Tag: google

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.18.2018

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Happy Monday! Here is a recap of industry news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Stay cool!

Brands and Retailers

  • Is co-working the next hot retail concept?  Retail Dive
  • These brands are benefiting from fumbles at Victoria’s Secret.  CNBC
  • To compete with Amazon, big-name consumer brands have to become more like it.  Havard Business Review
  • CoverGirl is opening its first store.  Elle
  • Rent the Runway extends logistics tools to luxury fashion brands.  Fast Company
  • Google enters deal with Carrefour to sell food online.  Bloomberg
  • Zara goes high-tech in race with Amazon.  Bloomberg
  • Home Depot sets $1.2B supply-chain overhaul.  The Wall Street Journal
  • AT&T completes its acquisition of Time Warner.  TechCrunch
  • Amazon is facing questions from U.S. senators about Echo privacy.  AdAge
  • Adobe could be the next $10B software company.  TechCrunch
  • Amazon’s clever machines are moving from the warehouse to headquarters.  Bloomberg
  • JetBlue founder launching another low-cost airline.  Fast Company

Marketing + Social Media

  • Voice assistants are the new marketing battleground.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Cannabis has officially arrived in the realm of luxury wellness.  Quartz
  • Inside Coach’s latest bid for brand love.  Retail Dive
  • Inside Nike’s mission to change the future of our planet.  Dazed
  • Snap introduces ads for its stoppable AR games.  VentureBeat
  • How Depop is catering to Gen Z and millennials to get an edge over competitors.  Glossy
  • Get ready to activate marketing campaigns with mobile wallets.  Forbes
  • Facebook is building a $750M data center in Huntsville, Alabama.  Fortune
  • Instagram’s new shopping bag icon adds commerce element to advertisers’ Stories.  MarketingLand
  • In study, Conde Nast seeks to understand which factors influence purchase on the path to purchase.  Glossy
  • Oprah partners with Apple on subscription video service.  Fast Company
  • Snapchat builds app services for Tinder and more.  AdAge
  • Unilever says it won’t work with influencers who buy followers.  CNBC

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • L’oreal is bringing the makeup counter experience into your home with live-streaming and AR.  AdWeek
  • Macy’s and B8ta partner on new retail concept.  Retail Dive
  • Why are grocery retailers teaming up with tech giants?  Reuters
  • Microsoft is developing its own cashier less store technology.  TechCrunch
  • Marketing startup Influential raises $12M from WME and others.  TechCrunch
  • Zelle forecast to overtake Venmo this year.  TechCrunch
  • WeWork in talks with SoftBank to double valuation to as much as $40B.  The Wall Street Journal
  • LOLA raises $24M for a subscription service that ships tampons, pads and now condoms.  TechCrunch
  • Square jumps on receiving license to let New York customers buy and sell bitcoin.  Bloomberg
  • These high-tech clothes make you money by selling your data.  Wired

International

  • Chinese shoppers look to live videos to discover American beauty brands.  Glossy
  • How ecommerce with drove delivery is taking flight in China.  The Economist
  • Google invests in JD.com.  Seeking Alpha

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.11.2018

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Happy Monday! Here is a recap of industry news from the last week. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Lord & Taylor is closing 10 stores including its Fifth Avenue flagship.  Fortune
  • Gucci aims to rival Louis Vuitton with $12B target.  Fortune
  • The world’s largest apparel companies 2018.  Forbes
  • Amazon introduces the Fire TV cube.  Quartz
  • Ikea no longer just a furniture company.  Fast Company
  • Why 2018 is the year of modernization for Target.  Retail Dive
  • Five surprising findings about how people buy shoes and clothes.  Harvard Business Review
  • Kayla Itsines’ Sweat app will rake in $77M this year.  TechCrunch
  • Amazon taps into the indie beauty craze with new online store.  Glossy
  • Target, Sycamore tried to acquire Toys ‘R’ Us assets.  Bloomberg
  • Rue La La is buying GIlt.  Bloomberg
  • How FitBit is trying to transform healthcare and itself.  Fast Company
  • Yahoo Messenger to shut down.  Fortune
  • How pop-up shops are evolving as commerce brands expand their footprints.  AdWeek
  • Starbucks increases price of coffee.  AdAge
  • J.C. Penny to open 650 Fanatics shops in stores.  Women’s Wear Daily

