Weekly Industry Brief: 11.16.2015

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Happy Monday! Check out industry highlights from the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Holiday:

  • H&M to close US stores on Thanksgiving. Link
  • Target keeps Thanksgiving opening at 6pm. Link
  • Don’t expect holiday far at Nordstrom until Black Friday. Link
  • Walmart scales back on Black Friday, offers longer-term discounts. Link
  • Walmart to offer most Black Friday promotions online first. Link

Brand/Retailer:

  • Apple’s Angela Ahrendts on where the company is taking retail next. Link
  • Postmates to buy Sosh, a service for discovering local activities. Link
  • Beats music to shut down on November 30. Link
  • J.C. Penney sales beat estimates, helped by Sephora. Link
  • Rent the Runway will launch everyday fashion rentals next year. Link
  • Urban Outfitters to buy Vetri restaurants. Link
  • How Revolve Clothing took its brand global. Link
  • Marriott buying Starwood in deal valued at $12.2B. Link
  • Yoox Net-a-Porter raises savings estimates amid merger benefits. Link
  • Fossil Group to buy wearable fitness company Misfit for $260M. Link
  • Kohl’s taps Reed Krakoff for its next collaboration. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Tumblr rolls out instant messaging on both web and mobile. Link
  • YouTube launches its long-awaited music app. Link
  • Shopify launches an Instagram for classified listings. Link
  • Oscar winning filmmaker directs a short film for Canada Goose. Link
  • Facebook launches Notify, a notifications app. Link
  • Facebook adds photo recognition to messenger. Link
  • Snapchat says it has 6 billion video views a day. Link
  • Pinterest’s new tool lets you do searches using pictures. Link

Startups:

  • You can now request an Uber through Slack. Link
  • Cola, a new start-up introduces ways to do more in text messages. Link
  • Uber signs digital mapping deal with TomTom. Link

International:

  • Macy’s joins Singles’ Day debutantes in Chinese spending spree. Link
  • China shatters online shopping records in just 12 hours on Singles’ Day. Link
  • Alibaba to invest in U.S. startups as part of expansion plan. Link
  • Amazon may export delivery lessons from India to cut costs abroad. Link
  • Spain’s Mango to shut 450 U.S. sales outlets. Link
  • Facebook restricts more content in India than anywhere else. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Apple, banks in talks on mobile person-to-person payment service. Link
  • Apple may be launching Venmo competitor. Link
  • LG and Google introduce a phone-free smartwatch. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 11.9.2015

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

Brand/Retailer:

  • American Eagle acquires high-end men’s label Todd Snyder. Link
  • Google aims to begin drone package deliveries in 2017. Link
  • Best Buy hopes same-day delivery will fend off Amazon. Link
  • Amazon opens a bookstore in Seattle. Link
  • Sephora blends mobile with bricks-and-mortar for first connected boutique. Link
  • Burberry to unify brands under one label in bid to boost appeal. Link
  • Chanel expands ecommerce business with sunglasses. Link
  • JD sues Alibaba for misleading users with speedy delivery pledge. Link
  • H&M’s limited supply of Balmain overwhelms stores, website. Link
  • Michael Kors CEO vows to end retail rollout. Link
  • Holiday shoppers plan to spend more as retailers introduce marketing promotions. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Starbucks’ seasonal #RedCups triggers excitement online. Link
  • Facebook debuts a new way to share music with your friends. Link
  • Vice’s new Viceland channel promises to remake cable with edgy infomercials. Link
  • Pinterest pushes buyable pins to Android phones, introduces Pinterest Shop. Link
  • YouTube now supports 3D virtual reality video. Link
  • Why the collection should be called Balmain x H&M x Instagram. Link
  • Twitter stars and favorites are replaced by hearts and likes. Link
  • Facebook says ad-blocking technology could have impact on sales. Link

Startups:

  • How this startup used Slack to prototype its app’s coolest feature. Link
  • Match, owner of dating sites like Tinder, seeks $403M in IPO. Link
  • Deliv acquires Zipments to grow its same-day delivery service in NYC. Link

International:

  • Sephora to open shops in Iran next year. Link
  • Ikea to double stores in Canada even as website sales soar. Link
  • Why Singles’ Day in China is bigger than Cyber Monday. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • The North Face gives shoppers virtual reality experience. Link
  • Urban Outfitters embraces mobile shopping’s future with 3D Touch support. Link
  • Honest Beauty line comes to mobile with an app offering shopping and makeup tips. Link
  • Best new features of Android Marshmallow. Link
  • MIT is opening an innovation center in Hong Kong. Link
  • Apple debuts shopping category on the app store. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 11.2.2015

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Check out industry news from the last week. All sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer:

  • Walgreens to buy Rite Aid for $9.4B. Link
  • Poshmark adds retail brands to its seller community. Link
  • Urban Outfitters to end on-call shifts nationwide. Link
  • 76% of online shopping in the US this holiday season will be spent on 1% of products. Link
  • Five retailers that will dominate this holiday shopping season. Link
  • Target will offer free shipping on all online orders. Link
  • Wal-Mart won’t promote free shipping deals over holidays. Link
  • Macy’s makes moves to counter shoppers’ changing habits. Link
  • REI to close on Black Friday. Link
  • Lord & Taylor jumps into discounts game. Link
  • Wal-Mart tries offering fewer products, adding to tensions with suppliers. Link
  • UPS to increase fees, add new one for third-party sellers. Link
  • Kohl’s to add smaller stores in urban areas. Link
  • Some retailers step back from Black Friday frenzy. Link
  • Mall of America gets ready for holiday shoppers by adding WiFi. Link
  • Microsoft goes upscale with Fifth Avenue flagship store. Link
  • Warby Parker expanding beyond eyewear. Link
  • Wal-Mart bets on in-store pickup in holiday showdown with Amazon. Link
  • Coach sales starting to look up. Link
  • Carine Roitfeld x Uniqlo has landed. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Facebook introduces slideshow ad unit to reach consumers in emerging markets. Link
  • Yelp continues shift away from display advertising. Link
  • Target boosts digital, social to 61% of holiday budget. Link
  • Snapchat adds to native ad arsenal with sponsored lens. Link
  • How LuLuLemon puts more focus on feelings. Link
  • Macy’s starts off holiday effort with wish fulfillment. Link

Startups:

  • Why is Silicon Valley pouring millions of dollars into old clothes? Link
  • Doorman is a startup eliminating missed package deliveries. Link
  • New mobile search startup focuses on apps. Link

International:

  • Apple Pay hitting Canada and Australia in 2015, Spain and more in 2016. Link
  • Facebook strives to bring cheap wifi to rural India. Link
  • Hong Kong shoppers go downmarket. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Amazon launches ‘Pay with Amazon’ buttons for mobile apps. Link
  • Nike embraces weather app in campaign to sell gear suited to local conditions. Link
  • QVC: the unlikely juggernaut of mobile shopping. Link
  • JPMorgan challenges Apple Pay with mobile app offering discounts. Link
  • App Store to feature ecommerce apps in new Shopping category ahead of Black Friday. Link
  • Facebook says nearly one third of online shopping transactions are on mobile. Link
  • Samsung sells more phones but for less money. Link
  • Baublebar and Jawbone collaborate on a bracelet for the wearable tech market. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 10.26.2015

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Check out my recap of industry news from the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer:

  • Virgin America and Spotify team up for free inflight music streaming. Link
  • ASOS reports small rise in annual profits. Link
  • Amazon beats expectations with $24.4B in sales. Link
  • Adidas aims to open automated shoe factory in Germany in 2016. Link
  • American Apparel sees bright future after bankruptcy. Link
  • Walmart plays catch-up with Amazon with significant increase in ecommerce investment. Link
  • Google revenue rises as mobile contribution grows. Link
  • Under Armour is stepping on Nike’s turf with donation to running track in Portland. Link
  • Google expresses itself with fast-delivery service expansion in Cleveland. Link
  • Apple Music has 6.5M paying subscribers. Link
  • Microsoft goes upscale with Fifth Avenue flagship store. Link
  • Amazon tested package delivery by newspaper trucks. Link
  • Coty acquires content agency Beamly as it gears up for P&G deal. Link
  • Amazon to charge $299 yearly membership for grocery delivery. Link
  • Net-a-porter launches luxury ski shop. Link
  • Lush Cosmetics touts transparency as ecommerce grows. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Twitter to let brands link up users’ Twitter handles with their customer accounts for customer care. Link
  • Flipboard launches a new targeted ads product based on its interest graph. Link
  • Digital network dedicated solely to fashion launches on Apple TV. Link
  • Instagram’s new standalone app Boomerang captures 1-second video loops. Link
  • Tailoring is key to Coca-Cola’s success on Snapchat. Link
  • Coke creates podcast with iHeartMedia to target teens. Link
  • Google discloses more search data to woo retailers. Link

