Tag: retail

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.19.2017

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

Brands and Retailers

  • Amazon to buy Whole Foods for $13.7B. BBC
  • UPS to add delivery surcharge cost for holiday shipments. Wall Street Journal
  • Walmart confirms it is buying Bonobos for $310M. Recode
  • Nike cuts 2% of workforce. Business of Fashion
  • H&M misses sales forecast as fast fashion pressure builds. Business of Fashion
  • Inditex posts 18% rise in first quarter profits. Business of Fashion
  • Zara sees sales growth due to fresh designs, tech. Bloomberg
  • Jet.com will phase out Costco private label products. Bloomberg
  • Estee Lauder’s latest investment is in science-based, internet-beloved beauty brand deciem. Fashionista
  • Amazon launches Prime Reload, offering 2% back on purchases funded through debit cards. Techcrunch
  • Freelance work marketplaces are looking more and more like ecommerce websites. Quartz
  • The fast-fashion trend that’s changing how you buy furniture. Fortune
  • Why the beauty industry is betting big on supplements. Business of Fashion
  • Jessica Alba’s Honest Co. to sell goods on Amazon.com. Fortune
  • Our jeans are ruining the planet but this company wants to fix that. Racked
  • Best Buy wants you to try gadgets before you buy them. Fortune
  • Neiman Marcus ends talk of a possible sale. Wall Street Journal
  • GM laying off about 1,000 works amid downturn in passenger car sales. Wall Street Journal

Marketing and Social Media

  • Conde Nast inks deal with Farfetch.com; ceases Style.com operations. Business of Fashion
  • Time Warner to invest $100M in Snapchat shows, ads. Ad Age
  • Fashion ads, a last bastion of print, are going digital. Wall Street Journal
  • Vice has raised $450 ahead of a potential IPO. Techcrunch
  • Most millennials, especially younger ones, still prefer stores. Retail Dive
  • Facebook Messenger takes another shot at Snapchat – this time with a fine-art twist. Fast Company
  • Your favorite influencers aren’t writing their own content – these women are. Marie Claire
  • Macy’s to revamp loyalty program to keep top shoppers. Wall Street Journal

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Lululemon invests in a cycling apparel startup. Fortune
  • Slack’s possible $9B valuation has Amazon and others calling. Forbes
  • The future of grocery shopping in stores and online. McKinsey
  • Amazon launches a wand with Alexa AI assistant built in. Business Insider
  • Why Stackshare is quietly becoming a secret weapon for developers and Silicon Valley CTOs. Techcrunch
  • Blue Apron will raise $587M in its IPO, valuing itself close to $3B. Techcrunch
  • VCs are valuing Reddit at $1.7B. Fast Company

International

  • Fox in talks to open Urban Outfitters stores in Israel. Globes
  • India to approve Amazon’s retail food plan. Economic Times
  • New own-label brand on the horizon for Next. Retail Gazette
  • Alibaba launches new sales channel in Malaysia and Singapore. Reuters

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.12.2017

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Happy Monday! Here is a brief of industry news I’ve been tracking over the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Macy’s CEO vows to keep shoppers’ attention as malls fade. Bloomberg
  • Amazon launches ‘My Mix,’ a personalized shop filled with your favorite things. TechCrunch
  • Nordstrom family explores taking retailer private, shares surge. Reuters
  • Macy’s considering turning Herald Square roof into a public park. New York Post
  • It’s not just retail that’s changing, it’s us. Bloomberg
  • Amazon’s lending business for online merchants gains momentum. Bloomberg
  • Ikea to try selling through third parties. Reuters
  • UK-based fast-fashion site and new owner of Nasty Gal, Boohoo.com, just raised $65M. Fashionista
  • The rise of luxury strip malls. Business of Fashion
  • Crew and Ralph Lauren: the hard lessons consumers are teaching the fashion industry. Forbes
  • Nike and Adidas are making huge investments that should terrify Under Armour. Business Insider
  • Amazon CPG sales outpacing overall market. Retail Dive
  • Denim makers are emphasizing stretch, comfort and styles that fit more like leggings. Wall Street Journal
  • Cortana can now do price comparisons when you’re shopping online. TechCrunch
  • Target and Cartwheel apps to merge starting this summer, mobile payments and improved maps to follow. TechCrunch
  • Kids clothing brand Gymboree files for bankruptcy protection. Fast Company
  • Saks owner Hudson’s Bay to cut 2,000 as losses mount. AdAge