Marketing and Social Media

  • Facebook allows video with copyrighted music, tests Lip Sync Live.  TechCrunch
  • SeatGeek brings ticket selling into Snapchat.  TechCrunch
  • Is H&M’s influencer-drive line the future of fashion?  Fast Company
  • Behind the messy, expensive split between Facebook and WhatsApp founders.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Facebook shared data with Chinese telecom Huawei, raising US government security concerns.  TechCrunch
  • Facebook monetizes Marketplace with ads from users and brands.  TechCrunch
  • Facebook takes on Twitch with launch of new game streaming.  Tech Radar
  • Snapchat ad prices go from ungodly to cheap.  AdAge
  • Instagram plans to launch a Snapchat Discover-style video hub.  TechCrunch
  • Direct-to-consumer brands sour on Facebook ads.  Digiday
  • Publishers are seeing traffic from more than just Facebook.  AdWeek
  • How Generation Z’s social media savvy entrepreneurs are giving millennials a run for their money.  CNBC
  • US podcast ad revenues hit record $314M in 2017. TechCrunch

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • The Honest Company accelerates growth strategy with investment from L Catterton.  BusinessWire
  • Casper launches a $35 nap pillow for sleeping on-the-go.  TechCrunch
  • Apple drew up a patent for a new kind of blood pressure monitor.  The Verge
  • H&M tests voice-activated mirrors at NYC flagship.  Retail Dive
  • Why Microsoft is willing to pay so much for Github.  Harvard Business Review
  • How shopping app Wish is building a retail empire.  CNet
  • Microsoft acquires a bunch of game studios.  TechCrunch

International

  • Amazon extends UK hiring spree as Brexit uncertainty lingers.  Bloomberg
  • Chinese buyers crave a new sales pitch: “experiential luxury”.  Jing Daily
  • Luxury sales are rebounding in China. Just not in stores. The New York Times
  • India’s online sales to grow 31% in 2018. LiveMint

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 4.23.2018

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Happy Monday! Here is a recap of articles I’ve been reading over the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headlines.

Brands and Retailers

  • AT&T is launching a $15 TV streaming subscription.  The Verge
  • Glossier is officially opening up shop in Los Angeles.  Fashionista
  • Former Nike designer launches Wone, a minimalist luxury activewear label to watch.  Fashionista
  • Amazon’s next conquest will be apparel.  TechCrunch
  • The retail industry is focusing on customer experience and convenience to win in ecommerce.  AdWeek
  • The dawn of micro-merch.  The New York Times
  • Best Buy to sell Amazon’s new Fire TV Edition smart TVs in stores. Retail Dive
  • Starbucks to close nationwide for facia-bias training.  The New York Times
  • WalMart to launch redesigned website in May.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Net-a-Porter founder launches venture capital investment fund.  The New York Times
  • Packaged foods boost Amazon’s grocery sales.  Bloomberg
  • Facebook is forming a team to design its own chips.  Bloomberg
  • Amazon eyes a move into home shopping TV with possible Evine buy.  TechCrunch
  • As customers turn cold, Victoria’s Secret faces a reckoning.  Glossy
  • Hasbro bets on Walmart, Target and Alibaba as sales implode in wake of Toys R Us closure.  Fortune

Marketing and Social Media

  • Google beats expectations again with $31.15B in revenue.  TechCrunch
  • Snapchat introduces three new capabilities of its augmented reality lenses with ‘Shoppable AR.’  AdWeek
  • Amazon now has 100M paid Prime subscriptions.  AdAge
  • How three brands brought tech to life at Coachella.  AdWeek
  • P&G ends its year-long YouTube ban.  AdAge
  • Facebook to show pre-roll video ads in more places.  AdAge
  • Revolve’s co-founder on why Coachella and influencers are central to the firm’s $1B revenue.  Forbes
  • Social media use is increasing despite privacy fears.  The Next Web
  • How Teen Vogue is reinventing traditional magazine covers in a digital-only landscape.  Glossy
  • Twitter’s rise from the ashes.  Seeking Alpha
  • How Juicy Couture and sister brands are automating their in-house influencer campaigns.  Glossy

