Does TikTok have nine lives? Probably.
It just dodged another ban, and now U.S. investors are calling the shots.
HOT TOPIC
AI shopping just crossed a line, and most sellers probably didn’t notice.
In a span of days, Etsy turned AI assistants into checkout lanes inside ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google’s AI Search. Shopify, PayPal, Stripe, Walmart, Target, and others are rushing in.
For shoppers, it’s frictionless.
For sellers, it quietly shifts who controls traffic, discovery, and fees.
🛒 AI is becoming the storefront
These assistants aren’t just recommending products, they’re closing the sale:
What sellers should watch closely: platforms are already floating paid visibility inside AI results.
💸 What sellers are worrying about
This isn’t just an Etsy issue, it’s a preview of what discovery may become:
One seller has already reported Amazon scraping her listings into its app, complete with AI-generated errors.
⚠️ AI traffic won’t stay free forever
Agentic shopping is moving fast. Expect new attribution models, new ad products, and eventually, new fees tied to AI discovery.
The real question isn’t if sellers will pay.
It’s how much control they’ll still have after they do.
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BITES OF THE WEEK
SOCIAL PULSE
ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, has officially signed a majority U.S.-owned joint venture to secure user data and keep the app running for over 200 million U.S. users.
A major milestone after years of drama, starting in August 2020 when Trump first tried to ban the app.
🏛️ The deal in numbers
Trump weighed in, calling the deal a win for “Great American Patriots and Investors,” and thanked Xi Jinping for approving it.
🔐 Data, algorithms, and security
The new venture will:
Revenue and operational control are split: the venture handles tech and data, while ByteDance keeps ad sales and ecommerce revenue.
📱 Why this matters
The deal keeps TikTok largely in American hands and sets a precedent for U.S. tech oversight.
For marketers, the win is continuity: your audience stays, the app keeps running, but now with added U.S. oversight over the algorithm shaping feeds, recommendations, and discoverability.
ACTIONABLE ADVICE
Product discovery isn’t only about typing in the right keywords. It’s about guiding customers, reducing friction, and helping them decide faster.
Here are 8 strategies to make your products stand out:
📋 Your product discovery checklist
Even small tweaks can make a big difference.
Better search, AI suggestions, mobile-friendly design, and strong social proof help shoppers find what they want faster, convert more often, and drive stronger sales in 2026.
