Week 39 - Navigating eCommerce Disruption: Scroll Depth Insights, Shopify Lawsuits, Amazon Delivery Shakeup, Agentic Shopping, Peak Season Fees & Data-Driven Trends

🚀 eCommerce Moves Fast—So Should Your News! 
Stay ahead of the curve with The Checkout Point by blikket.co, your high-energy, 20-minute roundup designed for eCommerce founders, marketing pros, and retail trailblazers who want the latest insights minus the fluff. Pour yourself a fresh cup (or two) as Max and Rachel serve up the hottest headlines, actionable tips, and a healthy dose of wit to power up your day.

In this week’s jam-packed episode, we break down why shoppers slip away right before checkout—and reveal why scroll depth is the untold metric that could change your game. We’re dishing on Shopify’s legal twists, Amazon’s latest chess move in delivery, and how PayPal, Google, and AI might soon be shopping for you. Plus: holiday season fee hikes, an IPO you don’t want to miss, and the surprising heroics of retail data.

✨ Key takeaways you’ll walk away with:

• 📉 Discover why customers leave your site (hint: it’s not just about price—scroll depth matters!).
• 🤖 Get the scoop on how AI and “agentic shopping” are about to revolutionize the retail experience.
• 🚚 Find out what Amazon’s new delivery move means for you and your competition.
• 💡 Understand why clean data is the behind-the-scenes MVP for growing brands.
• ⚖️ Stay sharp with legal drama updates across eComm giants—tariff hacks and all.

Don’t miss a single byte of eCommerce intelligence. 
Subscribe now or visit blikket.co for even deeper dives, expert blogs, and everything you need to outpace the competition. Bring your coffee—The Checkout Point brings the news! ☕️🎧

Transcript

Alex: 0:05

Welcome to the checkout point. Your quick dive into this week's e-commerce buzz with me, Alex, powered by Blikket. These 20 minutes pack, the latest trends, news, and insights. Let's navigate the digital marketplace together. Ready? Let's go.

Max: 0:27

Hey folks. What's up everyone? You're tuned into the checkout point by Blikket.co. You're fast track to all things e-commerce, powered by way too much coffee, and of course licit. I'm Max coming to you slightly over caffeinated as usual.

Rachel: 0:43

And I'm Rachel Max. That intro has so much energy. My coffee just got nervous. Hey, to all our regular listeners and anyone new joining us this week. We hope your week's been good. Personally, my highlight was finding out my dog loves cardboard boxes more than any actual toy retail innovation at its finest. Honestly,

Max: 1:03

well shout out to Rachel's dog for inspiring the next big startup box fetch. Anyway, we're here with your e-commerce news for week 39. Can you believe it? The years flying by faster than a Black Friday lightning deal

Rachel: 1:17

For real. So if your to-do list is longer than your checkout line, don't worry. We've got a killer lineup packed into this 20 minute episode.

Max: 1:25

First up, we're decoding why your shoppers just disappear off your site before buying. And hint, it has way more to do with scroll depth than you might think.

Rachel: 1:35

Oh, and speaking of scroll depth, max, I'm super excited that we just published a new blog post on the site called Scroll Depth while your shoppers leave before Buying. We'll dig into that and spill some secrets we found. So stick around.

Max: 1:49

Yes, I've been buzzing to talk about that one. I learned more about product page doom scrolling in one morning than I have all year. Seriously, it's eye-opening.

Rachel: 1:58

Then we've got Shopify making moves, think lawsuits, enterprise drama, and a dash of ai. Magic. Can tech really save us from abandoned carts? We'll hash it out.

Max: 2:09

Oh, and you won't believe what Amazon's up to now. If they're letting rival sellers hitch a ride on their delivery network, is it a power play or are we all just pawns in the e-commerce chess game? Spoiler. It's spicy.

