Tag: mobile

Weekly Industry Round-Up: 11.17.2014

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My recap of top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Alibaba goes global, Singles Day sales top $9 Billion. Link
  • Quirky and GE unveil their vision for the connected home. Link
  • Why New Balance makes shoes for Kate Spade and JCrew. Link
  • Macy’s launches same-day delivery in eight cities. Link
  • Radio Shack backtracks on Thanksgiving hours after worker outcry. Link
  • Amazon is hiring drone test pilots. Link
  • Old Navy criticized for higher cost of plus-size jeans. Link
  • Kendall Jenner signs on as the new face of Estee Lauder. Link
  • BCBG boosts Wi-Fi to drive store visits. Link
  • Target buys Pittsburgh technology firm promising ‘Amazon-like’ shopping experiences in stores. Link
  • Levi Strauss to eliminate 500 jobs. Link
  • Alibaba’s boutique shop 11 Main opens doors on mobile. Link
  • WalMart spreads Black Friday over five days. Link
  • Rebecca Minkoff’s new stores have touch-screens for online shopping. Link
  • Alibaba is now bigger than P&G, GE and Wells Fargo. Link
  • Farfetch rolls out click-and-collect. Link
  • J.Crew’s beauty guru launches line of his own. Link
  • H&M will begin Black Friday deals in stores and online on 11/20. Link
  • Early holiday promotions eat away Black Friday sales. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Google seeks to help fight Ebola with donation-matching campaign. Link
  • Inside Refinery29’s video strategy. Link
  • Six new features to expect from Twitter. Link
  • Google’s DoubleClick goes dark, makes internet ad-free for an hour. Link
  • Uber partners with Spotify. Link
  • Twitter speaks up with growth strategy intended to soothe Wall Street. Link
  • Conde Nast hires YouTube stars for original video series. Link
  • Publishers sell sponsored content made for Instagram, Snapchat. Link
  • LuLuLemon slammed for Dalai Lama partnership. Link
  • Macy’s and Marriott approach SnapChat very differently as platform’s influence grows. Link
  • Michael Kors adds “buy” to Instagram. Link
  • Interactive YouTube film from Asos lets uses change color scheme. Link
  • Target sponsors NBC web video series. Link
  • Who’s going to drive advertising spending this holiday season? Link

Start-ups:

  • One Piece is a social pop-up that offers discounts for social media influence. Link
  • Craftsy, an e-learning site for makers raises $50M. Link
  • DSTLD is Everlane for jeans. Link
  • VIDA raises $1.3M for socially responsible ecommerce. Link
  • Rocket Internet plots ten start-ups. Link
  • Glossier raises $8.4M to take on beauty and cosmetics with verticalized approach. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Japan slips into recession. Link
  • Ikea debuts in Korea. Link
  • After Singles Day, Alibaba delivered 40 Million packages in three days. Link
  • com doubles its shoppers in the past year, shifts towards Alibaba-style marketplace model. Link
  • Rakuten acquires Japanese beauty portal to expand its own salon booking service. Link

[EU]

  • American Eagle expands in Europe; will open three stores in London over next week. Link

[CA]

  • Can Aritzia become as well-known in the U.S. as Canada? Link

[AU]

  • Etsy partners with David Jones for Christmas. Link
  • Surfstich buys UK rival Surfdome.com. Link
  • Google grabs first carrier partner for Project Loon tests in Australia. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Macy’s set to unveil visual search app. Link
  • Urban Outfitters drives mobile engagement with app newsfeed strategy. Link
  • Lord & Taylor expands iBeacon program to all US stores. Link
  • ‘Build it and they will come’ no longer works for mobile apps. Link
  • Cyber Monday is now Mobile Monday. Get ready. Link
  • Peach is a flash sales app with an auction-based twist. Link
  • Early Apple Pay stats point to a modest but promising start. Link

Other:

  • Key takeaways from PSFK’s Future of Retail 2015. Link
  • Nordstrom is leading retailing the right way. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY ROUND UP: 11.10.2014

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My recap of top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Target partners with Story for the holidays. Link
  • USPS adding Sunday deliveries in some areas for holidays. Link
  • H&M’s Alexander Wang collection selling out and crashing the website. Link and Link
  • Magazines turning to ecommerce. Link
  • ShopRunner beefs up retail partnerships. Link
  • Home Depot hackers also snagged 53 million customer email addresses. Link
  • Amazon introduces Echo, a voice controlled speaker. Link
  • Marc Jacobs x Urban Ears headphones can be thrown in the wash like a t-shirt. Link
  • The head of Google Same-Day delivery joins Uber. Link
  • Living Social lays off 20% of staff. Link
  • 8Tracks launches DJ analytics and better music recommendations. Link
  • Amazon is testing taxis for deliveries. Link
  • American Eagle wants to be outfitter for your dog this holiday season. Link
  • Amazon Prime’s new perk: unlimited cloud photo storage. Link
  • TopShop unveils 5th Ave flagship. Link
  • Two dozen retailers that will not open on Thanksgiving. Link
  • Ellen Degeneres launching ecommerce site and interior design book. Link
  • Bringing online retail products into a real life apartment. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Facebook hands over more control of the newsfeed to users. Link
  • Tumbler expands merchandise offering. Link
  • Verizon Wireless under fire for ad targeting program. Link
  • Marc Jacobs beauty makes Instagram shoppable. Link
  • New app attempts to better organize tweets around events. Link
  • How StyleHaul built a YouTube network on branded entertainment, not Google Ads. Link
  • What’s next for Instagram: Discovery, Accessibility, and “Time Spent.” Link
  • Facebook bans brands from trading “likes” for incentives. Link
  • Adidas leverages athletic star power in winter sports campaign. Link
  • Facebook launches a donate button for Ebola. Link
  • Kohl’s ups TV spend for holiday campaign. Link
  • Dollar Shave Club takes to TV in a big way with new campaign. Link
  • The next frontier in digital media will be physical products. Link
  • Lowe’s new vines offer up helpful DIY tips in six seconds. Link

