.

Both platforms have impressive security features that are easy to learn, so they are easy to use for those with limited technical knowledge. While Weebly prioritizes core security features with automatic management, Square provides a more robust security system, which is especially useful for businesses processing sensitive payment data and customer data.

Weebly vs Square: Tools, add-ons, and extras

Weebly's App Center has over 350 apps and integrations across five categories: e-commerce, communication, marketing, social media, and site tools. The platform offers crucial add-ons such as social feeds, contact forms, live chat support, and numerous e-commerce apps that manage shipping and order fulfillment. Although Weebly's marketplace offers ample free alternatives, it lacks some crucial integrations such as MailChimp and ChowNow, and thus the users must manually embed codes for these services.

Weebly has recently augmented its platform with AI-driven features, particularly in content creation and photo editing. Weebly's Photo Studio app, powered by artificial intelligence, allows users to remove backgrounds, adjust contrast, and optimize images for use on social media, online menus, and marketing campaigns. The platform constantly updates and guarantees to support its website builder until at least July 2025.

Square's ecosystem offers a full set of add-ons designed for business operations, including advanced inventory management, employee scheduling software, and marketing tools. The platform features special tools such as Square Loyalty for customer loyalty, Square Messages for single-messaging, and Square Email Marketing for automated marketing. Most of these tools are available through Square's Add-on Library, with some of them being free and some others demanding subscription fees.

Square has also invested heavily in building payment technology, recently extending offline payment capabilities to its entire hardware line across the globe. The platform is simple to integrate with various third-party services and features special tools for various industries, ranging from restaurants to healthcare providers.

If we look at what each platform has to offer, Square is a better option with its business tools and ongoing updates in payment technology. Weebly has good website-building tools and apps, but the former platform has better business management tools and solutions for industries that can adapt with businesses.

Weebly vs Square: Hardware

Weebly mainly builds websites and does not provide physical hardware. Instead, it focuses on software tools and connections that can run on any device and system, allowing users to manage their online presence with any device with an internet connection.

Square provides a range of hardware options, from simple card readers to full point-of-sale systems. Options include a free magnetic stripe reader, mobile card readers that begin at $59, the iPad-based Square Stand that is $149, and the high-end Square Register that is $799 with two screens. The company also provides rental plans for hardware through its partnership with Fello for temporary events like festivals and trade shows.

The hardware comparison is largely in favor of Square because it provides many physical tools for payment processing. Weebly is strong in the digital realm, but, Square provides real solutions for businesses that must accept payments offline, making it a more practical option for businesses that have an online and offline presence.

Weebly vs Square: Pricing

Weebly offers four plans, starting with one of the best free website builder plans on the market. Paid plans are $10 to $26/month if paid annually. The Personal plan costs $10/month and features custom domain use and basic features. The Professional plan costs $12/month and includes unlimited storage, and it eliminates Square ads. The Performance plan costs $26/month and includes all features, such as recovering abandoned carts, customer reviews, and priority support.

Square's pricing is more industry-oriented, with different plans for different industry needs. It offers a free basic plan, then Plus for $29/month, and Premium for $79/month. Transaction fees are 2.6% + $0.10 for in-person transactions and 2.9% + $0.30 for online transactions. Businesses processing more than $250,000 in card sales can unlock custom pricing.

Comparing the two platforms' pricing, Weebly is more affordable for simple website creation and small ecommerce. Square offers more full-featured business solutions with payment processing. Choosing between the two generally depends on how large the business is and what specific requirements it has. Weebly is more suitable for basic websites, while Square is more suitable for businesses that require full-featured point-of-sale systems.

Weebly vs Square: Final verdict

After considering features, simplicity, customer support, security, tools, and cost, Square appears to be more suitable for companies that need an end-to-end commerce platform. Weebly, however, offers a less complicated and less expensive means of creating simple sites. The combination of the two platforms is a good option for companies at varying stages of development, but the emphasis on business requirements in Square and simplicity in Weebly makes them more appropriate for varying circumstances.

Shopify remains one of the best ecommerce platform choices in 2025, hosting millions of online stores globally with its simple interface and complete feature set. The platform just enhanced its capabilities with the Winter 2025 Edition, providing simpler operations and improved customer experiences to increase sales. With its native AI features such as Shopify Magic for product descriptions and thousands of apps, Shopify remains a great choice for businesses of all sizes.

BigCommerce is Shopify's closest competitor, with its powerful native features and no transaction fees on any plan. The platform's excellent entry-level features include unlimited products, staff accounts, and bandwidth, making it highly sought after by businesses seeking an all-in-one solution without needing many add-ons. BigCommerce's recent focus on AR integration and voice commerce demonstrates its commitment to ecommerce innovation leadership.

Both platforms have similar pricing plans, but they are differently positioned in the market according to individual strengths. Shopify is extremely simple to use and has more apps, making it ideal for businesses that need fast setup and growth. BigCommerce is different with more native features and variable payment plans, making it appealing to merchants that desire full features immediately.

Shopify vs BigCommerce: Features

Shopify is a full ecommerce solution with more than 6,000 apps in its app store, which provides ample customization and additional functions. The platform excels at core ecommerce features, with unlimited products, inventory management, discount codes, cart abandonment recovery, and support for more than 100 payment gateways. Shopify's AI feature, Shopify Magic, provides advanced features such as automatic product descriptions and additional customization options.

The platform's multi-channel selling feature is extremely strong, with seamless integration with large marketplaces and social media platforms. Shopify's checkout feature is extremely streamlined, with features such as Shop Pay, which offers one of the best checkout experiences on the web.

BigCommerce excels as it has ample built-in functionality, which translates to fewer third-party apps compared to Shopify. The platform has high-end features as a standard, such as multi-currency support, real-time shipping rates, and bulk pricing rules. BigCommerce's native functionality also includes advanced features such as faceted search, bulk 301 redirects, and greater control over URLs.

BigCommerce's multi-channel integration is extremely comprehensive, with pre-built connections to marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon, and Walmart, and social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. The platform supports more than 65 integrated payment methods and provides strong analytics tools for monitoring website performance, conversion rates, and revenue.

Comparing the features of the two platforms, BigCommerce offers more complete functionality out of the box, which can save long-term expenses and make things simpler. Shopify offers similar features, but many of the advanced features require additional apps. However, its larger app ecosystem provides more flexibility to achieve specific objectives.

Shopify vs BigCommerce: Ease of use

Shopify is easy to use, with a clean interface that got better in 2025. The website has a neat and organized dashboard and a step-by-step installation guide, which makes it extremely easy to use for beginners. Even less technically savvy users can start and run their stores with little help.

BigCommerce is a bit more complicated at first, but it has improved significantly in 2025. The website has a less complicated installation process and a cleaner dashboard, but it has many features. This results in users having more options and settings to adjust when getting started. But, having more in-built features is a positive because users don't need to install additional apps to get things done.

Overall, Shopify is a bit simpler to use, especially for total beginners. But, BigCommerce's larger set of in-built features might make things simpler in the long run by allowing fewer apps and integrations.

Shopify vs BigCommerce: Customer support

Shopify revamped its support system in 2025. It ended the practice of using phone and email support and went AI-first. Currently, the primary means of accessing support is through an AI assistant on the Help Center. There is no direct phone support, but the AI assistant is accessible 24/7 online. For more complex issues, Shopify's AI can refer users to human advisors. Social media support and community forums are also available.

BigCommerce offers full 24/7 support through several channels, including chat, email, and US-based phone support. The platform has a reputation for high-quality technical support staff, who are experts at solving complex issues. Advanced plan customers receive more personalized support, which is invaluable for large organizations.

When comparing the support systems of the two platforms, BigCommerce offers a more superior and convenient customer service solution. Although Shopify's AI-first system might provide faster initial responses, BigCommerce's support channel mix and high technical capability provide more in-depth assistance, particularly for organizations that need full technical support.

Shopify vs BigCommerce: Security

Shopify has strong security features on the platform, such as SSL encryption and DDoS protection. Recently, it enhanced its security features by transitioning to hCaptcha for increased protection against bot attacks and utilizing stronger authentication forms. Shopify's security system features numerous fraud protection tools and AI-driven risk assessment capabilities.

The platform also enhanced its authentication process for its users in 2025, through unified verification on sensitive actions such as deleting employees' accounts or modifying billing information. Shopify's fraud analysis tools have been significantly upgraded, offering sophisticated risk assessments to merchants for discovering and preventing fraudulent transactions.

BigCommerce shows dedication to security by being PCI DSS Level 1 compliant and having a multi-layered approach to security on Google Cloud Platform infrastructure. The platform offers continuous 24/7 monitoring, perimeter firewalls, and broad protection against any cyber threats. BigCommerce has advanced security features such as rate limiting measures and suspicious activity checks.

The platform has made remarkable security enhancements in 2025, such as advanced permission levels for controlling users' access and enhanced API security measures. BigCommerce also adheres to rigid vulnerability management programs and routine security audits to assure continuous protection for merchant and client data.

Between security features, both platforms deliver strong protection but in different manners. While Shopify concentrates on AI-based security components and automated threats, BigCommerce focuses on security infrastructure and standards compliance. Both platforms offer sound security foundations, although BigCommerce's enterprise permission levels and sophisticated security controls will be more suited to large organizations with complex security needs.

Shopify vs BigCommerce: Tools, add-ons, and extras

In 2025, Shopify has greatly increased what it offers, with over 6,000 apps in its marketplace and utilizing AI through Shopify Magic. The Winter 2025 Edition introduced over 150 new features, including AI tools for product descriptions and greater options for customization. Support is also addressed with an AI focus, including an AI assistant in the Help Center that can send difficult problems to human advisors if needed.

Shopify's recent platform updates have also improved core functionality. There is a 50% increase in how fast carts load, checkout buttons are 58.8% faster, and admin load speeds are 25% better. The platform now supports up to 25 active automatic discounts, up from 5 before, and has enhanced B2B features like price locking and custom bundles.

BigCommerce is noted for its strong built-in capabilities and strong B2B features. The B2B Edition includes tools for corporate account management, invoice portals with multiple payment methods, and tools for sales representative management. BigCommerce has also added AI tools like BigAI Copywriter for product descriptions, AI-driven product recommendations, and predictive analytics for customer value over time.

Recent platform updates include the addition of Catalyst and Makeswift, which allows for easier store creation and visual changes without needing heavy development. BigCommerce has also increased its widget limit per store from 10,000 to 100,000, giving merchants more freedom to customize stores.

When comparing additional features, both platforms have excelled in customization features and AI integration. Shopify leads with its rich app ecosystem and AI-first approach, while BigCommerce leads with its feature depth and B2B functionality, potentially reducing additional app and integration requirements.

Shopify vs BigCommerce: Hardware

Shopify has adaptable hardware options for its POS system, with costs ranging from $0 to $2,000 with software, hardware, and installation fees. The platform has buy, lease, or rent options for POS hardware, with cash drawers at $129 or $139 and card readers at $49 to $349. The system supports legacy POS systems and mobile POS options that can be installed on iOS or Android devices.

BigCommerce's hardware foundation is built on Google Cloud Platform, which provides robust security and scalability. The platform supports full server management, including updates, patches, and load balancing, so merchants can focus on business expansion without infrastructure maintenance. In terms of POS support, BigCommerce usually asks customers to partner with other providers like PayPal, Zettle, or Square, instead of offering them in-house.

When comparing hardware features, Shopify provides more comprehensive retail-focused hardware solutions with adaptable buying options, while BigCommerce emphasizes cloud infrastructure and backend capabilities. This is a reflection of its respective strengths, with Shopify being ideal for businesses with at least some physical retail needs and BigCommerce focusing on robust online operations.

Shopify vs BigCommerce: Pricing

Shopify offers tiered pricing with 3 primary plans: Basic Shopify at $39/month ($29/month annually), Shopify at $105/month ($79/month annually), and Advanced Shopify at $399/month ($299/month annually). Each plan has increasingly more functionality and lower transaction fees, from 2.9% + $0.30 for Basic to 2.5% + $0.30 for Advanced when paying with Shopify Payments. Third-party payment processors incur additional transaction fees.

BigCommerce replicates Shopify's framework with Standard at $39/month ($29/month annually), Plus at $105/month ($79/month annually), and Pro at $399/month ($299/month annually). The biggest difference is that BigCommerce does not charge transaction fees on top of payment gateways. BigCommerce does impose sales limits, though, that can compel upgrades to higher levels - Standard supports up to $50,000 in yearly sales, Plus up to $180,000, and Pro up to $400,000.

BigCommerce is less expensive for most businesses due to the absence of transaction fees and more extensive built-in features, which can eliminate the need for paid add-ons. Shopify's pricing, however, is better when paying with Shopify Payments, and its annual payment terms provide a material discount of up to 25% for all plans.

Shopify vs BigCommerce: Final verdict

Based on the general overview of features, usability, support, security, tools, and prices, Shopify leads with its ease of use and vast app store, making it perfect for beginners and small businesses expanding. Meanwhile, BigCommerce provides better built-in functionality and no transaction fees, making it better suited for established businesses looking for end-to-end out-of-the-box capability.

