It’s hard to believe we’re already back with another round of Fish Insights, but nonetheless, we’re excited about it! This month we’re buzzing about the return of travel, drones pacing our next 5K, Lululemon letting us all return our gently used yoga pants (j/k, they’ve been very used during the last year), and Japanese businessmen demanding makeup for all those Zoom calls.
So are you ready? Let’s do this.
Restaurants
- Restaurants are hiring, but workers aren’t biting — so operators are getting desperate, even offering cash incentives. (FOX Business)
- Amid staff shortages, a Florida restaurant is using robots to greet and serve customers. (com)
- A few Whole Foods stores in Seattle are testing a new way to pay — with your palmprint. (Eater)
Travel & Hospitality
- China will become home to the world’s largest cruise ship next year, capable of accommodating nearly 7,000 guests and an additional 2,200 crew members. (Travel + Leisure)
- Next month, Hawaii will begin a vaccine passport program for inter-island travel. (Star Advertiser)
- A new survey says more than half of Americans are ready to travel. (S. News & World Report)
Fitness, Health, & Wellness
- Would you work out with a drone? Inventors are testing the role drones can play in health and fitness. (The Washington Post)
- In an effort to get financial relief, gym owners have taken on a new role as Washington lobbyists to fight for their own survival (The New York Times)
- Fitbit has launched a “fashion-forward fitness and wellness tracker.” (Engadget)
Retail
- When Americans got their stimulus checks last month, they went shopping — causing retail sales to surge 9.8%. (The Associated Press)
- Kohl’s has added Tommy Hilfiger to its growing list of brand partnerships in another “blow” to malls. (Retail Dive)
- Lululemon will launch a “like new” clothing resale program at stores in California and Texas. (FOX Business)
Beauty
- Amazon launched a hair salon in London to test augmented reality hair consultations and other technology. (Retail Dive)
- L’Oreal is targeting the South Asia Pacific, Middle East, and North Africa for future growth, where 40% of consumers are under 25. (CNBC)
- As online meetings soared during the pandemic, Japanese businessmen gave the cosmetics industry a big boost. (CNBC)
Home Services
- These 7 home improvement projects are costing a lot more in 2021. (Money Talks News)
As always, we’d love to hear what you think about Fish Insights. Feel free to shoot me an email at adavidson@fish-consulting.com if you love it or have ideas for how we can improve it.
