Quince, the $10 Billion 'Dupe' Retailer, Launches in the UK, Block's Human-Sounding Voice AI Alarms Fraud Watchers
2 min read · October 26, 2026 · Covering October 25 · 4 stories from 4 sources
Yesterday in ecommerce: a $10 billion 'dupe' retailer opened its first market outside North America, Block's eerily human voice AI drew both praise and fraud warnings, and the US Postal Service claimed new power to bill sellers for unpaid foreign customs duties. 4 stories, about 2 minutes.
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Quince, the $10 billion 'dupe' retailer, launches in the UK
Quince, the US brand known for selling close copies of luxury staples at steep discounts, opened its first market outside North America this week. The San Francisco retailer sells cashmere, leather goods, jewellery and homewares with free delivery and 365-day returns, claiming prices up to 70% below normal retail. It passed $1 billion in 2025 revenue and carries a $10.1 billion valuation after a $500 million round, despite lawsuits from Coach, Deckers and Williams-Sonoma over its lookalike products.
For your store:If a 'good enough, half price' rival can hit $10 billion, make your own quality and value story explicit.
Block's new voice AI sounds eerily human, and that's the worry
Jack Dorsey's payments company Block unveiled Dessa, a voice AI trained entirely on recorded human speech rather than text, so it can listen while speaking and handle interruptions and laughter. It is a research preview for now, running locally on a high-end Mac, with early access limited to AI safety researchers. Dorsey said talking with it 'feels like talking with a person.' Critics, including filmmaker Justine Bateman, warn the realism could help scammers trick people into lowering their guard.
For your store:Assume phone and chat scammers will soon sound human. Train support staff to verify identity by more than voice alone.
USPS can now bill US sellers for unpaid foreign customs duties
A USPS rule effective October 19 lets the Postal Service invoice US merchants when a foreign customs duty on their package goes unpaid. It follows the EU's July removal of its de minimis exemption, which added a flat 3 euro fee per product type on small parcels through mid-2028. The rule applies worldwide, not just Europe, and UPS and FedEx face similar obligations. Sellers must pay disputed invoices first and fight incorrect charges afterward; unpaid bills accrue 6% annual interest.
For your store:If you ship internationally, budget for these fees now and keep records to dispute wrong charges quickly.
EU moves to spare small sellers from costly recycling paperwork
The European Parliament and Commission want to exempt small companies from appointing a separate waste-recycling representative in every EU country where they sell packaging, batteries, textiles, footwear or electronics. Lawmakers see the current rule as an unnecessary barrier inside the EU's single market. The exemption would run until 2035 or until a broader circular economy law arrives; sellers would still owe standard recycling fees. Rapporteur Ingeborg ter Laak said burdens should ease 'without compromising our environmental ambitions.'
For your store:If you sell into the EU, this could lower setup costs for new markets, once it clears a final vote.
The Daily Checkout is a daily summary written by KonvertiQ. Every story links to its original source, where you will find full reporting and context. Covered today: CoinDesk, Ecommerce News Europe, Practical Ecommerce, Retail Gazette.