Start-ups:

  • Powa raises $80M to launch its mobile, ecommerce payments in U.S. Link
  • Spark Capital’s new growth fund aims to catch the ones that got away. Link
  • Blurb launches Dream Team talent network to help authors improve and complete their books. Link
  • Ten exciting early stage startups to look out for. Link
  • Kidizen, mobile marketplace for secondhand kids’ stuff raises $500K. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Ecommerce is so huge in China, some brands skip opening an actual store. Link
  • Gap speeds up China expansion. Link
  • China gears up for world’s biggest shopping day. Link
  • Why Twitter is opening an office in Hong Kong despite being blocked in China. Link
  • Small boutique ecommerce startup is undaunted by fashion giants like Zalora. Link

[EU]

  • Crew expanding presence in Europe. Link
  • Online retail growth speeds up in Russia. Link

[CA]

  • Amazon’s same-day delivery comes to Canada. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Free People launches a redesigned mobile site. Link
  • Android Lollipop hit by battery life problem. Link
  • Marketers embracing beacons will have competitive advantage this holiday season. Link
  • Android Lollipop is grown-up and accessible. Link
  • Macy’s takes letters from Santa mobile. Link
  • WalMart beefs up mobile app features for the holidays. Link
  • Apple now lets you deregister phone numbers from iMessage. Link
  • The Economist launches Espresso, a daily news roundup for mobile readers. Link
  • Momofuku’s David Chang launching food delivery app in NYC. Link
  • Groupon launches new app, Getaways, for travel and hotel offers. Link

Other:

  • Trends that will revolutionize the retail industry. Link
  • Macs hit market share milestone in the US. Link
  • Square passes 1 Billion payments. Link
  • Tom’s influences another humanitarian brand. Link
  • Can teen retailers turn things around? Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY ROUND UP: 11.4.2014

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My recap of top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Starbucks to start delivering in 2015. Link
  • Neiman Marcus launches MyNM to personalize ecommerce. Link
  • Aeropostale launches collection with social media stars. Link
  • Coach exceeds estimates as it grows overseas, curbs discounting. Link
  • Vente-Privee to shut U.S. venture. Link
  • Alibaba eyes payments tie-up with Apple. Link
  • Lululemon founder’s family bets on casual luxury with new retail venture. Link
  • Why online retailers continue to open brick-and-mortar stores. Link
  • Retailers and shippers retool for the holiday season. Link
  • Amazon opens pop-up store to push its Fire smartphones. Link
  • Burger King to accept PayPal. Link
  • Amazon launches crowdsourced publishing program. Link
  • Beyonce and Topshop team for Ath-Leisure brand. Link
  • Timberland’s newest partnership: Tires. Link
  • Target quietly testing mobile payment app to rival Apple Pay. Link
  • Sophia Coppola directs Gap’s holiday ads. Link
  • American Express and Etsy partner to support small businesses. Link
  • CNET launches a print magazine. Link
  • Ralph Lauren uses interactive windows to launch line at Harrods. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Gap’s interactive holiday campaign: Play your Stripes. Link
  • Youtube weighing new subscription service. Link
  • Bing now lets you search by emoji. Link
  • Publicis snaps up Sapient for $3.7B to build a digital media powerhouse. Link
  • Instagram video ads are finally live. Link
  • Luxury brands are still casting a leery eye toward social media. Link
  • Digital to overtake TV ad spending in two years, says Forrester. Link
  • Snapchat discussing new ad type that’s similar to live TV. Link
  • Nobody beats Amazon when it comes to subscription services. Link
  • Michelle Phan is building a beauty empire. Link
  • SheKnows acquires BlogHer. Link
  • Alex from Target rises to internet fame. Link
  • Heineken partners with brands to create exclusive luxury goods. Link
  • Reddit opens a crowdfunding site. Link

Start-ups:

  • Cloth is where Instagram and your closet collide. Link
  • Deliv widens same-day delivery, following Google. Link
  • Changing the rules of ecommerce. Link
  • Slack is now worth over $1B. Link
  • Crowdsourced design marketplace Minted raises $38M more, adds fabrics and home décor. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • China’s JD.com starts operations in $1B warehouse. Link
  • Investment in Tokopedia may be the boost Indonesian ecommerce needs. Link
  • China’s economic growth falls to lowest in 5 years. Link
  • Amazon’s strategy for India: stick to the concept of sister site. Link

[EU]

