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The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Is Officially Canceled (New York Times)
Victoria’s Secret announced in May that it’s annual fashion show would no longer air on network television. Now, the company has confirmed the show is canceled. “We think it’s important to evolve the marketing of Victoria’s Secret,” Stuart Burgdoerfer, CFO of L Brands, said on an earnings call. “We’ll be communicating to customers, but nothing that I would say is similar in magnitude to the fashion show.”
The RealReal Has Ongoing Authentication Problems (CNBC)
According to CNBC, copywriters for The RealReal were sent a weekly report of counterfeit items, some of which had been published and returned, called “Faux and Tell.” Items in the reports include a pair of Jimmy Choo knockoffs that read “Jimmy Ghoo” as well as a pair of Louis Vuitton slides that never existed. Since CNBC’s original report was published earlier this month, The RealReal has removed references to being “100% real” and “100% authentic” from its site.
UPDATE: A previous version of this article, drawing from CNBC’s report, stated that the fakes in question made it on to The RealReal’s site. A rep for the site says some items in the story — including the Jimmy Choo and Luis Vuitton knock offs — were actually caught before they hit the site, and were never bought or returned.
“They were counterfeits identified during our authentication process and sequestered to be used in training sessions,” she writes. “We are constantly innovating and evolving our process to ensure we maintain the highest standards and keep fraudulent products off the market. Ongoing daily and weekly training sessions, some of which include examining counterfeits, are a key component in our effort to stay one step ahead of counterfeiters. We use counterfeit products from a variety of sources, including those identified during our authentication process, in our training sessions. Products featured are not, as CNBC inaccurately stated, just from returns.”
The Future of Real World Salespeople (Vox)
Online shopping has changed how customers want to interact in real-world stores. More often than not these days, they don’t want to be badgered by salespeople. “Amazon has changed our world and how we like to shop,” says Annette Franz, the CEO of consulting firm CX Journey. “Customers expect to grab what they need and check out, so when they’re approached multiple times by a sales rep, it’s uncomfortable for some.”
But that’s not to say sales associates are in decline. Companies are simply changing how their staff approach customers. Sephora in Europe, for example, has gone viral for offering color-coded shopping baskets that indicate if a customer would like help shopping or would like to be left alone.
Opening Ceremony’s Holiday Wishlist Is “Crazy”
From the Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gifts list, to Tiffany & Co.’s holiday offerings, there is no shortage of extravagant treat options. Now, Opening Ceremony is joining the fray with its fourth-annual “Crazy” Gift series. OC has teamed up with its celebrity friends to offer a range of experiences — including dinner with Amanda Lepore for $1,000, a backstage experience at Saturday Night Live for $5,000, or a personal photoshoot with David LaChapelle for $150,000. Much like the Neiman Marcus list, all proceeds are going to charity! Check out the full list here.
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