Tag: technology

Weekly Industry Brief: 9.14.2015

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

Brand/Retailer:

  • eBay set to offer shipping club, starting in Germany. Link
  • Etsy testing same-day delivery in New York. Link
  • Toys R Us lowers free shipping limit for online orders. Link
  • Restoration Hardware gears up to launch new concept. Link
  • Macy’s chasing consumer electronics sales through Best Buy partnership. Link
  • Primark throws its hat into U.S. market. Link
  • Google to start testing grocery deliveries this year. Link
  • Farfetch opens ecommerce platform to brands. Link
  • Lululemon profit exceeds estimates as new styles drive sales. Link
  • Quicksilver files for bankruptcy. Link
  • How low can ‘free shipping’ minimums go? Link
  • Coach to debut luxury line at fashion week. Link
  • Kate Spade delivers more clever accessories for Spring. Link
  • Google follows Amazon web services into on-demand supercomputing. Link
  • Blackberry to buy Good Technology getting deeper into security. Link
  • Etsy getting into the manufacturing business. Link
  • Rebecca Minkoff debuts iPhone-charging wallet and new Apple Watch bands. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Wendy’s VP: millennials respond to realness in video. Link
  • Timberland looks beyond millennials in new ad campaign. Link
  • Kohl’s brings fashion week to shoppers with Lauren Conrad runway livestream. Link
  • Apple exploring creation of its own original video content. Link
  • Uber’s in-car magazine is advertisers’ ticket to targeting local clientele. Link

Startups:

  • Secondhand clothing marketplace thredUP raises $81M Series E let by GSIP. Link
  • Berlin-based online fashion and lifestyle retailer Lesara bags more funding. Link
  • The Black Tux grabs $25M to dress men to the nines. Link
  • Trillenium takes virtual reality into online shopping. Link

International:

  • Ikea moves forward with plans to enter India. Link
  • Russian fashion market’s plunge turns heat on global brands. Link
  • Swatch CEO plays down China turbulence. Link
  • John Lewis to start selling Apple Watch across UK. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Sotheby’s auction coming to an art app near you. Link
  • Everything to know about Apple’s event. Link
  • U.S Consumers now spend more time in apps than watching TV. Link
  • A closer look at the fancy new Hermes Apple Watch band. Link
  • Starbucks app update raises bar on mobile payments. Link
  • eBay’s apps get a refresh. Link
  • Android Pay goes live, Google Wallet becomes cash swap app. Link
  • Amazon dumps the Fire phone. Link
  • Apple wants to sell you an iPhone for $32 per month. Link

Weekly Industry Brief: 6.22.2015

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

Brand/Retailer:

  • Gap closing 175 North American stores. Link
  • Twitter gets more shoppable with product pages and collections. Link
  • AmazonFresh becomes a Prime benefit in select California markets. Link
  • FitBit’s first day on Wall Street. Link
  • Starbucks to shutter all La Boulange stores. Link
  • Etsy takes on Kickstarter with crowdfunding platform. Link
  • Why brick-and-mortar sales are key to Warby Parker’s growth. Link
  • How WalMart plans to catch Amazon: subscription services and grocery pick up. Link
  • How Gap can turn things around. Link
  • Apple gives in on music fees after Taylor Swift’s letter. Link
  • Yoox Nat-a-porter stake up for grabs as Milan fashion set meets. Link
  • Ralph Lauren climbs after making progress on restructuring plan. Link
  • How Stussy became a $50M global streetwear brand. Link
  • Office Depot investors ok Staples merger. Link
  • WalMart to return greeters to the front door. Link
  • Abercrombie names new creative director. Link
  • Wardrobe basics give Uniqlo’s sales a boost. Link
  • Rag & Bone eyeing global growth. Link

Marketing/Social:

  • Twitter’s Project Lightening is an event hub that aims to expand the reach of Twitter. Link
  • YouTube launches YouTube Newswire, a channel featuring verified eyewitness videos. Link
  • Buzzfeed showcases its serious side with a news app and customizable alerts. Link
  • Roku is introducing personalized interactive video ads. Link
  • Twitter acquires Whetlab to better organize tweets. Link
  • Google aims to own online ad attribution, native ad serving. Link
  • Barney’s makes its Instagram shoppable. Link
  • Nike leads Instagram gains among fashion brands. Link
  • Twitter said to plan marketing campaign, ads for live events. Link
  • Nestle will be the first brand to run a sponsored Periscope stream. Link

Start-ups:

  • The Instagram of news is here and its smarter than you think. Link
  • Dollar Shave Club is valued at $165M. Link
  • Google Ventures invests in Oxford University venture fund. Link

International:

  • Google grows ecommerce business in Europe with Ingenico partnership. Link
  • Alibaba wants to build the Netflix of China. Link
  • Alipay’s US chief talks expansion, Uber China partnership. Link
  • Facial-recognition concerns keep Facebook ‘Moments’ from Europe. Link
  • China to promote cross-border ecommerce as incomes rise. Link
  • mCommerce takes off in China. Link

Mobile/Emerging Tech:

  • Amazon is developing an app that would pay people to drop off packages. Link
  • Starbucks to expand mobile-ordering service to 17 states. Link
  • Linkedin is testing two new apps, plus a messaging overhaul. Link
  • Apple Watch arrives in stores, finally. Link
  • Apple chooses iPhone colors to please Chinese customers. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 5.11.2015

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Happy Monday! Below is a recap of industry news over the last week. Sources can be found in the hyper-linked text after the headline.