Marketing and Social Media

  • How bots are inflating Instagram egos. New York Times
  • Selling stuff is no longer the point of retail stores. Fortune
  • Shopify-powered app Frenzy will combine the experience of buying a product drop on your phone. Fashionista
  • Facebook building feature to let users subscribe to news publications. Wall Street Journal
  • Who What Wear launches an ecommerce app. Glossy
  • Why is Google digitizing the world’s fashion archives?  Business of Fashion
  • Snap is developing a second version of Spectacles which may include augmented retail. Techcrunch

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Shopify makes virtual employee bot free for merchants. Venture Beat
  • This startup wants to turn unboxing videos into a big business. Fortune
  • Apple unveils Business Chat, which brings customer service and shopping into iMessage. Techcrunch
  • How artificial intelligence can help you build your own personalized e-boutique. Fashionista
  • This is the next battleground for Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft. Fortune
  • Is Farfetch edging towards a $5B IPO? Business of Fashion
  • How StitchFix is using algorithmic design to become the Netflix of fashion. Fast Company
  • Your complete guide to fashion customization. Fashionista
  • Why The Real Real is opening real-life stores. Glossy

International

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.6.2017

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Hi! Here are the highlights of industry news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.  Enjoy!

Brands and Retailers

  • Michael Kors to shut 100-125 stores. Wall Street Journal
  • Mickey Drexler to leave J.Crew. Business of Fashion
  • Lululemon to close 40 Ivivva Girls stores. Business of Fashion
  • How Soho became an experiential retail playground. Glossy
  • 12 key takeaways from Mary Meeker’s 2017 Internet Trends Report. AdAge
  • Alexa Chung launches her own fashion line. Wall Street Journal
  • Radio Shack closing 1,000 stores. USA Today
  • Amazon fights Wal-Mart for low-income shoppers. Wall Street Journal
  • Wal-Mart tries using store workers to deliver online orders. Wall Street Journal
  • Canada Goose defies brick-and-mortar gloom. Business of Fashion
  • Inside Hasbro’s digital transformation into a modern toymaker and advertiser. AdWeek
  • Some of Amazon’s own brands are becoming super popular online. Recode
  • Yoox Net-a-Porter group bans fur. Vogue
  • Iconic Parisian department store Le Bon Marche and LVMH go digital with 24 Sevres. Forbes
  • Amazon’s New York City bookstore is about your favorite things not book discovery. Forbes
  • What’s driving the billion-dollar natural beauty movement? Fast Company
  • Tommy Hilfiger is taking his see-now, buy-now spectacle to London. Fashionista
  • Lululemon gains the most in six months as sales begin to recover. Bloomberg

Marketing and Social Media

  • This Gen Z-focused publisher only uses social platforms (10 of them) and doesn’t even have a website. AdWeek
  • Pinterest raises $150M at a $12.3B valuation as it makes a full press into visual search. Techcrunch
  • Publishers are starting to see money from Facebook’s mid-roll ads. Digiday
  • Snapchat acquires location-based data company to ramp up mobile measurement. AdWeek
  • Meeker trends report points to mobile add opportunity. SeekingAlpha
  • 7 Internet trends from Mary Meeker’s 2017 report that marketers should know about. AdWeek
  • Twitter adds new features as it experiments with sponsored live video. AdWeek
  • Instagram ads can now link to brands’ messenger accounts, bots. Marketing Land

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Siri, speakers and software: highlights from Apple’s show. New York Times
  • HomePod speaker and new iMacs: what we saw at Apple’s WWDC. New York Times
  • Apple business chat will bring customer service to the iMessage platform. Techcrunch
  • The way forward with Facebook messenger bots. Venture Beat
  • The RealReal ropes in $50M in new funding. TechCrunch
  • Sakes Fifth Avenue is turning to iMessage to bolster sales. Glossy
  • Toyota is aiming to debut a flying car by 2020. Fortune

