Category: weekly recap

Weekly Industry Round Up: 10.20.2014

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Top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Google adopts a model for its delivery service that targets Amazon. Link
    • Google introduces $95 Amazon Prime competitor. Link
    • Google unveils subscription plan for same-day Express delivery services, adds 3 more cities. Link
  • Target teams up with mcommerce app to test curbside shopping. Link
  • Macy’s to open at 6pm on Thanksgiving Day. Link
  • Apple Pay launches Monday, October 20th. Link
    • Apple Pay draws hundreds of banks. Link
    • On Monday you’ll be able to do your shopping with Apple Pay. Link
    • 34 places where you can start using your iPhone to buy stuff. Link
  • Modcloth hit by second round of layoffs. Link
  • Conde Nast pushes on ecommerce. Link
  • Burberry first half sales rise amid digital growth. Link
  • With fashion strategy, can eBay boost emerging designers and itself? Link
  • Urban Outfitters shares down on weak Q3 comps. Link
  • A bid for Reebok kicks off. Link
  • Nordstrom plans more rack store openings for Fall 2015. Link
  • H&M’s & Other Stories launches online in US. Link
  • Bloomingdale’s new Palo Alto store has high-tech touches for digitally savvy shoppers. Link
  • Abercrombie names Ann Inc executive to be president of its Hollister brand. Link  
  • Nordstrom seeking space or second Manhattan store. Link
  • TopShop and Kate Spade Saturday opening in DC. Link
  • Walmart building two new online fulfillment centers in Georgia and Pennsylvania. Link
  • Gap teams up with art magazine in exhibit with apparel as canvas. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Google misses analyst expectations on slower click growth and higher expenses. Link
  • Twitter introduces Audio Cards so you can listen to music directly from your timeline. Link
  • Whisper’s selling point is anonymity but that may be at odds with its evolving business model. Link
  • Snapchat launches ads. Link
  • Spotify announces family plan for up to five users. Link
  • Inside Pinterest, the coming ad colossus that could dwarf Twitter and Facebook. Link
  • Chanel got 1.8M Instagram followers virtually out of nowhere. Link
  • Tumblr debuts first desktop app on the Mac App store. Link
  • Twitter’s music strategy: no app, just better listening. Link
  • Gap Factory to launch star-studded holiday push. Link
  • Twitter to roll out buy button to general public in early 2015. Link
  • Five trends your marketing team should budget for. Link

Start-ups:

  • MakeSpace, “cloud” storage for your stuff, goes national. Link
  • Smartzer zips up $400K to make fashion videos shoppable. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Costco makes first foray into China via Alibaba. Link
  • China’s 382M millennials demand corporate social responsibility. Link
  • Alipay Wallet has 190M annual active users, processing over 50% of Alipay’s daily transactions. Link
  • Acne Studios lands in Hong Kong. Link
  • Amazon seals major Indian deal with Future Group. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • Forever 21’s Aussie debut in Brisbane. Link

[EU]

  • Ikea targets French expansion. Link
  • Toys ‘R Us launches localized site in Poland. Link
  • French bank to allow sending money with tweets. Link

[A/ME]

  • TopShop opening in Cairo. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • American Eagle lures customers into fitting rooms with help of beacons. Link
  • Apple’s iPad Air 2 is thinner, faster and has TouchID. Link
  • GoldieBlox, the toymaker trying to get girls hooked on engineering, goes digital with new iOS app. Link
  • Is Google changing its mobile search results? Link
  • Travel, retail and media are the top three industries taking over the app store. Link
  • MasterCard will borrow a Touch ID trick for fingerprint scanning credit card. Link
  • Reddit debuts official mobile app. Link
  • LVMH: It may be time for a smartwatch. Link
  • Starbucks ramps up in-store mobile strategy for the holidays. Link
  • Microsoft plans to launch a wearable device within weeks. Link

Other:

  • HBO to launch standalone service in 2015. Link
  • Apple introduces a new mac mini, drops the base price to $499. Link
  • Nordstrom employee handbook has only one rule. Link
  • Ikea to invest in solar, wind power next year. Link
  • This Tumblr has discovered the dark secrets of the J.Crew catalog. Link
  • IBM paying $1.5B to shed its chip division. Link

