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The RIW newsletter provides the essential weekly inspiration for every changemaker driving innovation in retail and along the customer experience journey. This week we're sharing ideas around key strategies for servicing modern families, chic summer pop-ups, the next-gen tech powering personalization, and a special event invitation from our friends over at ecommerce helpdesk platform Gorgias.

Selling to Millennial Parents, Supporting Their Families Parenting is nothing new, but as a new generation of digital natives are entering the cohort they are influencing the general needs and expectations around parenting and family lifestyles. New research from PSFK shows there is a growing demand from millennial parents for play-focused experiences that create child-parent bonding activities, increased support, relevant content and product offerings, as well as a strong desire for access to third-party experts at all stages of parenting.

Walmart expands its in-store, online services for new & expectant parents Together with Tot Squad, Walmart is giving parents and new families an innovative support platform dedicated to making everything from the first few weeks of parenthood to the first couple years a little easier. Walmart/Tot Squad

H&M targets ethically-minded parents with biodegradable baby clothes H&M's innovative collection of fully compostable baby clothes offers a window into the retailer's broader strategy of appealing to the sensibilities of a new generation of young parents and their concerns. H&M Biodegradable Baby Clothes

Ally Bank builds a Minecraft world to teach kids and teens about money As players explore the world, called Fintropolis, they learn through different experiences about the core components of a strong financial life including budgeting, building credit and managing debt, as well as the basics of investing. Ally / Fintropolis

Read More: PSFK's Guide to Engaging Families Discover 5 strategies to empower parents and families through support initiatives, including market statistics and insights into the changing consumer behaviors and expectations around parenting. Report on Marketing to Millennial Parents

DTCX is back NEXT WEEK from our friends at Gorgias, and we can't wait for you to join!

Ecommerce remains a considerable revenue engine, continuously growing at a fast pace. This has brought even greater competition, making it crucial for retailers and brands to stay on top of things. 

DTCX4 goes live on June 22 & 23 and will focus on helping you make the right moves to skyrocket your business in every area going forward. 

Join 100+ speakers from North America, EMEA and APAC, along with Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify.

They will be sharing actionable tips for ecommerce and customer experience. Retailers who maintain a consumer-first approach know that it is the key to sustainable success.

What else you can expect:

Thanks to the support of our partners at ecommerce helpdesk Giorgas, DTCX4 is virtual and completely FREE to attend.

Phygital Fittings  Augmented reality tools and innovative new tech are revolutionizing the product trial experience and personalization journey. Retailers are offering new features and in-store solutions that leverage shopper preferences to help narrow down choices and suggest the best, most personalized options; as well as deploying AR and virtual try-on tools that make the path to purchase as frictionless as possible. 

H&M personalizes the in-store experience with smart mirrors H&M is testing out smart mirror technology in its COS brand stores in the US, starting at a location in Beverly Hills, CA. The COS stores will feature smart mirrors in fitting rooms that can identify products, including their size and color, and provide personalized recommendations to shoppers. There will also be smart mirrors on the sales floor for virtual try-on and styling, as well as new checkout, delivery and returns technology. H&M Group

Amazon taps AR tech for virtual shoe try-on capabilities Amazon has created a mobile augmented reality tool called Virtual Try-On for Shoes. The feature lets shoppers visualize how a pair of shoes will look on them, creating a more immersive experience. Accessible within the Amazon Shopping app, users can also change the shoe colors and move their feet to see how shoes look at every angle. Amazon

YSL Beauté matches shoppers to fragrances with 95% accuracy Using an innovative, AI-powered multi-sensor headset, a team of perfume experts have developed a new fragrance consultation experience that analyzes the behavior, preferences, stress, and attention of consumers to determine the scent that most accurately suits their emotions. The immersive system can personalize scents with up to 95% accuracy, and will be available in Yves Saint Laurent Beauté flagship stores worldwide. Loreal

RTFKT and Byredo create phygital scent auras  A new perfume collaboration between RTFKT and Byredo, called Alphameta, is creating both digital and physical scents. The brands are visually rendering perfume ingredients that represent emotions and, when combined into a perfume, will be wearable as visual “auras” via RTFKT’s “avatar ecosystem” as well as produced as personalized IRL fragrances by Byredo for NFT holders. Alphameta

PSFK's latest must-read playbook for marketing to millennial parents and providing services and support to their families.

More Info On Engaging And Selling To Modern Families 

Summer Pop-Ups To Connect With Shoppers Retailers and luxury brands are channeling their inner Slim Aarons this summer and turning to chic, outdoor activations to connect with shoppers. As the sun comes out and summer kicks off, top fashion houses are responding to shoppers' desire, after the past two+ years, to simply be a beautiful person in a beautiful place.  Ralph’s Bar by Ralph Lauren opens in China Just in time for the summer, Ralph Lauren is opening the brand’s first restaurant and bar in China in a new Double RL store within the Jin Jiang District of Chengdu. Ralph’s Bar will offer American hospitality and cuisine with signature dishes and cocktails inspired by Ralph Lauren’s other iconic restaurants worldwide.  RLI Dior takes over historic Italian beach club for the summer To celebrate the launch of its annual Dioriviera beach collection, Dior is taking over a portion of one of Italy’s most exclusive beach clubs, the Bagni Fiore near Portofino in the bay of Paraggi. Coincidentally, Dior’s parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton operates the beach club through its hospitality division.  LVMH Louis Vuitton opens summer-only restaurant in Saint-Tropez The French luxury giant is opening a 40-seat outdoor restaurant at the White 1921 Hotel in Saint Tropez. The restaurant is called the Mory Sacko at Louis Vuitton and will open this Friday. While the pop up is not attached to a specific Louis Vuitton store, there is one conveniently close by.  Louis Vuitton Erewhon partners with Maui's Grand Wailea resort  The upscale organic food market is joining forces with the Hawaiian luxury resort, Grand Wailea on the island of Maui, to expand both brands' membership programs. Through the partnership, the resort will offer Erewhon goods and products, and Erewhon members will receive exclusive resort benefits. The two brands will also partner on further activations and promotions in Los Angeles and Hawaii later this year.  Press Release

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This article was contributed by the PSFK IQ team. IQ is a platform for insights and advice for creative professionals seeking to develop innovation in retail and customer experience.