PUBLISHED TUE, AUG 13 2019  4:11 PM EDTUPDATED TUE, AUG 13 2019  4:29 PM EDT Patti Domm@PATTIDOMM

Amazon’s Prime Day and promotions by other retailers appear to have given a meaningful pop to July retail sales, which could be stronger than economists’ forecasts, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch economists.

Michelle Meyer, BofA’s head of U.S. economics, said she expects retail sales excluding autos to have risen by 0.6% and about half of that would have been from Prime Day and other promotions by Amazon competitors. Wall Street’s consensus forecast is for a 0.3% gain in July on headline retail sales and 0.4%, excluding autos, according to Refinitiv. Meyer expects headline retail sales to rise by 0.4%. (READ MORE)

By Phil Wainewright August 13, 2019

The rise of online e-commerce is often blamed for the decline of traditional bricks-and-mortar shopping streets and malls. But if digital is so bad for the industry, how is it that most Apple Stores are always thronged with people? The truth is that where retail is in decline, there are many different factors in play — some of the most significant being lack of imagination and investment on the part of store owners. (READ MORE)

PR Newswire August 13, 2019 SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 13, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Litmus7, a 100% retail-focused technology service provider, today announced the launch of the first in a series of digital performance benchmarking reports. It's a best-in-class, quantitative assessment of leading retailers' digital commerce proposition. The report answers two questions – how likely are you to find the retailer on the web, and if you do – are you likely to have a good experience. (READ MORE)

Eren Pamir Forbes Councils Member Forbes Finance Council COUNCIL POST | Paid Program Money So, you’ve made it through the difficult process of starting a new company, obtaining initial financing and surviving your first few months or years. Congratulations. But this is no time to relax. The next big obstacle most startups face happens when they transition from startup status to becoming a viable long-term company. You can’t just sit still, or your competitors will catch up and pass you — it’s time to jump to the next level. But how? As a younger company, you may need some type of partner to fund your expansion and you have multiple options. Here are seven different paths to help transform your business from merely surviving to thriving. (READ MORE)

By Laura Gillespie  – Reporter, Houston Business Journal

A massive retail development in Aliana, a 2,000-acre master-planned community in Richmond southwest of Houston, is moving forward.

The first phase of The Grand at Aliana will be 200,000 square feet and will break ground in the coming weeks, according to a press release from Houston-based NewQuest Properties, which is developing the project. The development is set to open in the second quarter of 2020. (READ MORE)

By Carmen Reinicke - Aug. 12, 2019, 2:31 PM

Back-to-school season is a big opportunity for retailers looking to boost sales and engage with shoppers ahead of the holiday season.

The landscape has changed somewhat as online retailers such as Amazon have become increasingly popular choices for school supplies, clothing, and shoes. But traditional big-box retailers like Kohl's, Target, and Walmart remain top choices for back-to-school purchases.

To assess the changing retail landscape and see how more traditional shopping malls are faring, analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch hosted a back-to-school mall tour at the Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey on Friday. They wrote in a Monday note that for specialty retail and department stores, "differentiation and value are key." (READ MORE)

By Rohan Seth Follow

AUGUST 12, 2019, 17:13IST

Streaming services are cataloguing the entire world’s audiovisual content onto their platforms. If you had told someone ten years ago that most of the world’s movies and TV shows would be available on demand in their pocket they would have given you a patronising look of disbelief. If at present of the streaming industry is pathbreaking, the future promises to build even further on it. (READ MORE)

By Ann-Marie Alcántara | July 15, 2019

Bulletin, a retail startup that has opened three shops across New York, has raised a $7 million Series A from Foundation Capital, with additional support from Kleiner Perkins, Trail Mix Ventures and Afore Capital. It’s the company’s second round of funding, having raised a seed round of $2.2 million in 2017. (READ MORE)

Published By via CNBC: Chloe Taylor Mon, Aug 12 2019  3:47 AM EDT Updated Mon, Aug 12 2019  5:06 AM EDT

Virgin StartUp — the Virgin Group’s non-profit that offers funding and business support to British entrepreneurs — has pledged to fund companies started by men and women equally by the end of 2020.

The company said Monday the move made it the first business funder in the U.K. to promise equal backing for men and women. As well as pledging to balance its funding between male and female-founded start-ups, Virgin StartUp said it would partner with consultancy Genderscope to train its business advisors on unconscious gender bias. (READ MORE)

Alejandro Cremades Contributor Entrepreneurs

Dr. Joe DeSimone took his own path to entrepreneurship. His latest venture, Carbon, is changing the way things are made.

He’s assembled one of the most impressive Board of Directors and line up of investors to transform the $300 billion manufacturing industry.

Joe recently appeared as a guest on the DealMakers Podcast. During his exclusive interview, he shared how his team is transforming how the world makes things, the fundraising process, what it’s like building a nearly 500 person company in less than 6 years, and many more topics. (READ MORE)