Rachel: 2:22

And we're diving into the wild world of agentic shopping where PayPal, Google, and AI wanna shop for you. Yes, that means your tech might save you from picking out clown shoes. I could use that help some days not gonna lie.

Max: 2:37

Yeah. Yeah. If they can stop me from impulse buying more mugs, I'm on board.

Rachel: 2:42

Plus peak season is basically peak fees now, so we're unpacking why sellers are feeling that squeeze and which brands are actually surviving the holiday chaos.

Max: 2:51

After that, we're pulling back the curtain on one of eCommerce's quiet MVPs pattern. Huge. IPO. Lots of big moves behind the scenes. You're not gonna wanna miss this.

Rachel: 3:03

We'll hit the wild world of retail data too. New platforms, privacy rules, and all those surprise shakeups that keep brands guessing seriously. Clean data is becoming the superhero we didn't know we needed.

Max: 3:16

And don't worry, we're wrapping with some legal drama. Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Shopify, everyone's lawyered up and tariff hacking is apparently a thing now. We'll sift through the fine print so you don't have to,

Rachel: 3:28

it's a packed episode and we promise to keep it fun, fast, and full of, whoa, I didn't know that. So grab your headphones, finish your coffee, and let's get this e-commerce ride started.

Max: 3:39

Alright, let's check out the checkout point. Week 39 edition. Here we go. All right, so Rachel, I'm kind of pumped to talk about this because it's straight from our latest blog post. If you saw the title, you know where we're headed. Scroll depth while your shoppers leave before buying. This is one of those mysteries that every online store owner runs into, right? Like all these people hitting your product page, then just poof, gone. No purchase.

Rachel: 4:10

Yes. I totally get what you mean. I actually had flashbacks to our own analytics dashboard while I was writing that post. If I'm being honest. So many folks are focused on traffic. Not enough on what those visitors are actually doing. Scroll depth sounds fancy, but it's really how far are your shoppers scrolling before they check out or check out? Literally as in leave.

Max: 4:33

Exactly. And the post digs into why scroll depth matters. So one key takeaway. Just because someone lands on your page doesn't mean they're engaging with your content. If most shoppers aren't even making it halfway down the page, they're probably missing your buy now button. All that persuasive copy you spent hours on

Rachel: 4:52

Rachel. Totally. And the second point that jumped out is about content overload. Like it's so tempting to give every detail, especially for premium products, but sometimes shoppers see a wall of text and just, nope, scroll right on. Buy or worse bounce. We talk in the post about strategically placing information and CTAs so people see the right things at the right time instead of burying the good stuff.

Max: 5:18

Yeah, it's that goldilock zone. You want enough info to keep them interested, but not so much. They feel like they're reading war and peace just to buy a pair of headphones. I loved your tip about heatmap tools, by the way. I started messing around with one after editing your draft. It's so wild seeing exactly where people tap out.

Rachel: 5:38

Rachel, you're welcome for that little time sink, but seriously, it's like a reality check for your store layout. And we also touch on why scroll depth problems can sneak up, especially if you added new images or shifted your product descriptions. One little change can push your call to action right out of sight.

Max: 5:56

Max Wright sometimes just swapping a photo moves the whole flow and you never know unless you check. I think this is one of those blog posts. Everyone with an online shop needs. Whether you built your site last night or you've been optimizing for years, these little tweaks make a huge difference.

Rachel: 6:12

Exactly. So if you've ever wondered why people leave before buying, or you just want those analytics to finally make sense, definitely head over and check out the post. I think it'll have some aha moments and maybe make you a little obsessed with scroll tracking in the best way,

Max: 6:28

max. It's up at Bleitt Co. Look for scroll depth while your shoppers leave before buying. And seriously see if you're making any of those classic mistakes. Okay, Rachel, get this. Shopify has been tossing some major moves into the e-commerce blender lately, and things are like full on smoothie mode right now.

Rachel: 6:53

Wait, smoothie mode. That's a new one Max. Seriously, what's got you all hyped up?

