Tag: walmart

Weekly Industry Brief: 5.6.2018

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

Brands and Retailers

  • Online retailer Sense opens brick-and-mortar.  Glossy
  • Amazon studies body sizes to get that perfect clothing fit.  Wall Street Journal
  • Blue Apron turns to Costco as customer growth slows.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Apple has already built its next big business.  Fortune
  • Sale spikes continue for Estee Lauder.  WWD
  • Vitamins are trendy.  Vitamin stores are not.  Racked
  • Birchbox has sold majority ownership to one of its hedge fund investors after sale talks with QVC fell through.  Recode
  • Pandora and Spotify surprise investors.  Bloomberg
  • Amazon launches Prime Book Box, a $23 kids’ book selection.  TechCrunch
  • Nestle bets $7B on Starbucks to revive coffee sales.  Bloomberg
  • Amazon’s share of all retail sales could reach nearly 10% in two years.  CNBC
  • Online spending passes $100B for the first time.  RetailDive

Marketing and Social Media

  • Under Armour launches real-time Steph Curry trivia game.  Fast Company
  • Instagram is starting to take payments – but not for products just yet.  Fortune
  • Hulu surpasses 20M subscribers, grows engagement by over 60%.  The Drum
  • Snap stock plunges 15% on disappointing earnings that it partly blamed on redesign.  Fortune
  • Cambridge Analytica shuts all operations after Facebook scandal.  Fortune
  • Facebook is considering a paid, ad-free version of its social network.  Fast Company
  • Twitter advising all users to change passwords after bug exposed them in plain text.  The Verge
  • Facebook announces dating feature for meeting non-friends.   TechCrunch
  • Twitter shares spike after Disney announces it will make shows specifically for the platform.  CNBC
  • Instagram code reveals up-coming music feature.  TechCrunch
  • WhatsApp new lets you play Facebook and Instagram videos within the app.  The Verge
  • Microsoft and Amazon show off their Alexa-Cortana collaboration.  AdAge
  • Bonobos showcases 172 kinds of diversity in priciest campaign to date.  AdAge

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • J.P. Morgan files patent for blockchain powered payments.  Fortune
  • The $1B company that’s building wearable AI for blind people.  Fast Company
  • Macy’s acquires New York concept shop, Story.  CNBC
  • For all the hype about VR, advertisers are more excited by AR (for now).  Digiday
  • Oculus aims for the masses with a new $200 VR headset.  Fast Company
  • How beauty brands like Coty and Shiseido are using voice assistants.  Glossy
  • Goldman Sachs to open a bitcoin trading operation.  The New York Times

International

  • Walmart buys 75% share of Flipkart, India’s largest commerce platform.  AdWeek
  • Why Walmart and Amazon are battling so fiercely over India.  Fortune
  • Alibaba beats forecasts with 61% growth and predicts more of the same for the next year.  TechCrunch
  • Impulsive, addictive social commerce is China’s latest craze.  Business of Fashion

Weekly Industry Brief: 4.30.2018

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And just like that, it’s the last day of April. Here is your brief of industry news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • T-Mobile and Sprint to merge.  Fast Company
  • Old Navy to open 60 stores this year, driving Gap’s growth.  CNBC
  • Amazon’s fiscal discipline pays off as it more than doubles profit.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Apple poised to move further into media.  The Guardian
  • Amazon will now deliver packages to the trunk of your car.  The Verge
  • Ford cuts sedans and marketing spend.  AdAge
  • Amazon breaks $50B in revenues in Q1.  WWD
  • Coach, Fenty and Nike cut the middle man and sell straight to consumer.  USA Today
  • How private equity is boosting some brands and crushing others.  Fortune
  • Adidas is testing how to mass-produce custom shoes like those it makes for elite athletes.  Quartz
  • 12 retailers on the brink of bankruptcy in 2018.  Retail Dive
  • Can online retail solve its packaging problem? Fast Company
  • Gen Z is about to kill cash.  Retail Dive
  • WalMart sells its UK supermarket business in $10B deal.  CNN
  • Retailers benefiting the most from the tax cut.  Forbes
  • GNC is closing 200 stores.  Bloomberg
  • Abercrombie CEO details the brand’s global growth plans.  Business Insider
  • American Apparel relaunches online globally.  Fashionista

