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TODAY’S MAZE
Welcome back to the maze. This week, the U.S. is staring down a tidal wave of Chinese counterfeits while Alibaba tries to rewrite its own growth story with an AI bet that’s finally catching investors’ attention. In the background, France is taking a hard line on fast fashion platforms, and new tools and AI-driven features are shaking up everything from logistics to grocery delivery.
Main Story
🚧 Chinese Platforms’ $100B Fake Goods Pipeline
🤖 Alibaba’s AI Bet Reshapes Growth
News📖
🇫🇷 France seeks Google delisting power
🇺🇸 Amazon launches Lens Live AI tool
🇫🇷 France pushes EU delisting powers for Shein
🇬🇧 eBay expands authenticity checks to clothing
🇮🇳 Citymall raises $47M to target value grocery
🇺🇸 Uber Eats, Best Buy partner on electronics delivery
🇵🇱 InPost to buy 20,000 battery lockers, invests in Bloq.it
🇬🇧 DHL adds QR code delivery for high-value shipments
🇺🇸 Judge tells Google to share search data
🇺🇸 Salesforce cuts 4,000 jobs as AI takes over
+ 15 other handpicked news from the last week you need to know 🔥
LET’S ENTER THE MAZE!
- Artur Stańczuk, MarketMaze Founder
🌀 Maze Story
Chinese Platforms’ $100B Fake Goods Pipeline 🚧
A new U.S. investigation just revealed the scale of counterfeits pouring into America via Chinese e-commerce giants. The numbers aren’t just big—they’re staggering, and the U.S. is their top target.
What happened?
China exported $108.4B in e-commerce goods to the U.S. in 2024, far more than to the UK ($35.0B) or Germany ($17.1B).
In FY2024, CBP seized 27.9 million counterfeit items from China and Hong Kong, worth $5.02 billion (MSRP)—90% of all U.S. counterfeit seizures.
Top fakes seized: watches/jewelry ($951M), handbags/wallets ($555M), apparel ($356M).
Temu and SHEIN together drove over 30% of all U.S. “de minimis” imports in 2022, using the $800 duty-free loophole to flood the market.
Why it matters?
Counterfeits cost U.S. businesses $54.1 billion in sales, 283,400 retail jobs, and $13.5 billion in tax revenue a year.
Most fake goods aren’t even caught: the total value of Chinese counterfeits entering the U.S. in 2019 was $45.5 billion.
Platforms’ weak controls mean unsafe, low-quality, and illegal products reach millions of American homes, while enforcement keeps falling behind.
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🌀 Maze Story
Alibaba’s AI Bet Reshapes Growth 🤖
Alibaba is rolling its biggest platforms into one unit and pushing AI into every corner of the business. Cloud is now the profit engine, while new models, apps, and chips are meant to turn years of sluggish growth into a fresh valuation story.
What happened?
Alibaba merged Taobao, Tmall, Ele.me, and Fliggy into one China ECommerce Group.
Cloud revenue jumped 26% year over year, with AI now driving over 20% of customer sales.
Amap relaunched as an AI-native map app, while DingTalk added an agent-driven work feed.
The Qwen3 model family and Qwen3-Coder were open-sourced for developers and cloud users.
A new 7nm inference chip is in testing to reduce dependence on Nvidia.
Why it matters?
Shoppers get one membership and faster AI-powered services, lifting loyalty and spending.
Competitors in China face a stronger Alibaba as AI boosts ads, search, and logistics.
Investors see AI as the rerating trigger: Hong Kong shares jumped 19% after earnings.
