Our last summer Friday  is upon us…SOS!  Good news is that it’s basically holiday now. Yay!

Below are highlights from the industry over the last week. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headlines.

Brand/Retailer:

• Nordstrom to start selling J.Crew. Link
• Tesco enters supermarket ‘time wars’ with same day and click-and-collect. Link
• Marc Jacobs collaborates with MTV. Link
• ASOS the most searched fashion retailer on Google in UK. Link
• Project X points to an Amazon drive-up grocery store in Seattle. Link
• Sephora’s Magnificent Mile store has a new, high-tech look. Link
• Aeropostale loses bid to rein in Sycamore. Link
• Gap and Abercrombie are trapped in retail’s nightmarish discount cycle. Link
• Urban Outfitters bares all at its HQ. Link
• How Le Labo took the fragrance industry by storm after starting with nothing. Link
• Square expands lending and payment services. Link
• Apple’s retail stores are undergoing major makeover. Link
• Amazon tests 30-hour work week. Link
• Startups in Target’s Techstar accelerator race to the finish line. Link

Marketing/Social:

• London is getting the first Youtube store. Link
• Apple weighs iPhone video editing app in renewed push on social. Link
• Snapchat bringing live scores to high school football games. Link
• Why text message marketing works on millennials. Link
• Major brands are betting big on podcasts and it seems to be paying off. Link
• How Revolve is using “style codes” to hack Instagram and Snapchat. Link
• Warby Parker made a video game to cure your workday boredom. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech:

• Best Buy set to be virtual reality’s first mainstream test. Link
• Introducing the first voice-activated hotel room. Link
• Here’s how shoppable video will finally work. Link
• Garmin releases its first luxury smartwatch the Fenix Chronos. Link
• GOAT raises $5M to help sneakerheads buy and sell covetable kicks. Link
• Helix Sleep raises $7.4M to sell made-to-order mattresses online. Link
• Five ways beacons are transforming the enterprise. Link

International:

• Alibaba reportedly in talks to acquire ShopClues. Link
• UK retail sales defy gloomy Brexit expectations. Link
• Lower retail prices threaten profits of middleman Li & Fung. Link
• Myntra claims $1B in sales. Link
• What’s stopping luxury goods groups in China from moving from bricks to clicks? Link
• Can foreign tech companies win in China? Link
• China’s yuan hits its weakest level in over a month. Link
• EU will rule Apple owes more than $1B in back taxes resulting from Ireland arrangement. Link