E-Commerce

The Information’s reporting on e-commerce includes uncovering financials from the world’s biggest e-commerce companies, such as Amazon and Shein. Additionally, our team is leading the analysis of forays into e-commerce by various platforms, including ByteDance's TikTok, X and more.

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Recent Articles about E-Commerce
Walmart CTO, Hari Vasudev. Photo courtesy of Walmart.

Walmart Looks Offline for AI Shopping Data Advantage

By Ann Gehan · Jun 3, 2026 6:00am PDT
Walmart is trying to make its Sparky assistant smarter and more capable for shoppers by collecting more real-world data on how people shop inside its 3,500-plus U.S. superstores. Gathering more in-store information has been a focus for the company since Sparky launched about a year ago, said Hari Vasudev, Walmart’s U.S. chief technology officer,... Walmart is trying to make its Sparky assistant smarter and more capable for shoppers by...
Art by Clark Miller.
Exclusive

Amazon’s Media Empire Quietly Taps Outside Ad Sales Help

By Catherine Perloff · Jun 2, 2026 6:00am PDT
Amazon has been pitching its advertising business as an “everything store” for media—where brands can buy ads that run on everything from Thursday Night Football and streaming site Twitch to media it does not own, like Netflix and Spotify. Despite that united front, behind the scenes the company has been relying on an increasing number of... Amazon has been pitching its advertising business as an “everything store” for media—where...
Art by Mike Sullivan.
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OpenAI Targets Smaller Advertisers With New ChatGPT Ads

By Ann Gehan · May 26, 2026 6:01am PDT · 3 comments
When OpenAI first launched ChatGPT ads earlier this year, it lined up well-known brands with big advertising budgets, like Adobe, Ford and Target. Now it’s expanding its advertising business with offerings that cater more to marketers at far smaller companies, putting it directly into competition with ad giant Meta Platforms. OpenAI executives... When OpenAI first launched ChatGPT ads earlier this year, it lined up well-known brands with big...
Art by Clark Miller
The Big Read

E-Commerce Startups Are Back From the Dead

By Ann Gehan · Oct 10, 2025 9:24am PDT · 1 comment
Lately, venture capitalist Ben Lerer has found himself experiencing a bit of déjà vu: Once again, there’s a whole nest of thriving e-commerce startups worth his attention. When I reached him a couple weeks ago, his firm, Lerer Hippeau, was just putting money into two of them: Elm Biosciences, a new skin care startup, and Stiller’s... Lately, venture capitalist Ben Lerer has found himself experiencing a bit of déjà...
Art by Clark Miller.
E-commerce

‘Everyone’s Desperate’: Consumer Startups Bet on Mobile Big Brother Billboards

By Ann Gehan · Nov 29, 2024 10:00am PST · 2 comments
When Huel, a London-based startup that sells protein bars and powdered meals, was plotting an expansion push into America earlier this year, the company’s executives knew they needed to make a splash. Huel’s $200 million in annual revenue came from online sales mostly in Europe—in the U.S., it hoped to win over customers in... When Huel, a London-based startup that sells protein bars and powdered meals, was plotting an...