at least one owned by a large multinational company were backdoored by malware that executes malicious code inside the browsers of visitors where it can steal payment card information and other sensitive data The infections are the result of a supply-chain attack that compromised at least three software providers with malware that remained dormant for six years and became active only in the last few weeks. At least 500 e-commerce sites that rely on the backdoored software were infected, and it’s possible that the true number is double that, researchers from security firm Sansec said Among the compromised customers was a $40 billion multinational company a Sansec representative said that “global remediation [on the infected customers] remains limited.” The supply chain attack poses a significant risk to the thousands or millions of people visiting the infected sites because it allows attackers to execute code of their choice on ecommerce site servers the servers run info-stealing code on visitor machines “Since the backdoor allows uploading and executing arbitrary PHP code the attackers have full remote code execution (RCE) and can do essentially anything they want,” the representative wrote “In nearly all Adobe Commerce/Magento breaches we observe the backdoor is then used to inject skimming software that runs in the user's browser and steals payment information (Magecart).” The three software suppliers identified by Sansec were Tigren, Magesolution (MGS), and Meetanshi. All three supply software that’s based on Magento an open source e-commerce platform used by thousands of online stores A software version sold by a fourth provider named Weltpixel has been infected with similar code on some of its customers' stores but Sansec so far has been unable to confirm whether it was the stores or Weltpixel that were hacked The Sansec representative said that as of Monday both Tigren and Magesolution continued to distribute backdoored versions of their software to customers has denied “any tampering but admits to being hacked.” Tigren and Meetanshi didn’t respond to questions sent by email and contact forms on their sites Attempts to reach Weltpixel were unsuccessful Sansec said that any e-commerce site that relies on software from one of the vendors should carefully inspect their platforms for signs of infection One of the easiest ways to spot the malicious code is looking for a function added to it that executes a file named $licenseFile as PHP code The backdoor code checks for a secret key in incoming Web requests and when presented gives the key holder the ability to run commands on the e-commerce server it initiates a chain of additional functions that eventually execute malicious PHP code on the machines of site visitors provides additional details admins can use to determine if they’re infected Sansec identified 21 extensions from the three providers that have been infected One of the biggest mysteries surrounding Sansec’s discovery is how the malware that kicked off the supply-chain attack managed to remain dormant and undetected for six years before coming to life These sorts of delayed backdoors are a rarity BREAKING: Berkshire Shares Slide On News Of Buffett Exit It has been a tough year for many equities in the technology space with many suffering steep losses year to date e-commerce stock Sea Limited (SE) is near a fresh entry as it looks to add to bumper gains in 2025 the largest online retail company in Southeast Asia Trade war perils are swirling around ocean shippers and the ports that serve them Get instant access to exclusive stock lists expert market analysis and powerful tools with 2 months of IBD Digital for only $20 Learn how you can make more money with IBD's investing tools Real-time quote and/or trade prices are not sourced from all markets Ownership data provided by LSEG and Estimate data provided by FactSet MarketSurge and other marks are trademarks owned by Investor's Business Daily BISMARCK — The North Dakota Legislature sent the Department of Commerce’s budget to Gov Kelly Armstrong on Friday without the $50 million in funding for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library that was previously added to the bill Lawmakers said they decided to push discussion of further funding for the presidential library to next session when they would have more time to discuss it in a policy committee and the library will have been open for five months The fact that the additional funding for the library was added in the House Appropriations Committee rather than a policy committee was one of the largest points of criticism when the bill came up on the House floor last week The previously proposed funding for the presidential library totaled $50 million — $25 million from SIIF and $25 million from earnings from the Bank of North Dakota The funding would not have gone toward construction but instead into an operational endowment to cover staffing and annual expenses in perpetuity carried the bill on the Senate floor and said the $9 million in funding for a drone replacement program which would replace all drones used by state agencies that come from China with drones made by the U.S was the concession the Senate made to reduce spending elsewhere in the budget It previously went into conference committee at $16 million Nathe said it is common to put sections of failed legislation into other bills The total budget for the department was set at roughly $158 million with approximately $42 million of that from the General Fund and $70 million allocated as one-time funding The Ninth Circuit reversed the District Court’s judgment and the panel’s decision finding that the District Court had specific personal jurisdiction over Shopify which could significantly increase the number of jurisdictions in which e-commerce companies can be sued even when the company’s globally or nationally accessible website does not have a forum-specific focus Plaintiff Brandon Briskin is a California resident who used his iPhone’s browser to purchase athletic wear from an online storefront He alleges that during the checkout process the online platform required him to submit personal identifying information Allegedly believing that the storefront generated the payment form over a secure connection he submitted the personal identifying information he was submitting his private data not only to IAB MFG but also to Shopify although he never viewed the relevant “Privacy Policy,” had he done so the policy would not have mentioned Shopify “an e-commerce platform that facilitates online sales for merchants,” and that Shopify had installed “cookies” on his mobile device when he first viewed an item for purchase These cookies allegedly tracked and stored Briskin’s personal information his payment information and the location where the transaction was completed Briskin alleges that Shopify then shared his private data with third parties without disclosure Briskin’s putative class action complaint District Court for the Northern District of California alleges that Shopify’s conduct violated data privacy and access laws and constituted unfair deceptive practices dismissed the case on the ground that