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📰 Market Briefing
🛒 Mass merchant platforms
🇫🇷 France seeks Google delisting power. France asked the EU to let regulators delist platforms like Shein and Temu from Google for repeated violations. The push, backed by retail groups and Parliament, comes as the EU debates new fees and tighter rules on cheap imports. 👉 Ecommerce News
🇺🇸 Amazon launches Lens Live AI tool. Amazon unveiled Lens Live on Sept 2, letting shoppers point their phones at real-world items to instantly find and buy them online. The feature, powered by Rufus AI, launches on iOS for tens of millions of US users. 👉 TechCrunch
🇮🇳 Amazon acquires Axio for $200M. Amazon closed a $200 million cash deal for Axio, formerly Capital Float, making it a fully owned NBFC in India. The move gives Amazon direct control over credit, Pay Later, and SMB lending for Axio’s 10 million customers. 👉 Economic Times
🇹🇷 Temu launches Turkish seller program. Temu started a local-seller program in Türkiye with invite-only access and next-day delivery for select items. The initiative partners with Horoz Lojistik and aims to blend cross-border and local fulfillment for faster service. 👉 Türkiye Today
🇵🇱 InPost sues Allegro for PLN 200M. InPost went to arbitration against Allegro, claiming order steering away from lockers and seeking up to PLN 200 million. Allegro’s CEO denies wrongdoing; a ruling may come by end of 2026. 👉 WBJ
🇺🇸 Walmart targets EU sellers for growth. Walmart is inviting European merchants to join its marketplaces across the Americas. The campaign, backed by a UK summit and new seller tools, offers access to 270 million weekly shoppers in four countries. 👉 PYMNTS
🇨🇳 China enforces AI content labels. As of Sept 1, China requires all AI-generated content to be clearly labeled by platforms like WeChat, Douyin, and Weibo. Violations can bring enforcement by the Cyberspace Administration, setting a global precedent for AIGC rules. 👉 SCMP
👗 Fashion, Home & Beauty Ecommerce
🇫🇷 France pushes EU delisting powers for Shein. France is urging the EU to adopt new powers to remove online platforms like Shein from search results if they break EU law, targeting fast-fashion imports and calling for stricter controls under the Digital Services Act. 👉 Just Style
🇰🇷 Tesla boosts South Korea’s e-commerce surge. Online car sales in South Korea jumped 55% in July as Tesla’s new models went online, reaching ₩730B and making South Korea Tesla’s No. 3 global market this year, with over 7,900 registrations in August. 👉 KED Global
🇬🇧 eBay expands authenticity checks to clothing. eBay’s UK Authenticity Guarantee now covers luxury clothes, shoes, and accessories over set price thresholds, offering buyers free expert checks and tracked delivery for high-value secondhand goods. 👉 ChannelX
🇫🇷 Google and Shein fined €475m over cookies. France’s data watchdog fined Google €325m and Shein €150m for placing cookies without user consent and lacking proper notifications, escalating EU enforcement of digital privacy rules. 👉 France24
🇪🇺 Zalando must follow EU’s strictest platform rules. The EU’s top court confirmed Zalando is a “Very Large Online Platform” under new laws, requiring tougher content moderation and transparency after user numbers exceeded 45 million. 👉 Euronews
🇬🇧 Amazon UK launches Second Chance Deal Days. Amazon UK rolled out its first “Second Chance Deal Days,” featuring discounts on returned and refurbished items. Last year, shoppers saved over £110 million buying second-hand goods on the platform. 👉 ChannelX
🇺🇸 Depop eyes US growth with new ad campaign. Depop launched “Depopelganger” ads in the US, promoting its style-matching tech. The secondhand platform hit $249.6M in Q2 GMV and saw US sales jump 54% as the market heads toward $74B by 2029. 👉 Marketing Dive
🇺🇸 Etsy launches new AI tools for sellers. Etsy introduced optional AI features to help sellers with messages, product titles, and search rankings. Sellers who respond quickly see conversion rates rise by 27%, boosting buyer trust and sales. 👉 ChannelX
🍔 eGrocery & Food Delivery
🇮🇳 Citymall raises $47M to target value grocery. India’s Citymall secured $47M in new funding, keeping its valuation at $320M as it takes on quick-delivery giants by serving price-focused shoppers in smaller cities. The company claims operational profitability, operates in 60+ cities, and uses “community leaders” to cut last-mile costs. 👉 TechCrunch
🇮🇹 Kaufland brings marketplace to Italy. Kaufland will launch an Italian marketplace by late summer 2025, promising “millions of products” and easy cross-border selling for merchants. The platform already reaches 81M users, with a goal of 140M across Europe by year-end as it expands to France and Italy. 👉 Italian Food News
🇺🇸 Uber Eats, Best Buy partner on electronics delivery. Uber Eats and Best Buy have teamed up to offer nationwide tech delivery from 800+ stores. Customers can order electronics and get $20 off with a code, as Uber pushes further beyond food and Best Buy widens same-day delivery options. 👉 Uber Investor Relations
🇨🇿 Rohlik pivots to tech and services. Prague-based Rohlik Group is focusing on its Veloq tech platform, aiming for higher margins and an IPO by 2026. The company handles over 1.3M orders a month, is targeting €3–€5M in retail media revenue, and plans to expand further in Germany after sector bankruptcies. 👉 Tech Funding News