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Meet 9 startups investors have lit up to take the cannabis industry higher.  TechCrunch
  • Amazon is reportedly working on its first home robot.  The Verge
  • How Apple will use AR to reinvent the human-computer interface.  Fast Company 
  • The beginner’s guide to how blockchain could change the ethical fashion game.  Fashionista
  • McKinsey’s latest AI research predicts it could create trillions worth of value someday.  Recode
  • You can now buy drinks, snacks and even hangover cures in the back of your Uber.  CNBC

International

  • Online retailers go offline in China.  The Economist
  • The journey to an agile organization at Zalando.  McKinsey
  • Alibaba’s TMall woos luxury brands to sell to its invite-only loyalty club for big spenders.  Glossy
  • Mantra acquires wearables maker Witworks.  LiveMint
  • Casper plans brick-and-mortar push into Canada. Retail Dive
  • WalMart in advanced talks to acquire Amazon’s India rival, Flipkart.  Recode

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 4.10.2018

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Happy TUESDAY! Start your day with some industry news. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Spotify’s Wall Street debut is a success.  The New York Times
  • Why the QVC model still works for beauty brands.  Glossy
  • ASOS has ambitions for big expansion.  The Guardian
  • Designer brands are joining the direct-to-consumer fray.  Glossy
  • Nine West may be heading for bankruptcy.  Fast Company
  • Cult men’s brief brand Tommy John just launched a line of women’s undies.  Fast Company
  • Warehouses are now worth more than offices, thanks to Amazon.  Bloomberg
  • Resale is expected to be bigger than fast fashion within 10 years.  Fashionista
  • How InStyle is cashing in on beauty ecommerce.  Glossy
  • Some Amazon Key features including keyless entry, go nationwide.  CNet
  • Amazon now sells more than 70 of its own private-label brands.  Recode
  • Anthropologie CEO leaving this month.  WWD
  • Nine West files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.  USA Today
  • Nordstrom opening a New York store as other retailers close theirs.  New York Times 
  • Amazon spent nearly $23B on R&D last year – more than any other U.S. company.  Recode
  • Paypal rolling out banking products.  TechCrunch

Marketing and Social Media

  • Google and Target issue first voice-activated coupon.  AdWeek
  • Bricks and clicks: How Instagram is changing physical retail.  Forbes
  • Amazon could lead in search ad business by 2020.  Mediapost
  • How Tumi is using AI in marketing campaigns, online and in stores.  Glossy
  • Polyvore acquired by global fashion platform SSENSE.  Fashionista
  • Snapchat cashes Houseparty group video chat app.  Adage
  • Adobe releases State of Digital Advertising 2018 research. Forbes
  • More targeted ads are coming to your TV.  AdWeek
  • Facebook really wants people to use Stories.  AdWeek

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Tradesy acquired a closet service to compete with The RealReal.  Glossy
  • Virtual reality, now with the sense of touch.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Walmart in takeover talks with pharmacy startup.  Bloomberg
  • Postdates launching pickup feature.  TechCrunch
  • 2.1B consumers will use mobile payments by 2019.  RetailDive
  • How Mobike’s founder turned a crazy idea into a $3B startup.  Bloomberg
  • Instacart raises another $150M.  TechCrunch
  • Alibaba is becoming a major investor in facial recognition technology.  Quartz

International

  • ShopShops aims at Chinese consumers via live streaming.  The Wall Street Journal
  • In China, the sharing economy stretches to fashion for millennials.  SCMP
  • These seven international retailers want to make a splash in the US.  CNBC
  • Tencent shows off their vision for the future of unmanned retail.  Jing Daily
  • Southeast Asia fashion startup Zilingo continues meteoric rise with $54M Series C  TechCrunch
  • Hong Kong money to help online fashion disrupter Moda Operandi break into the Asian market.  SCMP
  • Taco Bell plans explosive Australian growth as sales jump.  AdAge

