Digest: ChatGPT Adds Shopping Features; E-Commerce Platforms Feel the Pressure as Tariffs Reshape US Trade Landscape

In today’s Digest, we cover ChatGPT’s expansion with new shopping features and a partnership, IAB’s digital video projection, and how e-commerce platforms are adjusting to new tariffs.

ChatGPT Expands with New Shopping Features and Partnership

OpenAI has rolled out a series of online shopping enhancements to ChatGPT, integrating features like personalised product recommendations, images, user reviews, and direct purchase links across popular categories including fashion, beauty, home goods, and electronics. The update aims to improve product discovery for users asking specific questions within the chatbot.

In a separate move, Singapore Airlines has announced a partnership with OpenAI to develop generative AI solutions that will enhance both operational efficiency and customer experience. The collaboration is expected to support productivity improvements across the airline's workforce and modernise service delivery through AI-driven innovation.

Latest Ad Spend Figures

According to a report by the IAB, digital video is set to account for nearly 60% of all TV and video ad spend in 2025, more than double its share just five years ago. Spend on digital video reached USD$64bn (£51.5bn) up 18% year-on-year and is forecast to grow a further 14% in 2025, hitting USD$72bn (£58bn). 

The report also marks 2024 as a turning point, with digital video surpassing linear TV for the first time in terms of ad revenue. It cites a resurgence in live events and sports streaming, alongside the growing adoption of self-serve and programmatic tools, as key factors behind connected TV’s 16% year-on-year rebound in 2024.

“2024 was a pivotal year for digital video advertising. With high-quality content shifting to streaming, advancements in ad tech, and an influx of new inventory, the industry saw accelerated growth on both the consumer and advertiser sides,” said David Cohen, CEO of IAB.

Elsewhere, the latest AA/WARC Expenditure Report shows that UK ad spend rose 10.4% to reach £42.6bn in 2024. Channels which recorded growth in 2024 included online display (which increased 15.1%), social media (which accounted for 53% of overall online display) and retail media (which grew 22.7% year-on-year), among others. Search saw significant growth too, with spending rising 12.8%. Looking ahead, their new forecasts expect ad spend to rise by 6.3% to £45.2bn in 2025, and by 5.6% to £47.8bn in 2026. 

E-Commerce Platforms Feel the Pressure as Tariffs Reshape US Trade Landscape

The escalating US–China trade war is beginning to ripple through the e-commerce ecosystem, with platforms like Temu, Shein, and Amazon adapting their strategies in response to new tariffs introduced by President Donald Trump.

Temu has started adding import charges of up to 145%, significantly increasing the cost of orders for US consumers, sometimes even doubling the price of standard purchases. Both Temu and Shein previously warned they would raise prices starting 25 April to offset the tariff impact.

Meanwhile, Amazon’s third-party sellers, many of whom source goods from China, are pulling back from Prime Day, scaling down discounts or skipping the event altogether to protect profit margins. Amazon itself is reportedly pressuring suppliers to deliver “low double digit price cuts”, according to the Financial Times, as it works to shield consumers from rising costs while navigating mounting pressure across its global supply chain.