Max: 6:58

I mean, who needs beast mode when you can have smoothie mode? Right? But check this out. First up, Shopify is trying to get a lawsuit from sizzle thrown out in court. Like straight up, Nope, we don't want to deal with this.

Rachel: 7:10

That's bold. Lawsuits are kind of like pop-up ads. Nobody actually wants to deal with them and they just slow down your browsing. Right,

Max: 7:18

exactly. And from what I've read, it's about some partnership drama between them. Shopify clearly wants to just swipe left and move on.

Rachel: 7:27

Okay. But does tossing the lawsuit really solve anything? I mean, sometimes companies just wanna bury stuff instead of actually fixing it, you know?

Max: 7:36

For sure. And if there's more to the story, it'll come bubbling up eventually. But moving on, Shopify's not just playing legal dodgeball, they're really working hard to get their fancy commerce platform in front of enterprise customers. Like I'm talking the big leagues.

Rachel: 7:50

Ooh. So they're trying to be the cool kid at the enterprise table. That's brave. I was just thinking about last segment, right? We were talking about how shoppers bounce if their experience isn't seamless. Well, these big businesses need all the tech magic if they wanna keep folks from ghosting mid scroll.

Max: 8:07

Exactly. And speaking of tech magic, Shopify's teaming up with LTI Mindtree to push AI and commerce the goal. Make the whole online shopping thing smoother, like Jedi level personalization and behind the scenes automation,

Rachel: 8:22

wait, Jedi level. Can you explain that in not galaxy, far, far away terms? Like is this just more chatbot stuff or are we talking robots picking out my shoes for me?

Max: 8:33

Imagine a robot that actually understands your love for pineapple socks and just auto adds them to your cart. But honestly, it's all about using AI to predict what customers want. Manage orders smarter. Maybe stop those mid cart bailouts we were talking about from the licit blog highlight.

Rachel: 8:50

That reminds me. So the AI is kind of like a super observant store clerk who never forgets what you like but isn't, you know, actually breathing down your neck

Max: 8:58

spot on. And Shopify pushing into that AI space could be a total game changer for those enterprise clients. But here's what I'm wondering. There's always hype around AI will fix everything. Do you buy it Rachel? Or is this just another marketing glitter bomb?

Rachel: 9:13

I love the optimism, but I'm not entirely convinced just yet. Sometimes AI promises the moon and delivers a glow in the dark sticker. You know, still, if Shopify nails this, it could be huge, especially since spoiler alert, Amazon's expanding its fulfillment network. Next feels like the big e-commerce Avengers are assembling

Max: 9:34

for real, Shopify's trying to flex Amazon's over there collecting infinity stones for fulfillment. Let's see if these moves make shoppers stick around this time, or if it's just more cart abandonment. Heartbreak,

Rachel: 9:46

right? Nothing worse than seeing your cart get left behind. If Shopify's AI can fix that, I might actually believe in magic.

Max: 9:58

Okay, check this out. Amazon just pulled the ultimate Uno reverse card on the E-commerce world. They're letting sellers from Walmart, Shopify, and even Sheen use Amazon's fulfillment network now. Like is anyone else picturing Jeff Bezos in sunglasses going, welcome to the Party Pal.

Rachel: 10:15

Wait, seriously? Amazon's basically helping its own rivals. That feels like letting your competitors move into your house and then offering to make them a sandwich. Am I missing something?

Max: 10:25

I mean, it does sound kind of wild, but here's the deal. It's called multi-channel Fulfillment. Before Amazon's warehouses and Speedy Delivery were mostly Amazon only perks. Now sellers from Walmart, Shopify Sheen can tap into that logistics magic without living exclusively on Amazon as long as you pay, of course.

Rachel: 10:46

But why now? I mean, after that Shopify drama in the last segment, remember the lawsuit was sizzle. It just seems like everyone's trying to play in everyone else's sandbox. Is Amazon just trying to make more money or is there a sneaky strategy here?