Weekly Industry Round up: 10.13.2014

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Top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Gap shares plunge after company announces a new CEO. Link
  • H&M’s & Other Stories opens in New York. Link
  • Why Urban Outfitters and REI chose checkout to spearhead responsive design push. Link
  • Amazon to open first brick-and-mortar store in New York City. Link
  • The booming market for second-hand luxury online. Link
  • eBay brand itself as place to ‘shop the world.’ Link
  • Bloomingdales tries smart fitting rooms. Link
  • Kmart data breach confirmed. Link
  • Kate Spade transformed a construction barricade into an interactive shopping experience. Link
  • Spring taps Beyonce as first celebrity shop. Link
  • Forever 21 opening in Philadelphia. Link
  • Nicole Miller finds growth with digital approach. Link
  • One Kings Lane closing LA office. Link
  • NastyGal is exclusive stylist for Lena Dunham’s book tour. Link
  • Target is going big with its innovative Boston store, CityTarget. Link
  • TopShop’s collab is a 90’s club kid’s dream. Link
  • Under Armour holds a game show to find its future. Link
  • JC Penney plucks Home Depot exec as new CEO. Link
  • Louis Vuitton pop-up is an upscale apartment in Hong Kong. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Google launches custom affinity audiences for display ad targeting. Link
  • How Glossier crafted launch on Instagram. Link
  • Why Dove is trying Snapchat for Self-esteem effort. Link
  • Marketing firms mining your selfies. Link
  • How Avon is retooling its digital game. Link
  • Twitter sues US government over data disclosure rules. Link
  • Facebook developing app that allows anonymity. Link
  • Facebook’s ad network opens to everyone. Link
  • Snapchat blames third party clients for devastating photo leak. Link
  • Fashion brands push social media ads. Link
  • Google’s mobile campaign is New York’s own scavenger hunt. Link

Start-ups:

  • Beepi raises $60M to sell used cars to the smartphone generation. Link
  • Children’s clothing marketplace Totspot raises $1.8M. Link
  • Bark & Co. debuts its first ecommerce site with doggie destination BarkShop. Link
  • Rocket Internet gets into the speedy grocery deliveries game with ShopWings. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Zara launches online in South Korea. Link
  • Chinese internet giant Baidu buys Brazilian discounter. Link
  • Xiaomi hires former Google executive to lead India product team. Link
  • Alibaba invests $50M in TV remote app Peel. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • H&M’s first Sydney store to open this month. Link
  • Zara opens second Perth store. Link

[EU]

  • Google denies half of all Europeans’ right to be forgotten requests. Link
  • One in three UK children now owns a tablet. Link
  • Britain loves wearables: One in ten set to use hardware as wearable tech explodes. Link

[LATAM]

  • Ann Inc. sets Loft entry in Mexico. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • AppleWatch lands Vogue China cover. Link
  • Bloomingdales: Beacons need value-driven campaigns, consistent experiences. Link
  • Wearable technology that feels like skin. Link
  • iPhones, iPads and the search query gap. Link
  • Low price, high hopes for OnePlus phone. Link
  • Fashion and functionality meet in smart jewelry. Link
  • Google hopes to make a splash in the phablet market. Link
  • Apple confirms October 16th event, iPads and iMacs expected. Link
  • Gimbal says beacons and smartphones will alter the consumer landscape. Link
  • What to expect from the new iPad. Link

Other:

  • Delta to ‘elite’ flyers, you’ll need to spend more money. Link
  • Marriott fined by FCC for blocking guests’ wi-fi. Link
  • What’s all that data worth? Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY ROUND UP: 10.7.2014

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Top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Asos rises on Amazon bid talk. Link
  • Walmart opens Click-and-Collect facility. Link
  • Fab launches Hem, a new online furniture shop. Link
  • eBay opens fine art live-auction sites for second time. Link
  • HP is splitting into two publicly-traded companies. Link
  • Selfridges’ new £40m site reviewed. Link  
  • Smaller Bloomingdale’s sets tone for expansion. Link
  • How Kate Spade Saturday is carving out its own identity online. Link
  • Uniqlo opens first L. and Philly stores. Link and Link
  • Zalando makes lackluster debut in Germany IPO. Link
  • Into the Gloss launches its own line of beauty products.Link
  • With new app, Groupon goes after grocery deals.Link
  • Retailers predict holiday sales to grow 4% this year.Link
  • Amazon lets you add items to your wish list by tweeting.Link
  • Curbside powers same-day pickup at Target, raises $8M. Link
  • Gap Inc’s social media: selling feminism and equality, not t-shirts. Link
  • Alexander Wang unveils sport H&M ad campaign for his new collection.Link
  • Delias puts itself up for sale.Link
  • REI to embark on ambitious website makeover.Link
  • Saks Fifth Avenue to open in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Facebook agrees to ease policies on using real names for accounts. Link
  • Yahoo reportedly looking into Snapchat investment. Link
  • Facebook looks to the healthcare field as it eyes increasing engagement. Link
  • Buzzfeed introduces Buy It button on sponsored posts. Link
  • Facebook receives EU approval for $19B WhatsApp deal. Link
  • Twitter teams up with MIT to create new research lab to analyze every tweet. Link
  • Pinterest curates its own content with new weekly collections called “Pin Picks.” Link
  • Facebook updates research strategy. Link

Start-ups:

  • Houzz raises $165M for ecommerce push. Link
  • MiniLuxe brings high-tech beauty salons nationwide with $23M in new funding. Link
  • New e-delivery service sends groceries right to the trunk of your car. Link
  • com is a new marketplace that gives customers cash back. Link
  • AppBoy raises $15M. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Zara partly cedes China web control to Alibaba to aid growth. Link
  • Chinese online shoppers favor U.S. e-retailers. Link
  • South Korean mobile powerhouse buys Shopkick. Link
  • India will top China in device sales growth next year, report finds. Link
  • TopShop invests in mobile-social for China push. Link
  • China’s fragrance market can reach its potential. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • Lorna Jane dumps plan to sell. Link
  • Williams Sonoma confirms November 18th opening date in Melbourne. Link

