e-commerce
Jabong.com hosted Asia’s first ever –Google+ Shoppable Hangout
MUMBAI: Jabong.com, India’s favourite online fashion destination,launchedUK’s leading high-street brand, Dorothy Perkins in India at LakméFashion Week Summer/Resort 2014. The brand alsobrought in another innovative platform by hosting Asia’s first ever ‘Google+ Shoppable Hangout’ called “Jabong Shoppable Hangout with Dorothy Perkins”live from the ramp wherein populace witnessed Dorothy Perkins’ show, interacted with fashion influencers as well as shopped from the collection.
The hangout was hosted live from Grand Hyatt, Santacruz, the venue of Lakme Fashion Weekby Fashion Director of acclaimed fashion magazine Grazia, Ekta Rajani along with renowned fashion Designer Anita Dongre known for cutting edge women apparel for the last two decades, Dorothy Perkins Marketing Director Alex Maw and India’s first and most famous celebrity blogger who blogs on Bollywood, Miss Malini
This platform provided the Indian consumer a completely new shopping experience.The show was a grand success as users logged on to Google+ hangout. Participants interacted with the hosts and other members on this platform. Increasing the fashion quotient on the dais, the four divas elevated the fashion quotient of the chic collection through the shoppable hangout at the fashion week. Viewers got to know more about Dorothy Perkins collection, latest trends and styles, Kangana Ranaut’s, the showstopper’s outfit and much more. Not only this, participants gota chance to buy Dorothy Perkins products live from the ramp.
Speaking on the occasion, Arun Chandra Mohan, Founder and CEO of Jabong.com said,“Jabong.com strongly believes in democratizing fashion and bringing the runway to millions of homes.The ‘Google+ Shoppable Hangout’for the Dorothy Perkins showreceived an overwhelming response. The idea behind this was to make the show more innovative and to bring the brand more accessible to the audience on its launch. With the e-commerce market in India growing at an extraordinary rate, we thought of introducing a unique and innovative shopping experience to the Indian shoppers. Going ahead we will continue to bring such distinctive experiences for the fashion fanatics.”
“Association with the fashion leaderJabong.com and coming together with technology giant Google to create a shoppable hangout for the Dorothy Perkins SS 2014 collection showcased at LFW SR 2014 is another feather in our cap and reinforces our position as the most innovative and digitally advanced fashion platform in the country” said SaketDhankar, Head-Fashion, IMG Reliance.
Speaking on the occasion, Anita Dongresaid“It’s exciting to be a part of this first of a kind digital experience, where we get to share and exchange ideas on trends and fashion, offer a live sneak peek into all the action at LFW and at the same time allow the consumer a chance to buy hot off the ramp fashion. E-commerce is the future of fashion retail and this initiative takes it a step ahead with bringing it live to the homes of the fashion enthusiasts across India, from one the most prestigious fashion events in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Alex Maw, Marketing Director, Dorothy Perkins said “Having the opportunity for our brand to take part in “Jabong Shoppable Hangout with Dorothy Perkins” live from our catwalk show in Mumbai was incredible! To be the first ever to do this in Asia with our partner Jabong.com paves the way for future initiatives. To be amongst 3 of India’s most influential female fashionistas was such a treat too’
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sandeep Menon, Director Marketing, Google India said, “This could get very infectious. We’ve had some serious fun working with Lakmé Fashion Week to make the show more innovative and more accessible than it’s ever been before. At Google we believe in doing things differently and, therefore, the idea was to bring fashion fans closer to the action and get everyone involved to experience this season’s flavors, the colours, the faces, the designs, the celebrities and just about everything else up-close and through multiple dimensions.”
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
