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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: 11.9.2015

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

Brand/Retailer:

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

Marketing/Social:

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

Startups:

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

International:

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

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

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

Weekly Industry Brief: 10.26.2015

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

Brand/Retailer:

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

Marketing/Social:

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

Startups:

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

International:

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

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

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

Weekly Industry Brief: 9.28.2015

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

Brand/Retailer:

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

Marketing/Social:

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

Startups:

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

International:

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

Mobile:

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

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 9.8.2015

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Happy Tuesday! Industry news from the last week is below.  Sources in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Have a great week!

Brand/Retailer:

  • Modcloth to open first store, hire fashion director. Link
  • Uber to unveil big ecommerce delivery program with retailers in the fall. Link
  • Nike wants to win winter with a $185 hoodie. Link
  • ASOS Chief and founder to step down after 15 years. Link  
  • Net-a-porter founder Natlie Massenet resigns. Link
  • Fila teams up with Urban Outfitters for exclusive line. Link
  • Etsy’s pulling the plug on Grand St. at the end of September. Link
  • TrueCar helps Sam’s Club get into the car business. Link
  • Amazon Dash button will now be effectively free. Link
  • BagSnob celebrates 10 years with multi-brand ecommerce launch. Link
  • High street retailers are launching own-brand beauty lines. Link
  • Amazon, Google, Netflix team up for royalty-free video. Link
  • Google wants to deliver your groceries. Link
  • Staples, Office Depot certify compliance with FTC information re Link
  • Uniqlo to open brand showroom as first Chicago store. Link
  • Online back to school shopping increases 12%. Link
  • Why fashionable millennials are flocking to online retailers like Everlane for wardrobe basics. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Facebook makes it easier to optimize ad campaigns based on conversions. Link
  • Estimote creates an indoor location system using beacons and “nearables.” Link
  • Facebook advances Bazaar marketplace ambitions. Link
  • See the first brands to test Facebooks iAd-like mobile format. Link
  • Reebok heads back to the gym with new marketing blitz. Link
  • Emily Weiss, blogger to social brand builder. Link
  • From TheFacebook.com to one billion users in a single day. Link
  • Facebook’s Josh Miller named White House ‘Director of Product.’ Link
  • Buzzfeed is laying groundwork for major expansion in Los Angeles. Link
  • Why growth hacking is the next big thing in marketing. Link

Startups:

  • Paris-based online consignment retailer, Vestiaire Collective, raises $37M to advance US growth. Link
  • Amazon buys streaming video startup Elemental. Link
  • What’s driving VC firms to take bigger risks. Link
  • Why AOL bought Millennial Media for $238M. Link
  • NewsCred nabs $42M to help marketers act as publishers. Link

International:

  • Alibaba, JD.com target rural China for ecommerce growth. Link
  • Myer partnership to bring Topshop into 20 stores across Australia. Link
  • UK retailers post worst sales decline since financial crisis. Link
  • Retailers prod China for lower prices after devaluation. Link
  • Uber closes in on $1.2B funding for China. Link
  • Twitter unlocks promoted tweets in 167 more countries. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Amazon Prime expands video downloads to iOS and Android platforms. Link
  • Thanks to Apple Pay, contactless payments will grow by 100% in 2015. Link
  • Forget clothing labels, musicians all want to move into apps. Link
  • Macy’s Backstage focuses on mobile to compete with discount retailers. Link
  • Facebook messenger tops YouTube in app popularity. Link
  • Amazon wants to sell you a $50 tablet this Fall. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 8.24.2015

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Hi! Industry news from the last week is below.  Sources in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Have a great week!

Brand/Retailer:

  • Macy’s tests chutes, tablets in dressing rooms to repel Amazon. Link
  • TBS to launch a new tech show sponsored by Intel. Link
  • American Eagle strikes successful chord with Aerie brand. Link
  • Target’s latest ecommerce weapon is more precise delivery windows. Link
  • Conde Nast hit web traffic high and turns on the caffeine. Link
  • Comcast to invest $200M in Buzzfeed. Link
  • Uniqlo to try out four day work week. Link
  • Madewell recalls over 50K sandals. Link
  • Gap’s earnings meet estimates as new CEO works to revamp chain. Link
  • Inside Lands End’s quest for a younger, cooler customer. Link
  • Urban Outfitters beats Q2 profit forecasts. Link
  • Sephora sends sales higher at JC Penny. Link
  • H&M launches denim collection made from in-store clothing donations. Link
  • Target is doubling down on design that is both fabulous and functional. Link
  • Gap to test fast fashion model in select stores. Link
  • Gap CEO committed to elevating product before boosting marketing. Link
  • Amazon’s PR troubles show corporate culture impacts brand perception. Link
  • Not just millennials, consumers what experiences over things. Link
  • Forever 21 aims to grow up with its customers. Link
  • Apple shuffles in-store products for updated shopping experience. Link
  • WalMart sees growth ahead in global ecommerce. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Twitter opens up its mobile ad network, introduces video. Link
  • Google’s plan to win the music-streaming marketing war: partner with cool brands. Link
  • Facebook has taken over from Google as a traffic source for news. Link
  • Facebook takes on Medium and Linkedin with new Notes look. Link
  • Twitter gives promoted tweets and video ads more mobile reach. Link
  • Facebook tries allowing GIFs in ads and page posts. Link
  • Google brings Twitter to desktop search results. Link
  • Why Target had the only ad in Vogue’s September issue with a digital edge. Link
  • Snapchat Discover to add Mashable, limit sponsorship takeovers. Link