The decision between the two, therefore, depends on specific business requirements, with Shopify leading in customizability through apps and BigCommerce providing better native capability.

Shopify is well established as one of the best ecommerce platforms thanks to its all-in-one comprehensive digital commerce tool kit. Today, the platform powers more than five million merchants globally with advanced capabilities in customization, inventory management, and integration with hundreds of the best payment gateways. Shopify offers everything from simple online shops to enterprise-level ecommerce solutions with robust marketing and a large app marketplace, starting at just $39/month.

Square started as a mobile payment solution, but has become a major ecommerce player with its one-click website builder and payment processor. It's also unique in offering one of the best free website builder plans as its foundation with a simple pricing scheme on top of it, making it especially appealing to smaller companies and brick-and-mortar stores creating online shops. With integration between physical and digital sales channels, Square performs better when it comes to the essential inventory management system and basic marketing tools.

Although both platforms target the ecommerce market, they cater to very different groups of online merchants. Shopify appears to be the more comprehensive approach for businesses that primarily focus on online sales. Square, on the other hand, brands itself as the right platform for businesses focused heavily on in-person sales but also requiring a good online presence.

Shopify vs Square: Features

Shopify is an all-in-one ecommerce beast with a range of built-in ecommerce features. It includes unlimited products, strong inventory management, and integration with over 100 payment gateways, allowing more flexibility to create a business that fits you perfectly. An expansive app marketplace with over 6,000 integrations lets merchants extend functionality in just about any direction, while built-in tools like abandoned cart recovery, automatic tax calculations, and multi-currency support come as standard.

Square comes at features from a distinct perspective, with its focus on how online and offline sales can bridge together. Unlike Shopify, which only allows 100 variants, the platform allows you to list unlimited products with up to 250 product variants per item. Features like inventory tracking, local delivery options, and basic marketing tools are included in the Square free plan, but advanced functionality like abandoned cart recovery is only available on higher-tier plans.

Shopify is better equipped for pure ecommerce, offering one of the best website builders for online shops. But, Square shines at unifying physical and digital sales, even if it misses out on dropshipping support. That said, both platforms offer inventory management and point-of-sale integrations.

Shopify vs Square: Ease of use

Shopify has a clean, easy-to-navigate front end and a thorough onboarding process, with step-by-step instructions. Its dashboard is laid out logically, enabling easy navigation of the different sections like Orders, Products, and Marketing - although some advanced customization options may need technical knowledge or professional help.

Square adopts a more simplified view of store set-up and does most of the technical heavy lifting for you automatically. With its drag-and-drop editor, changes to store elements are made instantly, allowing for more flexibility than the section-based editor of Shopify. Setup is simple and requires minimal input - enter business details, pick features, and upload a logo.

While both perform well in the various user experience categories, Square does pull slightly ahead in the ease with which you can set it all up. But do note that Shopify comes with more powerful features and customization capability, in exchange for a steeper learning curve. Square makes no pretenses about it and chooses to get businesses up and running without delay, appealing to merchants that require limited customization.

Shopify vs Square: Customer support

In 2025, Shopify redesigned its entire customer support model for their Help Center, transitioning from using conventional phone & email customer support to AI. AI now acts as a first point of contact for all support queries, such as creating support tickets and offering instant answers for common questions. You can only access human support advisors for complex issues after interacting with the AI assistant. However, the system is available 24/7, which can be useful for merchants in different time zones.

Square has a traditionalist multi-channel support approach but with caveats. Support is offered via email and live chat, and the staff monitors all questions during business hours. One of the strongest advantages of Square over other services is that they offer a free card reader and include basic support with any of your plans, making them a great option for small businesses. The platform also provides a wide array of self-service resources on their Support Center, with in-depth articles and video tutorials.

On one hand, Square provides direct human interaction, but its hours are limited. On the other hand, Shopify is available at all times with an AI-first approach. While they both have a large amount of self-help resources available, Shopify's move towards AI-driven support could pose a learning curve for merchants used to traditional support channels.

Shopify vs Square: Security

Shopify uses SSL encryption, DDoS attack protection, and stiff PCI compliance standards to maintain safety. In 2025, the platform introduced a series of security enhancements, including an improvement in 2FA and an update to the hCaptcha-based challenge, moving away from the security of using reCAPTCHA. This ensures that the merchants using this platform do not have to worry much about security updates and patches, as the platform takes care of it all automatically.

Shopify simply takes care of the security for you, implementing the latest in fraud prevention tools that provide real-time analysis and risk assessment for every order. The platform, however, requires some technical knowledge for effective implementation, as it allows to customize security settings extensively.

Square implements a security approach that focuses on securing merchants and customers alike; encrypting payment information and implementing monitoring systems. All payment information (whether via chip and pin, magstripe, or contactless payments) is encrypted by the platform at the time of the transaction. Square's infrastructure is located in highly-secure facilities monitored by dedicated security staff 24/7 with full PCI-DSS compliance.

Square offers built-in fraud prevention and transaction monitoring through an integrated system, a feature it calls “security by integration.” Square's custom algorithms automatically identify and freeze suspicious activity, growing in effectiveness as its user base expands. But, a strong technical team is required on the merchant side to set up a secure solution.

Both platforms take security seriously, but in different ways. Shopify gives you customizable security options with more advanced features. Square has a more streamlined, automated security system. For merchants, it may be down to whether they prefer Square’s easier security management or Shopify’s more configurable but harder to set up security infrastructure.

Shopify vs Square: Tools, add-ons, and extras

Shopify has transformed its platform through AI-powered automation tools that simplify operations for merchants. Shopify Magic is the overarching AI suite, assisting in creating SEO-friendly content, product descriptions, and marketing materials - all while upholding brand voice consistency. New features, including an updated search experience, faster load times, and enhanced analytics tools, were debuted in the platform's Winter 2025 release with over 150 feature enhancements.

With over 6,000 apps available, Shopify's app ecosystem gives merchants access to powerful customization features and specialized tools for almost any business use-case. Eliminating expensive integrations, their unified commerce approach cuts down on operational complexity and allows retailers to focus on innovating their business.

Square offers practical business tools geared toward merchants, including Square Virtual Terminal for remote billing, Afterpay for purchase payments in installments, and built-in subscription management. They also offer banking services such as Square Checking with a no-fee business debit card, and Square Savings to automatically allocate sales.

10 new generative AI features have been added to automate operations and bring velocity to workflows. Some of the use cases include AI-written menu generators, photo environments for product visualization in eCommerce, and AI agents for customer support. The range of tools available, whether natively or through its vast add-on marketplace, includes email marketing, loyalty programs, team management, and banking services. All of it is priced between $4 per employee for basic tools to $45 per month for more advanced loyalty programs.

Both platforms are investing massively in AI and automation, but they approach extras differently. Shopify highlights an all-around ecosystem focused on integration and customization, while Square take a more narrow and purpose-built approach with business and financial tools that target specific areas of operation.

Shopify vs Square: Hardware

Shopify sells a range of POS hardware, with the Shopify Countertop Kit costing $459 and the Wireless Countertop Kit going for $999. Comprised of tablet mounts, barcode scanners, receipt printers, cash drawers, and other hardware solutions, these bundles provide high-quality tools compatible with both iOS and Android devices.

Square's family of hardware products includes the Square Stand ($149), Square Terminal ($299), and different bundles such as the Square Register Kit ($1,219), all giving you flexible payment options with monthly financing. Recently, they made offline payment capabilities for hardware available to their entire lineup, so that sellers can process transactions even without constant internet connectivity.

Although the two solutions offer full-stack hardware services, their core audiences are different. Shopify positions its hardware around integrated retail operations with large upfront costs into the hardware. Square includes more flexible options to lower the entry point with financing alternatives to enable smaller operations.

Shopify vs Square: Pricing

In 2025, Shopify still maintains a tiered pricing structure with three core plans: Basic Shopify ($39/month), Shopify ($105/month), and Advanced Shopify ($399/month). Basic has the highest transaction fee of 2.9% + 30¢, but the Advanced plan comes with a reduced transaction fee of 2.4% + 30¢ for online payments. The platform includes a 3-day free trial followed by $1/month for three months, with merchants saving up to 25% on an annual payment.

Square is more flexible with its pricing, offering a free basic plan, then Plus at $89/month, and finally Premium with custom pricing. You pay transaction fees starting at 2.6% + 10¢ for in-person payments and 2.9% + 30¢ for online payments, with lower rates available for higher-tier plans. Square has additional services such as email marketing and loyalty programs available as separate add-ons, allowing businesses to tailor solutions to what they really need.

While both platforms take a subscription-based approach, Square offers the most affordable solution for businesses just starting out or on a budget with its free plan and overall straightforward pricing structure. But, Shopify is better suited to expanding businesses which require advanced features and can benefit from volume discounts on transaction fees.

Shopify vs Square: Final verdict

The unending Shopify vs Square debate ultimately boils down to your business' growth trajectory in 2025. Shopify attracts serious ecommerce operations because it offers the most scalability and customization, with a powerful app ecosystem fit for serious growth. On the other hand, Square might be the better choice for businesses that value in-store sales or are new to going online, thanks to a free plan and offline payment processing.

• Some Amazon Shopping app users are being redirected to other sellers’ websites
• Some external sellers will still work with ‘Buy with Prime’
• More US customers could get the feature soon

Despite being the go-to ecommerce platform for millions worldwide, there are times that Amazon might not have stock of a certain product in its warehouses, but it has now thought up a new way of dealing with the resulting lost custom.

The company is testing a new feature in its shopping app that redirects users to other brands’ websites if it doesn’t have that particular product in stock.

Speaking of Amazon, do go and check out our live coverage of Amazon's Presidents' Day sale if you're after a bargain.

In a blog post, Amazon wrote: “We’ll show select products in our search results even if we don’t sell them in our store, and link to the brand’s website to make it easy for customers to purchase them there.”

Amazon will redirect shoppers to other brands’ sites

In its announcement, the Seattle giant boasted of the more than 300 million items it carries that are available with fast, free Prime delivery, and the hundreds of millions of products it sells in total.

“We’re testing bringing more selection and brands into our search results to help customers find even more of what they want and further improve our shopping experience for customers," said Rajiv Mehta, Amazon’s VP of search and conversational shopping.

Amazon highlighted that, if a brand has ‘Buy with Prime’ enabled, they will still be able to benefit from the associated benefits, such as 24/7 customer support and speedy delivery.

Mehta added: “We’re always experimenting with new ways to make it easier for customers to find products they want and need when they search in the Amazon Shopping app.”

The upgraded feature is currently being tested with an undisclosed “subset of US customers” using the Amazon Shopping app on iOS and Android, but there’s no word on a wider rollout. The company added: “We’ll roll out to more US customers and incorporate more brands based on feedback.”

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• Daisy, an AI grandma, wastes scammers’ time with small talk about scones, knitting, and nostalgia for 40 minutes at a time.
• O2’s experiment proves AI can disrupt fraudsters by keeping them on pointless, never-ending calls.
• Future versions of Daisy could feature different accents and personalities to further frustrate scammers.

Daisy, an AI-powered bot built to annoy scammers, was announced two months ago – and now O2 has released some examples of the AI grandma in action.

Scammers can waste your time even if they don't take your money, but O2 has proven that Daisy (or dAIsy) can mess with con artists just as well as they mess with others. Daisy loves reminiscing about the good old days, and she’ll happily waste a fraudster’s time talking about scones instead of handing over personal banking details. Instead of just blocking fraudulent calls, Daisy picks up, engages, and keeps scammers on the line, frustrating them with a never-ending stream of dithering small talk.

O2, a British telecommunications provider, developed Daisy at the end of last year to demonstrate how artificial intelligence could be used to fight back against phone fraud and it has proven to be quite successful since. The bot was trained using real scam call data, so it recognizes the tricks scammers use to manipulate their victims. But instead of falling for their tactics, Daisy responds with an expertly crafted mix of confusion, politeness, and sheer time-wasting. When a scammer tries to convince her to download a malicious program, she might spend five minutes looking for her glasses, then another ten reminiscing about how her grandson usually helps her with “all this newfangled technology.” By the time she’s asking whether they prefer biscuits or pastries, the scammer is already losing patience, and it's 40 minutes later.

Thanks Grandma

One of the calls O2 shared features a scammer attempting to convince Daisy that her computer is full of viruses. The fraudster, expecting an easy mark, instead finds himself stuck on the line with a woman who can’t seem to figure out where her Internet Explorer icon is. “Oh dear, I see something here that says ‘Save As’—does that help, dear?” she asks sweetly. When the scammer finally snaps that her “profession is bothering people,” she responds with an innocent, “Oh, I wouldn’t want to bother anyone. I just thought we were having a nice chat!”

O2 deployed Daisy into the wild, planting fake contact numbers on websites that scammers often target. Once the calls started rolling in, Daisy went to work, engaging fraudsters in conversations that led absolutely nowhere. Some scammers eventually caught on and realized they were speaking to an AI bot, but not before wasting a lot of time that they could have spent targeting real victims. In some cases, scammers even passed Daisy’s number around their call centers, each one trying and failing to get useful information out of her.

