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TikTok stand at Web Summit (Noushad Thekkayil/Getty Images)
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Amazon’s surprise bid for TikTok is far from a sure deal, because TikTok is far from just a social media app

The e-commerce duo would dominate the social shopping marketplace, and that’s the issue.

Nia Warfield
4/2/25 2:46PM

Amazon’s surprise bid for TikTok isn’t just about snagging the world’s most viral app — it’s about teaming up with the leader of social commerce. TikTok has become a goldmine for businesses of all sizes, with the app now boasting over 15 million merchants worldwide. Last year, 47.2 million Americans bought something through TikTok Shop, while an estimated 40% of all online US shoppers made a purchase through social media altogether.

Amazon, already a retail powerhouse that recently surpassed Walmart in revenue, could tap into TikTok’s viral popularity to boost visibility, expand its customer base, and drive up sales. With a market cap just north of $2 trillion, Amazon is one of the few contenders that could ante up the estimated $40 billion to $50 billion needed to buy TikTok’s US operations. Amazon’s not the only that sees TikTok’s value: on Wednesday, former home shopping giant QVC Group announced its first-ever 24/7 live shopping streams on TikTok. 

Still, despite the obvious upsides, Amazon’s reported bid for TikTok has already drawn some scrutiny online, with one post saying, “An eCommerce giant buying an eCommerce giant (which is what TikTok is at this point) would, in most administrations, raise a few eyebrows.”

It wouldn’t be the first time a partnership between Amazon and TikTok has caught the eye of lawmakers. In November, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party warned Amazon that an in-app shopping partnership with TikTok was “dangerous and unwise,” citing national security concerns over the app’s potential risks.

President Trump is set to meet with top White House aides Wednesday to discuss TikTok’s future before the app’s divest-or-ban deadline on Saturday.

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Max Knoblauch
9/12/25

Amazon is testing adding GM electric vans to its EV delivery fleet dominated by Rivian

Rivian may have some competition in its electric delivery van division: Bloomberg reports that Amazon is testing a small number of GM’s BrightDrop vans for its fleet.

According to Amazon, the test currently only includes a dozen of the vehicles. Amazon’s fleet also contains EVs from Ford, Stellantis, and Mercedes-Benz.

GM debuted BrightDrop in 2021, but the vehicles have struggled to sell and piled up on GM lots due to high prices and steep competition. GM began offering up to 40% rebates on the vehicles this year.

The test comes as Rivian struggles through tariffs and the end of EV tax credits. Earlier this year, it lowered its annual delivery outlook by about 13%. As of June, Amazon said it has more than 25,000 Rivian vans across the US. Earlier this week, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said the company is still on track to deliver 100,000 vans to Amazon by 2030 and is “thinking about what comes beyond” that initial target.

GM has sold 1,592 BrightDrop vans through the first half of the year, more than the full-year total it sold in 2024.

Amazon Tests GM EV Delivery Vans in Bid to Meet Climate Goals

Amazon Tests GM EV Delivery Vans in Bid to Meet Climate Goals

GM debuted BrightDrop in 2021, but the vehicles have struggled to sell and piled up on GM lots due to high prices and steep competition. GM began offering up to 40% rebates on the vehicles this year.

The test comes as Rivian struggles through tariffs and the end of EV tax credits. Earlier this year, it lowered its annual delivery outlook by about 13%. As of June, Amazon said it has more than 25,000 Rivian vans across the US. Earlier this week, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said the company is still on track to deliver 100,000 vans to Amazon by 2030 and is “thinking about what comes beyond” that initial target.

GM has sold 1,592 BrightDrop vans through the first half of the year, more than the full-year total it sold in 2024.

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Paramount Skydance reportedly preparing an Ellison-backed Warner Bros. Discovery takeover bid, sending shares soaring

Paramount Skydance is preparing a majority cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, The Wall Street Journal reported, sending shares of both companies surging. The Journal’s sources say the deal is backed by the Ellison family, led by David Ellison.

WBD shares were up 30% on the report, while Paramount Skydance jumped 8%.

The offer would cover WBD’s entire business — cable networks, movie studios, the whole enchilada. That comes after WBD announced plans last year to split into two divisions: one for streaming and studios, the other for its traditional cable and TV assets. A recent Wells Fargo note gave WBD a price target hike, primarily because the analysts viewed it as a prime takeover candidate.

If the deal goes through, it would bring together HBO, CNN, DC Studios, and Warner Bros.’ film library with Paramount+, Nickelodeon, and MTV, all under one umbrella.

Exclusive | Paramount Skydance Prepares Ellison-Backed Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery

Exclusive | Paramount Skydance Prepares Ellison-Backed Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery

The offer would cover WBD’s entire business — cable networks, movie studios, the whole enchilada. That comes after WBD announced plans last year to split into two divisions: one for streaming and studios, the other for its traditional cable and TV assets. A recent Wells Fargo note gave WBD a price target hike, primarily because the analysts viewed it as a prime takeover candidate.

If the deal goes through, it would bring together HBO, CNN, DC Studios, and Warner Bros.’ film library with Paramount+, Nickelodeon, and MTV, all under one umbrella.

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As tariffs take root, August new vehicle prices climb by the most in more than 2 years

According to data from Cox Automotive, 17 vehicle brands raised prices of their new vehicles by more than 3% in August.

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