[CA]

  • Staples closes 15 stores in Canada. Link
  • Spotify expands to Canada. Link
  • Sears to sell down Canada stake. Link

[EU]

  • Forever 21 cuts losses as it tries to crack UK. Link
  • Launching marketplace, eBay aims to drive consolidation in Russia. Link

[LATAM]

  • Williams Sonoma takes e-commerce operation to Mexico. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • eBay to split off PayPal as mobile payments gain ground. Link
  • Visa says Apple Pay will pave the way for more mobile wallets that people can actually use. Link
  • Square raises $150M. Link
  • What Rue La La is doing with iOS8. Link
  • Burberry has a special group dedicate to wearable tech and innovation. Link
  • Apple Pay promises big changes at the cash register. Link
  • Apple confirms slower adoption rate of iOS8. Link
  • Target ramps up mobile for personalized holiday experiences. Link
  • Groupon launches standalone app for receipts-based offers. Link

Other:

  • Consumers now expect everything to work on all devices. Link
  • Google announces new Spain campus for entrepreneurs. Link
  • Froont wants to make sharing responsive web design as easy as sharing code. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY ROUND UP: 9.29.2014

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Top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Uniqlo plans major expansion of kids’ line. Link
  • Opening Ceremony: a store in every big city? Link
  • You can now add items to your Amazon wish list with a tweet. Link
  • Urban Outfitters to supersize Anthropologie stores. Link
  • Farfetch launches a shoppable tour guide of the world’s most fashionable cities. Link
  • Little Market online seeks to have a big effect for women worldwide. Link
  • Urban Outfitters: the world’s number one seller of vinyl. Link
  • Macy’s aims to become retail tech powerhouse. Link
  • Urban Outfitters outlines plans to double sales by 2020. Link
  • Louis Vuitton launching biannual magazine. Link
  • Jimmy Choo plans London IPO. Link
  • PayPal to allow more merchants to accept bitcoin. Link
  • Tory Burch hires former Ralph Lauren exec to serve as Co-CEO. Link
  • Retail goes high end in downtown Manhattan. Link
  • H&M Q3 profitability declines on garment costs. Link
  • Amazon grocery delivery coming to NYC. Link
  • Hermes launches online store devoted to iconic scarves. Link
  • Nordstrom pop-up promotes sustainable, responsible goods. Link
  • Microsoft opening a flagship New York store on Fifth Avenue. Link
  • Tod’s may spin off Hogan luxury sneaker brand. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Facebook taps Stripe to power buy button. Link
  • Brand publishers are ditching Facebook in favor of microsites. Link
  • Five things to know about Ello, the social network with a manifesto. Link
  • Invite-only social network Ello: Exclusivity draws demand. Link
  • Facebook prioritizes user IDs over cookies to boost mobile budgets. Link
  • How to make social commerce more appealing. Link
  • Facebook plans drones to provide free wifi to the two-thirds of the world that lack internet access. Link
  • Four creative swap lives for Timberland’s #inmyelement campaign. Link
  • Starbucks launches first brand campaign. Link
  • Facebook reboots ad platform with cross-devices targeting and offline sales tracking. Link
  • Instagram reportedly blocked in China amid Hong Kong protests. Link
  • Is Snapchat a business tool? Yes. Link

Start-ups:

  • App replaces ads on New York subways with art. Link
  • Quibit gets $26M funding round to grow its ecommerce personalization platform. Link
  • Visual recognition app acts like Shazam for furniture. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Singaporeans shift from stores to online shopping. Link
  • India’s online retailers fuel growth at coupon sites. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • Stylerunner offers 3-hour delivery. Link

[CA]

  • Target Canada prices drop lower than Walmart’s. Link
  • Nordstrom opens first store in Canada. Link

[EU]

  • DHL to be the first to do drone delivery in Germany. Link
  • Ireland to introduce postal codes. Link
  • Net-a-Porter, Facebook, Vice among launch brands for the new “LinkedIn for Creatives” platform, The Dots. Link

[LATAM]

  • Sears to mimic Zara in Mexico. Link
  • Online retail picks up speed in parts of Latin America. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • One push notification too many will make consumers delete your iBeacon app. Link
  • Amazon’s secret lab is developing wearables and household devices. Link
  • Apple responds to complaints of bent iPhones. Link
  • Apple pulls iOS8 software update after iPhone problems. Link
  • Guggenheim museum balances beauty with beacons. Link
  • Secret launches Ping, an app that’s all about a black dot, simplicity, and content. Link
  • For Staples, mobile is the center of it all. Link
  • BlackBerry’s square-screened Passport launched. Link
  • American Eagle takes new approach to mCommerce. Link
  • Citibank launches mobile-only bank accounts. Link

