Google is updating Gmail to help users monitor deliveries for the holiday shopping season. “This will give you a bird’s eye view of all your upcoming package deliveries in one simple, organized list. Don’t worry — we’ll continue to show packages that are set to arrive within 24 hours at the top of your primary inbox, as well as in a summary card within your purchase emails.” This view, the company said, is an entirely new one that lets users see all purchase-related emails and package updates in a single interface. The feature is live now for mobile and web users with personal Google accounts. In addition, Google is updating the “promotions” category in Gmail to let users sort by “most relevant” promotional emails, making it easier to view updates from brands that matter to them most, including the ones they engage with most often. These updates are set to start appearing in the coming weeks.
Retail media moves to the aisles: in‑store RMNs tap real‑time shoppers, native touchpoints, and closed‑loop measurement beyond fragmented off‑site ads
The retail media landscape is evolving quickly, and one reality is becoming clear: The emphasis on retail media belongs in the aisles. Agentic shopping has captured headlines as a new frontier. PayPal CEO Alex Chriss recently projected that 25% of all e-commerce will be agent-driven by 2030. For general retail, that represents a major transformation. The margin profile of retail media is compelling — 70%–90% gross versus 25%–35% for CPG products — but retailers are racing toward in-store media for reasons that extend far beyond profit. By scaling their retail media networks (RMNs) into the physical store, retailers are evolving into media companies that: Tap into their largest and most active audiences: Shoppers in the aisles making real-time purchase decisions. Control the full environment: Unlike fragmented off-site media, in-store touchpoints are owned, operated and fully under retailer stewardship. Offer closed-loop measurement: Connecting impressions directly to purchases with precision that few other channels can match. Unlock first-party data insights: Providing brand advertisers with a clearer view of shopper behavior, preferences and conversion drivers. This shift positions grocery retailers as not just sellers of goods, but also as trusted media partners offering brand advertisers something uniquely valuable: a blend of scale, authenticity and actionable insights. For all its promise, in-store retail media can’t come at the expense of customer experience (CX).
ZVOX launches industry‑specific (home warranties, auto insurance, life insurance, loan processing) AI voice agents—for natural, contextual calls that qualify and convert
ZVOX has announced the rollout of its AI Voice Agents, designed to transform everyday business conversations into opportunities for growth, loyalty, and measurable outcomes. Unlike conventional chatbots and automated IVR systems, ZVOX’s platform introduces industry-specific AI voice agents capable of holding natural, contextual dialogues. This approach combines the efficiency of automation with the warmth of human interaction, a balance businesses have long struggled to achieve. ZVOX currently offers four specialized agents, each tailored to sectors where customer service breakdowns are most costly. Laura specializes in home warranties; Steven navigates auto insurance with precision, delivering instant quotes and policy qualifications; Rachel simplifies complex life insurance conversations; Kevin serves financial institutions with banker-level insights and loan processing capabilities. By embedding domain-specific knowledge and natural language processing, these agents go beyond scripted responses to understand context, probe deeper with follow-up questions, and guide customers toward informed decisions.
Card issuers target Gen Z live event experiences: from booking to VIP access, the battle shifts to owning the moment—not points—as Amex, Chase, Capital One scale perks
Gen Z and Millennials are leaning hard into a life philosophy that prioritizes memories over materials. According to research from MERGE, 86% of Gen Zers say they overspend at live events due to the allure and atmosphere of the experience. This experience-first mindset has major implications—not only for travel and live event brands, but for the financial institutions that enable and often power these moments. Credit card companies have quietly become essential players in the experience economy. But now, they’re aiming for center stage. Because facilitating the experience is only half the game. If they can own the booking, offer curated access, and deepen loyalty through perks and partnerships, they gain something more valuable than transaction fees—they gain relevance and customer intimacy. Adam Rossbach, President at TFL and an expert in the experience economy and technology trends commented, “The real competition isn’t about who issues the card—it’s about who owns the moment. Gen Z doesn’t want points. Zers want proof that their loyalty unlocks experiences worth remembering.” American Express alone reported $376 billion in travel spending in 2025, with 54% of total Amex cardholder spend falling into the T&E category. Visa and Mastercard, while more diversified, still clocked in with massive figures: Visa saw between $920 billion and $1.2 trillion in estimated T&E spend, and Mastercard tracked hundreds of billions more, fueled by a 15% rise in cross-border transactions and strong live event demand. As competition heats up, Chase and Capital One are making bold plays to lead the future of travel and entertainment. Chase, long dominant in premium cards with its Sapphire Reserve, has invested heavily in its Chase Travel platform, offering portal-only deals, VIP access, and flexible redemption models. The company recently announced that bookings through its portal are up over 50% year-over-year, signaling strong demand for integrated experiences. Capital One, once a challenger, has become a serious contender through strategic investments like its Capital One Travel platform (powered by travel powerhouse Hopper) and branded venues like the Capital One Arena and Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage.
