Happy Fall!  Getting oh-so-close to the holidays… Here is your recap of industry news from the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked texted after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

• Kohl’s to accept Amazon returns in 82 stores. Reuters
• It’s the return of checks for Burberry. Bloomberg
• Amazon puts Whole Foods on fast track to conventional supermarket. The Wall Street Journal
• Google is buying HTC’s smartphone expertise for $1.1B. The New York Times
• How Amazon Fashion plans to become a major player. Vogue
• Toys ‘R’ Us might be dying but physical retail isn’t. Harvard Business Review
• The future of shopping has no clothes. Bloomberg
• The outdoor apparel industry is fighting for public lands. Racked
• Best Buy’s secrets for thriving in the Amazon Age. The New York Times
• Sam’s Club to eliminate 700 positions. My Total Retail
• Everlane is coming to Nordstrom. Racked
• Unilever to buy Korean cosmetics maker for $2.7B. Business of Fashion
• LVMH ramps up investment in eco-friendly initiatives. Business of Fashion
• Apple, Google and Microsoft ranked three most valuable global brands of 2017. Fast Company
• AirBnB adds restaurant reservations. AdAge
• Aldi has ambitious growth plans for the US. The Wall Street Journal

Marketing and Social Media

• Facebook will target ads to people based on store visits, offline purchase, calls to businesses. Marketing Land
• Halloween spending to reach record $9.1B. National Retail Federation
• Rihanna’s Fenty line is a wake-up call for the retail industry. AdAge
• Amazon now lets Hilton Honors members shop with points. TechCrunch
• The Luxe Lab at Neiman Marcus signals a shift in focus for department stores. Glossy
• Millennials are finally forming households: what it means for retailers. Forbes
• Target is adding Pinterest’s visual search tool to its app and website. Techcrunch
• H&M, Topshop and Forever 21 dominate fast-fashion social engagement. Retail Dive
• Kate Spade, Man Repeller team up for leopard pop-up. WWD

Startup and Emerging Tech

• Ikea’s new app shows the practical promise of augmented reality. Wired
• The amazing ways Burberry is using artificial intelligence and big data to drive success. Forbes
• Google and Levi’s ‘connected’ jacket that lets you answer calls, use maps and more is going on sale. Techcrunch
• An online sale site caters to independent watchmakers. New York Times
• How data is changing the very model of the modern merchandiser. Glossy
• Walmart partners with smart lock maker to test in-home delivery of packages and groceries. TechCrunch

International

• American Eagle Outfitters expands to India. Seeking Alpha
• China to extend transition phase for cross-border retail. Reuters
• Amazon investment to help India retailer add 25% more stores. Bloomberg
• Microsoft confirms plans for a new flagship store in Regent Street opposite Apple. TechCrunch
• Why India and China may be the solution to the world’s fast fashion crisis. Forbes

Hi! Hope those of you in the US had a great long weekend.  As we unofficially close out summer and gear up for holiday, here is a quick recap of industry headlines from the past week.  As always, sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

P.S. I’ll be on a couple panels at this week’s Global eCommerce Leadership Forum in New York City.  Let me know if you’ll be there!

Brands and Retailers

• Best Buy and Amazon bring back the traveling salesman. The Wall Street Journal
• Anthropologie is substantially upping the home furnishings offering. The Robin Report
• Airport to experiment with passes for dining, shopping. Bloomberg
• Macy’s and Best Buy will offer same-day delivery in more markets. TechCrunch
• Marchesa is using Rent the Runway to test new collections of blouses. Glossy
• Lego will cut 1400 jobs by the end of 2017. Fortune
• Lululemon’s strong online and in-stores sales push its revenue and profits up. Fortune
• Prices of some Whole Foods items drop by up to 43% following Amazon purchase. Bloomberg
• Amazon and Microsoft to merge digital assistants. The New York Times
• Ahead of Michael Kors takeover, Jimmy Choo’s profit almost triples. Business of Fashion

Marketing and Social Media

• Levi’s new chatbot helps online shoppers find jeans. The Wall Street Journal
• Westfield launches Uber Lounge to drive up consumer spend. Business of Fashion
• Facebook tests new business features in bid to monetize WhatsApp. Business of Fashion
• Zalando turns festival into three-day ‘live’ marketing event. Business of Fashion
• Google Home partnership with Conde Nast’s Vogue offers new model for publishers. Search Engine Land
• Nike unveils live design that creates a custom pair of sneakers in 90 minutes. FastCompany

Startup and Emerging Tech

• At KFC’s new Chinese concept shop, pay with a face scan. AdAge
• MatchesFashion sells at reported $1B valuation. Business of Fashion
• Chinese internet giant Tencent invests in a flying car startup. FastCompany
• Galleries Lafayette acquires majority stake in La Redoute. Business of Fashion
• Here’s how peer-to-peer Apple Pay payments will work. CNet
• Sneaker startup Allbirds lands $17.5M in new funding. Forbes

International

• Alibaba’s $1B retail experiment. Forbes
• H&M to add 9 new stores, online sales in India. Economic Times
• Hudson’s Bay to open first Dutch store, commites to Europe. Reuters
• Ikea moves ahead with plans to launch massive store in South Korea. CNBC
• Marks & Spencer in talks to offload Hong Kong and Macaus shops. Telegraph
• Starbucks and Alibaba to launch Alipay in the 242 Starbucks stores in Malaysia. Seeking Alpha
• Amazon is struggling to find its place in China.  Business Insider