Hi! Was MIA last week due to a pretty busy schedule. Also, I won’t be posting next week…as per my WEDDING (pause for reaction). But I’ll be back after that, in time for Singles Day (11/11) in China, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and all the other holiday shopping that is upon us.  Here is some industry news from the last two weeks. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

• Nordstrom pilots reserve online, try in store program. Link
• Ruelala expands international shipping options. Link
• Skechers is crashing after dismal earnings. Link
• eBay makes bid for younger shoppers with revamped image. Link
• Amazon executives are pleased with brick-and-mortar bookstores so far. Link
• Hollister collaborates with Sydney Sierota on partywear collection. Link
• Victoria Beckham to offer affordable line at Target. Link
• Pizza, parks and pet spas: shoppers will pay more for experiences. Link
• The Neiman Marcus Christmas Book is here, with a private jet, rose-gold tweezers, and first editions of children’s books. Link
• Amazon to add 120,000 seasonal workers this holiday. Link
• Why QVC is launching a new TV channel dedicated entirely to beauty. Link
• Online orders must be delivered in two days to be considered fast. Link
• Gucci’s investment in ecommerce is paying off. Link
• Sonia Rykiel to shutter secondary line, lay off a quarter of staff. Link
• Liberty Fairs launches ecommerce site with FarFetch. Link
• Anthropologie’s new beauty department is peak Anthropologie. Link
• Brooks Brothers buys jewelry line Alexis Bittar. Link
• New data shows surprising ways this holiday season will be different. Link
• American Apparel prepares to file for bankruptcy again. Link
• Leandra Medine’s first ever shoe collection launches on Net-a-porter. Link
• Wal-Mart plans to expand same-day in store pick up. Link
• Through investment, Campbell’s soup is getting into meal delivery. Link
• In an age of fast fashion, Patagonia is going slow. Link
• How Levi’s ended up collaborating with Off-White, Supreme, Vetements and Gosha Rubchinksiy. Link
• The coming fast-fashion boom in the developing world spells big trouble for the environment. Link

Marketing/Social

• Twitter cuts staff, simplifies advertising efforts, and will close down Vine. Link
• How Tommy Hilfiger is reimagining his brand. Link
• Millennials aren’t cheap, they’re thrifty. Link
• Facebook to add food delivery option. Link
• Why ASOS and Adidas are outperforming competitors in earned media value. Link
• Facebook helps TV ads reach additional 5% of the population ignored by the average campaign. Link
• Facebook offers advertisers a way to exclude ethnic groups. Link
• How social media is driving the plus-size clothing fashion revolution. Link
• Facebook mimics snapchat again with its new messaging camera. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

• Google voice search comparison shops on mobile. Link
• Benchmade Modern makes custom sofas on demand. Link
• Groupon buys Living Social, it’s rival once valued at $6B. Link
• Keep Collective, Stella and Dot’s sister brand has been an unexpected runaway success. Link
• You can now be styled by a fashion-savvy algorithm. Link
• Meet River Island’s new emo, selfie-taking mannequins. Link
• How DIY fashion collective Flying Solo is taking direct-to-consumer retail offline. Link

International

• Fan BingBing and Li Chen front H&M’s Chinese New Year campaign. Link
• Amazon Prime launches in China, beefs up express delivery in Paris. Link
• Two reasons Chinese millennials have cash to burn. Link
• China overtakes the US in iOS app store revenue. Link
• Tiffany and Co. enters New Zealand. Link
• Wal-Mart, JD.com add three new initiatives to strategic alliance. Link
• Nordstrom’s Canada drive: surprises, hurdles and what’s ahead. Link
• Banana Republic to close UK stores as sales slip. Link
• Starbucks names China CEO, sees 5,000 stores there by 2021. Link
• New Look seeks fashion edge in China with local designs. Link
• Thailand retailers serve citizens in mourning. Link