E-Commerce

The Information’s reporting on e-commerce includes uncovering financials from the world’s biggest e-commerce companies, such as Amazon and Shein. Additionally, our team is leading the analysis of forays into e-commerce by various platforms, including ByteDance's TikTok, X and more.

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Recent Articles about E-Commerce
Art by Mike Sullivan.
The Information Finance

Fintech Lenders are Still Learning the Hard Way

By Ann Gehan · May 20, 2026 9:41am PDT
The recent bankruptcy of Parker, a corporate card startup that catered to e-commerce customers, is a good reminder that lending is one of the toughest ways to make money in fintech. Parker had been among the dwindling number of standalone, tech-heavy lenders geared toward small businesses that first sprung up during the fintech funding... The recent bankruptcy of Parker, a corporate card startup that catered to e-commerce customers,...
Michael Gonzalez/AFP/Getty.
The Briefing

Musk Loses in Court; Uber Buys More of Delivery Hero

By Martin Peers · May 18, 2026 5:00pm PDT
Elon Musk’s big week isn’t starting out too well. Firstly, the all-important test launch of Starship got delayed by a day. Meanwhile, news broke that a worker died on Friday at SpaceX’s Starbase complex in Texas, where the rocket will launch. Separately, Musk on Monday lost the lawsuit against his fellow OpenAI founders, Sam Altman and Greg... Elon Musk’s big week isn’t starting out too well. Firstly, the all-important test launch of...
Amazon HQ in Seattle. Getty Images.
The Briefing

Amazon’s AI Shopping Overhaul

By Martin Peers · May 13, 2026 5:00pm PDT · 1 comment
Remember Bard? It was the original name of Google’s AI chatbot, but the Gemini brand long ago replaced it. Just as you’ve likely forgotten that history, you’re not likely to remember Rufus in 12 months’ time, either. Rufus, the name of Amazon’s AI-powered shopping chatbot, got tossed on Wednesday and replaced with Amazon’s well-established Alexa... Remember Bard? It was the original name of Google’s AI chatbot, but the Gemini brand long ago...
Art by Clark Miller
The Big Read

E-Commerce Startups Are Back From the Dead

By Ann Gehan · Oct 10, 2025 9:24am PDT · 1 comment
Lately, venture capitalist Ben Lerer has found himself experiencing a bit of déjà vu: Once again, there’s a whole nest of thriving e-commerce startups worth his attention. When I reached him a couple weeks ago, his firm, Lerer Hippeau, was just putting money into two of them: Elm Biosciences, a new skin care startup, and Stiller’s... Lately, venture capitalist Ben Lerer has found himself experiencing a bit of déjà...
Art by Clark Miller.
E-commerce

‘Everyone’s Desperate’: Consumer Startups Bet on Mobile Big Brother Billboards

By Ann Gehan · Nov 29, 2024 10:00am PST · 2 comments
When Huel, a London-based startup that sells protein bars and powdered meals, was plotting an expansion push into America earlier this year, the company’s executives knew they needed to make a splash. Huel’s $200 million in annual revenue came from online sales mostly in Europe—in the U.S., it hoped to win over customers in... When Huel, a London-based startup that sells protein bars and powdered meals, was plotting an...