Month: May 2017

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 5.30.2017

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Hi there! Here is a Tuesday edition of your weekly industry news recap.  I was traveling for work last week and enjoying my day off yesterday (aka sitting in traffic), so here is a bunch of news I’ve been reading over the past two weeks.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

And I feel obliged to call attention to the fact that there are just SO. MANY. headlines about the “retail apocalypse.”  Think we all get it and are ready for more interesting industry news, right? Here’s hoping.

Brands and Retailers

  • Apple thinks its stores can succeed at retail while others are dying. Quartz
  • Uniqlo bets on speed to take on Zara for global sales. Business of Fashion
  • Crew’s Mickey Drexler admits to big miss on how technology would transform retail. Wall Street Journal
  • TaskRabbit’s CEO joins Nordstrom’s board. Fortune
  • How Urban Outfitters plans to weather the current US retail draught. Fashionista
  • Forever 21 is bringing its new beauty boutique to malls. CNBC
  • Burberry cleans up its wardrobe to make way for a new chief. Bloomberg
  • Apple’s big event in June could have some hardware surprises. Fortune
  • $8M worth of stock destroyed in ASOS warehouse fires. Fashionista
  • Farfetch’s North America President on the future of retail. Glossy
  • From Pantene to Polo: the new chief executive at Ralph Lauren. New York Times
  • Walmart online sales jump 63% on the heels of Amazon. New York Times
  • Scott Galloway is bearish on US retailing, sees global opportunities. Forbes
  • Nokia and Apple move from courtroom foes to business partners. Wall Street Journal
  • Pottery Barn’s big problem: your tiny apartment. Washington Post
  • Alice + Olivia goes heavy on experimentation in quest for digital optimization. Glossy
  • Amazon’s physical stores may be causing hype byt the digital payoff could be the real story. AdWeek
  • Payless to close as many as 408 stores. Wall Street Journal
  • Staples rebuffs Cerberus offer, Sycamore still in the running. Bloomberg
  • Abercrombie & Fitch posts first quarter loss of $62M. Business of Fashion
  • Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger owner PVH beats first-quarter forecasts. Business of Fashion
  • This is how Best Buy gets customers into its stores. MarketWatch
  • The place where old-fashioned malls are beating Amazon: Small-town America. Washington Post
  • Why Nordstrom is opening a New York men’s store before opening a women’s one. Fashionista
  • In new era of retail, shuttering all stores isn’t the answer. Retail Dive
  • Coach thinks outside the bag. Fortune
  • Amazon stock breaks $1,000 for the first time.  CNBC

Marketing and Social Media

  • Google adds YouTube to suite of ad tools tracking retail sales. Bloomberg
  • Twitter giving brands a new way to promote their chatbots. TechCrunch
  • Instagram tests direct response ads in Stories. AdAge
  • Instagram rolls out location Stories feature, just like Snapchat’s location Stories feature. Recode
  • 50% of Gen Z can’t live without YouTube. AdWeek
  • Polaroid eyewear launches global Instagram push. The Drum
  • Twitter partners with BBC for live video. Techcrunch
  • How Google plans to kill ‘last click attribution.’ AdAge
  • Social network, Nextdoor, says it will make tens of millions in revenue this year. Fortune

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • The bootmakers who rule the obsessive world of streetwear. Wired
  • Everything Google announced at its Google IO event.  Techcrunch
  • Web retail startups turn to growth from bricks-and-mortar. Wall Street Journal
  • Target is said to invest $75M in bedding startup Casper. Bloomberg
  • Away packs capital for retail store expansion. Wall Street Journal
  • Google has launched a new AI-focused venture capital program. Seeking Alpha
  • Alibaba to lead $1B funding for Chinese food startup. Bloomberg

International

  • China’s millennial consumers: what Victoria’s Secret got wrong and Nike got right. Forbes
  • Google and the internet in rural India.  New York Times
  • UPS forges China joint venture to tap country’s ecommerce boom. Bloomberg
  • TopShop Australia enters into administration. NZ Herald
  • China’s bicycle renaissance is no boon to biggest producers. Bloomberg
  • Google cozies up to China with AI expertise and a game of go. Bloomberg
  • Chinese online retailer JD.com is developing heavy-duty delivery drones. Wall Street Journal
  • Tencent’s online ad revenues soar as WeChat claims nearly 1 billion user. Jing Daily
  • How Coach’s $2.4B Kate Spade deal could boost its market in China. Jing Daily
  • China drives Burberry’s sales for fiscal year 2017 ended in March. Jing Daily
  • Most Dubai shoppers turn to online retailers for frequent purchases. The National
  • Ikea aims to have 30% of products made in India. LiveMint
  • Grana, the Everlane of China, gears up for a US launch. Glossy
  • Ikea makes 1,300 new jobs in the UK. Retail Gazette
  • China’s strength and its shopping lift Alibaba’s results. New York Times

Weekly Industry Brief: 5.15.2017

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Here is a recap of retail and ecommerce industry news from the last week that I put together for you.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Cheers and have a fab week.

