As an editor of Retail Dive, it’s my job to keep tabs on every piece of retail-related news—the good, the bad, and the silly. From a very expensive Christmas wishlist to the wacky world of HSN, here are some of the most interesting reads from the past week.
All I want for Christmas is Keanu Reeves
Neiman Marcus just released its usually-ostentatious Christmas Book this week, and it didn’t disappoint. Gifts offered this year include a two day motorcycle trip with actor Keanu Reeves on a custom motorcycle he designed with Gard Hollinger ($150,000), a tour of the Orphan Barrel project and 24 bottles of rare bourbon ($125,000), and a “dream trip to India” ($400,000). Here’s hoping that Santa has some pretty deep pockets this year.
Do it for the team?
This week, Urban Outfitters sent out an email to its corporate office asking its salaried workers to “volunteer" at the retailer’s fulfillment facility, where they would “work side by side with your GFC colleagues to help pick, pack and ship orders for our wholesale and direct customers,” according to an original report from Gawker that was confirmed by Fortune.
'Always selling something'
Racked’s Tiffany Yannetta went behind the scenes of every insomniac shopper’s favorite network: HSN, “the 24-hour television network in 96 million homes that’s always selling something.”
Some fun facts:
- Peak viewing time on HSN is midnight EST
- The retailer sold $2.5 billion of merchandise last year
- The only pre-recorded programming on the channel are the 24-hours that begin on Christmas Eve
- Show hosts are transported in wheelchairs between different sets to keep them from becoming out of breath
High tech sneaks
Can the do-it-yourself trend extend to sneakers? Nike's COO thinks so, telling a GeekWire Summit panel that “there could be a day” where consumers could 3D print their own sneakers at home.
Betting on the sweaty Betty
Yet another apparel brand is betting on the allure of $300-400 performance leggings and $35 sport bras. Bloomberg’s Kim Bhasin looks at Bandier, a high-end activewear retailer with fans like Kim Kardashian and Jordin Sparks.
