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Weekly Industry Brief: 7.18.2016

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

Brand/Retailer:

  • Burberry’s Christopher Baily replaced as CEO by Marco Gobbetti. Link
  • Musicians explore new markets with fashion. Link
  • Amazon’s Prime Day orders up 60% over the previous year. Link
  • Is Birchbox on the rocks because the boxes just sucked? Link
  • Millennials only want to spend money on one thing and it’s killing Macy’s. Link
  • Alexa Chung to launch her own fashion brand. Link
  • How Gentle Monster road the KPop wave to $160M. Link
  • Swatch first half profit slumps as much as 60%. Link
  • Free People expands into beauty and wellness. Link
  • Inside BraHaus, Nike and Bandier’s customized pop-up shop. Link
  • Hermes takes minority stake in Pierre Hardy. Link
  • Mall owners push out department stores in favor of specialty shops and restaurants. Link
  • These were the top-selling non-Amazon items on Prime Day from around the world. Link
  • The one retail sector that need not fear Amazon. Link
  • Urban Outfitters profits from Trump backlash with tshirts. Link
  • Aeropostale seeks to auction assets in bankruptcy wind-down. Link
  • Former Toys ‘R’ Us site in Times Square Is being re-imagined. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Google launches smarter, more visual ads timed for holiday shopping. Link
  • Instagram’s Eva Chen: It’s not a numbers game. Link
  • Twitter has inked another live-streaming deal, this time with Bloomberg. Link
  • Ralph Lauren scaling back on advertising spend. Link
  • Buzzfeed releases a chatbot for the RNC. Link
  • Facebook adds refined targeting for app download ads. Link
  • With back-to-school approaching, Gap seeks new grip on shoppers. Link

Start Up:

  • Sizing technology company True Fit raises $25M. Link
  • This startup lets you buy Snapchat geo-filters from a collection of artists. Link
  • PointerPointer points to your pointer. Link
  • That one was a test to see if you read this? (But it also made me chuckle)

International:

  • Nike uses high-energy video to sell sport in India. Link
  • China’s ecommerce addiction has real market potential. Link
  • British department store John Lewis to tie up with Myer in Australia. Link
  • Burberry puts new UK facility on hold amid Brexit fallout. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Ikea Canada uses RFID to engage customers. Link
  • Amazon is developing a 3D modeling system to solve online clothes shopping’s biggest problem. Link
  • Chatbots edge out apps as teens prefer messaging. Link
  • Alibaba will let consumers shop the world’s stores via virtual reality. Link
  • Virtual reality is coming for weddings. Link
  • Five ways shoppers are using mobile to influence purchase decisions, according to Google. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 5.9.2016

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I’m back! I’ve been traveling (China and Hong Kong! So, lots of headlines about China…) and super busy but I’m so glad to be back and catching up on industry news. I’ve been gone for a bit so here is a recap of news over the last few weeks.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

  • Net-a-porter and Tiffany’s ecommerce exclusive. Link
  • Gilt Groupe’s founder launches new shopping app. Link
  • Why the future of ecommerce depends on better roads. Link
  • What Nordstrom’s festival tour means for retail. Link
  • Amazon challenges Netflix by opening Prime to monthly subscribers. Link
  • Amazon updates wedding registry, adds new features. Link
  • Target’s Marimekko collection opens to muted response. Link
  • Nordstrom’s new bottom-line focus results in job cuts. Link
  • Amazon shuttering Myhabit.com. Link
  • Amazon teams up with luxury merchants to sell $7,000 ball gowns. Link
  • Gap to open design studio in Brooklyn industrial complex. Link
  • Amazon reports better than expected profits in first quarter. Link
  • Amazon pledges same-day delivery to all urban areas. Link
  • Coach announces that its cutting 300 jobs. Link
  • Gap bets on basics for growth. Link
  • Aeropostale seeks bankruptcy protection, closing all Canadian stores. Link
  • Walmart is looking for new retail tech from startups. Link
  • Macy’s woos millennials with ramped-up wedding business. Link
  • The greening of Adidas. Link
  • ASOS and Wayra launch fashion tech accelerator. Link