Retailer + Brand News:

  • Net-a-porter creates social network for mobile luxury shopping. Link
  • Zulily shares tumble 17% after lowering sales outlook for the year. Link
  • Kohl’s adds store pick up service for online orders. Link
  • Target, Wal-Mart race to construct fulfillment centers for ecommerce business. Link
  • Joe Fresh to be pulled from JC Penny stores in 2016. Link
  • H&M to open its largest store ever in NYC. Link
  • Luxe meets ‘athleisure’ in techie cashmere. Link
  • WalMart focuses on creating pickup points for goods ordered online. Link
  • Bonobos founder steps down as CEO. Link
  • Converse and Comme Des Garcons release latest sneaker collaboration. Link
  • Amazon delivery drones could find you wherever you are. Link
  • Urban Outfitters set for good times as company moves forward with right strategies. Link
  • Forever 21 coming back to downtown Brooklyn. Link
  • Why athletic brands may be the greenest fashion sector. Link
  • Apple expands renewable energy goal. Link
  • Pitney-Bowes to acquire Borderfree. Link
  • In the race to digitize, Nordstrom and Macy’s are neck-and-neck. Link

Social Media + Marketing:

  • This simple Instagram hack landed Z Gallerie a lot more print catalog subscribers. Link
  • Twitter gives control of its marketing department to CFO. Link
  • Google rolls out new ads as mobile searches top PCs in 10 countries. Link
  • IBM partners with Facebook to launch personalized ads for brands. Link
  • Facebook opens Internet.org to all developers in response to net neutrality concerns. Link
  • Google integrates food ordering into search results for restaurants. Link
  • Google pushes advertisers to smaller screens. Link
  • Google steps up local search competition. Link
  • Only half of online video ads are viewable, Google says. Link
  • Bloomingdale’s explores influencer closets to inspire envy. Link
  • Pinterest opens door to app developers, expects new recipe, wedding, travel tools. Link

Start-ups:

  • Former Apple Retail boss unwraps new web startup ‘Enjoy.’ Link
  • Mattress startup Casper plans to open pop-up stores in San Francisco, Austin and DC. Link
  • FitBit files for $100M IPO. Link
  • Lending startup Affirm raises $275M. Link
  • Amazon’s prices are often undercut by upstart Jet.com. Link
  • Fashion startups bypass department stores to reach consumers. Link
  • Former Kiva.org CEO brings new ‘Branchless Bank’ app to Kenya. Link
  • Baby registry site Cricket’s Circle selects $2.25M seed round. Link
  • How Uber’s valuation went from $60M in 2011 to a rumored $50B this month. Link

International:

  • [APAC]
    • Alibaba boosts its stake in online retailer Zulily. Link
    • China’s middle class: the savior for Coach’s flagging sales. Link
    • JD.com grows to 105M active shoppers. Link
    • Yahoo Hong Kong strengthens ecommerce push. Link
  • [EU]
    • Tom’s debuts London outpost, second European store. Link
    • Ralph Lauren launching luxe concept in Milan. Link
  • [CA]
    • First three Saks off Fifth stores opening in Ontario next spring. Link
    • WalMart to buy 13 Target stores in Canada. Link
  • [A/ME]
    • Ace to add two home improvement stores in Dubai. Link

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

  • On-demand beauty apps expand their offerings as competition heats up. Link
  • What retail apps are trying to achieve on the Apple Watch. Link
  • 15 wild new ideas in virtual reality. Link
  • Merchants leverage beacons to pay for parking and drive store traffic. Link
  • Secret to shut down. Link
  • App Annie acquires Mobidia to expand to 60 countries by year’s end. Link
  • Walgreens uses mobile apps to solve in-store headaches. Link

Other:

  • Whole Foods plans stores geared toward millennials. Link
  • How we’ll shop in 2020. Link
  • How 3D printing is saving the Italian artisan. Link
  • Comcast to pay customers $20 if technicians are late as part of customer service revamp. Link

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 4.20.2015

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

Retailer + Brand News:

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

Social Media + Marketing:

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

Start-ups:

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

International:

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

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

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

Other:

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

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 1.5.2015

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Happy New Year, everyone!

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

Retailer + Brand News:

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

Social Media + Marketing:

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

Start-ups:

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

International:

[APAC]

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

[AU]

  • Costco to launch more Australian stores. Link

[EU]

  • German online retailer Zalando sells old items offline. Link

[LATAM]

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

Mobile, Tablet, + Wearables:

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

Other:

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