Quick Take — Alibaba reports continued profit compression due to investments in artificial intelligence and instant retail (Quick e-commerce)

Alibaba reported a 3 per cent increase in revenue for the quarter ending 31 March, which fell short of expectations due to a slowdown in the company’s international e-commerce business (Total revenue stood at 243.38 billion yuan for the quarter, or €30.6 billion)

Cloud Intelligence revenues increased by 38%, with artificial intelligence products now accounting for 30% of external cloud revenues. Earlier this year, the company separated its artificial intelligence business from its cloud computing division.

Alibaba said adjusted EBITDA fell 84 per cent due to spending on technology and fast-track commerce, which involves deliveries within 60 minutes. Reuters

There has long been an e-commerce and delivery war going on in China, which, like in the US, has the same customers.

Quick Take — Sam’s Club (Walmart): ‘At Sam’s Club we do not consider e-commerce as a separate channel’

It is a division of the Walmart Group, which had a turnover of $92.6 billion in 2024 “Sam’s” is named after its founder, Sam Walton.

E-commerce is growing by 23% (and for Walmart it weighs $150 billion) and as we see from this excerpt, the giant now delivers (ready-to-eat) food, competing with DoorDash, UberEats etc.: …almost two-thirds of Sam’s e-commerce business is now handled directly by shops, which, as [Greg ] Pulsifer (senior VP of Sam’s) acknowledges, is “the textbook definition of an omnichannel company”.

About 70 per cent of the retailer’s members also sign up online… Last month, Sam’s Club launched its Express delivery service, which promises delivery of orders within an hour

Another noteworthy innovation in e-commerce is Sam’s Club’s entry into the pizza delivery business, which began exactly one year ago. “I think the interesting thing is that the history of pizza started with roast chicken,” Pulsifer reflects. “Roast chicken was one of the most popular products for in-store pick-up and we wanted to find a way to make it available for home delivery as well, which was a challenging problem to solve.” Sam’s Club now delivers more than 22,000 pizzas per week and uses artificial intelligence to predict the busiest days for deliveries to anticipate customer demand…

Progressive Grocer

Quick Take — The retail sector is changing its skin: unfaithful customers, agent AI, autonomous stores and promotions that are no longer enough. And then there is localism

…The local product is no longer a simple reference, but an identity tool. Some brands support small producers in the development of recipes, packaging and quality processes, transforming the large-scale retail trade into an ecosystem that enhances local supply chains. The private label is evolving: no longer just a convenience lever, but a system of values capable of dialoguing with communities, digital creators and new targets. In some brands it already represents more than half of the turnover ( Below: Esselunga ‘produced in Tuscany’ labels introduced more than 30 years ago for fresh products and still used today: in 2003, 70% of our suppliers invoiced less than 100K)…

From intelligent trolleysto agent AI, from autonomous stores to the rediscovery of the territory, a rapidly evolving large-scale retail sector emerges: technological, data-driven, automated, but at the same time more human, local and relational. A sector that interprets increasingly fragmented and fluid needs, building a new balance between innovation and proximity.

I hope with all my heart that these changes will take place, especially the technological ones, but I wonder: when it comes to technology on social (AI, e-commerce, customised promotions, etc.) how come there seems to be no interest on the part of Italian users?

Drafted 9 May, updated 10 May 2026

Quick Take — The retailer’s brand reaches 50% in the main European markets, setting a new record. In Italy, however, it remains at 36%

According to Circana, growth is set to accelerate in 2026: inflation and Ai-driven shopping will favour the cheapest products for the same benefits …

circana’s analysis finds that retailers have managed to keep prices low and quality high. MDDs are intercepting health and lifestyle trends, offering premium offerings and innovative product launches with more dynamism than national brands. Retailers’ strategy of targeting social media content at younger shoppers who are less loyal to traditional brands is also playing a key role in sustaining demand…

Below: Esselunga, under my leadership, was already at around 35% private label in 2003 (thanks to the Esselunga, Naturama, Esselunga Bio and Fidel brands, the first price created to combat discount stores).

Quick Take — Lidl revolutionises the mobile phone market with discounted tariff plans

The chain intends to expand beyond Germany, Austria and Switzerland, offering a service that could be available in up to 30 countries…

The chain told the Financial Times it plans to expand beyond Germany, Austria and Switzerland with a mobile service that could be available in up to 30 countries in the future, including the UK, US, France and Spain. Lidl did not specify which markets it intends to target first…

As part of the deal, Schwarz Group will also acquire a 9.9% stake in 1GLOBAL, a company that holds telecommunications licences and partnerships in 12 countries. The mobile initiative is a further step in Schwarz’s efforts to build a broader digital ecosystem alongside its 14,000 Lidl and Kaufland shops. Through its Schwarz Digits division, thegroup has already become a fast-growing European provider of cloud computing and cybersecurity services , as well as an investor in artificial intelligence startups… Financial Times

Lidl continues on its path to becoming a brand (and in Italy focuses on non-food fruit and vegetables and technology)

Quick Take — Amazon’s artificial intelligence services in its cloud computing unit are generating annual sales of more than $15 billion

This figure, based on first quarter results, represents about 10% of Amazon Web Services‘ annual revenue of $142 billion, and comes after years of anticipation from investors and analysts…

Like its competitors, Amazon is under pressure to prove that its spending on artificial intelligence will pay off. The company has forecast $200 billion in capital expenditures this year, mainly for AI, a figure that has spooked investors and fuelled fears of a speculative bubble in the sector.