Marketing/Social Media

  • How Snapchat killed the homepage. Link
  • Starbucks launches controversial rewards program. Link
  • Promoted tweets with hashtags have higher CPAs, lower CTRs. Link
  • Amazon has begun labeling some of its products as Prime-exclusive. Link
  • Why Land’s End is introducing an Amazon Prime-like subscription. Link
  • A commitment to unretouched images landed model Iskra Lawrence the career of her dreams. Link

Start Ups

  • Zalora, Rocket Internet’s unprofitable Asian fashion portal is selling off business units. Link
  • Amazon eyed up Everland, Le Tote and more for acquisition in a wider fashion push. Link
  • Pepsi launches emoji pop up store at Story. Link
  • This new tool wants to make the off-price clothing business easier. Link
  • Farfetch raises $110M towards global omni-channel domination. Link

International

  • China’s cult of the ordinary commands big influence. Link
  • Alibaba to buy controlling stake in Lazada for about $1B. Link
  • Abercrombie & Fitch expands Middle East presence. Link
  • Chinese economic growth last quarter will be slowest in years. Link
  • Foreign products get more expensive for Chinese shoppers. Link
  • China regulator to launch campaign to clean up ecommerce online ads. Link
  • Levi’s applies to add retail operations in India. Link
  • Flipkart eyes on becoming India’s largest furniture retailer by year end. Link
  • Myntra launches Mizuno in India. Link
  • Apple asks India to waive local sourcing requirement. Link
  • Alibaba sales surge as Chinese consumers defy economic gloom. Link
  • Gucci departs IACC following Alibaba membership. Link

Emerging Tech/Mobile

  • Shoppers flock to apps shaking up retail. Link
  • Shopping app Spring launches one of the first bots on Facebook Messenger. Link
  • Inside the making of Taco Bell’s artificially intelligent, drunk-tolerant TacoBot. Link
  • Dunkin’ Donuts to launch delivery in Boston via app. Link
  • TopShop looking for the next big thing in wearable tech. Link
  • Bots, Messenger and the future of customer service. Link
  • Toms drives home the impact of its donations through VR. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 4.11.2016

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I’m back! Sorry for the pause last week.  Here are the last two weeks of industry news from around the web. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headlines.

Brand/Retailer

  • H&M steps up ecommerce, unveils new sustainability line. Link
  • How West Elm became an unlikely incubator of independent design. Link
  • Victoria’s Secret unveils restructuring. Link
  • Lululemon is banking on menswear for long term growth. Link
  • Kit & Ace builds buzz with hotel pop-ups. Link
  • Amazon plans big push to expand Prime Now fast delivery. Link
  • Valentino offers $569M to buy Balmain. Link
  • Local delivery service Postmates launches Amazon Prime-like subscription. Link
  • Whole Foods set opening date for new ‘365’ store chain. Link
  • Uniqlo: again facing Japan’s deflating economy. Link
  • Luxury market growth will hit a low point in 2016 forecasts Bain. Link
  • Gap shares decline. Link
  • Etsy had a rough year as a public company, but it has a plan. Link
  • Clothes are now the top selling category online in the US. Link
  • Prada CEO under pressure as profit falls to five-year low. Link
  • Lululemon expands its line of exclusive, peculiar shops. Link

Marketing/Social Media

  • Instagram updates overlay for action-driving ads. Link
  • Will Restoration Hardware customers warm to loyalty program? Link
  • Instagram rolls out 60-second videos. Link
  • Facebook’s live video effort entices media companies. Link
  • WeChat advertising lessons from L’oreal Paris. Link
  • Saint Laurent deletes Instagram history to welcome new creative director. Link
  • Hypebeast files for IPO. Link
  • Victoria’s Secret turns its back on the catalog. Link
  • New Facebook rules allow publishers and celebrities to share sponsored content. Link
  • StyleHaul’s digital land grab. Link

Start Ups

  • Somewhere between granny panties and thongs, new underwear brands find fans online. Link
  • SoulCylce founders resign. Link
  • Fashion data firm, Claire, to accelerate at Rebecca Minkoff. Link

International

  • ASOS closes China business. Link
  • Banana Republic to enter India. Link
  • India sets rules for foreign ecommerce ownership. Link
  • Myntra in talks to take over Forever 21’s retail chain in India. Link
  • Amazon plans two-hour delivery in Berlin. Link
  • Amazon may violate India’s new rules on foreign ecommerce. Link
  • FedEx rebrands Bongo International as FedEx crossborder. Link

Emerging Tech/Mobile

  • Ikea tests virtual reality with new kitchen experience app. Link
  • Here’s how Nike became a platform business. Link
  • Domino’s cooks up its latest tech move: zero click ordering. Link
  • New Balance only made 44 pairs of these $400 3D-printed sneakers. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 3.14.2016

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Here is your Monday recap of industry news over the last week from around the web.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline. (P.S. I love feedback. Shoot me a message in the comments or on Twitter if you’ve got any!)

