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Weekly Industry Brief: 1.11.2016

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Here are some of the things that happened over the last week in retail, technology, and fashion. All sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Have a great week!

Brand/Retailer:

  • Apple Music now has more than 10M subscribers. Link
  • Warm weather cost apparel stores hundreds of millions this fall and winter. Link
  • Ace to open hotel in New Orleans. Link
  • Hudon’s Bay to acquire Gilt Groupe for $250M. Link
  • What’s next for the American department store? Link
  • Why Finish Line is closing 150 stores even though ‘athleisure’ is booming. Link
  • Off-price retailers like TJ Maxx and Ross are thriving. Link
  • Holiday sales rise but not all retailers are cheery. Link
  • Holiday season winners and losers. Link
  • LuLuLemon reaches a turning point. Link
  • Macy’s slashes 4,000 jobs after huge drop in holiday season sales. Link
  • Old Navy sales tumble. Link
  • Kohl’s is debating whether to take itself private or break up the company. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Instagram is now curating videos about live events. Link
  • Snapchat is building its own ad platform. Link
  • Target partnering with SoulCycle. Link
  • Burberry debuts on Apple TV with menswear fashion show. Link
  • Longer tweets said to be coming soon to Twitter. Link
  • What lies ahead for marketing in an increasingly ad-free future. Link
  • The White House joins Snapchat. Link
  • Burberry runs lunar New Year WeChat campaign. Link
  • Twitter wants to let brands turn your tweets into ads. Link

Startup:

  • How this bootstrapped company, Homepolish, is competing with a rival that raised $200M. Link
  • Japan’s fashion rental service AirCloset snags $8M. Link

International:

  • Amazon is letting UK shoppers to buy now, pay later. Link
  • Hong Kong retail sales figures fall for 12th straight month. Link
  • Wayfair roles out Canadian ecommerce site. Link
  • What Amazon Prime is like around the world. Link
  • Louis Vuitton sues counterfeit online sellers in China. Link
  • Victoria’s Secret to open first Southeast Asia flagship in Singapore. Link
  • Dolce & Gabbana appeals to Muslim consumers. Link

Mobile/Wearbles/Emerging Technology:

  • Under Armour gets serious about fitness tech with HealthBox, a big box of gadgets. Link
  • L’Oreal unveils smart skincare patch at CES. Link
  • Samsung’s smart clothes are wearables you’d actually wear. Link
  • Fashion icon Iris Apfel is designing wearables for Wisewear. Link
  • Apple acquires startup that reads emotions from facial expression. Link
  • Apple rolls out new betas across its platforms. 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: 8.31.2015

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

Brand/Retailer:

  • Amazon rolls out 1-hour alcohol delivery service. Link
  • Free People surpasses H&M, Zara and Forever 21 as top destination for college girls. Link
  • Best Buy’s store-within-a-store bet is paying off. Link
  • Amazon curtails development of consumer devices. Link
  • Abercrombie & Fitch ditches logo, targets grown-ups. Link
  • Why J.Crew decided to ditch high fashion. Link
  • Tiffany profit misses estimates after currency weighs on sales. Link
  • Aeropostale reports Q2 loss. Link
  • Abercrombie & Fitch shares jump after earnings top estimates. Link
  • The Outnet turns to beauty. Link
  • Gap Inc. eliminates on-call scheduling. Link
  • H&M creates a grant for innovations in clothing recycling. Link
  • Days numbered for barcodes as shoppers demand more data. Link
  • At test Target cafes, hot dogs out, salads in. Link
  • Foot Locker CEO: ‘Casualization’ trend is here to stay. Link
  • In new Amazon Prime program, not all goods arrive in two days. Link
  • Why Converse decided to mess with success. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Instagram moves beyond the square. Link
  • Aerie sees sales jump after abandoning airbrushing. Link
  • What Instagram’s new formats may mean for marketers. Link
  • Gisele dances in Stuart Weitzman’s first-ever commercial. Link
  • & Other Stories launches slightly obscure collaboration with new Instagram account. Link
  • YouTube gaming set to launch with upgraded live-streaming feature. Link
  • Facebook and Google want you to do more with those photos. Link
  • Forever21 targets older millennials and they’re using celebrities to do it. Link