In a world where scammers operate at an industrial scale, wasting their time is more than just a minor inconvenience; it’s a real disruption to their business model. The more time they spend talking to Daisy, the less time they have to con actual people. Even if Daisy doesn’t single-handedly bring down the scamming industry, she does her bit and can help raise awareness of how common it is for scammers to try and trick people.

O2 hasn't mentioned any plans to roll Daisy out on a larger scale, but the experiment has proven that AI has the potential to be a powerful tool in combating fraud. Future versions of Daisy could include different accents, personalities, or even local slang to make her even harder to detect as an AI. Until then, we’ll have to settle for the idea of an AI grandmother wasting scammer time, armed with nothing but a warm demeanor and an endless supply of off-topic anecdotes.

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Every year, the end of Autumn marks a period of major sales. Starting with Singles Day and Black Friday and continuing to the Christmas shopping spree, consumers are desperately searching for big discounts. According to a UK-based survey, 67% of respondents feel that growing living costs pressure them to look for deals, and 71% believe this helps them save money. But does it, really?

For years, tech products have been among the most susceptible to manipulative pricing, figuring in previous fake discounts research in the UK, France, and the US. Conducted during Black Friday 2024, the latter study found that 37% of the hottest tech products saw significant price hikes just before the event, making Black Friday’s offer look like a major deal. However, the study tracked fewer than a hundred products, prompting the question of whether this trend can be observed more widely.

To get a more comprehensive review of the tech market deals, we decided to employ Oxylabs’ extensive data collection infrastructure and examine the prevalence of manipulative discounts in two major US marketplaces. We used our Web Scraper API to track almost 10 thousand unique tech products from August 13 to November 29, 2024, and here is what we found.

What is a fake discount? From legal definition to consumer utility

During our research, we tracked publicly available pricing data from 9714 unique products using US locations. We were especially interested in Black Friday 2024 and the discounts offered on this particular day. We based our research on legal definitions established in California, as it is considered to have the most explicitly defined rules — under Californian law, a ‘fake discount’ is observed if the seller cannot prove that discounted items have been regularly offered at their advertised former prices for a period of 3 months right before the discount.

After analyzing case law and recommendations, we decided to treat advertised former prices as “regularly offered” (or prevailing) in those cases when they were explicitly present at least 50% of the time during the 3 months period right before the discount. The drill was simple: if product X's advertised former price was 270$ on Black Friday day, we checked if this product was actually offered for 270$ at least 50% of the time (45 days) in the 3-month period prior to the event.

We observed pricing data on an hourly basis, meaning that every unique product URL has been monitored 24 times per day. All tech products were randomly selected from different product departments; however, we made sure our analysis covered the most popular tech categories, such as video games, computers, cell phones, wearable technology, etc.

Furthermore, when analyzing data, we noticed that some discounts might not violate the laws but still be exploitative and unethical towards the consumer. Thus, we decided to perform additional research and check if consumers really benefited from the Black Friday promotions in major US marketplaces. To do so, we analyzed whether people could buy discounted Black Friday products for less money one week, two weeks, a month, and two months prior to this event. Because if they really could, waiting for Black Friday to hunt a major tech deal saved them no money.

Suspicious discounts — 75% of cases

The first thing that struck us when analyzing data was that out of 4645 discounted tech products offered on Black Friday day, only 2786 met the main criterion — they were sold in the marketplace for at least 90 days during the observed 3-month period. All others occurred on the marketplaces fleetingly, sometimes being listed for a few days only.

Out of these 2786 products, 75% (2099 tech products in total) didn’t meet the main legal criterion — their advertised former prices were not regularly offered for a substantial period of time before the Black Friday discount. The worst situation could be observed in the following categories: wearable technology (86.1%), cameras and photography equipment (81.1%), computers and their accessories (81.2%), and video games (80.4%). The cell phones category saw the least violations — 65% of cases.

Seeing these numbers, we wondered how tech categories compare to non-tech ones. During the entire research period, starting with August 13, 2024, we monitored prices for over 61 thousand different products in both tech and non-tech categories. Aggregated analysis of tech and non-tech products showed that 60% of the deals didn’t meet the main legal criterion, compared to 75% when analyzing only tech products. It roughly confirms that tech products are more susceptible to ‘fake’ deals — a suspicion already raised by previous research.

At this point, we can draw two conclusions. First, three out of four discounted tech products in two major US marketplaces on Black Friday could have been fake discounts or, at best, manipulative deals. Unfortunately, we cannot prove it undeniably due to the reasons presented below, which brings us to the second part of the research.

Legal yet exploitative? The consumer utility

If the product was listed for a shorter period than 90 days, to see if the discount is genuine, one must check whether the advertised reference price was a prevailing market price, i.e., perform competitor analysis. However, anyone with experience in ecommerce web intelligence knows that acquiring reliable competitor pricing data retrospectively is nearly impossible. There is also an option to check if the seller clearly and conspicuously stated in the advertisement the date when the alleged former price did prevail. However, it is unclear where and how this data should be presented on the marketplace’s website.

Thus, we witness a huge gap in legal regulation, at least in the US. In the case of digital commerce, the 90-day period is excessive as the majority of small sellers do not keep the products in the marketplace for so long — global ecommerce is too dynamic. However, in cases when sellers do not follow this requirement, it is extremely complicated for consumers or regulatory institutions to factually prove a ‘fake discount.’

To see if consumers really benefit from the questionable Black Friday tech ‘deals,’ we performed additional analysis and checked whether the consumers could save money buying the same products before the Black Friday event. Web intelligence we gathered showed that the discounted Black Friday price was the lowest price during the entire week prior to Black Friday in only 27% of cases. The remaining 73% of tech deals were not saving consumers any money.

The situation looks more positive when we look at product prices at least a couple of weeks before Black Friday event:

• 2 weeks prior to Black Friday — Black Friday price was the lowest price in 72% of cases;
• One month prior to Black Friday — Black Friday price was the lowest price in 78% of cases;
• Two months prior to Black Friday — Black Friday price was the lowest price in 83% of cases;
• Three months prior to Black Friday — Black Friday price was the lowest price in 85% of cases.

And yet, we can still infer from this data that only 1 out of 4 consumers could undoubtedly benefit from waiting specifically for the Black Friday instead of buying a product on any other day a week before the event. Moreover, we cannot be sure that the product’s price wasn’t artificially inflated at some point before the Black Friday as the first part of our research showed most deals do not strictly comply with legal regulation.

Hunting for deals in the age of AI

Although a significant percentage of suspicious discounts in major US marketplaces indeed surprised us, the trend isn’t new. Moreover, it has already been observed in other countries. In 2022, the European Commission inspected Black Friday sales, revealing that around 25% of price reduction announcements were inconsistent with EU law. An earlier study that monitored Black Friday deals in the UK showed that 85% of the discounted products had cost the same or less six months earlier.

Unfortunately, legal regulation alone is not enough to protect consumers. On the one hand, AI-driven web intelligence solutions enable regulators to keep tabs on thousands of websites simultaneously and monitor pricing changes on a large scale with relatively small resources. On the other hand, if the laws are too vague or don't meet the new reality of the digital economy, they become fictional documents preventing efficient ways to enforce the rules.

AI tools make it easier for sellers to perform complex pricing manipulations. Unfortunately, manipulative discounts aren't the only trap awaiting online shoppers in 2025. A recent study by originality.ai showed that during Black Friday, almost a third of product reviews from major ecommerce platforms, including Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, were likely AI-generated. This makes it even harder for consumers to understand if the seller is reliable and the product is worth the money.

With AI bringing both positive and negative effects to the e-commerce industry, consumers should stay aware of many different manipulation tactics and think twice before getting caught in the hunt for ‘deals.’ Major tech news websites have regular articles about good tech deals in big marketplaces — this information might help if you are planning to buy some gadget. It feels just rational to try to save a penny, but it's worth remembering that some tech deals, especially during major shopping events, might be nothing more than ghost discounts.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Amazon is UPS’s biggest customer, but not its most profitable
• UPS says it will slash its Amazon deal by over 50% to help profitability
• Amazon will “continue to partner with [UPS]”

UPS has announced plans to reduce its shipping volumes for Amazon by “more than 50%” under a revised agreement with the global ecommerce giant.

The change will come into effect by the second half of 2026, with UPS CEO Carol Tomé indicating the cause being that Amazon is not the delivery company’s most profitable customer, despite being its biggest.

Amazon only accounted for 11% of UPS’s $91.1 billion revenue in 2024, down from 13.3% in 2020 when pandemic-induced online shopping saw figures rise.

UPS to cut down on Amazon shipments

Speaking at UPS's Q4 2024 earnings, Tomé stated: “We are making business and operational changes that, along with the foundational changes we’ve already made, will put us further down the path to becoming a more profitable, agile and differentiated UPS that is growing in the best parts of the market.”

The company’s most recent full quarter brought in $25.3 billion in revenue, up a mere 1.5% year-over-year. Current predictions suggest that total annual revenue for 2025 could drop to $89.0 billion, down from $91.1 billion in 2024.

Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel told TechRadar Pro: “Due to their operational needs, UPS requested a reduction in volume and we certainly respect their decision. We’ll continue to partner with them and many other carriers to serve our customers.”

It’s not the first time Amazon has lost delivery slots with a third-party firm – in 2019, FedEx ended its contract with the retail giant.

Amazon has also been busy building up its own delivery team, as alongside its own fleet of vehicles, the company also operates a Delivery Service Partner program to help SMBs across the US play their role in last-mile delivery, giving them another revenue stream.

UPS has also been busy cutting costs to address poor financial growth. In January 2024, it laid off 12,000 workers as part of an effort to claw back $1 billion in savings.

Amazon told us that the company had previously offered to increase UPS' volumes, and that it has a strong working relationship with the delivery partner.

UPS declined to offer any further comments beyond what was announced on its earnings call.

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• Square report finds more than four in five restaurant and beauty leaders want to use more AI
• Businesses are spending more time on hiring and operations than before
• Companies are investing in their payment experiences with the rise of BNPL

If you run an ecommerce business, then payment gateway giant Square reckons you will have an expensive year ahead, with considerable investments anticipated across the board.

Following a recent announcement by UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves on how the country's government plans to stimulate economic growth, Square’s ‘Future of Commerce’ report explores how businesses plan to tackle the “triple challenge” of sustained high inflation, shrinking consumer spend, and the need to raise prices.

Key to future investments is artificial intelligence, with many businesses hoping to realize productivity boosts to tackle operational and financial efficiency.

UK businesses are investing to cut costs

Square found 85% of restaurant leaders plan to invest in AI and automation, with staff marketing and promotions (77%), inventory management (77%), payments (76%), and menu optimization (76%) all hopeful areas for improvement.

“As businesses continue to face economic pressures, we’re seeing them invest in growth and experimentation as they find new, streamlined ways to work and deliver exceptional customer service – particularly through using time-saving and experience-enhancing technology," noted Square UK Executive Director Samina Hussain-Letch.

Businesses are looking to acquire and maintain connections with their customers – 71% are planning to increase investment in their loyalty or reward schemes. Restaurant leaders are following suit with 83% of them agreeing such programs help increase order size, encourage repeat visits, and deliver ROI.

The study also found that 73% of leaders now spend more time on hiring than they did a year ago, with 75% spending more time on business operations.

In other areas, retailers are looking to merge the physical and digital shopping experience for a more seamless transaction.

It’s worth mentioning that it is not just eateries that are looking to cash in on customers – 84% of beauty workers are also looking to use AI and automation to help with marketing and inventory management over the next year.

UK consumers heavily rely on the Buy Now, Pay Later market and it is set to rise from £30 billion to £47 billion by 2029 – a 57% increase.

Looking ahead, the need for further digitization of business processes, both operationally and customer-facing, is evident, and companies that are willing to stay ahead of the curve will see the best outcomes.

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The IT industry is undergoing seismic change as businesses adapt to a rapidly evolving technological landscape. Emerging trends such as generative AI, sustainable computing, and secure enterprise infrastructure are pushing organizations to rethink their approaches to scalability, energy efficiency, and innovation. These shifts are not merely incremental—they are transformative, reshaping the foundation of IT strategy for years to come.

Bold leaders are tasked with solving unprecedented challenges, including meeting increasing demand for compute power while maintaining operational sustainability. The rise of AI-driven workloads is placing new pressures on IT infrastructure, requiring companies to adopt architectures capable of delivering high performance at scale.

Simultaneously, the need for energy-efficient solutions is accelerating innovation in both hardware design and data center management, ensuring these systems remain cost-effective and environmentally responsible. Moreover, decision-makers must ensure their strategies align with growing concerns over data sovereignty, addressing regulatory demands while protecting sensitive assets.

From maximizing data center efficiency to adopting renewable energy solutions, companies face both challenges and opportunities as they prepare for the demands of tomorrow. The trends discussed here demand a holistic approach that balances innovation with responsibility, ensuring that technology not only meets current needs but also paves the way for a sustainable and secure future.

