Hello, August.

Prime Day is now officially in the rearview mirror, but there's no time for cruise control. Back-to-school and the holidays are just around the next bend.

While I try to really stretch the car analogies, Amazon is actually venturing into the automotive industry from multiple angles. Sellwin EVP of Growth and Partnerships Julie Weitzner wrote an excellent blog post that explores Amazon's potential to upend the entire auto industry.

The write-up is just a dip in the ocean of auto moves the company is making, but smarter auto manufacturers are already exploring “frienemy” relationships with Amazon instead of sitting it out on the sidelines.

There's more, though. The company is also investing heavily in brick and mortar locations, luxury beauty, real estate, fashion, and shipping... always shipping. (I'm still waiting on those drone deliveries, Bezos!)

OK, let's hit the gas.

Amazon's Automotive Ambitions

There's a reason why Amazon is motivated to invest in automotive: the entire industry is hungry for innovation and fresh thinking. That makes it a perfect fit for Amazon, a company known for its quest to dominate every vertical. We're talking about Amazon's automotive ambitions on the Sellwin blog.

Amazon Killed Brick and Mortar, So Why Is It Investing in Stores?

Sellwin President Travis Johnson has the answer in this op-ed he wrote for Adweek. (Hint: data collection, boosting private label sales, and selling more Prime subscriptions all factor in.)

Amazon + Lady Gaga Make a Bet on Beauty

Just ahead of Prime Day, Lady Gaga announced a cosmetics line called Haus Laboratories, sold exclusively on Amazon.

Sellwin's SVP of Consulting Will Margaritis spoke to WSJ about the greater implications of the new partnership.

Our Call on the Q2 Financial Results

There is a first time for everything, and last week was the first time that Amazon shared an earnings call that didn’t completely wow analysts with record-breaking growth -- but one-day shipping isn't cheap. Read our analysis of the Q2 financial calls for Amazon, Facebook, and Google.

Keep these headlines on your radar:

Merkle is killing it with this new webseries designed to help marketers master all things Amazon.
Apparel brands take note! Amazon is launching a new "Personal Shopper" wardrobe subscription service. For $4.99/month, Prime members can sign up for boxes of clothes curated by a stylist based on their needs and preferences.
There is no limit to the industries Amazon is working to creatively disrupt. The company announced a partnership with Realogy to create TurnKey, a service that will help prospective home buyers find real estate agents. Amazon will give up to $5,000 in home services and smart-home gear when they close.
New Amazon fulfillment centers have been announced in Pennsylvania and Ohio (bonus: this one is staffed by robots).

Sellwin is a consulting service that delivers customized solutions for brands to grow their business on Amazon. With a bird’s-eye view of the vast Amazon landscape, we build strategic pathways for brands to succeed.

Interested in learning more? Reach out.

Travis Johnson, President for overall needs and questions
Julie Weitzner, EVP, Head of Growth and Partnerships for connections
Will Margaritis, SVP, Strategy for ecommerce strategy
Laura Kaplan, VP, Strategy for media-driven solutions
Kay Bernadas, Content Strategist for marketing content
Amy Garland, Project Manager for coordinating resources