e-commerce
Unbxd raises $ 12.5 mn to fuel innovation
MUMBAI: Unbxd, the cloud-based product discovery platform for e-commerce, has raised $12.5 million in Series C funding led by Eight Roads Ventures, the proprietary investment arm of Fidelity International Limited, and from existing investors IDG Ventures, Inventus Capital Partners and Nirvana Ventures. Unbxd will further invest in its artificial intelligence (AI) powered platform that enables online retailers to capture the 15%-40% in revenue that is lost due to a poor product discovery experience.
Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan also invested in the round. Avendus Capital was the exclusive financial advisor to Unbxd’s Series C round.
Retail’s success in e-commerce has become more critical now than ever and heavily hinges on customer experience. The Unbxd AI powered personalized product discovery platform uniquely understands users’ intent to significantly enhance their online shopping experiences, increasing conversions and revenue.
“Traditional rules-based e-commerce technology is hard for retailers to manage while also delivering a poor experience for their shoppers. With a better AI solution in place, retailers are more competitive because shoppers can more easily buy what they seek,” said Unbxd CEO Pavan Sondur.
“Unbxd has a great product/market fit, and now is the right time to accelerate its go-to-market strategy. E-commerce product discovery tools represent a multi-billion-dollar opportunity globally and Unbxd is well positioned to emerge as a leader in the space,” said Eight Roads Ventures managing partner Raj Dugar.
The funds raised will be invested in enhancing Unbxd’s proprietary Intelligence Engine. The Unbxd Intelligence Engine today captures and processes more than 50 shopper data signals, to power personalized search, navigation and product recommendations on e-commerce sites. Unbxd will also open new offices, to be closer to its customers in Chicago and New York.
Unbxd revenue grew 400% in the past year and it strengthened its Internet Retailer 500 customer base by adding leading retailers including Ashley HomeStore, Express and FreshDirect.
e-commerce
Amazon unveils first Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report
32,000 bad actors targeted, 15 million fake products removed in 2025.
MUMBAI: In a marketplace where trust is the real currency, Amazon is showing its receipts. Amazon has released its first-ever Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report, offering a detailed look at how it polices its vast digital shelves from counterfeit crackdowns to scam detection and review authenticity. At the heart of the report is a four-pronged strategy, proactive controls, risk anticipation, enforcement against bad actors, and consumer protection. The scale is staggering. Since 2020, Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit has pursued over 32,000 bad actors globally through litigation and criminal referrals spanning 14 countries.
The clean-up drive accelerated in 2025, with the company identifying and disposing of more than 15 million counterfeit products worldwide. Legal action also led to the takedown of over 100 websites linked to fake reviews and scams, an ongoing battle in the age of algorithmic manipulation.
Behind the scenes, artificial intelligence and machine learning are doing the heavy lifting. Amazon says it monitors billions of daily interactions across listings, reviews, and seller activity to spot trouble before it surfaces. Its predictive systems can even flag potentially infringing listings for trending products before brands raise the alarm.
Tools like Omniscan, which verifies product safety information at scale, and SENTRIX, designed to detect and eliminate phishing websites, are part of this expanding tech arsenal. Together, they aim to reduce risk while keeping the platform usable for legitimate sellers.
That balance between protection and friction is a tightrope Amazon acknowledges. Rohan Oommen, Vice President of Worldwide Customer and Partner Trust, noted that while safeguards are critical, they must not stifle genuine businesses. Features like the Account Health Dashboard are meant to give sellers clearer visibility into compliance and performance.
Consumer-facing measures are also getting sharper. From direct safety alerts to recall notifications and refund guidance, Amazon is leaning into transparency, backed by partnerships with consumer organisations to raise awareness.
The report’s release follows the expansion of Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit into India, signalling a deeper push into one of its fastest-growing markets, with closer coordination planned between brands, sellers, and law enforcement.
In short, as online shopping grows more complex, Amazon is betting that trust built through data, enforcement, and a fair bit of algorithmic vigilance will be its most valuable product yet.
