I hope everyone enjoyed a nice long weekend.  Here is a quick rundown of headlines from the last couple of weeks. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands + Retailers:

• Urban Outfitters to launch clothing rental concept.  The Wall Street Journal
• Whole Foods is testing convenience store model in New York City.  Business Insider
• Amazon bets on Kohl’s as its own brick-and-mortar efforts falter.  Bloomberg
• Dress Barn to close all stores.  Reuters
• Target’s profitable same-day delivery strategy is driving digital sales.  Digiday
• TopShop files for bankruptcy in the US.  The Wall Street Journal
• The Body Shop parent company to buy Avon. Bloomberg
• Home Depot to bring next day delivery to half of US.  Business Insider
• L Brands real secret is Bath & Body Works.  Retail Dive
• Nike says its changing contracts to protect pay during pregnancy.  CNBC
• What the Harry’s acquisition means for retailers.  Retail Dive
• SteinMart to put Amazon lockers in 200 stores.  TechCrunch
• Nordstrom sets October for first New York City flagship opening.  Bloomberg
• Digital innovation drove Walmart’s Q1 sales.  USA Today
• Macy’s books better results as digital sales grow.  The Wall Street Journal
• Walmart, Target quietly exploring CBD product lines.  NY Post
• Amazon to pay employees to start their own delivery service.  VentureBeat

Marketing + Social Media

• Walmart boasts the most app downloads.  Forbes
• Sephora whittles down 15K influencers to 24.  AdWeek
• Nike’s latest Jordans are only available on Fortnite.  AdAge
• Target was the first chain to master high-end fashion collabs. Here’s how. Vox
• Men are a multi-billion dollar opportunity for beauty industry. CNBC
• Why online retailers are experimenting with invite-only access. Forbes
• How Google is pitching retailers as it looks to grow its commercial business.  Digiday
• TikTok parent company working on its own smartphone.  TechCrunch
• How Pinterest plans to support more self-serve advertisers.  AdAge
• Etsy taps Google Cloud to improve search, juicing sales.  The Wall Street Journal
• Trader Joe’s unveils YouTube channel. Delish
• Instagram adds Stories to explore tab.  TechCrunch

Start Up + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

• Target eyes acquisition of ad tech provider.  The Wall Street Journal
• Amazon is working on a device that can detect human emotions.  AdAge
• Amazon leads investment in UK-based food delivery start-up Deliveroo.  VentureBeat
• Adidas invents a shoe meant to be repeatedly recycled.  Glossy

International

• In India, users can now book flights on Amazon.  LiveMint
• Ikea to open its first Mexico store in 2020.  Reuters
• Meet the 27-year-old set to be the first woman to co-found a $1B start up in India.  CNBC
• Marks & Spencer to speed up store closure plan.  Retail Gazette
• Alibaba revenue up 51%.  TechCrunch
• Amazon expands in-store pick up options in Europe.  Bloomberg

 

 

Here is a quick rundown of industry news from the last week!  As always, sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands + Retailers

• NBC leans into shoppable TV. AdAge
• Target wants to build a media business to rival Amazon.  Digiday
• Apple cracks down on apps that fight iPhone addiction.  The New York Times 
• Hudson’s Bay says selling Lord & Taylor is on the table.  Forbes
• Gucci debuts its beauty collection.  Vogue
• Why the expansion of Nordstrom Local is important.  Forbes
• Sephora sees growing demand for CBD beauty brands.  Glossy
• Walmart rolls out new system to reward, support store staff.  Bloomberg
• Nordstrom to add two mini stores in its New York expansion.  The New York Times 

Marketing + Social Media

• Instagram makes it easy to shop from celebrity’s posts.  AdAge
• Google tests shoppable recommendations in YouTube videos.  MobileMarketer
• Search-based ads bring in bulk of Amazon’s revenue.  eMarketer
• Now Shopify users can easily advertise on Snapchat.  Forbes
• H&M quits print catalog after almost 40 years  Bloomberg
• Google now lets you auto-delete your app activity, location and web history.  TechCrunch
• The rise of live-streamer style.  The New York Times 
• YouTube gets exclusive streaming rights to 13 MLB games this year.  Fortune
• Google may be about to kill affiliate marketing links.  Fast Company 

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

• VC firms polish their own brands to chase the next consumer hit.  The Wall Street Journal
• Retail has big hopes for A.I but shoppers may have other ideas.  Fortune
• L’Oreal USA brings back its accelerator program.  Glossy
• Lowe’s will put FedEx delivery bot to the test.  RetailDive
• How exactly Stichfix’s “Tinder-for-clothes” learns your style.  Quartz
• Why there haven’t been more billion-dollar acquisitions for direct-to-consumer commerce startups.  The New Consumer 

International

• China’s $670B “sheconomy” is growing like crazy.  CNBC
• India’s two-week ban cost TikTok 15 million users.  CNN
• Amazon rebrands souq.com in the UAE.  CNBC