*By Jacqueline Corba* What began as a lingerie brand 40 years ago has become an innovator in online retail. Women's fashion company Natori recently reported sales through social media [rose 76 percent](https://www.mobilemarketer.com/news/natori-boosts-social-media-sales-76-from-ai/522010/) over six months thanks to Albert, an A.I. platform that builds marketing campaigns for the web. But that's not the only source of growth. As e-commerce competition for women's fashion grows more intense, Natori is expanding its partnership with Amazon to reach customers on a more global, interconnected scale. Ken Natori, the company's CEO, said he visited Amazon headquarters last week to discuss the plans. The company first joined forces with Amazon eight years ago to distribute lingerie, sleepwear, and underwear. Natori said its early partnership helped his company stay ahead of competitors. "We're really trying to create a balance between our traditional wholesale business and looking at some of these new ways of interacting with customers that really are big drivers in growth right now," he said. The privately-held company earned $200 million in revenue last year, but the CEO isn't complacent. Natori, whose mother Josie founded the company, knows the operation's flexibility is essential to its success. "The way consumers buy and interact with product and brands has just changed tremendously," said Natori. "We've tried to be as nimble as possible." Also, cautious. Natori said the company has other partners, and he doesn't want them to feel neglected in favor of Amazon. "We can't go full speed with them without the threat of jeopardizing our other businesses," he said. For more on this story, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-natori-company-president-on-state-of-retail).

Share:
More In Business
‘Chainsaw Man’ anime film topples Springsteen biopic at the box office
A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
Flights to LAX halted due to air traffic controller shortage
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Load More