it lacked specific personal jurisdiction over Shopify (Briskin had not asserted general personal jurisdiction) a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit affirmed the District Court’s ruling did not “expressly aim [its] suit-related conduct at [California].” The panel held that: When a company operates a nationally available e-commerce payment platform and is indifferent to the location of end-users the extraction and retention of consumer data does not subject the defendant to specific jurisdiction in the forum where the online purchase was made The Ninth Circuit voted to rehear the appeal en banc A bipartisan group of 30 states and Washington absent jurisdiction over e-commerce companies like Shopify they would be unable to enforce their consumer protection laws against such companies which use the internet to avail themselves of local marketplaces the court applied the “effects test” drawn from the Supreme Court’s decision in Calder v which requires that the defendant commit an intentional act that is (i) expressly aimed at the forum state and (ii) causes harm that the defendant knows will be suffered in the forum state The parties disputed only the second prong of this test and the court found that Shopify “expressly aimed its conduct at California through its extraction and commercial distribution of the California consumers’ personal data in violation of California laws.” Shopify argued that it did not expressly aim its conduct at California because it operates nationwide and thus was “agnostic as to the location in which it data-mines the consumers’ personal identifying information.” But the Ninth Circuit rejected this argument holding that the “express aiming” prong of the Calder test does not require “differential targeting,” i.e. which had required a “forum-specific focus.” The court also emphasized that Shopify conceded that its geolocation technology allowed it to know that Briskin’s device was in California when the cookies were installed the court rejected Shopify’s argument that the relevant jurisdictional contacts must be “the defendant’s contacts with the forum State itself not its contacts with persons who reside there.” The Ninth Circuit found that where the plaintiffs were “the only link” between the defendant and the forum state Shopify was meaningfully connected with the forum state in a more than “random [K]nows about its California consumer base conducts its regular business in California interacts with them as an intermediary for its merchants installs its software onto their devices in California The Ninth Circuit also found that Briskin’s claims arise out of Shopify’s contact with Briskin’s device which Shopify allegedly knew was in California and that the claims also relate to Shopify’s California contacts because the alleged injury would tend to be caused by Shopify’s contacts with California merchants and consumers the Ninth Circuit found that the District Court’s exercise of specific personal jurisdiction over Shopify would not violate traditional concepts of fair play and substantial justice the court rejected Shopify’s argument that personal jurisdiction in this context would be unfair because it “could lead to specific jurisdiction in all 50 states.” Although Shopify’s argument “may be true,” the court explained expansive jurisdiction is “not unfair [] if the contacts Shopify makes in all 50 states are like its California contacts.” Briskin could have far-reaching effects for e-commerce companies that collect data through a globally or nationally accessible website such companies could subject themselves to specific personal jurisdiction in a forum whenever they provide services to consumers in that location regardless of their platform’s geographical focus or lack thereof e-commerce platforms could be subject to litigation in every forum in the country at least when the site operator has technology allowing the operator to know a user’s location or when the site operator extracts a user’s data for commercial purposes represents a departure from courts’ typical reluctance to find personal jurisdiction where products offered nationwide enter the forum due to a purchaser’s actions alone Although Briskin is now established law in the Ninth Circuit it remains to be seen whether courts in other jurisdictions will follow suit E-commerce companies would do well to monitor such developments and consider whether they can distinguish the jurisdictional facts of the case from those that were dispositive in Briskin Disclaimer: This Alert has been prepared and published for informational purposes only and is not offered, nor should be construed, as legal advice. For more information, please see the firm's full disclaimer WorkBoat+ Membership – Free to Join You may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time Diversified Communications | 121 Free Street NEWS: Long-Delayed USCG Polar Icebreaker Moves Into Full Production has been given the green light to begin low-rate initial production for the Coast Guard's waterways commerce cutter program Coast Guard received an approval from the Department of Homeland Security that allows shipbuilder Birdon America Inc to begin low-rate initial production for the waterways commerce cutter (WCC) program the production decision entails the first eight hulls of the 180' river buoy tender (WLR) and 160' inland construction tender (WLIC) – WCC variants that are being acquired under a single contract due to significant design and systems commonality The Coast Guard plans to acquire 16 WLRs and 11 WLICs to replace its aging inland tender fleet which plays a critical role in maintaining the nation’s marine transportation system — supporting over $5.4 trillion in annual commerce and 30 million jobs Birdon America was awarded a $1.187 billion contract to design and build the 27 vessels the company acquired Metal Shark's shipyard in Bayou La Batre and is investinting $37 million to expand and modernize the facility Deliveries of both the lead WLR and WLIC are planned to occur in fiscal year 2027 will be acquired under a separate contract The Coast Guard has said that the new tenders will have greater endurance and deck load capacity than their predecessors The three cutter variants — each of which will be self-propelled monohull vessels — will also feature improved habitability Become a WorkBoat+ Member Photo Credit: A smartphone with a screen full of social media app icons. Adobe Stock / Viktor The way people discover and book travel is undergoing a seismic shift — and social media is at the center of it Social Commerce in Travel: Opportunities and Consumer Trends and Xiaohongshu are no longer just inspiring wanderlust; they are now powerful booking engines reshaping the entire traveler journey At the heart of this transformation is the rise of video-first now treat TikTok and Instagram as their default search engines for travel inspiration Authentic short-form videos — as opposed to polished advertising — build trust and drive bookings influencers are increasingly acting as travel agents themselves curating experiences and selling directly to their au Social commerce is revolutionizing the travel industry by shifting discovery and booking onto social media platforms such as TikTok creator-driven video content is now a primary driver of trust and bookings This trend is lowering customer acquisition costs opening up opportunities for smaller brands and making experiences the leading edge of social-driven bookings challenges remain in integrating more complex travel products like flights and hotels The report urges travel brands to act quickly and embrace social-first strategies to stay competitive in this rapidly evolving landscape Subscribe for full access to all Skift coverage for as low as $50 a month.See the latest online travel headlines. 