Weekly Industry Brief: 4.3.2017

April 3, 2017Leave a comment

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

Weekly Industry Brief: 1.31.2017

January 31, 2017Leave a comment

Here is your industry brief of news I’ve collected from around the web over the last week. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Busy week – lots of highlights as many retailers wrapped up another fiscal year. Cheers!

Brand/Retailer

ASOS introduces Big and Tall lines for men. Link
Drop shipping looks set to go mainstream as more retailers get on board. Link
Retailers haven’t perfected buy online, pick up in store yet. Link
Coach plans on expanding its footwear business. Link
Ikea’s open source sofa invites customization. Link
Why Nordstrom is experimenting with in-store pop-ups. Link
Why the online marketplace revolution keeps gaining momentum. Link
Coach and Rodarte team up for collaboration. Link
How Skin Inc. became one of the most innovative beauty brands. Link
How retailers should think about online versus in-store pricing. Link
DKNY taps Farfetch to revitalize ecommerce strategy. Link
Footwear company Birkenstock jumps into bed business. Link
com shutters operations. Link
Amazon to build air hub for Prime Air cargo planes. Link
iPhone and Apple Watch set sales records. Link
Abercrombie & Fitch continues to rebuild with revival of Gilly Hicks. Link
WalMart takes on Amazon Prime with new, cheaper, two-day shipping option. Link
Target sets sights on higher jewelry sales with SugarFix by BaubleBar. Link
How Warby Parker collaborations drive the brand’s social impact. Link
Plus size retailers are shifting focus to in-store experience. Link
Opening Ceremony swaps the runway for the ballet stage. Link
Banana Republic’s president is out as the Gap brand struggles to find footing. Link
The demise of the department store experience. Link
Under Armour debuts ‘made in the U.S.’ gear. Link
H&M rolls back on new store openings. Link

Marketing/Social

Facebook, Snapchat deals produce meager results for news outlets. Link
How millennials are changing retail patterns. Link
Facebook launches a marketing mix modeling portal for comparing Facebook ads to TV, print & more. Link
Snapchat is in talks for big ad deals ahead of IPO. Link
Lady Gaga is the face of Tiffany & Co’s latest campaign. Link
The 14-year-olds spending thousands on streetwear. Link
Inside Instagram’s reinvention. Link
Step inside the YouTube-fueled, teenaged extravaganza that is Beautycon. Link
Superstar influencers: China’s Internet celebrities at heart of Alibaba’s growth. Link
Facebook is changing its trending topics section again, removing personalization. Link
Facebook is copying yet another popular Snapchat feature: Stories. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

Starbucks can now take your order via voice or message through its iOS app and Amazon Alexa. Link
How your customer service strategy will change beginning in 2017. Link
Gap envisions a future with augmented-reality ‘dressing rooms.’ Link

International

Facebook is trying everything to re-enter China – and it’s not working. Link
How high-end denim brand Evisu finds a fit with web shoppers outside Asia. Link
Xiaomi sold 250,000 smartphones in 10 minutes in India. Link
This man is covertly bringing streetwear to China. Link
UK consumer confidence remains high. Link
Lagging behind Zara and H&M in India, Gap finally looks to cut prices by 10-15%. Link
Uniqlo to go solo in India, first store likely by 2018. Link
Amazon has an India problem. Link
Alibaba’s million-job boast reflects slower China outlook. Link
Chinese New Year shoppers expand their horizons. Link
Is this the Chinese luxury mall of the future? Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 1.17.2017

January 17, 2017Leave a comment

Hi! Here is some industry news I’ve collected over the last week. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

Top 7 retailers to watch in 2017. Link
L’oreal to acquire three U.S. skin-care brands for $1.3B. Link
Cult backpack brand Herschel gets into apparel. Link
Gildan buys American Apparel at bankruptcy auction. Link
Amazon is planning to hire 100,000 full-time employees. Link
Cole Haan collaborates with Mountain Hardware, prAna and more for a women’s lifestyle collection. Link
Apple takes first step to expanding its US manufacturing footprint. Link
American Apparel to close L.A. headquarters and close all 110 U.S. stores. Link
Nordstrom names Innovation Chief to bring digital tech to full-line stores. Link
How Yoox and Net-a-porter is supporting fashion tech education. Link
Holiday season sales grew eight times faster online than in stores. Link
Cadillac unveils ultimate upscale car sharing program. Link
Pandora is laying off 7% of its US workforce. Link
J.C. Penney to open Nike outlets in more than 600 stores. Link
Apple said to be seriously pursuing Netflix-style scripted TV and movies. Link
Tiffany’s feels the Trump effect on 5^th Link
Online consignment shops clean up after the holidays. Link
Michael Kors, Prada skimp on new handbag designs. Link

