Category: weekly recap

Weekly Industry News: 8.21.2017

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Hello!  Here are some industry headlines from the past two weeks.  As always, sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • ASOS to open up second US distribution center. Reuters
  • Wal-Mart applies for patent for blimp-style floating warehouse. Bloomberg
  • Amazon adds “instant pick up” in US brick-and-mortar push. Reuters
  • Big spending expected for Back to School. AdAge
  • Jump in US retail sales largely due to ecommerce spending. The Wall Street Journal
  • Wal-Mart sales rise as retailer dodges industry malaise. The Wall Street Journal
  • Gap shares rise as Old Navy boosts results. Reuters
  • Target boosts forecast as back-to-school season aids turnaround. Bloomberg
  • TJ Maxx maps plans for continued brick-and-mortar expansion. Bloomberg
  • Macy’s and Levi’s team up on limited edition denim shop. WWD
  • North Face parent company to buy Dickie’s for $820M. The Wall Street Journal
  • Toys ‘R’ Us will return to Times Square. Bloomberg
  • TopShop creative chief steps down. Fashionista
  • Amazon’s private label business is booming thanks to device sales and expanded fashion lines. TechCrunch
  • Inside the L.A. mall that’s defying the retail apocalypse. Fast Company
  • Canada Goose debuts its first sweater collection. AdWeek

Marketing and Social Media

  • Instagram is testing a way to invite friends to join a live video. AdWeek
  • How Glossier hacked social media to build a cult-like following. Entrepreneur
  • Sephora creates a digital community for loyal customers. WWD
  • Patagonia steps up its public lands activism with first ever TV commercial. Fast Company
  • Amazon Prime will be in more than half of US households by year’s end. CNBC
  • Apple is entering the content streaming war against Netflix. Fast Company
  • Fashion’s hottest brands and top selling products. Business of Fashion
  • Cutting out the middleman has shortened the lifespan of fads. The New York Times
  • Facebook adds eBay’s Daily Deals to its marketplace on mobile. TechCrunch
  • Facebook tests targeting ads to people who visited brands’ brick-and-mortar stores. MarketingLand
  • Macy’s pins hopes on new marketing. AdAge
  • Marketers step up as tech leaders take AR mainstream. AdWeek
  • Baidu and JD.com partner to send search users straight to the checkout. Bloomberg
  • Facebook introduces “Watch” video product for short series. Bloomberg

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Look for Apple to release an AR-ready iPhone soon. Fast Company
  • Amazon partners with ASU to offer Echo Dot to 1,600 engineering students. ZDNet
  • Target buys software startup aimed at same-day delivery. Bloomberg
  • Alexa brings hands-free TV to more devices. TechCrunch
  • Shake Shack’s new chatbot can answer 300 customer questions. Digiday
  • NastyGal founder raises $1.2M for new venture, GirlBoss Media. Forbes

International

Weekly Industry News: 8.7.2017

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Hello!  Here are some industry headlines from the past week.  As always, sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Uniqlo tries new approach: shirts in vending machines. The Wall Street Journal
  • Now at Saks: salt rooms, a bootcamp and a peek at retail’s future. The New York Times
  • Retail’s not dead and physical stores still matter, Goldman says. CNBC
  • Aldo to buy Vince Camuto in a merger of shoe brands. The New York Times
  • The luxury arms race: Michael Kors and Coach target takeovers. The New York Times
  • Amazon is rolling out secure delivery hubs for multi-dwelling buildings. Retail Dive
  • Under Armour shares reach record low as retailer cuts 2% of its workforce. CNBC
  • American Apparel is relaunching very soon. Racked
  • Under Armour’s game plan to revive sales may hit snags. Reuters
  • Yoox Net-a-porter open to partnerships in different markets. Reuters
  • Apple’s services generated more than $27.8B in revenue in 12-month period. The Wall Street Journal
  • Adidas powers ahead against Nike with second quarter growth. Business of Fashion
  • Amazon owns a whole collection of secret brands. Quartz
  • These retailers make the most money per square foot on their real estate. CNBC
  • Netflix makes first acquisition with comic-book publisher. AdAge

