Executive Summary

Feb. 1, 2019

• This week’s note “From the Desk of Deborah Weinswig” discusses how retail robots are being deployed not only in warehouses, but on store floors and in neighborhood streets.
• Google Trends data signal that U.S. retail sales, a key economic indicator that’s been delayed by the government shutdown, probably remained healthy in December along with household consumption.
• German supermarket chain Lidl has partnered with Italian delivery firm Supermercato24 to provide Lidl customers in Italy with one-hour delivery service.
• K-beauty startup Memebox announced it has completed a $35 million series D funding round led by Johnson & Johnson Development Corp. The e-commerce platform has now raised $190 million in total.