Executive Summary

• This week’s note “From the Desk of Deborah Weinswig” discusses the FGRT team’s recent visit to the Magic trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
•  In July, US retail sales rose by 0.6% month over month, versus an expected 0.4% increase. The increase was the largest monthly gain since December 2016.
• Fashion e-commerce retailer ASOS has launched a visual search feature on its iOS app that allows users to take a photo or screenshot of a garment or fashion accessory and have the app show items similar to what they are trying to find.
• British supermarket giant Tesco is to roll out interactive digital kiosks that allow customers to browse and select products, and then operate a ticket system for staff to assist with further information and queries.