1.From Experimentation to Execution: Generative AI Inference Takes Center Stage

Generative AI is transitioning from merely experimental AI tools to fully integrated solutions that provide substantial business value. While the past year focused on chatbot use cases, largely using public data, the future lies in applying generative AI to private, secure datasets to create even more valuable tools. Enterprises in sectors like finance, insurance, and ecommerce are poised to adopt these technologies to extract meaningful insights from proprietary data.

Deployment flexibility will be critical. As AI workloads expand into diverse environments — on-premises, edge, and air- gapped hosting facilities — latency-sensitive applications will demand infrastructure closer to users, deployed in existing data centers and PoPs. Moreover, inference is no longer a standalone workload. Supporting tasks like retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and app integration will require robust, general-purpose compute alongside AI-specialized resources, emphasizing efficiency and scalability.

2.Powering the Future: Renewable Energy Growth Plus Efficiency Gains

As compute demands surge, so does the need for power. However, overloaded grids and geographic power constraints are forcing industries to seek new solutions. Renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal are gaining traction as smaller, regionally distributed data centers emerge. These projects will take more time than is available to meet the immediate demands of IT infrastructure growth.

Efficiency, however, cannot wait. To avoid bringing new non-renewable energy sources online or prolonging their life in the short-term, hardware optimization will play a pivotal role in reducing power requirements. Replacing older, power- hungry systems with modern, efficient processors can dramatically cut energy use, making existing infrastructure more sustainable. This efficiency shift is critical to balancing the need for more energy with responsible environmental stewardship.

3.The Rise of Density: Maximizing Every Rack and Data Center’s Potential

Given the rapid increase in demand for AI compute, density at scale has become the new benchmark for efficiency in computing. Solutions are being built not at the node level, but at the rack and data center level. This means that organizations are moving toward maximizing workloads per rack by fully utilizing available hardware. Unlike legacy systems, where resources were often underutilized due to inefficiencies, modern architectures are designed to eliminate waste and improve average utilization at rack and data center scale without the negative side-effects of unpredictability.

The challenge of optimizing density at the solutions level is not limited to AI-only workloads. Certain AI workloads, particularly inference, are driving infrastructure changes to accommodate mixed-use environments, where general purpose compute density matters as well. In software engineering organizations, more efficient virtualization and containerization technologies combined with more efficient containers and power aware coding practices will enable better partitioning of resources, allowing enterprises to achieve higher utilization rates without compromising performance.

4.Sovereignty and Security: Enterprise AI on the Rise

Data sovereignty and security will heavily influence AI deployment strategies in 2025. Enterprises are increasingly aware of the value of their proprietary datasets, treating them as competitive assets. This shift will mean that AI inference workloads run not only on public hyperscale clouds, but also in more secure environments like private clouds, on- premises data centers or privately hosted facilities.

The risk of data breaches and tampering with AI algorithms underscores the need for secure, isolated infrastructure. As enterprises compete on AI-driven innovation, the ability to safeguard intellectual property and sensitive information will become a cornerstone of success. Furthermore, this trend will expand the role of enterprise-owned compute resources, creating a more decentralized and secure AI ecosystem. This sovereignty and security requirement combined with the need to place computing resources closer to users will disperse computing resource and give rise to a more compute heavy edge architecture.

Summary

The trends outlined here reflect a fundamental shift in how businesses harness technology to drive efficiency, cybersecurity, and innovation. Generative AI is advancing from experimentation to execution, energy optimization is becoming non- negotiable, and maximizing data center density has emerged as the new benchmark for scalable infrastructure. At the same time, the emphasis on data sovereignty and security will ensure enterprises remain in control of their competitive assets.

Organizations that succeed in this rapidly evolving environment will prioritize agility, leveraging AI-driven insights to optimize operations while addressing pressing concerns such as resource constraints and regulatory compliance. These efforts will not only improve performance but also position companies as leaders in the drive toward a sustainable future.

Forward-thinking businesses will explore partnerships that enable them to expand capabilities while minimizing risks, ensuring sustained growth in the face of uncertainty. Investments in cutting-edge architectures, renewable energy integration, and secure AI deployments will form the backbone of IT strategies in 2025 and beyond. By aligning innovation with accountability, businesses can unlock lasting competitive advantages while fostering resilience in the face of constant change.

Organizations ready to embrace these shifts will not only overcome today’s challenges but also set the stage for sustained leadership in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Study claims dynamic pricing creates competitive advantages for retailers
• AI enhances real-time pricing adjustments across platforms
• Savvy shoppers track prices for optimal savings

Dynamic pricing has become a cornerstone of modern ecommerce platforms, which increasingly adjust product prices in real-time based on factors such as demand, competition, seasonality, and even localized market conditions.

Unlike traditional fixed pricing, dynamic pricing strategies allow businesses to react swiftly to shifts in the market, helping them to stay competitive and maximize profits. For consumers, this approach means prices can fluctuate frequently, creating both opportunities for savings and challenges in keeping track of the best deals.

With AI and machine learning becoming integral to ecommerce, dynamic pricing is now more sophisticated, with algorithms that analyze vast amounts of data to optimize pricing around the clock.

Good for business, bad for consumer?

Now, a report by Decodo (formerly Smartproxy) has revealed the top five ecommerce platforms with the most fluctuating prices.

Amazon.com leads the way in dynamic pricing, with an average of 12.6 price changes per day, leveraging advanced algorithms to make real-time adjustments. By constantly monitoring competitors, demand, and inventory levels, Amazon ensures its products remain competitively priced, with some reports claiming it updates its prices every 10 minutes.

On the other hand, Amazon’s Canadian site, Amazon.ca, employs a tailored dynamic pricing model that aligns with Canadian market trends. Averaging 4.3 price changes daily, Amazon.ca uses automated repricing tools to keep up with local demand and competitor prices, providing Canadian sellers the flexibility to adjust pricing quickly.

Walmart's Canadian site ranks second for price changes per day, with the report showing it updates around seven times, with supply and demand, seasonality, and promotions all factoring in to the calculation of new prices.

Home furnishings store Wayfair.com uses dynamic pricing as a core component of its strategy. With around 3.6 price adjustments per day, Wayfair also tailors its prices based on seasonality, demand fluctuations, and inventory data.

Rounding out the list, BestBuy.com averages 2.6 price changes per day, using dynamic pricing to respond to competitor promotions and local product availability. Best Buy’s Price Match Guarantee and AI-powered tools further support frequent adjustments, making it a preferred destination for tech-savvy shoppers. By forecasting demand shifts, BestBuy effectively manages its pricing to remain competitive in the U.S. electronics and home appliances market.

“Our industry-first Dynamic Pricing Index was designed to provide a holistic view of the global ecommerce landscape. By evaluating local and regional websites across 40 countries using carefully chosen criteria, we ensured a comprehensive assessment of ecommerce platforms that use dynamic pricing” said Vytautas Savickas, CEO at Decodo.

“This data reflects the popularity of the usage of dynamic pricing as well as any price change patterns in the market. We believe that our Dynamic Pricing Index will become a go-to source for various ecommerce businesses that want to improve their user experience, and the whole report will keep savvy online shoppers informed about the most recent developments in this extremely competitive landscape," Savickas added.

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In today’s hyper-connected world, data has become the lifeblood of modern businesses. Whether you’re a small e-ecommerce shop or a large multinational corporation, your success often hinges on how effectively you can harness data to make smart, informed decisions. From understanding customer behavior to optimizing marketing campaigns, data-driven decision-making is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity.

As organizations increasingly recognize the power of data, the demand for sophisticated tools to manage this invaluable resource is surging. The customer relationship management (CRM) software market is booming — and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Fortune Business Insights predicts the global market will nearly double in size, reaching $157 billion by 2030, up from $71 billion in 2023.

However, as businesses strive to become more data-centric, many find themselves facing a confusing challenge. How do you navigate the vast sea of tech tools designed to manage and leverage customer data? Two of the most prominent solutions are Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and Customer Data Platforms (CDPs). But here’s where the dilemma kicks in: while both seem to offer powerful ways to manage customer data, they serve very different purposes.

So, which one is right for your business? Is there a way to combine their strengths? In this article, we’ll break down the key differences between CDPs and CRMs, explore their unique functions, and help you make an informed decision on which tool — or combination of tools — best fits your needs.

What is a CRM?

At its core, CRM software is like your business’s personal assistant for keeping track of customer relationships. Think of it as a centralized hub where every interaction with a customer is neatly organized, so nothing falls through the cracks — whether it's a potential sale, an important email, or a customer service request.

The main function of a CRM is to help businesses manage and optimize the relationships they have with their customers. It keeps track of who your customers are, how and when you’ve interacted with them, and where they are in the sales process. For sales teams, it's the ultimate tool for turning a lead into a loyal customer. For customer service teams, it's all about ensuring the customer feels heard and valued.

Typical features of a CRM

Here are some of the key features that make CRM systems invaluable for modern businesses:

Contact and lead management: At a glance, you can see every customer or lead’s detailed information and history, from phone numbers and emails to their last conversation with your team.

Sales tracking and forecasting: CRMs help you see where every prospect is in the sales funnel, making it easier to forecast revenue and plan your next move.

Customer interaction history: CRMs keep a record of all interactions, so anyone in your team can pick up where things left off.

Task and project management: You can set tasks, assign responsibilities, and track progress on customer-related projects, so no one drops the ball.

When should you choose a CRM?

A CRM is best suited for companies that prioritize sales, customer service, and relationship management. It helps teams keep track of who their customers are, how and when they’ve interacted, and what actions need to be taken to move those relationships forward.

What is a CDP?

A CDP is the ultimate tool for businesses that need to make sense of the growing mountain of customer data coming from multiple sources. Unlike a CRM, which focuses on managing interactions and relationships, a CDP’s main job is to collect and unify scattered data — from website activity to email interactions — into one comprehensive view. In today’s digital world, where customers interact with brands across many channels, a CDP helps marketers connect the dots and truly understand who their customers are.

At its heart, a CDP gathers and organizes customer data from various sources to create unified profiles that paint a complete picture of each individual. This data can come from your website, mobile app, email marketing campaigns, social media, or even in-store purchases. The magic of a CDP lies in its ability to combine all these touchpoints into one clean, actionable profile that can be used to drive personalized marketing at scale. It’s a powerhouse for any business that wants to truly understand its customers and tailor experiences to their preferences and behaviors.

Typical Features of a CDP

The true power of a CDP lies in its ability to bring together all the fragmented pieces of customer data and turn them into something actionable. Here’s a closer look at the key features that make a CDP so effective:

Centralized data from various channels: Whether it’s website clicks, social media engagement, or email open rates, a CDP pulls data from all available touchpoints into one place.

Unified customer profiles: By aggregating data, a CDP builds detailed profiles for each customer, helping you understand their behaviors, preferences, and buying habits.

Advanced segmentation for personalized marketing: With rich data at your fingertips, a CDP allows you to segment your audience based on a variety of factors, enabling hyper-targeted campaigns that feel personal and relevant.

Integration with marketing tools: CDPs don’t just collect data — they integrate with your existing marketing tools, like email platforms and ad networks, to help you deliver seamless, data-driven campaigns.

When should you choose a CDP?

A CDP is the right choice for businesses that want to harness the full potential of customer data to fuel personalized marketing efforts. If your organization is looking to create a unified view of customer interactions across channels and use that data to drive hyper-targeted campaigns, then a CDP is the way to go.

Can you use both a CRM and CDP?

In an ideal world, many businesses would benefit from using both a CDP and a CRM system. While a CRM excels at tracking customer interactions and managing relationships, a CDP specializes in aggregating and unifying customer data from multiple sources. Together, they provide a 360-degree view of the customer journey, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions that can improve both sales and marketing efforts.

However, budget constraints can often make this impractical. Ultimately, the choice between a CDP and a CRM comes down to your business needs and budget. While having both can provide a comprehensive view of your customers, focusing on one solution doesn't mean you're at a disadvantage. By understanding your primary goals and maximizing the features of your chosen platform, you can effectively manage customer relationships and drive growth — even on a limited budget. If you can, plan for future investments in both systems as your business grows, but for now, choose wisely based on your immediate needs.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• One in five Millennials and Gen Z shoppers are buying on social media every week
• Around nine in 10 don’t even plan their impulse purchases
• There’s still some hesitation around spending big

Millennials and Gen Z are making more impulse buys than older buyers, and lower-cost items are emerging as their preferences, new research has claimed.

Social media-based shopping and weekly purchases also emerged as common traits, highlighting the scale of ecommerce among younger citizens, however their choice of platforms distinguishes Millennials from Gen Z shoppers, a report from GoDaddy has suggested.

To put it into perspective, one in five (21%) Millennial and Gen Z shoppers make several purchases each week on social media, with more than half of each age group shopping at least monthly.

Younger shoppers are impulse buyers

Alarmingly, only one in 10 (9% of Gen Z and 12% of Millennials) plan their purchases in advance, which shows us how powerful advertising can be and how reactive younger buyers are. Categories like clothing (37%), food (22%) and electronics (10%) were among the most popular.

There is still some hesitation, though. For example, 44% of Gen Z and 38% of Millennials won’t spend more than $50 when buying on social media.