Startups:

  • Google Ventures just led a $100M investment in 3D printing startup Carbon3D. Link
  • 50 companies that may be the next startup unicorns. Link
  • Thread raises $8M to scale personal styling service. Link

International:

  • Zalando sees success by tailoring its brand to each market. Link
  • AirBnB’s China strategy is to get more people to leave China. Link
  • Uber raises $100M from Tata of India. Link
  • Luxe for sale as Cartier, Prada become bargains in Brazil. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • LinkedIn unveils app to compete with corporate directory. Link
  • Google adds Marshmallow to its Android pantry. Link
  • Swatch CEO signals plan to add smartwatch range. Link
  • Ralph Lauren is bringing its sensory ‘smartshirt’ to market for $295. Link
  • Mobile video advertising is growing three times as fast as spending on desktop video. Link
  • Samsung introduces new phones, Samsung Pay and Periscope competitor. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 8.17.2015

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I’m back! Industry news from the last week is below.  Sources in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Have a great week!

Brand/Retailer:

  • ModCloth’s new line, new CEO offer fresh start. Link
  • Yahoo buys Polyvore for more than $200M. Link
  • Apple swaps online ‘store’ for ‘buy’ buttons. Link
  • Sephora launching beauty box subscription service. Link
  • Brad Goreski will sell C.Wonder on QVC as its new creative director. Link
  • Alibaba to buy back $4B of stock after share price rout. Link
  • Inditex surge takes Zara owner’s market value past $100B. Link
  • How Olivia Kim is teaching Nordstrom to think small. Link
  • Lime Crime slapped with FDA warning for ‘unsafe’ lipstick. Link
  • NBC Universal invests $200M in Vox Media. Link
  • Ellen Degeneres’ lifestyle brand is coming to Bergdorf Goodman in September. Link
  • Google launches new company, Alphabet. Link
  • Target tiptoes into grocery delivery. Link
  • Restoration Hardware is going to sell fancy furniture for teenagers. Link
  • Zalando raises annual sales forecast after strong second quarter. Link
  • Old Navy delivers another win for Gap’s July comps. Link
  • Online sales leading toward smaller, urban warehouses. Link
  • Warby Parker signs on to Nordstrom’s pop-up concept. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Facebook joins the live-streaming crowd with a service for celebrities. Link
  • Instagram takes on growing role in the art market. Link
  • Facebook reverses plan to limit data for advertisers. Link
  • Comcast is about to launch a major video platform called Watchable to rival Facebook and Google. Link
  • Amazon tweaks ads on its site, in possible challenge to Google. Link
  • Inside Taco Bell’s Snapchat strategy. Link
  • Levi’s latest campaign seeks to make denim look cool again. Link
  • Target to have shoppable ads in Vogue’s September issue. Link

Startups:

  • Snapdeal will invest $100M in its research arm over the next three years. Link
  • Will ‘Uber for Models’ disrupt the industry? Link
  • Why Time Inc invested in visual search engine Snap Fashion. Link
  • Jessica Alba’s startup, Honest, valued at $1.7B. Link

International:

  • Alibaba lands Macy’s as first U.S. department store for its online portal. Link
  • As Macy’s eyes China, some see need for focus at home. Link
  • Beauty without borders as South Korean products sell in America. Link
  • How Nordstrom is avoiding a Target-style collapse in Canada. Link
  • How Western fashion brands are using social media in China. Link
  • Smartphone shopping offers big opportunities in Indonesia. Link
  • Rural Chinese villagers are the hot new ecommerce market. Link
  • Five reasons India will become the world’s next ecommerce giant. Link
  • Ikea opens concept store in Abu Dhabi. Link
  • Hudson’s Bay sets sites on Europe. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Google wires San Antonio for fiber-optic internet. Link
  • In a shift, Rite Aid to accept Apple and Google mobile payments. Link
  • Apple looking at facial recognition for easing photo-sharing. Link
  • Web retailers, now with stores, teach new tricks. Link
  • Google: Going mobile only is fine for our search results. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 7.20.2015

