Cyber Monday stories

Chargebacks surge after record online holiday sales, with USD $181 billion in returns putting retailers' first-quarter profits at risk.

Klaviyo forecasts 2026 surge in AI voice shopping, automated returns and connected-device purchases reshaping how consumers buy.

Criteo says agentic AI will add a powerful new eCommerce layer, reshaping search, retail assistants and LLM ad models without replacing shops.

Blue Yonder rolls out fresh AI tools to tighten retail planning, boost fulfilment accuracy and speed up warehouse and logistics decisions.

Black Friday still delivered the peak online surge, but AI-driven search stretched shopping demand across a longer November window.

Black Friday splurge triggers record December returns surge as ReBound warns rapid send-backs are straining retailers' peak operations.

AI agents, circular retail and tighter rules will upend shopping by 2026, Akeneo warns, as poor product data threatens brand visibility.

AI is transforming loyalty from points to real-time, personalised journeys as super apps and agentic engagement engines rapidly take hold.

Australians are reshaping Boxing Day, prioritising essentials, thrift and online safety over impulse spending amid cost-of-living strain.

Social media fuelled a Black Friday boom in the UK, as Rithum data showed global social sales soaring 152% and online spend up 27%.

Record Black Friday online sales risk hollowing out profits as soaring returns, refunds and BNPL queries squeeze retailers' margins.

Infobip logs 12.2 billion Cyber Week interactions as retailers drive a 277% Black Friday surge in rich messaging such as RCS and WhatsApp.

UK saw the highest global Black Friday growth at 16%, driven by loyalty spend, AI tools, and personalised retail experiences, outpacing US and ANZ markets.

Brands boosted Black Friday and Cyber Monday revenue by 38% year-on-year through varied creative ads, despite only a 13% rise in ad spend, analysis shows.

Black Friday searches hit 33.5bn, with pet products surging 81% and shoppers favouring value, wellness, and early deals over luxury goods this year.

Friendly fraud is set to rise by 25% over the peak holiday shopping days, with transactions averaging USD $291, costing retailers billions globally.

Practical DevSecOps is offering a Black Friday sale with 15% off all certifications and up to $500 off bundles for hands-on security training.

Retailers face rising digital and cyber threats this Black Friday, with only 22% of sites optimised for mobile user experience amid surging online traffic.

Seventy percent of Australians plan to shop online this holiday season, with AI tools and Buy Now, Pay Later options driving a digital surge in sales.

Australian shoppers favour human support over AI for Black Friday, with 55% preferring email communication and only 2% opting for chatbots during sales.