Brand/Retailer

  • Target looking to hire 20 people for mysterious start-up called Goldfish. Link
  • Amazon finds air freight partner. Link
  • Amazon debuts its first live show that lets you shop while you watch. Link
  • High-fashion brands split on faster retail cycle. Link
  • Dozens of Jos. A. Brank stores closing due to poor sales. Link
  • Patagonia to help fund residential solar installations. Link
  • Top 25 innovative consumer and retail brands of 2015. Link
  • Nordstrom cutting 120 tech jobs to save profits. Link
  • Why Brooks Brothers is investing in veteran tailors. Link
  • Burberry becomes focus of takeover talks. Link
  • Zara uses supply chain to win again. Link
  • The North Face doubles down on locally sources manufacturing. Link
  • Roberto Cavalli launches website. Link
  • Modcloth enters bridal foray. Link

Marketing/Social Media

  • Snapchat has a secret team possibly building a pair of smart glasses. Link
  • British Vogue tests breaking fashion news alerts on WhatsApp. Link
  • Buzzfeed launches new ad format to further monetize its big social reach. Link
  • Facebook acquires video filter app Msqrd to square up to Snapchat. Link
  • L’oreal creates unbranded content hub to woo beauty fans. Link
  • The relationship between Instagram and music is a powerful one. Link
  • Retail analysts cautiously optimistic about Abercrombie & Fitch. Link
  • Under new CMO, Lowe’s debuts marketing rebrand. Link
  • Platform bets big on branded social loyalty. Link

Start Ups

  • Personal shopping services seek scale. Link
  • Whole Foods and Instacart to offer home grocery delivery to more US households. Link
  • Does this new online marketplace really use a stock trading model? Link
  • Marla Malcom Beck sold Bluemercury to Macy’s for $210M and now she’s betting on vegan cosmetics. Link
  • Made-to-measure menswear maker Indochino raises $30M as it eyes the wedding market. Link

International

  • Apple refiles application for retail stores in India. Link
  • Culture gap impedes business efforts for US trade with Cuba. Link
  • Victoria’s Secret, Nike cashe in on rising girl power in China. Link
  • EU regulators to release findings on barriers to cross-border ecommerce. Link
  • Alibaba’s logistics arm gets funding to boost delivery speed. Link

Emerging Tech/Mobile

  • Amazon Echo users can now ask Alexa to pay their credit card. Link
  • True Religion to arm associates with Apple Watches in clientelling move. Link
  • Robots may someday engage male shoppers who shy away from in-store interactions. Link
  • Ferragamo puts microchips in shoes to bid to fight fraudsters. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 2.22.2016

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Here is your weekly recap of news I found around the web about fashion, retail and ecommerce. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

  • Amazon raises its free shipping minimum for non-Prime members to $49. Link
  • BirchBox co-founder joins First Round Capital as first female partner. Link
  • VF Corp falls after fourth quarter results trail estimates. Link
  • Neiman Marcus opens new store on Long Island as luxury sales slow. Link
  • Coach is now a full-fledged American fashion house. Link
  • Wal-Mart, reporting slower ecommerce growth makes plans to expand number of products available online. Link
  • Nordstrom tumbles after holiday sales miss analyst estimates. Link
  • Wal-Mart still outshined by Amazon despite spending billions. Link
  • Google is expanding its same-day delivery on groceries. Link
  • Proenza Schouler skillfully mixed commerce on the runway for Fall 2016. Link
  • Prada dealt new blow as finance chief quits luxury maker. Link
  • Kit and Ace lays off 10% of staff. Link
  • Ex-Lululemon CEO advising Adidas on how to target women. Link
  • Ralph Lauren to bring management of distribution site in house. Link
  • Amazon’s private label push: a new fast-fashion giant? Link