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 3.26.2018

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Hi friends! Here is a recap of industry news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Amazon has considered buying some Toys ‘R’ Us stores.  Bloomberg
  • WalMart’s ecommerce CEO explains why its many acquisitions will help it reach millennials.  AdWeek
  • WalMart to start selling cars at 250 stores.  AdAge
  • Everlane launches underwear basics.  Fast Company
  • Billionaire CEO wants to launch GoFundMe to buy Toys R Us.  The Washington Post
  • Best Buy to stop selling Huawei.  CNet
  • Ulta, Gap, Target and more: these retailers are still opening stores in 2018.  CNBC
  • Sephora is capitalizing on limited edition by commissioning exclusive products from brands.  Glossy
  • Nordstrom to partner with sneaker marketplace Stadium Goods at its stand-alone men’s store.  CNBC
  • Gap Inc. pledges to conserve 10B liters of water by 2020.  Fashionista
  • Chanel Beauty is expanding distribution in an effort to talk directly to customers.  Glossy
  • How retailers are defending their reason for existing in the Amazon age.  Glossy
  • New Look to close 60 stores.  Telegraph
  • Amazon just passed Alphabet to become the world’s second most valuable company.  CNBC
  • FedEx to add 500 new locations in Walmart stores in two years.  Business Insider
  • Everlane’s five tactics for winning at physical retail.  Business of Fashion

Marketing and Social Media

  • Facebook and Google face emboldened antagonists: big advertisers.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Rivals chip away at Google’s and Facebook’s US digital ad dominance.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Instagram tweaks its feed to show newer posts first again.  Fortune
  • Home Depot expands partnership with Pinterest.  Retail Dive
  • Sonos is yanking its Facebook ads in response to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.  Fast Company
  • As Instagram Shopping goes global, brands look to optimize mobile commerce strategies.  Glossy
  • Elon Musk just deleted the Facebook pages for Tesla and SpaceX.  Fast Company
  • Facebook debuted 3 new ad products for retailers at ShopTalk.  AdWeek
  • YouTube just become the top grossing iPhone app of the first time.  TechCrunch
  • Glossier’s customer obsession is about stirring up conversation.  RetailDive
  • Hulu has started to address advertisers’ inventory frustration.  Digiday
  • YouTube to increase ad inventory.  The Verge
  • Snapchat launches Map Explore feature to highlight breaking news.  The Verge

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Amazon has patented a drone that reacts to people shouting and waving at it.  USA Today
  • Salesforce is buying MuleSoft at enterprise value of $6.5B.  TechCrunch
  • This sneaker startup’s explosive growth comes from creative partnerships.  Fast Company
  • Dropbox pops in IPO.  CNN Money
  • Google may acquire light-field tech company Lytro for VR/AR.  CNet
  • Cheddar raises $22M for international expansion.  The Wall Street Journal
  • WalMart’s future could include drone assistants and smart cars.  Engadget
  • Tech’s next big wave: big data meets biology.  Fortune

International

  • India’s commerce market is exploding. Quartz
  • Uber exiting Southeast Asia.  TechCrunch
  • How to chase the next half-billion internet addicts in China.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Alibaba is doubling down on Southeast Asia as its rivals are moving in.  Quartz

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 3.19.2018

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Here is your weekly scan of industry news to keep you relevant in your meetings.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Cheers!

Brands and Retailers

  • How Adidas is using apps to fuel its commerce ambitions.  Digiday
  • A Manhattan landlord connects with online retail upstarts.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Warby Parker raises $75M.  New York Times
  • Toy makers stare at $11B hole with death of Toys R Us. The Wall Street Journal
  • Linkedin’s $27B challenge: get people to use it more.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Tinder owner Match is suing Bumble over patents.  TechCrunch
  • Retail’s middle ground is a dangerous place.  Bloomberg
  • Blue Apron will start selling its meal kits in stores.  TechCrunch
  • L’oreal enters next phase of digital evolution strategy with acquisition of ModiFace.  Glossy
  • Why data is the most important currency used in commerce today.  Forbes
  • Glossier CEO: Brands of the future will be co-created.  CNN Money
  • Nike president to leave as company reviews improper conduct.  AdAge
  • Chanel’s beauty line is coming to Ulta.  Racked
  • Claire’s files for bankruptcy.  New York Times 

Marketing and Social Media

  • Uncovering Instagram bots with a new kind of detective work. New York Times
  • Google makes new push to turn retailers’ product searches into cash.  CNBC
  • Pinterest expands shopping ads for retailers.  AdAge
  • Rivals chip away at Google’s and Facebook’s U.S. digital ad dominance.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Twitter is working on a camera-first feature that could threaten Snap.  CNBC
  • Amazon preps new attribution tools and courts ad buyers.  Digiday
  • Macy’s launches TV and Instagram in push for women.  AdWeek
  • Adidas designed the silhouette of its latest show with Instagram in mind.  Quartz
  • How a beauty brand raised an army of 30,000 political activists.  Fast Company
  • Rihanna tells fans to throw Snapchat away; shares fall.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Leaked Amazon figures show TV drives millions of Prime signups.  Engadget
  • How Fitbit is trying to reboot its smartwatch effort to appeal to more women.  Fortune
  • The Urban Outfitters guide to winning social media.  Glossy