Marketing and Social Media

  • Is video the future of online shopping? Business of Fashion
  • Amazon now has a multi-billion dollar advertising business.  CNBC
  • Twitter sold Cambridge Analytica researcher public data access.  AdAge
  • Facebook is conquering commerce in the developing world.  Bloomberg
  • Why retailers are trading points for experiences when it comes to loyalty programs.  AdWeek
  • The mad dash to buy vintage clothes on Instagram.  Bloomberg
  • Pepsi eyes investors for Creators League Studio.  AdAge
  • Four ways sneaker brands successfully build hype.  High Snobiety
  • In fashion’s hype-driven era, Hermes is doing its own thing.  Dazed
  • Why Instagram managed to remain unscathed amid Facebook scandals.  Digiday

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Pinterest is using AI to filter beauty searches by skin tone.  Glossy
  • The makers of AI influencer Lil Miquela receive $6M in funding.  Hypebeast
  • Alexa will soon gain a memory, converse more naturally and automatically launch skills.  TechCrunch
  • Tile and Comcast now let you find lost items through voice search on your TV.  Venture Beat
  • Adobe acquires Uru, an AI startup that embeds ads in videos.  Venture Beat
  • Domino’s adds AI to phoned-in orders.  MediaPost
  • BigCommerce raises $64M to power commerce sites.  TechCrunch

International

  • Amazon plays catch-up in Brazil as local rivals thrive.  Reuters
  • How China leapfrogged ahead of the United States in the finch race.  PIIE
  • Muslim fashion is a $254B market – but big brands can’t crack it.  Fast Company
  • Alibaba launches blockchain technology to improve supply chain integrity and enhance trust in platform.  The Drum

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 4.16.2018

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Happy Monday! Here is your quick scan of industry news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Nordstrom opening a New York store as other retailers close theirs.  The New York Times
  • H&M announces Moschino collaboration.  Vogue
  • Amazon expands Prime Wardrobe.  RetailDive
  • What beauty players can teach the consumer sector about digital disruption.  McKinsey
  • Toys ‘R’ Us gets 11th hour bid from Little Tikes’ Larian.  Bloomberg
  • Levi’s CFO turns to robots to help keep the books.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Gap follows J.Crew in giving up on the bridal-wear industry.  Bloomberg
  • At Lands’ End, gone are the stilettos and trendy clothes that didn’t fit the brand’s customers.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Apple’s business is now being powered with clean energy.  Bloomberg
  • Domino’s will now delivery to 150,000 parks, pools and other non-traditional locations.  TechCrunch
  • Why Sephora merged its digital and physical retail teams into one department.  Glossy
  • Estee Lauder adds two women CEOs to its board as it nears gender parity.  Fortune
  • Walmart recruits Postdates to help grocery delivery push.  Fortune
  • The retail industry is focusing on customer experience and convenience to win in ecommerce.  AdWeek
  • Netflix stock skyrockets on yet another subscriber growth spurt.  Fast Company
  • Target brings same-day delivery of in-store purchases to five cities.  Engadget
  • T-Mobile fined $40M by FTC for inserting fake ring tones.  Fast Company
  • Sears to close more stores.  Business Insider

Marketing and Social Media

  • Netflix may spend $300M to buy a billboard company.  AdWeek
  • Hermes plays a hipster tune.  The New York Times
  • Go young, go digital: Gucci and Louis Vuitton have similarly successful playbooks.  Glossy
  • HighSnobiety experiments with a multimedia vertical stories format.  Digiday
  • Bumble ditches Facebook login requirement.  Fortune
  • Women use their phones for way more than just communicating.  AdWeek
  • Pandora vs. Spotify: ad tech streams into audio.  AdAge
  • Snap is testing commerce with Snapchat Discover publishers.  Digiday
  • Abercrombie & Fitch is digging into its archives to gain ground with Gen Z.  Glossy
  • How a teen and Wendy’s proved that social superfine work.  Digiday

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • LVMH backs luxury startups.  Reuters
  • Colgate unveils smart toothbrush.  The Wall Street Journal
  • General Assembly sells to Adecco for $413M.  TechCrunch
  • The RealReal hunts for more funding amid IPO buzz.  RetailDive
  • Startup subscription service Billie raises $6M.  RetailDive
  • Adobe acquires voice interface platform Sayspring.  TechCrunch
  • US early-stage investment share shrinks as China surges.  TechCrunch
  • Google’s new VR tours let you experience imperiled cultural sites around the world.  Fast Company
  • How JetBlue is defining the future of travel and hospitality through JetBlue Technology Ventures.  Fast Company

