Tag: mobile

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 3.16.2015

Leave a comment

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

Leave a comment

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

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF 3.2.2015

Leave a comment

Hi there! Below is a recap of industry news over the last week that I’ve compiled.  You can find a source or read the full article by clicking the hyper-linked text after the headline. Have a great week!

Retailer + Brand News:

  • American Apparel names marketing, digital executives. Link
  • Macy’s shares drop on cautious outlook. Link
  • How Nordstrom plans to stay dominant in ecommerce. Link
  • Online convenience is the new face of retail disruption. Link
  • Target sales grow at fastest rate in three years. Link
  • Gap chooses PINK creator to revive its namesake stores, lead design team. Link
  • Urban Outfitters announces $20M share buyback. Link
  • NastyGal raises $16M. Link
  • Nordstrom launching collaboration with Piece & Co. Link
  • Analysts say Americans love sweatpants too much for athleisure to go away. Link
  • Best Buy opens a Seattle-based technology development center focused on mobile and ecommerce. Link
  • Ikea introduces furniture you can charge your smartphone on. Link
  • HTC and Under Armour are doing a fitness wearable. Link
  • Burberry takes digital innovation in stride at London Fashion Week. Link
  • Rebecca Minkoff’s store of the future. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Facebook, with over 2 million active advertisers, launches ads manager app for iOS. Link
  • Why the print catalog is back in style. Link
  • Snapchat’s Our Stories are generating tens of millions of views. Link
  • Conde Nast closes blog network NowManifest. Link
  • Apple Watch gets 12-page ad spread in Vogue. Link
  • Google puts ads in its app store to court mobile app marketers. Link
  • Pinterest scores highly in new eMarketer report. Link
  • Mobile ad spending not equal around the world. Link
  • Converse breaks ‘Made By You’ campaign for Chuck Taylors. Link
  • Victoria’s Secret runs ads on People Magazine’s Snapchat. Link

Start-ups:

  • Waffle House partners with “sharing economy” delivery service Roadie. Link
  • Magic is a start-up that will bring you anything if you’re willing to pay for it. Link
  • The Black Tux seeks to disrupt the tuxedo rental business. Link
  • Outfittery raises $20M for its curated shopping service for men’s clothing. Link
  • Rocket Internet’s latest company is a career listing sit called Everjobs. Link

International:

  • [APAC]
    • Amazon could be landing in South Korea soon. Link
    • China’s economy to grow about 7% this year. Link
    • Should luxury retailers give up on Hong Kong? Link
    • Japanese ecommerce giant Rakuten may accept bitcoin. Link
    • Chinese rivals snap at Alibaba’s heels in cross-border ecommerce race. Link
  • [EU]
    • Wedding Wire acquires Spain-based Wedding Planner with plans to go global. Link
    • Turkey’s online retail market enjoys investment boom. Link
    • London designers pin hopes on next generation of online shoppers. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Target tests mobile loyalty app to drive in store purchases. Link
  • On the cusp of a mobile shopping revolution. Link
  • The Apple Watch is nearly ready but is the public? Link
  • HTC unveils new phone and wearable device. Link
  • Venmo was ordered in July to address security issues. Link
  • LG’s watch adds another player for the wearable platform wars. Link
  • Google strikes a deal with carriers for payments. Link
  • Samsung launches two new smartphones, mobile wallet. Link
  • Transactional flexibility is the future of payments. Link
  • Tinder launches Tinder Plus. Link
  • Samsung launches its own mobile money service called Pay. Link

Other

  • The opportunity in online luxury fashion. Link
  • Google unveils plans for new corporate campus. Link
  • Why physical stores and brands still matter. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF 2.23.2015

Leave a comment

Hello! Below is a recap I compiled of industry news over the last week.  All sources can be found in the hyper-linked text after the headline.