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Zara to lure millennials with augmented reality displays.  Reuters
  • Outdoor Voices raises $34M in latest funding round.  CNBC
  • Say hello to Cora, the new flying taxi from a secretive startup funded by Google’s Larry Page.  Fortune
  • The Skimm raises $12M for its newsletter.  TechCrunch
  • LL Bean cancels Internet of Things project.  The Wall Street Journal
  • VW just gave Tesla a $25B battery shock.  Bloomberg
  • Made.com raises $56M.  TechCrunch

International

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 3.5.2018

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Happy Monday! Here is a recap of industry news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Amazon wants to make it easier to shop its website without a credit card.  CNBC
  • Best Buy overcomes Amazon threat with best Christmas since 2003.  Bloomberg
  • StitchFix looks to diversify product set with push into intimate apparel.  Glossy
  • How Levi Strauss reinvented the way it makes jeans.  Fortune
  • Gap jumps as Old Navy strength fuels optimism for rebound.  Bloomberg
  • Adidas sales rose 15 to 20 percent in 2017.  Business of Fashion
  • L Brands beats forecasts.  Business of Fashion
  • AllBirds is selling a limited-edition shoe exclusively on Instagram.  Glossy
  • Kohl’s sees growth in sales.  Business of Fashion
  • Amazon will soon stop selling all Nest products.  The Verge
  • WalMart’s apparel push is just beginning.  Retail Dive
  • eBay launches “Under $10” storefront to join Amazon in battle with Wish.  TechCrunch
  • Solving for the last mile is retail’s next big disruption.  Retail Dive
  • Target to spend $250M to remodel Twin Cities stores.  Star Tribune

Marketing and Social Media

  • Publishers get a boost from Twitter video.  Digiday
  • Twitter tests integration with outside ad buying platforms.  AdAge
  • Snapchat takes a flexible approach to how advertising is sold in its shows.  Digiday
  • Buzzfeed launches Tasty-branded kitchenware to be sold at WalMart.  Fast Company
  • The 18-through-24 age group continues to be drawn to Snapchat and Instagram.  AdWeek
  • Instagram code reveals unreleased voice and video calling.  TechCrunch
  • YouTube ‘stories’ feature lets creators swap out backgrounds without a green screen.  9to5Google
  • P&G sees better attitude among digital players but still cuts spend.  AdAge
  • NRA boycott shows why brand values are a vital marketing strategy.  Fast Company
  • These seven traditional retailers are cashing in on the subscription box craze. CNBC
  • Why Lacoste replaced its signature alligator for its new polo shirts.  Entrepreneur
  • The Glossier machine kicks into action to sell its new product.  Racked
  • Google Search now available in iMessage.  TechCrunch
  • Google is selling off Zagat.  TechCrunch

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Amazon acquires Ring, maker of video doorbells.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Spotify’s IPO is not like other IPOs.  CNN
  • DoorDash raises $535M, now valued at $1.4B.  TechCrunch
  • ClassPass introduces more flexible booking.  Fast Company
  • Uber is driving patients to their doctors in big grab for medical transit market.  The Verge
  • Voice shopping sales could reach $40B by 2022.  USA Today

International

  • Zalando to enter two new markets in Europe.  Reuters
  • China is turning Ethiopia into a giant fast-fashion factory.  Bloomberg
  • Livestreams and trunk shows could be China’s next big wave in luxury.  Jing Daily
  • Amazon has French grocery stores in its sights, too.  Quartz
  • Xiaomi might finally sell its smartphones stateside this year.  Fast Company