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Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience MONTEVALLO – The Montevallo Chamber of Commerce held its monthly luncheon on Wednesday with this month’s installment of the luncheon honoring Montevallo’s premier educators The Montevallo Education Appreciation Luncheon honored three separate teachers who serve the communities of Montevallo with caring and professional education Wanda Young-Lowe and Rylee Holt were the teachers honored Kinlecheenie teaches at Montevallo Elementary Young-Lowe at Montevallo Middle and Holt at Montevallo High All three teachers were previously honored at the 2024 Shelby County Schools Teachers of the Year in Dec with Young-Lowe winning Middle School Teacher of the Year and Holt winning High School Teacher of the Year each honored teacher received a certificate of appreciation The luncheon’s food consisted of a meal crafted by Indigo Café & Bar the executive director of the Montevallo Chamber of Commerce outlined why the Chamber of Commerce chose this theme for the monthly luncheon and how it aligns with the Chamber’s mission “Montevallo schools are a huge part of the Montevallo community,” Nelson said “The Montevallo Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to increase community vitality through the recruitment and support of business.” For more information on the Montevallo Chamber of Commerce Just one AAC game is on Monday’s college basketball schedule That contest is the Wichita State Shockers squaring… The Memphis Grizzlies (38-22) face the Atlanta Hawks (27-33) as 8.5-point favorites on Monday take on the Brooklyn Nets (21-39).… The Wichita State Shockers versus the North Texas Mean Green is a game to catch on the Monday… The Monday college basketball slate has plenty of exciting matchups in store Our computer model has suggested picks… What would make you consider a digital subscription to Shelby County Reporter View Results Chambers, associations, and nonprofits can use this process to work across teams and discover their best-fit NDR strategy. This article is brought to you by Institute for Organization Management Chamber of Commerce’s professional development program for nonprofit executives Olitzky is the president and principal consultant of Olitzky Consulting Group He can be reached at avi@olitzkyconsulting.com Read more USCC Homepage View all topics The Business of FashionAgenda-setting intelligence analysis and advice for the global fashion community access one complimentary BoF Professional article of your choice Receive news, offers and invites from BoFOur newsletters may include 3rd-party advertising, by subscribing you agree to the Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy particularly when a customer is in need of inspiration regarding their purchasing decisions In this paper, which offers gen AI use cases from Zalando BoF explores how to leverage word-based large-language-model (LLM) technologies It also unpacks how image-generating start-ups such as Midjourney Dall-E and Stability AI can provide businesses with new means to enhance creative output and content displays Download the white paper, The Future of E-Commerce, Powered by Generative AI Fifty percent of fashion executives surveyed for The Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Co.’s The State of Fashion 2025 report identified the gen AI use case with the most potential in 2025 to be product discovery and customer search retail tech expert and founder at Looks.ai the opportunity lies in making the experience feel more human “The less they feel like it is a chatbot and the more it feels like a conversation and the more [the consumer is] getting the information that they need “This is why we have launched our conversational interface which engages customers in a natural way in order to guide them — even when they’re unsure of what they’re looking for — to find exactly what they need on Zalando,” says Su BoF explores how businesses can leverage gen AI to enhance consumer engagement in an online shopping experience Gen AI is already proving a popular tool for amplifying marketing and creative output Through the use of gen AI-powered text and image generating software traditional obstacles are no longer barriers to creations or campaigns is leveraging gen AI in content creation to shorten production timelines and reduce costs as well as creating more dynamic and relevant backdrops for product shots or onsite teaser campaigns It allows the team to jump on microtrends that emerge at short notice enabling content production up to 80 percent faster than conventional content production methods Oneline retailers can implement gen AI to transform creative processes and enhance the customer experience by: Read the full white paper, The Future of E-Commerce, Powered by Generative AI BoF also explores the preparatory work that businesses should undertake before introducing new technologies like gen AI and what retailers must consider from a legal and ethical perspective to implement the technology in a responsible and safe way This is a sponsored feature paid for by Zalando as part of a BoF partnership Annabel Bolton is the Content Strategy Associate at The Business of Fashion She is based in London and writes careers advice as well as supporting on commercial partnerships Sophie Soar is the Commercial Features Editor at The Business of Fashion She is based in London and oversees BoF’s careers advice and written content partnerships at BoF For more information read our Terms & Conditions unpacks the opportunities in leveraging the next generation technology across the e-commerce value chain from optimising customer experience and content displays to understanding legal and ethical frameworks A federal judge has ruled that Google illegally monopolised some online advertising technology markets the latest antitrust setback for the company and a challenge to its main source of revenue The backlash against AI models has led to protective legislation for human models though pro-tech critics still cite issues like AI’s limited use and inability to replicate innovation The company expects public opinion to be divided on its plan to use “digital twins” of real models in AI-generated imagery But the best way to protect models’ jobs and rights in the age of AI The essential daily round-up of fashion news Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the launch of the Blueprint to Build program an innovative new Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding round This program provides rural Kansas communities a faster more affordable way to construct state-of-the-art community centers Blueprint to Build enables communities to select from three community center models that have already been designed providing major savings and speeding up the process of building new facilities Centers are designed for energy efficiency and are intended to be placed in walkable downtowns or near existing community spaces as a way to both reduce infrastructure costs and support the cores of Kansas towns “Finding affordable solutions for community facilities can be difficult for many Kansas communities,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said “This innovative new CDBG program is a gamechanger providing immediate resources to build vibrant community spaces across Kansas These investments in quality of place can completely transform communities by making them more attractive to new businesses and creating high quality spaces for residents to gather.” With $14 million available to help reduce overall construction costs the Blueprint to Build program makes it easier for Kansas communities to develop modern By investing in “off-the-shelf” blueprint designs Commerce’s goal is to save communities hundreds of thousands of dollars and months of architectural work Proposals should focus solely on construction expenses making it easier for communities to get started and to develop manageable budgets to build and operate these facilities If a community intends to hold a special election to approve the issuance of bonds or to pass a sales tax (for example) to support a project the community must: a) provide evidence of this intent in the form of a governing body resolution; and b) commit to holding this election by no later than Tuesday November 4th If those conditions are met applications will be reviewed with a presumption of passage of the special ballot question and such awards will be expressly contingent upon passage Each approved Blueprint to Build community center design will include: Applicants may also incorporate optional features such as gymnasiums or aquatic amenities that have also been pre-designed Cities and counties under a population of 2500 may apply for up to $1.5 million Communities above 2500 may apply for up to $2.5 million Eligible applicants include all non-entitlement cities and counties (i.e. those that do not receive direct CDBG funding from HUD) The following entitlement communities are ineligible for funding: Kansas City Interested cities and counties are required to submit a pre-application and will be contacted within 10 business days with further instructions Only those with an approved pre-application will move forward with a full application Approval of a pre-application does not guarantee funding All content © 2006-2025 Kansas Department of Commerce The Early Adopter Incentive program provides incentives to building owners who demonstrate early compliance with the Clean Buildings Performance Standard (CBPS) The Tier 2 Early Adopter Incentive Program is being developed and covers buildings 20,000 – 50,000 ft2 including multifamily residential buildings over 20,000 ft2 The program offers an incentive to owners who benchmark their buildings’ energy usage and create an operations and maintenance program $150 million is earmarked for Tier 2 incentives Download the Tier 1 Early Adopter Incentive Guidebook (PDF) an eligible building owner who demonstrates early compliance with the Clean Buildings Standard may receive a one-time base incentive payment of $.85 per sq plus $0.05 per kBTU of energy saved over 15 EUI The new incentive calculation is limited at 50% of the cost of energy efficiency measures being implemented from the energy audit Current approved applicants can select the calculation that works best for their project. This table shows a comparison on the calculation of the new incentive amount and old incentive amount The Tier 2 Program covers buildings 20,000 – 50,000 ft2 The program offers an incentive of $0.30/ft2 to owners who benchmark their buildings’ energy The Clean Buildings Team has finished the Tier 2 Incentive Program development workshop series and is currently incorporating public comments and feedback into the Tier 2 Early Adopter Incentive Guidebook Those interested can view recordings of the Tier 2 Early Adopter Incentive workshop series below and access the draft Tier 2 Early Adopter Incentive Guidebook The Clean Building Performance Grants Program provide competitive funding for energy efficiency improvements in private and public buildings Clean Building Performance Grants cut energy costs and create jobs in communities across the state These grants support Tier 1 covered buildings and Tier 1 and Tier 2 covered Public Buildings with compliance with the Clean Building Performance Standard (CBPS) The Energy Audit Incentive for Public Buildings program has awarded $14.5 million to help publicly owned buildings cover the costs of energy audits necessary for compliance with the Clean Buildings Performance Standard (CBPS) and the Early Adopter Incentive (EAI) Program Please note that the program has closed; however be sure to check back for future funding opportunities The Tier 1 Early Adopter Incentive Guidebook serves to provide guidelines for the process of applying to the Incentive Program forms and templates are located in the Clean Buildings Standard The guidebook does not cover elements of the Clean Buildings Standard that are otherwise covered by law or rule Mandatory compliance is detailed in RCW 19.27A.210, which establishes the Clean Buildings Standard, and ASHRAE Standard 100-2018 (link) with Washington State amendments (WAC 194-50) Utilities that do not pay public utility taxes are ineligible to participate in the Early Adopter Incentive Program Commerce will compile and submit a report of all incentives allocated For inquiries related to claiming tax credits please contact the Taxpay Account Administration at (360)705-3218 Providing Approver Information: Commerce requests that utilities participating in the incentive program send contact information for the individual who will approve incentive payment amounts in the Clean Buildings portal. Please email this information to CBPSincentives@commerce.wa.gov with any updates Note that a person who is a building owner or acting on behalf of a building owner in the Clean Buildings Portal cannot simultaneously serve as a utility approver in the portal please reach out to them and express your desire to apply for incentives through the Clean Buildings Early Adopter Incentive Program requesting that they opt into the program.   W9 Requirement: Building owners must provide a completed W9 form to their utility providers in order to receive incentive payments.  Clean Building Performance Standard (CBPS) integrated document (on Smartsheet) A dedicated space outside of our scheduled trainings and workshops to connect with our Clean Buildings staff “Office Hours” are held on the 4th Tuesday of every month from 10:00 a.m Need help? Submit questions and request support online using the  CBPS Customer Support Form (on Smartsheet). © 2025 Washington State Department of Commerce. The company announced a partnership with Appier which will focus on a data-driven strategy to help enhance the skin care brand’s marketing performance.  