Marketing/Social

Soulcycle, Casper and Drybar reveal the secrets to their cult brands’ success. Link
Instagram accounts for 92% of brand social interactions. Link
Snapchat will make London its new international HQ. Link
DVF rebrands with new logo, monogram and brand colors and relaunches website in time for Spring. Link
YouTube launches “Super Chat,” a way for creators to make money from their live streams. Link
Adidas voted the most relevant brand of 2016. Link
Here’s how the new vertical video ads will look inside Instagram Stories. Link
Why Snapchat’s new search bar is a welcome sign for brands. Link
Twitter is phasing out the “buy” button, will continue to offer donations. Link
Vine shuts off sharing, launches Vine Camera. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

LetGo raises $175M to finance its used goods marketplace. Link
Intel launches new IoT retail platform, plans $100M retail tech investment. Link
Stadium Goods raises $4.6M to sell sought-after sneakers and streetwear. Link
Richard Branson’s next big idea: sports festivals. Link
Fabletics launches a free Daily Burn-like workout and other perks for members. Link
Baidu opens augmented reality lab, begins integrating AR into search. Link

International

Lululemon expands its European presences with a London flagship. Link
Alibaba takes big step offline with $2.6B Intime deal. Link
Alibaba launches ‘big data anti-counterfeiting alliance’ with Louis Vuitton, Swarovski and more. Link
App downloads up 15% in 2016, revenue up 40% thanks to China. Link
Apple is increasing the price of apps in the UK by 25% because of Brexit. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 12.13.2016

December 13, 2016Leave a comment

Here is your weekly industry brief over the last week. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Cheers!

Brand/Retailer

Cyber Monday drives $52B in online sales. Link
Aerie opens concept store in New York. Link
LA City Attorney suing Sears, Kohl’s, Macy’s, JC Penney for alleged pricing scheme. Link
Starbucks’ Schultz sees sweeping retail consolidation. Link
Millennials making bigger investments in makeup. Link
Revolve launches beauty. Link
Ikea adapts to growing urban populations. Link
American Apparel to close nine stores by end of December. Link
Museums rethink retail. Link
Sports bras are making Lululemon a lot of money. Link
Kylie Jenner and Shopify prepare for what may be the most hyped pop-up ever. Link
Starbucks 5-year plan: lots of stores, food and cold drinks. Link
Google signs deal with Cuba’s state-run telecommunications company. Link
Nordstrom turns to electronic gifting service amid shift online. Link
There’s a Crossfit war being fought over your feet. Link
Net loss grows at Neiman Marcus. Link

Marketing/Social

Ikea renamed products after frequently Googled problems that those products solve. Link
How Costco appeals to millennials and Gen Z without specifically targeting them. Link
Snapchat adds four new features including much-requested group chat. Link
Weibo’s comeback lures luxury brands. Link
Selena Gomez inks $10M deal with Coach. Link
How Revolve is leveraging user-generated content for its beauty business. Link
Kylie Cosmetics sidelines journalists at store opening. Link
Instagram brings live video broadcasts to all U.S. users. Link
Facebook Live will spin up 360-degree streaming to match YouTube. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

Job cuts at Honest Co. could mean deal, IPO are tabled. Link
Prada uses video, virtual reality to market fragrance. Link
Why AR will be bigger than VR. Link
L’Occitane ups technology with smart beauty fitting room. Link
Retail chatbots show the power of artificial intelligence, just in time for the holidays. Link
Adidas to sell 3-D shoes to public. Link

