Tag: fashion

Weekly Industry Brief: 8.1.2016

Leave a comment

Wowsa. It’s already August. Here is your weekly brief of industry news I’ve collected from around the web. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Weekly Industry Brief 8.1.2016

Brand/Retailer:

  • L’oreal to acquire IT cosmetics in $1.2B deal. Link
  • Amazon delivers huge profits in second quarter blowout. Link
  • Macy’s, Nordstrom fight for identity in an off-price retail world. Link
  • Walgreens to shutdown ecommerce site Drugstore.com. Link
  • Dollar General buys Walmart Express stores, to sell fresh produce. Link
  • How Adidas wiped out a chunk of its own management to drive growth. Link
  • How Lululemon equipped Canadian Olympians for Rio. Link
  • Peek inside Apple’s first Brooklyn store. Link
  • What the changing tenant list in Times Square says about retail. Link
  • Luxottica cuts 2016 outlook as U.S. weakness hits profits. Link
  • Giant shopping mall company Westfield is turning to 10 startups to breathe new life into retail. Link
  • Under Armour founder Kevin Plank’s $5.5B plan for Baltimore. Link
  • Google follows Facebook with an amazing quarter of results. Link
  • Starbucks’ Schultz to step back, focus on high-end strategy. Link
  • Jennifer Lopez and Guiseppe Zanotti launching footwear and handbags together. Link
  • How Lovely Bride founder built a wedding chain for cool girls. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Inside the Revolve house, the buzziest brand activation of the summer. Link
  • What to expect from Abercrombie’s new and improved look. Link
  • Amy Schumer is joining Old Navy’s roster of funny girls. Link
  • Vice Media makes another fashion acquisition. Link
  • Reddit, the anti-corporate corner of the internet will soon allow brands to sponsor regular posts. Link
  • Madewell’s 24-day denim campaign includes a Goop jumpsuit. Link
  • Ralph Lauren comes back to TV after 8 years for Olympic spot. Link
  • Instagram, the $50B grand slam driving Facebook’s future. Link

Start Up:

  • Good Eggs raises $15M to expand across the US. Link
  • This New York based start-up accelerator is supporting the next generation of retail disrupters. Link

International:

  • Flipkart buys Jabong for $70M. Link
  • China’s Didi Chuxing buys Uber China. Link
  • India will finally get affordable, homegrown versions of Zara and H&M. Link
  • Longchamp plans to open six stores in India. Link
  • Burberry buys up remaining stake of retail operation in China. Link
  • Amazon takes on Alibaba with Japan portal for Chinese shoppers. Link
  • China’s shopping craze fills wallets. Link
  • Hong Kong’s swank generation of fashion bloggers turning hobbies into careers. Link
  • Alibaba and insurer AXA join to calm global customers worried about fakes. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Beauty shopping augmented with new mobile apps. Link
  • Alibaba launches Buy+, using VR to make shopping more interactive. Link
  • Facebook has really big plans for virtual reality. Link
  • Apple drops a new iOS 10 beta with a hundred new emojis. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 7.25.2016

Leave a comment

I guess everyone’s busy launching BTS and closing out their quarter because I’d say it was a relatively quiet week in the industry. Unless you are Dollar Shave Club. Or Yahoo. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer:

  • Unilever buys Dollar Shave Club. Link
  • WalMart beefs up online assortment with new sellers. Link
  • eBay is planning to totally overhaul its marketplace. Link
  • Birkenstock to stop selling on Amazon. Link
  • The reason Urban Outfitters bought a pizza chain. Link
  • LVMH sells Donna Karen for $650M. Link
  • Chanel buys four companies to secure high-end silk supplies. Link
  • Verizon announces $4.8B deal to buy Yahoo’s internet business. Link
  • How Eileen Fisher and the CFDA are propelling the next generation toward a more sustainable future. Link
  • Aeropostale and Sycamore Partners headed to trial. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Birchbox tests Snapchat for customer service. Link
  • P&G starts online subscription service for Tide pods. Link
  • How sponsored content is becoming king in the Facebook world. Link
  • Sephora launches first ever Tinder ad campaign. Link
  • Tiffany & Co. taps celebrity faces for the first time. Link
  • Modelez strikes deal with Fox to innovate ad models. Link
  • Coke content VP leaves to start his own company. Link
  • Warby Parker offering snapchat-exclusive sunglasses. Link
  • TopShop launches fall campaign with Taylor Hill. Link

