Good morning readers. And move over, Prime Day. Black Friday and Cyber Monday still wear the crown for the year's top shopping sprees. But don't sweat the search for bargains; we've got your back with the juiciest tech deals, be it gadgets, games, or gizmos. If you fancy being ahead of the crowd, dip your toes into The Verge’s recommended price-tracking tools. They're all on the house, just add your must-haves and let the deals chase you. Pro tip: keep those email alerts on.

Ding! Your wallet just thanked you.

Let’s jump into today’s storylines.

In today’s digest:

• Online shopping’s quiet upheaval

• Headline Hustle: Manhunt for Maine shooter enters second day, Amazon’s profit triples in Q3, ECB stops rate hikes

• Life at X after a year with Elon Musk at the helm

• Pulse Points: What’s Trending

BUSINESS

From clicks to conflict: the new e-commerce showdown

Say goodbye to the days of casually ordering a $5 top with no extra fees, because the de minimis exemption—a little-known U.S. customs policy—is stirring up a storm in the e-commerce world. What used to be a simple way to avoid taxes on packages valued under $800 is now a full-blown controversy. Chinese e-commerce heavyweights Shein and Temu have been slipping through customs duty-free, offering mind-blowing prices, and making life difficult for big U.S. retailers like Amazon and Walmart.

Here’s the scoop

Since 2019, there's been a deluge of low-cost packages, thanks to our friends Shein and Temu, exploiting this rule like a secret backdoor into America's shopping carts. But it's not just about sneaky business tactics. Critics label this a "legalized black market," ushering in a flood of potentially dodgy goods and sparking outrage over ethical concerns—think forced labor scandals and safety violations. While Kim Glas and other industry watchdogs wag their fingers at these shady practices, groups like the National Foreign Trade Council insist the rule keeps shopping affordable and supply chains afloat.

Zoom out: Caught between a rock and a hard place, U.S. Customs and Border Protection might just flip the script on these policies. Sure, everyone loves a good deal, but not if it means turning a blind eye to human rights abuses or welcoming unsafe products onto our shelves. As lawmakers toy with the idea of reigning in the free-for-all, they're juggling economic interests, ethical trade, and a hefty side of U.S.-China tension. So bargain hunters, enjoy those unchecked hauls while you can, because change is on the horizon.

Headline Hustle

🇺🇸 Manhunt for Maine shooting suspect enters second day. Maine, typically celebrated for its tranquility, was recently thrown into turmoil following a mass shooting incident in Lewiston. The perpetrator? An Army reservist named Robert Card. This shocking event, described as 2023's deadliest U.S. mass shooting, saw 18 individuals tragically lose their lives and another 13 injured. As state officials scramble, deploying over 350 law enforcement personnel in an intense manhunt, residents have been advised to stay vigilant. Card, whose recent psychiatric challenges came to light, remains elusive. For a state proud of its low crime rates, this incident marks an unprecedented challenge, shaking the very foundation of its peaceful reputation.

🤑 Amazon triples its profits in Q3. Amidst the economic seesaw, Amazon has emerged with a flourish, tripling its profit to a whopping $9.9 billion in Q3, defying post-pandemic setbacks. CEO Andy Jassy, steering the retail titan, forecasts a revenue gold rush from its cloud-computing business, AWS, citing untapped 'generative AI' opportunities as the key to this treasure trove. While retail remains Amazon's battle-hardened veteran, drawing in $143.1 billion, a 13% surge, it's the advertising and AWS divisions that are the company's unsung heroes. Despite the retail Goliath's post-pandemic wobble, an aggressive cost-cutting strategy, including a leaner workforce and optimized delivery operations, has set the stage for an impressive rebound.

🇪🇺 European Central Bank pauses record rate hike streak. The European Central Bank (ECB) has ceased its streak of rate hikes, keeping interest rates firm at 4% amidst looming recession threats and global economic unpredictability. This shift mirrors broader central banking trends as inflation relaxes from historic peaks. Challenges, including geopolitical conflicts and soaring energy costs, contribute to a complex global landscape. ECB President Christine Lagarde hints at maxed-out eurozone borrowing costs, acknowledging economic softening. With inflation rates outpacing the U.S. and growth stuttering, the ECB faces a balancing act, carefully eyeing market responses and potential rate reductions mid-next year.

TECH

Where does X go from here?

Once the go-to spot for your 280-character rants, the Twitter we knew is facing an identity crisis. Since Elon Musk's takeover in April 2022 and its snazzy rebrand to "X," the platform's been on a rollercoaster—think unexpected policy U-turns, baffling mass layoffs, and oh, that dwindling ad revenue. And while Musk dreams of turning X into the digital jack-of-all-trades, its original fanbase seems to be hitting the 'unfollow' button.

Musk's grand vision for X is ambitious, but with premium tiers that are more "meh" than "must-have", many wonder if the essence of that beloved microblogging platform is lost forever. Meanwhile, the dark underbelly of content moderation, or the lack thereof, is rearing its ugly head. Sure, Musk's anti-censorship vibe has its charm, but unchecked hate speech and trolls might just have free reign. For a platform once hailed for its democratic ethos, this laissez-faire attitude could spell disaster.

What's next for X? In the end, X is at a crossroads, grappling with its identity while trying to keep both users and Musk's vision on board. It's more than just a business overhaul; it's a question of how much sway one tech tycoon should have over our digital chatter.

SNIPPETS

Pulse Points

• Sundar Pichai is set to testify in the US v. Google antitrust case, defending Google's search success as a result of its innovation rather than advantageous deals with companies like Apple.

• OpenAI has formed a dedicated team focused on mitigating potential catastrophic risks by thoroughly assessing and scrutinizing AI models.

• Microsoft is replacing its chief marketing officer, Chris Capossela, who has been with the company for 32 years, as part of its rebranding efforts to position itself as an AI-focused company.

• Ford is postponing $12 billion in EV investments, including a joint battery plant project with partner SK On, due to waning demand for premium electric vehicles.

• Apple is hiking the monthly fee for its TV streaming service to $9.99, aligning with recent price increases by competitors like Netflix and Disney.

• Apple introduced a "Concerts" feature in the iOS Shazam app's version 17.0, providing personalized and popular concert recommendations that users can filter by location and save for future reference.

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