Weekly intelligence across AI, ecommerce, luxury, and jewellery.
Issue W07 · February 2026
articles analysed this week
AI-Generated Summary: Amazon's Andy Jassy plans a $200bn AI spending drive to boost AWS amid competition from Microsoft and Google in the cloud business, following concerns of missing out on the early AI boom.
Weekly Luxury Intelligence · ~12 minutes
Digital commerce, retail innovation, DTC trends
Market moves, brand strategy, trade insights
AI news, strategy, and business transformation
Luxury brands, consumer trends, fashion
Rate this issue
This Week
Practical Ecommerce's latest article highlights new ecommerce tools for reverse logistics, fulfillment, AI assistants, AI store builders, chargebacks, checkout integrations, agentic commerce, and automated marketing, published on February 11, 2026.
Shopify's revenue increased by 30% in 2025, attributed to a surge in B2B sales and the expansion of AI commerce tools, leading to strong growth in Q4 and overall fiscal performance.
AI Content Licensing for Merchants discusses the potential for ecommerce marketers to benefit from content-licensing marketplaces developed by Microsoft and Amazon.
The article from Retail Dive published on 2026-02-11 reports a 12% decrease in the number of consumers shopping online daily compared to the previous year, with a growing trend of in-store shopping.
Ford Motor reported significant losses in 2025 due to its troubled electric vehicle division, which has been scaled back, with projections indicating continued losses for the next three years.
Ford, traditionally known for vehicles, will shift focus to producing large batteries for various industries and homeowners, expanding beyond the automotive sector.
The British Retail Consortium reported a slower decline in footfall in the UK for January, with a decrease of 0.6% year-on-year, indicating "cautious optimism" in the retail sector. High Street footfall fell by 1.9% and Shopping Centre footfall decreased by 0.8% during the same period.
This Week
Pandora, the leading jewellery brand, is set to release a new line of platinum-plated products in response to rising gold and silver prices.
Independent jewellery stores in Australia have reported strong sales at the beginning of the year, according to the latest analysis.
A recent survey in the jewellery industry shows a split among business owners regarding lab-created and natural diamonds, indicating consumer confusion in the market.
A 2.21-carat pear-cut C5 SI2 Australian Chocolate Diamond ring crafted in 18-carat yellow gold is highlighted in this elegant piece from the Jewellery Trends article published on February 10, 2026.
A 1.10-carat round brilliant-cut C7 SI1 Australian Chocolate Diamond ring crafted in 18-carat yellow gold is elegantly showcased in a half-bezel setting, as reported by Jeweller - Jewellery Trends on February 10, 2026.
A 2.42-carat round Inverell Sapphire is featured in an elegant trilogy ring crafted in 18-carat yellow and white gold, as reported by Jeweller - Jewellery Trends on February 10, 2026.
Jewellery designer Richard Allen of Pepper Tree Studio hosted a one-to-one silver jewellery-making workshop for a blind participant, demonstrating inclusivity in the industry. The participant, Bex, who is totally blind, was able to learn traditional silversmithing techniques and create a silver pendant.
This Week
Amazon's Andy Jassy plans a $200bn AI spending drive to boost AWS amid competition from Microsoft and Google in the cloud business, following concerns of missing out on the early AI boom.
Anthropic, an AI start-up, raised $30 billion in its latest funding round, increasing its valuation to $380 billion, more than double its previous valuation.
OpenAI aims to triple revenue by investing billions, with the goal of monetizing its AI technology like ChatGPT. The pressure is on to turn AI into a profitable venture.
AI Bubble Fears are leading to the creation of new derivatives as debt investors express concerns over tech companies borrowing excessively in the pursuit of advanced artificial intelligence.
AI is seen as a structural rewrite rather than a disruption, according to NITI Ayog fellow Debjani Ghosh. The report emphasizes the need for industries to invest in AI-enabled solutions and shift towards outcome-driven models.
Amazon's significant increase in CapEx is causing concern, particularly in comparison to Google's, but the reasons behind it are comprehensible.
Anthropic's Claude chatbot saw a significant increase in downloads and climbed into the top 10 on the US App Store after promoting its "no ads" feature, indicating a successful strategy against OpenAI.
This Week
Farfetch's data reveals that 71% of UK luxury shoppers prioritize sustainability in their purchases, emphasizing repeat wear and long-term value, with many viewing fashion buys as financial investments.
Nordstrom celebrates its 125th anniversary by focusing on luxury brands and loyalty, offering exclusive products and events with partners like Brunello Cucinelli, Chanel, Christian Louboutin, and Manolo Blahnik throughout the year.
Hermès exceeded expectations with a 9.8% revenue growth in the fourth quarter, driven by a 12.1% increase in sales in the Americas region, particularly the United States.
Hermès experienced a 9% increase in year-end sales, showcasing continued growth in the luxury fashion and leather goods market.
European luxury brands are facing a slump as American fashion brands gain market share and capture the current trends. There are potential lessons for European luxury brands to learn from the success of American fashion.
Birkenstock experienced strong holiday demand for clogs, boots, and shearling-lined footwear, aiming to establish itself as a year-round footwear brand.
Enterprise teams are seeking journey orchestration solutions to address fragmented customer experiences and revenue leakage. High-performing brands are moving away from traditional automation towards more personalized and connected customer journeys.
