The Reseller Model is Worth $1.8 Billion

In a direct challenge to the "private label is everything" narrative, e-commerce accelerator Pattern has filed for a $400 million IPO, showing off its $1.8 billion in revenue for 2024. The company acts as a third-party seller for over 200 brands, using a tech-first approach with 400 programmers to automate and optimize every aspect of selling.

In a major escalation of the AI Commerce Wars, Amazon just updated its robots.txt file to block AI web crawlers from Meta, Google, Huawei, and others. It's a clear attempt to stop rivals from using its product and pricing data to train their models or power their own shopping assistants, and it shows how seriously Amazon is guarding its data as it builds its own AI tools like Rufus. → via Modern Retail

Heads up for CPG sellers: Amazon will lift its seasonal restrictions on meltable inventory, like chocolate and gummies, starting September 22. You can start sending your heat-sensitive products to FBA then, and customer orders will resume on October 13. → via Amazon Seller Central

Amazon is making a play for the next generation of shoppers, offering a new Prime membership for just $7.49/month for adults aged 18-24. The half-price plan includes all standard Prime benefits. → via Amazon

Walmart's e-commerce sales surged 26% in the U.S. last quarter, marking its 13th straight quarter of double-digit growth. The gains were driven by its store-fulfilled pickup & delivery services and its fast-growing marketplace. → via Chain Store Age

eBay will soon start automatically leaving positive feedback for sellers who use a tracked service and deliver on time without any issues. The catch? The company also said it will be harder to remove certain types of negative feedback, giving buyers the option to edit their comments rather than having them automatically removed. → via Value Added Resource

Temu's parent company, PDD Holdings, posted a 7% revenue increase last quarter, showing it can still grow despite escalating U.S. tariffs and the end of the de minimis loophole. The company also seems to be restarting its China-to-US shipments after a recent tariff truce. → via PDD Holdings

In a bizarre turn of events, President Donald Trump has once again extended the deadline for the forced sale of TikTok—the eighth extension so far. Shortly after, the President officially joined the platform himself, adding another layer of confusion to the whole saga. → via Associated Press

Kohl's now has 17 million active digital shoppers, and its mobile app has 20 million users. The growth of its digital channels is a key part of the retailer's turnaround plan as it keeps expanding its online marketplace. → via Kohl's

Lowe's reported that its online sales grew 7.5% in the second quarter, a bright spot for the home improvement retailer as it keeps investing in its digital experience. → via CNBC

Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) has expanded its Next-Day Delivery coverage to more top U.S. cities, part of a broader push to beef up its seller services and build a more competitive logistics network. → via Business Wire

Following the successful model of Amazon and Walmart, Wayfair is now turning its CastleGate logistics network into a multichannel 3PL. The move allows its sellers to use Wayfair's warehouses to fulfill orders from any sales channel, ensuring its logistics remain at the heart of its sellers' entire operation. → via Supply Chain Dive

The race for customer convenience has a new finish line: your front door, in three hours or less. "Instant commerce" has officially moved from a niche perk to the new competitive standard, with the biggest names in retail now making it a core part of their strategy.

Todd E. Johnson, founder of Uncle Todd's, has grown his brand into a seven-figure business, mostly on Amazon. But the real story is his Amazon-to-retail strategy, which landed his products on the shelves of over 3,000 stores. His two keys to success? Distinct, eye-catching packaging and using his Amazon sales data to prove demand to brick-and-mortar buyers. → via Business Insider

The next chapter for Amazon will be written in Seattle. Accelerate is just a month away (September 16-18), and it's where the 2026 playbook is revealed. The sharpest operators get their edge here. If you're serious about what's next, you're there. Goflow is proud to sponsor the conversation. Find us on the floor, and let's build the future. Register for Amazon Accelerate →

The AI takeover in online shopping is happening faster than anyone predicted, but the data shows a fascinating split. While AI is becoming the go-to for product research, shoppers still have their doubts.

A software developer who was fired from his job has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for planting a digital time bomb in the company's systems. After being let go, the developer created a "kill switch" script that was set to delete critical company files if his final paycheck didn't meet his expectations. The company discovered the malicious code, called the FBI, and the developer was arrested before the script could execute. → via BleepingComputer

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