Here is a recap of industry news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

• VF Corp considers sale or spin off of denim businesses Lee and Wangler.  The Wall Street Journal
• Samsung unveils new Galaxy Note smartphone amid slowing sales.  The New York Times
• Party City joins parade of brands looking to grow via Amazon.  Bloomberg
• Amazon captures 5% of America retail spending.  Bloomberg
• Spotify’s $30B playlist for global domination.  Fast Company
• WeWork’s first financial report shows off growing revenues and $1B SoftBank deal.  Fast Company
• Playing catch up with Walmart, Amazon offers digital grocery pickup at Whole Foods.  The New York Times
• Four women sue Nike for violating equal pay acts.  Fast Company
• Casper to open 200 stores.  The Wall Street Journal
• Tesla stock sinks as reality sinks in.  Fast Company
• Sports Direct buys House of Fraser for 90M GBP.  Business of Fashion
• Jimmy Choo sales help Michael Kors beat estimates.  Business of Fashion
• Shopify battles the scammers behind fake web stores.  AdAge
• Online retailers are using empty mall spaces to test products.  Digiday
• Move over millennials, it’s Gen Z’s turn to kill industries.  Bloomberg
• Rite Aid and Albertsons terminate merger talks.  The Wall Street Journal
• Wayfair opening its first store.  Forbes
• Nestle’s plan to bring customers back to big food.  The Washington Post
• Pet pampering surges as millennials practice parenting.  AdAge

Marketing and Social Media

• The flourishing business of fake YouTube views.  The New York Times
• Why Snapchat is shrinking.  Recode
• YouTube is about to pass Facebook as the second biggest website in US.  CNBC
• L’oreal adds to Facebook sales push with virtual make-up tests.  Reuters
• Google still stores location data even if users opt out, report shows.  AdWeek
• Google launches Cameos, a video Q&A app aimed at celebs at public figures.  TechCrunch
• Snapchat expands stoppable AR to its top creators.  Digiday
• Facebook builds its own AR games for Messenger video chat.  TechCrunch
• Inside the hyper-targeted world of alcohol influencers.  Vinepair
• Spotify tests letting listeners skip ads.  AdAge
• Walmart to sell Gobble Meal Kits in new partnership.  Fortune
• Snapchat Storytellers is the app’s new way of connecting brands and influencers.  AdWeek

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

• Inside Store No. 8, Walmart’s incubator that is testing VR and conversational commerce.  Digiday
• Uber hit with cap as New York City leads in crackdown.  The New York Times
• Amazon launches an Alexa auto SDK to bring its voice assistant to more cars.  TechCrunch
• How H&M is betting on AI and big data to regain profitability.  Forbes
• Wayfair unleashes mixed-reality shopping.  RetailDive
• Unmade raises $4M to help fashion brands make customizable clothes and cut waste.  VentureBeat
• How L’oreal’s tech incubator is transforming in-house product development.  Glossy
• New supply chain jobs are emerging as AI takes hold.  Harvard Business Review

International

• Inside Google’s effort to develop a censored search engine in China.  The Intercept 
• Google’s path back into China includes a host of local partners.  Fortune
• Music.ly investor bets on internet radio with $17M deal for Korea’s Spoon Radio. TechCrunch
• Walmart and JD.com invest $500M in a Chinese online delivery company.  CNBC
• Urban Outfitters expands in UK and Europe.  Drapers
• There’s only one way to break into China’s crowded retail market.  Harvard Business Review