Retailer + Brand News:

  • H&M rings up sales growth thanks to aggressive store opening program. Link
  • Forever 21 has reorganized its retail division workforce. Link
  • Amazon Prime 1-hour deliveries now available in Manhattan. Link
  • Wal-Mart CEO supports $1B investment in wages. Link
  • Tom’s founder on the future of retail showrooms. Link
  • Ann Taylor parent said to be working with JP Morgan on sale. Link
  • Nordstrom aims for $20B in sales by 2020. Link
  • Saint Laurent has doubled its business since hiring model Hedi Slimane. Link
  • Nordstrom’s income took a hit in 2014, thanks to tech investments. Link
  • Global ecommerce sales climb 22% at WalMart. Link
  • US annual ecommerce sales surpass $300B for first time. Link
  • Target lowers free shipping minimum to $25. Link
  • SNKRS app gaining traction for Nike. Link
  • For online retailers, fast shipping is becoming as important as price. Link
  • Amazon preparing to battle Netflix on original content. Link
  • Canada Goose prepares to launch US ecommerce site. Link 
  • Best Buy opening tech office in Seattle. Link 

Social Media + Marketing:

  • At New York Fashion Week, brands focus on social media’s ROI. Link
  • Oakley unveils brand push. Link
  • Snapchat said to seek up to $19B value in funding. Link
  • Sperry goes back to basics with campaign for adventurous millennials. Link
  • YouTube is launching a kid-friendly video app. Link
  • Pinterest reportedly eyes $11B in valuation. Link
  • Facebook says it only sells viewable ads. Link
  • Facebook challenges Google with product ads. Link
  • Twitter is latest to boost FCC’s net neutrality plan. Link
  • Google fits more search results on mobile screens. Link

Start-ups:

  • Xiaomi becomes world’s most valuable tech startup with latest $1.1B funding round. Link
  • Grabble closes $1.8M angel round for its Tindr-like fashion shopping app. Link
  • Like AirBnB, Plate Culture turns your kitchen into a restaurant. Link
  • Social shopping app Shopa secures $11M to scale internationally. Link
  • Jet.com looks to give small merchants a leg up. Link

International:

  • Navigating a storm of currency volatility. Link
  • Visa expands its online payments service Checkout to 16 countries. Link
  • [APAC]
    • Lowe’s opens India innovation center. Link
    • Tiffany & Co is now the number one American luxury brand for Chinese shoppers. Link 
  • [A/ME] Lululemon to open stores in Middle East. Link
  •  [EU]
    • J.Crew pushes further into Europe. Link
    • Apple unveils $2B plans for Irish and Danish data centers. Link
  •  [AU]
  • ASOS on Campus launches in Australia to woo university students. Link
  • Etsy lanches gift cards in Australia. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Buzzfeed expands mobile team by acquiring visual conversation startup GoPop. Link
  • Virtual reality comes to New York Fashion Week. Link
  • Starbucks’ Apple Pay integration will brew up in-app revenue. Link
  • Apple orders more than 5 million watches for initial run. Link
  • Apple Pay gets a big vote of confidence from the U.S. government. Link
  • Yahoo courts mobile app makers with new tools. Link
  • Samsung buys LoopPay, a competitor to Apple Pay. Link

Other

  • Apple wants to start producing cars as soon as 2020. Link
  • Google and Apple fight for the car dashboard. Link
  • Starbucks offers smallholder subscription coffee service. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 1.26.2015

Leave a comment

Happy Monday! Below is a recap of fashion, retail, and tech news from the last week. Each article is accessible via the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Gap shutting down Piperlime. Link
  • J.C. Penney resurrects its catalog after killing it five years ago. Link
  • SpaceX raises $1B in new funding from Google and Fidelity. Link
  • Overstock.com plans streaming-video service. Link
  • Amazon says Sunday deliveries have quadrupled. Link
  • Coming to Whole Foods: bars and restaurants. Link
  • WalMart to offer service to give U.S. tax refunds in cash. Link
  • Target launches plus-size clothing line. Link
  • Michael Kors may see halo effect from Michelle Obama’s suit. Link
  • Sportswear giants Nike and Adidas embracing fashion. Link
  • Amazon pulls its own brand of diapers after short test. Link
  • Ford opens a lab in Silicon Valley. Link
  • The aging of Abercrombie and Fitch. Link
  • eBay cuts 7% of workforce. Link
  • J.Crew’s CEO to retire from Apple’s board. Link
  • Expedia acquires Travelocity for $280M. Link
  • Yahoo turns to retail to bring journalists’ voices to life. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Victoria’s Secret unveils Super Bowl spot and social push. Link
  • Complex buys fanboys site Collider for growing media network. Link
  • Refinery29 hires video chief from Scripps network, looks to traditional TV. Link
  • Tumblr starts its own internal creative studio. Link
  • Pinterest plans ad offensive. Link
  • Tumblr rolls out network to match top creators with brands. Link
  • NBC started a Tumblr for Super Bowl ads. Link
  • Snapchat loses revenue chief amid moneymaking effort. Link
  • Facebook plans voice-to-text Messenger. Link
  • WhatsApp is now available in web browsers. Link
  • Pinterest: We have male users too. Link
  • Twitter now shows you tweets from when you were away. Link
  • How Kik plans to steal Snapchat’s teen hearts. Link