In terms of preferred platform, there’s a clear divide between older and younger buyers, with more than half (52%) of Millennials buying from Facebook in the past three months, compared with 31% of Gen Z. On the flip size, 52% of Gen Z have bought from TikTok, with only 37% of Millennials trusting the platform for their purchases. Instagram was the second-most popular platform for both age groups.

The reason many buyers still choose not to spend their money on social media platforms is a lack of trust about a business’s legitimacy. Shipping concerns, high costs or long delivery times also put buyers off.

“Small businesses that have convenient, shoppable posts directly within a social platform will be a step ahead of the competition," noted GoDaddy Trends Expert Amy Jennette. "Entrepreneurs need more than a social profile, otherwise they're leaving money on the table.”

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• Black Friday 2024 weekend saw another record ecommerce sales

In the fast-paced world of ecommerce, fraud is evolving at an alarming rate, meaning many companies struggle to stay ahead of online fraud and abuse.

This problem is never more acute than during retail peak season, as Black Friday approaches, followed by Christmas and the January sales. But the biggest threat for most merchants isn’t organized cybercrime—it’s their own customers.

Over the past decade, we’ve seen customer-led fraud growing rapidly. It’s now common for everyday shoppers to take advantage of generous return and refund policies, buy clothes to wear once and return, and make fake claims about not receiving items (or receiving them in an “unacceptable state”).

Worse still, some consumers are turning to fraud-as-a-service schemes, and particularly “refunds-as-a-service”, where criminal third parties use social engineering and falsified information to get a fraudulent refund for a customer. The customer gets to keep the item and still receive a refund, while the professional fraudster gets a cut of the profit.

For a growing number of consumers, committing these types of fraud has become normalized. They see it as a victimless crime.

Recent Ravelin research into customer fraud found that more than 40% of internet shoppers admit to committing fraud within the last 12 months. Moreover, one in three (36%) are considering committing fraud in the future. First-party fraud (fraud committed by the actual cardholder rather than a professional using stolen card details) is now the top risk factor for ecommerce finance leaders.

And the risks to merchants are considerable. GlobalData estimates that in 2022, UK shoppers returned over £4.1 billion in online clothing orders alone, with predictions that this will grow by 17% by 2027.

How can businesses fight back?

For enterprise companies facing this double threat of organized crime and customer-driven dishonesty, a dedicated fraud team is essential. But they are often stretched too thin. It’s clear that technology must integrate more deeply, giving fraud professionals the speed and precision to respond to increasingly complex fraud.

The best way to do this is to apply engineering principles and automation—primarily artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)—to the rising problem of ecommerce fraud. ML isn’t just an additional layer of protection. It can only be at the core of fraud defense, enabling businesses to block fraud before it happens, by constantly detecting and flagging patterns and anomalies that would otherwise go undetected, and providing recommendations.

Importantly, ML allows for robust fraud and abuse protection at scale. Instead of expecting humans to review each suspicious case manually, its recommendations allow for better decision making when faced with thousands of orders. Humans can thus make better decisions and automate protection from fraud and abuse.

Fraud is becoming increasingly sophisticated, while legitimate customers are evermore demanding and quicker to complain or churn. Merchants need to bring intelligence and automation to fraud if they are to grow.

Growing numbers of merchants are adopting AI-based, real-time tools which detect and block fraud automatically. This enables online businesses to contain fraud risks while maintaining a frictionless experience for genuine customers.

From gathering historical transaction data to fine-tuning models and ongoing human evaluation, the process helps merchants recognize and understand behavioral patterns rather than simply flagging each fraudulent transaction in isolation.

This approach provides fraud leaders and their teams with granular analytics that allow them to usher good, loyal customers through to checkout - without adding undue friction to their customer experience.

Balancing fraud prevention and great customer experiences

Balancing fraud prevention and customer conversions is a priority for many companies. The most effective risk mitigation strategy isn’t just about blocking fraud but ensuring legitimate customers can make their purchases with ease. Attention spans are short and customer loyalty is never guaranteed, so a seamless purchasing experience is crucial.

Using whitebox ML models, which are fully transparent and explainable, means fraud teams can understand each flagged transaction in-depth, and that ML models are constantly improving. As a result, fraud teams can make better decisions, as well as adjust their fraud rules accordingly.

It also means fraud defenses can better spot and respond to new fraud attacks without direct human intervention. Thus, merchants can keep one step ahead of fraudsters without unnecessary friction in legitimate customers’ shopping journeys.

The future of fraud prevention

Ecommerce fraud will only continue to grow and diversify. Professional fraudsters will refine tactics to blend in as genuine customers, while opportunist customers will continue to take advantage of companies and share their methods with other consumers via social media, effectively “democratizing” fraud and abuse against companies.

This means that anti-fraud systems need to evolve rapidly, leveraging vast amounts of data and the benefits of AI to spot fraud and predict it before it happens. Constantly pushing technology to adapt to these shifts is paramount.

The coming years will bring greater integration of AI tools into customer service, payments, and delivery processes. Fraud detection needs to be increasingly embedded into every stage of the customer journey, helping brands catch fraud early and provide a seamless experience for honest customers.

This doesn’t mean asking every single customer to prove they are who they claim to be—quite the opposite. An ML-first approach rewards good customers with minimal friction, in addition to stopping fraud and abuse.

More importantly, it can help businesses take action against customer fraudsters who flagrantly break the rules. Many of our customers find that a simple warning message is all that’s needed to deter fraudsters before they become too troublesome. Others pursue tighter sanctions.

It is clear that growing businesses safely online depends on an automated, AI-first, predictive approach to fraud - whether committed by career criminals, or merchants’ own customers.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Cyber Monday spend hits $13.3bn in 2024 as the season total draws in on $240.8bn
• American consumers spent $15.8 million every minute at its peak
• Generative AI is starting to play a bigger role in purchasing decisions

American consumers pushed Cyber Monday spend to $13.3 billion in 2024, making it the biggest such event in history and surpassing initial predictions by over $100 million, new figures have claimed.

Adobe’s analysis found sales were up 7.3% year-over-year, meaning Cyber Monday has now become the largest online shopping day of the year, building on the hype of the preceding Black Friday deals.

In two hours alone between 8pm and 10pm, US buyers spent a whopping $15.8 million every minute, or about $1.9 billion in 120 minutes.

Cyber Monday is America’s favorite shopping day

The report claimed the five-day 2024 "Cyber Week" – beginning on Thanksgiving and ending on Cyber Monday – brought in $41.1 billion in sales, up 8.2% year-on-year. Current predictions estimate that the two-month holiday season, from November 1 to December 31, will bring in $240.8 billion in sales. If this is true, it would mark an 8.4% yearly rise, but already this season sales stand at $131.5 billion, up 9.0%.

Continually tough economic conditions have kept some consumers thinking twice about their spending, however generous discounts countered this and kept up spending. Electronics saw an average markdown of 30.1%, toys at 26.1%, and clothing at 23.2%.

Surprisingly, while the true power of artificial intelligence is yet to be realized outside of the office, GenAI-powered chatbots helped consumers make purchasing decisions more than ever this year, boosting traffic to retail sites by a staggering 1,950%. Social media influencers also saw their share of revenue increase 6.8% year-over-year.

Most consumers (57%) purchased via mobile, with Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services accounting for $991.2 million in transactions – about 7.5% of Cyber Monday’s purchases from a financial perspective.

“Early discounts were strong enough that many consumers felt comfortable hitting the buy button earlier on during Cyber Week, with Cyber Monday becoming ‘last call’ for shoppers to take advantage of big holiday deals," noted Adobe Digital Insights lead analyst Vivek Pandya.

Looking ahead, Adobe predicts discounts to become less attractive through December 2024, but key categories like electronics, toys and appliances are still likely to offer healthy savings, enabling buyers to purchase higher ticket items and driving total spend up.

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• UK carrier O2 has created an AI grandma that will trap scammers in meandering conversations to waste as much of their time as possible
• Daisy is trained on real anonymized scammer data in partnership with well-known scambaiter Jim Browning of the YouTube channel Tech Support Scams
• New survey reveals that 7 in 10 (71%) of people in the UK would like to get their own back against scammers that have tried to trick them or their loved ones.

You might not have thought it possible, but grandmas will be leading the AI revolution and fighting back against scammers. We’re talking about Daisy (also written dAIsy), the AI grandma created by UK carrier O2 to trap scammers into a long and futile conversation, so they waste as much time as possible on the phone as they try to get her to input her bank details into her computer.

If you listen to dAIsy working her AI-magic on scammers in the video below you'll be able to hear that she is indistinguishable from a human and responds to the scammers by playing into people’s preconceptions about senior citizens not being comfortable with technology. Scammers become increasingly frustrated as they try and try to get her to enter a fake web address into her browser, or enter her personal information, only to have to endure long and meandering conversations that ultimately lead to nowhere.

Thanks Grandma

Daisy isn’t an AI feature you can add to your personal phone account, rather it is a phone number that O2 Virgin Media has managed to get added to a list of online ‘mugs lists’ used by scammers targeting UK consumers. dAIsy is available to answer the phone to scammers no matter what time they call, 24/7. Her goal is to keep the scammers on the phone for as long as possible so that they have less time to ply their treacherous trade against real people.

Murray Mackenzie, Director of Fraud at Virgin Media O2, said: “We’re committed to playing our part in stopping the scammers, investing in everything from firewall technology to block out scam texts to AI-powered spam call detection to keep our customers safe. But crucially, Daisy is also a reminder that no matter how persuasive someone on the other end of the phone may be, they aren’t always who you think they are."

O2 Virgin Media has set up a webpage offering tips, tricks, and advice on dealing with scammers. A recent survey by the company revealed that 7 in 10 (71%) of people in the UK would like to get revenge on scammers who have tried to trick them, or their loved ones. But why waste your own time when a convincing chatbot with all the time in the world can help fight back against scammers?

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The UK Government has announced plans to help high street retailers by applying a higher rate of tax to large distribution warehouses used by ecommerce retailers such as Amazon.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, announced the plans in the recent budget, targeting properties with a ‘rateable value’ of over £500,000, which is based on an assessment of the property’s annual rent estimate.

The intention of the plan is to introduce permanently lower multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties.

Small businesses will still struggle

Physical shops have seen a steady decline since COVID, with the equivalent of 38 stores per day closing so far in 2024, so this tax aims to ‘level the playing field’ by easing the burden of business rates on property-intensive sectors.

The reaction from the retail sector has largely been one of disappointment, with many pointing to the new 40% relief to RHL properties, which is actually a cut from the current 75% rate.

“Freezing the small business rates multiplier was a sensible move but the loss of the retail, hospitality and leisure relief will still see bills for shopkeepers rising. Business rates remain intolerably high for shops and the multiplier must be lowered to an affordable rate for all.” said Chair of the Shopkeepers Campaign Vivienne King.

Online retailers have seen a huge boom in sales since the pandemic, even continuing to see profits soar when physical stores reopened after lockdown. This has meant growth for brick and mortar stores has struggled, finding it difficult to compete with the convenience and low costs of online shopping.

Amazon, one of the UK’s largest retailers, reported a $33.6 billion revenue in 2023, and benefits from the current tax rate that favours stores with smaller physical presence, or whose land is often in cheaper areas outside of town centres.

Via Bloomberg

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• Hundreds of online shops have been hacked

Hackers have been compromising online shops, redirecting people to copycat websites, and stealing both their data and their money there, experts have warned.

The scam, dubbed ‘Phish ‘n’ Ships’ by the Satori Threat Intelligence team from HUMAN which uncovered it, stole tens of millions of dollars until it was finally discovered and stopped.

Phish ‘n’ Ships most likely started in 2019. The crooks would break into legitimate online stores in different ways - leveraging n-day vulnerabilities, server misconfigurations, easy-to-guess passwords, or in other ways. Once they gain access, they would upload multiple scripts which would allow them to upload fake product listings.

Disrupting the campaign

The listings would come with SEO-friendly metadata, to make sure they are easy to find through search engines. The fake products, usually for hard-to-find items such as the Nintendo power glove oven mitt, would lead the victims away from the legitimate stores, and through a series of redirects, which end on a copycat website imitating the original, legitimate store.

There, the victims go through a checkout process, giving away not just sensitive information, but also money, to the attackers.

Satori says that “thousands” of legitimate websites were compromised this way, and “hundreds of thousands” of people victimized. The damages are being counted in tens of millions of dollars.

To make matters worse, the crooks were withdrawing the money with no problem, for years. However, Satori’s researchers managed to notify almost all of the victimized websites, and with the help of Google, removed all malicious listings from search engine results.

Finally, the payment processors who were facilitating the cashouts were also notified, and the accounts were banned.

While this means the campaign is disrupted, the researchers believe it’s not completely destroyed. Since no arrests were made, they believe it is only a matter of time before the crooks start rebuilding the network all over again. As we approach the holiday season, it is essential consumers remain vigilant and only shop on reputable websites.

Via BleepingComputer

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Cyberattacks are on the rise all year round, but retailers face heightened risk in their busiest periods around the winter break, experts have warned.

