蘑菇AV

The milestone: Amazon recently deployed its 1 millionth robot in its fulfillment centers鈥攁 figure approaching the number of human workers at those facilities. Our take: Automation is a central element within Amazon鈥檚 relentless push to narrow the gap between click and doorstep. Fast delivery isn鈥檛 just about convenience; it transforms how consumers shop. The faster Amazon gets everyday essentials like toothpaste into customers鈥� hands鈥攅specially with free delivery for Prime members鈥攖he harder it becomes for other retailers to compete. That gives Amazon a durable edge as it looks to expand its share of US ecommerce sales.

The only certain thing about TikTok鈥檚 sale is more uncertainty: Washington keeps kicking the can on a US sale, leaving TikTok to convince advertisers not to panic.

The news: A Sprout Social report found that 41% of Gen Z turns to social platforms first for finding information, ahead of search engines (32%), AI chatbots (11%), and friends and family (9%). In an exclusive conversation with 蘑菇AV, Thomas Markland, founder of creator company HYDP, discussed the shift and the need for brands to adopt a social-first strategy. Our take: As social media users, especially younger generations, increasingly turn to social for product discovery, brands that are willing to adapt and are strategic with their creator partnerships stand to gain most.

The news: TikTok commerce traffic has trended down throughout 2025 amid uncertainty about the app鈥檚 future in the US. Our take: Trump鈥檚 extension gives TikTok more time to reach a deal but does little to ease the internal disruption from ByteDance鈥檚 austerity drive. New tariffs and the elimination of the de minimis exemption could hinder TikTok Shop鈥檚 performance.

The news: China is outpacing the US in retail media鈥檚 global rise, with nearly half of its digital ad spending now flowing through retail platforms. While Amazon still leads globally, its growth is slowing鈥攅xpected to rise just 18.6% in 2025. Meanwhile, players like Uber Eats, Meijer, and Albertsons are growing ad revenues at triple-digit rates. Our take: Retail media is becoming more fragmented and competitive. Success now requires portfolio diversification, especially as new channels鈥攍ike last-mile delivery and in-store signage鈥攇ain momentum. What began as an Amazon-centric, US-led trend is now a worldwide shift reshaping how consumers discover, consider, and buy.

The situation: Nike鈥檚 turnaround will likely take some time. In FYQ4, the company鈥檚 sales fell 12% YoY (11% on a constant-currency basis), reflecting what CFO Matthew Friend called the 鈥渓argest financial impact鈥� from the company鈥檚 reset strategy. Still, he expressed confidence that 鈥渉eadwinds will moderate from here,鈥� emphasizing Nike鈥檚 focus on execution and controlling what it can. Our take: Turning around a company the size of Nike is like trying to turn around an ocean liner in rough waters. Change takes time, especially amid headwinds like tariffs and shaky demand, and execution missteps keep dragging on performance. Nike is adjusting course鈥攍eaning back into wholesale, cleaning up its inventory, and getting more surgical with product drops鈥攂ut calm seas are still a ways off.