Startups:

  • Forget Etsy, app Tictail wants to democratize ecommerce. Link
  • An ex-Apple engineer takes on the furniture industry with couches you can FedEx. Link

International:

  • Hermes first-half profit jumps 20% on faster Japan sales growth. Link
  • GST to apply to all Australian overseas purchase from July 2017. Link
  • Netflix partners with Softbank for Japan launch. Link
  • Suffering at home, Bebe pushes into China. Link
  • Torrid to open first international store in Canada. Link
  • Saks to open its first Off 5th in Western Canada. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Facebook tests digital assistant for its messaging app. Link
  • Etsy’s mobile app lets you locate local artisans on-the-go. Link
  • Google Maps goes after Yelp, Waze with added features. Link
  • Walgreens new app anticipates users’ needs with intelligent messaging. Link
  • Silicon Valley to get a manufacturing innovation institute. Link
  • Why WhatsApp bombed in the US, while Snapchat and Kik blew up. Link
  • Apple lines up September 9th event, seen unveiling new iPhones. Link
  • LG tracks Apple with ‘urbane’ luxury smartwatch. Link
  • Amazon boosts its artificial intelligence chops. Link
  • Target’s Cartwheel app drives 10% more offer downloads via personalization. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.29.2015

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Happy Monday! Check out industry news from the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after each headline.

Brand/Retailer:

  • Tom Ford partners with Net-a-Porter on ecommerce exclusive. Link
  • Warby Park to continue to invest in brick-and-mortar. Link
  • Verizon completes AOL acquisition for $4.4B. Link
  • Abercrombie puts shoppers front and center in turnaround effort. Link
  • Target’s Lilly Pulitzer hit underlines power shift in retail to consumers. Link
  • How Shinola went from shoe polish to the coolest brand in America. Link
  • H&M second quarter profits rise but fall short of expectations. Link
  • Warby Parker to give NYC community school students free glasses and eye exams. Link
  • American Eagle amps up digital investments. Link
  • Why your next package will be delivered by an Uber. Link
  • Lululemon issues another recall. Link
  • Converse looks to deepen music relationships with new recording studio. Link
  • H&M working on mysterious new brand. Link
  • Nike exceeds profit estimates on new products and athleisure trend. Link
  • Barnes & Noble files plan for spinning off campus bookstores. Link
  • H&M banks on a fashion-conscious fashion conscience with sustainability strategy. Link
  • Inside Marriott’s attempt to win over millennials. Link
  • Online fashion retailers tap offline opportunities. Link
  • Zulily tests online returns program. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • ShopStyle brings ecommerce to Snapchat, with assist from influencers. Link
  • Facebook’s new signup ads that auto-fill your email or phone number. Link
  • Instagram’s new search update makes it easier to explore the world. Link
  • Unilever gets in touch with Vice’s feminine side. Link
  • Now you can use Messenger without Facebook. Link
  • Google gives Gmail users the ability to undo send. Link
  • Now Instagram wants to be a source for real-time news. Link
  • Facebook claims a photo-recognition breakthrough. Link
  • Tumblr launches Tumblr TV, a gif search engine with full-screen viewing mode. Link
  • Instagram to take on Twitter with updated photo feed. Link
  • Apple wins Cannes Lions top prize for its ‘Shot on iPhone 6’ ad campaign. Link
  • Snapchat is teaming up with The Daily Mail and the world’s largest ad agency to launch a native advertising firm. Link

Start-ups:

  • Tinder is going public. Link
  • Postmates raises $80M in push toward $1 deliveries. Link
  • Olapic raises $15M. Link
  • Online jewelry startup BaubleBar to open retail stores. Link
  • OneFineStay, a high-end AirBnB rival confirms $40M funding round. Link
  • Same-day shopping app Curbside picks up $25M more in funding. Link

International:

  • JD.com partners with ZestFinance to offer credit services to Chinese customers. Link
  • How online retail is erasing borders. Link
  • Missguided launches first UK physical presence with Selfridges concession. Link
  • Forever 21 is set to launch flagship Sydney shop. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Android Wear gets new watch faces from Hello Kitty, Angry Birds and 15 other mega brands. Link
  • Apple Watch launches in seven new countries, coming to three more in July. Link
  • Apple researching geo-fencing technology that could make errands easier. Link
  • Uber hires former Google Maps chief to work on advanced research. Link
  • Amazon wants to turn its personal assistant, Alexa, into a leading platform. Link
  • Apple Music will let you stream 100,000 of your own tracks when iOS9 launches. 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: 5.26.2015