Max: 11:01

Honestly, it's both. Think about it. Amazon is basically saying, Hey, we don't care where you set up shop, use our delivery army and pay us for it. Those big yellow delivery vans aren't cheap to run. Plus Amazon keeps tabs on what people are actually buying everywhere, which is a data gold mine.

Rachel: 11:19

That's such a good point. So Amazon gets paid and gets insight into sales almost everywhere, even from their so-called competition. That's like being the ref and a player in the same soccer game. Okay, so how is this gonna play out for small businesses?

Max: 11:34

Well, for smaller sellers, it could be a game changer. Imagine you're a tiny soap shop on Shopify, or a trending t-shirt wizard on sheen. Suddenly you can ship stuff as fast as prime without building your own warehouse city, you know?

Rachel: 11:48

But here's what I'm wondering. Doesn't this make Amazon like too powerful? I was just thinking about all those stories where people worry, Amazon is gobbling up every little business and now they're pulling even more folks into their web pun totally intended

Max: 12:03

web. Nice. Yeah, I get the concern. Amazon's like the Thanos of logistics, just collecting infinity stones with each new platform. On the flip side, more competition could mean better, faster shipping for us. Right. I'm all for my impulse by snacks arriving at lights. Speed.

Rachel: 12:21

I see your point. But what happens if a seller gets too dependent on Amazon? Like what if Amazon suddenly raises fees or just changes the whole game?

Max: 12:30

Ah, the old don't put all your eggs in one fulfillment center situation. Exactly. Sellers have to balance the convenience with the risk of getting locked into Amazon's system. It's like when I only buy pizza from one place and then they change the recipe. I'm left in cheesy chaos,

Rachel: 12:46

max only. You would turn e-commerce strategy into pizza drama, but seriously, it's wild seeing these retail giants kind of blur their boundaries. And speaking of blurring the lines, you know what this totally reminds me of? Next up we're diving into how Google wants PayPal's help to dominate a shopping. It's just. Everyone wants to be everywhere and own every step.

Max: 13:09

Ooh, get your shopping carts ready. The future's looking fast, and maybe a little bit chaotic. Okay, Rachel, check this out. Google is teaming up with PayPal to go big on something called Ag Agentic Shopping. Have you heard of this?

Rachel: 13:29

Agentic Shopping? Sounds like a robot is about to buy my sneakers and say, you're welcome, but seriously, what does that even mean?

Max: 13:37

Basically, it's like having your own virtual shopping agent. Imagine an AI that knows your style, your favorite brands, and even your size, which honestly would've saved me from ordering those clown sized shoes last month.

Rachel: 13:50

Oh my gosh, max, are you still wearing those around the house? Wait. So Google wants their AI powered by their Gemini model to handle shopping for us. And PayPal's role is what? To make the paying part invisible.

Max: 14:04

Exactly. Instead of digging for your wallet every time you check out, the AI basically connects right to your PayPal and handles everything. The idea is, see it, want it? AI gets it. It's like having an online shopping butler, minus the fancy accent.

Rachel: 14:19

I mean, that sounds super easy, but aren't we giving up like a lot of control? I don't want my butler to buy 100 rubber ducks just because I accidentally said quack in my sleep.

Max: 14:30

Rachel, that's one way to fill a bathtub. But no, the cool part is these agents are supposedly smart enough to reason and plan. Like Amazon's new ai, they're saying it can help sellers take specific actions. Not just, oh, you're out of stock, but hey, maybe try bundling these items or adjusting your price. It's thinking with you, not just at you.

Rachel: 14:53

That actually reminds me of what we were talking about earlier with Amazon expanding their fulfillment network. It's like as the backend gets more complicated, the AI steps up to make the front end are shopping as smooth as possible.

Max: 15:06

Right. And did you see that Google is adding Gemini AI straight into Chrome for everyone now? So literally. Shopping agent is becoming your browser's sidekick. It's wild.