Start Up:

  • Rocket Internet-backed Global Fashion Group raises $364M. Link
  • India Hicks on start-up lessons learned, growing her ecommerce business. Link

International:

  • Alibaba recruits apparel sellers in South Korea. Link
  • Russian retail sales fall amid tigher economic times. Link
  • With Live-Streaming, US brands bring July 4th to China. Link
  • Amazon set to increase bet on Italy’s digital turnaround plan. Link
  • With growing worries of deflation, concern that Australia is becoming desensitized to sales. Link
  • India clears path for Apple to open its first retail store. Link
  • China’s lingerie market has doubled since 2011. Link
  • Google faces new round of antitrust charges in Europe. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Amazon sees street lights as drone docking stations. Link
  • Virtual reality waits for the music industry to catch up. Link
  • Macy’s is testing artificial intelligence with IBM. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 7.18.2016

Leave a comment

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: 7.11.2016

Leave a comment

FYI, there are actually some other things going on besides Pokemon GO…

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

Brand/Retailer:

  • How software is reshaping fashion’s back end. Link
  • Target’s future will be decided by kids. Link
  • Urban Outfitters debuts minimalist line that’s extremely un-fast fashion. Link
  • Wal-Mart expands mobile payment app to all US stores. Link
  • The Limited looks to technology to drive retail sales. Link
  • Reed Krakoff to design accessories for Tiffany’s. Link
  • How Yoox and Net-a-porter group plans to outpace the online luxury market through 2020. Link
  • Why Barnes & Noble is getting into beauty. Link
  • Amazon reportedly picks NYC for first East Coast store. Link
  • Ralph Lauren’s turnaround plan has parallels of Ford Motor’s road map. Link
  • Adidas expands its copyright infringement suit against Skechers. Link
  • How China and Amazon are changing the future of retail. Link
  • Levi’s supported by direct-to-consumer and international in second quarter. Link
  • Walmart takes on Amazon Prime with week-long free shipping deal. Link
  • Gap’s June sales top estimates, boosted by Old Navy. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • When did shipping boxes get pretty? In the age of unboxing, the box matters. Link
  • Line raises $1.1B in IPO. Link
  • Snapchat’s new ‘Memories’ feature lets you save snaps indefinitely. Link
  • Nike just does it – keeping an eye on the customer. Link
  • Pinterest takes a shot at camera search technology. Link
  • Why advertisers are forking over big bucks for custom Snapchat lenses. Link
  • In less than a week, Pokemon Go has over 6 million mentions on Twitter. Link
  • Baidu, Alibaba face profit hit from new rules on search ads. Link

Start Up:

  • Meet MikMak, the mobile shopping network that sells via video. Link
  • Nordstrom buys stake in software firm. Link
  • Musicians are now curating care packages for fans with help from this startup. Link
  • eBay acquires SalesPredict in attempt to be more like Amazon. Link

International:

  • H&M to launch first two stores in Mumbai in August. Link
  • BoConcept enters India. Link
  • Pantaloons parent acquires Forever 21 in India, shifts to fast fashion. Link
  • Ireland’s thriving retail landlords face threat from Brexit. Link
  • Apple in no rush to open retail stores in India despite government relaxing sourcing norms. Link
  • China targets online advertising practices with new regulations. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Amazon turns its Alexa virtual assistant into a Prime Day personal shopper. Link
  • JCPenny redesigns app for ease-of-use, adds same-day pickup. Link
  • Pokemon Go may prove that AR is more mainstream than VR. Link
  • 5 emerging apps making travel easier and cheaper. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.27.2016

1 Comment

Check out industry news I’ve found around the web from the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.  Happy reading.

Weekly Industry Brief 6.27.2016

Brand/Retailer:

  • Valentino’s parent company confirms purchase of Balmain. Link
  • How Uniqlo plans to establish a digital identity. Link
  • How Patagonia keeps its brand authentic in the midst of an activewear boom. Link
  • Macy’s CEO of 13 years to resign in 2017. Link
  • Big Box retailers have two options if they want to survive. Link
  • Warby Parker and Shinola fight to be the millennials choice in authentic retail. Link
  • How fashion companies are starting to design like tech companies. Link
  • Fast fashion castoffs fuel global recycling network. Link
  • Ulta finding success in brick-and-mortar. Link
  • Circuit City inches closer to retail relaunch. Link
  • Sports Direct, Modell’s discuss joint bid for Sports Authority. Link
  • Apple buys back e-book buyers following settlement. Link
  • Why are affluent millennials shopping in dollar stores? Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Snapchat: how brands reach millennials. Link
  • Vine can now support videos that are 10 minutes long. Link
  • Facebook, Google reportedly moving to automatic blocking extremist videos. Link
  • You can now ‘try on’ and buy 900 lipsticks on Facebook. Link
  • Amazon partners with fashion bloggers on anti-body shaming campaign. Link
  • Google said to face investigation into ad services by EU. Link
  • Iris Apfel is the best thing to happen to Macy’s. Link
  • Apple just improved the most important social network in your life. Link
  • Facebook signs deal with media companies, celebrities for Facebook Live. Link
  • Facebook is now recommending events based on human opinions not algorithms. Link

Start Up:

  • Away expands luggage options. Link
  • Narvar raises $22M to help internet retailers deliver physical goods without frustrating customers. Link

International:

  • Ikea plans upgrades, expansion in Russia. Link
  • Luxury brands step up shift to digital in China. Link
  • JD.com, stepping out of Alibaba’s shadow? Link
  • Paris vows to fight Amazon Prime Now service. Link
  • Starbucks, Tata extend partnership beyond India. Link
  • U.K. business secretary seeks to reassure firms amid ‘Brexit.’ Link
  • Elon Musk is squaring off against China for the future of Tesla. Link
  • Chinese tourists to spend over $45B in APAC region for 2016. Link
  • Entry of conglomerates shaking up online retail in India. Link
  • Study says China’s millennials get ‘aggressive’ with consumer spending. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Snap, swipe, like: the mobile future of fashion retail. Link
  • Google is reportedly building a phone for this year. Link
  • Augmenting reality in retail: how Lowe’s, Walgreens make virtual change in the aisle. Link
  • Google Fiber swallowed another internet provider. Link
  • Google ops up virtual reality field trips, debuts new apps and service for teachers. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.20.2016

Leave a comment

I’ve recapped industry news found around the web from the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers:

  • Inside the Macy’s store of the future. Link
  • Bed, Bath & Beyond buys One Kings Lane. Link
  • Amazon cuts shipping fees for small items in threat to Alibaba’s U.S. business. Link
  • Staples joins the same day delivery fray with Staples Rush. Link
  • Why Neiman Marcus struggles and will not go public. Link
  • Nordstrom makes big ecommerce decision to postpone opening a West Coast fulfillment center. Link
  • Amazon’s 3rd physical bookstore to open in Oregon. Link
  • H&M throws down with new sports line. Link
  • Revlon is buying Elizabeth Arden. Link
  • Ikea’s quest to think like a software company. Link
  • Macy’s reaches tentative deal with workers to avert strike. Link
  • Inditex profit beats estimates outpacing main fashion rival. Link
  • In the graveyard of American malls, Bandier is re-imagining the brick-and-mortar store. Link
  • Ted Baker pushes on with overseas expansion as online sales surge. Link
  • Tesla plans to sell its electric cars in Nordstrom. Link
  • Gucci expands customization to unisex jackets, shoes, men’s clothing. Link

Marketing and Social Media:

  • How ‘the new Gucci’ does video with help from Conde Nast. Link
  • Five trends that are radically reshaping shopper marketing. Link
  • Why big brands are suddenly getting cozy with Reddit. Link
  • Facebook’s new ads will track which stores you visit. Link
  • Wayfair debuts new ads and augmented reality. Link
  • Pinterest adds site, app retargeting options. Link
  • Inside Facebook’s plan to boost ad revenue by turning users into buyers. Link
  • Carolina Herrera debuts resort collection on Snapchat. Link
  • Adidas to pay 50M euros a year for Germany sponsorship. Link
  • Dollar Shave Club puts real customer service reps in ads. Link
  • How Chubbies uses social media to build its brand. Link
  • Retailers subdued in support of gay pride following Orlando massacre. Link

Start Ups:

  • Birchbox retrenches amid rapid rise in competition, cash squeeze. Link
  • Twittery buys Magic Pony, a London startup that could make it easier to live stream. Link
  • How this legging brand made it big by selling solely through Facebook. Link

International:

  • eCommerce in India to see nearly 10M sellers online by 2020. Link
  • European luxury brands could seize on Brexit turmoil. Link
  • Europe’s biometric visas are suddenly hurting its luxury goods industry. Link
  • Ikea celebrates four decades in Canada with expansion plans. Link
  • Uniqlo takes slow and smart approach to Canadian expansion. Link
  • Wal-Mart in talks to sell Chinese ecommerce business to JD.com. Link
  • Jack Ma promises huge sales boom from Alibaba, projecting over $900B by 2020. Link
  • Messy Brexit could lead to big hit for UK economy. Link
  • Apple can finally set up shop in India, thanks to the government. Link

Mobile and Emerging Tech:

  • Taco Bell tests messaging app orders via TacoBot. Link
  • UberRUSH opens its API to online merchants. Link
  • How stores will use augmented reality to make you buy more stuff. Link
  • How Taco Bell, Starbucks and other food chains are using mobile to boost order values. Link
  • A deep look inside Apple Pay’s matchmaker economics. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.13.2016

Leave a comment

I’ve recapped industry news found around the web from the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

If you’re wondering why I do this every week, the simplest answer is that it helps me be better at my job.  It keeps me on top of trends so I can make better decisions, identify opportunities and be competitive.  Plus, I’m pretty passionate about the whole thing.  And there is never enough to satisfy me. So I always seek more.

Hopefully it helps you too.

Brand and Retailers

  • Amazon launching a music streaming service. Link
  • Etsy’s new ultra-sustainable headquarters is filled with local, handmade furniture. Link
  • Urban Outfitters warns of falling retail sales in current quarter. Link
  • Skechers’ has quietly been making billions. Link
  • Coach unveils Disney collection. Link
  • Amazon opens tech office in downtown Minneapolis. Link
  • Fashion brands invest in express payment options. Link
  • H&M opens first store in Puerto Rico. Link

Marketing and Social Media

  • Snapchat launches a colossal expansion of its advertising, ushering a new era for the app. Link
  • Microsoft to buy Linkedin for $26.2B. Link
  • Pinterest partners with Oracle to test tracking offline sales. Link
  • Vogue introduces $200 members-only subscription. Link
  • Cultivating brand loyalty in even the toughest customer. Link
  • Apple bets on messaging emojis, Siri to keep customers loyal. Link
  • iHeartMedia and WeWork will target entrepreneurs with branded podcasts. Link
  • Sephora makes Snapchat shoppable. Link

Start Ups

  • These companies dream of becoming the Lululemon of the pajama industry. Link
  • China’s Tencent, Lenovo buy into US augmented reality startup. Link
  • How Stitch Fix uses data to pick clothes for you. Link

International

  • Amazon plans to invest $3B in India. Link
  • Skechers CEO talks international expansion. Link
  • Amazon to debut same-day grocery delivery service in London. Link
  • Rakuten to exit the UK, Austria and Span as global retrenchment continues. Link
  • H&M may reduce size of stores in India. Link
  • Ikea to finally test online shopping in Australia. Link
  • Jones New York to close entire Canadian business. Link
  • Kazakhstan could be a bright spot for retailers. Link
  • Line backs a beauty and fashion portal rolled out in Iran. Link
  • The rise of China’s shopping villages. Link

Mobile and Emerging Tech

  • Google, Baidu and the race for an edge in the global speech recognition market. Link
  • Why the maker movement matters. Link
  • Will gestures make smartwatches useful? Link
  • Next generation health. Link
  • JD.com launches drone delivery in rural China. Link
  • Everything Apple announced at WWDC in one handy list. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 5.23.2016

Leave a comment

Happy Monday!  Check out the week’s industry news.  Sources can be find in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand and Retailers

  • Sports Authority bankruptcy auction won by trio of liquidators. Link
  • Anthropologie’s new stores are absolutely gigantic. Link
  • Starbucks copies fast food chains with new deal. Link
  • L Group taps former Spanx CEO to lead Victoria’s Secret. Link
  • Amazon adds free restaurant delivery in Manhattan. Link
  • Nike and Olivier Rousteing collaborate on football collection. Link
  • Abercrombie appoints new brand presidents. Link
  • Uniqlo, Theory team up on shirts. Link
  • Apple shows off new retail look in San Francisco. Link
  • Gap mulls selling on Amazon. Link
  • American Eagle wins market share while others fail. Link
  • How Urban Outfitters was a Q1 sleeper success story. Link
  • TJX companies map aggressive store expansion plan. Link
  • Barnes and Noble brings beauty to colleges. Link