In its 2024 Retail Risk Report, Trustwave has revealed more on what to be on the lookout for this holiday season.

As expected, phishing remains the most popular primary attack vector, with 58% of incidents originating this way. The abuse of valid accounts and exploiting vulnerabilities were also common access methods. Over 90% of credential access attempts were brute-force attacks - so automated hacking is the trend for this Christmas.

Ransomware continues to plague the retail industry, especially in the US - who saw 62% of attacks - although the disruption to the notorious Lockbit gang is represented by its drop from a 34% to 15% share of the incidents - joint top with Play.

Ransomware continues to rise

Credential stealers represent a significant threat to ecommerce platforms since they capture personal information from the victims device like payment details, login credentials, and system information.

The report found that large retailers are targets for info stealers thanks to their huge user bases. Monitoring ‘Russian Market’, a popular dark web marketplace that specializes in the sale of stolen credentials, the report found that Amazon.com (47%) and Apple.com (28%) saw the highest distributions of stolen user sessions.

Studies have shown the retail sector has been hit by more ransomware attacks than ever this year. Since the average data breach costs $3.5 million in the retail sector, the consequences of vulnerabilities can be enormous.

The most targeted retail subsector is food & beverage retail, which accounted for 16% of the attacks, closely followed by apparel and home improvements retail - both at 15%.

It’s key for retailers of all sizes to be vigilant about their cybersecurity processes and conduct regular audits to combat the rise in sophisticated fraud schemes.

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Hostinger and Squarespace are two of the best website builder platforms in 2025. They both offer user-friendly drag-and-drop editors, making it simple for anyone to create a professional website. Squarespace is known for its stylish templates and strong blogging features. In contrast, Hostinger shines with its AI tools, low prices, and fast hosting options.

Hostinger website builder prices start at $2.99/mo (or less with our Hostinger promo codes), but rises to $11.99/mo after the initial term. This is still a fair bit cheaper than Sqaurespace, that starts its pricing at $16/mo (or less with our Squarespace promo codes).

This comparison will look at how these platforms measure up in key areas. We'll cover things like pricing, template quality, editor features, ecommerce options, and customer support. By exploring the strengths and weaknesses of each builder, we’ll help you find the right fit for your needs, whether you want to build a portfolio, blog, small business site, or online store.

Squarespace vs Hostinger: Pricing

With just 4 plans to pick from, Squarespace pricing is simple to understand.

The Personal plan starts at $16/month for features such as custom domains, Squarespace AI, SSL security, and unlimited bandwidth. Moving up to the Business plan at $23/month, you get additional features like website analytics, promotional pop-ups, customization with CSS and Javascript, and a 3% transaction fee on e-commerce sales.

If you're aiming to build an online store, the Basic Commerce plan removes the transaction fees and adds perks like point of sale, product review, and more at $27/month. Meanwhile, larger stores can go with the Advanced Commerce plan. At $52/month, you’ll get additional features like advanced shipping, abandoned cart recovery, discounts, and commerce APIs.

Depending on your situation, you can save up to 50% on your Squarespace subscription by using one of the best Squarespace promo codes.

*Use our exclusive promo code TECHRADAR at checkout for an extra 10% off the introductory rate.

Hostinger has two budget-friendly website builder plans, starting with the Premium Website Builder plan at just $2.99/month for a 48-month term.

This plan includes a free domain worth $9.99, integration with third-party tools like Facebook Pixel, Google Analytics, WhatsApp, Adsense, and access to a Mobile website editor.

At a slightly higher cost, the Business Website Builder plan comes in at $3.99/month and includes AI tools for generating images, blog writing, heatmaps, and SEO. Plus, you can set up your online store with a 0% transaction fee.

My verdict: Hostinger clearly wins in terms of affordability with its highly competitive pricing, making it ideal for beginners or small businesses on a budget. However, if you want a more polished, design-focused website with powerful built-in tools, Squarespace's higher price might be worth it, as it has specific plans based on your needs.

Hostinger vs Squarespace: Features

For its website builder, Hostinger offers over 150 customizable templates and AI features like an AI Website Builder, AI Writer, AI Heatmap, and AI Logo Generator. These tools help users create content, optimize sites, and build brands easily. Plus, Hostinger includes fully managed hosting with a 99.9% uptime guarantee for reliable websites.

Squarespace features about 180 beautiful, designer-made templates that are modern and visually appealing. Its Fluid Engine drag-and-drop editor allows customization but follows a more structured grid. Squarespace also includes Blueprint AI for site creation, Acuity Scheduling for bookings, and strong blogging features. Both platforms support ecommerce on higher-tier plans, but, Squarespace offers more integrations and extensions.

For AI tools and flexible hosting, Hostinger is better. For design-focused sites with more integrations, Squarespace takes the cake. Your choice depends on your business and website preferences, along with your technical proficiency.

Squarespace vs Hostinger: Editor

Squarespace stands out with its intuitive and polished drag-and-drop editor, Fluid Engine. This editor features grid-based layouts and predefined content blocks. As you build your website, you can customize your template with colors, fonts, images, and content. You can see these changes in real time as you edit, and it’s easy to switch between the desktop and mobile views to make sure your site looks good on all devices. Squarespace comes with built-in tools for adding blogs, photo galleries, and online store features, which makes it easy to create different kinds of websites.

On the other hand, Hostinger’s AI brings your customizable site to life in a matter of minutes. Even if you choose a pre-made template, you can easily tweak elements using their drag-and-drop interface. While it might not be as feature-rich or as visually appealing as Squarespace, it gets the job done quickly and to a high standard. Not to mention, you can use Hostinger’s AI tools like AI Heatmap and AI Writer to optimize content and design for conversions.

My verdict: While Hostinger’s AI provides speed and simplicity to launch your site quickly, Squarespace comes out on top, with an intuitive editor that lets you experiment with different layouts. This gives you the flexibility to create beautiful designs and keep your website fresh and up-to-date.

Squarespace vs Hostinger: Ecommerce

Squarespace supports a wide variety of features for both physical and digital products, such as product variants, customer reviews, discount codes, and inventory management. It also offers point-of-sale integration, subscription-based services, and abandoned cart recovery in its Advanced Commerce plan. Squarespace further enhances your online store with SEO tools, customizable checkout pages, and the ability to connect your store with social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook.

From a single dashboard, Hostinger lets you set up a payment method, customize each item, add your business info for invoices, and review your shipping policies. It also offers several advanced tools, some of which are AI-powered, that can speed up store creation and product upload.

From the Store Manager section, you can set up an online store, manage inventory, create product categories, and offer discount codes. While you get insights like average order value and revenue, their ecommerce tools are not as advanced as Squarespace. Hostinger is best suited for smaller online stores that don’t need extensive ecommerce functionalities.

My verdict: Squarespace is the clear winner for users looking to build a full-fledged ecommerce website with advanced features. Hostinger is a great budget option for small businesses or individuals needing basic e-commerce capabilities.

Squarespace vs Hostinger: User experience

Squarespace focuses on giving you a visually-driven user experience. Its platform is smooth, well-organized, and packed with design-forward features that make building a website enjoyable. Whether you're a designer or someone with minimal tech skills, Squarespace’s well-thought-out UI leverages the help of AI for intuitive recommendations. All of their templates are mobile-optimized, so your website will look great across all devices.

Hostinger’s AI builder is designed to be quick and easy. The interface is straightforward and the features are great for those with no or little website building experience. While it doesn’t have the same level of design customization as Squarespace, the simplicity of the platform makes it easier to navigate, particularly for non-designers. Plus, the platform is lightweight, which ensures fast load times and smooth browsing experiences.

My verdict: If you value design and aesthetics, Squarespace’s user experience is unparalleled. Hostinger is more focused on efficiency and speed, making it a great choice for users who prioritize simplicity over complex design options.

Squarespace vs Hostinger: Support

Squarespace comes with 24/7 email support and live chat during business hours. Additionally, they have an extensive knowledge base, video tutorials, forum, and webinars to help you get the most out of their platform. If you need professional assistance, you can hire a Squarespace Expert to help set up your site. While Squarespace support is highly regarded, the lack of direct phone support may be a drawback for some users.

Similarly, despite a lack of phone support, Hostinger’s customer support team functions well with 24/7 customer support via live chat and email. Like Squarespace, it features a knowledge base with step-by-step guides, articles, and tutorials. What sets Hostinger apart is its Hostinger Academy YouTube channel, which has over 550 videos, run by industry experts.

My verdict: It’s almost a tie, since both Squarespace and Hostinger offer good resources, though neither has phone support. Squarespace comes with live chat, tutorials, and expert help, while Hostinger is known for quick responses and its highly valuable YouTube channel.

Expert insight

Squarespace vs Hostinger: Final Verdict

Between the two, Hostinger stands out as a more affordable and flexible choice. Plans start at a small fraction of Squarespace's cost while offering essential website building features. AI tools add great value for content creation and optimization. The platform also boasts reliable hosting with a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Hostinger suits budget-conscious users, small businesses, and those who want a mix of simplicity and customization.

Squarespace, though pricier, offers superior design quality. Its professionally crafted templates and easy drag-and-drop editor make it a favorite among creatives. It's often rated as one of the easiest website builders, perfect for beginners who want to focus on aesthetics. The platform includes better integrations and features, but these come at a higher price.

For users looking for the best value and AI-assisted building, Hostinger is the top pick. If design is your main focus and you’re ready to pay more for a polished site, Squarespace is the gold standard. Your choice should depend on your specific needs, budget, and design preferences.

Squarespace and Webflow are the two premier no-code website builders for creatives in 2025. But each platform serves creative needs differently.

Squarespace prioritizes elegant simplicity and offers many built-in features. Webflow focuses on design freedom and endless customization. Like with macOS and Windows, your preference will vary on your own skill level and project requirements.

We are about to break down each platform's core strengths, weaknesses, and design philosophy to help you decide which builder matches your creative vision. Here's how it all stacks up.

Squarespace vs Webflow: A detailed breakdown

Squarespace vs Webflow: Features

Squarespace shines with its all-in-one approach. You get built-in marketing analytics, social selling, and email campaigns in one package. The platform recently added Blueprint AI for instant website creation. Form blocks support 15+ data types making visitor data collection effortless.

Webflow takes a different path entirely. It offers component properties for dynamic design systems and visual content modeling. The CMS lets you build custom database structures without coding. Webflow AI helps with design, layout, and content generation in 2025. The platform excels at organized asset management and pre-made building blocks.

Feature depth varies between both platforms significantly. Squarespace provides comprehensive business tools like recurring invoicing and Acuity scheduling. Webflow focuses on advanced design capabilities and developer-friendly features. Its custom content structures give unlimited creative freedom.

Winner: Webflow for design professionals. Squarespace for business owners. Your choice depends on whether you prioritize design control or business functionality.

Squarespace vs Webflow: Ease of use

Squarespace wins the simplicity contest hands down. We think it's one of the easiest website builder in 2025. The drag-and-drop editor works intuitively from day one. You can build professional sites without any technical knowledge required.

The learning curve differs dramatically between platforms. Squarespace uses a section-based approach that keeps designs structured. This prevents messy layouts but limits placement flexibility slightly. The platform autosaves constantly to protect your work.

Webflow requires more technical understanding to master. It occupies the middle ground between simple builders and full coding. The visual designer gives pixel-perfect control but demands design knowledge. Non-developers can update content safely once templates are built.

Both platforms improved their AI assistance in 2025. Squarespace's Blueprint AI creates complete websites in under four minutes. Webflow AI helps with design decisions and content generation. These tools reduce the learning curve significantly.

Winner: Squarespace dominates for beginners. Webflow suits designers who want advanced control. Choose based on your technical comfort level.

Squarespace vs Webflow: Integrations

Squarespace offers solid built-in integrations without complexity. You get PayPal, Google Maps, and MailChimp connections ready to go. The platform includes YouTube embedding and Google Search Console integration. Social media connections work seamlessly for Instagram and Facebook selling.

Third-party options remain more limited with Squarespace. The platform prioritizes built-in functionality over external connections. Popular additions include Spark Plugin for design customization and various payment processors. Most integrations happen through simple embed codes.

Webflow excels at flexible third-party connections. You can integrate virtually any AI tool through custom code blocks. ChatGPT, Drift chatbots, and advanced analytics platforms connect easily. The platform's open architecture supports complex business workflows.

Integration complexity matches each platform's target audience. Squarespace keeps things simple with guided setups. Webflow requires more technical knowledge but offers unlimited possibilities. Both platforms support Google Analytics and essential marketing tools.

Winner: Webflow for power users needing extensive integrations. Squarespace for straightforward business connections. Your technical skills determine the better choice.

Squarespace vs Webflow: Support

Squarespace offers more direct customer support options than most platforms. You get 24/7 email support with responses typically within 24 hours. Live chat runs from 4am to 8pm Eastern Standard Time daily. The platform includes comprehensive video tutorials and guides for self-service help.

Getting human help requires some persistence though. Squarespace uses AI chatbots as the first line of support filtering. You need to type "agent" or "support" to bypass automated responses. The quality improves significantly once you reach actual support staff.