International

  • Luxury fashion brands start to sell on China’s WeChat messaging app. Wall Street Journal
  • Aditya Birla fashion plans to trim Forever 21 to turn the label profitable. Economic Times
  • Amazon to take on Australian market. Bloomberg
  • Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE have severed ties with Qatar. Fortune
  • Alibaba: what you should know about new retail. Seeking Alpha
  • Mary Meeker’s focus on China: the key highlights. Recode

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 5.30.2017

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Hi there! Here is a Tuesday edition of your weekly industry news recap.  I was traveling for work last week and enjoying my day off yesterday (aka sitting in traffic), so here is a bunch of news I’ve been reading over the past two weeks.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

And I feel obliged to call attention to the fact that there are just SO. MANY. headlines about the “retail apocalypse.”  Think we all get it and are ready for more interesting industry news, right? Here’s hoping.

Brands and Retailers

  • Apple thinks its stores can succeed at retail while others are dying. Quartz
  • Uniqlo bets on speed to take on Zara for global sales. Business of Fashion
  • Crew’s Mickey Drexler admits to big miss on how technology would transform retail. Wall Street Journal
  • TaskRabbit’s CEO joins Nordstrom’s board. Fortune
  • How Urban Outfitters plans to weather the current US retail draught. Fashionista
  • Forever 21 is bringing its new beauty boutique to malls. CNBC
  • Burberry cleans up its wardrobe to make way for a new chief. Bloomberg
  • Apple’s big event in June could have some hardware surprises. Fortune
  • $8M worth of stock destroyed in ASOS warehouse fires. Fashionista
  • Farfetch’s North America President on the future of retail. Glossy
  • From Pantene to Polo: the new chief executive at Ralph Lauren. New York Times
  • Walmart online sales jump 63% on the heels of Amazon. New York Times
  • Scott Galloway is bearish on US retailing, sees global opportunities. Forbes
  • Nokia and Apple move from courtroom foes to business partners. Wall Street Journal
  • Pottery Barn’s big problem: your tiny apartment. Washington Post
  • Alice + Olivia goes heavy on experimentation in quest for digital optimization. Glossy
  • Amazon’s physical stores may be causing hype byt the digital payoff could be the real story. AdWeek
  • Payless to close as many as 408 stores. Wall Street Journal
  • Staples rebuffs Cerberus offer, Sycamore still in the running. Bloomberg
  • Abercrombie & Fitch posts first quarter loss of $62M. Business of Fashion
  • Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger owner PVH beats first-quarter forecasts. Business of Fashion
  • This is how Best Buy gets customers into its stores. MarketWatch
  • The place where old-fashioned malls are beating Amazon: Small-town America. Washington Post
  • Why Nordstrom is opening a New York men’s store before opening a women’s one. Fashionista
  • In new era of retail, shuttering all stores isn’t the answer. Retail Dive
  • Coach thinks outside the bag. Fortune
  • Amazon stock breaks $1,000 for the first time.  CNBC

Marketing and Social Media

  • Google adds YouTube to suite of ad tools tracking retail sales. Bloomberg
  • Twitter giving brands a new way to promote their chatbots. TechCrunch
  • Instagram tests direct response ads in Stories. AdAge
  • Instagram rolls out location Stories feature, just like Snapchat’s location Stories feature. Recode
  • 50% of Gen Z can’t live without YouTube. AdWeek
  • Polaroid eyewear launches global Instagram push. The Drum
  • Twitter partners with BBC for live video. Techcrunch
  • How Google plans to kill ‘last click attribution.’ AdAge
  • Social network, Nextdoor, says it will make tens of millions in revenue this year. Fortune

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • The bootmakers who rule the obsessive world of streetwear. Wired
  • Everything Google announced at its Google IO event.  Techcrunch
  • Web retail startups turn to growth from bricks-and-mortar. Wall Street Journal
  • Target is said to invest $75M in bedding startup Casper. Bloomberg
  • Away packs capital for retail store expansion. Wall Street Journal
  • Google has launched a new AI-focused venture capital program. Seeking Alpha
  • Alibaba to lead $1B funding for Chinese food startup. Bloomberg