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Brand/Retailer:

  • Google unveils “buy” button and host of new shopping features. Link
  • Amazon Prime Day promotion boosts sales as consumers squawk. Link
  • eBay sells enterprise unit for $925M ahead of PayPal split. Link
  • At Zappos, pushing shoes and a vision. Link
  • Apple is working on a new ecommerce system based on your credit card balance. Link
  • Hulu considers offering a priceier, ad-free tier. Link
  • Kate Spade adds slew of new lines for fitness, home and kids. Link
  • C.Wonder’s brand assets get acquired by Isaac Mizrahi’s parent company. Link
  • Amazon had mixed success with Prime Day – strong sales, but consumer backlash could linger. Link
  • Americans are spending less on clothing. Link
  • Retail sales in US unexpectedly fall on broad-based drop. Link
  • What will cheaper J.Crew line mean for the brand’s image? Link
  • Expedia’s Playlister will help you discover new music at the festival you’re headed to. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Eva Chen now Instagram’s Head of Fashion Partnerships. Link
  • Facebook takes big step forward on commerce, building shops into pages. Link
  • Three things marketers should note from Google’s second quarter earnings call. Link
  • Snapchat redesign puts spotlight on ‘Discover’ news portal. Link
  • Williams-Sonoma experiments with shoppable YouTube videos. Link
  • YouTube is now bigger than individual cable networks. Link
  • American Eagle launches BTS try-on sweeps with a $10K cash grand prize. Link
  • Tom’s of Maine turns to ‘micro-influencers’ to tackle Instagram. Link

Startups:

  • Beme is a social app that aims to replace illusions with reality. Link
  • Music video app Flipagram secures $70M. Link
  • Made.com raises $60M to accelerate European expansion. Link

International:

  • Uniqlo shutters JD.com flagship. Link
  • Alibaba strikes partnership with consumer goods giant Unilever. Link
  • Mexico, where shoppers still flock to Blockbuster and Woolworth. Link
  • Burberry’s plan to turn it around in Hong Kong: go local. Link
  • Mobile dominates future of China’s beauty ecommerce market. Link
  • Walmart Canada launches online grocery pickup service. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Birchbox’s monthly deliveries will give virtual reality a fascinating test run. Link
  • UK startups embrace Apple Pay as mobile payments grow. Link
  • Facebook’s Oculus to pay about $60M for gesture-control firm Pebbles. Link
  • Google’s ‘Mobilegeddon’ was a big deal after all. Link
  • Yahoo quietly launches a new “video texting” mobile messaging app on iTunes. Link
  • Nordstrom makes it easy to shop via text. Link
  • App engagement surpasses desktop in US. Link
  • LVMH to introduce Apple Watch rival. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.8.2015

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Happy Monday! Below is a recap of industry news over the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyper-linked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer:

  • eBay Valet launches a clothing resale service focused on high-end brands. Link
  • Google launches My Account, a hub for your privacy settings. Link
  • Macy’s testing new at-home tailoring service from Men’s Warehouse founder. Link
  • College kids turn thumbs down on Michael Kors, Uggs, and Timberland. Link
  • Birchbox kicks off TV campaign, opens in Gap stores. Link
  • Hot Topic loses out to Gamestop on Geeknet acquisition. Link
  • How ASOS Magazine gets cover stars like Taylor Swift and Jennifer Lawrence. Link
  • Sweaters account for slumping sales at Vince and J.Crew. Link
  • Fabletics debuts men’s line. Link
  • Macy’s, Dormify debut back-to-school bedding collection. Link
  • Gap partners with Spring app to revive image with millennials. Link
  • Amazon is building an elite tema to enter a new market: computer games. Link
  • Google is about to make the internet way better. Link
  • Honda pumps the brakes on trying to become a media company. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Coke’s new Twitter ads call out viewers by name. Link
  • Seven brands making genius moves in content and commerce. Link
  • Buzzfeed planning IPO. Link
  • Pinterest officially unveils buyable pins. Link
  • Coming soon: More ads on Instagram and a ‘buy’ feature on Pinterest. Link
  • Twitter taps IBM to launch a new consulting program for advertisers. Link
  • How much of a boost to celebrities give fashion campaigns? Link
  • eBay to roll out cost-per-sale ads for web merchants. Link
  • Ikea outlines major environmental investments. Link
  • CNN unveils new studio to produce content for advertisers. Link