Marketing/Social Media

  • Shopping is coming to Snapchat. Link
  • Time Inc. buys two car-focused YouTube channels. Link
  • Gatorade’s Super Bowl Snapchat filter got 160 million impressions. Link
  • Alexa Chung debuts collection for Marks & Spencer. Link
  • Why Starbucks is overhauling its loyalty program. Link
  • Facebook plans to put ads in Messenger. Link
  • Snapchat now lets everyone pay to design geofilters. Link
  • Facebook’s huge plan to shake up dull world of telecoms. Link
  • How Kanye and Adidas ‘Yeezy-hacked’ the business model of celebrity endorsements. Link
  • Google doing away with ads along the right rail. Link

Start Ups

  • VCs invested more in space startups last year than in the previous 15 years combined. Link
  • New online fashion retailers are capitalizing on consumers’ desires to purchase clothing that lasts. Link

International

  • Amazon to open parcel locker network in Europe. Link
  • Apple Pay to be launched in China. Link
  • Amazon top open new fulfillment center in UK. Link
  • Twitter has more users than Facebook in Japan. Link
  • eCommerce stakes are high in the Mideast after the largest ever A round for Wadi.com. Link
  • Luxury retailer Saks entering Canada amid cooling economy. Link

Emerging Tech/Mobile

  • PayPal matches Stripe with its own native toolkit for apps. Link
  • This luxury watch is getting MasterCard payment functionality. Link
  • Why retailres are missing mobile with millennials. Link
  • Here’s where Google Fiber is headed next. Link

 

Weekly Industry Brief 2.1.2016

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Sorry I missed the update last week– was busy, busy!  Check out some industry highlights from the last two weeks. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand / Retailer:

  • Sephora created an accelerator program for female-led beauty startups. Link
  • Tiffany’s cuts jobs as sales lose sparkle. Link
  • Ikea wants you to stop throwing away your furniture. Link
  • Birchbox cuts 15% of staff and puts Canada plans on pause. Link
  • Macy’s opens ‘the Etsy Shop’ in an effort to attract millennial shoppers. Link
  • H&M will again open more than one store per day this year. Link
  • Coach is slowly restoring its upscale aura. Link
  • Amazon Payments’ transaction volume surged in 2015. Link
  • Amazon hints at new shipping business. Link
  • Under Armour moves to control own future by opening 200 new stores in 2016. Link
  • Gap taps Abercrombie and Fitch alum as new CMO. Link
  • Amazon’s clothing selection is now bigger than 250 WalMart super centers combined. Link

Social Media / Marketing:

  • Spotify ready to introduce video product. Link
  • Fashion and beauty brands are investing more than ever in influencer marketing. Link
  • Google Glass disappears from social media accounts. Link
  • Google’s ad revenue rises in 2015 despite continued decline in prices. Link
  • Why cross-device programmatic advertising is ready to take off in 2016. Link
  • Facebook launches a sports hub just in time for Super Bowl. Link
  • Instagram is showing you a lot more ads than it used to. Link
  • Teenagers reveal what they think is cool – and what isn’t – in 2016. Link
  • Twitter and GoPro team up for Periscope live-video streaming. Link
  • Weibo, beating Twitter to the punch and lengthens its 140 character limit. Link

Start Ups:

  • Uber prepares meal-delivery service for 10 U.S. cities. Link
  • These 7 startups are poised to join the unicorn club in 2016. Link
  • Uber Rush spells the end of retailer las mile delivery innovations. Link
  • Sesame launches a venture arm to invest in startups that help kids. Link

International:

  • Apple makes a play to open retail stores in India. Link
  • Uber expands cooperation with Alibaba’s Alipay. Link
  • Alibaba teams with Nvidia in $1B bet on cloud computing. Link
  • com tests drones for rural China delivery. Link
  • Google brings wifi to Mumbai’s railway station. Link
  • Why Italian luxury companies are still betting on China. Link
  • Bloomingdale’s continues Middle East expansion with Kuwaiti location. Link
  • Amazon to create 2,500 jobs in the UK this year. Link
  • Facebook criticized in India over free limited internet. Link
  • Alibaba revenue growth seen slowest on record to intensify fight with JD.com. Link

Mobile / Wearable / Emerging Tech:

  • Samsung is opening a VR film studio in New York City. Link
  • WhatsApp joins the billion users club. Link
  • Facebook to shut Parse, tool for mobile apps. Link
  • Google to make smartphones that recognizes faces. Link
  • Facebook and Twitter: users consume mobile content faster. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 1.18.2016