International

  • China’s millennial consumers: what Victoria’s Secret got wrong and Nike got right. Forbes
  • Google and the internet in rural India.  New York Times
  • UPS forges China joint venture to tap country’s ecommerce boom. Bloomberg
  • TopShop Australia enters into administration. NZ Herald
  • China’s bicycle renaissance is no boon to biggest producers. Bloomberg
  • Google cozies up to China with AI expertise and a game of go. Bloomberg
  • Chinese online retailer JD.com is developing heavy-duty delivery drones. Wall Street Journal
  • Tencent’s online ad revenues soar as WeChat claims nearly 1 billion user. Jing Daily
  • How Coach’s $2.4B Kate Spade deal could boost its market in China. Jing Daily
  • China drives Burberry’s sales for fiscal year 2017 ended in March. Jing Daily
  • Most Dubai shoppers turn to online retailers for frequent purchases. The National
  • Ikea aims to have 30% of products made in India. LiveMint
  • Grana, the Everlane of China, gears up for a US launch. Glossy
  • Ikea makes 1,300 new jobs in the UK. Retail Gazette
  • China’s strength and its shopping lift Alibaba’s results. New York Times

Weekly Industry Brief: 5.15.2017

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Here is a recap of retail and ecommerce industry news from the last week that I put together for you.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Cheers and have a fab week.

Brands and Retailers

  • LVMH’s and the next big digital shopping experience. New York Times
  • Toys R Us gets serious about ecommerce. USA Today
  • Target gets into next-day delivery with new service. SmartBrief
  • 22 companies defying the retail meltdown by opening hundreds of new stores. Business Insider
  • Macy’s may shut down even more stores. Business Insider
  • As department stores close, Stitchfix expands online. New York Times
  • Here’s how Under Armour is helping Kohl’s become an ‘active and wellness’ retailer. CNBC
  • LL Bean to try smaller format store. Boston Globe
  • Europe’s fashion brands expand in the US, even as American stores close doors. Wall Street Journal
  • J.C. Penney CEO is pessimistic that its core business will grow any time soon. Bloomberg
  • Target’s new online strategy: less is more. Wall Street Journal
  • Is Michael Kors moving on to Jimmy Choo? WWD
  • Dean & Deluca reels in former Ralph Lauren President. WWD
  • eCommerce is paying off for middle-market retailers. WWD
  • Jet.com brings grocery concept to New York. CNBC
  • Reformation’s fight against toxic denim. Apparel News
  • Amazon places a bigger bet on furniture. Fortune
  • Target quietly raised its free shipping minimum from $25 to $35. Fortune
  • Gillette is taking aim back at the Shave Club model. PSFK
  • Anna Sui is teaming up with Macy’s for a capsule collection. Fashionista

Marketing and Social Media

  • With MikMak’s latest move, brands can expedite path to purchase on Instagram and Snapchat. Forbes
  • Gap found real people, not models, for its Summer ads celebrating American diversity. Ad Week
  • Diageo and Amazon partner to ‘close the circle; between content and sales. Marketing Week
  • Google Search will now help you find nearby events. TechCrunch
  • Talking to the mad genius behind TopShop’s WTF jeans. Elle
  • Why there’s no yoga in Lululemon’s global campaign. AdAge
  • Snapchat rolls out a trio of new ad products using its lenses and geo-filters. TechCrunch
  • Comcast is getting close to offering internet TV service. Fortune
  • American shoppers are really, really looking for brand honesty right now. Fashionista

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • This start-up is the Airbnb of warehouses and has its sights on Amazon. Bloomberg
  • Outdoor Voices and Glossier are cleaning up by making fashion inclusive. TechCrunch
  • Draper James breaks into the wholesale market with Nordstrom partnership. Glossy
  • Why Apple Pay is poised to beat PayPal in the luxury fashion space. Glossy
  • Amazon to control 70% of the voice-controlled speaker market this year. TechCrunch
  • Apple invests $200M in gorilla glass-maker Corning. Bloomberg