Weekly Industry Brief: 1.8.2018

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Happy New Year! Very excited to be kicking off a new year.  Regardless of your opinion on resolutions, I think it’s a good time to reflect, reset, and restart.  In the meantime, catch up on some industry news from the last few weeks.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Outfoxed by small-batch upstarts, Unilever decides to imitate them. The Wall Street Journal
  • This bustling mall has a hole to fill – just not with stores. Bloomberg
  • Amazon puzzles over the perfect fit for boxes. The Wall Street Journal
  • WalMart is testing personal shopping and cashier-free stores. Fortune
  • The state of the world consumer in 2018. The Robin Report
  • Nike remains challenged in the US. Business of Fashion
  • Nike to partner with StichFix and expand with Amazon. Retail Dive
  • Here is what retailers have to prove in 2018. Fortune
  • In 2018, Amazon will turn to private-label goods. Digiday
  • Fast-fashion chain Primark is slow off the mark in US. The Wall Street Journal
  • The Echo Dot was the best-selling product on all of Amazon this holiday season. TechCrunch
  • Apple led holiday device activations, but Samsung gained ground. VentureBeat
  • Alphabet chairman Eric Schmidt steps aside. Mashable
  • Amazon grabbed 4% of all US retail sales in 2017. CNBC
  • Quicksilver is merging with Billabong. CNN

Marketing and Social Media

  • Turning physical stores into living advertorials. Business of Fashion
  • Amazon shipped over 5 billion items with Prime in 2017. TechCrunch
  • Instagram will add recommended posts to your feed. TechCrunch
  • Snapchat considers making users sit through three seconds of ads. AdAge
  • From vegan diet to flat Earth, Kyrie Irving’s insane new Nike ad packs in a lot. AdWeek
  • Sears and Kmart stopped buying national TV ads in holiday season. The Wall Street Journal
  • Four ways social media influences millennials’ purchasing decisions. Forbes
  • Walmart is investing in shopper data: how that will change the grocery aisle. Forbes
  • Amazon has big plans for Alexa ads in 2018. CNBC

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Amazon’s smart mirror patent teases the future of fashion. CNN
  • The future of secure authentication is your voice. Fortune
  • Subscription businesses are booming; here’s how to value them. Harvard Business Review
  • Digitally native brands are investing in, and changing, the store. Glossy
  • Spotify makes confidential filling for U.S. IPO. Reuters
  • Why beauty brands keep investing in chatbots, despite growing pains. Glossy
  • Mark Zuckerberg says Facebook is looking into how it can use cryptocurrency. Business Insider

International

  • Amazon to unveil private label smartphone in India. Economic Times
  • Saint Laurent launches on JD.com luxury platform, Toplife. Business of Fashion
  • Prada unveils mobile-first ecommerce shop in China. Women’s Wear Daily
  • Regional Hong Kong malls attract Goldman Sachs, Puma. Business of Fashion
  • Who influences the influencers? The Chinese tastemakers you don’t know.  Jing Daily
  • JD.com planning hundreds of unmanned stores. Retail Dive
  • TopShop opens first China store. JingDaily
  • Dubai billionaire’s tech startup takes on Amazon. Wall Street Journal
  • Google plans to open brick-and-mortar stores in India to shore up sales of Pixel smartphones. India Times
  • Online holiday shopping’s big hangover. The New York Times
  • Customer service sucks in Latin America. Amazon may change that.  Bloomberg

Weekly Industry Brief: 11.6.2017

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

Brands and Retailers

  • Old Navy launches kids’ ‘Super Boxes’ subscription service. WWD
  • Amazon discounts other sellers’ products as retail competition stiffens. CNBC
  • Ann Taylor launches subscription rental program. Glossy
  • Burberry’s Christopher Bailey to leave before 2019. Bloomberg
  • Century 21 launches boutique minded shop-in-shop. The New York Times
  • Target store staff can now create online orders for customers when local merchandise is unavailable. TechCrunch
  • Ralph Lauren’s retreat from discounting helps bolster profit. Bloomberg
  • Starbucks sells Tazo tea brand to Unilever. The Wall Street Journal
  • Amazon to end fresh grocery delivery service in some areas. Reuters
  • Glossier, Stitch Fix among the most disruptive companies. Retail Dive
  • Macy’s opens ‘digital playground’ at Herald Square. Retail Dive
  • Clique Media Group becomes bona fide fashion brand. Fast Company
  • Uniqlo founder thinks US needs fewer malls and more of his stores. The Wall Street Journal
  • Sears, Kmart to close more stores in 2018. USA Today