Other:

  • UPS now offers 3D printing nationwide. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY ROUND UP: 9.22.2014

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Top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Zara builds its business around RFID, learns from others’ mistakes. Link
  • Nordstrom employs New York Instagrammers to personalize fall accessories. Link
  • Amazon touts reduced shopping cart abandonment with newly expanded “login and pay” service. Link
  • Amazon purchases buy.com domain for $4.6M. Link
  • Lululemon inks two corner deals in Soho, will open first Men’s store. Link
  • Uniqlo expects profits at U.S. stores in couple of years. Link
  • Yahoo’s core business value cut in half after Alibaba IPO. Link
  • Prada profit down 21% due to weak demand in Asia and Europe. Link
  • Packaged goods marketers wade warily in ecommerce. Link
  • Apple and Amazon take baby steps toward digital sharing. Link
  • Asos facing backlash from leading fashion brands over discounting. Link
  • Rue La La debuts its first exclusive collection on its ecommerce site. Link
  • Versace embeds instant ecommerce in runway show livestream. Link
  • Zulily keeps it simple and masters ecommerce fundamentals over gimmicky marketing tactics. Link
  • Macy’s, Bloomingdales adding same-day delivery. Link
  • Stronger U.S. demand and ecommerce sales boost H&M. Link
  • Target selects 16 brand partners for sustainability push. Link
  • Rebecca Minkoff launches maternity capsule. Link
  • Home Depot’s data breach bigger than Target’s at 56 Million cards compromised. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Ralph Lauren launches creative initiative and campaign ‘Project Warehouse.’ Link
  • How Ikea brings design ideas to life in social. Link
  • Twitter redesigns profiles for iPhone app. Link
  • Facebook is convincing advertisers to spend. Link
  • Puma returns to roots in new campaign. Link
  • A look at Lilly Pulitzer’s social media marketing. Link
  • Pinterest plans to help advertisers track performance; serve ads based on pinned brands. Link
  • YouTube adds real-time analytics with minute-by-minute view counts for videos. Link
  • Facebook now shows real-time events higher in your feed. Link

Start-ups:

  • com founder raises new funds for Amazon rival. Link
  • Shippo gets $2M funding for its shipping API for small businesses. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • H&M begins selling online in China. Link
  • Alibaba’s IPO world record. Link
  • WeChat launches mobile payment service. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • Brooks Brothers continues Australian rollout. Link

[CA]

  • Hudson’s Bay to open first Saks in Canada in Spring 2016. Link
  • Nordstrom joins rush to Canada. Link

[EU]

  • Click and Collect shoppers predicted to pick up £6.5B of goods by 2019. Link
  • Sweden’s Klarna: With U.S. launch, it’s all about online payment friction. Link

[LATAM]

  • Zara sells online in Mexico. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Macy’s to roll out beacon technology to all stores this fall. Link
  • Subway to use Softcard NFC for mobile payments. Link
  • Photos shot with Goolge Glass will now sync with your iPhone immediately. Link
  • Sqaure’s Cash App lets you text or email money for free. Link
  • Apple’s iBeacons are going to transform much more than advertising. Link
  • Three reasons Apple Pay is going to work. Link
  • The big picture on digital receipts. Link
  • Fartfetch launches discover app. Link
  • iPhone’s NFC tech will only work with Apple Pay. Link
  • Oculus announces mobile SDK and platform for developers. Link
  • The best iOS8 features you may not know about. Link
  • Apple sells 10M iPhone 6 and 6 Plus units in launch weekend. Link
  • Why the U.S. lags the world in mobile payments. Link
  • Amazon, Lowe’s and E*Trade embrace iOS8’s Touch ID to reduce mobile commerce friction. Link
  • Beacons land on retailers’ holiday wish lists. Link

Other:

  • Whole Foods to test rewards program as competition grows. Link
  • Digital innovation is in the spotlight at London Fashion Week. Link
  • Apple TV is now armed and ready to be the centerpiece for Apple’s smart home takeover plans. Link
  • The slow death of the no-logo movement. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY ROUND UP: 9.15.2014

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Top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer News:

  • Home Depot confirms data breach and says investigation goes back to April. Link
  • Opening Ceremony takes wraps off Intel-powered smart bracelet. Link
  • PayPal gambles on Bitcoin and One-touch payments. Link
  • DVF focuses on retail growth. Link
  • Ikea to resume online rollout after yearlong pause. Link
  • Rent the Runway to open DC store in Georgetown. Link
  • Anthropologie launches home catalogue and registry. Link
  • Rebecca Minkoff’s smart bracelets place emphasis on style and luxury. Link
  • Apple hires Gap’s number two marketer. Link
  • Target links with Toms. Link
  • Burberry’s scrolling website for its new fragrance is a thing of beauty. Link
  • Retailers give themselves makeover as millennials follow own beat. Link
  • Urban Outfitters to open first Asian store in Hong Kong. Link
  • London Fashion Week: Why technology is in fashion. Link
  • Behind the Vans boom. Link
  • Rocket Internet kicks off $970M IPO. Link
  • LVMH’s TAG Heuer has plans for smartwatch. Link
  • LuLuLemon stock spikes on Q2 gain. Link
  • Foot Locker partners with Deliv for same-day sneaker delivery. Link
  • H&M third quarter sales exceed estimates after strong August. Link
  • Uniqlo to reissue its greatest hits from Jil Sander collaboration. Link
  • Target hopes for a hit with Altuzarra collection. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • There is now an agency dedicated to your favorite Instagram models. Link
  • You can now buy things directly on Twitter. Link
  • How one fashion blogger is on track to earn almost $8M this year. Link
  • Twitter announces Flight, an annual mobile developer conference. Link
  • eBay prepping new mobile ad network. Link
  • Converse aims to turn ‘boring parts of the internet fun’ with Sneakers Would campaign. Link
  • Turning celebrities into branded cultural currency. Link
  • Yahoo sees mobile ads following search business. Link
  • Canon partners with Stella McCartney for camera bag collection. Link
  • Facebook is cracking down on ads users hate. Link
  • Five brands using data to generate blog content. Link
  • Facebook autoplay ads cause surge in mobile data use. Link

Start-ups:

  • Uber pilots on-demand product delivery in Sweden. Link
  • Everlane to deliver clothes to your door in less than 60 minutes. Link
  • Festival travel site Festicket raises $2.7M. Link
  • Kanzee makes sharing clothes with friends a breeze. Link
  • Google buys popular polling service Polar for Google+. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Uniqlo launches Malaysian online store. Link
  • Alibaba brings luxury to China’s middle class. Link
  • This is the $100 Android phone that Google is hoping will dominate India. Link
  • China is Ikea’s fastest growing market. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • Forever 21 heads to Sydney. Link

[CA]

  • How Nordstrom plans to conquer Canada. Link

[EU]

  • Neiman Marcus acquires MyTheresa.com. Link
  • Crew opens fourth London unit. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Tech and fashion designers put the wear in wearables. Link
  • Apple coverage:
    • A smartwatch, iPhone 6 and more: Highlights and analysis from Apple’s keynote. Link
    • Apple launches mobile payment platform Apple Pay. Link
    • Apple smartwatch launch boost to wearables. Link
    • Apple Pay poses dilemma for Telco’s mobile wallets. Link
    • Will stores warm up to Apple Pay? Link
    • Six core beliefs behind the new Apple Watch. Link
    • Larger iPhone 6 Plus sells out. Link
    • Three cool things the iPhone 6 camera can do. Link
    • How Apple pushes entire industries forward. Link
  • BBC goes local – and mobile – with experimental ‘popup’ bureaus. Link

Other:

  • New York Fashion Week explores technology’s role in fashion. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY ROUND UP: 9.8.2014

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Top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer News:

  • eBay makes New York Fashion Week instantly shopable. Link
  • Nordstrom said to be first retailer to accept Apple mobile payments. Link
  • Neiman Marcus to open first NYC store. Link
  • Saks introduces user-generated content hub to propel purchases. Link
  • Opening Ceremony reveals Intel-powered smart bracelet. Link
  • Digital driving growth at Belk department stores. Link
  • eBay attracts top fashion brands to sell direct. Link
  • NastyGal lays off up to 10% of its workforce. Link
  • Saks Fifth Avenue takes steps ot build on its legacy. Link
  • Staples adds buy online, pick up in store. Link
  • Yahoo Style, a new digital magazine, arrives just in time for fashion week. Link
  • UPS plans to offer pickup points for online orders in New York City and Chicago. Link
  • Google pledges to fight the sale of fake Luis Vuitton bags online. Link
  • Starbucks to launch express stores. Link
  • Amazon taps USPS to deliver groceries in San Francisco. Link
  • Saks CMO explains sweeping changes. Link
  • DVF’s tech-savvy style. Link
  • Visa rolls out online payments campaign for NFL opening day. Link
  • Joe Zee is Old Navy’s fall style ambassador. Link
  • Crew’s sales picked up last quarter. Link
  • PayPal expands further into offline retail and mobile payments with new PayPal Here SDK. Link
  • It’s Uniqlo vs. Uniqlo at the US Open. Link
  • Path of stolen credit cards leads back to Home Depot stores. Link
  • ASOS seeks CIO. Link
  • Six ways competitors are trying to kill Amazon. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Social activism becomes a thing for brands, thanks to the Ice Bucket Challenge. Link
  • Ikea pitches its 2015 catalog as the coolest gadget ever. Link
  • American Apparel ad banned in UK for sexualizing schoolgirls. Link
  • In social advertising, YouTube converts more customers than anyone else. Link
  • Photo app Twitpic shuts down over trademark spat with Twitter. Link
  • Facebook rolls out privacy checkups to all 1.3B users. Link
  • Hyperlapse is doing well so far. Link
  • How Venmo is turning into a hilarious social network. Link

Start-ups:

  • This startup aims to give everyone the shipping power of Amazon. Link
  • Yahoo buys photo ad network Luminate, shuts it down. Link
  • Food start up adds tech talent as Silicon Valley shakes up the food business. Link
  • Diageo looks to pour new tech into liquor with venture unit. Link
  • Uber strikes deal to build new headquarters in large expansion. Link
  • ASOS founder funds London expansion of New York-style blow dry bars. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Fans form lines in Tokyo for expected iPhone launch. Link
  • Rakuten to buy eBates. Link
  • Baidu Eye prototype unveiled to rival Google Glass. Link
  • Emerging Asian designers hit New York Fashion Week. Link
  • House of Fraser completes sale to Chinese department store. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • The Iconic joins other fashion pureplays in international fashion merger. Link
  • H&M confirms two Sydney stores. Link

[EU]

  • Online shopping on mobile devices overtakes desktop in UK. Link
  • How Yoox turned the lucury-goods industry onto digital. Link

[A/ME]

  • Africa now has 100M Facebook users, 9% of the total population. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Apple courts fashionistas as smartwatch expectations mount. Link
  • Motorola’s Moto 360 smartwatch arrives just days before Apple’s expected smartwatch announcement. Link
  • Apple’s big event on September 9th. Here’s what to expect. Link
  • Millennials are the largest group of smartphone owners and adoption is still growing. Link
  • Inside look at the Starbucks app, the most successful mobile payments system in the US. Link
  • Apple adds another high-profile hire with industrial designer Marc Newson. Link
  • The Galaxy Note Edge is Samsung’s new phablet with a new kind of curved display. Link
  • How beacons are changing the shopping experience. Link
  • Apple teaming up with Visa, MasterCard on iPhone wallet. Link
  • Rue La La anticipates bigger-than-ever mobile surge during upcoming holiday season. Link
  • Microsoft woos cost-conscious with new smartphones. Link
  • Why Apple’s iBeacon hasn’t taken off – yet. Link
  • Designers debut wearables at New York Fashion Week. Link

Other:

  • Following purge of tobacco products, CVS renames itself to CVS Health. Link
  • Starbucks announces two new store designs. Link
  • Millennials are saying no to credit cards. Link
  • Two Googlers take top White House tech jobs. Link

Weekly Industry Round Up: 9.2.2014

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Top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer News:

  • Nordstrom introduces seamless Instagram shopping experience. Link
  • Rumors that eBay is set to buy ASOS. Link
  • Abercrombie to strip logo from clothing. Link
  • Refinery29 teams up with Simon Malls. Link
  • Evernote launches office gear on market ecommerce portal. Link
  • More and more, fashion designers are selling direct to customers. Link
  • Intel poised to launch luxury smart bracelet at Barneys. Link
  • Report card on back to school: the season’s trends and what they mean for retailers. Link
  • Newegg unleashes its own fleet of delivery vehicles for same day delivery in LA. Link
  • How REI blazes a digital trail. Link
  • Google is working on drone deliveries too. Link
  • Zara withdraws t-shirts after accusations online of anti-Semitism. Link
  • JustFab Inc., which includes ShoeDazzle and FabKids, is valued at $1B following $85M investment. Link
  • Zalando blends data with fashion. Link
  • Claire’s reveals new plan to right sluggish sales. Link
  • Macy’s new Bronx store: localization in action. Link
  • Apple sends invites for September 9th.Link
  • Teens favor tech over clothes. Link
  • Stuart Vevers’ first Coach collection hits Net-a-Porter. Link
  • Are things looking up for Target? Link
  • Uniqlo to open two Boston area stores. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Tweet this hashtag in NYC and Reebok could run a pair of sneakers over to you. Link
  • Facebook introduces bandwidth targeting to match mobile ads to your network quality. Link
  • Introducing Hyperlapse, Instagram’s new time-lapse video app. Link
  • 12 marketers already experimenting with Hyperlapse. Link
  • Gap runs first social campaign for kids’ accounts. Link
  • Pinterest tests news tab on mobile. Link
  • Facebook boosts event visibility with new ad format. Link
  • Nordstrom wants you to shop on Instagram. Link
  • Vice Media sells a stake to A&E Network at $2.5B valuation. Link
  • What’s next for Twitter marketing real world innovation? Link
  • Twitter redesigns signup process to entice new users. Link
  • SnapChat said to have more than 100 million monthly active users. Link
  • Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett to start in H&M holiday campaign. Link

Start-ups:

  • Amazon buys Twitch, bets on content in a hub for gamers. Link
  • Mallzee makes move to become the go-to mobile shopping destination for clothes. Link
  • Honest Co., Jessica Alba’s ecommerce startup, raises $70M. Link
  • How a clothing company successfully turned salvaged trash into fashion. Link
  • Menswear brand will deliver fresh white shirt in less than 90 minutes. Link
  • 3 startups vying to become the “Uber for Beauty.” Link

International:

[APAC]

