Walmart Prepares for the Holidays and There's a Future for Retail + Coworking

WALMART PREPARES FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Walmart is expecting its best holiday season yet, and is making efforts to provide speedy service for shoppers, (and no, this doesn't include free, two-day shipping).

The company will be rolling out a "check out with me" option, which will include Walmart employees to be scattered throughout aisles with mobile devices to expedite the checkout process. Customers can scan bulky items like flat-screen TVs and heavy furniture, pay on the spot, and have a receipt emailed to them.

Competitors aren't coming up short with their own tactics to sell more products win shoppers' dollars this holiday season. Stay tuned for more holiday coverage to come!

BONOBOS NURTURES ITS BRAND PURPOSE

After Bonobos acquisition by Walmart in June 2017, many loyal customers expressed their outrage and concern for the long-term authenticity of the men's e-commerce brand. Despite the skepticism, Bonobos is growing its brand purpose through clothing quality, inclusive sizing, and customer service.
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YOOX NET-A-PORTER JOINS ALIBABA

Net-A-Porter is forming a joint venture with Alibaba Group to bring its luxury online retail offering to Chinese consumers, (who are expected to account for nearly half of the global luxury market by 2025). Offerings will be available on Alibaba’s Tmall Global e-commerce platform, as well as mobile apps.
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RE:STORE, THE FUTURE OF COWORKING RETAIL

The lines between coworking and commerce are blurring, reshaping the way we perceive and experience physical retail.

Non-retail partnerships like WeWork and Rent the Runway are expanding, and the latest: Re:store. The startup provides infrastructure for independent brands to sell their products in a shared physical storefront while doubling as a co-working space. Retailers can opt to work together in an office-type setting.

The Re:store approach delivers solutions to indie brands and retailers who deal with similar growth and expansion pain points.

AMAZON UNVEILS MORE PRIVATE LABELS

Last week we covered Amazon's struggle in generating profit from its private label apparel brands. Despite the challenges, the giant continues its private label push with two new home decor brands: "Ravenna Home" and "Now House by Jonathan Adler."
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THIS WEEK'S BRIGHT SPOT

Another streetwear + luxury synergy will be taking place, as Chanel and Pharrell Williams confirmed this week that they’re to launch a co-created collection of ready-to-wear apparel and accessories. This will be Williams’ first shot at designing RTW with co-designer and brand creative chief Karl Lagerfeld.
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