Startups:

  • Time Inc. acquires Hello Giggles. Link
  • German startup Number26 turns retail shops into bank branches for its bank of the future. Link
  • A flurry of startups vie to win ecommerce battle in India. Link
  • Indiegogo creates generosity.com for personal fund-raising campaigns. Link

International:

  • Target begins shipping to Canada through its website but shoppers dismayed at cost. Link
  • Spotify moves closer to launches in Indonesia and Japan. Link
  • Primark expands on rival Zara’s home turf with Spanish flagship store. Link
  • Indonesia to woo American investment in ecommerce sector. Link
  • Rare store sales data highlights Wal-Mart’s China challenge. Link
  • Uber says 30% of trips take place in China. Link
  • Facebook strives to bring cheap wifi to rural India. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Hundreds of apps banned from app store for accessing users’ personal information. Link
  • Facebook M Assistant’s top requests include restaurant suggestions and shopping help. Link
  • Tommy Hilfiger using virtual reality in stores from New York to Moscow. Link
  • The New York Times is about to launch a virtual reality mainstream moment. Link
  • Dunkin Donuts tells customers its app needs a jolt. Link
  • Target gets into Halloween spirit with virtual reality, mobile site. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 10.19.2015

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Check out my recap of industry news from the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

  • Uber’s courier service, UberRush goes live in Chicago and San Francisco. Link
  • Kohl’s expands same-day delivery to 9 cities ahead of holiday season. Link
  • Target teams up with Who What Wear on full-fledged fashion line. Link
  • Under Armour CEO and CFO to step down. Link
  • PayPal will now pay for your return shipping. Link
  • Birchbox is launching its own makeup line. Link
  • WalMart to pour $2B into ecommerce over next two years. Link
  • Nike sets aggressive revenue target of $50B by 2020. Link
  • Nordstrom Rack is becoming a massive threat to Macy’s, Kohls, and JC Penny. Link
  • Balmain x H&M: See the full collection with prices. Link
  • Rodarte to team up with & Other Stories next Spring. Link
  • Starbucks is testing delivering coffee to office workers in the Empire State Building. Link
  • How Levi’s is fighting athleisure by reinventing denim. Link
  • Ralph Lauren opens first store in Brooklyn. Link
  • American Apparel sees bright future after bankruptcy. Link
  • Target enlists entrepreneurs to help it think outside the big box. Link

Marketing/Social

  • Survey finds teens prefer Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Link
  • Facebook pushes shopping features in move toward ecommerce. Link
  • How Facebook’s Moments is solving the other people’s photos problem. Link
  • Target taps Shazam for shoppable link to TV ad campaign. Link
  • How Unilever tapped ‘I Want that Hair’ moments by aggregating blogger videos. Link
  • Facebook tests video tab, intensifying YouTube rivalry. Link
  • How the Instagram effect is changing advertising images. Link

Startup

  • Outdoor Voices, a brand for simple, cool activewear, raises $7M in funding. Link
  • How non-technology companies are trying to mimic startups by launching innovation labs. Link

International

  • H&M’s next target is the Indian middle class. Link
  • Amazon bets on Mexico. Link
  • Zalando feels growth pains as margins miss estimates. Link
  • Starbucks may be opening stores in Italy. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech

  • Square, the mobile payments company, files for IPO. Link
  • Swatch links with China banking giants for mobile payment watch. Link
  • More brands use beacons to connect with customers real-time. Link
  • Nike debuts interactive shopping app, Tech Book. Link
  • Apple focuses on 3D Touch with new iPhone 6 ad. Link
  • Yaho offers password free log in for email. Link
  • LinkedIn revamps mobile app to boost use. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 10.12.2015

