November has come to a close, leaving behind a month full of innovation, AI breakthroughs, and eCommerce milestones. Major updates included Adobe’s acquisition of Semrush, Shopify’s enhanced checkout features, and AI powered innovations from Amazon, Walmart, and OpenAI. The month also saw exciting developments in payment integrations, marketing tools, and immersive shopping experiences. In case you missed any of these key moments, here is a complete roundup of November’s top updates.
Platform Updates
FutureAdobe Buys Semrush: A Signal of the AI-SEO Future
Adobe has agreed to acquire Semrush, the popular SEO and brand visibility platform, in an all-cash deal worth roughly $1.9 billion. The move is part of Adobe’s push to build a marketing stack tuned for the “agentic AI” era, combining SEO and what they call “generative engine optimization (GEO)” to help brands stay visible, not just in traditional search, but in AI powered search tools and LLM-driven discovery. The deal is expected to close by the first half of 2026, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals.
Shopify Lets Apple Pay Slide Into Shop Pay
Merchants using Shopify now get a seamless boost. If you’ve enabled Apple Pay as an express checkout option, Apple Pay will automatically appear as a payment method inside Shop Pay checkout, starting November 13, 2025. For shoppers, this means smoother, one tap checkouts, especially for those on Apple devices. For store owners, it expands payment flexibility without requiring any additional setup. This update strengthens Shopify’s push toward faster, more flexible checkouts, helping merchants reduce friction and capture more conversions with zero extra work.
Talk to Your Store: Sidekick Voice Lands on Shopify Mobile
Sidekick Voice is now available inside the Shopify Mobile App, meaning merchants can now talk to Sidekick hands free while managing their store from their phone. The voice enabled assistant stays active as you navigate across different admin screens. You can mute, unmute or hang up at any time, making it easier to multitask like checking orders, updating inventory or tracking analytics, without typing. For store owners and developers like you, this means quicker, more fluid on the go admin workflows, especially handy for mobile first sellers, or when you’re managing multiple stores remotely.
Adobe Firefly becomes a complete AI creativity studio
Adobe introduced the new version of Firefly which brings all generative AI tools for images, videos, audio, and design into one unified creative workspace. The update lets creators move from idea to final output inside a single environment without switching between apps or subscriptions. It also makes it easier for brands to generate campaign assets, edit visuals, and produce content at scale with much faster workflows. This shift is expected to benefit eCommerce teams that rely heavily on fast creative production.
Industry Updates
Walmart ramps up AI powered shopping for the 2025 holiday season
Walmart is rolling out a broad suite of AI powered tools, both online and in‑store, to streamline holiday shopping and improve customer convenience. Through the Walmart app shoppers can now instantly see deals available at their current store, search for products, locate exactly which aisle they’re on, and build wish lists sorted by aisle for easy in‑store navigation. For a more personalized buying experience the AI assistant Sparky can suggest curated product bundles based on events or gifting occasions, from food and decorations to party essentials, simplified through chat‑style prompts. Walmart has also added AI generated audio summaries for premium beauty products and is piloting AI and augmented reality (AR) tools that let shoppers visualise furniture and décor in 3D before purchasing.
OpenAI gives ChatGPT a fresh makeover for buyers by Introducing “Shopping Research”
ChatGPT now includes a new built-in feature called Shopping Research meant to simplify how people search for and choose products online. With Shopping Research you just describe what you’re looking for and ChatGPT asks follow up questions, surveys trusted stores and reviews, and builds a personalized buyer’s guide that matches your needs, budget, and preferences. The tool works on mobile and web and is available to everyone with “nearly unlimited” usage during the holiday season. This development shows how AI can change the way customers discover and evaluate products before making a purchase.
WooCommerce lets merchants tap Reddit shoppers with a new integration
WooCommerce has officially launched Reddit for WooCommerce, an integration designed to connect WooCommerce stores directly with Reddit’s ad and shopping ecosystem. With a few clicks you can sync your product catalog, auto enable tracking signals (Pixel + CAPI), and launch dynamic product ads on Reddit via your existing WooCommerce dashboard. This opens a new opportunity for eCommerce brands to engage highly active Reddit communities and drive conversions by reaching users exactly where they spend time and make decisions.
payabl. Adds Easy Payments Integration for Shopify Merchants
European fintech provider payabl. has launched a payments integration for Shopify that lets merchants enable secure and convenient checkout through the Shopify platform. With this integration, stores can go live in as little as 48 hours and start accepting payments via credit and debit cards, while also benefiting from built-in fraud protection, 3D Secure support, easy refunds, and chargeback management, all handled within payabl.’s infrastructure. For small and mid‑sized merchants or agencies, this means a faster, more reliable, and globally ready payment setup, reducing friction at checkout and improving conversion potential.
Amazon brings AI video recaps to Prime Video
Prime Video has launched a new feature called Video Recaps which is currently in beta and uses generative AI to help viewers catch up on their favorite shows between seasons. The technology analyzes key plot points and character arcs to create cinematic quality video summaries. Building on last year’s X Ray Recaps that offered text summaries, the video version adds visuals, voiceovers, and snippets of dialogue for a more immersive experience. This update shows how AI is reshaping content consumption and storytelling in entertainment.
Events Updates
Past Event
Seamless Saudi Arabia 2025 brings together the future of digital commerce
Seamless Saudi Arabia 2025 was held from 17 to 19 November at Riyadh Front and gathered hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of attendees from retail, fintech, payments, marketplaces, and eCommerce platforms to explore the latest trends in omnichannel retail and digital commerce. Codilar attended the event, showcasing its expertise in conversion oriented digital commerce and connecting with industry leaders.
Upcoming Events
B2B Online Europe 2025 is Coming Soon
B2B Online Europe 2025 will take place on 3-4 December 2025 at Hotel Maritim in Berlin. The conference will bring together leaders in digital commerce, eCommerce, sales, and marketing from top manufacturers and distributors to explore AI powered B2B commerce, omnichannel strategies, and customer focused digital transformation. Save the date to discover how B2B commerce is evolving and to connect with key industry decision makers.
Register now: https://b2bonlineeu.wbresearch.com/srspricing
Global Conference on eCommerce and Internet Marketing 2025 is Coming Up
The 64th Global Conference on eCommerce and Internet Marketing is scheduled for December 19‑21, 2025 in Toronto, Canada. The conference promises sessions on online selling, digital marketing, mobile payments, secure checkout, consumer behaviour, and other key aspects of internet commerce. It is a chance for anyone interested in eCommerce, online marketing, or digital business growth to learn new ideas and connect with peers from around the world.
Register now: https://verification.globalconference.ca/?nocache
BIGBOX UAE Bash 2025 is on the Horizon
BIGBOX UAE Bash 2025 is scheduled for 11 December 2025 in Dubai. The summit will convene retail and eCommerce professionals to explore the latest trends in omnichannel retail, digital commerce, customer experience, and supply chain innovation. This event promises valuable insights, networking opportunities, and a platform for brands and tech providers to connect and collaborate.
Register Now: https://www.bigboxsummit.com/uaebash/#register