International

Starbucks becomes first retail brand to use WeChat’s gift card product. Link
Mexico overtakes Canada as No. 2 U.S. exporter ahead of Trump. Link
China Consumers Association cites ‘Misleading’ Singles’ Day promotions. Link
China’s retail sales climb 10.8% in November. Link
ASOS boosts U.K. sourcing after pound’s Brexit fall. Link
Wal-Mart to invest $1.3B in Mexico. Link
Hong Kong loses Ralph Lauren flagship, braces for more closures. Link
Staples agrees to sell European operations to Cerberus Capital. Link
Marks & Spencer to shutter its 10 stores in China. Link
Uniqlo targets 100 more stores in China expansion. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 12.6.2016

December 6, 2016December 6, 2016Leave a comment

Here is your industry news over the last week. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

Amazon captured 31% of online spending over Cyber Weekend. Link
Google says it will run entirely on renewable energy in 2017. Link
Global online sales of apparel, footwear rise 13% on Cyber Weekend. Link
Minkoff to offer self-checkout option at Soho store. Link
Burberry, Coach shares up on rumored takeover talks. Link
Amazon opening a store that will eliminate checkout – and lines. Link
Johanna Ortiz to launch capsule for Moda Operandi. Link
Patagonia donating its $10M in Black Friday sales to charity. Link
Bralettes lifting sales at American Eagle. Link
Birthday at Burberry? Luxury brands add personal services. Link
Can fast-fashion brands like Zara go sustainable? Link
Starbucks CEO steps down again. Link
Adidas just opened its largest store in the world. Link
British Fashion Council teams with Google on digital fashion education program. Link
Bohoo enters bid for NastyGal. Link
You can now order Oreos online. Link
Under Armour to become official uniform supplier to MLB. Link
Reformation teamed up with Haim for a very on brand New Year’s Eve collection. Link
Fast fashion: How a Zara coat went from design to Fifth Avenue in 25 days. Link
With $720 self-tying sneaker, Nike loosens ties to retailers, encourages customers to buy direct through Nike+ app. Link
Rent-the-runway mines user data to design sleek new flagship. Link
Todd Snyder opens NYC flagship. Link
US retailers value enthusiasm over experience for holiday hires. Link

Marketing/Social

While we weren’t looking, Snapchat revolutionized social networks. Link
Twitter buys little-known startup to gain a new head of product. Link
Tyson Foods launches new venture fund to back food and agriculture startups. Link
Microsoft’s new chatbot won’t talk politics or racism. Link
Domino’s rewards loyal patrons with shares, profits. Link
Twitter struggles to turn prominence into profit. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

Cult beauty brand Glossier raises $24M to expand into retail, international. Link
Bringing virtual reality to a population that needs it for something more than gaming. Link
With arrival of touch controllers, Oculus Rift finally reaches its potential. Link
Rag & Bone takes on virtual reality with Google. Link
Alexander McQueen designs a 3D-printed umbrella. Link
Six mobile apps to make holiday shopping easier. Link
Marriott launches its own tech startup accelerator. Link
Hearst is launching a 10-person team tasked with building voice-activated experiences. Link

International

EU proposes simplifying VAT rules to boost online trade. Link
Amazon opens showroom in Beijing to showcase US and UK imports. Link
com targets Asian brands, new languages. Link
No price like home: Big spenders reappear in China. Link
McDonald’s may sell China assets. Link
The way Indian’s buy fashion is changing. Here’s how. Link
Myntra bets on artificial intelligence to drive growth. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 11.21.2016

November 21, 2016November 21, 2016Leave a comment

Happy official kick-off to the holiday shopping season! Here is industry news from the last week with sources found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

Neiman Marcus turns to Rent-the-Runway to lure younger shoppers. Link
Sources say J.Crew considering carving out Madewell. Link
Amazon files first lawsuit against counterfeit sellers. Link
This Black Friday, Everlane wants to buy 8,000 helmets for Vietnamese workers. Link
Anthropologie’s new Anthropologie & Co. in Palo Alto includes a Terrain café with menu by Vetri. Link
Amazon’s marketplace concept spreads to other retailers. Link
Target ships online orders from 1,000 of its stores. Link
NastyGal’s bankruptcy: What went wrong? Link
Coach, Kors and Kate: The handbag wars. Link
Target planning hundreds of small stores. Link
Gap to shut more stores as demand remains sluggish. Link
Nordstrom takes a big writedown on Trunk Club. Link
More people than ever will shop online over the holidays, spending to rise by 18%. Link
Patagonia to donate all Black Friday proceeds to environmental groups. Link
Fifth Avenue security disruptions will be permanent. Link
Amazon just turned Black Friday into a month-long event. Link
Starbucks is selling a $150 smart mug that lets you control the temperature of your coffee. Link
Fast Retailing CEO not interested in J.Crew, other acquisitions. Link
Amazon aims for double-digit Christmas growth while WalMart and Target hope for flat sales. Link