International

  • Saudi Arabia just had its first Fashion Week.  The New York Times
  • Gap to open 3-4 new stores in India this year.  Economic Times
  • Alibaba is the latest Chinese internet giant to test self-driving cars.  Engadget

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 4.10.2018

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Happy TUESDAY! Start your day with some industry news. Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Spotify’s Wall Street debut is a success.  The New York Times
  • Why the QVC model still works for beauty brands.  Glossy
  • ASOS has ambitions for big expansion.  The Guardian
  • Designer brands are joining the direct-to-consumer fray.  Glossy
  • Nine West may be heading for bankruptcy.  Fast Company
  • Cult men’s brief brand Tommy John just launched a line of women’s undies.  Fast Company
  • Warehouses are now worth more than offices, thanks to Amazon.  Bloomberg
  • Resale is expected to be bigger than fast fashion within 10 years.  Fashionista
  • How InStyle is cashing in on beauty ecommerce.  Glossy
  • Some Amazon Key features including keyless entry, go nationwide.  CNet
  • Amazon now sells more than 70 of its own private-label brands.  Recode
  • Anthropologie CEO leaving this month.  WWD
  • Nine West files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.  USA Today
  • Nordstrom opening a New York store as other retailers close theirs.  New York Times 
  • Amazon spent nearly $23B on R&D last year – more than any other U.S. company.  Recode
  • Paypal rolling out banking products.  TechCrunch

Marketing and Social Media

  • Google and Target issue first voice-activated coupon.  AdWeek
  • Bricks and clicks: How Instagram is changing physical retail.  Forbes
  • Amazon could lead in search ad business by 2020.  Mediapost
  • How Tumi is using AI in marketing campaigns, online and in stores.  Glossy
  • Polyvore acquired by global fashion platform SSENSE.  Fashionista
  • Snapchat cashes Houseparty group video chat app.  Adage
  • Adobe releases State of Digital Advertising 2018 research. Forbes
  • More targeted ads are coming to your TV.  AdWeek
  • Facebook really wants people to use Stories.  AdWeek

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Tradesy acquired a closet service to compete with The RealReal.  Glossy
  • Virtual reality, now with the sense of touch.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Walmart in takeover talks with pharmacy startup.  Bloomberg
  • Postdates launching pickup feature.  TechCrunch
  • 2.1B consumers will use mobile payments by 2019.  RetailDive
  • How Mobike’s founder turned a crazy idea into a $3B startup.  Bloomberg
  • Instacart raises another $150M.  TechCrunch
  • Alibaba is becoming a major investor in facial recognition technology.  Quartz

International

  • ShopShops aims at Chinese consumers via live streaming.  The Wall Street Journal
  • In China, the sharing economy stretches to fashion for millennials.  SCMP
  • These seven international retailers want to make a splash in the US.  CNBC
  • Tencent shows off their vision for the future of unmanned retail.  Jing Daily
  • Southeast Asia fashion startup Zilingo continues meteoric rise with $54M Series C  TechCrunch
  • Hong Kong money to help online fashion disrupter Moda Operandi break into the Asian market.  SCMP
  • Taco Bell plans explosive Australian growth as sales jump.  AdAge

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 3.26.2018

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Hi friends! Here is a recap of industry news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Amazon has considered buying some Toys ‘R’ Us stores.  Bloomberg
  • WalMart’s ecommerce CEO explains why its many acquisitions will help it reach millennials.  AdWeek
  • WalMart to start selling cars at 250 stores.  AdAge
  • Everlane launches underwear basics.  Fast Company
  • Billionaire CEO wants to launch GoFundMe to buy Toys R Us.  The Washington Post
  • Best Buy to stop selling Huawei.  CNet
  • Ulta, Gap, Target and more: these retailers are still opening stores in 2018.  CNBC
  • Sephora is capitalizing on limited edition by commissioning exclusive products from brands.  Glossy
  • Nordstrom to partner with sneaker marketplace Stadium Goods at its stand-alone men’s store.  CNBC
  • Gap Inc. pledges to conserve 10B liters of water by 2020.  Fashionista
  • Chanel Beauty is expanding distribution in an effort to talk directly to customers.  Glossy
  • How retailers are defending their reason for existing in the Amazon age.  Glossy
  • New Look to close 60 stores.  Telegraph
  • Amazon just passed Alphabet to become the world’s second most valuable company.  CNBC
  • FedEx to add 500 new locations in Walmart stores in two years.  Business Insider
  • Everlane’s five tactics for winning at physical retail.  Business of Fashion