Amid tariff‑driven uncertainty through November, importers seek liquidity; Slope credit applications up 730% YoY as Wayflyer +28% MoM and Clearco lending +46% YoY.
U.S. tariffs have ushered in a wave of business for lending startups. Slope, for example, a company backed by JPMorgan, said applications for its credit lines ballooned by 730% year over year last month. The jump came as importers realized that tariffs averaging 50% on Chinese imports would be around until at least November amid negotiations between Washington and Beijing. “We’ve seen a huge demand spike because of tariffs,” Slope co-founder Alice Deng said. “The impact was immediate.” Lending FinTechs flourished during the pandemic but saw loan demand dip when people resumed normal shopping habits. The tariffs, and the uncertainty that have come with them, are now helping jumpstart their businesses. Startup Wayflyer saw new loan applications climb 28% between June and July, almost three times the standard seasonal increase. Another lender, Clearco, extended 46% more in loans in July and August than it did in the same months last year. “The U.S. administration’s tariff strategy creates volatility and uncertainty,” Clearco CEO Andrew Curtis said.
Fed agency opens rent payment consideration for mortgage underwriting; rent self reporting rises to 13% (from 11%), 79% see credit score gains
More consumers’ rent payments are being reported to credit reporting agencies, possibly because of new laws and consumers self-reporting those payments. The share of consumers whose rent payments are reported rose from 11% in 2024 to 13% in 2025. At the same time, the share of property managers who are aware of and participate in rent payment reporting declined from 48% to 44%. That was the first decrease found by TransUnion in the four years it has been conducting this analysis. Together, these two trends suggest that consumers may be self-reporting their rent payments through third-party data furnishers. TransUnion found that 79% of renters saw their credit score increase when their rent payments were reported. The firm also found that property managers benefit when they report renters’ payments to credit reporting agencies. Fifty-seven percent of renters said they are more likely to rent from a property manager who reports these payments, and nearly 80% said they are more likely to pay on time. TransUnion also said that the Federal Housing Finance Agency issued an order in July mandating that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac accept VantageScore 4.0 credit scores for mortgage underwriting, which will allow for the consideration of rent payment history in mortgage applications. In addition, California now requires property managers to report rent payments to credit reporting agencies, and Colorado now requires property managers to offer rent reporting to tenants, according to the release.
AI becomes the research starting point: 33% of Gen Z and 26% of millennials use AI versus 37% and 40% using search engines
According to a new survey from technology solutions company Commerce, Gen Z shoppers are nearly as likely to use AI platforms (33%) for product research as they are traditional search engines (37%). For millennials, the gap widens with 26% choosing AI platforms compared to 40% preferring search engines. Meanwhile, just 13% of Gen X and only 3% of baby boomers prefer to use AI tools for product research. Twenty-three percent of Gen Z and 27% of millennials surveyed reported they are starting to trust AI platforms more than people for curated product recommendations. More than four-in-10 (41%) survey respondents use learned language model tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity daily, while a slightly greater amount (46%) of Gen Z and millennials say they use the tools daily. Gen Z is nearly three-times more likely than Gen X to use AI for product research. Almost two-thirds (63%) of consumers abandon carts when forced to create accounts, underscoring ongoing friction in branded e-commerce site experiences. Almost half (48%) of all consumers maintain a “perpetual shopping list,” blurring the line between shopping as an activity and shopping as a state of mind. More than half (55%) of consumers said they would unsubscribe to a brand they like if they receive too many marketing messages from them.