Marketing and Social Media

  • Amazon is launching a home makeover show featuring YouTube stars that’s designed to sell products. Business Insider
  • Etsy suspends brand campaign, shifts marketing strategy. AdAge
  • Airbnb and Nat Geo found the perfect place to watch the eclipse. Fast Company
  • How consumer brands can connect with customers in a changing retail landscape. Harvard Business Review
  • Babies R Us wants to give millennial parents a more honest message about parenthood. AdWeek
  • Google is developing technology for Snapchat-like media content. The Wall Street Journal
  • How H&M is using Instagram to drive interest in its newest brand. Glossy

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • For Outdoor Voices, opening stores is all about building community. Fashionista
  • Apple’s AR glasses are no longer an “if” but a “when.” Fast Company
  • Chatbots bring new income stream to ecommerce. VentureBeat
  • Amazon Alex just made it even easier to find the right music on Echo. Fortune

International

  • Europe’s luxury brands may be returning to form. The New York Times
  • Alibaba launches new membership program. WWD
  • Alibaba, Marriott team up to serve Chinese tourists abroad. The Wall Street Journal
  • How Alibaba plans to win over luxury brands. Glossy
  • Brits will soon gain the right to have their online history deleted. Fast Company

Weekly Industry Brief: 7.31.2017

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I’m back! I was in Asia for work the past two weeks, so here are a bunch of industry headlines since then.  As always, sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.  P.S. I can’t believe how quickly this summer is going by!  Happy August.

Brands and Retailers

  • Michael Kores to buy Jimmy Choo in $1.2B deal. The New York Times
  • Sephora is experimenting with a boutique format. Fast Company
  • Fashion industry pays attention to plus-size women. The Economist
  • Underwear is driving Amazon’s takeover of the American fashion industry. Business Insider
  • Gymboree to close about 350 stores in restructuring. Wall Street Journal
  • Five takeaways from Amazon Prime Day. Retail Dive
  • Amazon sold three times as many Echo devices on Prime Day this year vs. last year. AdWeek
  • Amazon to host job fair for 50,000 positions amid hiring squeeze. The Wall Street Journal
  • The secrets to luxury eyewear brand Gentle Monster’s rapid rise. Jing Daily
  • Wal-Mart said to be eliminating a few dozen jobs at headquarters. Business of Fashion
  • Here’s how the Amazon effect is hitting the apparel industry. CNBC
  • Birkenstock accuses Amazon of modern day piracy. Washington Post
  • Amazon’s revenue rises 25% on retail dominance. The Wall Street Journal
  • Stitch Fix has filed confidentially for an IPO. Recode
  • How Reebok, Adidas and Y-3 will dress future space explorers. Fast Company
  • Amazon’s next act: a trendy new in-house shoe collection. Footwear News
  • How Rent the Runway is pulling off deliveries at the speed of Amazon. Glossy

Marketing and Social Media

  • Amazon launches Spark, a shoppable feed of stores and photos aimed at Prime members. TechCrunch
  • Facebook to show ads on Messenger to boost revenue growth. Wall Street Journal
  • New Zara documentary takes viewers behind the scenes. Refinery29
  • Coveteur is making their brand work official with a content studio. Glossy
  • Instagram encroaches on Snapchat’s turf of social media influencers, winning their hearts, minds and posts. CNBC
  • Old Navy succeeds by saying bye to celebrities. AdAge
  • Twitter is developing a subscription plan that promotes your tweets automatically. Fortune
  • P&G slashes digital ads by $140M over brand safety. AdAge
  • What marketers should note from Facebook’s second quarter earnings. The Wall Street Journal
  • Target is ending Cartwheel Perks rewards program, promises something better. CNBC
  • Lyft and Taco Bell collaborate on a new service offering. The New York Times

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Online CPG start-up to test the power of brands. The Wall Street Journal
  • How bots bested the $1B sneaker resale industry. Forbes
  • China’s store of the future has no checkout, no cash, and no staff. Business of Fashion
  • You will soon be able to search eBay by using a mobile snap or social media link. CNBC
  • Farfetch founder talks about how he built a $1.5B fashion platform. Wired
  • Intel eliminates its wearables division. CNBC
  • AI and the retail store of the future. Venture Beat