  • LuLuLemon’s Asia push. Link
  • WalMart looks online for Chinese growth. Link
  • Chinese are traveling more but shopping less. Link
  • Wanda, Tencent and Baidu take on Alibaba with $814M ecommerce deal. Link
  • Hermes first-half profit rises on Asia sales. Link
  • Apple’s opportunity in India. Link
  • Google to open new startup center in Seoul. Link
  • Why social ecommerce is a game changer for niche brands in China. Link 

[AU/NZ]

  • Williams-Sonoma arrives in Sydney. Link
  • Australian retailers ramp up. Link
  • Inside Google’s secret drone-delivery program in Australia. Link
  • TopShop partners with Uber to offer free rides to its AU flagship. Link

[EU]

  • Marks & Spencer hopes for halo effect with unifying brand campaign. Link
  • Online beauty brand BirchBox pops up in London. Link

[CA]

  • LuLuLemon founder’s wife and son open luxury t-shirt store Kit and Ace. Link

[LATAM]

  • Columbia open and ready for business. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Zalando testing mobile clothing recognition app. Link
  • Apple rumored partnership with American Express, Visa and MasterCard for mobile payments. Link
  • NFC and wallet likely in next iPhone. Link
  • Tablet growth expected to be flat in North America and Europe this year. Link
  • Kenzo enhances Printemps pop-up with interactive mobile app. Link
  • Quirky Miu Miu mobile app makes mark at Venice Film Festival. Link
  • Pandora’s Google Glass app puts music controls on user’s face. Link
  • Another season, another app. Link
  • Macy’s offers digital wallet. Link
  • Full-screen ads are coming to the iPhone. Link
  • Rebecca Minkoff introducing wearable tech. Link
  • Storytelling app Steller becomes more of a social network. Link
  • Burger King ups ante on promoting apps with smartphone offer. Link
  • Ritz Carlton strive to improve customer stays with app upgrade. Link

Other:

  • Forbes’ 25 most innovative companies, including Hermes, Amazon, and Chipotle. Link
  • Report finds ecommerce draws hedge funds. Link
  • 22% of millennials feel they are under extreme financial stress. Link
  • The world’s most creative people in business. Link
  • How does internationalization work for online retailers? Link

 

Weekly Industry Round Up: 8.25.2014

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Top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer News:

  • Nordstrom completes Trunk Club acquisition. Link
  • Office supply etailer Poppin raises another $17M in funding. Link
  • Home shopping site Wayfair files for IPO. Link
  • Thrillest: the newsletter that became a $100M men’s business. Link
  • How Tory Burch built a $1B brand so quickly. Link
  • Tom’s sells 50% stake to Bain Capital to fund sales growth. Link
  • ‘Athleisure’ trand booms as sweatpants leave the gym. Link
  • Retailers wait for shoppers to catch up. Link
  • Starbucks to test coffee-dispensing trucks at three colleges. Link
  • Why online retailers are turning to physical stores. Link
  • Ralph Lauren launches wearable tech apparel at the U.S. Open. Link
  • How Modcloth built a culture of tech experimentation. Link
  • Rocket Internet preps for IPO. Link
  • Zalando said to be on verge of IPO. Link
  • American Eagle comparable sales down. Link
  • Abercrombie & Fitch debuts its first collection featuring the color black. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Tumblr partner will now scan photos for clues about brand affiliation. Link
  • Google makes it easier for advertisers to track which ads generate phone calls. Link
  • Apple’s ‘Misunderstood’ nabs 2014 Emmy for outstanding commercial. Link
  • What marketers can learn from the ALS ice bucket challenge. Link
  • Marketers are sizing up the millennials. Link
  • Amazon prepares online advertising program. Link
  • PacSun partners with StyleHaul for Back-to-School campaign. Link
  • Snapchat planning ‘discovery’ portal for news, ads. Link
  • Twitter will use Stripe to put the ‘Buy’ buttons in tweets. Link
  • Instagram adds tools for brands. Link

Start-ups:

  • How mixing fashion and data can make Rent the Runway tech’s next billion dollar star. Link
  • Website lets you name your price on high-end clothing. Link
  • Online delivery services still struggle to turn a profit. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Gap to open 40 stores in India. Link
  • ASOS signs Digitas for China social media and digital marketing strategy. Link
  • India to be launch pad for Amazon’s plan to deliver packages using drones. Link
  • Amazon enters Shanghai free trade zone to boost China offering. Link
  • Baidu invests in artificial intelligence. Link
  • Victoria’s Secret in China expansion. Link
  • Western luxury goods go on sale in China. Link
  • Amazon expands its ‘Amazon Coins’ virtual currency to Japan & Australia. Link
  • New restrictions on online billing in India may impact international ecommerce companies. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • Australia’s Cotton On enters Brazil. Link
  • Surfstitch buys out majority holder Billabong, prepares potential IPO. Link
  • Zara opens tenth Australian store. Link

[EU]

  • H&M launches ecommerce in Spain. Link
  • Klarna, an online payment system popular in EU, eyes global expansion. Link
  • Groupon aims to shift from daily deals to retail marketplace in UK. Link

[CA]