Webflow takes a different approach to customer assistance. The platform relies heavily on community forums and extensive documentation. Email support exists at support@webflow.com but there's no live chat option. University courses and video tutorials provide comprehensive learning resources.

The Webflow community becomes your primary support system. Expert developers and designers actively help solve problems. Third-party agencies offer paid consulting for complex issues. The knowledge base covers most technical questions thoroughly.

Winner: Squarespace for direct human support. Webflow for community-driven help and learning resources. Choose based on your preference for official versus peer support.

Squarespace vs Webflow: Pricing and plans

Squarespace pricing increased significantly in 2025. Plans now range from $16 to $99 per month when billed annually. The Basic plan costs $16/month for simple portfolios. Core at $23/month suits small businesses best. Plus costs $39/month for growing stores. Advanced reaches $99/month for established businesses.

Transaction fees add hidden costs to Squarespace pricing. The Basic plan charges 2% on online store sales. Digital product fees range from 7% down to 0% depending on your plan. Credit card processing fees stay consistent across all tiers.

Webflow offers more complex but flexible pricing options. The free plan lets you test features without commitment. Site plans start at $14/month for basic websites. CMS functionality costs $23/month annually. E-commerce begins at $29/month with the Standard plan.

Workspace plans add collaboration costs for teams. Freelancer plans start at $16/month for basic project management. Growth plans cost $49/month for advanced team features. Each additional team member requires separate seat pricing.

Winner: Webflow for flexibility and lower starting costs. Squarespace for predictable all-in-one pricing. Your team size and feature needs determine the better value.

Squarespace vs Webflow: Final verdict

Unfortunately, there's no single winner in the Squarespace vs Webflow battle. But here's some summarized context to help you pick:

Webflow works best if you prioritize design freedom and granular SEO control. It's the clear choice for designers, agencies, and businesses needing pixel-perfect websites with complex functionality.

Squarespace wins for simplicity, speed, and all-in-one convenience. It's perfect for small businesses, creative portfolios, and users who prefer guided experiences over technical control.

Squarespace vs Webflow: FAQs

Squarespace and GoDaddy are both reliable website builders for beginners in 2025. They help businesses establish an online presence quickly, with limited creative freedom but a much quicker set up time. Each platform also offers hosting, templates, and other tools.

That said, there are some differences. Squarespace emphasizes just a little bit more on creative control. It's no WordPress or Webflow, but you still get really aesthetic templates and more flexible customization tools. GoDaddy prioritizes simplicity and affordability above all. So you only get basic customization tools in the site editor, but a whole lot more additional add-ons and integrations that can help small businesses with different online tasks.

We've tested both platforms multiple times. This guide will help you choose based on your comfort level, functional requirements, and creative focus.

Squarespace vs GoDaddy: A detailed breakdown

Squarespace vs GoDaddy: Features

Squarespace packs a solid feature set that spans beyond basic website building. You get built-in e-commerce capabilities on every plan. That means unlimited products right from the start. The platform's AI tools include Blueprint for site creation and Design Intelligence for brand consistency. Recent updates also brought enhanced AI content support with tone adjustment and audience targeting.

GoDaddy takes a different approach with features. Its Airo AI handles product listings, pricing recommendations, and social content creation. The platform includes email marketing on all plans, from 100 emails monthly on Basic to 100,000 on Commerce. GoDaddy Studio creates branded videos and social ads using AI. However, advanced e-commerce features require plan upgrades.

Both platforms offer mobile optimization and SEO tools. Squarespace provides more sophisticated analytics and reporting. GoDaddy focuses on marketing automation and social media integrations. The key difference: Squarespace includes premium features across all tiers. GoDaddy uses a freemium model with paid add-ons.

Winner: Squarespace offers more features out of the box, making it better for users who want everything included. GoDaddy suits those who prefer starting basic and adding features later.

Squarespace vs GoDaddy: Ease of use

A lot of independent testing shows Squarespace as the easiest builder to use in 2025. Drag-and-drop editing offers pixel-perfect placement. Its section-based approach keeps sites structured and professional. Plus, Blueprint AI generates complete websites in under four minutes. However, the platform still has a steeper learning curve for advanced use than some competitors.

GoDaddy prioritizes simplicity above all else. The setup takes minutes with AI-guided questionnaires. You answer basic questions and get a ready-to-edit site. The interface works well for total beginners. But this really limits customization options. Once your site is built, making major changes becomes very challenging.

Both platforms offer decent editors. Squarespace provides more control but requires longer to master. GoDaddy gets you online faster but with less flexibility. For design-conscious users, Squarespace's section-based system prevents layout mistakes. GoDaddy's rigid structure helps maintain consistency but frustrates creative users.

Mobile editing differs significantly between the two. Squarespace offers responsive design that works across devices. GoDaddy provides basic mobile optimization but less fine-tuning options for power users.

Winner: GoDaddy wins for absolute beginners who need to get online immediately. Squarespace takes the crown for users willing to invest a little more time learning a more powerful system.

Squarespace vs GoDaddy: Integrations

Squarespace offers a curated selection of integrations focused on quality over quantity. Popular options include Google Maps, PayPal, MailChimp, and social media platforms. The platform connects seamlessly with creative tools like Flickr and SoundCloud. However, the app market remains limited compared to other builders. Third-party extensions like Spark Plugin add customization options.

GoDaddy provides essential integrations for small businesses. You get Facebook, Instagram, Google My Business, and Yelp connections. The platform integrates with major marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy. Email marketing tools connect with popular services. But advanced integrations require higher-tier plans or separate subscriptions.

Their integration philosophy differs a lot. Squarespace maintains tight control to ensure stability and design consistency. This means fewer options but better reliability. GoDaddy opens more third-party connections but with varying quality levels.

For e-commerce, both platforms handle payment processors well. Squarespace supports more payment methods natively. GoDaddy focuses on marketplace integrations for broader product distribution.

Winner: Neither platform is that great at integrations. Squarespace offers better-curated options for creative professionals. GoDaddy provides more business-focused integrations for traditional commerce needs.

Squarespace vs GoDaddy: Security

Squarespace and GoDaddy both give you essential security features for peace of mind. SSL certificates come standard, so every site runs safely over HTTPS. Both platforms support PCI compliance, which is critical if you’re selling online—your customer data stays protected. They also offer two-factor authentication, making it harder for hackers to get in.

GoDaddy does score an extra point for its automated routine backups. You don’t have to remember to save your work or worry about losing changes. This is perfect for anyone who wants more redundancy. Squarespace offers basic backup options, but not as frequent or reliable as GoDaddy. Both builders update your site automatically, though, shielding you from vulnerabilities and threats.

In direct comparison, GoDaddy’s overall security score is higher, mostly thanks to those regular backups and a slightly broader set of protective tools. Squarespace still keeps things strong and simple, so it’s secure enough for most business users.

Winner: GoDaddy edges out Squarespace thanks to better backup routines and a slightly more robust security suite. It’s the better choice if you want maximum protection without fuss.

Squarespace vs GoDaddy: Support

Support is priority #1, especially if you’re new to websites. Squarespace offers 24/7 help through live chat and email. Response times are solid and the team knows their stuff. You also get a rich knowledge base with guides and tutorials for DIY learning. Sadly, there's no phone support option.

GoDaddy gives you round-the-clock support, with phone access included. If you prefer talking to someone, this is a big advantage. They also offer live chat and have lots of self-help resources and guides available. Feedback from users suggests GoDaddy’s support is fast and friendly, especially for setting up domains and basic sites.

For more specialized help, Squarespace has better design advice and creative troubleshooting. GoDaddy is unbeatable for issues around domains and web hosting, especially if you prefer speaking to agents on the phone.

Winner: GoDaddy wins for anyone who wants phone support and fast setup help. Squarespace appeals to users who favor email and live chat, especially those who need more advanced creative support.

Squarespace vs GoDaddy: Pricing and plans

GoDaddy is the easy pick for budget-conscious users. You can start with a free basic website and scale up only if you need more features. Paid plans start at $9.99/month, which includes ecommerce, marketing, and other upgrades as you go. Extras like email, domain management, and premium security cost more, but you don’t have to pay for features you’ll never use.

Squarespace does not offer a free plan, just a trial. Monthly plans begin at $16, but you get access to all core templates and features from day one. Every account includes hosting, unlimited bandwidth, and e-commerce, with no hidden fees or surprise upgrades. The main tradeoff is price. You’ll pay more, but you get everything upfront.

GoDaddy uses an à la carte system: start cheap, pay more as your needs grow. Squarespace is “all-inclusive”: higher entry fee, but full power from the start. Annual plans on both platforms include a free custom domain for the first year, giving your site a professional look as soon as you launch.

Winner: GoDaddy is the clear choice for users who want the lowest possible price or prefer a pay-as-you-grow model. Squarespace is best for those happy to invest a bit more for immediate access to every design and feature.

Squarespace vs GoDaddy: Final verdict

Squarespace takes the crown for most users in 2025. It offers superior design templates, comprehensive features from day one, and better creative control. The platform excels for creative professionals, service businesses, and anyone who wants a polished, professional website without compromises. You'll pay more upfront, but get everything included.

GoDaddy works best for budget-conscious beginners who need something online quickly. Its free plan and low starting prices make it accessible to everyone. The AI setup process gets you launched in minutes. However, you'll hit limitations fast if your needs grow beyond basic websites.

Squarespace vs GoDaddy: FAQs

Some of the world’s most popular ecommerce platforms were carrying vulnerabilities that allowed threat actors to run code remotely, deploy malware, and even steal payment information from the customers, experts have warned.

Countless websites using Adobe Commerce and Magento platforms have already been compromised, including heavyweights such as Ray Ban, National Geographic, Cisco, Whirlpool, and Segway, cybersecurity researchers Sansec have claimed.

They claim roughly 5% of all websites powered by these platforms have already been hacked by the vulnerability, dubbed “CosmicSting”, with up to five new ones being added every hour in what they claim is the “worst bug” to hit the two platforms in years.

Chaining flaws

The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-34102 with a severity score of 9.8/10 (critical), is described as “improper restriction of XML external entity reference (XXE)” flaw.

The patch for the flaw was released in June 2024, while CISA added it to its KEV catalog in July, however newer attacks, observed from August onward, were chaining CosmicSting with a vulnerability called CNEXT, and tracked as CVE-2024-2961. Together, these two bugs grant the attackers the ability to run code remotely, and essentially take over the entire system.

The researchers identified at least seven groups that were taking advantage of these vulnerabilities. The groups are not exactly household names in the cybercriminal community - Bobry, Polyovki, Surki, Burunduki, Ondatry, Khomyaki, and Belki. Regardless of their status, they are still a formidable foe, since at least one used CosmicSting with CNEXT to plant skimmer malware to the victim websites.

Skimmers work by stealing payment information during the checkout process, and sending it to the attackers. Crooks can either sell the credit card data on the black market, or use it to fund additional campaigns. Every now and then, we see ad campaigns on Google, Facebook, and elsewhere, promoting malicious websites and programs, and the majority of those campaigns are funded like this.

"Merchants are strongly advised to upgrade to the latest version of Magento or Adobe Commerce," Sansec said. "They should also rotate secret encryption keys, and ensure that old keys are invalidated."

Via TheHackerNews

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Amazon has launched a new generative AI-powered personal assistant aimed at helping sellers streamline their businesses.

Built on the company’s own managed service, AWS Bedrock, the new chatbot branded Project Amelia will deliver tailored insights, advice and business metrics designed to improve productivity and drive growth.

The hope is that the Seattle-based ecommerce giant can help independent sellers manage complex business challenges, like product development, compliance, advertising, sales forecasting and inventory management, further reducing the gap between them and more established rivals.

Amazon will help smaller sellers with GenAI

Sellers can ask Amelia questions and receive almost instant guidance and, as we’ve come to expect from generative AI tools, Amelia is designed to learn from a seller’s unique business needs to offer personalized insights.

Amazon’s new seller-destined AI will first roll out across the US with a focus on handling three primary tasks – answering knowledge-based questions, providing business status updates and metrics, and resolving issues.

Mary Beth Westmoreland, VP for Worldwide Selling Partner Experience, said: “We are always seeking to equip our selling partners with the most effective tools and capabilities, empowering them to more easily start and grow a successful business.”

In the near future, Amazon has also committed to helping sellers resolve more complex issues and enabling Amelia to take action on their behalf.

The beta version is set to roll out to more US sellers in the coming weeks, with international expansions planned for later this year.

Westmoreland added: “This is only the beginning for Project Amelia. As sellers begin interacting with it, the technology will learn and evolve, leading to more comprehensive and personalized responses, with deeper insights and advice specific to sellers’ business needs.”

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A cybercriminal claims to have breached Temu and stolen millions of customer records, but the ecommerce giant is vehemently denying the claims.

A hacker with the alias ‘smokinthashit’ took to BreachForums, one of the most popular underground forums out there, and advertised a new database, allegedly stolen from the company.

“Temu company database for sale. +87M lines. Source: temu.com. The data has never been sold before. Only one copy will be sold,” the ad reads.