International

  • Flipkart makes $1B informal offer for Snapdeal. LiveMint
  • Amazon, Flipkart not alone. Even offline retailers in India are offering huge discounts. Economic Times
  • A new retail era is unfolding in the Middle East. WWD
  • Xiaomi puts the focus on India with plans to open 100 retail stores. TechCrunch
  • Cuba to open first luxury mall. Houston Chronical

 

Weekly Industry Brief: 5.8.2017

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Hi! Here is a recap of retail and ecommerce industry news from the last week that I put together just for you.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Coach to buy Kate Spade for $2.4B. Business of Fashion
  • Amazon lowers free shipping minimum back to $25. The Verge
  • UPS is hampered by ecommerce conundrum as U.S. profit drops. Bloomberg
  • The president of Amazon’s fashion division is leaving the ecommerce giant. Recode
  • Etsy tanks after announcing a new CEO, flat earnings, and job cuts. Business Insider
  • The RealReal is opening a real store in New York. TechCrunch
  • Target begins testing next-day delivery with ‘Target Restock’ service. TechCrunch
  • Rag & Bone’s CEO on challenging the status quo. Fast Company
  • H&M group sales climb 7% in April. WWD
  • Apple is the first company worth over $800B. Fortune
  • The newness imperative: innovate or fade. Business of Fashion
  • Revlon reports first quarter loss. Business of Fashion
  • ‘Not dying, just changing,’ what the future holds for the American mall. Retail Dive
  • Amazon Prime reportedly doubled US membership in last two years. Retail Dive

Marketing and Social Media

  • Snapchat leaves it to rivals to connect the developing world. Wall Street Journal
  • Why are Goop and Airbnb teaming up with Conde Nast and Hearst? Business of Fashion
  • Aldi’s stunt to attract online shoppers in China. AdAge
  • The Top 10 venture-backed fashion startups. Business of Fashion
  • YouTube trots out Kevin Hart, James Corden to win back big brands. AdAge
  • Hulu introduces shoppable ads and 360-degree spots. AdAge
  • Nike’s race for world record – and runners. Business of Fashion
  • Staples’ rebranding campaign focuses on delivery services. Bloomberg

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • The online marketplace that’s a portal to the future of capitalism. New York Times
  • Whirlpool acquires Yummly, the recipe search engine last valued at $100M. TechCrunch
  • Third parties have always been the key to Amazon’s smart home domination plans. TechCrunch
  • Food delivery startup Maple to shut down operations. VentureBeat
  • Amazon plans to unveil new Echo. Wall Street Journal
  • Staples to launch AI-powered office assistant. Wall Street Journal
  • Apple Pay transactions rise by 450%. Forbes

International

  • Zara opens largest store in Mumbai, to launch online portal by year-end. Live Mint
  • com posts surprise profit as Chinese spending strengthens. Business of Fashion
  • Express to close its 17 Canadian stores. Globe and Mail
  • Cutting through Chinese tech giants’ profit distortion. Wall Street Journal
  • Amazon launches fresh grocery service in German cities. Reuters
  • China tops the United States as Swarovski’s largest market. Jing Daily
  • Toys “R” Us top open 40 stores in China. China Daily

 

Weekly Industry Brief: 5.1.2017

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Here is a recap of retail and ecommerce industry news from the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline. P.S. If you ever have any feedback, comments, (constructive) criticism…please reach out! Have a great week.

Brands and Retailers

  • LVMH to take control of Christian Dior in $13.1B deal. New York Times
  • Vince says it has ‘substantial doubt’ that it’ll stay in business. Fashionista
  • Wal-Mart’s tech incubator hires Rent-the-Runway co-founder. Bloomberg
  • Sources say Coach is the likely buyer of Jimmy Choo. Telegraph
  • Kit and Ace is closing all of its US, UK and Australia stores. Racked
  • Gucci sales jump a record 50% in part due to China, digital. Fashionista and Bloomberg
  • Amid brick-and-mortar travails, a tipping point for Amazon in Apparel. New York Times
  • Zappos launches line for special needs consumers. Mediapost
  • A look inside Reformation’s sustainable Los Angeles factory. Fashionista
  • Goop to open first beauty pop-up. WWD
  • Crew shakes up management, cuts jobs in bid for profitability. Bloomberg
  • Adidas tells us how it plans to catch Nike. GQ
  • How BooHoo is beating the rocky American retail market. Digiday
  • Next week, Adidas releases a new running shoe made from ocean plastic. Forbes
  • As retailers race to close stores, a web startup is opening them. Wall Street Journal
  • Gap to source 100% sustainable cotton by 2021. Triple Pundit
  • Apple’s stock races ahead as investors bet on new iPhone. New York Times
  • L’oreal rounds up bidders for The Body Shop. Business of Fashion

Marketing and Social Media

  • Lead by Louis Vuitton, fashion brands storm digital. Adage
  • Bloomberg and Twitter announce live broadcasting partnership. Bloomberg
  • A new Goop magazine is coming to Conde Nast. Fashionista
  • Snapchat’s Discover partners are seeing more views on TV, desktop and mobile. Mashable
  • How Under Armour lost its swagger. Business of Fashion
  • What marketers can learn about chatbots from pros that have seen early success. Adweek
  • How brands are finally cashing in on social with shoppable Instagram stories and snapchat ads. AdWeek

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • The robots are coming for your wardrobe. Fast Company
  • Dominos delivers its pizza tracker to your IoT devices. Forbes
  • This startup’s expansion could pave the way for more innovative retail. Adage
  • How Echo Look could feed Amazon’s big data fueled fashion ambitions. Techcrunch
  • Amazon’s new Echo aims to answer age-old question: does this look good on me? Wall Street Journal
  • Apple is in talks to launch its own Venmo. Recode
  • Instagram’s growth speeds up as it hits 700 million users. Techcrunch
  • Amazon rival, Boxed, sees narrow inventory as edge. Bloomberg

International

  • Online retail growth reflects changing consumption in China. China Daily
  • Amazon’s Italian subsidiary under investigation for tax evasion. WWD
  • When the name game gets serious in China. Business of Fashion
  • Zalando considers brick-and-mortar stores. Business of Fashion
  • China’s $1.5B social commerce startup, Pinduoduo, could transform online retail. Business of Fashion
  • More Chinese tourists seen traveling to the Middle East.  BBC
  • Gogoboi teams up with western ecommerce retailers to sell luxury on WeChat. Jing Daily

 

Weekly Industry Brief: 4.24.2017

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Here is a recap of retail and ecommerce industry news from the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline. P.S. If you ever have any feedback, let me know! Have a great week.

Brands and Retailers

  • PetsMart is buying Chewy.com for $3.35B in the largest ecommerce acquisition ever. Recode
  • Wal-Mart’s bargain bin ecommerce plan. Bloomberg
  • Pop-up stores shore up rough retail real estate market. Glossy
  • Burberry’s “see now, buy now” strategy is actually working. Fashionista
  • How online is transforming brick-and-mortar retail. New York Times
  • Ikea considering standalone restaurants. Fast Company
  • Primark plans biggest expansion in decades as chain’s sales soar. Bloomberg
  • Alibaba’s Jack Ma predicts decades of social upheaval as internet spreads its disruption. Fortune
  • Wal-Mart buys shoes.com domain for $9M. Retail Dive
  • At luxury stores it isn’t shopping, it’s an experience. Wall Street Journal
  • Macy’s new CEO plans to take on TJ Maxx. CNBC
  • Sears’ march toward bankruptcy: gradually then suddenly. Forbes
  • Bebe closing all stores. Forbes
  • Amazon adding 2,500 new jobs in New Jersey. Inc
  • Amidst backlash, Ivanka Trump clothing is relabeled as Adrienne Vittadini. Business of Fashion
  • Net-a-porter to launch Cartier’s Panthere watch exclusively. WWD

Marketing and Social Media

  • Insider #RevolveFestival, an influencer-filled weekend that dominated the Coachella party scene. Fashionista
  • These natural beauty brands are using big data to give skin care a makeover. Fast Company
  • Google sees another chance to get programmatic TV right. AdAge
  • Mark Zuckerberg outlines Facebook’s AR plans. AdAge
  • Teenage dream: How Urban Outfitters is navigating a rocky retail scene. Refinery 29
  • Victoria’s Secret and Nike rank among top brands for millennials. Bloomberg
  • Amazon launches ‘Subscribe with Amazon,’ a marketplace for digital subscriptions. Techcrunch
  • Meet the Muslim woman who inspired Nike to enter the hijab business. Fast Company
  • Athleta looks to lead market with new sustainability plan. Glossy
  • Madewell is ramping up its denim donation program after a blockbuster Earth Day. Fast Company