International

  • Starbucks rallies as Chinese sales growth fuels optimism. Bloomberg
  • India will have more than 850M internet users by 2025. Economic Times
  • Saint Laurent to launch online sales in China. The Wall Street Journal
  • In China, designer goods delivered to your doorstep. The New York Times
  • Chinese tourists spending less on shopping. Bloomberg
  • JD.com’s growth outpaces China’s ecommerce marketing. The Wall Street Journal
  • Amazon prepares to enter Southeast Asia via Singapore launch. TechCrunch
  • Silicon Valley giants confront new walls in China. The New York Times
  • Flikart said to make new offer for Snapdeal. Business of Fashion
  • Where North Korea’s elite go for banned luxury goods. CNN
  • WalMart to invest in expansion in India. Economic Times
  • Amazon expands U.K. headquarters as Brexit leads bankers to exit. Bloomberg
  • Why Abercrombie finally decided to start selling on Alibaba. AdAge

Weekly Industry Brief: 7.10.2017

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Hi! Here is a recap of headlines from the last two weeks. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text. Happy Prime Day Eve!

Brands and Retailers

  • Amazon Prime day is July 11 and more than a day. Retail Dive
  • Amazon pushes Alexa for Prime deals but some shoppers resist. Bloomberg
  • Amazon Prime Day deal will launch in 13 countries. CNBC
  • Target’s next-day essentials delivery service opens to customers in pilot test. TechCrunch
  • Nike unveils stunning new headquarters in New York City. Architectural Digest
  • Yoox Net-a-Porter open tech hub in London. The Guardian
  • QVC to acquire rival HSN for more than $2B. The Wall Street Journal
  • Amazon and Dish Network: a match in the making? The Wall Street Journal
  • Walmart is building giant in-store kiosks for online order pickup. Business Insider
  • Walgreens, Rite Aid ends $9.4B merger. The Wall Street Journal
  • H&M to open fewer stores, focus on building online sales. Bloomberg
  • Equity firm to pay $6.9B for Staples. Bloomberg
  • Microsoft to cut up to 4,000 sales and marketing jobs. New York Times
  • Package delivery jobs rise as more consumers shop online. The Wall Street Journal
  • Talks between Abercrombie & Fitch and potential buyers stall. The Wall Street Journal
  • Target prepares to roll out four new home and clothing brands. CNBC
  • Lululemon’s youth brand launches capsule collection of furniture. Fast Company
  • Try, then buy? Amazon’s move is part of a shopping trend. New York Times
  • Shopping malls pay to stay relevant in an Amazon era. AdAge
  • Ten major retailers that could go bankrupt in 2017. Retail Dive

Marketing and Social Media

  • West Elm’s new AI tool scans Pinterest to recommend furnishings. Fast Company
  • L’Oreal, Google team to build 6-second YouTube ads. Business Insider
  • Oreo is sending experimental flavors to individual fans. AdWeek
  • Digital privacy to come under Supreme Court’s scrutiny. The New York Times
  • Facebook has new ad products for retailers. Glossy
  • EU slams Google with 2.4B fine. Seeking Alpha
  • For brands, Twitter is a marathon not a sprint. AdWeek
  • How Instagram learns from your likes to keep you hooked. Fast Company
  • Tiffany’s hunts for path to regain “cool.” Wall Street Journal
  • Meet the Plurals: your next marketing challenge. AdAge

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Amazon-backed media startup has raised $15M to make a big bet on ecommerce. Recode
  • How Maisonette is changing the way children’s’ clothes are bought online. Glossy
  • Alibaba launches low-cost voice assistant amid AI drive. Business of Fashion
  • This is how Google wants to humanize artificial intelligence. Fortune
  • Amazon is launching a series of Alexa training workshops worldwide. Techcrunch
  • Emoji search is spreading. Digiday
  • ThredUp is opening its first brick-and-mortar store. Racked
  • Visa takes a strategic stake in Klarna, the finance startup out of Sweden. Techcrunch