Brands and Retailers

  • LVMH’s and the next big digital shopping experience. New York Times
  • Toys R Us gets serious about ecommerce. USA Today
  • Target gets into next-day delivery with new service. SmartBrief
  • 22 companies defying the retail meltdown by opening hundreds of new stores. Business Insider
  • Macy’s may shut down even more stores. Business Insider
  • As department stores close, Stitchfix expands online. New York Times
  • Here’s how Under Armour is helping Kohl’s become an ‘active and wellness’ retailer. CNBC
  • LL Bean to try smaller format store. Boston Globe
  • Europe’s fashion brands expand in the US, even as American stores close doors. Wall Street Journal
  • J.C. Penney CEO is pessimistic that its core business will grow any time soon. Bloomberg
  • Target’s new online strategy: less is more. Wall Street Journal
  • Is Michael Kors moving on to Jimmy Choo? WWD
  • Dean & Deluca reels in former Ralph Lauren President. WWD
  • eCommerce is paying off for middle-market retailers. WWD
  • Jet.com brings grocery concept to New York. CNBC
  • Reformation’s fight against toxic denim. Apparel News
  • Amazon places a bigger bet on furniture. Fortune
  • Target quietly raised its free shipping minimum from $25 to $35. Fortune
  • Gillette is taking aim back at the Shave Club model. PSFK
  • Anna Sui is teaming up with Macy’s for a capsule collection. Fashionista

Marketing and Social Media

  • With MikMak’s latest move, brands can expedite path to purchase on Instagram and Snapchat. Forbes
  • Gap found real people, not models, for its Summer ads celebrating American diversity. Ad Week
  • Diageo and Amazon partner to ‘close the circle; between content and sales. Marketing Week
  • Google Search will now help you find nearby events. TechCrunch
  • Talking to the mad genius behind TopShop’s WTF jeans. Elle
  • Why there’s no yoga in Lululemon’s global campaign. AdAge
  • Snapchat rolls out a trio of new ad products using its lenses and geo-filters. TechCrunch
  • Comcast is getting close to offering internet TV service. Fortune
  • American shoppers are really, really looking for brand honesty right now. Fashionista

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • This start-up is the Airbnb of warehouses and has its sights on Amazon. Bloomberg
  • Outdoor Voices and Glossier are cleaning up by making fashion inclusive. TechCrunch
  • Draper James breaks into the wholesale market with Nordstrom partnership. Glossy
  • Why Apple Pay is poised to beat PayPal in the luxury fashion space. Glossy
  • Amazon to control 70% of the voice-controlled speaker market this year. TechCrunch
  • Apple invests $200M in gorilla glass-maker Corning. Bloomberg

International

  • Flipkart makes $1B informal offer for Snapdeal. LiveMint
  • Amazon, Flipkart not alone. Even offline retailers in India are offering huge discounts. Economic Times
  • A new retail era is unfolding in the Middle East. WWD
  • Xiaomi puts the focus on India with plans to open 100 retail stores. TechCrunch
  • Cuba to open first luxury mall. Houston Chronical

 

Weekly Industry Brief: 5.8.2017

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Hi! Here is a recap of retail and ecommerce industry news from the last week that I put together just for you.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Coach to buy Kate Spade for $2.4B. Business of Fashion
  • Amazon lowers free shipping minimum back to $25. The Verge
  • UPS is hampered by ecommerce conundrum as U.S. profit drops. Bloomberg
  • The president of Amazon’s fashion division is leaving the ecommerce giant. Recode
  • Etsy tanks after announcing a new CEO, flat earnings, and job cuts. Business Insider
  • The RealReal is opening a real store in New York. TechCrunch
  • Target begins testing next-day delivery with ‘Target Restock’ service. TechCrunch
  • Rag & Bone’s CEO on challenging the status quo. Fast Company
  • H&M group sales climb 7% in April. WWD
  • Apple is the first company worth over $800B. Fortune
  • The newness imperative: innovate or fade. Business of Fashion
  • Revlon reports first quarter loss. Business of Fashion
  • ‘Not dying, just changing,’ what the future holds for the American mall. Retail Dive
  • Amazon Prime reportedly doubled US membership in last two years. Retail Dive