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Hope everyone in the US enjoyed a long weekend! 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:

  • FAO Schwarz’s Manhattan store to close in July as rents rise. Link
  • Target to focus on fresh, healthy foods. Link
  • Etsy plunges 13% after reporting its first-quarter financial performance. Link
  • WordPress sets its sights on ecommerce. Link
  • Net-a-porter is still in the red but losing a lot less money. Link
  • eBay preps Amazon Prime competitor. Link
  • Kate Spade partners with startup Everpurse to sell iPhone-charging bags. Link
  • Amazon Prime Now adds local stores in Manhattan. Link
  • Gap’s brand revival may take a few more seasons. Link
  • Fast fashion has completely disrupted apparel retail. Link
  • Retailers digitize the fitting room experience. Link
  • Kohl’s to open off-price outlet. Link
  • Target goes upscale. Link
  • American Eagle launching new clothing brand to lure back teens. Link
  • Anthropologie’s dresses miss tests loyalty. Link
  • H&M to open biggest store yet in Herald Square. Link
  • Marissa Webb’s first designs for Banana Republic aren’t hitting the mark with shoppers. Link
  • Gap meets estimates as Old Navy helps prop up retailer. Link
  • Ann Inc. tops 1Q profit forecasts. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Google adds tweets to mobile search results. Link
  • Pinterest unveils its first video-like ad and new ad pricing models. Link
  • Spotify launches video streaming. Link
  • Mondelez bets big on ecommerce with shoppable ads and ‘buy now’ buttons. Link
  • Bitly launches audience intel to give marketers more data on how content is shared. Link
  • Google’s mobile buy button is an Instant Articles for retailers. Link
  • Google wants YouTube viewers to shop while they watch. Link
  • Pinterest bolsters ads with cinematic pins. Link
  • Instagram’s cool questioned as it starts emailing users with ‘highlights.’ Link

Start-ups:

  • Flipkart is valued at $15B after latest funding. Link
  • Booze on-demand service Drizly lands $13M to expand. Link
  • Izberg marketplace turns any website into an ecommerce marketplace. Link
  • Mode Media (formerly Glam Media) raises $30M for lifestyle media publishing platform. Link
  • 6Tribes is a social networking app that wants to make tribes of ‘foodies’ and ‘coffee geeks.’ Link

International:

  • Singapore’s postal service reinvents itself for the digital age. Link
  • Expedia sells majority stake in Chinese partner eLong for $671M. Link
  • eBay plots European growth with click-and-collect expansion. Link
  • China cuts import tax on clothes and other goods. Link
  • Alibaba’s latest gambit in fighting fakes: foster local brands. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Messaging app Line is testing a music streaming service. Link
  • PayPal’s instant checkout now works with bigcommerce, no longer requires app. Link
  • Target will roll out RFID price tags to improve inventory management. Link
  • Fetch offers AI-powered Apple Watch app. Link
  • Apple’s new streaming service might cause delay in Apple TV launch. Link
  • Montblanc to Apple: Our Swiss smartwatch will outlast yours. Link

Misc.:

  • Conde Nast launches fellowship program in the wake of internships. Link
  • Disney’s research lab figures out how to put words in your mouth. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 4.20.2015

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

Retailer + Brand News:

  • How teens are spending money, what they like and where they shop. Link
  • Etsy completes its IPO, valuing the craft marketplace at over $3.5Billion. Link
  • Kit and Ace maps westward US expansion. Link
  • Shopify files for IPO. Link
  • Dick’s Sporting Goods forecasts $9B in sales by 2017. Link
  • Music services overtake CDs for the first time. Link
  • Yahoo in talks to buy Foursquare. Link
  • Michael Kors winning with teens. Link
  • The North Face looks to training gear to boost sales beyond winter. Link
  • Glossier CEO on building a skincare, cosmetic empire online. Link
  • Toys “R” Us playing customer experience to win against WalMart, Amazon. Link
  • Inside Moleskin’s plans to sell you more than just notebooks. Link
  • Urban Outfitters launches new sport menswear line, Halo. Link
  • Target has more web woes during debut of Lilly Pulitzer line. Link
  • Uniqlo to collaborate with Carine Roitfeld. Link
  • Men’s Wearhouse has a plan to make Joseph Abboud a $1B brand. Link
  • Khol’s flexing its New York fashion muscle to bolster comeback. Link
  • Lilly Pulitzer sells out at Target. Link
  • Outdoor Voices takes on Lululemon with $1.1M in funding. Link
  • Net-a-porter brings Chanel “digital pop-up” ecommerce. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Jay-Z to personally call select Tidal users. Link
  • Instagram takes another step toward ecommerce. Link
  • Why Facebook might emerge as the biggest Internet of Things company. Link
  • Twitter unveils new homepage for people who aren’t signed in. Link
  • How Old Navy is winning at YouTube. Link
  • Forrester analyst: Emotional campaigns will bypass ad-blocker in brains. Link
  • The rising power of social media influencers. Link
  • Burberry live streams on Periscope. Link
  • Snapchat signs a deal for second season of ‘Literally Can’t Even.’ Link
  • Is Facebook trying to edge out YouTube? Link
  • Chevy runs digital video ads in print. Link

Start-ups:

  • Vessel raises more cash to battle YouTube. Link
  • How a U.S.-made athleticwear brand raised $100K on Kickstarter. Link
  • The investors behind the next billion dollar startups. Link
  • Pharmacy startup PillPack could change the way America takes its medicine. Link
  • Snaps raises $6.5M to help brands take over emojis. Link
  • EyeEm raises $18M to expand its photo marketplace. Link
  • Spring closes $25M in funding. Link
  • Andreessen Horowitz hires former Facebook lawyer to help its startups. Link
  • Coin, the one credit card to rule them all, is finally shipping. Link

International:

  • [APAC]
    • China steps up economy. Link
    • New Hong Kong tourism restrictions to boost Japan, Korea. Link
    • Foreign companies at risk from proposed Chinese law. Link
  • [EU]
    • Ikea to invest up to 3Billion Euros in new shopping centers. Link  
  • [CA]
    • Major retail gains helping Canada economy turn around. Link
    • Loonie gains almost 2 cents as oil rises. Link
    • Apple planning Apple Pay launch in Canada for November. Link
  • [LATAM]
    • Ralph Lauren looks to Brazil as global growth accelerant. Link
    • How Macy’s found its fit in the Hispanic market. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Whatsapp hits 800 Million users. Link
  • Instagram develops app for the Apple Watch. Link
  • Taco Bell to launch loyalty program via app. Link
  • For the fashion set, the jury is still out on the Apple Watch. Link
  • This new app wants to be the iTunes of smells. Link
  • New York Times makes Now App free, scrapping monthly fee to attract readers. Link
  • Epicurious brings cooking instructions to the Apple Watch with new smart timer app. Link

Other:

  • How your t-shirt can make you rich. Link
  • Netflix is now bigger than CBS. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 3.16.2015

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Happy Monday! Below find a recap of industry news from the week.  All sources can be found in the hyper-linked text after the headline.

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Sephora bets big on digital growth with disruptive experiences. Link
  • Urban Outfitters earnings beat estimates. Link
  • Ikea takes global expansion one market at a time. Link
  • Target culls special offering for Men. Link
  • Amazon launches Exclusives to surface “up-and-coming” brands. Link
  • More details emerge on Amazon rival Jet.com. Link
  • Google opens its first Google-branded store-in-a-store in London. Link
  • Google says Millennial influence on the rise in B2B buying. Link
  • LL Bean putting boots on the ground, expanding to at least 100 stores. Link
  • Reed Krakoff halts production. Link
  • Sorel to enter outerwear. Link
  • Diesel reinventing its stores. Link
  • Rent-the-Runway CEO says the future of ecommerce depends on delivery start-ups. Link
  • Target lays off 13% of its corporate HQ staff to cut costs. Link
  • ASOS adding budget-friendly bridesmaid dresses to the mix. Link
  • TopShop opens first Atlanta store. Link
  • Glamour Magazine eyeing ecommerce. Link 