International

  • Apple continues Asia expansion with its first retail store in Taiwan. Techcrunch
  • H&M to add stores and go online in India by 2018. Economic Times
  • UK retail has biggest June sales rise for 6 years. Business of Fashion
  • Muji will be opening hotels in China and Japan. PSFK
  • TopShop closes underperforming stores in bid to save Australian operation. The Age
  • Starbucks gives new Kyoto shop a distinctly Japanese feel. Advertising Age
  • Walmart Canada to grown online with 3rd Financial Post
  • Alibaba to invest $1B more in Lazada. Bloomberg
  • The accelerating disruption of China’s economy. Fortune

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.26.2017

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Happy Monday! Here is your weekly brief of news from the last week in retail and ecommerce. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headlines.

Brands and Retailers

  • eBay will now match Amazon’s, WalMart’s and others’ prices on over 50,000 items. TechCrunch
  • Amazon’s grocery ambitions spell trouble for big food brands. Wall Street Journal
  • Google rolls out Google Jobs. Seeking Alpha
  • Uber founder resigns as CEO. New York Times
  • Amazon launches new ‘try before you buy’ Prime wardrobe service. Fortune
  • Etsy will cut 15% of its workforce in a new round of layoffs. TechCrunch
  • Nike will start selling directly on Amazon. Racked
  • Yoox Net-a-Porter shares jump on Alibaba interest. Business of Fashion
  • Adidas has nearly doubled its US sneaker market share. Yahoo Finance
  • StitchFix hires its first CFO; is an IPO next? Recode
  • Sources say Eddie Bauer to explore options including sale. Reuters
  • Why America’s retailers are tapping into wellness for growth. Business of Fashion
  • Nestle sale of L’Oreal stake could spark domino effect. Business of Fashion
  • How Bonobos fits at WalMart. Forbes
  • Louis Vuitton in talks to open US factory. Business of Fashion
  • Sears closing another 20 stores. Fortune

Marketing and Social Media

  • Reddit looks to lure advertisers with video and redesign. Wall Street Journal
  • Google will stop reading your email for Gmail ads. AdAge
  • Moda Operandi is driving Instagram purchase through Amazon Pay. Glossy
  • Now Facebook is getting into original TV programming. Fast Company
  • Club Monaco’s new collection and campaign taps into 90’s nostalgia. Fashionista
  • Crash diet pricing: the ecommerce path to success. Women’s Wear Daily
  • Retailers’ efforts to lure shoppers to stores with experiences still missing the mark. CNBC
  • Instagram is testing a major new feature. Forbes

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Ikea and Apple may be cooking up the next big thing in retail. Fast Company
  • Houzz raises a huge $400M round at $4B valuation. TechCrunch
  • Can the Drybar model be replicated with makeup? Fast Company
  • JD.com invests $397M into luxury marketplace Farfetch as part of new strategic partnership. TechCrunch
  • Why Apple and J.P. Morgan are chasing Venmo. Wall Street Journal
  • Casper raises $170M and plans I.P.O. New York Times
  • Amazon said to be working on translation services for AWS customers. TechCrunch

International

  • Digital-savvy CEO at France’s Carrefour seeks to turn it around. Bloomberg
  • Middle East retailers need to invest in mobile shopping platforms and secure websites. The National
  • What China’s $1T new Silk Road spells for fashion. Business of Fashion
  • Sears Canada closing 59 stores as it seeks bankruptcy protection. Fortune