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Paypal signs new Android deal to speak up store checkout. Wall Street Journal
  • A robot-delivery startup helped write state laws that are locking out competition. Recode
  • Spotify is working on its own music hardware. The Verge
  • Amazon forms team to focus on driverless technology. Wall Street Journal
  • Facebook is working on a way to let you type with your brain. The Verge
  • Four ecommerce innovations that WalMart doesn’t own yet. Forbes
  • How in-home package delivery could save ecommerce. Fast Company

International

  • Amazon to launch a presence in Australia. Seattle Times
  • As Flipkart slips, Amazon tightens its grip on the Indian market. Quartz
  • Longchamp sets eyes on China. China Daily
  • Fans of China’s teen stars are crowdsourcing big ad buys to prove their devotion. AdAge
  • Here are six products you can expect to start moving to brick-and-mortar in India. Forbes

Weekly Industry Brief: 4.10.2017

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Here is a recap of retail and ecommerce industry news from the last week.  Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Cheers!

Brands and Retailers

  • H&M pledges to use 100% sustainable materials by 2030. WWD
  • ‘Same-store sales’ is retail’s increasingly irrelevant metric. Forbes
  • America’s retailers are closing stores faster than ever. Business of Fashion
  • Why Amazon is trying to convince CPG giants to go direct to consumer. Forbes
  • Big returns in hassle-free returns. Forbes
  • LVMH sales rise 15%, beating estimates. Business of Fashion
  • Staples explores sale after failed Office Depot deal. The Wall Street Journal
  • Amid the “retail apocalypse” beauty stores are thriving. Quartz
  • Ralph Lauren to close flagship Fifth Avenue store, cut jobs. Business of Fashion
  • Etsy heralds congressional caucus on micro business. EcommerceBytes
  • A new generation of even faster fashion is leaving H&M and Zara in the dust. Quartz
  • The Jenna Lyons era at J.Crew comes to an end. New York Times
  • H&M tries on multiple personalities to keep growing. Bloomberg
  • SoulCycle sold fans on fitness, now it’s cashing in on clothes. Racked
  • Walmart thinks it has four strategic advantages over Amazon. Business Insider
  • Amazon plans to hire 30,000 part time employees. Fortune
  • Online retailers’ new warehouses heat up local job markets. The Wall Street Journal
  • Stores take flight from Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. New York Times
  • HHGregg to close all stores after failing to find a buyer. IndyStar

Marketing and Social Media

  • Twitter lets brands use location data in direct messages. Venture Beat
  • Amazon will stream Thursday night NFL games this year. Recode
  • Which luxury brands are reaching millennial shoppers? Huffington Post
  • Brands are capitalizing on Coachella before the festival even begins. Fashionista
  • Google brings fake news fact-checking to search results. Bloomberg
  • YouTube will no longer allow creators to make money until they reach 10,000 views. The Verge
  • Here is how much top influencers can make on Instagram and YouTube. Forbes
  • Zappos rolls out traveling experiential marketing event. MediaPost
  • YouTube TV launches live service in major markets. Seeking Alpha
  • Prepare to be inspired by SoulCylce’s first major marketing campaign. AdWeek

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Adidas to mass produce 3D-printed shoe with Silicon Valley start-up. Reuters
  • Canada tries to turn its A.I ideas into dollars. New York Times
  • Apple Pay promised to make plastic obsolete; then came way shoppers and confused clerks. The Wall Street Journal
  • Interactive magic mirrors are changing how we see ourselves – and shop. Fast Company
  • Why regional fashion incubators outside of New York and LA matter. Fashionista