Retail card APRs average 30.14% in 2025, still near record highs; store-only cards average 31.64% vs. 28.65% for co-branded, per Bankrate’s study
Retail credit cards charge an average 30.14% APR this year, according to Bankrate’s annual Retail Cards Study. That’s down from 30.45% in 2024 but still the second-highest since Bankrate started tracking retail credit card interest rates in. Among store-only cards (those that can only be used at a specific store or chain of stores), the average APR is 31.64%. The average APR among co-branded cards is slightly lower at 28.65%. (Co-branded cards have a retailer’s name and a card network logo such as Visa or Mastercard, and can be used anywhere that network is accepted.) In total, 63 out of the 110 retail credit cards included in the study have an APR over 30%. The highest retail credit card APR is 35.99% and is a tie between 13 retail credit cards, including 12 store-only cards and one cobranded card. The two cards with the lowest APRs are the Amazon secured card at 10%, and the Military Star Card (14.49% on most purchases, 0% for eligible military clothing) purchases). Other cards with relaitcely low APRs include the Circle K Holiday Smart Savings Credit Card (16.20%), the Bass Pro Shops CLUB Card (20.62%), the IKEA Projekt Credit Card (21.99%), and the IKEA Visa (21.99%). The Federal Reserve has cut interest rates by 1 percentage point since the 2024 study, noted Bankrate, but 23 retail cards have actually increased their APRs over the past 12 months. The card with the biggest increase in APR compared to last year is the Saks Credit Card, which rose from 29.24% in 2024 to 35.99% in 2025.
Signifyd unveils Intelligent Returns for EU retailers: flags risk and enables trusted customer paybacks at label creation or carrier scan; insights identify fraud, policy violations, and SKU issues while boosting 30‑day repurchase by 23%
Commerce protection provider Signifyd unveiled Intelligent Returns, a two-solution suite designed to help retailers in the UK and Europe tackle the growing complexity and cost of return. Instant Refunds provides retailers with real-time advisory recommendations (Advisory Notices) at key points such as label creation or carrier scan, enabling retailers to refund trusted customers immediately at their discretion while flagging higher-risk cases for review. Returns Insights gives you a comprehensive look at the returns ecosystem, highlighting everything from fraudulent returns and policy abuse to product-specific insights and the link between high-return customers and chargebacks. According to Signifyd research, shoppers who receive instant refunds are 23 percent more likely to buy again within 30 days. Retailers can capture that loyalty and still keep returns abuse in check by combining machine learning, real-time risk intelligence and insights from a global merchant network, drawing on multiple layers of intelligence to make smarter, more accurate decisions at every stage of the shopper journey. Both Instant Refunds and Returns Insights are now available to retailers across the UK and Europe for digitally initiated returns of physical goods, subject to applicable laws and contractual eligibility criteria.
Ranktitan.ai launches an AI‑powered local SEO suite with one‑click Google business profile audits, automated posts, review responses, competitor heatmaps, and real‑time analytics
Ranktitan.ai, a next-generation SaaS platform has officially launched, aiming to become the top recommendation for businesses and marketers who want to rank higher on Google Maps, dominate local search, and maximize lead generation. Built with advanced AI, Ranktitan.ai offers the most comprehensive solution for Google Business Profile (GBP) optimization and local SEO automation. Ranktitan.ai is designed to eliminate the guesswork of local marketing. Its AI-driven dashboard delivers one-click profile audits, automated business posts, review monitoring, competitor heatmaps, keyword ranking insights, and smart content generation — all in a single platform. Users can effortlessly boost visibility, generate qualified leads, and track their success with real-time performance analytics. With transparent pricing, 24/7 support, and tools that work out-of-the-box, Ranktitan.ai is ideal for business owners, franchises, and agencies managing multiple locations. Its automation saves hours per week, while AI-optimized posts and Q&A responses keep profiles fresh and relevant, improving conversion rates and customer engagement. The launch comes at a critical time: “near me” searches are at record highs, and Google’s map pack drives the majority of local buying decisions. Ranktitan.ai ensures businesses not only appear in those searches but stand out with optimized profiles, AI-driven review responses, and data-backed content strategies.