🇰🇪 Bolt Market grows 300% in Kenya. Bolt Market tripled its order volume in Kenya since launching in December 2024, driven by fast 15-minute delivery and a wide selection. The company uses its ride-hailing network to scale, with speed and price as key drivers in a competitive market. 👉 Africa Business Communities
🇮🇳 FirstClub triples value with premium groceries. Bengaluru’s FirstClub raised $23M at a $120M valuation, just months after launch. The startup targets India’s wealthiest shoppers with a curated selection, high average orders, and plans to expand its dark store network and premium goods by Diwali. 👉 TechCrunch
🇭🇷 Bolt Food exits Croatia in October. Bolt Food will stop meal deliveries in Croatia on October 6, citing business reasons, but will keep ride-hailing and micromobility running. The move mirrors a wider delivery market shake-up as profitability pressures mount in Europe. 👉 Croatia Week
🇷🇴 Leroy Merlin to invest €28M in Romania. Leroy Merlin will boost its 2025 investment by 50%, funding new stores, IT upgrades, and logistics. The company aims for 8% turnover growth, higher headcount, and more renewable energy use as it bets on Romania’s growing DIY market. 👉 The Diplomat
🚚Ecommerce Logistics
🇺🇸 AI logistics startup raises $85M Series A. Augment, founded by Harish Abbott after selling Deliverr, raised $85M to expand its AI assistant for automating logistics tasks. The tool already cut invoice delays by 40% for clients and aims to hire 50 engineers. 👉 TechCrunch
🇵🇱 InPost to buy 20,000 battery lockers, invests in Bloq.it. InPost will deploy 20,000 battery-powered lockers across Europe and take a minority stake in Bloq.it. CEO Rafał Brzoska calls this a game changer for off-grid expansion in markets like France and the UK. 👉 Polskie Radio
🇵🇱 InPost’s Q2 revenue jumps, international drives growth. InPost delivered 324M parcels in Q2 2025 (+23% YoY) and reported PLN 3.5B revenue, with more than half now from abroad. Adjusted EBITDA was PLN 834.4M, and UK growth led the way. 👉 WNP
🇬🇧 DHL adds QR code delivery for high-value shipments. DHL Express launched Verified Delivery, requiring a QR code for premium goods. The service aims to reduce misdelivery and is live in 24 countries including the UK, US, and France. 👉 ChannelX
🇺🇸 UPS sets higher holiday surcharges for 2025. UPS raised 2025 peak-season fees, with surcharges running from late September to mid-January. Extra handling now costs up to $10.80, and demand surcharges can reach $8.75 per package. 👉 Supply Chain Dive
📣Ecommerce Marketing
🇺🇸 Judge tells Google to share search data. Google must let rivals access some search data and avoid exclusive deals, following a U.S. court order in a major antitrust case. The DOJ wanted tougher action, but Google keeps Chrome and Android as is. 👉 BBC News
🇫🇷 Google fined €325M for Gmail ads in France. France’s data regulator hit Google with a record €325M fine for sending ad emails in Gmail without consent and breaking cookie rules, affecting over 50 million users. Google has six months to fix the issues. 👉 NOYB
🇺🇸 HubSpot unveils AI-first marketing strategy. HubSpot launched a “Loop Marketing” playbook at INBOUND 2025, using AI and human teams to create and tailor content. Over 200 new product updates and a new Data Hub were revealed as HubSpot tries to regain investor confidence. 👉 MarTech
🇺🇸 Meta lets advertisers block AI ad words. Meta added a feature so advertisers can restrict specific words in AI-generated ads. The tool appears in the branding section, with Meta reporting small ad conversion boosts as the new automation rolls out for marketers. 👉 Social Media Today
🛠️Ecommerce Software
🇺🇸 Salesforce cuts 4,000 jobs as AI takes over. Marc Benioff says AI now handles half of customer support, dropping the team from 9,000 to 5,000. He claims the move will boost margins and shift agents to higher-value tasks. 👉 NDTV
🇺🇸 Fortis launches payments for Adobe Commerce. Fortis rolled out an Adobe Commerce extension, supporting cards, ACH, e-wallets, and ERP links. The company got Adobe’s App Assurance badge for security and now enables faster, safer checkouts for B2B clients. 👉 PR Newswire
🇳🇱 ChannelEngine, Salsify partner on marketplaces. ChannelEngine and Salsify joined up to help brands manage product content and launch on 950+ marketplaces. Leaders say it makes global expansion easier with faster content sync, order handling, and returns. 👉 PR Newswire
🇨🇳 Bosch expands e-commerce with Alibaba. Bosch will use Alibaba’s cloud and AI to boost sales outside China, launching on platforms like Lazada and AliExpress. The partnership lets Bosch reach more buyers in Europe, Spain, and Southeast Asia. 👉 Alibaba Group
🇨🇳 Alibaba debuts AI agents for sellers. Alibaba International rolled out new AI tools for merchants, including Marco and three specialized agents to cut costs and boost efficiency. Over 1 billion daily API calls were recorded in July, up from 1 million last year. 👉 PR Newswire
🇺🇸 Genstore launches AI-powered store builder. Genstore’s new tool lets small businesses chat to set up online stores, generate listings, and run campaigns. Features include image-to-listing creation and links to Amazon, Google, Facebook, and TikTok. 👉 GlobeNewswire
🇺🇸 Miva adds Vexture AI search to ecommerce. Miva introduced Vexture, an AI-powered search that understands natural language and misspellings. The new feature aims to boost discovery and conversion rates for merchants on the platform. 👉 PR Newswire
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