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Amazon Prime Refund: $3 million for customers after lawsuit alleges company made subscription cancellations complicated; also pledges $1.5 million for consumer protection
Amazon Prime Refund: Amazon has agreed to pay $3 million to eligible Prime customers in Arizona to settle allegations that its six-step membership cancellation process made it difficult for subscribers to end their memberships. The company will also contribute $1.5 million towards consumer protection, pay $1.5 million in legal expenses and donate $1 million to food charities. Amazon has denied wrongdoing.
How intelligent commerce is shaping the next frontier of merchant payments
For a decade, the task in India’s merchant payments was to get every shop and website to accept digital money. The value, leaders argued, at GFF 2026, is now moving to identity, risk, credit and growth, and to preparing the checkout for AI agents that may soon shop on consumers’ behalf.
Quick commerce emerges beyond Diwali shopping panic to breathe on the necks of e-commerce giants
Quick-commerce platforms in India are increasingly including fashion, beauty, and gifting items for Diwali shopping. Myntra and Amazon are experiencing significant growth in orders and customer engagement during the festive season. Quick-commerce is projected to account for a larger share of online retail, boosting convenience for consumers. The demand for immediate shopping solutions is prompting a shift in purchasing behaviours.
Honasa Consumer Q2 Results: Mamaearth parent's profit surges 87% YoY to Rs 73 crore
Honasa Consumer achieved an 86.7% increase in net profit for the September quarter, reaching Rs 73.25 crore. Revenue from operations grew by 35.9% compared to the previous year, amounting to Rs 731.19 crore. Despite sequential profit decline, the company indicated strong performance across various sales channels, including general and modern trade. The flagship brand Mamaearth continued to show robust growth, contributing significantly to overall earnings.
Can the government remove LTCG on mutual funds in Budget 2027? Here’s what experts say
SEBI has repotedly proposed tax relief for domestic mutual fund investors ahead of Budget 2027. The proposal aims to exempt investors from long-term capital gains tax when switching investments. Financial experts note that removing this tax could increase investor interest, although it may impact government revenues.
Dhanteras 2026: A 12% demand surge awaits Indian gold market even as prices hit two-week high
Jewellers expect Dhanteras gold sales to rise 10-12% on strong advance bookings, despite a 4.56% price surge in two days. Crisil expects jewellery sales volumes to fall 4-6%, with higher prices driving revenue growth of 20-21%.
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Stop AI from Eroding Your Brand
Artificial intelligence is changing how companies operate and how customers experience their brands. New research suggests that companies with lower levels of “brand debt”—the trust, relevance, and consistency lost when products, experiences, and decisions drift away from customer expectations—are significantly more likely to outperform their peers. Drawing on a benchmark of 60 companies and lessons from Bose’s digital transformation, the lessons here are that managing brand debt should become an enterprise-wide priority rather than a marketing exercise. As AI increasingly shapes customer interactions, companies that manage brand debt deliberately will be better positioned to strengthen trust, sustain growth, and preserve competitive advantage

Unilever to take India playbook to Africa, Vietnam, Pakistan and Bangladesh to drive growth
Unilever plans to use its India business as a blueprint for growth in Africa, Vietnam, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The company aims to replicate India's distribution network, category-building strategy and ability to serve consumers across income groups in these underpenetrated markets. India contributes $6.3 billion, or around 16%, of Unilever's revenue.

These mid-caps have ‘strong buy’ & ‘buy’ recos and upside potential of up to 28%, according to analysts
Global markets on Wednesday celebrated the outcome of the US mid-term election as well as a sharp drop in oil prices. Oil prices, which at the end of last week were at about $118 to the barrel, are now under $95. The hope clearly is that Democrat control of both chambers of the US Congress will pressure the Trump administration to pursue a diplomatic end to the conflict with Iran in the Gulf.

Lenskart, Nykaa, PhysicsWallah see Q2 profits surge
New-age companies Nykaa, Lenskart, and PhysicsWallah reported strong numbers for the September quarter. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.

AI shopping agents could threaten Amazon and Walmart's ad business
Retail powerhouses Walmart and Amazon are also the world's two largest retail media businesses, dominating the estimated $74.4 billion in US retail media spending with a combined 88% share of that market, according to projections from data firm Emarketer. But digital assistants could soon disrupt that business.

Bata puts its best foot forward on profits as inventory shrinks, distribution expands
Bata India is banking on distribution expansion and tighter inventory management to drive growth, as adjusted profit before tax surged 31.4% year-on-year in Q2 FY27, outpacing revenue growth of 7.5%. The footwear maker has expanded its key retail outlet network 2.6 times and targets 5,000-plus outlets by Q3 FY27.

Apple’s robust India quarter; Giva’s $100 million funding
Apple posted record sales in India in the September quarter. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.

Giva raises over $100 million led by Multiples Alternate Asset Management
Founded in 2019, Giva focusses on everyday wear and gifting jewellery made from silver, gold, and lab-grown diamonds, sold across online and offline channels. Currently, it has around 425 stores across India and Sri Lanka. By the end of the financial year, it aims to scale to 470-475 stores and plans to have 2,000 in the next four years.

Retailer Zalando launches AI shopping agent as margins squeezed
Zalando has launched its inaugural AI shopping agent, aiming to refine its online retail experience significantly. This innovative platform enables users to shop across various online stores using intelligent AI assistants. Although shares dropped by 5%, the company saw a revenue uptick of 5.1% in Q3. However, the gross profit margin decreased due to heightened investment in technology and infrastructure as competitors embrace AI amid rapid industry transformation.

