“What if you could store and deliver goods as easily as data? Amazon, Walmart and others are using AI and robotics to transform everything from appliance shopping to grocery delivery. Welcome to the physical cloud.” | learn more
The Give Back Box allows you to donate old clothes from home.
This video highlights Monika Wiela, who came up with an idea to toss a prepaid shipping label into her outgoing e-commerce boxes that let consumers donate used clothes without having to make an extra trip. Then, she turned it into a nonprofit to enable other retailers to do the same. | learn more
India gives Amazon and Walmart the finger.
Basically, a new law prohibits foreign internet retailers from selling brands they have an ownership stake in. “Both Amazon and Walmart’s Flipkart have reportedly pulled thousands of items for sale.” | learn more
ReturnRunners lets people outsource ecommerce returns.
The inevitable returns process is one of my least favorite aspects of online shopping. This Chicago startup lets consumers hire them to deal with the logistics of sending back unwanted products. Amazon does a nice job of easy returns, and yet I still find myself dreading the process. At the same time, I have a mental roadblock against paying $10 to someone else to take care of it for me. What do you think? | learn more
Saving main street with in-store technology.
China is arguably in the lead here – Alibaba has outfitted about 1 million mom & pop shops with heat sensors, digital payments and inventory tracking. While the US has fallen behind due to cultural privacy concerns, progress persists. | learn more
Rising Instagram stars are posting fake sponsored content
There’s a term for this: sponcon. When being paid to promote products is a sign of coolness, it might just make sense to fake it ‘till you make it by promoting products for free. 2019 is going to be a confusing year. | learn more
Sears Chairman Eddie Lampert makes $4.4B bid to keep retailer alive.
This seems to be the only chance Sears has of escaping liquidation (the fate of Toys-R-Us last year). On a related note, does anyone know where to find an accounting of the actual investments/returns of his hedge fund ESL Holdings for the Sears & Kmart investments? It’d be interesting to see the results of all the creative financial structuring he’s done. | learn more
How George Clooney sold Casamigos tequila brand for $1B.
“George Clooney and Rande Gerber, the creators of Casamigos tequila, tell a great story about how they created their brand by accident in 2013. They perpetuate this story in all of their interviews and the news outlets and fashion magazines are happy to reprint it. Problem is, the story is not entirely accurate.” | learn more
Faire, a wholesale version of Etsy raises $100MM.
“A quick glance at Faire suggests it’s a combination of Pinterest and Etsy, complete with trendy, pastel stationery, soap, baby products and more, all made by independent artisans and sold to retailers.” | learn more
Amazon Go cashierless stores may be coming to airports.
I would be grateful for this considering my last visit clocked in at 23 seconds total. “Amazon.com is looking at bringing its futuristic checkout-free store format to airports in an effort to win business from hungry, time-pressed travelers.” | learn more