Start-ups:

  • Latest London VC fund to focus on fashion, luxury tech. Link
  • Softbank invests $1B in Coupang, a Korean ecommerce start-up. Link
  • Pharmacy startup gets $50M in quest to build a better drugstore. Link
  • Mik Mak for iOS is a video shopping app for the Vine generation. Link

International:

  • H&M to open first store in India this fall. Link
  • New meaning for made in China. Link
  • Alibaba invests $194M into China Business News to build a financial data platform. Link
  • Yandex launches Yandex.Radio, a curated free music service for Russian users. Link
  • Saks to expand Off 5th in Canada. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Apple is bringing Apple Watch to stores, more countries. Link
  • Bustle looks for growth in app launch. Link
  • Facebook aims to propel video success to mobile. Link
  • Mobile ads boost physical store visits by 90 percent in first day of viewing. Link
  • Facebook launches lightweight app for emerging markets. Link
  • Microsoft purchases Wunderlist to add to its collection of productivity apps. Link
  • Apple revamps the app store’s games section with increased focus on editorial content. Link
  • Wells Fargo plans to scan your face and voice for mobile security. Link
  • European shopping app Mallzee makes US debut. Link
  • Mobile video ad spending is growing, lags desktop video. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 6.1.2015

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Happy Monday and Happy June! Below is a recap of industry highlights over the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyper-linked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer:

  • Amazon expands same-day delivery to new markets, drops price to free for orders over $35. Link
  • Leaked site reveals more info on “Shipping Pass,” Walmart’s answer to Amazon Prime. Link
  • Kors and Tiffany hit by strong dollar. Link
  • Yelp and Shoptiques link for ecommerce. Link
  • Crew is alienating its most important customers. Link
  • Gap teams up with Spring on digital pop-up shop. Link
  • Apple is working with Postmates to offer same-day delivery. Link
  • At Amazon, a rush to make speedy delivery free. Link
  • Levi’s and Google partner on “smart fabric.” Link
  • Abercrombie posts wider loss as currency hampers turnaround. Link
  • Hot Topic bid to purchase Geeknet. Link
  • Amazon is planning to add its own line of food. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Snapchat invests in Spring to capitalize on social commerce growth. Link
  • Vox Media acquires ReCode. Link
  • New hotel concept promises socially-focused customizable spaces for global nomads. Link
  • Google says ‘buy’ button coming to online advertising service. Link
  • Bethany Mota redefines being a celebrity. Link
  • Millenials follow Uber with new fashion trading model. Link
  • Twitter opens up more user data to marketers. Link
  • Target links up with Shazam for ad scans that link to shopping. Link
  • Facebook’s instant articles speed up mobile content. Link
  • Why Instagram works better for fashion brands. Link

Start-ups:

  • Amazon puts the call out to NYC startups. Link
  • For London’s fashion start-ups, it’s being social that counts. Link
  • Snapchat CEO: we have a plan for an IPO. Link
  • George Simmer starts an Uber for Tailors. Link

International:

  • How Target’s demise in Canada could be a gain for Lowe’s. Link
  • Michael Kors to open state of the art distribution center in Europe. Link
  • Alibaba expands logistics network to power next-day grocery deliveries in more Chinese cities. Link
  • JD.com sets its sights on connected devices. Link
  • Yahoo Japan shares climb on ecommerce alliance with Alibaba. Link
  • Walmart app adds shopping options in China. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • New Nordstrom app lets customers text with sales reps. Link
  • Barney’s launches iphone app. Link
  • What marketers should know about Google’s mobile upgrades. Link
  • Android Pay now lets you buy things with your fingerprint. Link
  • Google Play store now lets developers A/B test their app listing pages, customize their catalog. Link
  • Swatch reaffirms plans to build smartwatch with payments features. Link
  • Target wants to offer Apple Pay but focus is on chip and pin. Link
  • Piper Jaffray names virtual reality the next mega tech theme. Link
  • Google’s other mobile payments service: hands-free at McDonald’s. Link
  • Apple buys German augmented reality company Metaio. Link
  • Facebook’s Oculus snaps up advanced virtual reality startup. Link

Misc.:

  • Mary Meeker’s internet report: user growth slowing but disruption full speed ahead. Link
  • Retailers turn to innovation labs for evolution. Link
  • Apple’s Jony Ive named chief designer, gives up day-to-day role. Link
  • Jawbone sues Fitbit citing theft of trade secrets. Link