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

Brand / Retailer:

  • Big retailers search for their spot in shopping’s future. Link
  • Music meets fashion as Stella McCartney shows pre-fall line. Link
  • GoPro lays off 7% of staff, warns of poor sales. Link
  • Under Armour tumbles after analysts say it has a woman problem. Link
  • American Eagle managed to beat the odds this holiday season. Link
  • The Zappos exodus continues after radical management experiment. Link
  • Amazon to open pick-up spot on University of Pennsylvania campus in Philadelphia. Link
  • Amazon is expanding into the world of ocean freight shipping. Link
  • Why Under Armour is paying big ten money to sponsor Yale University sports. Link
  • Best Buy lowers sales outlook after holiday sales drop. Link
  • WalMart to close hundreds of stores. Link
  • US holiday sales rose 3%, missing projections. Link

Social Media / Marketing:

  • How Snapchat plans to compete with Facebook for advertising dollars. Link
  • Marketing in the moments, to reach customers online. Link
  • Coach invests in new campaign to help revive ailing brand. Link
  • Foursquare CEO steps down as app seeks to boost growth. Link
  • Twitter brings Periscope live video into the newsfeed. Link
  • WhatsApp is ditching its $1 annual subscription fee. Link
  • Marketers, welcome to the world of emotional analytics. Link
  • Marriott’s adventure in online content marketing continues with premier of latest film. Link
  • How Michelle Phan is changing the marketing playbook for makeup. Link

Start Ups:

  • Meet the houseware startups making high design more affordable. Link 
  • Ex-Googler’s new venture is turning weed into a hip, lifestyle brand. Link
  • Venture capital is terrible at online shopping. Link
  • Jawbone raises $165M at half its last valuation. Link

International:

  • Apple inks deal for Champs-Elysees deal for flagship store. Link
  • Burberry is growing in mainland China again. Link
  • Black Friday fuels surprise surge in Brazilian retail sales. Link
  • NetFlix global expansion attracts some unexpected customers. Link
  • China’s Baidu says in talks to invest in Indian ecommerce startups. Link
  • Slump in Hong Kong, Macau hit Burberry’s Christmas sales. Link

Mobile / Wearable / Emerging Tech:

  • Apple’s recent acquisitions point to an AR future. Link
  • Why other location-based technologies could steal beacons’ thunder in 2016. Link
  • Top IoT and wearable technology trends for 2016. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 1.3.2016

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Hi! Happy New Year! I haven’t published in awhile because I started a new job in a new city. I’m still figuring out my routine but hope to keep publishing on a regular schedule.  Capturing news about the retail/technology industries keeps me in the loop about my own industry and hopefully some of you find it helpful as well. If you do have any feedback or suggestions for me, leave it in the comments!

Cheers,

Carolann

Below is a recap of industry news from December 2015. All sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer:

  • Cyber Monday Sales Top $3 Billion as Discounts Spur Buyers. Link
  • Ikea CEO Sees Online Accounting for 10% of Revenue by 2020. Link
  • Amazon is capturing bigger slice of US online holiday spending. Link
  • Yoox Net-a-Porter appoints executives from Instagram, La Rinascente to board. Link
  • H&M blames warm weather across US and Europe for sales miss. Link
  • How Primark is pushing into a cutthroat retail landscape. Link
  • How Boohoo.com releases up to 300 new products a day. Link
  • Apple doubles down on luxury image. Link
  • Alibaba hires ex-Apple investigator for global anti-piracy fight. Link
  • Holiday sales who online shift. Link
  • Hudson’s Bay is said to consider buying Gilt. Link
  • This big retailer could kill your subscription startup. Link
  • Holiday shipping delays claim retailer Jet.com. Link
  • Retailers face challenges as click and collect gains popularity. Link
  • Abercrombie & Fitch President steps down, Hollister president promoted to dual role. Link
  • More businesses are varying prices by the day, the hour, even the minute. Link
  • Retailers that dominated in 2015. Link
  • Why men are going to brick-and-mortar stores in the digital age. Link

Social/Marketing:

  • Pinterest Acquires Two Image Indexing Startups In Mobile Shopping Push. Link
  • Burberry campaign gets raw, goes 3D with DreamWorks. Link
  • Facebook plans to shape up social software for work in 2016. Link
  • Menswear site Four Pins shutting down. Link
  • Carine Roitfeld’s second collaboration with Uniqlo will hit stores in February. Link
  • A Nasty Gal and Courtney Love collaboration is happening. Link
  • Facebook tests interest-specific newsfeeds on mobile. Link
  • Snapchat is making its own original content for Discover again. Link

Startups:

  • Custom Suit Startup Indochino Wants More Physical Stores. Link
  • Four Nest Alums are opening a retail store to sell trendy tech gadgets. Link
  • A Tinder-like shopping app looks to keep shopping simple. Link
  • Lyft doubles funding with new $1B round. Link
  • Ayr to branch off from Bonobos to form as its own standalone company. Link

International:

  • Net-a-porter China’s GM talks mobile sales and Yoox merger. Link
  • Rakuten to set up shop on JD.com. Link
  • Europe’s privacy revolution sends shivers through Silicon Valley. Link
  • China 2015 retail sales to rise almost 11%, slower than 2014. Link
  • Currency fluctuations drive Chinese consumers to Japan. Link
  • Alibaba warned by US to combat sales of counterfeit products. Link
  • Abercrombie and Fitch opens first store in Dubai. Link
  • Starbucks launches ecommerce site on Alibaba’s TMall. Link
  • Walmart considers closing 5% of its Brazil stores. Link
  • Woolworths follows Macy’s, Costco with plans for TMall shopfront. Link
  • Apple Pay seeks growth in Asia, Europe after slow US adoption. Link
  • Amazon UK to expand grocery range in 2016. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Walmart Prepares to Enter Mobile Payments Business. Link
  • Target thinks it has enough customer trust to get into the mobile wallet game. Link
  • You can now hail an Uber via Facebook Messenger. Link
  • Who’s winning the 3D printed shoe race? Link
  • Mobile shopping up but US lags other parts of the globe. Link
  • How retailers are using mobile messaging to change the way we shop. Link

 

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 11.23.2015

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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:

  • Amazon bets on same-day delivery this year to target the procrastinator. Link
  • Best Buy reports softer sales, cautions ahead of holiday quarter. Link
  • WalMart is about to turn Cyber Monday into Cyber Sunday. Link
  • DHL’s new U.S. head talks holiday ecommerce, global trade and China. Link

Brand/Retailer:

  • Sephora’s new retail stores will take cues from YouTube. Link
  • ASOS launches wedding line. Link
  • Retailers scale up online sales distribution networks. Link
  • Consumers increasingly seeking services over things, giving new challenge for department stores. Link
  • Ikea tests click-and-collect in smaller stores. Link
  • Macy’s is launching a Korean beauty shop-in-shop. Link
  • Goop will open a holiday pop-up shop in New York City. Link
  • Polo Ralph Lauren debuts interactive fitting rooms at Fifth Avenue flagship. Link
  • Abercrombie shares rise after third-quarter sales top estimates. Link
  • Here’s why Gap just cut its 2015 profit forecast. Link
  • Martha Stewart ditches eBay for Amazon. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • The potential of geolocation for revolutionizing retail. Link
  • Polyvore on why they sold to Yahoo. Link
  • On Snapchat, brands trust influencers, but verify with only screenshots. Link
  • Conde Nast to shutter Details. Link
  • Facebook launches Fundraiser product to allow nonprofits to set up campaign pages. Link
  • Snapchat’s lackluster ad business threatens $16B valuation. Link
  • Jimmy Fallon unveils brilliant collaboration with J.Cew. Link

Startups:

  • LivingSocial offers a cautionary tale to today’s startups. Link
  • Caeden, a wearable tech start-up, introduces a smart bracelet. Link

International:

  • Apple Pay now available in Canada. Link
  • Louis Vuitton to close shops in China amid luxury slowdown. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Samsung Gear VR sold out online at Amazon and Best Buy. Link
  • Google lets users tap mobile apps without downloading them. Link
  • Google brings app into browsers, blurring mobile-desktop lines. Link
  • Dunkin Donuts tests mobile ordering in bid to catch up with Starbucks. Link
  • Can artificial intelligence sell shoes? Link
  • Facebook at Work gets its own version of Messenger with debut of Work Chat. Link
  • Brands look far and wide for a niche in virtual reality. Link

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