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.19.2017

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

Brands and Retailers

  • Amazon to buy Whole Foods for $13.7B. BBC
  • UPS to add delivery surcharge cost for holiday shipments. Wall Street Journal
  • Walmart confirms it is buying Bonobos for $310M. Recode
  • Nike cuts 2% of workforce. Business of Fashion
  • H&M misses sales forecast as fast fashion pressure builds. Business of Fashion
  • Inditex posts 18% rise in first quarter profits. Business of Fashion
  • Zara sees sales growth due to fresh designs, tech. Bloomberg
  • Jet.com will phase out Costco private label products. Bloomberg
  • Estee Lauder’s latest investment is in science-based, internet-beloved beauty brand deciem. Fashionista
  • Amazon launches Prime Reload, offering 2% back on purchases funded through debit cards. Techcrunch
  • Freelance work marketplaces are looking more and more like ecommerce websites. Quartz
  • The fast-fashion trend that’s changing how you buy furniture. Fortune
  • Why the beauty industry is betting big on supplements. Business of Fashion
  • Jessica Alba’s Honest Co. to sell goods on Amazon.com. Fortune
  • Our jeans are ruining the planet but this company wants to fix that. Racked
  • Best Buy wants you to try gadgets before you buy them. Fortune
  • Neiman Marcus ends talk of a possible sale. Wall Street Journal
  • GM laying off about 1,000 works amid downturn in passenger car sales. Wall Street Journal

Marketing and Social Media

  • Conde Nast inks deal with Farfetch.com; ceases Style.com operations. Business of Fashion
  • Time Warner to invest $100M in Snapchat shows, ads. Ad Age
  • Fashion ads, a last bastion of print, are going digital. Wall Street Journal
  • Vice has raised $450 ahead of a potential IPO. Techcrunch
  • Most millennials, especially younger ones, still prefer stores. Retail Dive
  • Facebook Messenger takes another shot at Snapchat – this time with a fine-art twist. Fast Company
  • Your favorite influencers aren’t writing their own content – these women are. Marie Claire
  • Macy’s to revamp loyalty program to keep top shoppers. Wall Street Journal

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Lululemon invests in a cycling apparel startup. Fortune
  • Slack’s possible $9B valuation has Amazon and others calling. Forbes
  • The future of grocery shopping in stores and online. McKinsey
  • Amazon launches a wand with Alexa AI assistant built in. Business Insider
  • Why Stackshare is quietly becoming a secret weapon for developers and Silicon Valley CTOs. Techcrunch
  • Blue Apron will raise $587M in its IPO, valuing itself close to $3B. Techcrunch
  • VCs are valuing Reddit at $1.7B. Fast Company

International

  • Fox in talks to open Urban Outfitters stores in Israel. Globes
  • India to approve Amazon’s retail food plan. Economic Times
  • New own-label brand on the horizon for Next. Retail Gazette
  • Alibaba launches new sales channel in Malaysia and Singapore. Reuters

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.12.2017

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

Brands and Retailers

  • Macy’s CEO vows to keep shoppers’ attention as malls fade. Bloomberg
  • Amazon launches ‘My Mix,’ a personalized shop filled with your favorite things. TechCrunch
  • Nordstrom family explores taking retailer private, shares surge. Reuters
  • Macy’s considering turning Herald Square roof into a public park. New York Post
  • It’s not just retail that’s changing, it’s us. Bloomberg
  • Amazon’s lending business for online merchants gains momentum. Bloomberg
  • Ikea to try selling through third parties. Reuters
  • UK-based fast-fashion site and new owner of Nasty Gal, Boohoo.com, just raised $65M. Fashionista
  • The rise of luxury strip malls. Business of Fashion
  • Crew and Ralph Lauren: the hard lessons consumers are teaching the fashion industry. Forbes
  • Nike and Adidas are making huge investments that should terrify Under Armour. Business Insider
  • Amazon CPG sales outpacing overall market. Retail Dive
  • Denim makers are emphasizing stretch, comfort and styles that fit more like leggings. Wall Street Journal
  • Cortana can now do price comparisons when you’re shopping online. TechCrunch
  • Target and Cartwheel apps to merge starting this summer, mobile payments and improved maps to follow. TechCrunch
  • Kids clothing brand Gymboree files for bankruptcy protection. Fast Company
  • Saks owner Hudson’s Bay to cut 2,000 as losses mount. AdAge

