A new publication for the digital commerce sector, curated by Qasim Mohammad.

With changing consumer demographics and the rise of omni-channel retail, pop-up stores have become a mainstay. Brands across several categories are finally experimenting with IRL retail activations (at scale) that are not only meant to excite customers through a unique experience, but also provide added convenience to the shopper’s buying journey. Now is a good […]

There has been a lot of talk lately about the momentum behind DTC brands as a result of the pandemic. Simultaneously, we’re also starting to hear more discussions around where the fault lines are starting to emerge in the DTC model overall. The discourse in retail media and DTC communities in general would suggest that […]

I’m extremely bullish on consumer brands that are backed by mega influencers. From Rihanna’s Fenty to Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics, we are witnessing a golden era for brands that are founded by celebrities who are rewriting the rules of popular culture. What’s there not to love about the economics? Mega influencers have an insane number […]

Before the pandemic struck, I had been spending a lot of time thinking about the future of retail as a form of media. In other words, is retail space — be it online or in-store — becoming an “ad unit” that a merchant pays for to garner impressions among potential customers? A big implication of […]

I’m really pleased by the response to the 2020 ecosystem map that I prepared for Canada’s digital commerce sector. As always, I missed a few names and logos. Hard not to when you’re dealing with hundreds of companies! Thanks to everyone who took a look and provided valuable feedback. I really appreciate it. In other […]

One of my favourite rituals is mapping out the Canadian digital commerce ecosystem. I’m very happy to finally share the 2020 infographic, which features nearly 400 companies (active and acquired). Shimmy over to the Commerce Maps section of Fire Ant, or find the infographic and full commentary right here. I look forward to your feedback. Feel […]

One of the things I’m most excited about doing through Fire Ant is interviewing dynamic business leaders who are reshaping commerce. I’m very excited to kick things off with Jen Lee Koss, a woman extraordinaire who inspires me with everything she does.  Jen is an active investor, advisor, and board member in the consumer space and […]

There was a lot of chatter this week around Amazon reportedly considering malls as potential fulfillment centres. As retail foot traffic in malls has declined over the past few years (largely due to the rise of e-commerce), mall owners have been actively thinking about how to repurpose free space for other commercial uses. Facilitating e-commerce […]

It was an exciting week for investors with the IPO of BigCommerce, and more public SaaS/cloud earnings rolling in. Shopify’s blowout second quarter results likely contributed to the winds behind $BIGC’s sails on its first day of trading, which saw the stock price surge well over 200% relative to the IPO pricing at one point. […]

I’m very fortunate in that I’ve had the opportunity to experience what I like to call the holy trinity of “startupland”: operating, founding, and investing. Studying the commonly held perceptions around founding startups vs. investing in them has always been interesting to me. I began to actively think about these perceptions when I left a venture […]

Some of my friends are in the process of launching DTC businesses. And every single one of them would endorse adopting some kind of “pre-sale” strategy to inform a broader product rollout, especially during these uncertain times when demand and supply equations aren’t always clear. Came across an interesting take on the importance of this […]

Not surprised to learn this week that delivery services startups are going to start moving non-food inventory. The pandemic continues to catalyze years of advancements in e-commerce supply chains in a very short window of time — now is the time to branch out. Also enjoyed reading two other interesting articles on Shopify and Starbucks. […]

Welcome to the first weekly edit. Each week I will provide a summary of the latest developments in the digital commerce space — from noteworthy news to startup funding announcements. Let’s get started. 🗞️ News Vogue Business — Why VCs are backing gender-neutral fashion [Jul 14, 2020 | Maghan McDowell] There has been a lot of talk […]

Hi, I’m Qasim Mohammad and this is Fire Ant, an in-depth publication that focuses on how commerce is evolving in the digital age. As a tech investor and operator, I’m excited to use this platform to share new ideas around how technology is transforming the way people buy and sell. My goal is to cover […]