Hey there!

If you wagered "yes" on "Will he publish a newsletter this week?" please head to the window and collect your winnings.

Not only do I have a hunk of new stuff for you, but I'm pretty sure I used the correct links on the stories this time!

Let's get to the back pages of ecommerce news that you might have missed:

What's the Matter?

📰 Rufus Rolls Out Nationwide

Amazon's AI shopping assistant Rufus is now available to all U.S. customers in the Amazon app.

Customers can ask Rufus for recommendations, compare features, access order information, and learn about related topics like cooking or party planning.

PYMNTS has the Story

Does it matter? My first thought went to reducing returns.

If customers make more informed buying decisions, it's logical to assume that should lead to more satisfied customers once they receive their products, right?

🤔 Tinfoil hat take: I can't help but wonder if the AI has been taught to consider the entire catalog without bias.

Will it be more prone to recommend products that Amazon itself has in-stock? Will it be integrated with fulfillment data and act like an AI buy box, recommending products that can be delivered to the customer the fastest?

📰 GLP-Wonderful

As more people use GLP-1 drugs to curb their appetite and lose weight, beauty and wellness brands are adapting their products to cater to this growing market.

Companies are adjusting their offerings, from health supplements to skincare, to address the needs of users and capitalize on this new trend.

Modern Retail has the Skinny

Why it matters: It's estimated that 7% of US adults are using some type of GLP-1 drug and the numbers continue to rise. Multiple predictions see the drug's market crossing $100 billion by 2030.

I promise this pun is not intended, but the market for the drug is huge (ok, maybe there's a little intent).

70% of the US is overweight.

The part that matters to us is the ripple effect of tens of millions of consumers dropping 15-20% or more in body weight.

What will those people need and want as their bodies transform?

The categories listed in the article include skin care and nutrition. Clothing is another obvious need.

But we can also project boosts to other categories as we see self-image improve. Does higher end fashion and shoes take a larger share of sales moving forward? Makeup and hair care?

How about the desire to maintain a healthier lifestyle with vitamins & other supplements? Will workout equipment get a bump as people feel more energized or plan their exit strategy off of the drug?

Brainstorming the impact of GLP-1 can lead to numerous opportunities in the retail space.

📰 No Risk - No Comma

Did you know that if you google wholesale courses, one of the first results you'll see takes you to a course that costs $3,000? And they're not the only one charging that much. 😲

The Wholesale Challenge live training starts July 22nd, so there are only a few days left to register.

Wholesale Challenge Details

Why it matters: To put it simply, wholesale is a method to source large quantities of products direct from the brand to be sold on the most-visited ecommerce site, Amazon.

It's the easiest path to selling millions on the platform when you know how to do it.

On the fence? Check out some of the bonuses that become available to you immediately after you sign up:

Trade Show Playbook
VA Playbook
Corey's Email Outreach Templates
Corey's 10 Wholesale SOPs
Printable KPI Guides
21 Day Action Plan

Still not sure? They offer one of the strongest no-risk, no-questions-asked money back guarantees you'll find.

Again, this will be the ONLY time the course is offered this year.

At a price that doesn't require a comma.

📰 Credit Card Legislation Charges Ahead

I've touched on swipe fees being in the crosshairs of Congress with the Credit Card Competition Act before.

The battle to limit these fees has spread to the state level also, as NY, PA, and IL have introduced legislation.

TPG Shares the Latest Points

Does it matter? If you use reward credit cards in your business, these regulations could lead to changes in how we earn and redeem rewards.

We scratch and claw for every percentage point we can find, so losing some of those points would be a net negative.

What's the Latest on the Clear The Shelf with Chris & Chris Podcast?

There's a chance that as you read this, we are recording our next episode, so it won't be long.

In the meantime, the live Q&A show airs every Wednesday at 5pm est. If you missed it last week, Chris goes pretty deep on some Nike rumors and much more. Here's last week's replay.

Join us live tomorrow and cut it up with us a little.

Also, follow the links below to get caught up on the pod: