Tag: ecommerce

Weekly Industry Brief: 2.20.2017

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Hi! Long time, no post.  Over the last two weeks I’ve been on-the-go with lots of travel which means my “weekly” brief hasn’t quite been weekly!  Here is a recap of the industry news with sources in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

  • Target cuts innovation initiatives including secretive Goldfish start-up. Link
  • Neiman Marcus to trial plus-size departments at Last Call. Link
  • H&M’s new conscious exclusive collection turns plastic into evening gowns. Link
  • Todd Snyder opens a menswear paradise for the modern man. Link
  • Nordstrom drops Ivanka Trump products based on brand’s performance. Link
  • Ralph Lauren CEO is leaving after clash with founder. Link
  • Ralph Lauren hires newly created Chief Marketing Officer role. Link
  • Kate Spade to explore strategic options amid investor pressure. Link
  • Etsy Studio is ready to turn your side hustle into a real business. Link
  • Crew continues to lean on athleisure as it rebuilds its brand. Link
  • BCBG is filing for possible Chapter 11. Link
  • As Tiffany’s comes off a sluggish decade, it turns to “self-purchasing” women to save it. Link
  • Wal-Mart to make buying operations omni-channel. Link
  • Macy’s takeover rumors include HBC, owner of Saks and Lord and Taylor. Link
  • Michael Kors to expand buy online, pick up in store. Link
  • Levi’s is radically redefining sustainability. Link
  • Amazon’s living lab: re-imagining retail on Seattle streets. Link
  • American Eagle is luring teens with fancy drinks. Link
  • How Nike became a fashion powerhouse. Link
  • Nastygal to lay off employees, close stores. Link
  • Reports: Digital, especially mobile, driving trillions in offline retail spending. Link
  • Walmart snaps up another online retailer with focus on outdoor adventure. Link
  • Canada Goose said to have filed for dual-listed IPO. Link
  • Amazon takes aim at the lingerie industry with own line. Link
  • Amazon lowers free shipping threshold for non-Prime members. Link

Marketing/Social

  • Snap starts selling Spectacles online. Link
  • WhatsApp launches Status, an encrypted Snapchat Stories clone. Link
  • Pinterest adds visual search for elements in images through your camera. Link
  • How brands used Snapchat in 2016. Link
  • These five fashionable brands have mastered content that sells. Link
  • Influencers turn out for Rebecca Minkoff’s see-now-buy-now runway show in LA. Link
  • Gap debuts 90s-inspired ads starring the children of its former campaign stars. Link
  • Proenza Schouler chooses digital over print for spring campaign. Link
  • Pinterest rolls out search ads. Link
  • What is the real cost of Instagram’s influence? Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

  • Reformation’s high-tech store re-imagines clothes shopping from the ground up. Link
  • Amazon takes on Microsoft, Cisco in videoconferencing. Link
  • Ford invests $1B in Pittsburgh-based AI company to build self-driving cars by 2021. Link
  • Why Home Depot is one of the most innovative companies of 2017. Link
  • Target adds mini-accelerator for health-related start-ups. Link
  • Amazon just patented a package-packer bot to add to its fleet of 45,000 robots. Link
  • Visa and IBM Watson commit to putting payments inside cars and wearables. Link

International

  • Digital shifts can help India’s retailers boost sales. Link
  • Apple quickly losing market share in China. Link
  • Saks appoints Aditya Birla to open first Indian outlet. Link
  • Retailers object to EU plan for stricter online security. Link
  • Alibaba teams up with traditional retailer. Link
  • Alibaba expands presence in Australia and New Zealand. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 1.31.2017

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Here is your industry brief of news I’ve collected from around the web over the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Busy week – lots of highlights as many retailers wrapped up another fiscal year.  Cheers!

Brand/Retailer

  • ASOS introduces Big and Tall lines for men. Link
  • Drop shipping looks set to go mainstream as more retailers get on board. Link
  • Retailers haven’t perfected buy online, pick up in store yet. Link
  • Coach plans on expanding its footwear business. Link
  • Ikea’s open source sofa invites customization. Link
  • Why Nordstrom is experimenting with in-store pop-ups. Link
  • Why the online marketplace revolution keeps gaining momentum. Link
  • Coach and Rodarte team up for collaboration. Link
  • How Skin Inc. became one of the most innovative beauty brands. Link
  • How retailers should think about online versus in-store pricing. Link
  • DKNY taps Farfetch to revitalize ecommerce strategy. Link
  • Footwear company Birkenstock jumps into bed business. Link
  • com shutters operations. Link
  • Amazon to build air hub for Prime Air cargo planes. Link
  • iPhone and Apple Watch set sales records. Link
  • Abercrombie & Fitch continues to rebuild with revival of Gilly Hicks. Link
  • WalMart takes on Amazon Prime with new, cheaper, two-day shipping option. Link
  • Target sets sights on higher jewelry sales with SugarFix by BaubleBar. Link
  • How Warby Parker collaborations drive the brand’s social impact. Link
  • Plus size retailers are shifting focus to in-store experience. Link
  • Opening Ceremony swaps the runway for the ballet stage. Link
  • Banana Republic’s president is out as the Gap brand struggles to find footing. Link
  • The demise of the department store experience. Link
  • Under Armour debuts ‘made in the U.S.’ gear. Link
  • H&M rolls back on new store openings. Link

Marketing/Social

  • Facebook, Snapchat deals produce meager results for news outlets. Link
  • How millennials are changing retail patterns. Link
  • Facebook launches a marketing mix modeling portal for comparing Facebook ads to TV, print & more. Link
  • Snapchat is in talks for big ad deals ahead of IPO. Link
  • Lady Gaga is the face of Tiffany & Co’s latest campaign. Link
  • The 14-year-olds spending thousands on streetwear. Link
  • Inside Instagram’s reinvention. Link
  • Step inside the YouTube-fueled, teenaged extravaganza that is Beautycon. Link
  • Superstar influencers: China’s Internet celebrities at heart of Alibaba’s growth. Link
  • Facebook is changing its trending topics section again, removing personalization. Link
  • Facebook is copying yet another popular Snapchat feature: Stories. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

  • Starbucks can now take your order via voice or message through its iOS app and Amazon Alexa. Link
  • How your customer service strategy will change beginning in 2017. Link
  • Gap envisions a future with augmented-reality ‘dressing rooms.’ Link

International

  • Facebook is trying everything to re-enter China – and it’s not working. Link
  • How high-end denim brand Evisu finds a fit with web shoppers outside Asia. Link
  • Xiaomi sold 250,000 smartphones in 10 minutes in India. Link
  • This man is covertly bringing streetwear to China. Link
  • UK consumer confidence remains high. Link
  • Lagging behind Zara and H&M in India, Gap finally looks to cut prices by 10-15%. Link
  • Uniqlo to go solo in India, first store likely by 2018. Link
  • Amazon has an India problem. Link
  • Alibaba’s million-job boast reflects slower China outlook. Link
  • Chinese New Year shoppers expand their horizons. Link
  • Is this the Chinese luxury mall of the future? Link

 

 

Quick Hits: The Year of the Rooster

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On Saturday January 28th, the Year of the Rooster officially began.  The fashion and (mostly luxury) retail set took to Instagram and 5th Avenue this weekend to celebrate the Chinese New Year in beautiful campaigns featuring, what else? Roosters and lots of red. It was hard to miss this year and I have a hunch that next year we’ll see even more, with similar campaigns popping up in the mainstream (and on Main Street).

David Yurman and Coach delivered holistic campaigns by putting the Chinese New Year features on the homepage of their websites as well as in dedicated emails and in the case of Coach, a mini animated film made just for the festival.  Michael Kors nailed its Instagram posts by enlisting Leaf Greener, a Chinese fashion influencer.  And the best window displays on 5th Avenue? I’d say a tie between Saks and Cartier. And by the way, Saks took this as an opportunity to co-market to the new movie The Great Wall. Smart.

Here is a recap:

david-yurman-website

David Yurman started featuring content on its global website a few weeks before the festival began.

david-yurman-email

coach-website

Coach.com mixed product and animations in its campaign.

coach-site-video

armani

david-yurman

hypebeast

kenzo

 

tory-burchphilip-lim

michael-kors

Michael Kors smartly enlisted a Chinese influencer to help celebrate.

jimmy-choo

cartier

furla

guess

lord-and-taylor

Lord & Taylor featured the festival campaign in windows and in the main entrance.

nba

Even the NBA Store wanted in on the Chinese New Year celebrations.

saks

Saks Fifth Avenue delivered this chic campaign window.

saks-the-great-wall

Other windows at Saks showcased co-op ads for the upcoming Matt Damon movie, The Great Wall.

Weekly Industry Brief: 1.23.2017

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Hi! Happy Monday. Here is your recap of news I’ve collected over the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

  • To win back customers, Fendi thinks small. Link
  • Mall owners are finding relief from an unlikely source: online retailers. Link
  • Microsoft making late entry in ebooks to take on Amazon. Link
  • BCBG to close stores, restructure as online shift takes toll. Link
  • Five trends that will change the way your customers will shop in 2017. Link
  • Why Amazon has launched a new credit card for Prime users. Link
  • Kate Spade attracts interest from Coach, Michael Kors. Link
  • Victoria’s Secret looks to uncover supply chain issues. Link
  • Amazon to add three more fulfillment centers. Link
  • Sprint buys 33% of Jay Z’s music streaming service Tidal. Link
  • Cassette tape sales rise 74% in 2016. Link
  • Yahoo sale to Verizon pushed back. Link
  • Louis Vuitton unveiled collaboration with Supreme at Men’s Fall Show. Link
  • Apple sues Qualcomm. Link
  • Retail malaise puts pressure on chains to shut more stores. Link
  • Nike and Ford caught in crossfire of Trump’s free trade overhaul. Link

Marketing/Social

  • How fashion brands are using Whatsapp. Link
  • The rise of chatbots and their implication on social media. Link
  • Alibaba to sponsor Olympics and provide official ecommerce platform. Link
  • WeChat’s hot new feature will take time for marketers to figure out. Link
  • Snapchat advertisers can now target users based on offline sales data. Link
  • A+E to build Lifetime as digital women’s brand under ex-Refinery29 editor. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

  • L’oreal to invest in these five beauty tech startups. Link
  • More photos emerge of Under Armor’s smartwatch with HTC. Link
  • Rocket Internet closes $1B fund, the largest out of Europe to date. Link
  • Rebecca Minkoff announces fashion tech venture capital fund. Link
  • Packaging deals bring Internet of Things to crackers, hairspray and tomato paste. Link
  • Sears turns to AI to help sell tires. Link
  • Robot cards to descend on 10 sites U.S. names as proving grounds. Link

International

  • Amazon reportedly ends talks to acquire stake in Middle East ecommerce marketplace Souq.com. Link
  • Newegg plans to launch online marketplace in China. Link
  • Chinese are celebrating Lunar New Year by escaping China. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 1.17.2017

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Hi! Here is some industry news I’ve collected over the last week. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

  • Top 7 retailers to watch in 2017. Link
  • L’oreal to acquire three U.S. skin-care brands for $1.3B. Link
  • Cult backpack brand Herschel gets into apparel. Link
  • Gildan buys American Apparel at bankruptcy auction. Link
  • Amazon is planning to hire 100,000 full-time employees. Link
  • Cole Haan collaborates with Mountain Hardware, prAna and more for a women’s lifestyle collection. Link
  • Apple takes first step to expanding its US manufacturing footprint. Link
  • American Apparel to close L.A. headquarters and close all 110 U.S. stores. Link
  • Nordstrom names Innovation Chief to bring digital tech to full-line stores. Link
  • How Yoox and Net-a-porter is supporting fashion tech education. Link
  • Holiday season sales grew eight times faster online than in stores. Link
  • Cadillac unveils ultimate upscale car sharing program. Link
  • Pandora is laying off 7% of its US workforce. Link
  • J.C. Penney to open Nike outlets in more than 600 stores. Link
  • Apple said to be seriously pursuing Netflix-style scripted TV and movies. Link
  • Tiffany’s feels the Trump effect on 5th Link
  • Online consignment shops clean up after the holidays. Link
  • Michael Kors, Prada skimp on new handbag designs. Link

Marketing/Social

  • Soulcycle, Casper and Drybar reveal the secrets to their cult brands’ success. Link
  • Instagram accounts for 92% of brand social interactions. Link
  • Snapchat will make London its new international HQ. Link
  • DVF rebrands with new logo, monogram and brand colors and relaunches website in time for Spring. Link
  • YouTube launches “Super Chat,” a way for creators to make money from their live streams. Link
  • Adidas voted the most relevant brand of 2016. Link
  • Here’s how the new vertical video ads will look inside Instagram Stories. Link
  • Why Snapchat’s new search bar is a welcome sign for brands. Link
  • Twitter is phasing out the “buy” button, will continue to offer donations. Link
  • Vine shuts off sharing, launches Vine Camera. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

  • LetGo raises $175M to finance its used goods marketplace. Link
  • Intel launches new IoT retail platform, plans $100M retail tech investment. Link
  • Stadium Goods raises $4.6M to sell sought-after sneakers and streetwear. Link
  • Richard Branson’s next big idea: sports festivals. Link
  • Fabletics launches a free Daily Burn-like workout and other perks for members. Link
  • Baidu opens augmented reality lab, begins integrating AR into search. Link

International

  • Lululemon expands its European presences with a London flagship. Link
  • Alibaba takes big step offline with $2.6B Intime deal. Link
  • Alibaba launches ‘big data anti-counterfeiting alliance’ with Louis Vuitton, Swarovski and more. Link
  • App downloads up 15% in 2016, revenue up 40% thanks to China. Link
  • Apple is increasing the price of apps in the UK by 25% because of Brexit. Link

 

Weekly Industry Brief: 12.13.2016

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Here is your weekly industry brief over the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Cheers!

Brand/Retailer

  • Cyber Monday drives $52B in online sales. Link
  • Aerie opens concept store in New York. Link
  • LA City Attorney suing Sears, Kohl’s, Macy’s, JC Penney for alleged pricing scheme. Link
  • Starbucks’ Schultz sees sweeping retail consolidation. Link
  • Millennials making bigger investments in makeup. Link
  • Revolve launches beauty. Link
  • Ikea adapts to growing urban populations. Link
  • American Apparel to close nine stores by end of December. Link
  • Museums rethink retail. Link
  • Sports bras are making Lululemon a lot of money. Link
  • Kylie Jenner and Shopify prepare for what may be the most hyped pop-up ever. Link
  • Starbucks 5-year plan: lots of stores, food and cold drinks. Link
  • Google signs deal with Cuba’s state-run telecommunications company. Link
  • Nordstrom turns to electronic gifting service amid shift online. Link
  • There’s a Crossfit war being fought over your feet. Link
  • Net loss grows at Neiman Marcus. Link

Marketing/Social

  • Ikea renamed products after frequently Googled problems that those products solve. Link
  • How Costco appeals to millennials and Gen Z without specifically targeting them. Link
  • Snapchat adds four new features including much-requested group chat. Link
  • Weibo’s comeback lures luxury brands. Link
  • Selena Gomez inks $10M deal with Coach. Link
  • How Revolve is leveraging user-generated content for its beauty business. Link
  • Kylie Cosmetics sidelines journalists at store opening. Link
  • Instagram brings live video broadcasts to all U.S. users. Link
  • Facebook Live will spin up 360-degree streaming to match YouTube. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

  • Job cuts at Honest Co. could mean deal, IPO are tabled. Link
  • Prada uses video, virtual reality to market fragrance. Link
  • Why AR will be bigger than VR. Link
  • L’Occitane ups technology with smart beauty fitting room. Link
  • Retail chatbots show the power of artificial intelligence, just in time for the holidays. Link
  • Adidas to sell 3-D shoes to public. Link

International

  • Starbucks becomes first retail brand to use WeChat’s gift card product. Link
  • Mexico overtakes Canada as No. 2 U.S. exporter ahead of Trump. Link
  • China Consumers Association cites ‘Misleading’ Singles’ Day promotions. Link
  • China’s retail sales climb 10.8% in November. Link
  • ASOS boosts U.K. sourcing after pound’s Brexit fall. Link
  • Wal-Mart to invest $1.3B in Mexico. Link
  • Hong Kong loses Ralph Lauren flagship, braces for more closures. Link
  • Staples agrees to sell European operations to Cerberus Capital. Link
  • Marks & Spencer to shutter its 10 stores in China. Link
  • Uniqlo targets 100 more stores in China expansion. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 12.6.2016

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Here is your industry news over the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

  • Amazon captured 31% of online spending over Cyber Weekend. Link
  • Google says it will run entirely on renewable energy in 2017. Link
  • Global online sales of apparel, footwear rise 13% on Cyber Weekend. Link
  • Minkoff to offer self-checkout option at Soho store. Link
  • Burberry, Coach shares up on rumored takeover talks. Link
  • Amazon opening a store that will eliminate checkout – and lines. Link
  • Johanna Ortiz to launch capsule for Moda Operandi. Link
  • Patagonia donating its $10M in Black Friday sales to charity. Link
  • Bralettes lifting sales at American Eagle. Link
  • Birthday at Burberry? Luxury brands add personal services. Link
  • Can fast-fashion brands like Zara go sustainable? Link
  • Starbucks CEO steps down again. Link
  • Adidas just opened its largest store in the world. Link
  • British Fashion Council teams with Google on digital fashion education program. Link
  • Bohoo enters bid for NastyGal. Link
  • You can now order Oreos online. Link
  • Under Armour to become official uniform supplier to MLB. Link
  • Reformation teamed up with Haim for a very on brand New Year’s Eve collection. Link
  • Fast fashion: How a Zara coat went from design to Fifth Avenue in 25 days. Link
  • With $720 self-tying sneaker, Nike loosens ties to retailers, encourages customers to buy direct through Nike+ app. Link
  • Rent-the-runway mines user data to design sleek new flagship. Link
  • Todd Snyder opens NYC flagship. Link
  • US retailers value enthusiasm over experience for holiday hires. Link

Marketing/Social

  • While we weren’t looking, Snapchat revolutionized social networks. Link
  • Twitter buys little-known startup to gain a new head of product. Link
  • Tyson Foods launches new venture fund to back food and agriculture startups. Link
  • Microsoft’s new chatbot won’t talk politics or racism. Link
  • Domino’s rewards loyal patrons with shares, profits. Link
  • Twitter struggles to turn prominence into profit. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

  • Cult beauty brand Glossier raises $24M to expand into retail, international. Link
  • Bringing virtual reality to a population that needs it for something more than gaming. Link
  • With arrival of touch controllers, Oculus Rift finally reaches its potential. Link
  • Rag & Bone takes on virtual reality with Google. Link
  • Alexander McQueen designs a 3D-printed umbrella. Link
  • Six mobile apps to make holiday shopping easier. Link
  • Marriott launches its own tech startup accelerator. Link
  • Hearst is launching a 10-person team tasked with building voice-activated experiences. Link

International

  • EU proposes simplifying VAT rules to boost online trade. Link
  • Amazon opens showroom in Beijing to showcase US and UK imports. Link
  • com targets Asian brands, new languages. Link
  • No price like home: Big spenders reappear in China. Link
  • McDonald’s may sell China assets. Link
  • The way Indian’s buy fashion is changing. Here’s how. Link
  • Myntra bets on artificial intelligence to drive growth. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 11.29.2016

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As you recover from Cyber Monday, browse through some of the industry news over the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

  • Cyber Monday sales surge but not all websites were ready. Link
  • Workers at Topshop’s distribution depot to potentially strike on Cyber Monday. Link
  • This Black Friday, Americans broke records online and on mobile. Link
  • Target CEO says online sales help stores on Black Friday. Link
  • Bed, Bath & Beyond buys PersonalizationMall.com. Link
  • Amazon is already boasting its best Cyber Monday ever. Link
  • Apple iPhone is most coveted holiday buy this year. Link
  • Why Amazon’s shares are slipping despite record Cyber Monday sales. Link
  • AT&T unveils its TV streaming service DirecTV Now. Link
  • Amazon expands its online gift shop and adds human curation. Link
  • Bargain hunters roil retailers looking for Black Friday lift. Link
  • See Herman Miller’s first retail store in North America. Link
  • Macy’s website suffers disruptions during critical shopping day. Link
  • Urban Outfitters misses their third quarter forecasts. Link
  • Crew’s net loss n arrows to $7.9M. Link
  • Zara’s recipe for success: more data, fewer bosses. Link
  • Abercrombie & Fitch quarterly sales miss estimates, shares skid. Link
  • Cyber Monday was the biggest online sales day in history. Link
  • Gucci surpasses Burberry as most digitally savvy luxury brand. Link
  • Inside Scotch & Soda, the under-the-radar brand that’s everywhere. Link
  • Another Cyber Monday, another online sales record. Link
  • Sarah Jessica Parker is opening her first stand-alone store and it’s not in NYC. Link
  • Patagonia donated all revenues from Black Friday. Link
  • Tiffany’s sales rebound, just as Trump traffic jam hits flagship. Link
  • H&M plans Hudson Yards flagship with elevated materials. Link

Marketing/Social

  • Facebook turned to TV to boost Facebook Live. Link
  • How this quirky clothing brand is using Snapchat to sell more shorts. Link
  • To snag Snapchat’s spectacles in New York, a long, cold wait. Link
  • Spotify’s biggest out-of-home push yet. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

  • Facebook’s drone crash prompts safety investigation. Link
  • The 15 hottest NYC startups to follow right now. Link
  • The subscription box that knows more about you than you do. Link
  • Mon Purse, a customizable handbag line with over 6 billion options, launches in US. Link

International

  • Yoox Net-a-Porter group to launch in Middle East. Link
  • Apple iOS is losing to a homegrown competitor in China. Link
  • Lane Crawford sees Hong Kong sales perk up. Link
  • Ford to begin testing self-driving cars in Europe. Link
  • UK retailer, Hobbs, opens first US stand-alone store. Link
  • Black Friday still on the rise in Brazil, no Thanksgiving required. Link
  • Amazon in talks to buy Souq.com. Link
  • China’s ecommerce trends offer consumer insights. Link
  • Sephora opens 200th store in China. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 11.21.2016

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Happy official kick-off to the holiday shopping season!  Here is industry news from the last week with sources found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

  • Neiman Marcus turns to Rent-the-Runway to lure younger shoppers. Link
  • Sources say J.Crew considering carving out Madewell. Link
  • Amazon files first lawsuit against counterfeit sellers. Link
  • This Black Friday, Everlane wants to buy 8,000 helmets for Vietnamese workers. Link
  • Anthropologie’s new Anthropologie & Co. in Palo Alto includes a Terrain café with menu by Vetri. Link
  • Amazon’s marketplace concept spreads to other retailers. Link
  • Target ships online orders from 1,000 of its stores. Link
  • NastyGal’s bankruptcy: What went wrong? Link
  • Coach, Kors and Kate: The handbag wars. Link
  • Target planning hundreds of small stores. Link
  • Gap to shut more stores as demand remains sluggish. Link
  • Nordstrom takes a big writedown on Trunk Club. Link
  • More people than ever will shop online over the holidays, spending to rise by 18%. Link
  • Patagonia to donate all Black Friday proceeds to environmental groups. Link
  • Fifth Avenue security disruptions will be permanent. Link
  • Amazon just turned Black Friday into a month-long event. Link
  • Starbucks is selling a $150 smart mug that lets you control the temperature of your coffee. Link
  • Fast Retailing CEO not interested in J.Crew, other acquisitions. Link
  • Amazon aims for double-digit Christmas growth while WalMart and Target hope for flat sales. Link

Marketing/Social

  • How Alibaba turns wealthy shopaholics into marketing squad. Link
  • Facebook considering ways to combat fake news. Link
  • Snapchat parent files for $25B IPO. Link
  • Instagram enters live video fray (and takes on Snapchat). Link
  • Facebook says it found more miscalculated metrics. Link
  • Forget filling ad breaks; some marketers make the podcasts. Link
  • Spectacles finally arrive in NYC with a Central Park Snapbot store. Link
  • Acne Studios founder is not down with our celebrity fashion obsession. Link
  • Google can now tell you how busy a place is before you arrive. Link
  • NBCUniversal invested another $200M in Buzzfeed. Link
  • Pinterest debuts Explore, a feature that surfaces trending pins and native videos. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

  • You rarely livestream but 1M people livechill on Houseparty. Link
  • Alexa will soon be able to send text messages through AT&T. Link
  • McDonald’s plans tech push with heavy focus on mobile. Link
  • Virtual reality lets Chinese customers shop Macy’s famed New York store. Link
  • Google buys shopping search startup to make images more lucrative. Link
  • Sources say Apple abandons development of wireless router. Link
  • How predictive AI will change shopping. Link
  • Analysts say Playstation VR will be top-selling VR system in 2016. Link

International

  • Why Abercrombie is pulling out of Hong Kong. Link
  • What US retailers can learn from Alibaba’s record-setting Singles Day. Link
  • China’s fashionistas flock to online luxury rentals. Link
  • Jeff Bezos invests billions to be top ecommerce player in India. Link
  • Alibaba buys a third of Chinese grocery chain. Link
  • Facebook to hire 500 new staff in major UK expansion. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 11.14.2016

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Here is your industry news from the past two weeks! Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

  • 5 rules for a retail town square: What Apple and Whole Foods can teach us. Link
  • IBM buys expert personal shopper from Fluid to build out Watson’s conversation skills. Link
  • American Apparel returns to bankruptcy with deal to sell brand. Link
  • Samsung to buy Harman to $8B in cashin bold auto gambit. Link
  • Superdry owner surges as label leaves retail rivals trailing. Link
  • What President Trump means for retailers. Link
  • Kohl’s introduces its own millennial-focused answer to fast fashion. Link
  • Kenneth Cole to shut down almost all its brick-and-mortar stores. Link
  • Estee Lauder to acquire Too Faced for $1.45B. Link
  • Amazon expands Home Services to 20 more cities. Link
  • Marks & Spencer to close 60 clothing and home stores. Link
  • eCommerce is growing but customers still prefer to shop in stores. Link
  • Amazon files lawsuit to keep counterfeit goods off site. Link
  • California style is back and making bank. Link
  • Fossil is closing stores. Link
  • Net-a-porter reveals Reformation collaboration. Link
  • Crew is discontinuing its bridal collection. Link
  • Lord & Taylor looks to modernize with renovations. Link
  • Primark steps up expansion in US. Link
  • Burberry profit down 40% as costs rise. Link
  • NastyGal petitions to file for bankruptcy. Link
  • Wal-Mart boosts online holiday inventory for Black Friday. Link

Marketing/Social

  • Instagram introduces shoppable product tags. Link
  • Pinterest is adding 15 ad tech companies to beef up its data and measurement game. Link
  • Inside Lululemon’s unconventional influencer network. Link
  • YouTube is helping to sell a lot of makeup. Link
  • What happens when big data meets high fashion. Link
  • H&M trades David Beckham for Weekend in push for younger shoppers. Link
  • Vogue launches Vogue Arabia, it’s first foray into the 22 countries of the Arab League. Link
  • Snapchat’s latest update reveals it grand strategy. Link
  • Crowd-sourced products sell better when they’re marketed that way. Link
  • CoverGirl adds Muslim beauty blogger as ambassador. Link
  • Gap harnesses optimism in holiday ads. Link
  • Snapchat delivers mysterious vending bot to sell its spectacles. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

  • Beware, iPhone users: Fake retail apps are surging before holidays. Link
  • Fashion startup Farfetch said to plan IPO as soon as 2017. Link
  • Online startup Harry’s Razor jumps into Gillette’s turf. Link
  • Wayfair expands virtual reality universe with IdeaSpace. Link
  • Apple considers wearables expansion with digital glasses. Link

International

  • Alibaba doubles down on entertainment with $1.5B fund. Link
  • How Alibaba turned China’s Singles’ Day into the world’s biggest shopping bonanza. Link
  • Amazon plans to enter Southeast Asia with Singapore launch in Q1 2017. Link
  • Julep, Little Red Book partner on China launch. Link
  • Alibaba rival JD envisions its own delivery drone fleet by 2017. Link
  • Chinese shoppers’ share of global luxury purchases drops 30%. Link
  • Alabbar, Saudi PIF to set up $1B ecommerce firm. Link
  • Study: Chinese millennials spend big on shopping because they live with their parents. Link
  • American Apparel’s UK business goes into administration. Link
  • Alibaba shatters Singles’ Day records. Link