News

International
GoTo Denies Report of Merger Talks With Grab Holdings
February 13, 2024

GoTo has denied that it is in merger talks with Grab Holdings. The company said in a Tuesday (Feb. 13) filing that it “is not having any discussion on such matters,” Reuters reported Tuesday. Bloomberg reported Friday (Feb. 9) that GoTo and Grab Holdings — which are both Southeast Asian ride-hailing and food-delivery...

Investments
Finom Raises $54 Million to Expand Digital Business Banking Solution
February 13, 2024

Finom has raised 50 million euros ($53.6 million) in Series B financing to expand its digital business banking solution in the European Union (EU). The company is scaling up hiring across its team in the near term and aims to become the leading business banking...

Retail
Shein Shines in PYMNTS Provider Ranking of Shopping Apps
February 13, 2024

Finding a romantic gift for Valentine’s Day can be hard, especially with so many shopping apps to pick from. PYMNTS’ Provider Ranking of Shopping Apps is back to help guide you when the number of apps available feels overwhelming.  The Top 5 Staying on at...

eCommerce
Wish Sells at a Bargain as Consumers Seek More Reliable eCommerce
February 13, 2024

Discount eCommerce company Wish has sold at a much lower price than might have been expected, a move that comes as eCommerce shoppers increasingly seek out trustworthy channels and reject unreliable merchants. The shopping platform’s parent company ContextLogic announced Monday (Feb. 12) the sale of...

Investments
Marqo Raises $12.5 Million to Help Businesses Build Generative AI Applications
February 13, 2024

Marqo has raised $12.5 million in a Series A funding round to advance the adoption of its search platform that helps businesses build generative artificial intelligence (AI) applications that are more relevant and up to date. The company’s vector search platform unlocks the value of...

Artificial Intelligence
Contradictions Rule as AI Meets the Future of Work
February 13, 2024

The intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and the future of work is crowded and a bit confusing these days. On one hand, companies like Google and Duolingo have cut staff recently with the implication that AI was the underlying cause. On the other hand, the prevailing wisdom...

Retail
Spending on Sporting Goods Drops, Both Online and In-Store
February 12, 2024

Consumers reported spent 7.7% less on sporting goods in January than they did in the same month a year earlier. Online spending at sporting goods stores declined 6.8% year over year, while brick-and-mortar spending in this category fell 8.4%, Seeking Alpha reported Monday (Feb. 12), citing...

Retail
Misfits Market CEO: D2C Perishables Brands Increasingly Seek Plug-and-Play Fulfillment 
February 12, 2024

As direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands increasingly look for ways to cut costs amid ongoing economic challenges, Misfits Market is noting the opportunity to drive more revenue from its existing fulfillment capabilities. In an interview with PYMNTS Monday (Feb. 12), Abhi Ramesh, founder and CEO at the...

Social Commerce
X to Launch New Tools That Connect Advertisers and Creators
February 12, 2024

X, formerly known as Twitter, is preparing to launch new ways for advertisers to align with content creators to reach consumers. With the social media platform’s new Creator Targeting tool that will be launched this month, advertisers “can run ads against a curated list of...