Marketing and Social Media

  • How bots are inflating Instagram egos. New York Times
  • Selling stuff is no longer the point of retail stores. Fortune
  • Shopify-powered app Frenzy will combine the experience of buying a product drop on your phone. Fashionista
  • Facebook building feature to let users subscribe to news publications. Wall Street Journal
  • Who What Wear launches an ecommerce app. Glossy
  • Why is Google digitizing the world’s fashion archives?  Business of Fashion
  • Snap is developing a second version of Spectacles which may include augmented retail. Techcrunch

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Shopify makes virtual employee bot free for merchants. Venture Beat
  • This startup wants to turn unboxing videos into a big business. Fortune
  • Apple unveils Business Chat, which brings customer service and shopping into iMessage. Techcrunch
  • How artificial intelligence can help you build your own personalized e-boutique. Fashionista
  • This is the next battleground for Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft. Fortune
  • Is Farfetch edging towards a $5B IPO? Business of Fashion
  • How StitchFix is using algorithmic design to become the Netflix of fashion. Fast Company
  • Your complete guide to fashion customization. Fashionista
  • Why The Real Real is opening real-life stores. Glossy

International

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.6.2017

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Hi! Here are the highlights of industry news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.  Enjoy!

Brands and Retailers

  • Michael Kors to shut 100-125 stores. Wall Street Journal
  • Mickey Drexler to leave J.Crew. Business of Fashion
  • Lululemon to close 40 Ivivva Girls stores. Business of Fashion
  • How Soho became an experiential retail playground. Glossy
  • 12 key takeaways from Mary Meeker’s 2017 Internet Trends Report. AdAge
  • Alexa Chung launches her own fashion line. Wall Street Journal
  • Radio Shack closing 1,000 stores. USA Today
  • Amazon fights Wal-Mart for low-income shoppers. Wall Street Journal
  • Wal-Mart tries using store workers to deliver online orders. Wall Street Journal
  • Canada Goose defies brick-and-mortar gloom. Business of Fashion
  • Inside Hasbro’s digital transformation into a modern toymaker and advertiser. AdWeek
  • Some of Amazon’s own brands are becoming super popular online. Recode
  • Yoox Net-a-Porter group bans fur. Vogue
  • Iconic Parisian department store Le Bon Marche and LVMH go digital with 24 Sevres. Forbes
  • Amazon’s New York City bookstore is about your favorite things not book discovery. Forbes
  • What’s driving the billion-dollar natural beauty movement? Fast Company
  • Tommy Hilfiger is taking his see-now, buy-now spectacle to London. Fashionista
  • Lululemon gains the most in six months as sales begin to recover. Bloomberg

Marketing and Social Media

  • This Gen Z-focused publisher only uses social platforms (10 of them) and doesn’t even have a website. AdWeek
  • Pinterest raises $150M at a $12.3B valuation as it makes a full press into visual search. Techcrunch
  • Publishers are starting to see money from Facebook’s mid-roll ads. Digiday
  • Snapchat acquires location-based data company to ramp up mobile measurement. AdWeek
  • Meeker trends report points to mobile add opportunity. SeekingAlpha
  • 7 Internet trends from Mary Meeker’s 2017 report that marketers should know about. AdWeek
  • Twitter adds new features as it experiments with sponsored live video. AdWeek
  • Instagram ads can now link to brands’ messenger accounts, bots. Marketing Land

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Siri, speakers and software: highlights from Apple’s show. New York Times
  • HomePod speaker and new iMacs: what we saw at Apple’s WWDC. New York Times
  • Apple business chat will bring customer service to the iMessage platform. Techcrunch
  • The way forward with Facebook messenger bots. Venture Beat
  • The RealReal ropes in $50M in new funding. TechCrunch
  • Sakes Fifth Avenue is turning to iMessage to bolster sales. Glossy
  • Toyota is aiming to debut a flying car by 2020. Fortune

International

  • Luxury fashion brands start to sell on China’s WeChat messaging app. Wall Street Journal
  • Aditya Birla fashion plans to trim Forever 21 to turn the label profitable. Economic Times
  • Amazon to take on Australian market. Bloomberg
  • Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE have severed ties with Qatar. Fortune
  • Alibaba: what you should know about new retail. Seeking Alpha
  • Mary Meeker’s focus on China: the key highlights. Recode

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 5.30.2017

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Hi there! Here is a Tuesday edition of your weekly industry news recap.  I was traveling for work last week and enjoying my day off yesterday (aka sitting in traffic), so here is a bunch of news I’ve been reading over the past two weeks.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

And I feel obliged to call attention to the fact that there are just SO. MANY. headlines about the “retail apocalypse.”  Think we all get it and are ready for more interesting industry news, right? Here’s hoping.