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

Brand/Retailer:

  • Amazon challenges Etsy with handmade marketplace. Link
  • com eliminates $50 membership fee to broaden appeal. Link
  • Why big-name chefs are opening restaurants with Urban Outfitters. Link
  • More retailers offering free shipping on returns. Link
  • Uniqlo plans to curb US store openings, citing ‘limited’ brand awareness. Link
  • Amazon wants to know how its employees feel every day. Link
  • Gap slump deepens on disappointing September sales report. Link
  • Banana Republic’s creative directors steps down as brand flails. Link
  • Urban Outfitters to end on-call shifts in New York City. Link
  • Amazon building a tech business for the long haul. Link
  • Holiday sales expected to total $630B this year. Link
  • Dell buys EMC for $67B, the largest deal in tech history. Link
  • When it comes to delivery, one size doesn’t fit all. Link
  • City Sports files for bankruptcy, will sell or close down. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Mobile search surpasses desktop at Google. Link
  • With reactions, Facebook supercharges the like button. Link
  • How advertising will work in Google’s accelerated mobile pages. Link
  • Vimeo is producing its first slate of originals. Link
  • Twitter’s Moments geared to reduce newcomer intimidation. Link
  • Marketers look to diversify their online spending. Link
  • Facebook to start soring ads’ results across its mobile app network. Link
  • Pinterest adds retailers with expanded buy button. Link
  • Snapchat on pace to overtake Facebook for video supremacy. Link

Startups:

  • Glamsquad raises another $15M to launch in more cities. Link
  • Start-ups picked by Disney hint at future tech for children. Link
  • Meet Sounds, a music app that lets you share songs on Instagram. Link

International:

  • Need Supply to open stores in Japan. Link
  • European fashion sense dominates online too. Link
  • Russia proves a bright spot for China’s online retailers. Link
  • SIngPost grows ecommerce with U.S., European services. Link
  • Apple is blocking its news app from everyone in China. Link
  • WalMart Canada to join forces with 7-Eleven for ecommerce pickup points. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • How Urban Outfitters may boost mobile sales with visual search. Link
  • Microsoft builds its first laptop, the Surface Book. Link
  • Facebook Messenger for Apple Watch officially launches. Link
  • Abercrombie looks to revive sales with mobile-led model. Link
  • China helps offset lowest US iPhone share in the past four years. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 10.5.2015

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Below is a recap of industry news over the last week. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer:

  • Walmart expands pick-up service as grocery war with Amazon intensifies. Link
  • Ralph Lauren to step down as CEO, hand reins to Old Navy executive. Link
  • Aeropostale gets listing warning from NYSE as shares fall below $1. Link
  • Amazon will now pay you to deliver packages. Link
  • Target to match online prices with online rivals. Link
  • Staples to close on Thanksgiving in sign of Black Friday retreat. Link
  • Amazon to stop selling Apple TV and Chromecast. Link
  • Apple Watch to hit Target shelves soon. Link
  • Yoox Net-a-Porter rises on trading debut. Link
  • Luxury web battle looms as LVMH, Hugo Boss develop eCommerce. Link
  • Silicon Valley’s latest threat? Under Armour. Link
  • Gap’s loss of Old Navy chief brings new storm to retailer adrift. Link
  • American Apparel filed for bankruptcy but it isn’t shutting down. Link
  • H&M’s 700-piece beauty collection is here. Link
  • Amazon picked up Conde Nast reality series the Fashion Fund. Link
  • Amazon, Google move into on-demand home services. Link
  • UPS asks people to pick up packages themselves. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Pinterest opens API platform to all developers. Link
  • YouTube’s most native ad yet puts shoppable cards into organic videos. Link
  • Snapchat is adding more ways for advertisers to be in your silly selfies. Link
  • The buy button heads to Youtube and Twitter. Link
  • Brands woo millennials with a wink, an emoji or whatever it takes. Link
  • YouTube beats Facebook in surfacing brands’ older videos. Link
  • Pinterest gets even more shoppable. Link
  • Klout Perks quietly shuts down. Link

Startups:

  • Google acquires rich messaging startup Jibe Mobile. Link
  • Lobster, the marketplace for user generated content, strikes a deal with YouTube. Link
  • Rocket Internet startups see revenue jump, losses mount. Link