Marketing and Social Media

  • This mobile app pays you for your selfies while giving custom data to brands. Link
  • H&M and Bloglovin’ are offering a mentorship with Man Repeller’s Leandra Medine. Link
  • Women are loving Aerie’s ban on retouching. Link
  • How Coca Cola adapted its Olympics campaign for China. Link
  • How custom Snapchat filers have grown into a huge market. Link
  • The top spending retailers on Snapchat. Link

Start Ups

  • This start-up is helping businesses get their products made in the USA. Link

International

  • Old Navy exits Japan as it copes with sales decline. Link
  • Meet Modanisa, the Net-a-porter of Muslim fashion. Link
  • Australia’s Cotton On wants to conquer the US. Link
  • India’s Jabong sheds brands with low margins to focus on premium, lifestyle products. Link
  • Mobile payments heat up in China. Link
  • Amazon, Flipkart or Snapdeal: who will win India’s ecommerce wars? Link
  • Canada is a growth market for WalMart. Link

Mobile and Emerging Tech

  • Google and Levi’s team up on a connected jacket. Link
  • Uber confirms its testing self-driving cars in Pittsburgh. Link
  • Google rolls out messaging apps, Google Assistant and Google Home at I/O. Link
  • Affirm is partnering with Expedia and Eventbrite so you can pay for experiences over time. Link

 

Weekly Industry Brief 5.16.2016

Leave a comment

Thought: One day maybe I should change the title to Weekly Amazon Brief…

Below is your weekly industry brief of headlines I’ve compiled from around the web. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

  • Retail sales rise most in a year, marking US consumer comeback. Link
  • WalMart steps up attack on Amazon with two-day delivery service. Link
  • How online shopping is cannibalizing mall stores. Link
  • Gap plummets after comeback plan fails to revive sales growth. Link
  • Online marketplaces boost customer loyalty and increased AOV. Link
  • Amazon expands its handmade goods marketplace to compete with Etsy. Link
  • FedEx and eBay team up to make it easier to sell used goods online. Link
  • Plus sized fashion and the potential to increase sales. Link
  • Amazon to launch a meal kit service this fall. Link
  • Target’s Marimekko was no Lilly Pulitzer but still shows signs of success. Link
  • Ugg’s new store format reflects bigger brand. Link

Marketing/Social Media

  • Amazon takes on YouTube with launch of Amazon video direct. Link
  • Everlane opens pop-up shop in Soho to showcase shoe collection. Link
  • Here’s how generation Z girls prefer to shop and socialize online. Link
  • StyleHaul creators bet big on Milennial moms. Link
  • Why WalMart launched its own digital newsroom. Link
  • Under Armour made history with Steph Curry, now what? Link
  • PepsiCo bets big on in-house content creation. Link
  • Lowe’s uses interactive Snapchat stories to make DIY home projects a tap away. Link
  • Facebook now lets brands use video ads in Audience Network to raise awareness. Link

Start Ups

  • Bloomup raises $4M for its beauty marketplace. Link
  • Jack Threads introduces try outs hoping to reengage customers. Link
  • Jet.com enters grocery delivery foray. Link
  • Waze pilots carpooling service in Bay Area. Link

International

  • China’s VIPShop’s active customers close to 20M at the end of 2015. Link
  • Is Alibaba the real winner of this multi-million online celebrity ad auction? Link
  • Anti-counterfeiting group in China suspends Alibaba’s membership. Link
  • Mall landlords go for novelty in China. Link
  • Flipkart building mapping platform to help mark customer addresses more accurately. Link
  • Abercrombie to expand brand in Middle East. Link
  • Apple invests $1BB in Chinese ride-hailing app. Link
  • China cosmetics maker branches out into baby gear as two-child policy takes effect. Link
  • Tesco to sell British favorites through El Corte Ingles. Link
  • UK Economy set for slow growth. Link

Emerging Tech/Mobile

  • WeChat payment reached over 300K retail stores. Link
  • WayFair devotes a tech team to virtual reality. Link
  • Google working on Amazon Echo rival, Chirp. Link
  • Touchscreen mirror can hail a cab while you get ready. Link
  • McDonald’s uses virtual reality to give customers a behind-the-scenes look at food production. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 5.9.2016

Leave a comment

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