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.

If you're like me and haven't finished (or even started) your Christmas shopping yet, not to worry, TikTok has you covered.

They just released their Holiday Gift Guide, a curated-list of guide ideas based on what's trending on the 'For You' page.

Happy shopping!

Here's what's happening in the world of DTC / e-commerce👇

1/ DTC Headlines

Lululemon founder criticized leadership as CEO exit was announced

→ Chip Wilson said the brand lost focus on product innovation and culture.

→ Calvin McDonald planned to step down after leading the company since 2018.

→ Lululemon named interim co-CEOs while beginning a broader leadership search.

‍Ruggable teamed up with Anthropologie for a new rug collection

→ The drop included seven washable rugs and three doormats with Anthro designs.

→ Prices ranged from entry-level options to premium, larger-format rugs.

→ The partnership expanded Ruggable’s reach beyond its direct-to-consumer base.

‍Check out the collection here ​

‍Retailers tested bold new store concepts heading into 2025

→ Brands leaned into shop-in-shops to meet shoppers where they already browse.

→ Experience-led layouts aimed to boost discovery, service, and dwell time.

→ The formats reflected a push to make stores feel useful, not just transactional.

Check out some of the new store concepts here

McDonald’s faced backlash over an AI-generated Christmas ad

→ The holiday spot used AI visuals that many viewers found cold and unsettling.

→ Social backlash grew quickly, with criticism around brand fit and emotional tone.

→ The reaction reignited debate on whether AI belongs in feel-good brand storytelling.

Check out the campaign here

Google denied plans to put ads in its Gemini AI app in 2026

→ The company said reports about ads coming to Gemini were inaccurate and based on unnamed sources.

→ Google’s VP of Global Ads clarified there are currently no ads in the app or plans to add them.

→ Rumors had stemmed from conversations with advertisers about future AI monetization.  

‍Learn more about this here

Meta signed AI licensing deals with major news publishers

→ CNN, Fox News, and USA Today content will feed answers inside Meta’s AI tools.

→ The move expanded Meta’s earlier news partnerships beyond Reuters.

→ Publishers continued pushing for paid access as AI training tensions grew.

Check out the deals here

Prime Video’s ad tier hit 315 M monthly viewers, outpacing Netflix

→ Amazon said its ad-supported reach now tops 315 million per month globally.  

→ That figure eclipses Netflix’s ~190 million monthly ad viewers in reported markets.  

→ The milestone highlights how streaming platforms are leaning into ads to grow revenue.

Skims turned holiday shopping into a live TikTok entertainment event

→ The brand ran a 45-minute “Kimsmas Live!” stream with exclusive products and offers.

→ Kim Kardashian hosted, with celebrity cameos and social promos driving attention.

→ The play blended live entertainment and commerce to tap TikTok’s holiday momentum.

‍Check out how it all went down here

2/ Shopify Stuff

Shopify rolled out Agentic Storefronts in its Winter ’26 Edition

→ Merchants can now make products discoverable and shoppable inside AI chat platforms like ChatGPT and Copilot.

→ A single setup syndicates product data across AI conversations without separate integrations.

→ Brands keep control of pricing, inventory, checkout, and customer relationships within their Shopify admin.

See all the updates in Winter’26 Edition here

3/ What We Found Interesting

Retailers tested bold new store concepts heading into 2025

→ Brands leaned into shop-in-shops to meet shoppers where they already browse.

→ Experience-led layouts aimed to boost discovery, service, and dwell time.

→ The formats reflected a push to make stores feel useful, not just transactional.

‍Check out some of the new store concepts here

Google shares their 2025 Year in Search 

→ It highlights the most-searched terms and topics of 2025 globally,

→ Showing what captured curiosity across categories like people, events, and trends.  

→ The report also includes a Year in Search film and breakout searches.

Check out the interactive report here

4/ What We Found Helpful

Check out our newly launched FREE Shopify Theme Detector too

→ The tool Instantly identifies the Shopify theme a store is using.

→ Helps brands and agencies benchmark competitors’ design choices quickly.

→ Free to use with no signup, speeding up store research and planning.

‍Give the tool a try here

Boxbollen built buzz through A-list creators and social virality

→ The play-tech ball went viral with content from major celebrities like Conor McGregor.  

→ Founders personally pitch, film, and collaborate with talent to capture content.  

→ That creator strategy helped fuel massive views and social engagement that drove broader growth.

Check out their playbook here

5/ Campaigns we're following

Dove and Crumbl brought back their limited-edition body care collab

→ The fan-favorite cookie-inspired collection is returning with fresh scents like Tres Leches.

→ It tied into Graza’s signature squeeze-bottle branding and Yahoo’s nostalgia-driven vibe.

→ The Walmart-exclusive drop follows strong viral demand and social engagement from the first run.  ‍

Check out the campaign here