EC & AI Commerce News Digest (January 19, 2026)

Key Takeaways

eBay announces 3 ways AI will impact ecommerce: authentication, sustainability, and development efficiency
JD launches buyout of Deppon Logistics at 35% premium for $544M
China's Spring Festival e-commerce accelerates cross-border trade, reaching 2.75 trillion yuan in 2025

Today's Top News

eBay Identifies 3 Ways AI Will Impact Ecommerce

eBay executives wrote about AI trends to watch in 2026 and identified 3 specific ways AI will impact ecommerce

eBay executives have shared their views on three significant ways AI will impact ecommerce.

First, Global Product Head Avritti Khandurie Mittal pointed to the shift "from static authentication to continuous verification." She stated that the era is coming when AI will simultaneously evaluate identity, intent, product authenticity, and regulatory compliance in real-time.

Second, Chief Sustainability Officer Renée Morin emphasized AI's role in promoting used goods discovery. Conversational agents and image recognition will make it easier to find pre-owned alternatives to new products.

Third, VP Senthil Padmanabhan highlighted improvements in development productivity. eBay developers are using Claude Code to reduce bug triage time from 2-3 days to 1-2 hours.

Currently, over 10 million sellers use eBay's generative AI tools, with more than 300 million listings generated.

JD Launches Buyout of Deppon Logistics at 35% Premium

JD Launches Buyout of Shanghai-Listed Deppon Logistics at 35% Premium

JD Logistics is offering to buy out the remaining shares in Shanghai-listed Deppon Logistics at a 35 percent premium.

JD Logistics announced on January 18 a tender offer to acquire all remaining shares of Shanghai-listed Deppon Logistics.

The offer price is 19 yuan per share (approximately $2.72), representing a 35% premium over the January 9 closing price of 14.04 yuan. The total amount is approximately 3.797 billion yuan ($544 million). JD Logistics currently holds 80.01% of Deppon and is seeking to acquire the remaining minority stake.

JD Logistics stated that "acquiring Deppon's remaining stake will enable further integration of logistics networks and creation of synergies between the two companies."

JD acquired 66% of Deppon in 2022 for 8.976 billion yuan, gaining 143 sorting hubs, over 30,000 service points, and 15,000 trucks.

AI Commerce Tools

2026 Logistics Revolution: Smart Terminals and the "Human-Light" Era

Rise of smart terminal: Inside the human-light revolution of 2026

Driven by a massive e-commerce surge and the urgent push for Net Zero, the air cargo sector of 2026 is a digital-first frontier.

Automation is accelerating in the air cargo industry. AI image recognition systems and autonomous mobile robots (AMR) are being deployed in cargo facilities, reducing processing errors by 70%.

The $8.1 trillion e-commerce market is driving this demand. By 2046, dedicated freighters are expected to reach 3,420 aircraft, a 45% increase from current levels. Between 2026 and 2030, an additional 2,605 aircraft will be needed, with 1,670 converted from passenger aircraft.

Companies like Dronamics, Elroy Air, and Sabrewing Aircraft Company are developing medium-range cargo drones carrying 200-500kg. Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) are also progressing from prototype to certification stages.

Global E-Commerce Trends

China's Spring Festival E-Commerce: Cross-Border Trade Up 69.7% to 2.75 Trillion Yuan

GT Voice: E-commerce creates global opportunities during Spring Festival spending spree

A six-week online shopping campaign ahead of the Spring Festival highlights the evolving Spring Festival economy. E-commerce is creating new import-export opportunities, offering international businesses more chances to tap into China's upcoming holiday spending surge.

China is launching a six-week online shopping campaign starting January 20 ahead of the February 17 Spring Festival.

According to Chinese customs data, cross-border e-commerce import and export value reached 2.75 trillion yuan ($394.6 billion) in 2025, a 69.7% increase from 2020. Lower-tier cities and county-level markets account for about 70% of the population and about 60% of retail sales, becoming the primary source of consumption growth.

Young consumers value not only price-performance ratio but also "emotional value" that satisfies gift-giving culture and social expectations. Cross-border e-commerce platforms are providing new opportunities for small and medium-sized import-export businesses.

Vietnam Customs Strengthens Digital Management Amid E-Commerce Surge

Customs steps up digital management of goods amid e-commerce surge

Vietnam's customs authorities have introduced a comprehensive digital management system following achievement of $900 billion in total import-export value in December 2025.

The new system, operational since July 9, 2025, processes 450,000-600,000 declarations per day for low-value goods via express mail and postal services. Trials at the Kim Thanh No.2 land border gate in Lao Cai province eliminated paper declarations and reduced logistics costs by 10-15%.