International

  • Tory Burch opens flagship store on Regent Street in London. Retail Gazette
  • India’s Flipkart raises $1.4B in biggest ever funding round. Business of Fashion
  • Why China is leading us to the future of commerce. Forbes
  • What Flipkart stands to gain against Amazon if it merges with Snapdeal. Quartz
  • Can Li & Fung recast itself to catch up with the internet age? South China Morning Post
  • Walmart grocery pickup coming to Canada. Canadian Grocer
  • Amazon takes voice battle with Apple TV outside the US. Bloomberg
  • Zara’s new Madrid store challenges Corte Ingles in retail tussle. Bloomberg
  • India’s malls make changes to stay competitive. Economic Times

Weekly Industry Brief: 4.3.2017

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Every Monday I collect and publish the retail industry headlines from around the web over the last week for easy scanning purposes.  Hope it helps. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Enjoy!

Brands and Retailers

  • Spanx goes after bras. WWD
  • Amazon launches Amazon Cash, a way to shop its site without a bank card. Techcrunch
  • Jenna Lyons out after 26 years at J.Crew. Fashionista
  • VF Corp. in reshaping mode; focus on consumer and retail. WWD
  • The winners and losers in a Coach-Kate Spade acquisition. Digiday
  • How Warby Parker’s success beat their own expectations. Bloomberg
  • Coty just signed a deal to grow Burberry’s beauty business. Fortune
  • Verizon announces new name brand for AOL and Yahoo: Oath. New York Times
  • Nike’s Soho flagship leads transformational charge into the future of sports retail. Stores
  • UPS rolling out Saturday ground deliveries nationwide. Consumerist
  • Why investors are so keen on Amazon. The Economist
  • How ecommerce is making stores relevant again. Fortune
  • Bergdorf Goodman’s chief to step down as parent Neiman seeks sale. Bloomberg
  • North Face owner VF needs a new mega-deal. Here’s why it’s taking so long. Fortune
  • H&M is launching a new brand called Arket. Fashionista
  • As retailers close stores, the world’s third-largest apparel player, Uniqlo, takes another run at the US. CNBC
  • Lululemon investors see red as company cites lack of colorful clothing. Wall Street Journal
  • Luxury-goods companies are belatedly trying to go digital. The Economist

Marketing and Social Media

  • Revolve Social Club to open doors to public for festival style pop-up. WWD
  • Amazon wants influencers for new shop program. WWD
  • How Generation Z is transforming the shopping experience. Retail Dive
  • How the Instagram look gave rise to a new makeup artist. Glossy
  • Snapchat makes it possible to search for Stories by keywords. MarketingLand
  • Clique Media Group launches new vertical inspired by a surge in wellness traffic. Glossy
  • Alice + Olivia launches private Instagram for top consumers. Glossy
  • Pinterest sets focus on small businesses to propel revenue growth. Adage
  • J&J and Verizon join major marketers suspending YouTube advertising. Adage
  • Forever 21 pushes low-priced concept. WWD
  • Amazon quietly launches its own social media influencers program into beta. Techcrunch
  • To take on Netflix, Hollywood studios are planning ‘premium’ videos on demand. Wall Street Journal
  • Adidas All Day app aims to help you stay fit and eat healthy. Engadget
  • Chase had ads on 400,000 sites. Then on just 5,000. Same results. New York Times
  • Lululemon will target millennials with its first-ever global ad campaign. Fashionista

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Amazon Prime Air drone completes its first US public delivery. CNet
  • Glossier is launching perfume and sunscreen. Vogue
  • HTC is launching its VR app subscription service at $7 per month. Techcrunch
  • Inside retail’s live chat revolution. Forbes
  • L’oreal’s technology incubator is creating the future of beauty. New York Times
  • Starbucks is going to try out a mobile order only store. Techcrunch
  • Goop enters the $37M nutritional supplements industry. Fast Company
  • Dominos will deliver pizza by robot in Europe. Newsweek
  • The spiral of Spring’s great mobile experiment. Glossy

International

  • Amazon buys Middle Eastern online marketplace, Souq.com. Bloomberg
  • The real reason Chinese millennials are super consumers. Forbes
  • Wal-Mart okay with selling only made-in-India products says India CEO. The Times of India
  • More Chinese consumers say no to fake goods. Wall Street Journal
  • With Reebok expansion, Adidas challenges Nike in China. Business of Fashion