International:

  • Canada’s malls are shirking their suburban-time-waster status to become upscale destinations. Link
  • H&M to open store in Russia. Link
  • A sneak peak into H&M’s first store in India. Link
  • H&M joins Uniqlo in voicing confidence over China amid slowdown. Link
  • Facebook will provide internet in Africa from space starting in 2016. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Mobile sales will exceed $252B in 2020. Link
  • Why Jet.com spends 10% of its ad spend on mobile. Link
  • Philips plans to upgrade its Hue lights to Apple’s HomeKit. Link
  • Amazon makes a dash to take lead in internet of things. Link
  • Instagram took advantage of Apple’s new 3D touch. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 9.28.2015

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Below are selected highlights from the week in retail, fashion, technology, and ecommerce. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer:

  • Quirky is filing for bankruptcy and selling its smart home subsidiary. Link
  • Amazon offered discounted Prime memberships on September 25th. Link
  • WalmartLabs snaps up Silicon Valley based Punchtab, with focus on Sam’s Club customers. Link
  • Groupon is laying off 1,100 employees and shuttering operations in seven countries. Link
  • Hermes launches a content website to promote its men’s line. Link
  • Apple is about to change everything we know about TV. Link
  • Kenneth Cole is revamping its brand identity by embracing its activist past. Link
  • H&M’s plans for global domination: expanding beauty and opening three stores a day. Link
  • Why Coach is focusing on ready-to-wear. Link
  • Kit and Ace continues its expansion from in-store coffee shops to technical silk for spring. Link
  • H&M sales recover in September after weak August. Link
  • Target hires executive for new operations role. Link
  • Can America’s biggest beauty retailer take on Sephora? Link
  • Uber has a new pre-paid ride service called UberEvents. Link
  • Macy’s to hire 85,000 workers for holiday shopping season. Link
  • Amazon getting ready to launch it’s “Etsy killer.” Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Most Instagram users are outside the U.S. Link
  • Instagram hits 400 Million users, soars passed Twitter. Link
  • Facebook will bring in $163B in global ad revenue this year. Link
  • Kardashians off to a big start with their own web channels. Link
  • Five things to know about Facebook’s Internet initiative. Link
  • Balmain for H&M releases first image from ad campaign. Link
  • Facebook takes 360 degree video out for a spin. Link

Startups:

  • You can now have wine delivered with your Blue Apron dinner. Link
  • Quixey reaches into apps to boost mobile commerce. Link
  • Lyft moves customer support team to Nashville to combat high-priced San Francisco market. Link

International:

  • Mobile and marketplaces lift French online retail sales in the first half. Link
  • Sephora partners with Indian beauty retailer. Link
  • Google announces plan to put WiFi in 400 train stations across India. Link
  • Alibaba makes Beijing a hub. Link
  • France rejects Google’s efforts to limit application of privacy ruling. Link
  • Nike sprints ahead as China sales defy economic slowdown. Link
  • Billionaire’s startup brings Black Friday to Pakistan’s shoppers. Link

Mobile:

  • You can now order your Starbucks before you get to the store. Link
  • Websites attract bigger audiences but users spend more time in apps. Link
  • Four brands whose creative approach to mobile marketing are getting big results. Link
  • Apple says half of devices have downloaded iOS9. Link
  • More brands flock to Amazon Dash but largely remains an experiment. Link
  • Smartphone users spend almost all their time in their three favorite apps. Link
  • Samsung and Oculus announce $99 gear VR headsets for Galaxy phones. Link
  • Samsung touts mobile payment success. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 9.21.2015

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Below are selected highlights from the week in retail, fashion, technology, and ecommerce. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer:

