Top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer News:

• Zappos tests personal shopping assistant image recognition app. Link
• PayPal’s “Bill Me Later” service becomes “PayPal Credit” as company expands credit products globally. Link
• Lord & Taylor to test beacons in store. Link
• Spanx stretches into new territory with jeans. Link
• Online retailer Blue Nile to experiment with brick and mortar retail presence. Link
• Diane Von Furstenburg to launch fashion jewelry line. Link
• A guide to 11 Fashion Tech Labs, from Nordstrom, to Target, to Macy’s. Link
• Gilt partners with HP on fashionable smartwatch. Link
• Hollister’s first celebrity collaboration with Lucy Hale of Pretty Little Liars. Link
• Patagonia releases new eco-friendly wetsuits. Link
• Rue La La attracts Gilt Groupe for potential sale. Link
• Converse x Missoni Chuck Taylor launching at Nordstrom. Link
• Target names new CEO from outside the organization. Link
• How Sephora plans to survive retail in a digital age. Link
• Adidas virtual storefront concept uses interactive digital signage controlled with smartphones. Link
• Uniqlo expands to MidWest. Link
• Calvin Klein designs collection for Net-a-Porter. Link
• WalMart continues small format expansion. Link
• Ikea creates omnichannel shopping experience from favorite items in app. Link
• Etsy set to launch wholesale business this week. Link
• eBay to venture into online services. Link
• Apple closes acquisition of Beats music. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

• Coca Cola launches Tweet a Coke campaign. Link
• Under Armour makes headlines with Misty Copeland ballerina ad. Link
• Twitter buys image-search startup Madbits. Link
• Instagram launches one-touch photo and video messaging app Bolt outside the US. Link
• Google Shopping now features product ratings in ads. Link
• Big brands are driving Twitter and Facebook’s mobile ad expansion. Link
• Marc Jacobs’ fragrance installation asks shoppers to upload their dreams. Link
• Facebook gives up on gifts. Link
• Meet the first viral SnapChat stars. Link
• Twitter testing easier-to-use hashtags. Link

Start-ups:

• WalMart Labs acquires Luvocracy, a Pinterest-like marketplace for product recommendations. Link
• BaubleBar raises $10M in new funding lead by Chris Burch’s Burch Creative Capital. Link
• HelloWorld, an easier way to share your location with friends. Link
• Hukkster online shopping tool shuts down. Link
• Saffron Fix delivers Indian food ingredients and recipes. Link
• Goodshop, the website that donates to your chosen nonprofit when you shop online launches iOS app. Link
• Square said to be in talks to buy food delivery start up Caviar. Link
• Groupon founder working on walking tour app. Link
• AirBnB expands to business travel. Link

International:

• Canada and Australia are top choice for cross-border ecommerce, followed by Japan and New Zealand. Link

[APAC]

• Amazon to invest $2B in India. Link
• Why China is “10 Years Ahead” of the world with social commerce. Link
• Alibaba mulls investment in SnapChat. Link
• US Retailers target Chinese shoppers with stores, products. Link
• China’s malls add parks, playgrounds to attract big-spending parents. Link
• Rakuten believes chat app Viber can completely cange its ecommerce business. Link

[AU/NZ]

• Surfstitch in IPO talks. Link
• The Iconic’s heavy mobile investment paying off. Link
• New Zealand online shoppers spent $1.3B offshore. Link

[EU]

• 3D printer company MakerBot opens EU office in Germany. Link
• Zalando’s deal with TopShop. Link

[A/ME]

• Rocket Internet’s Jumia goes deeper into Africa. Link
• Facebook launches mobile app in Zambia with free Internet access. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

• Android market share hits new record. Link
• Hilton hotel rooms will soon unlock via iPhones. Link
• Swatch to add personal fitness data to touch watch. Link
• Starwood’s app-driven vision for the hotel of the future. Link
• Buzzfeed to launch mobile app to be dedicated to serious news. Link
• Best Buy CEO says tablets are crashing, has hope for PCs. Link
• Square plans new chip-friendly credit card reader. Link
• Mobile internet revenue to hit $700B in 4 years. Link
• Polyvore launches new, simpler version of iPhone app. Link

Other:

• New York Times runs a full-page medical marijuana ad for the first time ever. Link
• Hotel gives guests virtual seeds to plant trees in fire-ravaged Chilean Patagonia. Link
• At lunch with Michael Kors and Danny Meyer. Link