Marketing/Social

How Alibaba turns wealthy shopaholics into marketing squad. Link
Facebook considering ways to combat fake news. Link
Snapchat parent files for $25B IPO. Link
Instagram enters live video fray (and takes on Snapchat). Link
Facebook says it found more miscalculated metrics. Link
Forget filling ad breaks; some marketers make the podcasts. Link
Spectacles finally arrive in NYC with a Central Park Snapbot store. Link
Acne Studios founder is not down with our celebrity fashion obsession. Link
Google can now tell you how busy a place is before you arrive. Link
NBCUniversal invested another $200M in Buzzfeed. Link
Pinterest debuts Explore, a feature that surfaces trending pins and native videos. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

You rarely livestream but 1M people livechill on Houseparty. Link
Alexa will soon be able to send text messages through AT&T. Link
McDonald’s plans tech push with heavy focus on mobile. Link
Virtual reality lets Chinese customers shop Macy’s famed New York store. Link
Google buys shopping search startup to make images more lucrative. Link
Sources say Apple abandons development of wireless router. Link
How predictive AI will change shopping. Link
Analysts say Playstation VR will be top-selling VR system in 2016. Link

International

Why Abercrombie is pulling out of Hong Kong. Link
What US retailers can learn from Alibaba’s record-setting Singles Day. Link
China’s fashionistas flock to online luxury rentals. Link
Jeff Bezos invests billions to be top ecommerce player in India. Link
Alibaba buys a third of Chinese grocery chain. Link
Facebook to hire 500 new staff in major UK expansion. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 11.14.2016

November 14, 2016Leave a comment

Here is your industry news from the past two weeks! Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brand/Retailer

5 rules for a retail town square: What Apple and Whole Foods can teach us. Link
IBM buys expert personal shopper from Fluid to build out Watson’s conversation skills. Link
American Apparel returns to bankruptcy with deal to sell brand. Link
Samsung to buy Harman to $8B in cashin bold auto gambit. Link
Superdry owner surges as label leaves retail rivals trailing. Link
What President Trump means for retailers. Link
Kohl’s introduces its own millennial-focused answer to fast fashion. Link
Kenneth Cole to shut down almost all its brick-and-mortar stores. Link
Estee Lauder to acquire Too Faced for $1.45B. Link
Amazon expands Home Services to 20 more cities. Link
Marks & Spencer to close 60 clothing and home stores. Link
eCommerce is growing but customers still prefer to shop in stores. Link
Amazon files lawsuit to keep counterfeit goods off site. Link
California style is back and making bank. Link
Fossil is closing stores. Link
Net-a-porter reveals Reformation collaboration. Link
Crew is discontinuing its bridal collection. Link
Lord & Taylor looks to modernize with renovations. Link
Primark steps up expansion in US. Link
Burberry profit down 40% as costs rise. Link
NastyGal petitions to file for bankruptcy. Link
Wal-Mart boosts online holiday inventory for Black Friday. Link

Marketing/Social

Instagram introduces shoppable product tags. Link
Pinterest is adding 15 ad tech companies to beef up its data and measurement game. Link
Inside Lululemon’s unconventional influencer network. Link
YouTube is helping to sell a lot of makeup. Link
What happens when big data meets high fashion. Link
H&M trades David Beckham for Weekend in push for younger shoppers. Link
Vogue launches Vogue Arabia, it’s first foray into the 22 countries of the Arab League. Link
Snapchat’s latest update reveals it grand strategy. Link
Crowd-sourced products sell better when they’re marketed that way. Link
CoverGirl adds Muslim beauty blogger as ambassador. Link
Gap harnesses optimism in holiday ads. Link
Snapchat delivers mysterious vending bot to sell its spectacles. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