Start-ups:

  • Apple acquires Semetric, a data analysis company. Link
  • Button raises $12M to the app world as interconnected as the web. Link
  • This tech jewelry startup has Andreessen Horowitz down on a bended knee. Link
  • Pinterest buys small startup Kosei for smarter recommendations. Link
  • A gift card startup just raised $56M, at a nearly $1B valuation. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Twitter buys ZipDial, an Indian startup. Link
  • LVMH invests in China outlet malls. Link
  • China opens the door for foreign companies to operate online portals. Link
  • As China becomes the iPhone’s largest market, look for Apple’s tax charge to rise. Link

[CA]

  • Nordstrom better positioned than Target to take on Canada. Link
  • Why Target’s Canada expansion failed. Link

[LATAM]

  • Macy’s launches collection to woo Latina shoppers. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • Zara Home will open next month in Australia. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Amazon to fold its mobile wallet beta. Link
  • Victoria’s Secret’s catalog gets a mobile boost for Valentine’s Day. Link
  • As Google looks to expand Wallet use, WePay integrates instant buy API. Link
  • Wawa challenges Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks with in-app mobile payments and loyalty. Link
  • How the number one app, Trivia Crack, cracked Apple’s app store. Link
  • Apple’s iOS 8 crisis continues with controversial new bug. Link
  • Blackberry announces BBM support for wearable technology. Link 

Other:

  • How Starwood Hotels plans to redesign the check-in process. Link
  • Mattel CEO resigns as Barbie parent company struggles for relevance. Link
  • SkyMall files for bankruptcy protection. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 1.19.2015

Leave a comment

Happy Monday! Below is a recap of industry news in fashion, retail, and technology. All sources can be found in the hyper-linked text after the headline.

Retailer + Brand News:

  • NastyGal CEO steps down. Link
  • Under Armour overtakes Adidas in U.S. sportswear market. Link
  • Why teens have abandoned stores like Wet Seal, Delia’s and Deb Shops. Link
  • Traditional stores still trounce ecommerce when it comes to returns, new survey says. Link
  • Demandware snags point-of-sale provider Tomax to extend reach from web to store. Link
  • Holiday spending reached a three-year peak in 2014. Link
  • Etsy crafts IPO putting NY tech companies back on the map. Link
  • Banana Republic to show at New York Fashion Week for the first time. Link
  • DVF fuels IPO speculations. Link
  • Urban Outfitters’ holiday sales jump; namesake brand returns to positive growth. Link
  • Indiegogo signals a blending of crowdfunding and commerce. Link
  • Wet Seal stock dives after filing for bankruptcy. Link
  • Kate Spade Saturday x West Elm collection is here. Link
  • Why Lilly Pulitzer for Target is going where no capsule collection has gone before. Link
  • eBay smart mirrors at Nordstrom and Rebecca Minkoff stores. Link
  • Ralph Lauren is pushing higher into luxury with new stores, accessories. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Facebook rolls out a platform for professionals called Facebook at Work. Link
  • Marc Jacobs unveils new campaign with social media models. Link
  • Xpire brings “disappearing” posts to Twitter. Link
  • Facebook offers artificial intelligence tech to open source group. Link
  • ‘Pinfluencers’ are getting paid, Pinterest itself not so much. Link
  • MySpace still reaches 50 Million people each month. Link
  • Facebook aquihires top members of influential design firm Teehan+Lax. Link
  • Tinder captures brand dollars with Gillette deal. Link
  • Five ways brands can use Snapchat to take back control of the retail experience. Link
  • YouTube plans Super Bowl halftime show with online stars (and fake Super Bowl ads). Link

Start-ups:

  • Kevin Rose leaves Google Ventures to work full-time on his mobile app development startup. Link
  • ClosetSpace brings fashion inspiration and recommendations to your smartphone. Link
  • Video chat app Rounds raises $12M in new funding led by Sequoia. Link
  • Italist is like shopping the streets of Italy but online. Link
  • True Fit raises $15M to give apparel shoppers confidence online. Link
  • Grocery delivery start-up Instacart raises $220M. Link
  • Big Data startup MongoDB is now valued at $1.6B. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • How Dominos reinvented itself in India. Link
  • Uniqlo owner promises to improve working conditions in China. Link
  • Alibaba launching effort to woo US retailers. Link
  • Alibaba buys controlling stake in Chinese internet marketing firm AdChina. Link

[EU]

  • Amazon’s tax deal with Luxembourg may break rules, EU regulator says. Link
  • ASOS shares jump on strong Christmas sales. Link

[CA]

  • Target closing Canadian operations. Link

[LATAM]

  • Nintendo pulls the plug on Brazil. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • eBay launches click-and-collect in Australia. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Turn old clothes into cash with these mobile apps. Link
  • Mobile commerce in 2015. Link
  • Google to launch Project Ara market pilot in Puerto Rico later this year. Link
  • Mobile app use isn’t replacing mobile web usage but driving it. Link
  • Google Play’s app store and developer community grew faster than Apple’s in 2014. Link
  • Microsoft announces a Skype for iOS testing program. Link
  • Google launches classroom mobile apps for Android and iOS. Link
  • Apple Watch companion app features said to include activity reminders, phone unlock. Link
  • Apple and Ericsson sue each other over mobile patents. Link
  • Google translate app gets an upgrade. Link
  • Booking.com tries to personalize hotel choices with new app. Link
  • Google is in talks to acquire mobile payments service, Softcard. Link

Other:

  • Apple patent shakes GoPro’s stock. Link
  • IBM wins most patents but Google and Apple climb in rankings. Link
  • Google Domains launches to all in U.S. with support for blogger integration, templates and more domain endings. Link
  • Google Glass sales halted but firm says kit is not dead. Link
  • Google is bidding for a Pentagon contract worth more than $2B. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 1.5.2015

Leave a comment

Happy New Year, everyone!

Below is a recap of news in fashion, retail, and technology over the last week. All sources can be found in the hyper-linked text after each headline:

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Retailers save discounts for bargain hunters. Link
  • Amazon draws 10 million new Prime members over holidays. Link
  • Small U.S. firms may struggle with new UPS, FedEx dimensional prices. Link
  • How Canada Goose went from small outerwear company to international luxury brand. Link
  • In-store pickup does not save U.S. shoppers much time. Link
  • Plus-size fashion moves beyond the muumuu. Link
  • FedEx acquires Bongo to appeal to global retailers. Link
  • Amazon’s third party merchants are a growing piece of the sales pie. Link
  • Amazon posts worst year since 2008, lost $7.4B. Link
  • Is Nike working to re-establish itself in the world of wearable tech? Link
  • How Nordstrom became the most successful retailer. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Snapchat cracks top 10 largest U.S. venture-capital deals. Link
  • Twitter to launch a YouTube-like video platform. Link
  • Selfie stick rules holiday season as must-have accessory. Link
  • Why brands tweet “bae.” Link
  • Top branded Instagram videos of 2014. Link
  • Net-a-porter promotes skiwear with branded ski lift. Link
  • Apple sued for false advertising of iPhones. Link
  • Lucky Magazine puts three bloggers on its cover. Link
  • Forbes taking native ads to new level with AT&T-sponsored cover. Link
  • Mark Zuckerberg starts a book club. Link
  • McDonald’s lays out new brand vision, reaffirms commitment to “I’m Lovin It.” Link
  • New AOL takes form with ad-tech in charge. Link
  • Three seismic threats to marketers in 2015. Link

Start-ups:

  • Grocery-delivery startup Instacart rings up $230M in funding. Link
  • Qwant wants to be alternative to Google. Link
  • Yummly teams up with Instacart to delivery recipe ingredients in an hour. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Self-checkout takes hold in Japan. Link
  • Key stories to watch in China’s tech in 2015. Link
  • Tencent launches China’s first private bank. Link
  • Alibaba competitor Wanda eCommerce raises $161M at $3B valuation. Link

[AU]

  • Costco to launch more Australian stores. Link

[EU]

  • German online retailer Zalando sells old items offline. Link

[LATAM]

