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Spotify announced Tuesday that the family-friendly app has been bolstered with 30% more songs, playlists, stories and other streamable content.             from USATODAY - Tech Top Stories https://ift.tt/2wKi1wS

The pain felt by alternative weeklies turned out to be just the beginning of the crippling impact the coronavirus is having on the already struggling media industry. With advertising revenues continuing to plunge as brands across the board slash marketing budgets, an increasing number of publishers of all shapes and sizes are being forced to take drastic measures to keep their heads above water. Among them is Maven Media, the publisher of Sports Illustrated. It laid off 31 people this week, the equivalent of 9 percent of its staff, and shrank executive pay by almost a third. Around 6 percent of Sports Illustrated journalists, who were hit by a separate round of layoffs in October and are currently trying to form a union, were impacted. In a memo to staff, chief executive officer James Heckman explained that it’s expecting a $30 million loss in revenue this year due to the cancellation of major sporting events such as March Madness and the Olympic Games. “We’re anticipating a $30 millio...

The coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the fashion, beauty and retail industries is staggering, as major retailers have shuttered their doors, halted production and even furloughed most of their employees in response to the virus. While major companies are experiencing setbacks, small businesses across the country and the globe are feeling the brunt of the losses with many independent fashion labels ceasing operations, streamlining their collections and making other changes in anticipation for an uncertain future post-COVID-19. Several major companies and cities across the country have responded to the challenges facing small businesses amid the pandemic by creating grants to keep them afloat, including the likes of Facebook, Google and the Council of Fashion Designers of America. The $2 trillion Coronavirus Stimulus Package signed by President Donald Trump last week also offers respite to small business owners, with a $350 billion federal small business loan program. Here, WWD lists sev...

MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s apparel industry reported that sales dropped 70 percent as the coronavirus continues to spread in Latin America’s second-largest economy. “Next week, we are expecting most factories will close or implement technical stoppages due to a lack of liquidity as we face losses of 70 to 80 percent compared to last week,” main industry lobby Canaive said in a statement. “Retailers have decided to cancel clothing deliveries, prioritizing pharmaceutical, food and other consumer products.” Mexico’s textile- and apparel-makers, as well as large retailers and department stores such as Liverpool and El Palacio de Hierro, are suffering as the country forces lockdowns to stem the virus. Nearly 320,000 jobs and 8,815 companies are in jeopardy, Canaive said, adding that the textile and apparel sector accounts for 3.2 percent of Mexico’s GDP. “Due to the health emergency the country is experiencing, we see a series of negative and unforeseen circumstances…that will affect the indust...

ALL IN TOGETHER: As more companies are pitching in to ramp up production to fight the coronavirus pandemic, Carharrt is among the latest to join that effort. The company plans to produce 2.5 million protective masks and 50,000 medical gowns starting April 6. Production will continue as long as these crucial items are needed for relief efforts. The Dearborn, Mich.-based company has a history of suiting up America’s laborers dating back to 1889. With that heritage in mind, the brand announced Tuesday it will be furthering the nationwide endeavor to supply masks and gowns to workers who need protection as they continue to battle the pandemic. In order to reach its initial production runs, Carhartt will be using its factories in Tennessee and Kentucky. The U.S.-based family-owned business has 5,500 employees around the world. Employees in Carhartt’s production facilities have volunteered to produce these essential items and the company will continue to compensate them for their part in hel...

Uber says it will offer 10 million free rides and deliveries to health care workers, seniors and people in need as COVID-19 spreads.             from USATODAY - Tech Top Stories https://ift.tt/3aA9dYO

Houseparty, the app owned by Epic Games of Fortnite fame, said on Twitter that hacking rumors are part of a "smear campaign," and is fighting back.             from USATODAY - Tech Top Stories https://ift.tt/3dLeSgI

The JBL Bar Studio 2.0 soundbar is one of our favorites, and right now you can get it on sale for even less.             from USATODAY - Tech Top Stories https://ift.tt/3404bCq

Platform, the retail and dining experience in Culver City, Calif., has adapted to the current climate. Instead of closing the outdoor center due to the coronavirus, founders Joseph Miller and David Fishbein are offering a drive-through concept. Shoppers can now place online orders at PlatformDriveThrough.com, before heading to 3920 Landmark Avenue for “contactless” pick-ups. “We are essentially serving as a fulfillment center for our partners…” Miller said in a statement. They are following the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines of using commercial grade disinfectants, gloves and social distancing, organizers shared. “Safety and social responsibility are our number-one priority.” Created in 2016, Platform hosts a number of independent shops and restaurants. Items available include a range of essentials like soap (from Aesop), pantry items and clothing, as well as feel-good products like at-home birthday kits from Wild Child Party; candles from Tom Dixon; recor...

