TL;DR
The Deep Dive: Live Shopping is Not a Library But a Conversation - Whatnot achieved $8B in Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) and currently hold over 50% of the live commerce market in the United States. This substantial amount reflects their significant position and influence in the growing sector of live selling.
Starbucks Unveils Reimagined Loyalty Program - Starbucks has launched a new revamped loyalty program aimed at enhancing customer engagement and delivering more personalized value to its members.
TOP NEWS OF THE WEEK
THE DEEP DIVE: LIVE SHOPPING IS NOT A LIBRARY BUT A CONVERSATION
The most telling stat in this report isn't the growth rate; it’s that 88% of sellers report higher sales on live platforms than on static marketplaces or DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) sites.
The Insight: Traditional e-commerce is a library; live selling is a conversation.
If your brand is still relying on professional studio photography and a "Buy Now" button to do the heavy lifting, you are losing the trust race. Consumers in 2026 crave "unpolished perfection" over high-production marketing.
2. Retention is the New Acquisition
Customer acquisition cost (CAC) is the silent killer of modern brands, but Whatnot is showing a way out.
The Data: Customer retention on the platform is over 80% month-over-month.
The Insight: Sellers aren't just "dropping" product; they are building "recurring communities".
In a world where privacy changes have made digital ads less effective, the "livestream" serves as a CRM tool, a marketing channel, and a storefront all at once.
3. The "Mid-Market" Geography Play
Everyone looks at New York and LA, but the real growth is in the "efficiency" of mid-sized markets.
The Data: Mid-sized cities like Rochester, Dayton, and Raleigh out-earn Los Angeles and Chicago on a per-resident basis.
The Insight: Live selling democratizes geography. You don’t need a flagship store on 5th Avenue when you have a warehouse in Nebraska and a high-speed internet connection.
For brands, this is a logistics and talent play. You can scale a national business with local overhead.
4. Categories are Maturing (Fast)
Collectibles were the "gateway drug," but lifestyle is the future.
The Data: Beauty (+791%) and electronics (+444%) are the growth leaders, proving that the model works for replenishment and high-ticket items, not just rare cards.
If you’re a CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) or fashion brand sitting on the sidelines because you think live selling is just for "nerds and card flippers," you’re missing the inflection point.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Whatnot isn't just a marketplace; it’s a high-velocity feedback loop. The winners in 2026 aren't the ones with the biggest ad budgets; they’re the ones who show up daily and talk to their customers in real-time.
QUICK HITS
STARBUCKS UNVEILS REIMAGINED LOYALTY PROGRAM
When is a rewards program not a rewards program? When it’s Starbucks.
Starbucks, in its ongoing quest for transformation and relevance, has been making a number of changes in the last year under CEO Brian Niccol's leadership:
Mandating eye contact and greetings.
Bringing back the Sharpie and writing on cups.
Closing underperforming stores
Now, our Starbucks CEO has started updating the crown jewel of Starbucks, the loyalty program. Here are the proposed changes:
Green members get birthday benefits (uh, didn't we already get these)
Gold members get improved bonus points like $1.2 per $1 spent, plus 4 "double-star" days.
Reserve members get the oh-so-coveted 30-day birthday redeem window, as well as 1.7 points per $1 spent, additional double-star days, and chances to win access to exclusive events, and even... vacations to Milan? (literally not making this up)
When will companies ever learn? A real benefit is an actual real benefit. It's not a chance to pay Starbucks even more. Isn't this chasing a smaller (though perhaps hyper-loyal) segment? Do they not need to expand their base?
Still — If you've been longing for a 7-day window to redeem your birthday coffee, you may have hit the jackpot.
It will probably take some time to determine whether these new levels are effective. At the moment, it looks like so many deck chairs are being shuffled. At what point do members revolt for Dunkin or their local coffee shop with better food and atmosphere, and simply stop chasing rewards?
After all, if I'm going to Milan, it's for the shopping and not for the coffee, amirite?
NEWS WE’RE LOVING
Spotted In the Wild - Google Making It Easier to Import ChatGPT Conversations Gemini
Purell Almost Slipped By Us - Clorox Announces Acquisition of GOJO Industries for $2.25B in Cash.
Today I Learned - When your AI bots start posting on social media
WATSON IN THE WILD
Highlights and sizzle from our latest NRF 2026 Watson Weekend Live! event on January 11, 2026, presented by Radial - What is Important in 2026?
UPCOMING EVENTS
Shoptalk 2026: Join us for the Watson Live! - Agentic Debate Series Lunch at Shoptalk Las Vegas 2026 - Register Now. Another debate? Come see what craziness we have cooking up for you at Shoptalk.