Thought: One day maybe I should change the title to Weekly Amazon Brief…

Below is your weekly industry brief of headlines I’ve compiled from around the web. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

• Retail sales rise most in a year, marking US consumer comeback. Link
• WalMart steps up attack on Amazon with two-day delivery service. Link
• How online shopping is cannibalizing mall stores. Link
• Gap plummets after comeback plan fails to revive sales growth. Link
• Online marketplaces boost customer loyalty and increased AOV. Link
• Amazon expands its handmade goods marketplace to compete with Etsy. Link
• FedEx and eBay team up to make it easier to sell used goods online. Link
• Plus sized fashion and the potential to increase sales. Link
• Amazon to launch a meal kit service this fall. Link
• Target’s Marimekko was no Lilly Pulitzer but still shows signs of success. Link
• Ugg’s new store format reflects bigger brand. Link

Marketing/Social Media

• Amazon takes on YouTube with launch of Amazon video direct. Link
• Everlane opens pop-up shop in Soho to showcase shoe collection. Link
• Here’s how generation Z girls prefer to shop and socialize online. Link
• StyleHaul creators bet big on Milennial moms. Link
• Why WalMart launched its own digital newsroom. Link
• Under Armour made history with Steph Curry, now what? Link
• PepsiCo bets big on in-house content creation. Link
• Lowe’s uses interactive Snapchat stories to make DIY home projects a tap away. Link
• Facebook now lets brands use video ads in Audience Network to raise awareness. Link

Start Ups

• Bloomup raises $4M for its beauty marketplace. Link
• Jack Threads introduces try outs hoping to reengage customers. Link
• Jet.com enters grocery delivery foray. Link
• Waze pilots carpooling service in Bay Area. Link

International

• China’s VIPShop’s active customers close to 20M at the end of 2015. Link
• Is Alibaba the real winner of this multi-million online celebrity ad auction? Link
• Anti-counterfeiting group in China suspends Alibaba’s membership. Link
• Mall landlords go for novelty in China. Link
• Flipkart building mapping platform to help mark customer addresses more accurately. Link
• Abercrombie to expand brand in Middle East. Link
• Apple invests $1BB in Chinese ride-hailing app. Link
• China cosmetics maker branches out into baby gear as two-child policy takes effect. Link
• Tesco to sell British favorites through El Corte Ingles. Link
• UK Economy set for slow growth. Link

Emerging Tech/Mobile

• WeChat payment reached over 300K retail stores. Link
• WayFair devotes a tech team to virtual reality. Link
• Google working on Amazon Echo rival, Chirp. Link
• Touchscreen mirror can hail a cab while you get ready. Link
• McDonald’s uses virtual reality to give customers a behind-the-scenes look at food production. Link