It's been another weird week in retail.
President Donald Trump's campaign launched a Birchbox-like monthly subscription service to sell off its remaining merchandise, Starbucks made another attempt to dominate Instagram and a black bear tried to enter a Wal-Mart.
This, and more, in this week's Retail Therapy.
Trump gets in on subscription service success
Subscription services selling everything from yoga pants or makeup to apparel or STEM toys are finding rapid success in today’s retail landscape. Pure-play upstarts like Birchbox and Stitchfix are banking their enormous success on the idea that people like to receive monthly curated collections — of just about everything.
Ever the entrepreneur, President Donald Trump is putting that idea to the test.
This week, his campaign launched a monthly subscription box for campaign merchandise — the Big League Box. Each month, participants paying at least $49 a month (and up to $2,500 or more) will receive a “handpicked bundle of exclusive and vintage OFFICIAL Donald J. Trump merchandise,” according the campaign website.
![](/user_media/cache/b7/53/b7539c8d4e033c459c6017009fb74626.jpg)
It’s not exactly clear what or how much merch monthly members will get, although a photo on the website suggests mugs, T-shirts and bumper stickers slathered in Trump/Pence 2016 slogans. While it’s been less than six months since Trump took office, at least some voters are presumably already signing up for memorabilia from the historic campaign.
At the core of any subscription success is the idea that shoppers will be surprised with new items on a monthly basis. And so we have to wonder — how many iterations of Trump merchandise can there be?
Probably more than you think. After all, the man has made a living building up branded products. The Trump Organization still sells everything from Men’s ties to chandeliers, fragrances and natural spring water.
Starbucks does it for the Insta
Starbucks’ unicorn frappucino, the technicolor drink that looked and probably tasted like Lisa Frank threw up in a cup — to be fair — was a social media hit. Its colorful layers were specifically designed to be the most “Instagrammable” drink and the coffee chain raked in kudos for how it looked. But then the lights went off.
One week after the limited-edition beverage fell off of the menu, the Midnight Mint Mocha appeared — alas it was not a unicorn and the internet collectively shrugged at the lackluster libation.
In an attempt to take back Instagram, Starbucks on Thursday added a “secret” drink to the official menu: The Ombre Pink Drink (yes, that is its real name). The drink, which is pink on top and fades into white, “combines our light, fruity Cool Lime Starbucks Refreshers Beverage with cool, creamy coconutmilk and a splash of Teavana Shaken Iced Passion Tango Tea, for a bright burst of hibiscus notes,” according the website. The drink apparently has already had its day in the sun on Instagram, according to Business Insider, which reported that the “secret” drink was invented by customers last spring and widely shared on Instagram.
Starbucks is clearly making an effort to up its cool factor with the younger crowds that live and breathe on the photo-sharing platform. But it seems its unicorn hype was indeed a unicorn — a magical fleeting moment that may never be recaptured.
The most aesthetically pleasing photo BUT it tastes like bubblegum medicine #ombrepinkdrink pic.twitter.com/EL75Tzg1VQ
— Cassie (@myprinceniallxo) June 1, 2017
Forget waterproof mascara, teary-eyed makeup is in
Speaking of trends on Instagram. The platform has been a paramount tool for both beauty influencers and brands alike. And the latest trend to surface this week will have you tearing up — quite literally.
Fashion magazine Allure discovered this week that fake tears are trending big time on Instagram. The teary-eyed look, generally created with lip gloss or “lid lacquer” is popping up everywhere. Here’s a collection of some of the strangest looks.
I guess Instagram is taking a lesson from Lesley Gore. Life’s a party, and if it’s your party — you can cry if you want to.
Wal-Mart draws bears
There are many strange things you may encounter upon entering a Wal-Mart, but a black bear is generally not one of them. Unless you live in Somerset, KY.
“We saw this black streak run across in front of the pickup and we stopped, and it walked right out in front of us. Lo and behold, it's a bear," Tyler and Travis Smith told local TV station KWQC TV 6.
The bear reportedly attracted the gawking eyes and glaring phone screens of about 70 or 80 people before local police chased the bear to safety with sirens.
While it’s unclear what drove the bear to the store in the first place, we must wonder if he caught wind of Steve Bratspies’ speech at Wal-Mart’s annual shareholders meeting and was trying to get his hands on the trendy high-top light-up sneakers. Who’s to say.