Brands and Retailers

  • Apple thinks its stores can succeed at retail while others are dying. Quartz
  • Uniqlo bets on speed to take on Zara for global sales. Business of Fashion
  • Crew’s Mickey Drexler admits to big miss on how technology would transform retail. Wall Street Journal
  • TaskRabbit’s CEO joins Nordstrom’s board. Fortune
  • How Urban Outfitters plans to weather the current US retail draught. Fashionista
  • Forever 21 is bringing its new beauty boutique to malls. CNBC
  • Burberry cleans up its wardrobe to make way for a new chief. Bloomberg
  • Apple’s big event in June could have some hardware surprises. Fortune
  • $8M worth of stock destroyed in ASOS warehouse fires. Fashionista
  • Farfetch’s North America President on the future of retail. Glossy
  • From Pantene to Polo: the new chief executive at Ralph Lauren. New York Times
  • Walmart online sales jump 63% on the heels of Amazon. New York Times
  • Scott Galloway is bearish on US retailing, sees global opportunities. Forbes
  • Nokia and Apple move from courtroom foes to business partners. Wall Street Journal
  • Pottery Barn’s big problem: your tiny apartment. Washington Post
  • Alice + Olivia goes heavy on experimentation in quest for digital optimization. Glossy
  • Amazon’s physical stores may be causing hype byt the digital payoff could be the real story. AdWeek
  • Payless to close as many as 408 stores. Wall Street Journal
  • Staples rebuffs Cerberus offer, Sycamore still in the running. Bloomberg
  • Abercrombie & Fitch posts first quarter loss of $62M. Business of Fashion
  • Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger owner PVH beats first-quarter forecasts. Business of Fashion
  • This is how Best Buy gets customers into its stores. MarketWatch
  • The place where old-fashioned malls are beating Amazon: Small-town America. Washington Post
  • Why Nordstrom is opening a New York men’s store before opening a women’s one. Fashionista
  • In new era of retail, shuttering all stores isn’t the answer. Retail Dive
  • Coach thinks outside the bag. Fortune
  • Amazon stock breaks $1,000 for the first time.  CNBC

Marketing and Social Media

  • Google adds YouTube to suite of ad tools tracking retail sales. Bloomberg
  • Twitter giving brands a new way to promote their chatbots. TechCrunch
  • Instagram tests direct response ads in Stories. AdAge
  • Instagram rolls out location Stories feature, just like Snapchat’s location Stories feature. Recode
  • 50% of Gen Z can’t live without YouTube. AdWeek
  • Polaroid eyewear launches global Instagram push. The Drum
  • Twitter partners with BBC for live video. Techcrunch
  • How Google plans to kill ‘last click attribution.’ AdAge
  • Social network, Nextdoor, says it will make tens of millions in revenue this year. Fortune

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • The bootmakers who rule the obsessive world of streetwear. Wired
  • Everything Google announced at its Google IO event.  Techcrunch
  • Web retail startups turn to growth from bricks-and-mortar. Wall Street Journal
  • Target is said to invest $75M in bedding startup Casper. Bloomberg
  • Away packs capital for retail store expansion. Wall Street Journal
  • Google has launched a new AI-focused venture capital program. Seeking Alpha
  • Alibaba to lead $1B funding for Chinese food startup. Bloomberg

