Happy Monday! Here is a recap of industry news over the last week. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Cheers to a successful Q4 and holiday season ahead!

Brands and Retailers

• Nordstrom doubles down on discount format as retail woes deepen. Bloomberg
• Nike tells investors it will shift away from ‘mediocre’ retailers. The Wall Street Journal
• Amazon launches Business Prime to bring quick delivery to work. Bloomberg
• Iconic Lord & Taylor building in New York will become WeWork headquarters. The New York Times
• Sears stops selling Whirlpool appliances. The Wall Street Journal
• Amazon shares pass $1,000 after posting strong financials. Techcrunch
• McDonalds rolls our successor to dollar menu as price war rages. Bloomberg
• Louis Vuitton scours the nation for a new U.S. factory site and discovers Keene, Texas. Dallas News
• Columbia Sportswear taps Opening Ceremony for collaborate. Women’s Wear Daily
• American Eagle’s NYC concept lets students do laundry while shopping. Retail Dive
• Uber has a new credit card for people who want to earn points for ride-hailing. The Verge
• Uber will now let you add multiple stops to your route. Techcrunch
• Preorders start for iPhone X, delivery window hits six weeks. Seeking Alpha
• CVS said to be in talks to buy Aetna in landmark acquisition. The New York Times
• Nike sharpens focus on women’s wear, ramps up investment in yoga. Bloomberg
• Proenza Schouler launches a more casual, accessible second line. Fashionista
• Nike still plans to hit $50Billion in sales by 2020. Fashionista
• Jason Wu collaborates with tech juggernaut Stitch Fix. Elle
• Amazons’ brick-and-mortar returns service deemed underwhelming. Business of Fashion
• Walgreens to shutter 600 stores as part of Rite Aid deal. USA Today

Marketing and Social Media

• Under Armour finds a remarkable new ad start in teenage refugee Olympian. AdWeek
• Kris Wu: China’s Influencer ‘triple threat.’ Business of Fashion
• What shoppers really want from personalized marketing. McKinsey
• Twitter shares skyrocket after it says it might finally make money soon. Techcrunch
• McDonald’s to review its $2B global media buying account. The Wall Street Journal
• Millennials have fallen in love with Gucci, for now. The Wall Street Journal
• Amazon ditched its affiliate store feature. Digiday
• Why Snapchat spectacles failed. Techcrunch
• Sephora cast its own store employees for its most diverse campaign yet. Racked
• Keds found its sweet spot by partnering with female entrepreneurs. AdWeek

Startup and Emerging Tech

• Moda Operandi launches The Platform, an incubator for emerging brands. Business of Fashion
• Walmart is rolling out shelf-scanning robots in stores. Techcrunch
• How chat and voice related tech is changing retailer and customer interactions. Retail Dive

International

• India overtakes the US to become the world’s second largest smartphone market. Techcrunch
• Martens is finding a new following in Asia. Quartz
• Amazon takes a long view approach in India. Economic Times
• Amazon to add seventh Canadian distribution center. CBC
• The UK’s Marks & Spencer to start offering mortgages next year. Bloomberg
• How Toronto became an unlikely fashion force. Glossy