AI analyzes scanned images to identify goods, reducing manual inspections. Data analysis algorithms classify declarations and detect fraud indicators. Full deployment of a digital customs information technology system is planned for 2026.

Nepal E-Commerce Federation Demands Zero API Fees and Tax Incentives

E-Commerce Directives 2082: CAN Federation Demands Zero API Fees and Tax Rebates for Nepalese Startups

The landscape of e-commerce in Nepal is on the verge of a major regulatory shift as the government moves to formalize digital trade.

The Federation of Computer Association Nepal (CAN Federation) has submitted recommendations for amendments to the E-Commerce Directives 2082.

The main demand is for payment service providers such as Khalti, eSewa, and Fonepay to offer zero API integration fees for startups. They propose a mechanism where government tax incentives compensate PSPs for providing free services.

They are also requesting significant tax deductions for newly registered e-commerce businesses and government subsidies to make digital payments equivalent in cost to cash transactions. For simplifying the registration process, they recommend automatic registration through integrated APIs with the company registrar. The compliance period would be extended to 90 days, with emphasis on technical support rather than immediate penalties.

Corporate News & Partnerships

India's Astrotalk Store Exceeds 14 Billion Rupees in Revenue in One Year

Astrotalk store clocks Rs 140 cr revenue in 2025; eyes Rs 500 cr ARR by FY27

Astrotalk Store, the e-commerce venture of Astrotalk, achieved ₹140 crore revenue in 2025, a year after its launch. With plans for ₹500 crore annual recurring revenue by FY27.

Astrotalk Store, the e-commerce arm of astrology platform Astrotalk, achieved revenue of 14 billion rupees (approximately 140 crore) just over a year after its November 2024 launch.

Starting with an initial investment of 300,000 rupees, they made an additional 40 crore investment following early success. Capital was deployed for inventory expansion, supply chain, technology, marketing, and category diversification. In 2025, they processed over 1.6 million orders.

They offer over 300 SKUs including rudraksha, gemstones, bracelets, idols, and ritual items. They aim to add over 500 new products by FY27 with annual revenue targets of 400-500 crore. The repeat purchase rate is 24%, with future revenue projected to come approximately 50% from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

Logistics & Fulfillment

Nigeria's Air Freight Market Reaches $8 Billion, Driven by E-Commerce and SMEs

E-commerce and SMEs are driving growth in Nigeria's $8bn air freight market – Aramex Nigeria MD

Nigeria's air freight logistics sector is experiencing rapid growth, driven by rising e-commerce activity and expanding trade among small and medium-sized enterprises.

Aramex Nigeria Managing Director Faisal Jarmakani told Nairametrics in an exclusive interview that Nigeria's air freight market has reached $8 billion in scale.

Activity is concentrated in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano, with Lagos holding the largest share. The main growth drivers are e-commerce and SME trade, with Nigerian diaspora expansion and B2B/C2C transaction channels particularly boosting export volumes.

The biggest challenges are cargo handling inefficiency at airports, cost structure, and last-mile delivery. In Dubai, cargo arriving in the morning is delivered by afternoon, but Nigeria still has room for improvement. The busiest international routes are China, US, and UK, with China driven by cross-border e-commerce and SME procurement.

Consumer Trends

Singapore Police Warn of K-pop Merchandise E-Commerce Scams

Buying K-pop merch? Beware of e-commerce scams, police warn

Beware of fake sellers who ask you to make an initial deposit, the police have warned.

Singapore Police issued a warning on January 17 about pre-order scams involving K-pop artist merchandise such as G-Dragon products.

Victims find K-pop merchandise pre-order listings on online platforms like Carousell and are persuaded by scammers to make advance payments via PayNow or bank transfer. They realize they've been scammed when goods don't arrive or they can't contact the seller.

Police recommend purchasing from official retailers and avoiding advance payments or bank transfers before receiving goods. They advise choosing safe payment methods like cash on delivery and being alert to red flags such as "big discounts for quick transactions."

Summary

Today's highlights include the movement of AI transforming e-commerce authentication, sustainability, and development processes. eBay's case serves as a concrete example of how AI tools are contributing to actual operational efficiency.

In logistics, JD's full acquisition of Deppon and the automation trend in air cargo stand out. Chinese companies' vertical integration strategies and smart terminal investments to meet e-commerce demand are accelerating.

Globally, emerging market e-commerce infrastructure development is progressing, including China's Spring Festival cross-border e-commerce, Vietnam's digital customs, Nepal's startup support policies, and Nigeria's $8 billion air freight market.

Looking ahead, focus areas include details of the JD×Deppon integration and e-commerce policy developments across countries.