Matcha moment: A Japanese tea brews up a $96 million flavour in India
Matcha tea market India: The country's matcha market is set to expand, with projected revenue growth from $45.7 million in 2025 to $96.4 million by 2033. Café chains like Tata Starbucks are already seeing increased sales from matcha products, catering to evolving consumer preferences. Instagram and social media have played a significant role in the rising popularity of matcha drinks and recipes.

Wiscon Industries SME shares to list today: Check subscription status and key detail
Wiscon Industries will debut on the BSE SME platform on November 3, 2026, following its Rs 110-crore IPO, subscribed 88% overall. The Delhi-based consumer electronics supplier plans to use proceeds for subsidiary expansion, working capital and marketing. Its revenue surged to Rs 73.39 crore in FY26, reflecting rapid business growth.

Sam Walton’s landlord took away his best store and gave it to his son. So he moved to a tiny town called Bentonville
Sam Walton's Newport store had increased sales from $80,000 to $225,000 in three years. But his landlord refused to renew the lease, giving the property to his son instead. Walton moved to Bentonville in 1950 and bought another variety store. The town had just 3,000 residents. He later expanded into nearby communities, opening Walmart's first discount store in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962.

Reliance Retail Q2 Results: Revenue up 6%, but late festive season, digital spends hit profit
Reliance Retail Q2 Results: The company's gross revenue increased 6.4% YoY to Rs 91,716 crore in Q2FY27, compared with Rs 86,169 crore in the year-ago period. The growth came despite the absence of major festive occasions during the quarter, with the festive calendar shifting to the December quarter.

Record earnings! 5 big takeaways from RIL Q2 results investors should watch for Monday trading
Reliance Industries reported record Q2FY27 profit of Rs 29,550 crore and revenue of Rs 3.62 lakh crore, driven by strong refining margins and Jio growth. Retail profitability weakened, while declining debt improved the conglomerate's financial position.

Atomberg gets Sebi nod for IPO; plans Rs 450 crore fresh issue
The Mumbai-based company filed its draft IPO papers in August. ET had reported in July that Atomberg was preparing for an offering of Rs 1,500-2,000 crore. The final issue size will depend on the price band, which has not yet been announced.

Rising tech costs drive EMI sales; Shadowfax Q2 profit soars
Happy Friday! Shoppers are turning to EMIs as electronics prices rise. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

Trent’s big expansion plans: More Zudio & Westside stores, deeper Tier 2-3 push and Indian brands going global
Trent Ltd plans to expand its fashion and food retail businesses, deepen its presence in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and strengthen its lifestyle brands. Chairman Noel N Tata outlined the company's growth strategy ahead of his departure on November 11, with Bahram Vakil set to succeed him. Trent reported 22% year-on-year growth in Q2 FY27 revenue to Rs 5,873 crore, while Zudio continued expanding its retail footprint.

Trent Q2 Results: Cons profit jumps 25% YoY to Rs 468 crore; revenue climbs 22%
Trent Q2 Results: Trent reported a 25.3% year-on-year rise in Q2 FY27 consolidated net profit to Rs 468 crore, while revenue grew 21.9% to Rs 5,873 crore. EBITDA rose 29.6% to Rs 1,054 crore, with margins improving to 18.2%. The retailer expanded its footprint across Westside, Zudio and other lifestyle concepts.

Pine Labs shares jump 7% as Q2 net profit soars 543% YoY to Rs 39 crore
Pine Labs shares rose sharply on Thursday after the fintech company reported a 543% year-on-year jump in Q2 FY27 net profit to Rs 38.6 crore. Revenue rose 24% to Rs 806.2 crore, while EBITDA increased 67.3%. Growth in payments, UPI transactions and international markets supported performance as the company expands into AI-led commerce.

Meet Joe Demin and Rachel Connors, a couple who started selling hammocks in 2011; here's how their side hustle crossed $30 million in sales
Joe Demin was travelling to Thailand in 2011 when they came across a soft, handwoven hammock. It was different from the rough products they had seen and used back at home in the United States. He learned that the artisans who made it needed more buyers for their products. Demin saw a big business opportunity in this and wanted to sell the product in a wider market.

Kirana stores make room for new generation FMCG brands as they muscle past legacy giants
India's kirana market has seen new-age consumer brands expand their market share to nearly 22%. This increase has impacted the dominance of established fast-moving consumer goods companies. The shift is largely driven by changing consumer preferences and greater access to online channels. New brands face challenges in sustaining their physical distribution network against legacy players. Established brands are adjusting their strategies in response to growing demand for premium products.

A Fresh Brew: Trent set to serve up Caffe Nero at Westside, Zudio outlets
Tata Group's Trent has entered into a licensing agreement with Caffe Nero to establish cafes in their retail stores. This decision follows unsuccessful negotiations with Tata Starbucks over a similar partnership. The differences included store formats, locations, and the desired prominence of the Starbucks brand. The terms of the Caffe Nero deal remain undisclosed, with potential for significant expansion in India.

No layoffs in 101 years: CEO of a company that has never laid off workers says businesses should cut costs elsewhere instead of firing employees
As Microsoft offers voluntary buyouts to around 60,000 employees amid heavy AI investment, the CEO of a 101-year-old syrup maker says businesses should look for savings beyond job cuts. Torani says it has never laid off workers, including during the pandemic, when revenue fell 20% in a single month.
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