Rachel: 15:16

It's starting to feel almost like those sci-fi movies where you've got a helpful, slightly sassy computer. But honestly, I do wonder how smart are these agents really? Are we talking Jarvis from Ironman? Or more like Clippy from old school? Microsoft Word,

Max: 15:32

please. No one wants shopping advice from Clippy. It looks like you're trying to buy socks. Would you like help with that? But here's the deal. The more these ais learn, the more personalized your experience becomes. In theory, in reality, I think we're still somewhere between genius assistant and, oops, I bought 54 cans of whipped cream by mistake.

Rachel: 15:57

That's such a good point. And since we've got peak shopping season coming up, I bet these ais are about to get like a real world stress test. Black Friday, cyber Monday holiday shopping. All that craziness.

Max: 16:09

Can you imagine the AI agents fighting over the last PS five online? I'm sorry, max, you've been outbid by me.

Rachel: 16:17

See, that's what I'm wondering. Are we heading toward a future where our biggest challenge isn't finding the best deal, but making sure our AI agents aren't over caffeinated and shopping at 2:00 AM?

Max: 16:28

Honestly, I'd just be happy if mine finally figured out my shoe size. That would be a game changer. Okay, so Rachel, check this out. Peak season for e-commerce is totally going beast mode right now. We're talking sky high fees, mountains of orders and brands scrambling like it's Black Friday every single day from October till New Year's.

Rachel: 16:53

I was just thinking about what we talked about in the last segment with all that AI helping us shop with agentic bots, but honestly, it sounds like behind the scenes, it's not exactly smooth sailing for the people selling us all that stuff.

Max: 17:04

Exactly. It's like imagine trying to run a lemonade stand, but every time more people show up, the city charges. You double for every lemon. That's kind of what's happening to online sellers, listing fees, shipping fees, storage fees. Basically peak season also means peak fees.

Rachel: 17:22

So you're telling me these sellers are making more sales, but at the same time they're coughing up way more money just to play the game.

Max: 17:29

Pretty much the platforms are like, congrats on your extra profits. Now. Hand them over. It's the ultimate holiday present for the platforms.

Rachel: 17:38

Right? And then there's this wild stat. 96% of e-commerce brands expect international sales to blow up in Q4, but only 31% say they actually feel ready for it. That's like buying an extra large suitcase, but forgetting to pack socks.

Max: 17:54

That is a game changer stat. I mean, you would think everyone's ramped up and ready, but really most folks feel like they're just barely hanging on. It makes sense. Going global isn't just about changing currencies on your website. It's like new taxes, new shipping rules. Maybe even new languages,

Rachel: 18:12

but here's what I'm wondering. If everyone's expecting the most intense peak season ever, are brands just throwing more advertising dollars at it? Like just shouting louder into the holiday void?

Max: 18:23

Oh, big time. Advertisers are spending more trying to beat the holiday gloom and get those eyeballs. It's kind of like if you don't get your ad in now, you'll be left out in the cold, literally because it's December. I read that some brands are actually increasing their budgets just to keep up.

Rachel: 18:39

That reminds me of my cousin's online jewelry shop. Last year she said she spent more on ads than any year before, but her profits didn't actually go up much because everything else just costs so much more.

Max: 18:52

Yeah, and honestly, that's a real risk. If your costs go up as fast as your sales, you're just running in place. It's almost like playing this retail game of the floor is lava. Except the lavas made of surcharges and storage bills.

Rachel: 19:05

And meanwhile, you're also dodging shipping delays and cranky customers who are panicking over late gifts. No wonder brands are stressed out

Max: 19:13

and here's some good vibes. This extra activity and all those new players trying to go global, it sets us up for those big e-commerce IPO stories speaking. Wait till you hear about pattern's. Huge. IPO In the next segment,

Rachel: 19:26

I know there's a definite survival of the fittest thing happening. The brands that level up now could be the big investment darlings next year, but first they have to survive the holiday rollercoaster.