International

  • China’s millennial consumers: what Victoria’s Secret got wrong and Nike got right. Forbes
  • Google and the internet in rural India.  New York Times
  • UPS forges China joint venture to tap country’s ecommerce boom. Bloomberg
  • TopShop Australia enters into administration. NZ Herald
  • China’s bicycle renaissance is no boon to biggest producers. Bloomberg
  • Google cozies up to China with AI expertise and a game of go. Bloomberg
  • Chinese online retailer JD.com is developing heavy-duty delivery drones. Wall Street Journal
  • Tencent’s online ad revenues soar as WeChat claims nearly 1 billion user. Jing Daily
  • How Coach’s $2.4B Kate Spade deal could boost its market in China. Jing Daily
  • China drives Burberry’s sales for fiscal year 2017 ended in March. Jing Daily
  • Most Dubai shoppers turn to online retailers for frequent purchases. The National
  • Ikea aims to have 30% of products made in India. LiveMint
  • Grana, the Everlane of China, gears up for a US launch. Glossy
  • Ikea makes 1,300 new jobs in the UK. Retail Gazette
  • China’s strength and its shopping lift Alibaba’s results. New York Times

Weekly Industry Brief: 5.15.2017

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Here is a recap of retail and ecommerce industry news from the last week that I put together for you.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Cheers and have a fab week.

Brands and Retailers

  • LVMH’s and the next big digital shopping experience. New York Times
  • Toys R Us gets serious about ecommerce. USA Today
  • Target gets into next-day delivery with new service. SmartBrief
  • 22 companies defying the retail meltdown by opening hundreds of new stores. Business Insider
  • Macy’s may shut down even more stores. Business Insider
  • As department stores close, Stitchfix expands online. New York Times
  • Here’s how Under Armour is helping Kohl’s become an ‘active and wellness’ retailer. CNBC
  • LL Bean to try smaller format store. Boston Globe
  • Europe’s fashion brands expand in the US, even as American stores close doors. Wall Street Journal
  • J.C. Penney CEO is pessimistic that its core business will grow any time soon. Bloomberg
  • Target’s new online strategy: less is more. Wall Street Journal
  • Is Michael Kors moving on to Jimmy Choo? WWD
  • Dean & Deluca reels in former Ralph Lauren President. WWD
  • eCommerce is paying off for middle-market retailers. WWD
  • Jet.com brings grocery concept to New York. CNBC
  • Reformation’s fight against toxic denim. Apparel News
  • Amazon places a bigger bet on furniture. Fortune
  • Target quietly raised its free shipping minimum from $25 to $35. Fortune
  • Gillette is taking aim back at the Shave Club model. PSFK
  • Anna Sui is teaming up with Macy’s for a capsule collection. Fashionista

Marketing and Social Media

  • With MikMak’s latest move, brands can expedite path to purchase on Instagram and Snapchat. Forbes
  • Gap found real people, not models, for its Summer ads celebrating American diversity. Ad Week
  • Diageo and Amazon partner to ‘close the circle; between content and sales. Marketing Week
  • Google Search will now help you find nearby events. TechCrunch
  • Talking to the mad genius behind TopShop’s WTF jeans. Elle
  • Why there’s no yoga in Lululemon’s global campaign. AdAge
  • Snapchat rolls out a trio of new ad products using its lenses and geo-filters. TechCrunch
  • Comcast is getting close to offering internet TV service. Fortune
  • American shoppers are really, really looking for brand honesty right now. Fashionista

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • This start-up is the Airbnb of warehouses and has its sights on Amazon. Bloomberg
  • Outdoor Voices and Glossier are cleaning up by making fashion inclusive. TechCrunch
  • Draper James breaks into the wholesale market with Nordstrom partnership. Glossy
  • Why Apple Pay is poised to beat PayPal in the luxury fashion space. Glossy
  • Amazon to control 70% of the voice-controlled speaker market this year. TechCrunch
  • Apple invests $200M in gorilla glass-maker Corning. Bloomberg

International

  • Flipkart makes $1B informal offer for Snapdeal. LiveMint
  • Amazon, Flipkart not alone. Even offline retailers in India are offering huge discounts. Economic Times
  • A new retail era is unfolding in the Middle East. WWD
  • Xiaomi puts the focus on India with plans to open 100 retail stores. TechCrunch
  • Cuba to open first luxury mall. Houston Chronical