Marketing and Social Media

  • Kylie cosmetics will host pop-up shops at Topshops this holiday season. Fashionista
  • Inside the influencer prom that was the Revolve Awards. Fashionista
  • Conde Nast to shutter print edition of Teen Vogue. Fashionista
  • Ben & Jerry’s created a Facebook AR filter. AdWeek
  • Instagram is expanding shoppable photos to thousands of merchants. The Verge
  • The best rewards programs give you more than points. Racked
  • REI thinks you have better things to do than shop on Black Friday. Washington Post
  • Dolce & Gabbana is now in the pasta business. Bloomberg
  • Instagram Stories and WhatsApp Status hit 300M users, nearly 2X Snapchat. TechCrunch
  • Target offers free shipping on holiday orders. Business of Fashion

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Microsoft thinks they can make holograms the future of retail. Wired
  • Square launches a point-of-sale payment system aimed at larger businesses. AdWeek
  • Amazon adds AR shopping feature to its iOS app. TechCrunch
  • Quip raises $10M for electric toothbrushes. TechCrunch
  • Here’s how much consumers will use voice technology in the near future. AdWeek
  • Snap acquires Metamarkets to step up its ad tech play. TechCrunch
  • Blue Apron shares trade down after disappointing earnings. TechCrunch

International

  • Alibaba profit rises on targeted use of consumer data. The Wall Street Journal
  • Google has a new plan for China – and it’s not about search. Bloomberg
  • Ikea to hire hundreds of local women for first India store. Economic Times
  • How Alibaba makes Singles’ Day appealing to luxury brands. Glossy
  • Canada’s Indigo Books plans first US store. The Star
  • Estee Lauder gains after Chinese expansions helps lift forecast. Bloomberg
  • Apple’s revenues are growing again in China. TechCrunch

Weekly Industry Brief: 9.11.2017

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Here is your recap of industry headlines from the past week.  As always, sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Starbucks to shut down online store this Fall. Pymnts
  • Gap closing hundreds of stores in shift toward Old Navy, Athleta. Bloomberg
  • Why Amazon is targeting Europe first for its first trend-driven label. Glossy
  • Nike’s iron grip on the sneaker market is slipping. Quartz
  • WalMart and Target: Which strategy will win? Retail Dive
  • Amazon opens shop inside some Khol’s stores. Retail Dive
  • Amazon’s apparel ambitions create tough choices for brands. Retail Dive
  • Nordstrom tries on a new look: stores without merchandise. The Wall Street Journal
  • Gilt finally pivots away from flash sales. Racked
  • Amazon’s new challenge: Making two headquarters seem like one. The Wall Street Journal
  • Target slashes prices on thousands of items. Reuters
  • Equifax stock tumbles 14% after credit score hack. TechCrunch
  • Another top designer leaves J.Crew. Fortune
  • Rihanna’s new Fenty beauty line at Sephora expands her business empire. Fortune
  • Amazon’s Whole Foods price cut brings 25% jump in shoppers. AdAge
  • ASOS launches own-brand beauty line. The Independent
  • With a $1,000 price tag, Apple’s iPhone crosses a threshold. The New York Times

Marketing and Social Media

  • Coty tries Story’s boutique for hire to showcase ideas. AdAge
  • Target kicks off aggressive marketing of new brands. AdAge
  • Ad firms enlist OpenSlate to make sure ads run with ‘safe’ YouTube videos. The Wall Street Journal
  • Reebok asserts itself as a fashion force at New York Fashion Week. Fast Company
  • Facebook under scrutiny for inflated ad reach in US. CNN
  • The influence of ‘corpsumers’ who care as much about a brand’s values as its products.  AdWeek
  • Retailers add artificial intelligence to their marketing mix.  AdWeek

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Home Depot taps up Google Home for voice ordering. Fortune
  • How Rebecca Minkoff uses technology to drive triple-digit sales growth. CNBC
  • Venmo is offering users a physical debit card. TechCrunch
  • Get ready for a new, much more powerful Apple TV. TechCrunch
  • Inside Google’s quest to reinvent chat with machine learning. Fast Company
  • How automation is creating a new breed of retail jobs. The Wall Street Journal
  • Apple aims to make augmented reality mainstream. The Wall Street Journal

International

  • Rebecca Minkoff invests in mobile payment tools like Alipay to attract global customers online. Glossy
  • New Zealand unit of TopShop placed in receivership. Business of Fashion
  • H&M to open 4 stores in India in September. Live Mint
  • Alibaba to open its first brick-and-mortar mall in China. MarketWatch
  • Blocked in China, Facebook is said to seek a Shanghai office. New York Times