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Marketplace Universe News 26.01.2026 – OpenAI charges sales fee / Wolt becomes shopping platform / Decathlon buys Rebike

OpenAI is making its “ChatGPT Instant Checkout” a paid service and charging a 4% sales commission – initially from Shopify merchants. The reason for this is the high pressure to monetize due to the high investments. At the same time, OpenAI is changing the retail landscape: those who don’t pay lose convenience and thus sales – a clear signal that agentic commerce is no longer a free traffic channel.

Marketplace Universe News 19.01.2026 – Google pushes standard for AI commerce / Temu catches up with Amazon / OpenAI eyes Pinterest

Google has introduced a new open standard called the Universal Commerce Protocol (UPC). Its goal is to accelerate the AI-platform shift in commerce by standardizing processes such as product search and checkout via AI bots. Platforms and retailers including Walmart, Etsy, Shopify, Shopee, Carrefour, Target, Macy’s, and Wayfair were involved in its development, as they seek to secure their position within the customer journey.

Second Hand Quadrant: online Plattforms in Europe Generalists and C2C Origins

Second-Hand: The Most Important Marketplaces in Europe

Our first Second Hand Quadrant is here – and it clearly shows how rapidly the European second-hand market is professionalizing. Generalist marketplaces are expanding their offerings, C2C platforms are opening up to sellers, and specialized players are strengthening their positions in niche segments. The result is a hybrid ecosystem that offers significant opportunities for merchants.

Marketplace Universe News 01.12.2025 – AI bots are becoming marketplaces / Temu expands logistics / Marketplaces neglect security

OpenAI and Perplexity on the Road to an AI Marketplace
Both OpenAI and Perplexity are pushing strongly toward becoming a marketplace with their agentic commerce projects: OpenAI introduced Shopping Research, a product search for ChatGPT that generates personalized buyer’s guides. Merchants can apply for greater visibility through an allow-list process. Perplexity also enables lightweight product data placement via a Merchant Program. What’s still missing for the marketplace transition is checkout.

Marketplace Universe News 03.11.2025 – Amazon stays strong / AliExpress giant gains ground / Shein sparks protests in France

Amazon reports double-digit sales growth
In Q3 2025, Amazon posted net sales of $180.2 billion, up 13% year over year. Operating income was $17.4 billion (roughly flat YoY) and net income rose to $21.2 billion. Yet the marketplace giant faces mounting headwinds. Agentic & social commerce, U.S. customs policy effects, and seller fatigue could weigh on performance, argues Malte Karstan.

Marketplace Country Quadrant Switzerland

The Marketplace Country Quadrant Switzerland lists the 24 most important players: Local heroes such as Digitec Galaxus and Ricardo, but also international players such as Amazon, eBay and Temu.

Marketplace Universe News 06.10.2025 – ChatGPT starts in-chat-shopping / Amazon tests Haul in Spain / Platformisation in Germany

OpenAI is rolling out a native checkout in ChatGPT, letting users in the U.S. buy products without ever leaving the chat. The first integrations are with Etsy and Shopify sellers. Users can see product options, select variants, and complete the purchase directly in the interface. It’s a first step toward what some call “agentic commerce” – where AI handles not just discovery, but also transactions.

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