Appier's AI solutions enabled L'Oréal to identify and engage high-value customer segments strategically behavioral analysis and time-sensitive offers to strengthen purchase intent and improve ad efficiency.  [Related: Revlon renews licensing deal for Juicy Couture fragrances with Authentic Brands Group] the companies noted that the Smart Conversion Optimiser within the Personalization Cloud targeted hesitant users with personalized incentives that lifted coupon performance while protecting profit margins.  "Appier helped us accelerate AI transformation in advertising and marketing boosting revenue while improving operational effectiveness," said Maggie Hui SkinCeuticals & Kérastase E-Commerce Manager at L'Oréal "From behavior-triggered campaigns and time-sensitive offers to advanced segmentation and seamless user experiences Appier's technology played a crucial role in turning data insights into action." Log in to comment on videos and join in on the fun Watch the live stream of Fox News and full episodes Reduce eye strain and focus on the content that matters CHARLOTTE — The United States and United Kingdom jointly convened the 9th U.S.-UK Small- and Medium-Sized (SME) Dialogue in Charlotte Trade Representative for Small Business Christina Sevilla and Oliver Christian His Majesty's Trade Commissioner for North America Small Business Administration’s Associate Administrator for Manufacturing and Trade Lisa Shimkat also provided remarks on small business manufacturing Commercial Service in North Carolina and the North Carolina District Export Council Launched in 2018 under the Trump Administration the U.S.-UK SME Dialogue is convened by the Office of the U.S Small Business Administration with the UK Department for Business and Trade and the UK Embassy alternating locations between the United States and the United Kingdom The SME Dialogue brings together small business stakeholders on both sides together with officials to discuss trade opportunities and challenges and aims to foster increased bilateral trade opportunities for small businesses Participants at the SME Dialogue discussed U.S.-UK trade interests and barriers; SME commercialization of innovative technologies; small business disaster mitigation and recovery from natural disasters and pandemics and UK amounts to over $300 billion and $1.7 trillion invested in each other’s economies exporters to the UK are small- and medium-sized firms with just over 26,000 small businesses across the fifty states exporting $20.3 billion in goods to the United Kingdom New York, USA, May 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The E-Commerce & Digital Marketing Association (ECDMA) has officially published the results of the first-ever ECDMA Global Awards closing the inaugural 2025 cycle with the announcement of more than one hundred winning entries from across the globe This carefully designed competition has already gained the attention of the professional community not just for the breadth of international participation the Awards attracted over 350 applications from companies and professionals representing more than 30 countries and a wide variety of sectors - from fintech to retail Submissions were accepted in a range of categories covering strategic marketing the ECDMA Global Awards were conceived as something different - not just another logo or certificate to decorate a portfolio but a credible and practical system of recognition designed for real professionals The Association made a clear decision not to outsource or replicate existing award frameworks the team developed a proprietary award management system built internally to support transparent and scalable judging and apply tiered score-based distinctions in an equitable and replicable way That custom platform allowed each submission to be reviewed in detail by multiple independent judges with all evaluations recorded securely and anonymously within the system Behind this process stood a jury of nearly one hundred experts carefully selected for their active roles in shaping digital business today and educators - many with cross-border experience and deep operational insight These jury members were not symbolic names placed on a list for prestige tasked with evaluating multiple entries in their domain of expertise and required to declare all potential conflicts before being assigned any projects The Global Awards were open to both well-known industry players and emerging innovators boutique agencies competed alongside international conglomerates early-stage platforms went head-to-head with long-established service providers The judging model made it possible for each submission to be evaluated on its own merit - measuring not relative size or reputation Each winner was placed into one of three tiers - Gold This allowed the Awards to reflect excellence across a wide spectrum of company profiles From AI-powered CRM transformations in enterprise environments to inventive grassroots influencer campaigns launched on shoestring budgets the winning entries had one thing in common: they produced measurable outcomes through insight Reflecting on the first edition, Eugene Mischenko emphasized the importance of creating a recognition system rooted in professional reality rather than optics “This award was never meant to be a celebration of surface-level activity,” said Mischenko “We created it for the teams and professionals who are buried in real work The ones who are fixing inefficient funnels and aligning strategies across business units Their impact is undeniable - but in most cases There are so many awards today that exist only to reward visibility A place where people are seen for their judgment Where the work itself - not just the presentation of the work - is what’s being judged That’s what this platform was built to deliver and that’s what we saw reflected in the submissions this year We received applications from companies I’d never heard of - working out of regions many ignore - who demonstrated levels of strategic thinking that rival top-tier consultancies we saw market leaders with significant infrastructure take bold new approaches The geographic and sector diversity of the entries revealed a rich landscape of digital innovation There were submissions from high-growth startups in Central Asia from mature e-commerce ecosystems in Eastern Europe and from specialist agencies in the Gulf region While some of these organizations operate in markets with limited access to global visibility their inclusion in the ECDMA Awards created a new channel of recognition - one not dependent on geography or marketing budget The Awards also proved to be a valuable self-assessment tool Several participants noted that the process of preparing their entry pushed their teams to articulate strategic choices more clearly The format encouraged applicants to document not just success but the reasoning behind their actions - making the Awards feel more like a professional dialogue than a one-way submission Feedback