Marketing and Social Media

  • Facebook and Google face emboldened antagonists: big advertisers.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Rivals chip away at Google’s and Facebook’s US digital ad dominance.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Instagram tweaks its feed to show newer posts first again.  Fortune
  • Home Depot expands partnership with Pinterest.  Retail Dive
  • Sonos is yanking its Facebook ads in response to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.  Fast Company
  • As Instagram Shopping goes global, brands look to optimize mobile commerce strategies.  Glossy
  • Elon Musk just deleted the Facebook pages for Tesla and SpaceX.  Fast Company
  • Facebook debuted 3 new ad products for retailers at ShopTalk.  AdWeek
  • YouTube just become the top grossing iPhone app of the first time.  TechCrunch
  • Glossier’s customer obsession is about stirring up conversation.  RetailDive
  • Hulu has started to address advertisers’ inventory frustration.  Digiday
  • YouTube to increase ad inventory.  The Verge
  • Snapchat launches Map Explore feature to highlight breaking news.  The Verge

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Amazon has patented a drone that reacts to people shouting and waving at it.  USA Today
  • Salesforce is buying MuleSoft at enterprise value of $6.5B.  TechCrunch
  • This sneaker startup’s explosive growth comes from creative partnerships.  Fast Company
  • Dropbox pops in IPO.  CNN Money
  • Google may acquire light-field tech company Lytro for VR/AR.  CNet
  • Cheddar raises $22M for international expansion.  The Wall Street Journal
  • WalMart’s future could include drone assistants and smart cars.  Engadget
  • Tech’s next big wave: big data meets biology.  Fortune

International

  • India’s commerce market is exploding. Quartz
  • Uber exiting Southeast Asia.  TechCrunch
  • How to chase the next half-billion internet addicts in China.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Alibaba is doubling down on Southeast Asia as its rivals are moving in.  Quartz

WEEKLY INDUSTRY BRIEF: 3.12.2018

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Happy Monday! Here is the industry news round-up from the last week. Sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Walmart is about to open a technology research center in Plano’s Granite Park.  Dallas News 
  • Nordstrom will start selling Anthropologie home products.  Architectural Digest
  • Sizzling Aerie brand lifts American Eagle.  Seeking Alpha
  • Abercombie’s flagship brand is bouncing back.  Bloomberg
  • L’oreal launches men’s brand with David Beckham.  Bloomberg
  • Blue Apron stock suffers as Weight Watchers gets into meal kits.  TechCrunch
  • Tommy Hilfiger’s bet on instant gratification is paying off.  Business of Fashion
  • At Target, it’s the year of acceleration.  Retail Dive
  • Zara turns to robots as in-store pickups surge. The Wall Street Journal
  • Abercrombie to close 60 more stores.  CNBC
  • Why the toy industry would suffer if Toys ‘R’ Us disappears.  Fortune
  • Netflix eyeing total of about 700 original series in 2018.  Variety

Marketing and Social Media

  • The company that’s taking stoppable video seriously – and driving results.  AdWeek
  • Branded podcasts are the ads people actually want to listen to.  Fast Company
  • Lorde and other US musicians can now start posting on Google.  TechCrunch
  • Google promises publishers an alternative to AMP.  TechCrunch
  • Decoding Chanel’s Gen-Z strategy.  Business of Fashion
  • Twitter might verify everybody to stop bots and fake news.  Fast Company
  • Google is selling off Zagat to restaurant review site The Infatuation.  The Verge
  • The big potential of micro-influencers.  Women’s Wear Daily
  • Facebook’s new tool allows travel brands to shape vacationers’ plans from the start. AdWeek
  • Netflix to introduce mobile previews with vertical video in April.  Variety
  • Snap is reportedly laying off around 100 employees.  TechCrunch
  • 74% of Facebook users visit the site daily and 51% go several times a day.  Marketing Land 
  • Snapchat and Instagram remove Giphy feature due to racial slur GIF.  TechCrunch
  • Facebook has signed a deal to stream 25 afternoon MLB games.  TechCrunch
  • Snapchat’s tagging test could help brands and influencers build their follower numbers.  MarketingLand

