Cosabella has always been an innovator, but the disruption being caused by many of its competitors meant the high-end luxury lingerie retailer needed to retool its marketing approach. Its solution incorporated an AI platform from Emarsys that can analyze data and predict customer behavior, then execute marketing campaigns designed around that information.

Gregg Renfrew launched Beautycounter in 2013 to raise awareness of the under-regulated U.S. beauty market and offer products made without suspect ingredients. The brand, a founding member of the Environmental Working Group’s verification program, also focuses on advocacy and activism.

A year after its acquisition by Bed Bath & Beyond, One Kings Lane opened its first bricks-and-mortar store in Southampton, N.Y., in a 19th-century former library. The location features a complimentary in-house design service, along with a space for popup events.

“RAD Lands,” an original kids’ video series from Chipotle, aims to educate families about where their food comes from and how it’s prepared. The series, created with CAA Marketing and The Magic Store, features YouTube personalities, musicians and celebrity chefs including Duff Goldman.

The digital edition of STORES includes must-read pieces, including the articles featured here. Read the current issue and browse the archives for issues you may have missed.

With consumer confidence rising and more young people in school, back-to-college spending is expected to hit an all-time high this year and back-to-school spending is expected to see its second-highest spending level on record, according to NRF’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. Total spending for K-12 and college is expected to reach $83.6 billion, up from last year’s $75.8 billion.

Vice President Mike Pence praised the retail industry’s contributions to the economy as he spoke before merchants from across the nation Tuesday at NRF’s annual Retail Advocates Summit, and pledged to help pass pro-growth initiatives on issues from Obamacare repeal to tax reform. NRF is holding more than 150 advocacy meetings with lawmakers on Capitol Hill this week.

On this week’s episode of Retail Gets Real, NRF Senior Vice President for Government Relations David French sits down with co-hosts Susan Reda and Bill Thorne for a candid discussion about lobbying, lobbyists and the inner workings of Capitol Hill. French also explains how NRF helps retailers tell their stories in Washington.

Intelligent customer engagement firm TimeTrade is partnering with Google to bring TimeTrade’s appointment scheduling platform to Reserve with Google, a new seamless user-friendly channel that connects users to local businesses.

Shopify merchants will soon be able to list and sell their products on eBay directly from their Shopify account. With the new integration, Shopify merchants will have the opportunity to surface their brand and products to a new audience of more than 169 million active eBay buyers.

Jinx Inc. has revealed a new retail partnership to bring their J!NX Brand gaming lifestyle apparel exclusively to Hot Topic.

First Insight Inc., a technology company that helps retailers make product investment and pricing decisions, announced an agreement with Vineyard Vines, the Connecticut-based retail brand best known for its smiling pink whale logo. First Insight will use its online social engagement tools to gather real-time product pricing and sentiment data from Vineyard Vines customers.

Cole Haan LLC has selected the cloud-based Aptos Enterprise Order Management solution to enhance its best-in-class omnichannel retail operations.

Ascena Retail Group’s tween retailer Justice launched its back-to-school campaign in partnership with tween star Mackenzie Ziegler in the name of inspiring girls to work together, not bully.

In-store shopper marketing solution provider PRN announced a partnership with 3D holographic consumer advertising technology firm Provision Interactive Technologies Inc. This new partnership allows PRN to expand its monetized consumer activation offerings at bricks-and-mortar retail by utilizing Provision’s 3D Savings Center kiosk, which delivers interactive 3D advertising and content.

Texas Humor, a clothing brand that emphasizes Texas pride, selected Shopgate’s mobile commerce platform solution to develop an enhanced mobile shopping application for its customer base. The mobile app allows Texas Humor to further connect with customers through advanced features including push notifications, abandoned cart reminders and exclusive mobile content, delivering a true-to-the-brand mobile shopping experience.