And just like that, here is my last industry brief of 2017!  I hope you’ve enjoyed skimming the weekly headlines as much as I’ve enjoyed collecting them to stay informed.  It was quite the year for retail.  Looking forward to 2018.  Cheers and Happy Holidays!

As always, sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

• Zara owner Inditex seeks $472M for 16 stores. Bloomberg
• Amazon expands same-day delivery and one-day shipping to thousands more cities. Techcrunch
• Target adds an e-gifting option to its website. Techcrunch
• Looking to mirror success of Stitch Fix, retailers experiment with subscription models. Glossy
• Redbox unveils its service for digital movie purchases and rentals. Techcrunch
• The global property business tries to adapt to ecommerce. The Economist
• What fashion brands can learn from Nike’s first six months as an Amazon partner. Digiday
• Etsy picks Google for first move to cloud. The Wall Street Journal
• H&M to close stores after unexpected dip in sales; will start selling on China’s Tmall. The Telegraph
• Toys ‘R’ Us is considering shutting down at least 100 stores. Fortune
• Sears strikes second deal with Amazon as core business continues to collapse. Fortune
• Fashion brands giving bookstores new live. Quartz

Marketing and Social Media

• Why Matches Fashion is investing more in shoppable video. DigiDay
• Barbie woos a new generation of parents with diversity. Fast Company
• The most Googled searches of 2017. USA Today
• Brands spending more ad dollars on Amazon. Digiday
• There have been 17B video chats on Messenger in 2017. AdWeek
• Snap releases Lens Studio, a tool for creating your own AR effects. The Verge
• YouTube to launch new music subscription service in March. Bloomberg
• Cultivating an emotional connection with your customers is how you survive disruption. Entrepreneur
• Google AdWords adds targeting by phone number and mailing address. AdAge

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

• Target is buying same-day delivery service, Shipt, for $550M. Techcrunch
• AirBnB’s new apartment brand gets $200M investment. Forbes
• The Mall of America’s new chatbot aims to make your holiday shopping easy. AdWeek
• Apple invests $390M in TrueDepth component maker Finisar. TechCrunch
• Pepsi one-ups Budweiser brewer by ordering 100 Tesla electric semi-trucks. Techcrunch
• NastyGal founder Sophia Amoruso just raised venture funding for her new company. Techcrunch
• Ikea is stepping into virtual reality by creating a game for new store openings. AdWeek

International

• Google launching AI center in China. Seeking Alpha
• Alibaba’s killer O2O strategy. Seeking Alpha
• Williams-Sonoma launches ecommerce site in Canada. HomeWorld
• China’s Tencent, JD.com invest $863M in discount online retailer, VIPShop.com Business of Fashion
• Amazon becomes Mexico’s top online retailer in 2017. Business of Fashion
• Europe’s biggest mall owner buys Westfield for $25B. The Guardian
• DHL’s ecommerce logistics arm to start India operations soon. The Economic Times
• Urban Outfitters makes its Italian debut in Milan. Women’s Wear Daily

 

Happy Monday! Here is a brief of industry news over the last week. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

• Wal-mart’s new name: it’s not just a store anymore. The Wall Street Journal
• Why Home Depot is spending an extra $5.4B on stores and ecommerce in next three years. Fortune
• Amazon’s impressive holiday seaons performance sends a message to retail giants. Forbes
• A revived The Limited returns to plus sizes. Glossy
• American Eagle Outfitters is finding strength beyond denim. MarketWatch
• Sears gains after investor asks chain to consider going private. Business of Fashion
• Lululemon Athletica pushes forward with ambitious goals for 2020. Motley Fool
• How Amazon picks its seemingly random deals of the day. The Wall Street Journal
• Surging online orders slow Walmart delivery network. The Business of Fashion
• Designer makeup brands want you to buy more lipstick. Racked
• How Kering Group is shaping the future of eco-friendly fashion. Departures
• Shoppers need a reason to go to your store other than buying stuff. Harvard Business Review
• Outdoor Voices opens permanent store in Los Angeles. Fashionista
• Kylie Jenner is getting into the mobile pop-up retail game. Fashionista
• Patagonia sues the Trump administration. Fashionista
• Amazon’s beauty strategy is as elusive as ever. Glossy

Marketing and Social Media

• Nike’s new flagship store in New York will have floor exclusively for NikePlus members. Footwear News
• How Timberland imagined a new shipping experience. The Robin Report
• Instagram’s new story highlights save your disappearing videos forever. Wired
• Pinterest launches Facebook Messenger bot. Venture Beat
• Louis Vuitton turns to Facebook Bot to chat up customers online. Bloomberg
• The 10 most watched ads on YouTube in 2017. AdWeek
• Snapchat and Coach just debuted snapcodes embedded into holiday pins. AdWeek
• Reddit now lets brands publish to subreddits, manage private messages through Sprinklr. MarTech Today
• Why Visa spent a year developing a signature sound. The Wall Street Journal
• How celebrities ruled the beauty industry in 2017. Fashionista
• Netflix users collectively watched 1 Billion hours of content per week in 2017. TechCrunch

Startup and Emerging Tech

• GM launches Marketplace for in-car shopping and reservations. TechCrunch
• Target launches a mobile wallet in its Android and iOS apps. The Verge
• Meet your new boss: an algorithm. The Wall Street Journal
• Hilton unveils plans for its smart hotel room rollout in 2018. Skift
• Apple Pay cash is coming for Venmo’s business. Slate
• Digital voice assistants prove they are not just gimmicks. eMarketer
• Apple acquires Shazam. TechCrunch

International

• Amazon’s Australian launch brings excitement, dread and defiance. The New York Times
• Alibaba tech underpins world’s most-interactive Starbucks. Alizila
• Starbucks is opening a store in China every 15 hours. CNBC
• L’oreal is confident China’s selfie revolution will be good for its business. CNBC
• Ikea is preparing for the next 100 years in India. Quartz
• Amazon Echo rolls out to 80 new markets. Venture Beat