Max: 19:38

Hold onto your Santa Hats folks, because this peak season isn't just about gifts and cookies. It's full blown retail jungle out there. Okay, Rachel, check this out. A major Amazon reseller just went public pattern. Ever heard of them?

Rachel: 19:59

I think I saw something about that. They're like the behind the scenes folks who help brands sell on Amazon, right? But I'm dying to know why is this such a big deal in the world of e-commerce IPOs?

Max: 20:11

Well, here's the deal. Pattern just debuted on the Nasdaq raising a cool $300 million. That's not just impressive. It's like finding a secret coupon for your entire shopping cart.

Rachel: 20:22

I need that kind of coupon for my weekly online shopping habit. But for real, I was just thinking about how we were talking in the last segment about how much crazier things get for sellers during holiday season. These resellers like pattern are kind of invisible. They make all that chaos actually work for brands.

Max: 20:38

Exactly. Think of pattern as the ultimate digital store manager who handles all the stressful stuff, inventory, pricing, storefront design, so the brands can focus on well being brands. It's super cool because it shows companies still need tech smarts to stand out. Not just a flashy logo or a cute mascot.

Rachel: 20:58

I mean, I get the hype, but I'm not entirely convinced that a reseller going public is the same thing as a tech company. Like say Shopify or Amazon launching something new isn't pattern, just like riding on the backs of these brands,

Max: 21:12

kind of. But here's what's interesting. Their tech is what makes the magic happen. You know how during peak season everyone's scrambling to get their orders in and stock is flying off shelves, pattern automates all that. It's like if Santa upgraded from elves to, I don't know, robot elves with wifi

Rachel: 21:30

robot elves with wifi. I need a whole army of those just to keep my inbox clean. But wait, didn't their IPO price come in at $14 a share? That's pretty mid range. They didn't go for some sky high moon landing price,

Max: 21:44

right? I was low key expecting it to go wild, but they kept it reasonable. It kind of shows they know their lane steady, not flashy, just solid e-commerce muscle.

Rachel: 21:53

That reminds me of what we're going to dig into next about how all of retail is dealing with the data dilemma. Like it's not just about selling stuff anymore, it's about having the tech chops to manage crazy amounts of info. It keep customers happy.

Max: 22:08

Oh, totally. Pattern's. Basically, the kid in class who doesn't just do their homework. They build a spreadsheet for the whole class, color coded and everything,

Rachel: 22:16

and it's wild to think there's this whole industry of tech smart resellers out there. So every time we click buy now there's probably an army of patterns, making sure our stuff shows up on the doorstep and not like in a cave somewhere.

Max: 22:30

Unless you're ordering cave decor, then, uh, patterns probably got you covered there too.

Rachel: 22:36

You know, my living room could use some still lag tights, but I think I'll stick to the basics for now.

Max: 22:41

But yeah, this IPO is a sign that brands aren't going it alone anymore. They need tech savvy MVPs handling all the tough online stuff or else it's game over. Especially when things get chaotic during the holidays or when data gets messy, like we'll talk about in a bit.

Rachel: 22:58

It really does show how the whole e-commerce game is evolving. Brands, resellers, data tech. It's like a never ending level up challenge.

Max: 23:07

And you know, I love a good boss battle. Okay, Rachel, check this out. Retailers are basically drowning in data right now. It's like that scene in the Matrix, but instead of Cool slowmo, it's just spreadsheets everywhere.

Rachel: 23:26

All they need is someone handing out red or blue Excel tabs. Right,

Max: 23:29

exactly. Here's the deal. All this data is supposed to make brands superpowered, but if the info's not accurate, it's like having a GPS that tells you to turn into a lake. You end up in hot water. Literally.