Marketing and Social Media

  • Snapchat leaves it to rivals to connect the developing world. Wall Street Journal
  • Why are Goop and Airbnb teaming up with Conde Nast and Hearst? Business of Fashion
  • Aldi’s stunt to attract online shoppers in China. AdAge
  • The Top 10 venture-backed fashion startups. Business of Fashion
  • YouTube trots out Kevin Hart, James Corden to win back big brands. AdAge
  • Hulu introduces shoppable ads and 360-degree spots. AdAge
  • Nike’s race for world record – and runners. Business of Fashion
  • Staples’ rebranding campaign focuses on delivery services. Bloomberg

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • The online marketplace that’s a portal to the future of capitalism. New York Times
  • Whirlpool acquires Yummly, the recipe search engine last valued at $100M. TechCrunch
  • Third parties have always been the key to Amazon’s smart home domination plans. TechCrunch
  • Food delivery startup Maple to shut down operations. VentureBeat
  • Amazon plans to unveil new Echo. Wall Street Journal
  • Staples to launch AI-powered office assistant. Wall Street Journal
  • Apple Pay transactions rise by 450%. Forbes

International

  • Zara opens largest store in Mumbai, to launch online portal by year-end. Live Mint
  • com posts surprise profit as Chinese spending strengthens. Business of Fashion
  • Express to close its 17 Canadian stores. Globe and Mail
  • Cutting through Chinese tech giants’ profit distortion. Wall Street Journal
  • Amazon launches fresh grocery service in German cities. Reuters
  • China tops the United States as Swarovski’s largest market. Jing Daily
  • Toys “R” Us top open 40 stores in China. China Daily

 

Weekly Industry Brief: 5.1.2017

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Here is a recap of retail and ecommerce industry news from the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline. P.S. If you ever have any feedback, comments, (constructive) criticism…please reach out! Have a great week.

Brands and Retailers

  • LVMH to take control of Christian Dior in $13.1B deal. New York Times
  • Vince says it has ‘substantial doubt’ that it’ll stay in business. Fashionista
  • Wal-Mart’s tech incubator hires Rent-the-Runway co-founder. Bloomberg
  • Sources say Coach is the likely buyer of Jimmy Choo. Telegraph
  • Kit and Ace is closing all of its US, UK and Australia stores. Racked
  • Gucci sales jump a record 50% in part due to China, digital. Fashionista and Bloomberg
  • Amid brick-and-mortar travails, a tipping point for Amazon in Apparel. New York Times
  • Zappos launches line for special needs consumers. Mediapost
  • A look inside Reformation’s sustainable Los Angeles factory. Fashionista
  • Goop to open first beauty pop-up. WWD
  • Crew shakes up management, cuts jobs in bid for profitability. Bloomberg
  • Adidas tells us how it plans to catch Nike. GQ
  • How BooHoo is beating the rocky American retail market. Digiday
  • Next week, Adidas releases a new running shoe made from ocean plastic. Forbes
  • As retailers race to close stores, a web startup is opening them. Wall Street Journal
  • Gap to source 100% sustainable cotton by 2021. Triple Pundit
  • Apple’s stock races ahead as investors bet on new iPhone. New York Times
  • L’oreal rounds up bidders for The Body Shop. Business of Fashion

Marketing and Social Media

  • Lead by Louis Vuitton, fashion brands storm digital. Adage
  • Bloomberg and Twitter announce live broadcasting partnership. Bloomberg
  • A new Goop magazine is coming to Conde Nast. Fashionista
  • Snapchat’s Discover partners are seeing more views on TV, desktop and mobile. Mashable
  • How Under Armour lost its swagger. Business of Fashion
  • What marketers can learn about chatbots from pros that have seen early success. Adweek
  • How brands are finally cashing in on social with shoppable Instagram stories and snapchat ads. AdWeek

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • The robots are coming for your wardrobe. Fast Company
  • Dominos delivers its pizza tracker to your IoT devices. Forbes
  • This startup’s expansion could pave the way for more innovative retail. Adage
  • How Echo Look could feed Amazon’s big data fueled fashion ambitions. Techcrunch
  • Amazon’s new Echo aims to answer age-old question: does this look good on me? Wall Street Journal
  • Apple is in talks to launch its own Venmo. Recode
  • Instagram’s growth speeds up as it hits 700 million users. Techcrunch
  • Amazon rival, Boxed, sees narrow inventory as edge. Bloomberg

International

  • Online retail growth reflects changing consumption in China. China Daily
  • Amazon’s Italian subsidiary under investigation for tax evasion. WWD
  • When the name game gets serious in China. Business of Fashion
  • Zalando considers brick-and-mortar stores. Business of Fashion
  • China’s $1.5B social commerce startup, Pinduoduo, could transform online retail. Business of Fashion
  • More Chinese tourists seen traveling to the Middle East.  BBC
  • Gogoboi teams up with western ecommerce retailers to sell luxury on WeChat. Jing Daily