  • Nordstrom bets on slow, cautious entry into Canada. Link
  • Elle Canada partners with Hudson’s Bay on ecommerce, video push. Link

[A/ME]

  • Blue Nile unveils Arabic language ecommerce site. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Uber opens up API to integrate in other apps. Link
  • Gap focuses on mobile for fall campaign. Link
  • PayPal rolls out one-touch mobile checkout for apps. Link
  • Millennials say ‘Venmo Me’ to fuel mobile-payment surge. Link
  • Uber Corner Store turns the transit app into delivery service for daily staples. Link
  • Zappos boosts shoe sales with native integration in MapMyFitness app. Link
  • Talking on tablets: phablets on the rise in Asia. Link
  • Square expands its cash advance service. Link
  • Wireless location beacons are now the size of stickers. Link

Other:

  • Wells Fargo launches accelerator to promote innovation in financial services. Link
  • Vegas gets a vending machine for flat shoes. Link
  • UPS confirms security breach. Link
  • McDonald’s digital plans include music, mobile ordering. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY ROUND UP: 8.11.2014

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Top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer News:

  • Amazon expands same day delivery to new markets. Link
  • Target’s latest designer partnership with Altuzarra. Link
  • Urban Outfitters said to be eyeing AU-based activewear company Lorna Jane. Link
  • Kenneth Cole’s fall campaign promotes social action. Link
  • Back to school: brick and mortar wins but discounts are key. Link
  • Urban Outfitters to open first Hawaii store on Black Friday. Link
  • New Jersey a launch pad for same day delivery. Link
  • Shift to online sales is prompting retailers to scale back more store openings. Link
  • Adidas to cut jobs, boost marketing spend. Link
  • Amazon favors brands like Burberry and Levi’s with “play to pay” strategy. Link
  • Banana Republic unveils new look under creative director Marissa Webb. Link
  • Dannijo to launch footwear. Link
  • Rent the Runway to launch first standalone store. Link
  • Ralph Lauren to launch Polo line for women. Link
  • Fossil to debut first-ever Men’s and Women’s fragrances. Link
  • NastyGal’s back to school lookbook. Link
  • Microsoft wants to make retail splash near Apple’s iconic 5th Avenue store. Link
  • Walmart redesigns website to better compete with Amazon. Link
  • Net-a-porter displays real-time sales in first outdoor media campaign. Link
  • New shopping website takes on local retailers. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Twitter’s “payments and shipping” settings inside the Android app hint at ecommerce. Link
  • Google tests new music ads. Link
  • Wanelo tests in-app purchases to bid to be the Amazon for Millennials. Link
  • Google tests way to track consumers from mobile browsers to the apps they use. Link
  • Pinterest’s take on direct messages blows Twitter’s out of the water. Link
  • Twitter changes pricing model for advertisers. Link
  • Facebook bans incentivizing users to like pages. Link
  • For $100,000, GQ’s most elite readers will promote your brand. Link
  • Facebook Messenger privacy fears. Here’s what to know. Link

Start-ups:

  • Universal shopping cart Two Tap launches to compete in ecommerce with partners like Sephora and Free People. Link
  • Luxury consignment reseller Snobswap raises funds to bring brick-and-mortar shops online. Link
  • Sosh launches Concierge, the Uber of restaurant dining. Link
  • tt to raise funding for its social shopping app. Link
  • Buzzfeed closes $50M investment round to take its content beyond lists. Link
  • Vine competitor Groopie lets vloggers create TV-style shows together. Link
  • YouTube buys mobile video startup Directr. Link
  • Casper, an online mattress start-up raises $13.1M. Link
  • RocketInternet’s FoodPanda gets $60M in new funding. Link
  • Rally is an Etsy for sports fans. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • New breed of Singapore startups for men who hate to shop. Link
  • Amazon’s plan to invest in Indian market. Link
  • Six takeaways from Gap and Old Navy about brand building in China. Link
  • In Japan, Uber as travel agent. Link
  • Xiaomia tops Chinese smartphone market. Link
  • Ecommerce in China now takes up 10% of all retail. Link
  • China sales lift Coach. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • Uniqlo to open more Australian stores. Link

[EU]

  • Tesco to launch non-food social commerce platform. Link
  • UK internet usage highest in EU. Link

[CA]

  • Canada luxury shoppers gain U.S. chains’ favor. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Apple to announce iPhone 6 on September 9th. Link
  • Simon expands iBeacon program to outfit more smart malls. Link
  • Epicurious teams up with Swirl for in-store beacon experience. Link
  • Vurb raises $8M to steal mobile search from Google. Link
  • Google to expand market share in wearable technology. Link
  • Foursquare now tracks users even when the app is closed. Link
  • PayPal uses music festivals to push mobile app. Link
  • After Whatsapp, now Facebook Messenger supports Android Wear. Link

Other:

  • General Electric wants to act like a startup. Link
  • ESPN adds Tilt’s group payment technology to fantasy football apps. Link
  • Why Fender’s interactive design team wireframes its site by hand. Link