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Nordstrom snaps up tech startups to fuel mobile shopping.  Retail Dive
  • Bose is carving out $50M for startups using its new audio-focused AR tech.  TechCrunch
  • Dropbox announces deeper integration with Salesforce ahead of IPO.  TechCrunch
  • Boxed reportedly rejected $400M buyout offer from Kroger. TechCrunch
  • Amazon adds photo confirmation for deliveries.  Retail Dive
  • Alibaba’s Jack Ma and Joe Tsai invest $20M in Rent the Runway.  TechCrunch
  • Now you can have a conversation with Alexa without screaming “Hey, Alexa” for every request.  TechCrunch
  • How L’oreal is using tech to make thousands of custom skin shades.  AdWeek
  • Why Blockchain will survive even if Bitcoin doesn’t.  Wall Street Journal
  • Brands are finally embracing augmented reality, but not without speed bumps.  AdWeek
  • DVF is bringing customization and VR to its flagship store.  Glossy
  • The men’s alternative to Rent the Runway is plotting a $30M expansion to make weddings and job interviews way easier.  Business Insider
  • ASOS’s visual search tool is now available to all of its shoppers.  Engadget

International

  • Zara to launch New Zealand online store in March.  Business Day
  • Amazon to enter Vietnam in challenge to Alibaba.  Nikkei Asian Review
  • Amazon to expand in India by adding original regional content.  Nasdaq

Weekly Industry Brief: 2.26.2018

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

Brands + Retailers

  • Chanel and Farfetch team up for digital push at fashion label’s stores.  Reuters
  • Amazon is giving its Prime members with a Visa rewards card 5% back when shopping at Whole Foods.  CNBC
  • Albertsons to buy Rite Aid in latest Amazon countermeasure.  Bloomberg
  • Soon available at WalMart, Harry’s is giving Gillette a run for its money.  Fast Company
  • AirBnB is rolling out a new tier aimed at higher-end travelers.  TechCrunch
  • UPS is working on a fleet of 50 custom-built electric delivery trucks.  TechCrunch
  • Nordstrom Family Group finalizing take private offer.  Business of Fashion
  • How Everyone is building the next-gen clothing brand.  Fast Company
  • Amazon has quietly launched an exclusive line of over-the-counter health products.  CNBC
  • Walmart has big year of commerce investments planned to bring growth back to 40%.  CNBC
  • Kith is dropping exclusive collections on Net-a-Porter.  Fashionista
  • Amazon plans to open as many as six more Amazon Go stores this year.  Recode
  • WalMart is launching a home decor site.  Business Insider
  • Net-a-porter beauty business is thriving.  Glossy
  • Walmart aims for affluent customers with online mattress line.  New York Times
  • Fitbit posted a weaker-than expected quarter.  Techcrunch
  • Chewy beats Amazon in online pet supply business.  Forbes
  • ASOS launches first-ever activewear line for men and women.  Independent

Social Media + Marketing

  • Nike teamed up with Snap and Darkstar to pre-release shoes on Snapchat.  TechCrunch
  • Snapchat copies Instagram, adds gif stickers.  The Next Web
  • Google debuts AdSense ‘auto ads’ with machine learning to make placement and monetization choice.  TechCrunch
  • Chanel unveils Instagram feed for beauty devotees.  LA Times
  • Maybelline asks followers if Snapchat is worth it.  AdAge
  • Is brand-free beauty the wave of the future?  Fashionista
  • Goop expands media empire with Gwyneth-hosted podcast.  Fast Company
  • Facebook says its clarifying its ad metrics.  TechCrunch
  • Get ready for 3D posts in your Facebook newsfeed.  Techradar
  • Instagram is dissolving its global community team.  The Verge

Startups + Emerging Tech

  • Glossier raises $52M in Series C funding.  Fashionista
  • Oreo snacks on AR in new mobile scavenger hunt.  Mobile Marketer
  • Diamond industry turns to AR to attract wedding-wary millennials.  Glossy
  • Proven wants to sell AI distilled custom skincare.  TechCrunch
  • DropBox files for IPO of up to $500M to tap into the public market.  The Drum
  • Dolce & Gabbana is using drones to model handbags at Milan Fashion Week.  Business Insider
  • Apple plan giant high-end iPhone and lower priced models.  AdAge

International

  • From online-only to omni-channel in China. Wall Street Journal
  • Flipkart is crushing Amazon in one of India’s biggest ecommerce categories.  Quartz
  • Chinese KOLs are a dime-a-dozen but sometimes a dime well spent.  Jing Daily

Weekly Industry Brief: 2.5.2018

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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

  • J.Crew launches lower-priced swimwear line aimed at millennials.  Fashionista
  • Warby Parker shrunk its beloved frames to launch a kids line.  Fashionista
  • Kroger sells convenience store holdings for nearly $2B.  Fortune
  • Amazon wins holiday with 38% sales gain.  AdAge
  • H&M fashions a plan for a comeback.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Luxury in the age of digital Darwinism.  McKinsey
  • H&M just saw its biggest profit dip in six years.  Fashionista
  • Revlon’s CEO departing amid expected steep losses.  USA Today
  • How Yoox’s mobile app is driving more than 50% of sales.  Glossy
  • Tesla expands sales of solar gear at home depot.  Bloomberg
  • Amazon reports nearly $2B in profit, blowing past Wall Street expectations for holiday quarter.  TechCrunch
  • Five key takeaways from Amazon’s earnings.  Forbes
  • Former Under Armour execs launch direct-to-consumer brand.  RetailDive
  • What drew Amazon and Alibaba to bricks-and-mortar.  Bloomberg
  • The NFL wants to be your favorite lifestyle brand.  Racked
  • Ralph Lauren tumbles after posting weak holiday-season sales.  Business of Fashion 
  • Estes Lauder extends streak on strength of online, holiday sales.  Business of Fashion 
  • H&M is launching a new store ‘Afound’ to sell external brands.  Fortune
  • Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JP Morgan are joining forces to offer lower-cost health care to U.S. employees.  Inc

Marketing and Social Media

  • Hot 100 retailers embrace video to connect with shoppers.  Internet Retailer
  • Snapchat’s new Snap Store teases in-app commerce potential.  TechCrunch
  • How social media is changing product development in beauty.  Glossy
  • How personalization will evolve in 2018.  AdAge
  • For influencers, Instagram is the clear-cut favorite. eMarketer
  • Five trends you’ll see in Super Bowl ads on Sunday.  AdAge
  • McDonald’s received the most social media exposure worldwide. Business Insider
  • Unilever squeezes $700M out of ad production.  AdAge
  • Forget the spokesmodel – companies want real people.  The Wall Street Journal
  • Super Bowl ads 2018: what worked and what didn’t.  Entrepreneur

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

  • Farfetched gears up for fashion store of the future.  Reuters
  • Retail spending on AI to reach $7.3B by 2022.  RetailDive
  • Bustle is raising roughly $30M to go on a shopping spree.  TechCrunch
  • Google Home will now wake you up with your song of choice.  CNet
  • Storyline lets you build and publish Alexa skills without coding.  TechCrunch
  • Adidas Boost: the sneaker technology that changed a company’s fortunes.  GQ
  • HP is making a bigger VR push for professionals.  Engadget
  • Uber is piloting a bike-sharing service.  TechCrunch

International

Weekly Industry Brief: 9.18.2017

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

Brands and Retailers

  • Wal-Mart is simplifying its sprawling US store operations. Bloomberg
  • Spring and eBay join forces to gain edge over Amazon. Glossy
  • How Kirkland Signature became one of Costco’s biggest success stores. The Wall Street Journal
  • There will be more retail stores opening than closing in 2017. Forbes
  • Neiman Marcus is shrinking the store its building in Manhattan. New York Post
  • How Nike is fighting off bots and counterfeiters. Recode
  • Toys R Us is preparing for possible bankruptcy filing. Fortune
  • Neiman Marcus is closing more than 25% of its outlet stores. Fortune
  • Topshop drops its high-priced line. Fashionista
  • Footwear retailer Aerosoles files for bankruptcy. Reuters
  • Hermes first half profit hits record levels. Business of Fashion
  • Nike introduces Flyleather, its latest ‘super material,’ Business of Fashion

Marketing and Social Media

  • Samsung is working with banks to roll out retail pop-ups. Digiday
  • Pinterest crosses 200 million monthly active users. Techcrunch
  • Lululemon woos men with first campaign. AdAge
  • Facebook moves to block ads on fake news, offensive videos. Bloomberg
  • Canada Goose rolls out direct-to-consumer strategy. AdAge
  • Marie Claire, Mastercard open pop-up store. AdAge