Beware, iPhone users: Fake retail apps are surging before holidays. Link
Fashion startup Farfetch said to plan IPO as soon as 2017. Link
Online startup Harry’s Razor jumps into Gillette’s turf. Link
Wayfair expands virtual reality universe with IdeaSpace. Link
Apple considers wearables expansion with digital glasses. Link

International

Alibaba doubles down on entertainment with $1.5B fund. Link
How Alibaba turned China’s Singles’ Day into the world’s biggest shopping bonanza. Link
Amazon plans to enter Southeast Asia with Singapore launch in Q1 2017. Link
Julep, Little Red Book partner on China launch. Link
Alibaba rival JD envisions its own delivery drone fleet by 2017. Link
Chinese shoppers’ share of global luxury purchases drops 30%. Link
Alabbar, Saudi PIF to set up $1B ecommerce firm. Link
Study: Chinese millennials spend big on shopping because they live with their parents. Link
American Apparel’s UK business goes into administration. Link
Alibaba shatters Singles’ Day records. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 9.6.2016

September 6, 2016Leave a comment

Check out the industry’s headlines from the week. Sources are in the hyperlinked text. Ciao!

Brand/Retailer

TopShop the latest to join runway-to-retail move. Link
Target’s omni-channel target. Link
Intermix opens its first concept store. Link
First look at Abercrombie’s new branding. Link
Club Monaco joins NYFW schedule with shoppable presentation. Link
Crew to launch new line at Nordstrom. Link
Aritzia seeks to raise about $232M in initial offering. Link
Inside the reinvention of Saks Fifth Avenue. Link
Fabrics that pass heat but not light may keep people cool in the summer. Link
ASOS to pay 20M pounds to rival retailers. Link
Crew shows no signs of improving in first half of the year. Link
Consortium submits bid to save 229 Aeropostale stores. Link
American Girl Dolls coming to a Toys R Us near you. Link
Lululemon set to open smaller, hyper-local stores. Link
Starbucks is testing weekend brunch. Link

Marketing/Social

This fashion week, Google gets a new look. Link
Prada to focus on online, social to grow sales. Link
Snapchat will hit nearly $1B in ad revenue by the end of 2017. Link
Facebook created the digital equivalent of a coupon drawer. Link
Stadiums update location tracking to feed ad exchanges. Link
Ann Taylor joins Snapchat with a shopping strategy. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech

Smashbox goes behind the scenes of a photo shoot with its foray into VR. Link
Lowe’s launches retail robots. Link
Michael Kors brings really, really big design to Android Wear. Link
Yelp invites hackers to expose vulnerabilities through bug bounty program. Link
How Rebecca Minkoff keeps disrupting the fashion industry. Link

International

China’s luxury consumer moves online, brands follow. Link
Lululemon helps China’s affluent young professionals warm up to an active lifestyle. Link
German retail sales rise 1.7% in July. Link
Amazon expands Dash into the U.K., Germany and Austria. Link
Outlet malls booming in China as department stores feel the pinch. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 8.29.2016

August 29, 2016August 29, 2016Leave a comment

Our last summer Friday is upon us…SOS! Good news is that it’s basically holiday now. Yay!

Below are highlights from the industry over the last week. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headlines.

Brand/Retailer:

Nordstrom to start selling J.Crew. Link
Tesco enters supermarket ‘time wars’ with same day and click-and-collect. Link
Marc Jacobs collaborates with MTV. Link
ASOS the most searched fashion retailer on Google in UK. Link
Project X points to an Amazon drive-up grocery store in Seattle. Link
Sephora’s Magnificent Mile store has a new, high-tech look. Link
Aeropostale loses bid to rein in Sycamore. Link
Gap and Abercrombie are trapped in retail’s nightmarish discount cycle. Link
Urban Outfitters bares all at its HQ. Link
How Le Labo took the fragrance industry by storm after starting with nothing. Link
Square expands lending and payment services. Link
Apple’s retail stores are undergoing major makeover. Link
Amazon tests 30-hour work week. Link
Startups in Target’s Techstar accelerator race to the finish line. Link

