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