Here is your weekly industry brief over the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Cheers!

Brand/Retailer

• Cyber Monday drives $52B in online sales. Link
• Aerie opens concept store in New York. Link
• LA City Attorney suing Sears, Kohl’s, Macy’s, JC Penney for alleged pricing scheme. Link
• Starbucks’ Schultz sees sweeping retail consolidation. Link
• Millennials making bigger investments in makeup. Link
• Revolve launches beauty. Link
• Ikea adapts to growing urban populations. Link
• American Apparel to close nine stores by end of December. Link
• Museums rethink retail. Link
• Sports bras are making Lululemon a lot of money. Link
• Kylie Jenner and Shopify prepare for what may be the most hyped pop-up ever. Link
• Starbucks 5-year plan: lots of stores, food and cold drinks. Link
• Google signs deal with Cuba’s state-run telecommunications company. Link
• Nordstrom turns to electronic gifting service amid shift online. Link
• There’s a Crossfit war being fought over your feet. Link
• Net loss grows at Neiman Marcus. Link

Marketing/Social

• Ikea renamed products after frequently Googled problems that those products solve. Link
• How Costco appeals to millennials and Gen Z without specifically targeting them. Link
• Snapchat adds four new features including much-requested group chat. Link
• Weibo’s comeback lures luxury brands. Link
• Selena Gomez inks $10M deal with Coach. Link
• How Revolve is leveraging user-generated content for its beauty business. Link
• Kylie Cosmetics sidelines journalists at store opening. Link
• Instagram brings live video broadcasts to all U.S. users. Link
• Facebook Live will spin up 360-degree streaming to match YouTube. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

• Job cuts at Honest Co. could mean deal, IPO are tabled. Link
• Prada uses video, virtual reality to market fragrance. Link
• Why AR will be bigger than VR. Link
• L’Occitane ups technology with smart beauty fitting room. Link
• Retail chatbots show the power of artificial intelligence, just in time for the holidays. Link
• Adidas to sell 3-D shoes to public. Link

International

• Starbucks becomes first retail brand to use WeChat’s gift card product. Link
• Mexico overtakes Canada as No. 2 U.S. exporter ahead of Trump. Link
• China Consumers Association cites ‘Misleading’ Singles’ Day promotions. Link
• China’s retail sales climb 10.8% in November. Link
• ASOS boosts U.K. sourcing after pound’s Brexit fall. Link
• Wal-Mart to invest $1.3B in Mexico. Link
• Hong Kong loses Ralph Lauren flagship, braces for more closures. Link
• Staples agrees to sell European operations to Cerberus Capital. Link
• Marks & Spencer to shutter its 10 stores in China. Link
• Uniqlo targets 100 more stores in China expansion. Link