Rachel: 23:43

I was just thinking about that. Everyone's talking about big data and smart data, but what's the point if half of it is wrong or honestly just a total mess? I mean, are brands actually seeing bigger returns or are they just spinning their wheels?

Max: 23:59

You know, the article from Practically Commerce had some stats that totally blew my mind. Brands that doubled down on smart Data, the stuff that's clean and actually useful are seeing up to 30% higher ROI on campaigns. That's like upgrading your Pop-Tarts to a gourmet breakfast.

Rachel: 24:16

Pop-Tarts are always a gourmet breakfast in my house, but I get your point. I guess it's like that whole garbage in, garbage out thing we talked about with investments in the last segment. You can fund a startup all you want, but if the business model is shaky, it's still shaky.

Max: 24:32

Exactly. Patterns IPO was wild, but without reliable data, they'd probably be making business decisions with a magic eight ball. Should we launch in Brazil? Reply hazy, try again.

Rachel: 24:45

But here's what I'm wondering. Can any brand actually get it totally right With privacy rules and all this different tech, how do you keep data accurate without, you know, crossing any lines?

Max: 24:56

Great question. And it gets trickier because platforms like Visa are rolling out stuff like vamp, which side note sounds either cutting edge or like it'll steal your data at midnight.

Rachel: 25:07

Honestly, beware of the vamp lurking in your checkout cart, right?

Max: 25:11

But apparently vamp could mean higher fees for banks and merchants just to keep that data moving smoothly between everyone. It's like paying tolls to cross seven different bridges before you can deliver a pizza.

Rachel: 25:23

Wow. So all these behind the scenes changes like platform fees or legal updates can totally change how brands use their data or even how much it costs to play the game.

Max: 25:34

Yep. And speaking of legal stuff, our next segment dives into eBay and Etsy changing up their seller agreements. Which trust me is connected because new rules change how much data you even get to keep or analyze.

Rachel: 25:48

That reminds me of when Amazon changed its policies and suddenly sellers had way less info about their own customers just like that. Their whole data strategy got flipped upside down. Kind of the stranger things of e-commerce, right?

Max: 26:00

Just without the Dema gogans, unless you count rising ad costs,

Rachel: 26:04

don't give them any ideas Max.

Max: 26:06

But honestly, no matter how you slice it, IPOs, platforms, payments. Retailers are in this huge tug of war between getting more data, making the data better, and avoiding a million new rules. It's like modern day capture the flag.

Rachel: 26:22

I'm definitely keeping my eye on who comes out on top and maybe keeping a spare magic eight ball handy just in case.

Max: 26:33

Okay, Rachel, check this out. eBay and Etsy just updated their legal agreements. Shopify's trying to block a lawsuit. A judge says Amazon broke the Restore Online Shoppers Confidence Act, and apparently tariff hacking is the new Wild West for online retailers. This is like a legal drama binge session, but with less dramatic music and more return policies.

Rachel: 26:56

Wait, tariff hacking. I have to admit that sounds like something from a heist movie. Can we start with eBay and Etsy? What exactly is changing in their legal fine print? And do I need to panic next time I buy a weird vintage mug?

Max: 27:08

No panicking required unless you're extremely attached to the old unread versions of their terms of service. But honestly, the updates are mostly them trying to stay ahead of government regulations and make things clearer for users, which actually feels like when my math teacher said a test would be straightforward. You know it's about to get complicated.

Rachel: 27:32

Exactly. Clearer terms always come with like 40 new paragraphs end up by checking this box moment of doom. I was just thinking about how this totally connects to what we talked about earlier. With all the data stuff, companies are basically terrified. They'll mess up on privacy or liability, so it's like new rules every week just to keep their data house in order.

Max: 27:53

Right. And then Shopify's over there like, Hey judge, can you just throw this lawsuit out? They're basically being sued by Sizzle, which is another payments platform. It's almost like two classmates fighting about who gets to control the group project. Google Doc.