Marketing/Social:

London is getting the first Youtube store. Link
Apple weighs iPhone video editing app in renewed push on social. Link
Snapchat bringing live scores to high school football games. Link
Why text message marketing works on millennials. Link
Major brands are betting big on podcasts and it seems to be paying off. Link
How Revolve is using “style codes” to hack Instagram and Snapchat. Link
Warby Parker made a video game to cure your workday boredom. Link

Startup/Emerging Tech:

Best Buy set to be virtual reality’s first mainstream test. Link
Introducing the first voice-activated hotel room. Link
Here’s how shoppable video will finally work. Link
Garmin releases its first luxury smartwatch the Fenix Chronos. Link
GOAT raises $5M to help sneakerheads buy and sell covetable kicks. Link
Helix Sleep raises $7.4M to sell made-to-order mattresses online. Link
Five ways beacons are transforming the enterprise. Link

International:

Alibaba reportedly in talks to acquire ShopClues. Link
UK retail sales defy gloomy Brexit expectations. Link
Lower retail prices threaten profits of middleman Li & Fung. Link
Myntra claims $1B in sales. Link
What’s stopping luxury goods groups in China from moving from bricks to clicks? Link
Can foreign tech companies win in China? Link
China’s yuan hits its weakest level in over a month. Link
EU will rule Apple owes more than $1B in back taxes resulting from Ireland arrangement. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.27.2016

June 27, 20161 Comment

Check out industry news I’ve found around the web from the last week. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline. Happy reading.

Weekly Industry Brief 6.27.2016

Brand/Retailer:

Valentino’s parent company confirms purchase of Balmain. Link
How Uniqlo plans to establish a digital identity. Link
How Patagonia keeps its brand authentic in the midst of an activewear boom. Link
Macy’s CEO of 13 years to resign in 2017. Link
Big Box retailers have two options if they want to survive. Link
Warby Parker and Shinola fight to be the millennials choice in authentic retail. Link
How fashion companies are starting to design like tech companies. Link
Fast fashion castoffs fuel global recycling network. Link
Ulta finding success in brick-and-mortar. Link
Circuit City inches closer to retail relaunch. Link
Sports Direct, Modell’s discuss joint bid for Sports Authority. Link
Apple buys back e-book buyers following settlement. Link
Why are affluent millennials shopping in dollar stores? Link

Marketing/Social:

Snapchat: how brands reach millennials. Link
Vine can now support videos that are 10 minutes long. Link
Facebook, Google reportedly moving to automatic blocking extremist videos. Link
You can now ‘try on’ and buy 900 lipsticks on Facebook. Link
Amazon partners with fashion bloggers on anti-body shaming campaign. Link
Google said to face investigation into ad services by EU. Link
Iris Apfel is the best thing to happen to Macy’s. Link
Apple just improved the most important social network in your life. Link
Facebook signs deal with media companies, celebrities for Facebook Live. Link
Facebook is now recommending events based on human opinions not algorithms. Link

Start Up:

Away expands luggage options. Link
Narvar raises $22M to help internet retailers deliver physical goods without frustrating customers. Link

International:

Ikea plans upgrades, expansion in Russia. Link
Luxury brands step up shift to digital in China. Link
JD.com, stepping out of Alibaba’s shadow? Link
Paris vows to fight Amazon Prime Now service. Link
Starbucks, Tata extend partnership beyond India. Link
U.K. business secretary seeks to reassure firms amid ‘Brexit.’ Link
Elon Musk is squaring off against China for the future of Tesla. Link
Chinese tourists to spend over $45B in APAC region for 2016. Link
Entry of conglomerates shaking up online retail in India. Link
Study says China’s millennials get ‘aggressive’ with consumer spending. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

Snap, swipe, like: the mobile future of fashion retail. Link
Google is reportedly building a phone for this year. Link
Augmenting reality in retail: how Lowe’s, Walgreens make virtual change in the aisle. Link
Google Fiber swallowed another internet provider. Link
Google ops up virtual reality field trips, debuts new apps and service for teachers. Link

Fashion. Retail. Tech. News.

Headlines from around the web covering fashion, retail, ecommerce and technology.

Tag: snapchat

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