Ratings service Nielsen says streaming is up 36% from February, and more than doubled since last March. What are shut-ins watching most?             from USATODAY - Tech Top Stories https://ift.tt/2UT6vXJ

As the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc upon the global economy, consumer discretionary companies — led by the auto industry, hotels and fashion apparel — are drawing down cash to stay liquid. According to a report by S&P Global Market Intelligence, drawdowns in March were $154.79 billion with consumer discretionary companies representing 63.9 percent of the total. The report follows news of major companies furloughing workers and cash-strapped retailers asking landlords for rent relief. The S&P report expects corporate borrowing to surge as companies “shore up cash.” The report noted that General Motors Co. “drew down about $16 billion from its revolving credit facilities, while rival Ford Motor Co. also borrowing $15.4 billion against two lines of credit.” In the tourism and hospitality industry, “Carnival Corp. & plc borrowed $3 billion under its revolving facility, marking the largest withdrawal among these companies.” In fashion apparel and retail, the firm said L ...

One New York-based, direct-to-consumer brand has initiated open dialogue with its consumers about a loss of revenue and furloughs resulting from the coronavirus. Jewelry brand Catbird posted a letter from its founder Rony Vardi on Instagram last week saying that the company had no choice but to furlough a majority of its employees. “This is the most difficult moment this business, built with such care and love, has ever faced. We have held out for as long as possible, but we have no choice but to temporarily lay off a portion of our staff until we can reopen,” said the letter. Its remarks represent a new kind of transparency in this unprecedented era — in which small businesses, facing a do-or-die moment, are appealing to consumers’ emotions with a sense of honesty about the pitfalls of the coronavirus economy. Catbird’s post received nearly 11,000 likes, more than 500 comments and resulted in “hours” of direct messaging with customers and fans offering their support, according to Catb...

Retailers have been hearing the same story about the future of shopping for a long time. Shoppers will enjoy a frictionless, ultra-personalized experience, enabled by troves of data, delivered at near-lightspeed via roaring 5G connections. Manufacturers, sellers and shoppers will be fused in a perfect circle of supply and demand. The distinctions between online, in-store and app will become meaningless. And we’ll pay without ever pulling out our wallets — or even our phones — again. For consumers, it’s a great vision, a future optimized for convenience, efficiency and delight. But for many retailers, it feels like a pipe dream. Sure, the retail fortune-tellers can promise everything when they don’t have to actually put their predictions into practice. A huge gulf exists between what’s possible in theory and the challenging realities of running a day-to-day retail operation. Merchants today are saying, “We’ve heard enough about what the future is supposed to look like. How do we get the...

Baked by Melissa is turning its signature cupcake flavor into an apparel collection. The bite-sized cupcake brand is releasing a limited-edition collection of tie-dye loungewear that takes inspiration from its signature seen in its logo. The collection looks to founder Melissa Ben-Ishay’s love of Sixties and Seventies styles with its retro, tie-dye pattern and psychedelic-inspired font. Baked by Melissa’s limited-edition loungewear collection.  The collection includes a T-shirt, sweatshirt and sweatpants all tie-dyed in a pink, yellow, purple and blue colorway. A notable piece from the collection is the T-shirt, which features a colorful illustration of the Statue of Liberty holding a box of Baked by Melissa cupcakes. The pieces individually range in price from $35 to $75 and the sweatshirt and sweatpants are offered as a bundle for $119. Baked by Melissa is also offering the sweatshirt and sweatpants set with a pack of 25 cupcakes for $149. Baked by Melissa’s limited-edition loung...

Inturn, the B2B SaaS platform that modernizes the way brands sell slow-moving and excess inventory, will support the launch of its next-generation enterprise software solution that standardizes and optimizes inventory disposition for consumer brands, with a new partnership with SAP. Inturn already powers some of SAP’s customers in the fashion, apparel, footwear and consumer product categories. In light of current events, the partnership offers support to brands and retailers who now need to conduct business remotely. The solution will allow companies to better “optimize excess inventory levels, working capital and avoid waste.” “Slow-moving and excess inventory management continue to be a major challenge across all consumer verticals with widespread reports of increased inventory levels, unpredictable demand and unprecedented sales volatility,” said Ronen Lazar, cofounder and chief executive officer of Inturn. “Companies are actively looking to better align their supply chains with wor...

LONDON — Indie fashion magazine Wonderland has launched its first international edition in China under a licensing agreement with Lifestyle Media Group, the publisher of the Chinese editions of Madame Figaro and OK! Vicky Yin, editor in chief of Wonderland China, said the team will localize the content based on the Chinese market and audience, but maintain the international standard, covering topics ranging from fashion, film, music, art and youth culture from a global point of view. The magazine will be published monthly with a digital presence on major Chinese social media platforms. “We will inspire the Chinese readers with our positive attitude together with better quality content under the comprehensive communication matrix in order to establish a youth culture media platform with greater social influence,” Yin said. Cai Xukun, a pop idol and the face of Prada in China, appears on the cover of the launch issue. Riding on his popularity, some 319,000 posts engaged in the discussion...