  • Wal-mart to offer smaller store formats in Mexico. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • App download volumes hit record high in November. Link
  • Capital One kicks off Apple Pay promotion. Link
  • Payments tipping point will be in 2015. Link
  • 5 mobile developments that mattered in 2014. Link
  • The year’s 10 biggest shifts, shake-ups and surprises in mobile marketing. Link
  • A day with Apple Pay. Link
  • Withings releases a $150 smartwatch for the masses. Link
  • Mistfit debuts a new “Sqarovski Shine” wearables collection featuring crystal jewelry, solar charging. Link

Other:

  • Nest adds 15 more companies to its “Works With Nest” program, integrating with other Internet of Things. Link
  • Roku announces two new TV partnerships for Roku TV. Link

Weekly Industry Brief 12.15.2014

Leave a comment

Hi there! Below is a recap of news in fashion, retail, and technology over the last week. All sources can be found in the hyper-linked text after each headline:

Holiday:

  • Behind the holiday trend of self-gifting. Link
  • Best Buy offers free two-day shipping to lure holiday shoppers. Link
  • Retailers grapple with shifting holiday patterns. Link
  • Meet the secret army of meteorologists who keep your holiday deliveries on time. Link
  • Amazon drives more holiday web retail traffic than biggest TV ad spender. Link

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Amazon introduces “Make an Offer” option. Link
  • Gucci, Coach tie for top spot in L2 digital study. Link
  • Amazon launches Surprise!, a Facebook-powered app for sending personalized e-cards. Link
  • The buzziest beauty brands of 2014. Link
  • ASOS sales soar in the UK, not so much everywhere else. Link
  • In the next few weeks, U.S. retailers can add the Shop Now button to their pages. Link
  • Online retailer Frank & Oak opens Canadian flagship. Link
  • Digital kiosks fuse in-store and online shopping. Link
  • Gucci CEO and Creative Director step down. Link
  • H&M taps Olivia Wilde as conscious ambassador. Link
  • Nordstrom partnering with eBay for smart fitting rooms. Link
  • Marriott debuts hotel brand for millennials in New Orleans. Link
  • How Tommy Hilfiger had its biggest year ever. Link
  • Bloomingdale’s social shopping experiment, Zoomingdales. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Instagram hits 300 Million users. Link
  • JC Penny has store shoppers surprise complete strangers with gifts. Link
  • The new co-op isn’t retail ad budgets, it’s audience data. Link
  • LinkedIn rolls out a simplified homepage with analytics and news feed front and center. Link
  • Polyvore reveals the most searched fashion brands. Link
  • The worst corporate tweets of 2014. Link
  • Lowe’s explores native tools on Vine and Instagram. Link
  • YouTube’s most popular ads of 2014. Link
  • The most discussed topics on Facebook in 2014. Link
  • Snapchat poaches start tech banker from Credit Suisse. Link
  • Facebook search can now find specific posts. Link
  • The most viral tweets of 2014. Link
  • Brands can now turn positive reviews into native ads and only pay when people share them. Link
  • How Hendrick’s gin has found creative ways to fluently speak to hard-to-reach hipsters. Link
  • Facebook dumps Bing, will introduce its own search tool. Link
  • Apple store online now accepts PayPal in US and UK. Link
  • Google Plus lets you define your own gender. Link
  • Under Armour is Ad Age’s marketer of the year. Link

Start-ups:

  • Tinder competitor Hinge raises $12M to bring its friends-of-friends dating app abroad. Link
  • Chef’d uses crowdfunding to roll out recipe-and-ingredient delivery service for gourmet meals. Link
  • Facebook’s Oculus buys two startups for virtual reality gestures, 3D. Link
  • Change.org raises $25 M from big names to go global and mobile. Link
  • Guy-oriented web content startup Woven Digital raises $18M in funding. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • India’s SnapDeal acquires Wishpicker to deliver better product recommendations. Link
  • Southeast Asia gets own online shopping festival. Link
  • Apple to open research site in Japan. Link
  • China’s Baidu set to partner with Uber and reportedly invest up to $600M. Link
  • Is Asia setting the trend on selfies? Link

[EU]

  • Google News shut down in Spain. Link
  • Amazon UK glitch sells thousands of products for a penny. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Android Wear adds customizable faces to its smartwatches. Link
  • eBay draws inspiration from Pinterest for iPad commerce app. Link
  • Iowa is building the nation’s first smartphone driver’s license. Link
  • Shazam launches new version of mobile app. Link
  • Chicago and New York officials look to build Uber-like apps for taxis. Link
  • Invasion of wearable in the workforce. Link
  • Snap Fashion extends its visual search engine app into men’s clothing. Link
  • App detects when your friends are nearby and immediately silences your phone. Link
  • Hulu offers free streaming on Android over the holidays. Link
  • Whatsapp may be working on a web version of its popular messaging app. Link
  • Venmo lets users sign in using bank account log in. Link

