This Week in M&A Issue #214

Want to get more revenue from the traffic you already have?

This week’s podcast episode dives into eCommerce CRO, one of the most powerful ways to grow your online store without spending a dime on ads.

CRO expert Jasper De Muynck joins Greg to break down the fundamentals of Shopify CRO, including what a healthy optimization process actually looks like and why it’s far more than “changing button colors.”

We also cover the most common CRO mistakes, how to turn customer data into actionable insights, and how AI is transforming optimization. Plus, he offers practical tips for making CRO a routine part of your business and knowing when it’s time to revisit your strategy.

If you’re serious about growing your eCommerce business sustainably, without simply spending more on ads, this episode will be your guide.

Every year, Google’s Year in Search report reveals the topics that captured global attention by spotlighting the queries that surged fastest compared with the year before.

The report highlights topics that saw sudden and sustained spikes in curiosity rather than the routine searches we type every day. It serves as a cultural pulse check, showing which ideas, events, people, and trends shaped public conversation. Because the data compares 2025 with 2024, it gives a clearer picture of what was newly important rather than simply popular. For entrepreneurs, the report is a useful way to spot emerging interests before they become mainstream.

This year’s data shows just how much AI shaped global curiosity. Google’s own Gemini became the top trending search worldwide, while DeepSeek also appeared in both the global and U.S. top ten lists.

Sports events generated massive curiosity, with “India vs England” and “Club World Cup” also appearing near the top of global trends. Public figures drove momentum too, as “Charlie Kirk” was the third top trending global term and the number one trending query in the United States. Food trends painted a picture of adventurous home cooking, with hot honey becoming the most searched recipe. Growing attention to geopolitical issues appeared in searches for “Iran,” “Pakistan and India,” and “Tariffs,” while the upcoming “iPhone 17” demonstrated that major product releases remain powerful search drivers.

The U.S. specific trends showed how deeply AI-generated content influenced online culture. Searches for AI action figure, AI Barbie, and AI Polaroid reflected an explosion of interest in AI-created visuals, even driving viral Ghibli style images.

For business owners, the biggest opportunities increasingly lie in spotting emerging trends early. Reviewing the Year in Search can help identify gaps, guide content planning, and uncover the rising topics most likely to shape the year ahead.

You can find the full Google Year in Search 2025 report here.

Amazon is reducing fees for European sellers in 2026, offering one of its largest-ever fee cuts to help third-party sellers thrive across the continent. The fee reductions are thought to be a response to competition from Temu and Shein.

The changes, which take effect in stages starting December 15, 2025, and February 1, 2026, aim to lower costs for sellers while keeping fees aligned with operational expenses and consistent with other regions, including the U.S.

If you sell through FBA, you’ll see fulfillment fees for parcels drop by an average of £0.26/€0.32 in key markets like the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. Referral fees for clothing and accessories will fall from 8% to 5% for items up to £15/€15, and from 15% to 10% for items between £15/€15 and £20/€20.

Starting February 1, home products will see referral fees reduced from 15% to 8% for items up to £20/€20, while pet clothing, groceries, and vitamins will see similar reductions, making it more profitable for sellers to offer everyday essentials at competitive prices.

Amazon is also expanding its Low-Price FBA program, lowering fees by around £0.40/€0.45 for products priced at or below £20/€20. If you run promotions, Best Deals and Lightning Deals will now have fee caps, £200 in the UK, €300 in Germany, and €100 in France, Italy, and Spain, so you can highlight your best products without overspending.

There will be a few small fee increases in countries like the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, and Poland for things like storage and returns, but these average just £0.02/€0.02 per unit and are meant to keep Amazon’s network running smoothly.

Independent sellers are the backbone of Amazon Europe, making up over 60% of sales and selling more than 1.3 billion products worldwide last year. Many also support local economies, creating around 350,000 jobs across the EU. With these fee cuts and expanded support programs, Amazon is making it easier for sellers to grow their business, stay competitive, and reach more customers across Europe.