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Xiaomi’s Mi Mix 2 was built with the US audience in mind. Forbes
  • Visual search products like Google Lens could revolutionize online shopping. Venture Beat
  • Samsung promises foldable phones by 2018. Mashable
  • IBM Watson-powered augmented intelligence seeks an edge in travel marketing. Skift
  • Softbank to invest in Slack. Recode
  • Two ex-Googlers want to kill your bodega. Fortune
  • Nike and the NBA unveil connected jerseys. Techcrunch
  • Nestle acquires a majority stake in Blue Bottle Coffee at a valuation north of $700M. TechCrunch

International

  • Amazon is testing one-hour delivery at London Fashion Week. Fortune
  • com and Thai retailer Central Group form $500M ecommerce joint venture. Reuters
  • Alibaba partners with New York Fashion Week to introduce designers to China. Quartz
  • Google is launching a payment service in India. Seeking Alpha
  • By going online in India, Zara can reach fashion-forward shoppers outside metros. Quartz
  • Inside Yoho! China’s streetwear empire. Business of Fashion
  • Ikea to invest 90M Euros to open first store in Slovenia. Reuters
  • New EU plan to tax digital giants. Seeking Alpha
  • Amazon plans mega-warehouse for Mexico growth spurt. Reuters

Weekly Industry Brief: 9.11.2017

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Here is your recap of industry headlines from the past week.  As always, sources can be found in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands and Retailers

  • Starbucks to shut down online store this Fall. Pymnts
  • Gap closing hundreds of stores in shift toward Old Navy, Athleta. Bloomberg
  • Why Amazon is targeting Europe first for its first trend-driven label. Glossy
  • Nike’s iron grip on the sneaker market is slipping. Quartz
  • WalMart and Target: Which strategy will win? Retail Dive
  • Amazon opens shop inside some Khol’s stores. Retail Dive
  • Amazon’s apparel ambitions create tough choices for brands. Retail Dive
  • Nordstrom tries on a new look: stores without merchandise. The Wall Street Journal
  • Gilt finally pivots away from flash sales. Racked
  • Amazon’s new challenge: Making two headquarters seem like one. The Wall Street Journal
  • Target slashes prices on thousands of items. Reuters
  • Equifax stock tumbles 14% after credit score hack. TechCrunch
  • Another top designer leaves J.Crew. Fortune
  • Rihanna’s new Fenty beauty line at Sephora expands her business empire. Fortune
  • Amazon’s Whole Foods price cut brings 25% jump in shoppers. AdAge
  • ASOS launches own-brand beauty line. The Independent
  • With a $1,000 price tag, Apple’s iPhone crosses a threshold. The New York Times

Marketing and Social Media

  • Coty tries Story’s boutique for hire to showcase ideas. AdAge
  • Target kicks off aggressive marketing of new brands. AdAge
  • Ad firms enlist OpenSlate to make sure ads run with ‘safe’ YouTube videos. The Wall Street Journal
  • Reebok asserts itself as a fashion force at New York Fashion Week. Fast Company
  • Facebook under scrutiny for inflated ad reach in US. CNN
  • The influence of ‘corpsumers’ who care as much about a brand’s values as its products.  AdWeek
  • Retailers add artificial intelligence to their marketing mix.  AdWeek

Startup and Emerging Tech

  • Home Depot taps up Google Home for voice ordering. Fortune
  • How Rebecca Minkoff uses technology to drive triple-digit sales growth. CNBC
  • Venmo is offering users a physical debit card. TechCrunch
  • Get ready for a new, much more powerful Apple TV. TechCrunch
  • Inside Google’s quest to reinvent chat with machine learning. Fast Company
  • How automation is creating a new breed of retail jobs. The Wall Street Journal
  • Apple aims to make augmented reality mainstream. The Wall Street Journal

International

  • Rebecca Minkoff invests in mobile payment tools like Alipay to attract global customers online. Glossy
  • New Zealand unit of TopShop placed in receivership. Business of Fashion
  • H&M to open 4 stores in India in September. Live Mint
  • Alibaba to open its first brick-and-mortar mall in China. MarketWatch
  • Blocked in China, Facebook is said to seek a Shanghai office. New York Times