Other:

  • 2015 technology trends to watch. Link
  • McDonald’s seeks help wooing millennials. Link
  • TV disruption on display as Netflix and Amazon go head-to-head at Golden Globes. Link
  • Analysts claim teens still prefer print books. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 12.8.2014

Leave a comment

Holiday:

  • Cyber Monday online sales rose 17% to $2B. Link
  • Targeting customers on mobile during holiday shopping season. Link
  • Walmart reports 70% of Thanksgiving traffic from mobile. Link
  • Walmart has record Cyber Monday as shoppers seek deals. Link
  • Target turns its stores into one big mobile game this holiday season. Link
  • Black Friday: Whose advertising made you spend? Link
  • Cyber Monday shoppers may want to check out these YouTube channels. Link
  • Cyber Monday, Green Monday and the impact worldwide. Link
  • Brands get creative with holiday pop-up stores. Link

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Amazon gets $5M from New York to being 500 jobs to Manhattan. Link
  • Starbucks, facing saturated market, looks to the high end. Link
  • Aeropostale to close 75 stores. Link
  • Amazon unveils its own line of diapers. Link
  • Khol’s online profitability less than half of that in stores. Link
  • Simon Malls and eBay partner for “connected” mall experience. Link
  • Smal retailers jump on the subscription bandwagon. Link
  • Bebe confirms payment card data breach. Link
  • Poshmark hits $100M in annual revenue for its fashion resell business, begins luxury goods authentication. Link
  • Amazon goes after Honest.com with Elements, a prime-only lineup of ethical home essentials. Link
  • eBay debuts “Innovators Collective,” a tech-focused section featuring new lifestyle products, electronics and more. Link
  • Intel teams with Luxottica to build the future of smart eyewear. Link
  • Gap’s sales go into a 3-month slide following ‘dress normal’ ad campaign failure. Link
  • Deb stores files for bankruptcy. Link
  • Retailers adjust as lines between in store and digital shopping blurs. Link
  • Unraveling Anthropologie’s intoxicating store experience. Link
  • American Eagle profits fell 63% this quarter. Link
  • You can now rent ugly holiday sweaters on Rent the Runway. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Say Media buys out investors as it exits the media business and focuses on its publishing platform. Link
  • Facebook relaunches Slingshot as a Snapchat stories-style lifecasting app. Link
  • Connexity (formerly Shopzille) buys Become.com to grow its price comparison business. Link
  • Saavn partners with Twitter to bring tweet-powered radio to its streaming service. Link
  • Gangnam style has been viewed so many times it broke YouTube’s code. Link
  • Twitter improves tools for users to report harassment. Link
  • Google’s new target audience: kids. Link
  • Tumblr now has ‘buy,’ ‘pledge,’ and ‘get involved’ buttons. Link
  • Twitter copies Instagram with new adjustable photo filters. Link
  • Liberty London turns Instagram likes into loyalty perks. Link
  • REI’s great customer service hits the big screen. Link

Start-ups:

  • Uber confirms new $1.2B funding round at $40B valuation. Link
  • Shoes of Prey raises $5.5M for custom footwear. Link
  • Fit.me buys Clothes horse, consolidating the clothing-fit technology sector. Link
  • Stripe raises $70M. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • L’Occitane launches online shop on Alibaba’s Tmall site. Link
  • Tujia.com aims to be more than online vacation rental portal. Link

[AU]

  • Sephora launches in Sydney. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • How Starbucks will build on mobile order to launch delivery service in 2015. Link
  • Yahoo will pass Twitter in mobile ad revenue next year. Link
  • Six drivers of the $7B mobile internet. Link
  • App Annie now tracks user demographics, sentiment and more. Link
  • Line Pay, the new messaging app’s mobile payment service will make its global debut soon. Link
  • Square launches iOS app for food delivery service Caviar. Link
  • Uber hires a mobile team in Amsterdam to staff a new mobile dev shop in the city. Link
  • Starbucks brews iBeacon strategy to support premium coffee play. Link
  • Skype founder launches new messaging app, Wire. Link
  • The softer and more wearable future of wearables. Link

Other:

  • Comcast makes it more and more difficult to opt out of internet sharing. Link
  • Amazon has launched a GrubHub rival for food takeout and delivery. Link
  • Eye scanner may replace password logins. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 11.24.2014

Leave a comment

Happy week of Black Friday! Below is a round up of industry news from the last week. All sources can be found in the hyper-linked text after each headline.