It's all false, says Temu

The ad also came with a small sample, as proof of the database’s authenticity. The sample apparently contains usernames and IDs, IP addresses, full names, birth dates, gender, shipping addresses, phone numbers, and hashed passwords. Should the archive prove to be authentic, it would put many people at risk of identity theft, wire fraud, and more.

But whether or not the archive is authentic remains to be seen. In a statement given to BleepingComputer, Temu denied claims of data theft, saying that nothing in the database belongs to the firm:

"Temu's security team has conducted a comprehensive investigation into the alleged data breach and can confirm that the claims are categorically false; the data being circulated is not from our systems. Not a single line of data matches our transaction records," Temu told the publication.

"At Temu, the security and privacy of our users are paramount. We follow industry-leading practices for data protection and cybersecurity, ensuring that consumers can shop with peace of mind on our platform."

Temu is right to be dismissive, especially if the claims indeed are false. Sometimes, even the mention of a company in context of a data breach, is enough for consumers to stay away and thus hurt the firm’s bottom line. And with an up-and-coming e-commerce platform such as Temu, a pristine image is pivotal to success.

Temu is an online marketplace that offers a wide range of products, from clothing and electronics to home goods, at highly competitive prices. It is a Chinese company, with a global presence, and sources products directly from manufacturers. The platform is designed to appeal to budget-conscious consumers looking for deals across various categories. Since its launch, Temu has grown rapidly, leveraging a model similar to other discount e-commerce platforms.

Via BleepingComputer

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According to new research by Juniper, the global ecommerce market could reach a staggering $11.4 trillion by 2029, driven not by a particular area of sales, but by new and emerging payment methods.

The 63% growth, up from $7 trillion in 2024, is said to be largely driven by alternative payment methods (APMs), enabling consumers in non-card-centric markets to partake in online shopping.

Defined as the cardless and cashless transfer of funds, APMs include digital wallets and account-to-account payments.

Ecommerce growth fuelled by alternative payment methods

According to the report, an estimated 360 billion ecommerce transactions will be made using APMs by 2029, representing more than two-thirds (69%) of transactions in the market. Juniper believes that this will encourage a more inclusive online retail environment whereby so-called “unbanked” individuals in emerging markets will be able to participate in online retail.

Factors such as smartphone and internet access together with consumer desire for broader options that meet their needs are driving the change.

Looking ahead, payment service providers looking to stay ahead of the curve will prioritize APMs, and online retailers will need to offer suitable payment options during the checkout process to attract and retain customers.

Payment options can also be tailored to customer locations and demographics in order to stand out from other sellers.

Research author Lorien Carter summarized: “Alternative payment options have grown substantially, with APM transaction volumes leapfrogging cards in emerging markets. As merchants look to attract new users and geographies, they must consider offering APMs a key strategy to accomplish this.”

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Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) have long served as the invisible backbone of online retail. They empower retailers to seamlessly integrate an intricate web of the best ecommerce platforms, orchestrating everything from payment processing to shipping logistics and inventory management. This interconnectedness, however, has also made the retail sector a lucrative target for threat actors. Facing a barrage of 19 billion malicious API requests in 2023 alone, retailers suffered relentless attempts to exploit vulnerabilities in any link of the API chain, potentially leading to data theft, operational disruption, or financial damage.

Back-to-school season is prime time for threat actors. Retailers have recognized this for years, typically amping up security during peak buying times. However, this approach is no longer foolproof. Sophisticated attackers launch "attack runs" earlier in the year to lay the groundwork for seasonal sales, effectively circumventing retailers' security lockdowns.

Playing the long game

In the past, threat actors favored "smash and grab" cybercrime: simple, opportunistic schemes targeting readily accessible vulnerabilities. Today, however, they're evolving. Investing more time and resources in stealth, they spread attacks over longer periods, aiming to fly under the radar and inflict greater damage at peak times.

Threat actors are outsmarting security lockdowns by creating high volumes of valid accounts via standard APIs earlier in the year. This calculated move aims to establish trust and credibility within the market, fostering increased social sharing and expanded reach far ahead of peak shopping seasons. Threat actors employ sophisticated tooling and automation to bolster the accounts' legitimacy to mimic normal user activity, including communication with other accounts, liking content, and subscribing to services. 

However, the sheer scale of these operations often surpasses human capabilities, raising red flags. The resulting inundation of activity crowds out legitimate users and jeopardizes the company's and its marketplace's integrity. This type of attack exemplifies modern retail attacks' meticulous planning and persistence.

Beyond the long game, threat actors frequently deploy a real-time tactic: account takeovers (ATOs). Instead of spending time crafting thousands of "legitimate" accounts, ATOs involve targeting and seizing control of existing customer accounts, offering a much faster path to success. This threat is constant, but unsurprisingly, activity surges during the peak shopping periods, with a staggering 410-fold increase in ATOs during the second half of the year.

Bot attacks remain a threat

Another tried-and-true tactic in the retailer's digital battlefield is the ever-evolving bot attack. Remember the concert ticket frenzy or the fleeting TikTok trends snatched up by automated scripts? These are just the tip of the iceberg. The ease with which bots manipulate systems is alarming: detailed Reddit threads, how-to guides, and even "top bot" rankings readily proliferate online. The numbers paint a stark picture: of 154 billion API requests, a staggering 22 billion originated from bots.

Here's how these bot attacks unfold: Threat actors leverage tooling and automation to flood the system with a high volume of actions. They add large quantities of in-demand items to their carts to corner the market and block legitimate customers from purchasing. Successful attacks result in attackers reselling these items elsewhere at exorbitant markups, further fueling customer and seller frustration.

What can retailers do to prepare

The old model of scrambling to tighten cybersecurity before large sales won't suffice anymore. As threat actors prepare well in advance, retailers must do the same. Establishing a comprehensive and year-round security strategy is essential to effectively combat the surge of fake accounts and other threats during peak seasons.

Given the vital role of APIs in the retail industry, companies must fully grasp their usage and implement comprehensive defensive strategies. Exposed and unmanaged APIs, or shadow APIs, are seen as low-hanging fruit to threat actors employing the "smash and grab" tactics. Visibility is paramount in the realm of API security. By diligently cataloging internal and external APIs, retailers can gain a comprehensive view of the entire attack surface, empowering them to enforce compliance with security standards across every API. This comprehensive visibility is crucial to effectively defend against rapid attacks and more insidious long-game maneuvers, safeguarding retail operations and fortifying customer trust.

We list the best payment gateway.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

AI website builders like Wix AI and Hostinger AI Builder can make it extremely easy to code, design, and publish websites and web applications without technical knowledge. But with so many different factors to consider, which is the best for you? 

Let’s compare Wix AI with Hostinger AI Builder to see which one emerges on top as the best AI website builder. We’ll compare key features, ease of use, customer support, pricing, and more.

Wix AI vs Hostinger AI Builder: Overview

AI website builders like Wix AI and Hostinger AI Builder are transforming website creation by enabling users to build professional sites using AI-powered technologies like machine learning (ML), optical character recognition (OCR), and natural language processing (NLP). 

Both tools use artificial intelligence to streamline the design process, with key features like auto-generated layout combinations, intelligent design recommendations, and the ability to generate custom code snippets. But they have a few key differences.

What is Wix AI? 

Wix AI is an AI-powered website builder that creates personalized websites based on user responses to questions. It offers tailored design suggestions, content optimization, and SEO recommendations. Wix AI integrates with other Wix AI tools for logo creation, copywriting, and more. You can discover more about the full Wix platform in our Wix review. 

What is Hostinger AI Builder?

Hostinger AI Builder generates unique website layouts, content, and images after users provide a name, website type, and short description. It offers an AI Writer for content creation, an AI Heatmap to analyze visitor behavior, and an AI Logo Maker. Hostinger's AI focuses on quickly automating website creation for beginners, but has a few limitations compared to Wix. Learn more about Hostinger’s offering in our Hostinger website builder review. 

Wix AI vs Hostinger AI Builder: Key features

Wix AI and Hostinger AI Builder both leverage artificial intelligence to simplify website creation, but they differ in the specific features and capabilities they provide.

Wix AI stands out for its highly intuitive interface and extensive design flexibility. Its drag-and-drop editor enables users to easily customize every aspect of their site's appearance to match their vision. Wix provides access to over 900 professionally designed templates across various industries, with numerous apps and integrations for SEO, social media, ecommerce, marketing and more.

Where it really shines, however, is Wix AI’s intelligent design assistant that lets you tweak and customize specific sections of the website with AI-generated containers. This unlocks powerful customization while still retaining the benefits of AI to speed up website design.

Wix also automatically optimizes all sites for mobile and provides built-in SEO tools. Other notable Wix features include a logo maker, booking and scheduling solutions, email marketing tools, and an extensive knowledge base.

Hostinger AI Builder, while also beginner-friendly, focuses more heavily on its AI-powered tools. It can generate a basic site layout, content, color schemes and stock images based on a short user description of their website. While this allows launching a starter site in minutes, the design customization options are more limited compared to Wix.

Hostinger stands out in its breadth of its AI tools, many of which are geared towards content creation. It offers an AI Writer to generate SEO-friendly copy, an AI Logo Maker, an AI Heatmap to analyze visitor behavior, and an AI Image Generator. For blogging, Hostinger's AI can help create full posts on a topic with defined tone and length.

However, Hostinger provides fewer built-in business and marketing features compared to Wix. It lacks a dedicated app market, email marketing tools, and some of the booking and scheduling functionality that Wix includes. Hostinger's strength is its affordability, with plans starting much lower than Wix.

Wix AI vs Hostinger AI Builder: Ease of use

When it comes to ease of use, Wix AI focuses on streamlined website design for advanced users. Hostinger AI Builder, by comparison, is the more beginner-friendly tool, even though it also comes with some advanced heatmapping and content creation tools.

Wix AI stands out for its highly intuitive onboarding process. New users are guided through a series of questions about their business, design preferences, and required features. Based on these inputs, Wix AI generates a personalized website layout complete with relevant content and images. This streamlined setup allows users to create a professional-looking website in minutes, with minimal effort required on their part.

In contrast, Hostinger AI Builder takes a slightly different approach. While it also generates a basic website based on user input, the initial setup process is more straightforward, requiring only a brand name, website type, and a short description. This simplicity may appeal to users who want to get started quickly, but it also means that the generated website may require more manual customization to fully align with the user's vision.

When it comes to first-time use and ongoing maintenance, both platforms offer drag-and-drop editing interfaces that make it easy to customize and update website elements. However, Wix AI provides a more comprehensive set of design options and features, allowing users to fine-tune their website's appearance and functionality as much as they like. Hostinger AI Builder, while more user-friendly, may have limited customization options in comparison.

Wix AI vs Hostinger AI Builder: Customer support

Wix AI is well-known for its comprehensive and responsive customer support. The platform offers a variety of support channels, including 24/7 phone support, email support, and an extensive knowledge base with articles, tutorials, and videos. 

Users consistently praise Wix's support team for their quick response times, knowledgeability, and willingness to go above and beyond to resolve issues. Many reviews on platforms like Capterra and G2 highlight the helpfulness and professionalism of Wix's support agents, with users appreciating the personalized assistance they receive.

Hostinger AI Builder also provides customer support through various channels, including live chat, email, and a knowledge base. While users generally report positive experiences with Hostinger's support team, some reviews suggest that response times can be slower compared to Wix, particularly during peak hours. 

However, Hostinger AI Builder stands out by offering an active community forum, which allows users to seek help from and interact with other users of the platform. A peer-to-peer support network provides additional cushioning for users looking for immediate assistance, helping them find resolutions quickly without burdening the support team.

Wix AI vs Hostinger AI Builder: Pricing

Wix AI offers four main pricing points. The Light plan starts at $17/month, providing basic features suitable for small websites. Core, at $29/month, includes basic ecommerce capabilities. The Business plan priced at $36/month offers standard ecommerce features and more storage. The most comprehensive plan, Business Elite, costs $159/month and includes advanced ecommerce functionalities, unlimited storage, and extensive marketing tools. Wix also provides a free plan with limited features and a 14-day free trial for its premium plans.

In contrast, Hostinger AI Builder is known for its affordability. The Premium Website Builder plan starts at just $2.99 per month (introductory rate), offering essential features and a free domain for one year. For users looking to sell online, the Business Website Builder plan is available at $3.99 per month (introductory rate), which includes ecommerce capabilities, AI tools for content and image generation, and no transaction fees on sales. Hostinger does not offer a free plan but provides a 30-day free trial, allowing users to explore the platform's features without upfront costs.

While Hostinger's plans are more budget-friendly than Wix, they may lack some of the advanced features and customization options available in the latter’s higher-tier plans.

Expert insight

Wix AI vs Hostinger AI Builder: Final verdict

At the end of the day, Wix AI and Hostinger AI Builder are both compelling options for small businesses and working professionals looking for an AI-powered no-code development tool. 

However, Wix presents the more well-rounded option, with advanced design customization and better layout options compared to Hostinger. Hostinger, on the other hand, is a better choice for those looking for a cost-effective solution that gets the basics right, even if at the cost of some more advanced customization and integration options.