from jury members reinforced this Many reported that they found the process not only fair and well-structured Reviewing applications became an opportunity to observe current global practices across industries from content lifecycle management and loyalty innovation to logistics automation and adaptive customer segmentation strategies The launch edition of the Awards has already created ripples far beyond its starting point It has begun to set a new tone for what professional recognition in the digital space can look like - one that is quieter and more grounded in the kind of work that defines real progress The scale of this success was not driven by hype or volume The participants who applied came because they were looking for something meaningful The jury members who judged took part because they wanted to support a credible process And the Association itself remained uncompromising in its standards choosing clarity and substance over ceremony at every step ECDMA will build on the momentum of this year’s success with an expanded program for 2026 The next edition of the Global Awards will introduce new categories and regional recognitions deepen collaboration with international associations and continue to improve the judging infrastructure based on jury and applicant feedback Plans are also underway to publish an annual analysis based on award submissions - capturing patterns and performance benchmarks from across markets and sectors This report will become an important knowledge-sharing tool for the community further reinforcing the role of the Awards not only as a recognition platform but as a professional resource The ECDMA Global Awards were built to endure They are not defined by this year’s numbers but by the quality of the process and the value it creates over time the Awards attracted talent from around the world and showed that a better way of recognizing digital excellence is not only possible - it’s necessary The full list of winners is available now at https://awards.ecdma.org/winners-2025 The stories behind these names represent the future of digital business - not only because of their innovation but also because of their execution For media interviews, post-award features, or inquiries about partnerships for the next edition, please contact E-Commerce & Digital Marketing Association E-Commerce & Digital Marketing Association https://ecdma.org Eugene Mischenko em@ecdma.org 3072162411 Sedona’s rising cost of living is having an impact on the city’s workforce the chamber of commerce told city officials recently The chamber’s warning came as the City Council debated the merits of leasing a 30-unit affordable housing complex It is cited as the greatest challenge for our members," said David Key president of the Greater Sedona Chamber of Commerce The chamber conducted a survey of its members in March and responses showed that costs of living in Sedona affected the city’s workforce According to planning and zoning officials who spoke in favor of the housing program individuals need to make no more than 80% of that which is about what the city offers certain positions like community service officers and maintenance workers Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker We can’t find a page with the url you entered Sign up to receive the latest news to your email Rain: 7am to 7am: .00  Month: 1.51 Year: 25.00 Recorded temps:  High: 68 Low: 46 The 25th-annual Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament is scheduled for Friday at Big Creek Country Club The shotgun start for the four-person scramble will be at 12:30 The outing begins with registration and lunch at 11 Hole sponsorship remains available for $500 and there is still an opportunity to get a combination foursome team entry and hole sponsorhip for $1,000 Click here to sign up. For more information, contact the Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce at 870-425-5111, or send an email to dani@enjoymountainhome.com. WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI 🛍️ Want to book (not just find) a flight at a specific price drop or pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2 before it goes away 🔐 AI agents would work within thresholds and use the same verifications and tokenization protections as current credit cards 🏦 14,000 bank partners worldwide could work with Visa to ensure its AI ambitions are secure, Visa’s Mark Nelsen told The Shortcut 🤖 AI agents could handle as much as 20% of all e-commerce tasks in a year What if your AI assistant doesn’t just recommend a flight for an upcoming trip “Welcome to the future of possible,” teases Visa CEO Ryan McInerney shortly after taking the stage at Visa’s Product Drop press event in San Francisco Powered by “agentic transactions,” Visa officially took the wraps off its ambitious Visa Intelligent Commerce initiative, a suite of tools and technologies to facilitate AI-based shopping. With your consent, Visa partners like OpenAI could work with AI agents to research, select, and even buy that flight for you. You could even set parameters, such as a price threshold (if the fare drops below, say, $400, you’re all in), plus no stopovers or redeyes. Until now, AI agents have been able to curate personalized recommendations for products and services, but they stop short in transacting with merchants. This is the full-circle solution Visa is aiming to provide. “Today, when your AI agent displays your itinerary, makes all kinds of recommendations for you, restaurants and excursions, it’s pretty magical,” says McInerney, in a hypothetical scenario for an upcoming trip. “I'm going say ‘this looks fantastic, love it, so let’s book it’ and then my agent is going to tell me ‘I'm sorry I'm not fully trained to make payments for you, but I could direct you to websites where you can make these purchases,’” continues McInerney. “This is where all the fun currently ends, but it’s actually a pretty solvable problem: we could give AI agents payment tools.” If done right, this could free up a lot of time and hassle. Visa CEO Ryan McInerney presents Visa Intelligent Commerce on stage in San Francisco (Image credit: Marc Saltzman / The Shortcut)Trust is a key issueGiven its decades-long reputation for secure payments a company like Visa has the potential to make agentic commerce a reality Visa’s network has processed more than 3.3 trillion transactions over the past 25 years evolving from brick-and-mortar shopping to online retail and then mobile and social commerce to the promise of agent-driven AI purchases 🍕 Fun fact: Visa processed the first e-commerce transaction back on August 11 “Visa Intelligent Commerce provides a missing link in the AI commerce experience,” believes Jordan McKee Research Director with Boston-based 451 Research are needed to bring AI-powered commerce to life at scale.” “Success will be dependent on ecosystem-wide collaboration but Visa’s launch is a critical building block for the industry to start from,” adds McKee your Visa card will be securely stored and used once you review the details and the AI agent approves the transaction “There will be a one-time setup for Visa customers to allow the agent to buy on