  • Burberry becomes first major fashion brand with an Apple Music channel. Link
  • Walgreens offering same day delivery with Postmates. Link
  • Small-batch, crafted denim is on the rise. Link
  • Restoration Hardware’s new teen line. Link
  • If you don’t offer same-day shipping, you’re disappointing 56% of millennials. Link
  • Under Armour expects to generate $7.5B in revenue by 2018. Link
  • Kohl’s latest collaboration is with Thakoon. Link
  • Apple says iPhone pre-orders are beating last years’ pace. Link
  • Move over millennials, here comes generation Z. Link
  • Amazon Prime offers six months of the Washington Post for free. Link
  • Postmates CEO on a potential partnership with Lyft. Link
  • The upcoming H&M x Balmain collection is two months away. Link
  • Under Armour and Sports Authority partner to reward work outs. Link
  • Target to foster retail tech startups. Link
  • J.Crew going back to basics. Link
  • Jet.com attracts millennials. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Facebook may gain alternative to the like button. Link
  • Six lessons brands can learn from Lauren Conrad’s social success. Link
  • Pinterest surpasses 100M monthly users. Link
  • Instagram is on track to becoming a $5B product. Link
  • Snapchat is now hosting exclusive live stories from the NFL. Link
  • Facebook bends to advertiser viewability demands. Link
  • Fake Google site combats apathy towards refugees. Link
  • Facebook is putting more of your data into its ad-relevancy machine. Link
  • Facebook preparing to launch its Office product. Link

Startups:

  • CentreStyle, built by teenagers, helps you get dressed in any weather. Link
  • Startup seeks to help brands sell excess fashion stock. Link

International:

  • American Eagle Outfitters wants its slice in Western Europe. Link
  • Refinery 29 heads to the UK, then Germany and France. Link
  • UK’s online sales growth slowed in August. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Amazon has 6 new devices and an actual plan for hardware. Link
  • Walmart simple text could be Walmart’s version of magic. Link
  • Walmart built the fastest-growing retail app by focusing on one key shopper habit. Link
  • The most popular paid iPhone app right now is an ad blocker. Link
  • Stripe unveils a new tool to help retailers build native buying experiences in apps. Link
  • Facebook looks to bring virtual reality to mobile devices. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 9.14.2015

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

Brand/Retailer:

  • eBay set to offer shipping club, starting in Germany. Link
  • Etsy testing same-day delivery in New York. Link
  • Toys R Us lowers free shipping limit for online orders. Link
  • Restoration Hardware gears up to launch new concept. Link
  • Macy’s chasing consumer electronics sales through Best Buy partnership. Link
  • Primark throws its hat into U.S. market. Link
  • Google to start testing grocery deliveries this year. Link
  • Farfetch opens ecommerce platform to brands. Link
  • Lululemon profit exceeds estimates as new styles drive sales. Link
  • Quicksilver files for bankruptcy. Link
  • How low can ‘free shipping’ minimums go? Link
  • Coach to debut luxury line at fashion week. Link
  • Kate Spade delivers more clever accessories for Spring. Link
  • Google follows Amazon web services into on-demand supercomputing. Link
  • Blackberry to buy Good Technology getting deeper into security. Link
  • Etsy getting into the manufacturing business. Link
  • Rebecca Minkoff debuts iPhone-charging wallet and new Apple Watch bands. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Wendy’s VP: millennials respond to realness in video. Link
  • Timberland looks beyond millennials in new ad campaign. Link
  • Kohl’s brings fashion week to shoppers with Lauren Conrad runway livestream. Link
  • Apple exploring creation of its own original video content. Link
  • Uber’s in-car magazine is advertisers’ ticket to targeting local clientele. Link

Startups:

  • Secondhand clothing marketplace thredUP raises $81M Series E let by GSIP. Link
  • Berlin-based online fashion and lifestyle retailer Lesara bags more funding. Link
  • The Black Tux grabs $25M to dress men to the nines. Link
  • Trillenium takes virtual reality into online shopping. Link

International:

  • Ikea moves forward with plans to enter India. Link
  • Russian fashion market’s plunge turns heat on global brands. Link
  • Swatch CEO plays down China turbulence. Link
  • John Lewis to start selling Apple Watch across UK. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Sotheby’s auction coming to an art app near you. Link
  • Everything to know about Apple’s event. Link
  • U.S Consumers now spend more time in apps than watching TV. Link
  • A closer look at the fancy new Hermes Apple Watch band. Link
  • Starbucks app update raises bar on mobile payments. Link
  • eBay’s apps get a refresh. Link
  • Android Pay goes live, Google Wallet becomes cash swap app. Link
  • Amazon dumps the Fire phone. Link
  • Apple wants to sell you an iPhone for $32 per month. Link