Welcome to the Moast newsletter. We spend the week collecting news, trends, and other content that we think would be interesting to e-commerce founders and CMOs. Our goal is to provide value without sounding like a promo for our app. Helpful wether you use Moast or not.
The 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' mansion went on the market for the first time since 1978.
Turns out this sweet piece of nostalgia will cost you $30M. Here's the link if you'd like to place an offer.
Here's what caught our attention in the world of DTC / e-commerce 👇
1/ DTC Headlines
Amazon opened a new brick-and-mortar store in Chicago
→ Amazon continued testing physical retail alongside its online business.
→ The store blended digital features with in-person shopping and faster fulfillment.
→ The move signaled Amazon’s renewed interest in experimenting with offline formats.
OpenAI teased plans for a physical device during Davos discussions
→ OpenAI hinted at moving beyond software into consumer hardware.
→ Executives framed the idea as a new way to interact with AI outside screens.
→ The comments fueled speculation about how AI could reshape everyday devices.
Here’s what it would look like
Levi’s launched a push to teach Gen Z how to repair their clothes
→ Levi’s leaned into repairs as part of its sustainability strategy.
→ The brand aimed to extend product lifespan instead of pushing constant replacement.
→ The effort connected durability, circular fashion, and Gen Z values around waste.
Amazon warned tariffs are pushing prices higher for shoppers
→ Amazon said new tariffs could raise costs across parts of its marketplace.
→ The company flagged price pressure for both sellers and consumers.
→The update highlighted how trade policy still rippled through ecommerce pricing.
Google planned to introduce ads inside its Gemini chatbot
→ Google explored ads as a new revenue layer for generative AI.
→ The move mirrored how search monetization evolved into sponsored placements.
→ Marketers could gain a new surface to reach users inside AI-driven conversations.
TikTok Shop expanded its AI toolkit with video listing and dubbing tools
→ TikTok Shop added tools to help sellers create product videos faster.
→ AI dubbing supported multi-language listings for cross-border selling.
→ The update lowered production friction for merchants scaling on the platform.
Quince teamed up with A$AP Rocky on exclusive products tied to his new album
→ Quince launched limited items inspired by the Don’t Be Dumb album rollout.
→ A$AP Rocky brought fashion credibility and cultural reach to the drop.
→ The collab blended music, merch, and ecommerce into a tightly timed release.
2/ Shopify Stuff
Shopify President Harley Finkelstein breaks down why they built the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)
→ UCP was developed in partnership with Google.
→ It’s an open standard with primitives + extensions (discovery → checkout → post-purchase).
→ Merchants/agents negotiate capabilities + payments; humans can step in when needed.
Check out Harley's breakdown here
3/ What We Found Interesting
Instagram shifted most of its ads to Reels in 2025, data showed
→ Instagram funneled the majority of ad spend into short-form video formats.
→ Reels kept delivering stronger engagement compared to feed and Stories ads.
→ The shift signaled how video-first placements now dominated Meta’s ad strategy.
4/ What We Found Helpful
This is how brands use video carousels to lift Shopify product page conversions
→ Video carousels gave shoppers quick visual proof without leaving the product page.
→ The report pointed to AI-powered creativity and faster trend cycles shaping campaigns.
→ Brands were encouraged to build flexible strategies that react in real time.
5/ Campaigns we're following
Calvin Klein tapped Tell Me Lies stars for a new fashion campaign
→ Calvin Klein cast rising TV talent to connect with younger audiences.
→ The campaign featured actors from Tell Me Lies, leaning into pop culture relevance.
→ The move showed how fashion brands used streaming stars to stay culturally current.
Kinder Bueno made its Super Bowl debut with its first Big Game ad
→ Kinder Bueno used humor and indulgence to stand out during the broadcast.
→ The ad focused on brand awareness rather than pushing a hard product message.
→ The move marked a major marketing milestone for the candy brand in the U.S.
Related content
Turn your social content into a revenue channel
Turn your TikToks and Reels into shoppable videos and boost conversions by 3.5x.
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