Rachel: 28:07

I wanna see how that unfolds. Imagine being the teacher splitting those two up. But here's what I'm wondering. Why does Shopify want the lawsuit gone so badly? Is it just business drama or are they worried about setting a legal precedent?

Max: 28:21

Good question. I think it's a mix of both. If they lose. It could open the floodgates for way more companies to bring cases against them. It's like if your sibling gets away with sneaking snacks before dinner, suddenly everyone's doing it.

Rachel: 28:34

So are these companies actually protecting us, or are they just making sure they don't get in trouble themselves? Because that brings me to the Amazon news. Didn't a judge literally call them out for violating that online shopping Confidence act?

Max: 28:47

Yes, Amazon got caught, basically not making it easy enough for people to cancel recurring subscriptions. It's like a hotel California of online shopping. Easy to sign up, but you can never leave unless you find the secret hidden cancel button behind three popups and a cap test.

Rachel: 29:05

That is way too relatable, max. I mean, I'm not entirely convinced. Companies always make these choices just for user experience. Sometimes it feels more like a maze in a video game, except instead of fighting monsters, you're battling unsubscribe buttons.

Max: 29:19

Exactly. And speaking of video game levels. Tariff hacking is on the rise now. Retailers are using all sorts of creative shipping strategies to dodge tariffs. It sounds clever, but here's the deal. Regulators are starting to pay attention. I bet we're gonna see new crackdowns soon.

Rachel: 29:37

Wait, so are we talking about companies being sneaky or just, I don't know, smart with their shipping? I mean, is there a real difference?

Max: 29:44

It's kind of a gray area. Like if you label a big screen TV as computer parts to pay lower tariffs, that's straight up rule breaking. Sometimes they find legit loopholes until the government patches them like a game update.

Rachel: 29:58

So to sum it up, all this legal chaos is basically companies and regulators playing a never ending game of whack-a-mole, right? Every time someone pops up with a new strategy, the rules change again.

Max: 30:09

Exactly. And just like with all the cloud tech and data stuff we covered before, it feels like everyone's searching for that unfair advantage until the rules catch up. The plot just keeps thickening. Hey, thanks for hanging out with us on the checkout point by bookit.co. That was your e-commerce news fix for week 39. And honestly, what a week. I still can't get over that bit about Amazon letting the competition use their delivery network. It's like inviting your rivals to your own birthday party. Then letting them have the biggest slice of cake.

Rachel: 30:44

I mean, as long as no one's stealing Amazon's secret cake recipe. I guess seriously though, you guys make this so much fun for us every week. For me it was wild hearing about age agentic shopping, the idea of AI picking out shoes, so I don't accidentally order clown ones. Honestly, that's the kind of future I've been waiting for,

Max: 31:04

and don't even get me started on those holiday peak fees. At this rate, my wallet's gonna need its own support group through the new year. But hey, I love seeing how sellers are finding those creative ways to survive. It gets me hyped for what's coming next.

Rachel: 31:19

Yeah, I'm always amazed at how much goes on behind the scenes. Just to get us all those last minute gifts. It kind of makes me wonder, what's one thing you noticed about your own online shopping this week? Did a shopping agent save you or totally miss the mark? Tell us. We really want to know

Max: 31:38

for real, it's way more fun when you guys join the conversation. If you enjoyed hanging out with us, we'd love it if you joined us again next week for more e-commerce news and I promise maybe only one more of my terrible jokes.

Rachel: 31:50

And hey, if you're curious about the stories we covered or want more cool resources, don't forget to swing by Blikket.co.

Max: 31:57

Alright, I'll be over here practicing AI powered shopping. And trying not to max out my cart before next episode,

Rachel: 32:05

max, the only thing you should be maxing out is your research, not your shopping list.

Max: 32:09

Touche. Alright, friends, we'll catch you next week.

Rachel: 32:12

Take care everyone. Stay savvy, stay curious, and we'll see you soon.