Social Media + Marketing:

  • H&M Home unveils its first-ever AirBnB for SXSW. Link
  • Alibaba said to be investing $200M in SnapChat. Link
  • Facebook acquires social shopping app The Find. Link
  • Buzzfeed’s videos reach 1 Billion monthly views. Link
  • HBO Now will stream on Apple devices. Link
  • BeautyCon launches its own media site to connect social media stars with fans and brands. Link
  • Brands now posting more to Instagram than Facebook. Link
  • L’Oreal moves to make all types of ads “shoppable.” Link
  • Why Neiman Marcus is a fan of SXSW. Link
  • Old Navy tries Tumblr for Gen Y’s Spring push. Link
  • Facebook, Occulus and the future of virtual reality. Link

Start-ups:

  • Bento wants to be your app matchmaker. Link
  • Online only start-up targets women who do their makeup on the go. Link
  • Rocket Internet invests in Indonesia’s Bridestory. Link
  • Xiaomi becomes the world’s most valuable tech start-up. Link

International:

  • [APAC]
    • China’s upper middle class women are driving ecommerce and social media in China. Link
    • Taiwan-based Foxconn launches ecommerce platform in China. Link
    • Tapping into the growth of India’s emerging mobile markets. Link 
  • [AU]
    • Thousands flock to New Zealand’s TopShop opening. Link
    • ASOS gets its mojo back in Australia after cutting prices. Link
  • [EU]
    • Alibaba to boost UK trade on its platform. Link
    • Selfridges launches ‘genderless’ shopping in Manchester. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Look to Whole Foods to see how the Apple Watch could change retail. Link
  • Meerkat tests our desire to share live video. Link
  • Apple’s ResearchKit a big hit at SXSW. Link
  • Beacons are moving out of the pilot phase and helping retailers and marketers revolutionize in-store shopping. Link
  • Google accidentally reveals its own mobile events app. Link
  • Apple’s iTunes suffers unusually long outage. Link
  • Mizuno bets on smart eyewear despite Google’s troubles Link
  • For SXSW marketers, smartphone apps are yesterday’s news, wearables are what matter. Link
  • Starbucks to expand mobile ordering to three more states. Link
  • Beacons, live-streaming and indie radio apps guide SXSW experience this year. Link

Other

  • Generation Z’s data obsession: bits and bytes are the new commodity. Link
  • Disney’s $1B bet on a magical wristband. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 3.9.2015

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Happy Monday! Check out the industry news from the last week.  All sources can be found in the hyper-linked text after the headline.

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Etsy files for IPO. Link
  • Barneys New York raises ecommerce ante with site relaunch. Link
  • Will Target’s new CEO energize the retailer? Link
  • Rachel Zoe launching a subscription box service. Link
  • Kate Spade wants to sell furniture. Link
  • Fab officially finds a new owner. Link
  • Google introduces insurance shopping site. Link
  • Abercrombie’s style turnaround will take time. Link
  • Nike is opening a clearance store in NYC. Link
  • Bloomingdale’s to open outlet store in Upper West side this fall. Link
  • Farfetch raises $86M at $1B valuation. Link
  • Activewear firms on the run to catch up online. Link
  • Best Buy announces first buyback since 2012 as profit jumps. Link
  • Google confirms plans for wireless service. Link
  • Apple’s addition to the Dow is a win for tech stocks. Link
  • Online denim and basics brand Ayr launches $1 home try-ones to help win customers. Link
  • Nordstrom’s multi-billion dollar plan for ecommerce domination. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • WalMart parts ways with Google local shopping ads. Link
  • Instagram rolls out new carousel ads. Link
  • Instagram lets ads be clickable. Link
  • Nextdoor social network digs deep into neighborhoods. Link
  • Apple may pull its ads from Google Search. Link
  • Publishers love Whatsapp’s potential but struggle with execution. Link
  • How one company convinced Anthony Bourdain to shill as it rebrands scotch. Link
  • Pinterest narrows ad targeting, tests animated pins. Link
  • Google expanding the use of mobile as web search signal. Link
  • Twitter’s new plan to placate Wall Street. Link
  • Why marketers are embracing Oculus and virtual reality. Link

Start-ups:

  • App search engine Quixey confirms $60M round. Link
  • Dash Hudson raises $1M to beat the Instagram shopping conundrum. Link
  • Delivery startup Shyp wants to make returns painless. Link
  • Meet Vive, the ClassPass for blowouts. Link
  • Square, the payment start-up, bolsters its services for small businesses. Link

International:

  • [APAC]
    • Amazon opens store on Alibaba’s TMall in China. Link
    • Alibaba expands in Silicon Valley with first U.S. data center. Link
  • [AU]
    • Abercrombie & Fitch to close Australian stores. Link
    • Myer’s new British CEO gets a tough welcome from investors. Link
  • [CA]
    • Nordstrom treads carefully with launch of second Canadian store. Link
  • [EU]
    • J. Crew’s international expansion push lands in Paris. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Apple Watch and new MacBook announcement from Apple’s Spring Forward event. Link
  • WalMart expects customers to adopt mobile payments. Link
  • Sephora’s commitment to digital beauty leadership includes beacons and augmented reality. Link
  • Domino’s makes ordering on-the-go even easier with smartwatch integration. Link
  • Joe Fresh launches app. Link
  • SXSW to have a thousand beacons to help attendees connect. Link
  • MasterCard CMO on new mobile “priceless surprises” and Apple Pay. Link
  • Wearable tech is the next big opportunity in pro sports. Link
  • Apple Pay on the Apple Watch is smarter than you think. Link
  • Five takeaways for marketers from mobile world congress. Link

Other

  • Why so many people are suddenly wearing $600 Canada Goose coats. Link
  • How four women in an RV plan to change young girls’ lives. Link
  • G Adventures founder on how travel can make you a better leader. Link

Making Instagram Shoppable

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On every retailer’s to-do list this year is to monetizeInstagram.  The concept is a no-brainer as the visual social network gains more interaction than Twitter and Facebook.  Executing a sale from the platform, however, isn’t as easy as a quick like, specifically because there is no outbound linking from a photo.  Retailers have been struggling to figure out ways to monetize this content.  We’ve see tactics like using the product SKU as the location of the photo, using the entire product name for easier online search later, shortened URLs used in copy for easy memory, and the ever-present shop-able Instagram galleries on websites.

None of these are perfect, of course, as Instagram is after all a social platform not an ecommerce platform. But some retailers have put new solutions in place just in time for this holiday season, partnering with start-ups in an attempt to figure it out. With the insights they’ll gain this season, if not the sales, these retailers will have a solid start on their social commerce strategy.  Here are some examples:

Nordstrom:

Nordstrom Like2Buy Instagram Shopping

Innovator Nordstrom partnered with  Curalate to launch their Like2Buy service. The service is basically a shoppable web gallery (outside of Instagram) that the users have to click through from the Nordstrom profile page. The stronger selling point is the curated gallery aspect, in which you can shop only the selection of  photos you’ve liked previously.  Target and Charlotte Russe have also signed on as early launch partners.

Fox & Fawn:

Beverly Hames, an owner of Fox & Fawn, a vintage boutique in Brooklyn, says that sales arising from pictures she posts free on the store’s Instagram feed, now account for 20 to 40 percent of daily revenue.

Even boutiques and small businesses are leveraging shop-able Instagram solutions.  Vintage Brooklyn outpost Fox & Fawn utilizes vendor Soldsie to let users leave comments with a hashtag to reserve goods from a photo. Users then have to call to pay but with a more established retailer’s ecommerce site, the users could checkout online.

RewardStyle:

 

The uber popular affiliate blogger network launched LikeToKnowIt, a service that utilizes email bounce backs as the mode of shopping from a blogger’s outfit post on Instagram. Vogue was the first magazine to make its feed shoppable using this service.  They also just announced a partnership with BCBG for fashion week that will enable a shoppable runway.

 

Check out highlights from around the web:

Nordstrom Wants You to Shop on Instagram (Business Week)

Buy What You Like: You Can Now Shop Straight from Instagram (Forbes)

You Can Now Shop the Runway Just Minutes After a Show With These Chic New Apps (Glamour)

On Instagram, a Bazaar Where You Least Expect It (New York Times)

3 Startups Making Instagram Shoppable (Fashionista)