your behalf,” clarifies Mark Nelsen, Global Head of Consumer Products at Visa, in an interview with The Shortcut. “With the help of our more than 14,000 bank partners around the world, we’re going to verify it’s you, and then you’ll be good to go.” And yes, the same credit card protections you enjoy today with retail and online shopping, such as tokenization and authentication, remain the same in the era of agentic commerce. “Tokenization” replaces your real Visa number with a randomly generated and encrypted code, so your private data isn’t disclosed. Authentication is moving to more convenient biometrics-based “passkeys,” such as using your face to uniquely identify you. “Even as the technologies evolve and buyer and seller preferences evolve, our goal hasn't changed, which is to connect buyers and sellers through seamless, secure digital payments,” McInerney asserts. “I want to emphasize the protection of data privacy, consent and control of your data -- all of this is very important to us,” reiterates McInerney. “We're not sharing any raw user data, your transaction data remains private, and you get to decide which provider can access any of your insights, your preferences, and can stop sharing at any time,” he adds. Visa gave examples of where its Intelligent Commerce could come in handy like budgeting for catering or buying new headphones at launch (Image credit: Visa)When will Visa Intelligent Commerce be available?According to Nelsen we should see the start of Visa-led agentic commerce “in the next couple of months.” “We have a number of partners now that are coding to the APIs Visa announced a few additional agentic commerce partners at its Product Drop AI agents could handle as much as 20% of all e-commerce tasks within a year, predicts Paul van der Boor, Vice President of AI at technology investment firm Prosus, according to an interview with PYMNTS, a publication that centers on payments and payment technologies. Visa Intelligent had other announcements at its Product Drop (Image credit: Matt Swider / The Shortcut)Other fintech news from Visa’s Product DropVisa also discussed other new and expanded fintech services, to help deliver its promise of seamless payment experiences, everywhere. Stablecoins: Visa and startup Bridge, a Stripe company, are partnering to offer stablecoin-linked Visa cards to customers across multiple countries, beginning in Latin America. This will allow users to make everyday purchases via cryptocurrency tokens. (As the name suggests, stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a constant value.). Visa has also partnered with crypto company Baanx to launch stablecoin cards tied to self-hosted wallets in the US. Flex Credential: Last year, Visa introduced the aptly-named Flex Credential, a next-gen payment card and app that can seamlessly toggle between different payment methods, such as debit, credit, and “buy now, pay later.” Visa and payment service Klarna are partnering to bring the Flex Credential to the US. Visa Pay: Set for beta release in parts of Asia, Europe and Latin America, Visa Pay is a new service that connects any participating wallet to any Visa-accepting merchant -- local or international, in-store or online. Visa says almost 4 billion people around the globe use mobile wallets today. The first four partners will be Line Pay, Zallopay, maya, and Woori Card. Visa Accept: Most micro-sellers around the world, such as a painter selling their wares on the streets of Venice, do not have the ability to accept Visa cards. Visa Accept aims to change that. It will allow merchants with any NFC-capable smartphone to accept Visa payments from shoppers. It’s set to launch in July, in Latin America and Asia. Visa Intelligent Commerce could be the next step in shopping with AI (Image credit: Matt Swider / The Shortcut)\uD83D\uDCB3 Visa is testing AI that executes desired shopping purchases \uD83E\uDDE0 AI agents are the next step in AI \uD83D\uDECD\uFE0F Want to book (not just find) a flight at a specific price drop or pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2 before it goes away \uD83D\uDD10 AI agents would work within thresholds and use the same verifications and tokenization protections as current credit cards \uD83C\uDFE6 14,000 bank partners worldwide could work with Visa to ensure its AI ambitions are secure, Visa\u2019s Mark Nelsen told The Shortcut \uD83E\uDD16 AI agents could handle as much as 20% of all e-commerce tasks in a year What if your AI assistant doesn\u2019t just recommend a flight for an upcoming trip \u201CWelcome to the future of possible,\u201D teases Visa CEO Ryan McInerney shortly after taking the stage at Visa\u2019s Product Drop press event in San Francisco Powered by \u201Cagentic transactions,\u201D Visa officially took the wraps off its ambitious Visa Intelligent Commerce initiative, a suite of tools and technologies to facilitate AI-based shopping. With your consent, Visa partners like OpenAI could work with AI agents to research, select, and even buy that flight for you. You could even set parameters, such as a price threshold (if the fare drops below, say, $400, you\u2019re all in), plus no stopovers or redeyes. \u201CToday, when your AI agent displays your itinerary, makes all kinds of recommendations for you, restaurants and excursions, it\u2019s pretty magical,\u201D says McInerney, in a hypothetical scenario for an upcoming trip. \u201CI'm going say \u2018this looks fantastic, love it, so let\u2019s book it\u2019 and then my agent is going to tell me \u2018I'm sorry I'm not fully trained to make payments for you, but I could direct you to websites where you can make these purchases,\u2019\u201D continues McInerney. \u201CThis is where all the fun currently ends, but it\u2019s actually a pretty solvable problem: we could give AI agents payment tools.\u201D Visa\u2019s network has processed more than 3.3 trillion transactions over the past 25 years \uD83C\uDF55 Fun fact: Visa processed the first e-commerce transaction back on August 11 \u201CVisa Intelligent Commerce provides a missing link in the AI commerce experience,\u201D believes Jordan McKee are needed to bring AI-powered commerce to life at scale.\u201D \u201CSuccess will be dependent on ecosystem-wide collaboration but Visa\u2019s launch is a critical building block for the industry to start from,\u201D adds McKee \u201CThere will be a one-time setup for Visa customers to allow the agent to buy on your behalf,\u201D clarifies Mark Nelsen, Global Head of Consumer Products at Visa, in an interview with The Shortcut. \u201CWith the help of our more than 14,000 bank partners around the world, we\u2019re going to verify it\u2019s you, and then you\u2019ll be good to go.