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Nordstrom unveils customization studio. Link
  • Century 21 ups ante with C21 edition. Link
  • H&M to launch eight new online markets in 2015. Link
  • Neiman Marcus links with St. Regis Hotel in Washington, D.C. Link
  • Gap names new presidents for Banana Republic and Gap brands. Link
  • WalMart tightens online price-match policy. Link
  • Fashion boutiques team up with Farfetch.com for click-and-collect service. Link
  • Zappos tests brick-and-mortar pop up shop this holiday season. Link
  • Net-a-porter said to consider 2015 IPO. Link
  • What FEED can teach companies about making meaningful connections. Link
  • Ikea to reissue original midcentury furniture. Link
  • Amazon to launch travel booking website. Link
  • Cavernous stores wear on Forever 21. Link
  • Apple’s plans for Beats Music start to take shape. Link
  • AT&T and Starbucks to bring wireless phone chargers to some coffee shops. Link
  • Amazon leases Manhattan building, hinting at ambitions. Link
  • Wonder to close most of its stores. Link Burch Creative refutes these reports. Link
  • Amazon plans fashion photography studio in London. Link
  • Coach rolls out new retail concept. Link
  • Black Friday: Top US shopping day fades to gray. Link
  • Nordstrom reshuffles its traditional half-yearly sales. Link
  • Fab is close to a fire sale but CEO gets another chance. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Wanelo launches buy now technology. Link
  • How Michael Kors forces Instagram to do retail. Link
  • Google to help publishers make money by blocking ads. Link
  • Facebook testing collaboration tools for businesses. Link
  • Why fashion marketers should be paying attention to Ello. Link
  • TV looks to offer web-like ad targeting. Link
  • Forrester says brands are wasting money on Facebook and Twitter. Link
  • New York Magazine creates ‘pop-up blogs.’ Link
  • Ikea recreates iconic mealtime master paintings. Link
  • Google adds detailed info to shopping search results on mobile devices. Link
  • Amazon announcing Black Friday specials on Snapchat. Link

Start-ups:

  • Glossier raises over $10M to reinvent the beauty industry. Link
  • How crowdfunding is changing the fashion business. Link
  • Memoir raises $5.5M to stitch together your digital photos. Link
  • Kik raises $38M to battle Snapchat for teens. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Lazada battles global ecommerce players and Indonesian rivals. Link
  • Macy’s, Saks, Bloomingdale’s and more accept Alipay to woo rich Chinese shoppers. Link

[EU]

  • Zara to open new Irish stores as retail recovers. Link
  • Royal Mail warns competition from Amazon will hamper growth. Link
  • UK looks to keep records on internet users. Link
  • UK shoppers plan holiday spending spree, Deloitte says. Link

[AU]

  • Sephora store opens in Sydney on December 5th. Link

[A/ME]

  • Dubai’s Souq.com plans “Black Friday” equivalent to help boost sales growth. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Sephora rolls out Apple Pay in all Bay Area and Manhattan locations. Link
  • Target’s new app steers you to the right aisle for Black Friday. Link
  • Victoria’s Secret adds messaging to app. Link
  • For Opening Ceremony x Intel MICA smart bracelet, beauty beats brains. Link
  • Google Play store opens to Chinese developers. Link
  • US mobile payments market to boom by 2019. Link
  • This clever app scans wine and beer bottles to help you find drinks you’ll love. Link
  • Moleskine Smart Notebooks turns your sketches into adobe-friendly vector files. Link
  • Square reveals plans to support Apple Pay in 2015. Link
  • App, magazine and IRL community for collaborating creators. Link
  • Adobe shaping the future of creative mobile apps. Link

Other:

  • The $100 custom shirt is here. Does it have room for profit? Link
  • Experts predict retailers will face holiday hacking surge. Link
  • The post-PC CEO: no desk, no desktop. Link
  • A look at seven game-changing tech advances for retailers. Link