  • London pop-up mall blends digital and physical retail. Link
  • UK arm of Ikea to embark on price cutting program. Link

[CA]

  • Ikea Canada boss aims for a revamp as competition heats up. Link

[A/ME]

  • Macy’s to open in Abu Dhabi. Link

[LATAM]

  • Mexico enters the fashion limelight. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Neiman Marcus makes it easier for mobile shoppers to buy items they spot on the street. Link
  • Marriott woos millennials with mobile apps and wireless charging. Link
  • Microsoft unveils fitness smart band that understands voice commands. Link
  • PopSugar plays fave with data in new shopping app. Link
  • In 72 hours, ApplePay is already the wireless payment leader in the US. Link
  • Google launches Android 5.0 Lollipop. Link
  • Amazon voice search leads the way in mcommerce. Link
  • Neiman Marcus simplifies purchase process with mobile photo feature. Link  
  • How Aeropostale and Asos are getting mobile right with millennials. Link
  • Google’s redesigned calendar app combines brains and beauty. Link
  • Starbucks to offer delivery service via new app. Link
  • Hotels try smartphone apps as room keys. Link

Apple Pay Coverage:

  • Apple Pay isn’t ready to replace your wallet. Link
  • What are anti-Apple Pay merchants afraid of? Link
  • More US banks switch on Apple Pay support. Link
  • Apple Pay rival, Current C, says it’s misunderstood. Link
  • The worm in Apple Pay. Link

Other:

  • Four brands that built empires without traditional advertising. Link
  • Isabel Murant says build strong base and stay focused. Link
  • Sour Patch Kids opens Brooklyn house for touring bands. Link
  • Taylor Swift pulls all her albums from Spotify. Link
  • The Arrivals: A line of coats from a venture capitalist and an architect. Link

Weekly Industry Round Up: 10.27.2014

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My recap of top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Target eyes holiday turnaround on free shipping and faux fur. Link
  • Retail’s new battleground: The I want what I want when I want it generation. Link
  • Trunk Club to open first brick-and-mortar store on Madison Avenue. Link
  • Under Armour’s rising sneaker sales have yet to tread on Nike. Link
  • Gilt names former Starwood Hotels exec as chief marketing officer. Link
  • Etsy launches card reader for in-person payments. Link
  • Amazon posts largest quarterly loss in 14 years. Link
  • Macy’s links with Google to show mobile users what’s in stock nearby. Link
  • Rakuten, Japan’s Amazon, launches fashion site in the U.S. Link
  • Staples is the latest retailer to be hit by hackers. Link
  • Apple shutting down Beats Music app and rolling it into iTunes. Link
  • J.Crew says it will sit out athletic trend. Link
  • Sears said to be closing 77 stores. Link
  • Groupon’s site now has dedicated pages for 7 million businesses across the US. Link
  • Bloomingdale’s equips fitting rooms with iPads for smart shopping. Link
  • Anthropologie may open in AT&T’s former NYC headquarters. Link
  • Asos sees future payoff from 2014 investments. Link
  • FedEx, UPS make plans for better holiday season. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Ello bans advertising and raises $5.5M in new funding. Link
  • Facebook launches new Rooms app that harkens back to early days of Internet chatrooms. Link
  • Groupon channels Yelp with new listings service. Link
  • Behind Twitter’s move to become a mobile-services shop. Link
  • Tumblr to make over $100M in revenue next year. Link
  • How Facebook is changing the way its users consumer journalism. Link
  • New Target CEO makes mark on holiday efforts. Link
  • Pandora gives musicians a data dashboard to see where their fans are. Link
  • North America holds tight to world’s largest ad spending share. Link
  • Haul videos influence holiday shopping. Link
  • Snapchat rolls out first advertiser. Link

Start-ups:

  • Glamsquad raises $7M for on-demand styling and beauty services. Link
  • Tindr to take a swipe at monetization with new premium dating upgrade. Link
  • Digital lockers will take parcels and clean laundry. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Zalora opens first offline shop. Link
  • India’s Snapdeal forays into premium designer segment. Link
  • China’s Alipay offers ePass payment service for U.S. retail websites. Link
  • Apple set to open 25 new stores in China by end of 2016. Link
  • Zara stumbes in India. Link
  • Taobao Marketplace launches click-and-collect in Singapore. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • Sydney’s Big Commerce takes on Amazon with Alibaba deal. Link

[EU]

  • American Eagle lands in UK. Link
  • Amazon web services to open German center. Link
  • Primark prepares to make entrance in U.S. Link

[CA]

  • Target Canada to experiment with overstocking in turnaround effort. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Urban Outfitters tackles in-app product search challenge. Link
  • Google wants to organize your life with new email app. Link
  • TestFlight Beta testing goes live for all iOS developers. Link
  • Amazon takes retail approach to push flagging Fire phone. Link
  • Google wants Inbox to be your email system for the next decade. Link
  • Amazon quietly launches app store within its main Android app. Link
  • Square launches app marketplace to make third-party integration painless for businesses. Link
  • Twitter unveils Fabric, a welcome gift to mobile developers. Link
  • Fitbit announces new fitness trackers, including its first smartwatch. Link
  • Microsoft makes progress with phone and tablet sales. Link
  • Nike sees brighter wearables future with Apple. Link

[Apple Pay coverage]:

  • Square encircled as Apple, Paypal aim for mobile payments. Link
  • Apple Pay threatens a competing approach to simplifying payments. Link
  • CVS and RiteAid disable Apple Pay. Link
  • CurrentC is the big retailers’ clunky attempt to kill Apple Pay and credit card fees. Link
  • Bank of America customers double-charged in Apple Pay snafu. Link
  • Jumio launches card-scanning mobile checkout for retailers’ iOS and Android apps. Link

Other:

  • How to turn your company into a movement. Link
  • The psychology of web design. Link
  • Roku could file for IPO soon, raises as much as $150M. Link

 

WEEKLY INDUSTRY ROUND UP: 9.8.2014

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Top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer News:

  • eBay makes New York Fashion Week instantly shopable. Link
  • Nordstrom said to be first retailer to accept Apple mobile payments. Link
  • Neiman Marcus to open first NYC store. Link
  • Saks introduces user-generated content hub to propel purchases. Link
  • Opening Ceremony reveals Intel-powered smart bracelet. Link
  • Digital driving growth at Belk department stores. Link
  • eBay attracts top fashion brands to sell direct. Link
  • NastyGal lays off up to 10% of its workforce. Link
  • Saks Fifth Avenue takes steps ot build on its legacy. Link
  • Staples adds buy online, pick up in store. Link
  • Yahoo Style, a new digital magazine, arrives just in time for fashion week. Link
  • UPS plans to offer pickup points for online orders in New York City and Chicago. Link
  • Google pledges to fight the sale of fake Luis Vuitton bags online. Link
  • Starbucks to launch express stores. Link
  • Amazon taps USPS to deliver groceries in San Francisco. Link
  • Saks CMO explains sweeping changes. Link
  • DVF’s tech-savvy style. Link
  • Visa rolls out online payments campaign for NFL opening day. Link
  • Joe Zee is Old Navy’s fall style ambassador. Link
  • Crew’s sales picked up last quarter. Link
  • PayPal expands further into offline retail and mobile payments with new PayPal Here SDK. Link
  • It’s Uniqlo vs. Uniqlo at the US Open. Link
  • Path of stolen credit cards leads back to Home Depot stores. Link
  • ASOS seeks CIO. Link
  • Six ways competitors are trying to kill Amazon. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Social activism becomes a thing for brands, thanks to the Ice Bucket Challenge. Link
  • Ikea pitches its 2015 catalog as the coolest gadget ever. Link
  • American Apparel ad banned in UK for sexualizing schoolgirls. Link
  • In social advertising, YouTube converts more customers than anyone else. Link
  • Photo app Twitpic shuts down over trademark spat with Twitter. Link
  • Facebook rolls out privacy checkups to all 1.3B users. Link
  • Hyperlapse is doing well so far. Link
  • How Venmo is turning into a hilarious social network. Link

Start-ups:

  • This startup aims to give everyone the shipping power of Amazon. Link
  • Yahoo buys photo ad network Luminate, shuts it down. Link
  • Food start up adds tech talent as Silicon Valley shakes up the food business. Link
  • Diageo looks to pour new tech into liquor with venture unit. Link
  • Uber strikes deal to build new headquarters in large expansion. Link
  • ASOS founder funds London expansion of New York-style blow dry bars. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Fans form lines in Tokyo for expected iPhone launch. Link
  • Rakuten to buy eBates. Link
  • Baidu Eye prototype unveiled to rival Google Glass. Link
  • Emerging Asian designers hit New York Fashion Week. Link
  • House of Fraser completes sale to Chinese department store. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • The Iconic joins other fashion pureplays in international fashion merger. Link
  • H&M confirms two Sydney stores. Link

[EU]

  • Online shopping on mobile devices overtakes desktop in UK. Link
  • How Yoox turned the lucury-goods industry onto digital. Link

[A/ME]

  • Africa now has 100M Facebook users, 9% of the total population. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Apple courts fashionistas as smartwatch expectations mount. Link
  • Motorola’s Moto 360 smartwatch arrives just days before Apple’s expected smartwatch announcement. Link
  • Apple’s big event on September 9th. Here’s what to expect. Link
  • Millennials are the largest group of smartphone owners and adoption is still growing. Link
  • Inside look at the Starbucks app, the most successful mobile payments system in the US. Link
  • Apple adds another high-profile hire with industrial designer Marc Newson. Link
  • The Galaxy Note Edge is Samsung’s new phablet with a new kind of curved display. Link
  • How beacons are changing the shopping experience. Link
  • Apple teaming up with Visa, MasterCard on iPhone wallet. Link
  • Rue La La anticipates bigger-than-ever mobile surge during upcoming holiday season. Link
  • Microsoft woos cost-conscious with new smartphones. Link
  • Why Apple’s iBeacon hasn’t taken off – yet. Link
  • Designers debut wearables at New York Fashion Week. Link

Other:

  • Following purge of tobacco products, CVS renames itself to CVS Health. Link
  • Starbucks announces two new store designs. Link
  • Millennials are saying no to credit cards. Link
  • Two Googlers take top White House tech jobs. Link

Weekly Industry Round Up: 9.2.2014

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Top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer News:

  • Nordstrom introduces seamless Instagram shopping experience. Link
  • Rumors that eBay is set to buy ASOS. Link
  • Abercrombie to strip logo from clothing. Link
  • Refinery29 teams up with Simon Malls. Link
  • Evernote launches office gear on market ecommerce portal. Link
  • More and more, fashion designers are selling direct to customers. Link
  • Intel poised to launch luxury smart bracelet at Barneys. Link
  • Report card on back to school: the season’s trends and what they mean for retailers. Link
  • Newegg unleashes its own fleet of delivery vehicles for same day delivery in LA. Link
  • How REI blazes a digital trail. Link
  • Google is working on drone deliveries too. Link
  • Zara withdraws t-shirts after accusations online of anti-Semitism. Link
  • JustFab Inc., which includes ShoeDazzle and FabKids, is valued at $1B following $85M investment. Link
  • Zalando blends data with fashion. Link
  • Claire’s reveals new plan to right sluggish sales. Link
  • Macy’s new Bronx store: localization in action. Link
  • Apple sends invites for September 9th.Link
  • Teens favor tech over clothes. Link
  • Stuart Vevers’ first Coach collection hits Net-a-Porter. Link
  • Are things looking up for Target? Link
  • Uniqlo to open two Boston area stores. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Tweet this hashtag in NYC and Reebok could run a pair of sneakers over to you. Link
  • Facebook introduces bandwidth targeting to match mobile ads to your network quality. Link
  • Introducing Hyperlapse, Instagram’s new time-lapse video app. Link
  • 12 marketers already experimenting with Hyperlapse. Link
  • Gap runs first social campaign for kids’ accounts. Link
  • Pinterest tests news tab on mobile. Link
  • Facebook boosts event visibility with new ad format. Link
  • Nordstrom wants you to shop on Instagram. Link
  • Vice Media sells a stake to A&E Network at $2.5B valuation. Link
  • What’s next for Twitter marketing real world innovation? Link
  • Twitter redesigns signup process to entice new users. Link
  • SnapChat said to have more than 100 million monthly active users. Link
  • Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett to start in H&M holiday campaign. Link

Start-ups:

  • Amazon buys Twitch, bets on content in a hub for gamers. Link
  • Mallzee makes move to become the go-to mobile shopping destination for clothes. Link
  • Honest Co., Jessica Alba’s ecommerce startup, raises $70M. Link
  • How a clothing company successfully turned salvaged trash into fashion. Link
  • Menswear brand will deliver fresh white shirt in less than 90 minutes. Link
  • 3 startups vying to become the “Uber for Beauty.” Link

International:

[APAC]

  • LuLuLemon’s Asia push. Link
  • WalMart looks online for Chinese growth. Link
  • Chinese are traveling more but shopping less. Link
  • Wanda, Tencent and Baidu take on Alibaba with $814M ecommerce deal. Link
  • Hermes first-half profit rises on Asia sales. Link
  • Apple’s opportunity in India. Link
  • Google to open new startup center in Seoul. Link
  • Why social ecommerce is a game changer for niche brands in China. Link 

[AU/NZ]

  • Williams-Sonoma arrives in Sydney. Link
  • Australian retailers ramp up. Link
  • Inside Google’s secret drone-delivery program in Australia. Link
  • TopShop partners with Uber to offer free rides to its AU flagship. Link

[EU]

  • Marks & Spencer hopes for halo effect with unifying brand campaign. Link
  • Online beauty brand BirchBox pops up in London. Link

[CA]

  • LuLuLemon founder’s wife and son open luxury t-shirt store Kit and Ace. Link

[LATAM]

  • Columbia open and ready for business. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Zalando testing mobile clothing recognition app. Link
  • Apple rumored partnership with American Express, Visa and MasterCard for mobile payments. Link
  • NFC and wallet likely in next iPhone. Link
  • Tablet growth expected to be flat in North America and Europe this year. Link
  • Kenzo enhances Printemps pop-up with interactive mobile app. Link
  • Quirky Miu Miu mobile app makes mark at Venice Film Festival. Link
  • Pandora’s Google Glass app puts music controls on user’s face. Link
  • Another season, another app. Link
  • Macy’s offers digital wallet. Link
  • Full-screen ads are coming to the iPhone. Link
  • Rebecca Minkoff introducing wearable tech. Link
  • Storytelling app Steller becomes more of a social network. Link
  • Burger King ups ante on promoting apps with smartphone offer. Link
  • Ritz Carlton strive to improve customer stays with app upgrade. Link

Other:

  • Forbes’ 25 most innovative companies, including Hermes, Amazon, and Chipotle. Link
  • Report finds ecommerce draws hedge funds. Link
  • 22% of millennials feel they are under extreme financial stress. Link
  • The world’s most creative people in business. Link
  • How does internationalization work for online retailers? Link

 

WEEKLY INDUSTRY ROUND UP: 8.4.2014

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Top industry news from last week.  All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer News:

  • Zappos tests personal shopping assistant image recognition app. Link
  • PayPal’s “Bill Me Later” service becomes “PayPal Credit” as company expands credit products globally. Link
  • Lord & Taylor to test beacons in store. Link
  • Spanx stretches into new territory with jeans. Link
  • Online retailer Blue Nile to experiment with brick and mortar retail presence. Link
  • Diane Von Furstenburg to launch fashion jewelry line. Link
  • A guide to 11 Fashion Tech Labs, from Nordstrom, to Target, to Macy’s. Link
  • Gilt partners with HP on fashionable smartwatch. Link
  • Hollister’s first celebrity collaboration with Lucy Hale of Pretty Little Liars. Link
  • Patagonia releases new eco-friendly wetsuits. Link
  • Rue La La attracts Gilt Groupe for potential sale. Link
  • Converse x Missoni Chuck Taylor launching at Nordstrom. Link
  • Target names new CEO from outside the organization. Link
  • How Sephora plans to survive retail in a digital age. Link
  • Adidas virtual storefront concept uses interactive digital signage controlled with smartphones. Link
  • Uniqlo expands to MidWest. Link
  • Calvin Klein designs collection for Net-a-Porter. Link
  • WalMart continues small format expansion. Link
  • Ikea creates omnichannel shopping experience from favorite items in app. Link
  • Etsy set to launch wholesale business this week. Link
  • eBay to venture into online services. Link
  • Apple closes acquisition of Beats music. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Coca Cola launches Tweet a Coke campaign. Link
  • Under Armour makes headlines with Misty Copeland ballerina ad. Link
  • Twitter buys image-search startup Madbits. Link
  • Instagram launches one-touch photo and video messaging app Bolt outside the US. Link
  • Google Shopping now features product ratings in ads. Link
  • Big brands are driving Twitter and Facebook’s mobile ad expansion. Link
  • Marc Jacobs’ fragrance installation asks shoppers to upload their dreams. Link
  • Facebook gives up on gifts. Link
  • Meet the first viral SnapChat stars. Link
  • Twitter testing easier-to-use hashtags. Link

Start-ups:

  • WalMart Labs acquires Luvocracy, a Pinterest-like marketplace for product recommendations. Link
  • BaubleBar raises $10M in new funding lead by Chris Burch’s Burch Creative Capital. Link
  • HelloWorld, an easier way to share your location with friends. Link
  • Hukkster online shopping tool shuts down. Link
  • Saffron Fix delivers Indian food ingredients and recipes. Link
  • Goodshop, the website that donates to your chosen nonprofit when you shop online launches iOS app. Link
  • Square said to be in talks to buy food delivery start up Caviar. Link
  • Groupon founder working on walking tour app. Link
  • AirBnB expands to business travel. Link

International:

  • Canada and Australia are top choice for cross-border ecommerce, followed by Japan and New Zealand. Link

[APAC]

  • Amazon to invest $2B in India. Link
  • Why China is “10 Years Ahead” of the world with social commerce. Link
  • Alibaba mulls investment in SnapChat. Link
  • US Retailers target Chinese shoppers with stores, products. Link
  • China’s malls add parks, playgrounds to attract big-spending parents. Link
  • Rakuten believes chat app Viber can completely cange its ecommerce business. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • Surfstitch in IPO talks. Link
  • The Iconic’s heavy mobile investment paying off. Link
  • New Zealand online shoppers spent $1.3B offshore. Link

[EU]

  • 3D printer company MakerBot opens EU office in Germany. Link
  • Zalando’s deal with TopShop. Link

[A/ME]

  • Rocket Internet’s Jumia goes deeper into Africa. Link
  • Facebook launches mobile app in Zambia with free Internet access. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Android market share hits new record. Link
  • Hilton hotel rooms will soon unlock via iPhones. Link
  • Swatch to add personal fitness data to touch watch. Link
  • Starwood’s app-driven vision for the hotel of the future. Link
  • Buzzfeed to launch mobile app to be dedicated to serious news. Link
  • Best Buy CEO says tablets are crashing, has hope for PCs. Link
  • Square plans new chip-friendly credit card reader. Link
  • Mobile internet revenue to hit $700B in 4 years. Link
  • Polyvore launches new, simpler version of iPhone app. Link

Other:

  • New York Times runs a full-page medical marijuana ad for the first time ever. Link
  • Hotel gives guests virtual seeds to plant trees in fire-ravaged Chilean Patagonia. Link
  • At lunch with Michael Kors and Danny Meyer. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY ROUND UP: 7.28.2014

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Industry brief  for the week of July 20th – July 26th 2014. All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer News:

  • Target launches In a Snap app, an image recognition/visual search app just in time for back to school. Link
  • Urban Outfitters, Nordstrom and The Gap among retail’s digital winners. Link
  • Lord & Taylor set to launch two concept shops to support emerging designers. Link
  • J.Crew’s first Williamsburg location teases with graffiti artist’s mural. Link
  • New stores feature food options to fuel shoppers. Link
  • JCPenny showcases real people-inspired mannequins in New York City. Link
  • Aeropostale teases AeroNow re-branding with social, text campaigns. Link
  • TargetExpress tests takes aim at Generation Y. Link
  • Will selling nostalgia work for Calvin Klein? Link
  • Under Armour to target women during football season. Link
  • BirchBox is using its retail space to track customers offline. Link
  • Spotlight on niche retail experience Wildfang, founded by three former Nike employees. Link
  • Essie vending machines are coming to an airport near you. Link
  • Wal-Mart’s Asia CEO takes charge of U.S. business. Link
  • Macy’s reveals 2015 sustainability initiatives. Link
  • Amazon’s Fire phone hits stores. Link
  • Amazon opens web store for customizable 3D printed products. Link
  • Dollar Tree to buy Family Dollar for $8.5B. Link
  • Cara Delevingne is new face of TopShop for Autumn/Winter 2014. Link
  • H&M opens its largest store on Fifth Avenue. Link
  • Uniqlo’s Boston pop-up is open for business. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Forever21, Urban Outfitters among most popular retailers on Pinterest. Link
  • Facebook launches save, read-it-later for links, places and media pages. Link
  • Adidas, Champs Sports want you to watch their new web shows on Instagram. Link
  • Nike’s secret New York vending machine trades free swag for FuelBand points. Link
  • Line adds ‘hidden chat’ feature. Link
  • SnapChat may be working on secret peer-to-peer payment feature. Link
  • Facebook and Twitter aim to tap $300B eCommerce market. Link
  • Instagram’s “Bolt” leak could be a new Facebook app or an app install ad test. Link
  • Instagram seeks user feedback on its advertisers. Link
  • Facebook earnings: Instagram, mobile shift and other areas to watch. Link
  • Retailers outspend luxury brands on luxury keywords in paid search. Link
  • Veuve Clicquot travels to consumers with branded mail truck. Link

Start-ups:

  • Keep, a universal shopping cart for the web. Link
  • Apple confirms purchase of book recommendation maker BookLamp. Link
  • Paris Picnic is a service that delivers a French picnic anywhere within an hour. Link
  • Weave is a Tinder for LinkedIn. Link
  • Google buys game-livestreaming firm Twitch for $1B. Link
  • Application enables Etsy shop integration on Wix sites. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • More people in China go online using mobile devices than PCs. Link
  • Mulberry steps up digital game in China with new WeChat account. Link
  • McKinsey’s 2025 Luxury Forecast: China’s cities hold key to growth. Link
  • Yoox partners with WeChat to socialize mobile commerce. Link
  • Gartner says mobile connections in India will rise to 815M in 2014. Link
  • Amazon to open five new warehouses in India. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and West Elm to open in Sydney on August 28th. Link
  • Missoni to collaborate with Target Australia. Link

[EU]

  • Gap opening stores in Austria and Slovenia. Link
  • Boohoo.com launches in Germany. Link
  • TopShop to launch on Zalando in September. Link
  • Nobody seems quite sure how Spain’s new Google tax will work. Link
  • Harrods builds footwear destination. Link

[A/ME]

  • SuitSupply opens in South Africa. Link
  • PayPal finds eager online shopping base in Nigeria. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Amazon quietly launches consumer-facing mobile wallet app. Link
  • Retailers look to beacon to improve in-store experience and gather consumer data. Link
  • Big brands acquire mobile talent; smaller brands seek alternatives. Link
  • Foursquare re-brands, unveils new app and logo. Link
  • Apple granted patent for smartwatch device. Link
  • Yahoo buys mobile analytics firm Flurry. Link
  • For its first Google Glass effort, eBay adapts its RedLaser product finder app. Link
  • Michelob Ultra turns up volume on mobile music with dedicated player. Link
  • Unilever searches for Internet of Things partners. Link
  • iPads feeling pressure but ‘others’ are doing fine. Link
  • New Explore button on Google Maps instantly localizes user experience. Link

Other:

  • McDonald’s is re-branding to take on Chipotle. Link
  • Amazon will spend $100M on new, original shows in Q3. Link
  • Zillow to acquire Trulia for $3.5B. Link
  • Britney Spears launching her own lingerie line. Link
  • Virgin America files for IPO. Link

In a Snap: Target’s Image Recognition App

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In a mobile innovation and omni-channel play, Target introduced an image recognition app called In a Snap just in time for Back to School. The app is much like those we’ve seen before (as stand-alone  apps or as part of an of existing app) from brands like eBay Fashoin and startups like Toronto-based Slyce or London-based ASAP54.

The app allows users to snap a photo from Target’s ads in magazines like Real Simple or in their upcoming catalog.  Based on the image, the app then leads users to the website which allows them to add to their cart or try out Target’s new click and collect service.

The app comes just in time to compete with Amazon’s FireFly, an image recognition service that comes on its new Fire Phone. The visual search service can recognize over 100 million items from QR codes, bar codes, images and even song clips.

While Target’s app may be less “advanced,” it is still both buzz-worthy and useful, two important characteristics of a new app. The company reportedly built the app in 6-8 weeks in its Rapid Accelerated Development group and is currently collecting customer feedback and working on fixes.

My take: It’s awesome that Target is experimenting with mobile technology but it is even more awesome that they are investing in teams that can quickly develop customer-facing features. The continuous deliver, test and iterate model can make a huge impact at companies that are able to dedicate the resources (financial and human). By rapidly delivering this feature to customers, Target will have the quick feedback they need to improve the product and deliver even more value to their customers.  I don’t think visual search is going anywhere and anything to innovate print is pretty cool.

Target In a Snap App Target In a Snap App

Images from All Bullseye View

More coverage around the web:

The Target ‘In a Snap’ App Makes Shopping, Well, a Snap (Bustle)

New Target App Makes Shopping a Snap (PC Mag)

Target In A Snap Image Recognition App Aimed at Boosting Sales (International Business Times)

Target’s ‘In a Snap’ App Makes Catalogs, Ads Shoppable (ClickZ)

WEEKLY INDUSTRY ROUND UP: 7.21.2014

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Industry brief  for the week of July 13th – July 19th 2014. All sources can be found in the hyperlink after the headline:

Retailer News:

  • Nordstrom integrates Instagram to create shopping experience. Link
  • Tory Burch launches FitBit jewelry collection. Link
  • eBay partners with Sotheby’s for online auctions. Link
  • Nordstrom in talks to buy Trunk Club. Link
  • H&M’s NYC flagship will sell all product categories. Link
  • Zara’s parent company to implement RFID technology in all stores. Link
  • Puma teams up with We Go Hard for autumn/winter 2014. Link
  • Warby Parker teams with Into the Gloss for new aviators. Link
  • West Elm’s collaboration with Etsy could be the start of a new wave of partnerships. Link
  • Under Armour to join forces with Samsung for wearables. Link
  • Amazon reveals subscription ebook service. Link
  • Rent the Runway goes ‘Unlimited’ with monthly subscription service. Link
  • Ulta takes a chance on new brands. Link
  • Design Within Reach is bought by Herman Miller. Link
  • Dell now accepts Bitcoin for all online U.S. purchases. Link
  • Online version of Ikea catalog adds shopping lists, favorites. Link
  • This package could help Amazon use 200 times fewer boxes. Link
  • Fendi opens Soho pop-up shop. Link
  • Kate Spade launches first swimwear collection. Link
  • Modcloth cuts almost 15% of its staff. Link
  • Macy’s rethinking Brooklyn unit’s future. Link
  • Neiman Marcus enables Visa checkout to boost ecommerce conversion. Link
  • Uniqlo designed MoMa security staff’s new uniforms. Link
  • How Ikea wins business through co-creation and collaboration. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • Snapchat adds filters that unlock art based on your location. Link
  • Twitter inches closer to ecommerce with CardSpring deal. Link
  • Google Plus rescinded its real-name mandate. Link
  • Turning likes into a career: social media stars. Link
  • Brands go digital in extended sponsorships with music festivals. Link
  • Agencies increase focus on cause marketing. Link
  • Imgur roles out powerful new viral image search tool. Link
  • Pinterest launches new category pages you can follow on mobile & web. Link
  • Facebook tests new ‘buy’ button for online purchases in U.S. Link
  • YouTube’s new content push: investing in its own stars. Link
  • Beauty bloggers changing the face of the make-up industry. Link
  • Buzzfeed cracks the Pinterest code. Link
  • Facebook explains why it wants to be a retail store. Link

Start-ups:

  • Kate Bosworth to launch new fashion app called Style Thief. Link
  • An app that is like Tinder for shopping. Link
  • Higgle lets like-minded shoppers name their price when they buy together. Link
  • Threadflip raises $13M to grow workforce by 40%. Link
  • App tracks product price drops with a simple screenshot. Link
  • Why entrepreneurs are jumping on the drinkable meal bandwagon. Link
  • Meet the Uber of the retail world. Link

International:

[APAC]

  • Alibaba strikes deal with Nielsen to shed more light on Chinese shopping habits. Link
  • Line’s new ecommerce app for Thailand is the scruffy cousin to its shopping app in Japan. Link
  • Chinese ecommerce firm JD.com relaunches eBay-like Paipai to take on Alibaba. Link
  • Five takeaways from Japan’s report on internet usage. Link
  • WalMart increases Indian wholesale business. Link
  • The world’s largest duty-free mall set to open in September in China. Link
  • Amazon India introduces shopping via Twitter hashtag. Link

[AU/NZ]

  • Apple brings trade-in program to Australia. Link
  • TopShop close to Perth opening. Link

[CA]

  • Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters coming to Winnipeg. Link

[EU]

  • Primark plans US expansion. Link
  • In EU, Google to stop labeling apps with in-app purchases as “free.” Link
  • eBay doubling down on Click-and-Collect service in Britain. Link

[A/ME]

  • Neiman Marcus debuts duty-free deals in the Middle East. Link

[LATAM]

  • Alibaba teams up with Brazil postal service firm. Link
  • Baidu search engine enters Brazil. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • Starbucks testing mobile ordering system. Link
  • Music messaging app lets users chat with song snippets. Link
  • Visa tries to unseat Google Wallet and PayPal. Link
  • Google Wallet iOS app adds gift cards, invoicing and the ability to send money from debit cards for free. Link
  • Google inks deal to make smart contact lenses. Link
  • Kim Kardashian’s iOS game couple make $200M this year—here’s how. Link
  • Mobile marketing trends dominating the first half of 2014. Link

Other:

  • UPS announces expansion of early morning delivery service. Link
  • AirBnB gets a rebrand. Link
  • Pinterest’s unique approach to building new features users love. Link
  • Ex-Amazon manager gets funding to help retailers battle Amazon. Link
  • Fashion labs: how tech is changing the way we dress and shop. Link