\u201D \u201CTokenization\u201D replaces your real Visa number with a randomly generated and encrypted code, so your private data isn\u2019t disclosed. Authentication is moving to more convenient biometrics-based \u201Cpasskeys,\u201D such as using your face to uniquely identify you. \u201CEven as the technologies evolve and buyer and seller preferences evolve, our goal hasn't changed, which is to connect buyers and sellers through seamless, secure digital payments,\u201D McInerney asserts. \u201CI want to emphasize the protection of data privacy, consent and control of your data -- all of this is very important to us,\u201D reiterates McInerney. \u201CWe're not sharing any raw user data, your transaction data remains private, and you get to decide which provider can access any of your insights, your preferences, and can stop sharing at any time,\u201D he adds. we should see the start of Visa-led agentic commerce \u201Cin the next couple of months.\u201D \u201CWe have a number of partners now that are coding to the APIs and it\u2019s going well,\u201D adds Nelsen Visa Intelligent had other announcements at its Product Drop (Image credit: Matt Swider / The Shortcut)Other fintech news from Visa\u2019s Product DropVisa also discussed other new and expanded fintech services to help deliver its promise of seamless payment experiences are partnering to offer stablecoin-linked Visa cards to customers across multiple countries This will allow users to make everyday purchases via cryptocurrency tokens stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a constant value.) Visa has also partnered with crypto company Baanx to launch stablecoin cards tied to self-hosted wallets in the US Visa introduced the aptly-named Flex Credential a next-gen payment card and app that can seamlessly toggle between different payment methods pay later.\u201D Visa and payment service Klarna are partnering to bring the Flex Credential to the US Visa Pay: Set for beta release in parts of Asia Visa Pay is a new service that connects any participating wallet to any Visa-accepting merchant -- local or international Visa says almost 4 billion people around the globe use mobile wallets today Visa Accept: Most micro-sellers around the world such as a painter selling their wares on the streets of Venice do not have the ability to accept Visa cards It will allow merchants with any NFC-capable smartphone to accept Visa payments from shoppers Subscribe now Industry Analysts, Inc. BTA  established the association’s Disaster Grant Program in 1992 to provide emergency financial support to BTA dealer members who have suffered a loss due to a natural disaster Click here to donate TOP PHOTO: Tuesday morning was ribbon cutting time at the Community Health of East Tennessee (CHET) Dental Clinic as Dr TN (WLAF)- The Campbell County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism is pleased to announce the newest members of the chamber Bronze Beauty Tanning & Hair Salon and Domino’s (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-05/05/2025-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF WLAF’S ANN RUTHERFORD) and website in this browser for the next time I comment Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive Everything that you need to know to start your own business From business ideas to researching the competition Practical and real-world advice on how to run your business — from managing employees to keeping the books Our best expert advice on how to grow your business — from attracting new customers to keeping existing customers happy and having the capital to do it Entrepreneurs and industry leaders share their best advice on how to take your company to the next level Let us help your business find the best tools and solutions to thrive and grow help for your small business is there for the taking Whether you're starting a new small business or looking to grow the one you already own finding funding can be a challenge for businesses of all sizes If you’re looking for a small business loan or grant Each week, we update this list of loans, small business grants, or other opportunities to connect with programs and organizations that can help you with your business. Come back often to see the latest. And, if your organization has a program or grant you’d like to see listed here, email us at CO@uschamber.com If you're not sure of the difference between a loan and a grant, check out our explainer. You can also learn more about all funding options in our small business financing guide Begin your search for a grant from the federal government at Grants.gov This government site offers the most comprehensive database of funds the government is going to give away There are thousands of grants to apply for with opportunities for companies from all backgrounds Keep in mind that not all assistance flows directly from the federal government to small businesses Some funds are distributed to state and local governments and agencies These entities in turn distribute the funds or use them to provide technical or educational assistance on a local level check with your state and local governments When searching through grant and contracting options note that you may qualify for more than one program As illustrated by the following sampling of grants the assistance available to you from the government will vary acceptance of free money from the government comes with a fair amount of paperwork Applying for a grant can be time-consuming and technical In addition to the legal and administrative prerequisites there are ongoing reporting and auditing requirements The federal government spends billions of dollars on goods and services each year A lot of that money is spent through a competitive bidding process Programs have been put in place to assist some small businesses with the process allowing them a better chance to compete for those federal dollars In addition to the billions of dollars spent purchasing goods and services, the federal government also sells large amounts of natural resources and surplus property. The SBA Natural Resource Sales Assistance Program sets aside a percentage of these goods for bidding by small businesses only federal agencies sometimes divide surplus materials into smaller parcels making it easier for small businesses to purchase The program also provides training for small businesses on government sales and leasing There are many nonprofit and corporate entities offering grants and other assistance to small businesses Here are a few such programs that are open to qualifying small businesses in any industry: Some small business grant programs are confined to a specific entrepreneur demographic or business profile and they often have an application process that is easier to navigate so be sure to check with nonprofits and large corporations in your geographic area or industry The programs listed above are a good start when it comes to grants and funding You may find additional resources available by following the links below CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation CO—is committed to helping you start, run and grow your small business. Learn more about the benefits of small business membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, here CO— is a site that connects like minds and delivers actionable insights for next-level growth The Aiken Chamber hosted its annual Women in Business Luncheon at Newberry Hall on Feb She is a motivational speaker who has written a book entitled "Accountability Code." Jim Tunison is the executive director of the Aiken Chamber of Commerce Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: