Here is your industry brief of news I’ve collected from around the web over the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Busy week – lots of highlights as many retailers wrapped up another fiscal year.  Cheers!

Brand/Retailer

• ASOS introduces Big and Tall lines for men. Link
• Drop shipping looks set to go mainstream as more retailers get on board. Link
• Retailers haven’t perfected buy online, pick up in store yet. Link
• Coach plans on expanding its footwear business. Link
• Ikea’s open source sofa invites customization. Link
• Why Nordstrom is experimenting with in-store pop-ups. Link
• Why the online marketplace revolution keeps gaining momentum. Link
• Coach and Rodarte team up for collaboration. Link
• How Skin Inc. became one of the most innovative beauty brands. Link
• How retailers should think about online versus in-store pricing. Link
• DKNY taps Farfetch to revitalize ecommerce strategy. Link
• Footwear company Birkenstock jumps into bed business. Link
• com shutters operations. Link
• Amazon to build air hub for Prime Air cargo planes. Link
• iPhone and Apple Watch set sales records. Link
• Abercrombie & Fitch continues to rebuild with revival of Gilly Hicks. Link
• WalMart takes on Amazon Prime with new, cheaper, two-day shipping option. Link
• Target sets sights on higher jewelry sales with SugarFix by BaubleBar. Link
• How Warby Parker collaborations drive the brand’s social impact. Link
• Plus size retailers are shifting focus to in-store experience. Link
• Opening Ceremony swaps the runway for the ballet stage. Link
• Banana Republic’s president is out as the Gap brand struggles to find footing. Link
• The demise of the department store experience. Link
• Under Armour debuts ‘made in the U.S.’ gear. Link
• H&M rolls back on new store openings. Link

Marketing/Social

• Facebook, Snapchat deals produce meager results for news outlets. Link
• How millennials are changing retail patterns. Link
• Facebook launches a marketing mix modeling portal for comparing Facebook ads to TV, print & more. Link
• Snapchat is in talks for big ad deals ahead of IPO. Link
• Lady Gaga is the face of Tiffany & Co’s latest campaign. Link
• The 14-year-olds spending thousands on streetwear. Link
• Inside Instagram’s reinvention. Link
• Step inside the YouTube-fueled, teenaged extravaganza that is Beautycon. Link
• Superstar influencers: China’s Internet celebrities at heart of Alibaba’s growth. Link
• Facebook is changing its trending topics section again, removing personalization. Link
• Facebook is copying yet another popular Snapchat feature: Stories. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

• Starbucks can now take your order via voice or message through its iOS app and Amazon Alexa. Link
• How your customer service strategy will change beginning in 2017. Link
• Gap envisions a future with augmented-reality ‘dressing rooms.’ Link

International

• Facebook is trying everything to re-enter China – and it’s not working. Link
• How high-end denim brand Evisu finds a fit with web shoppers outside Asia. Link
• Xiaomi sold 250,000 smartphones in 10 minutes in India. Link
• This man is covertly bringing streetwear to China. Link
• UK consumer confidence remains high. Link
• Lagging behind Zara and H&M in India, Gap finally looks to cut prices by 10-15%. Link
• Uniqlo to go solo in India, first store likely by 2018. Link
• Amazon has an India problem. Link
• Alibaba’s million-job boast reflects slower China outlook. Link
• Chinese New Year shoppers expand their horizons. Link
• Is this the Chinese luxury mall of the future? Link