Shopify makes its buy button available to all Facebook and Google merchants 
Shop Pay, which enables a speedy checkout experience by saving consumers’ payment and shipping details, will be the first Shopify product available to non-Shopify merchants. Shopify merchants have been able to use the buy button through Facebook and Google since February and May, respectively. Shop Pay will roll out to Facebook and Instagram merchants later this summer before Google sellers get access in late 2021, reaching 1 million merchants between the platforms. 

Amazon Will Overtake Walmart as the Largest U.S. Retailer in 2022, JPMorgan Predicts 
Amazon’s U.S. retail business is the “fastest growing at scale,” according to the company’s analysts. Between 2014 and 2020, Amazon’s U.S. gross merchandise volume, or GMV — a closely watched industry metric used to measure the total value of goods sold over a certain time period — has grown “significantly faster” than both U.S. adjusted retail sales and U.S. e-commerce, the analysts said. 

Why Express, Urban Outfitters and J.Crew Now Sell Items From All Over Online
The retail world’s testing of Amazon’s marketplace approach has generated revenue for some hosts and exposure for some sellers but has also created a whole new calculus for businesses. Host retailers need to determine whether they dilute their own brands by featuring others. Likewise, sellers need to figure out whether being on these bazaars helps boost their brand—not to mention their profit once they pay for the lead. And for shoppers, marketplaces can be confusing if they aren’t sure who they are ordering from or what to do if problems arise. 

iOS 15: What you need to know 
Apple’s announced changes to its data and privacy terms has left many marketers understandably nervous. But digging deeper, there is much to celebrate as responsible marketers are rewarded for valuing personal data and building customer trust. What’s more, the announcement is a preview of features set to be released in September 2021.

McFadyen Client LVMH teams up with Google Cloud to create AI powered personalisation 
Luxury behemoth LVMH has joined forces with Google Cloud to empower LVMH’s individual luxury brands—to create new, personalised customer experiences through developing new cloud-based AI solutions. 

Prioritizing Flexibility: How Grocers Can Get the Most Out of Technology
In recent years, a wide array of technologies in areas such as sensors and data capture, automation, and AI have rapidly emerged with the potential to reshape the retail industry. Grocers have realized technology is core to their strategies, but flexibility is key to generate value from new technologies—now and in the future. 

Design systems: building a modern digital experience 
Gone are the days when teams were trapped in a templated, page-driven world ruled by the limitations of a traditional content management system. Design systems have saved the day by allowing teams to quickly build flexible, scalable sites and applications.

The New AI Frontier in Retail: Data-Scarce Demand Forecasting 
As Accenture notes, the retail industry is quickly reaching the peak of the AI hype curve, as 86% of retailers are experimenting with it to forge new paths to growth. We are now seeing the boldest of retailers tackle a new frontier when it comes to AI adoption: data-scarce demand forecasting.