Eye-on-Retail Tipsheet for 12/7/12: Target targets online ads; Walmart’s “Green Monday”
“Target Pushing Into Media Business; Retailer selling inventory on Target.com via PubMatic-powered private ad marketplace” By Tim Peterson in AdWeek. “Target’s private marketplace operates similarly to others that retailers like Best Buy and Amazon have erected recently. For example, a user may visit Target.com and check out its high-def TVs. As that user navigates to other parts of Target’s site, a brand like Sony or Samsung could run ads aimed at that user promoting their TVs—provided they are sold by Target. But the ads don’t have to pertain so closely to a specific product category. Adweek encountered a Subaru ad running on Target’s DVD and Blu-ray players page; a peek at the page’s site code revealed that the ad was sourced through PubMatic.” https://www.adweek.com/news/technology/target-pushing-media-business-145769
“Lowe’s elevates the status of its web and mobile channels” by Kevin Woodward in Internet Retailer. “The reorganization places online and mobile commerce on an equal basis with more than Lowe’s 1,700 stores, said Gregory M. Bridgeford, chief customer officer, at Lowe’s analyst and investor conference yesterday…Accomplishing that means changing the corporate structure from one designed to support bricks-and-mortar store sales to one that accommodates multiple sales methods, he said. Earlier this year Lowe’s created a chief customer officer position, held by Bridgeford, and the chief operating officer position, held by Rick D. Damron, who collaborated on developing a unified shopping strategy.” https://www.internetretailer.com/2012/12/06/lowes-elevates-status-its-web-and-mobile-channels
“Kroger could benefit from Tesco’s U.S. closing” by Steve Watkins in Cincinnatti Business Courier. “Tesco CEO Philip Clarke told the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that the company will likely stop operating in the United States. That means it would sell or close its 199 Fresh & Easy stores, which are located in California, Nevada and Arizona. Kroger has a strong presence in those markets, with stores such as Ralph’s, Fry’s Marketplace and Food 4 Less.” https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2012/12/kroger-could-benefit-from-tescos-us.html
“Wal-Mart to Offer Special Deals on ‘Green Monday'” at Fox Business. “Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said it will offer online savings of up to 60% on “Green Monday,” which the company said is its busiest online shopping day in December. Green Monday, the second Monday in December, was Walmart.com’s highest traffic day in December last year. According to data-analytics firm comScore Inc. Green Monday was also the third highest online shopping day of the season last year.” https://www.foxbusiness.com/news/2012/12/06/wal-mart-to-offer-special-deals-on-green-monday/
Walmart Canada announces first-of-its-kind sales floor LED lighting retrofit (in Canada). “Walmart Canada today announced a first-of-its-kind sales floor LED lighting retrofit. The retailer has retrofitted all of the overhead sales floor lighting at its Brampton North (located at Highway 10 and Bovaird Road in Brampton, Ontario) supercentre from conventional fluorescent lighting to high efficiency LED 4-foot retrofit lamps. The retailer estimates this small change could save approximately 283,000 kilo-watt hours (kWh) per year, which will results in a savings of up to $26,000 per year.” https://www.sacbee.com/2012/12/06/5036321/walmart-canada-announces-first.html#storylink=cpy
“Rona aims for long-term profits, asset sales” by Ross Marowits in The Canadian Press. “Earlier, Boies told a news conference that Rona had in fact offered to buy Lowe’s Canada in 2011 in order to reduce overcapacity in the market. Former Rona CEO Robert Dutton made the offer in a meeting with Lowe’s after the U.S. rival expressed an interest in a purchase agreement. Lowe’s second unofficial bid – which was dropped after the American company met stiff resistance from Rona’s board, Quebec politicians and the independent dealership owners that operate under Rona’s brands – had been worth $1.8 billion. https://www.timescolonist.com/life/Rona+aims+long+term+profits+asset+sales/7666113/story.html#ixzz2EMlKevAp
“Walgreens adding mobile tour, new store additions with fresh food, new products for healthy living” by Ashley Loose at Arizona ABC 15. “Participating stores will have combinations of more accessible pharmacists, a Health Guide to help answer customer questions about products, health and events, fresh food, larger beauty departments, healthy juices, smoothies and a cafe. Some of the new products include fruits and vegetables, meats, prepared salads, pizzas and other meal options, niche beauty brands, brewed coffees, fresh drinks, more opportunities for health testing and more, according to a news release.” https://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/state/walgreens-adding-mobile-tour-new-store-additions-with-fresh-food-new-products-for-healthy-living
“Amazon online shopping deals this weekend include video games, toys and HDTV’s” by Joseph Karbousky at The Examiner.”
Here is a look at the sales schedule Amazon will be running over the next (four) days.
Friday, Dec 7 – Home Improvement
Saturday, Dec. 8 – Outerwear
Sunday, Dec. 9 – TV, Movies
Monday, Dec. 10 – Camera, Photo and Video
Tuesday, Dec. 11 – Video Games
“Dollar stores gain marketshare with consumables” at The City Wire. “Dollar General devotes 22.1% of its space to dry grocery, this compares to 14% in the Family Dollar model. The dairy, bakery and frozen space allocation is comparable between the two chains.Non-food grocery comprised 24.1% in the Family Dollar model, compared to 19.5% in the Dollar General store, according to the space study. General merchandise hardlines allocation is similar among the two chains between 25 and 26%. Softlines, which includes apparel showed a little more spread with Dollar General at 14.2% against 17.9% at Family Dollar.” https://www.thecitywire.com/node/25450#.UMD-i4PAfzk
“Larry Page Puts Amazon in Crosshairs as Google Shopping Rakes in Cash” at Street Insider. “In October, Google transitioned marketers from free shopping to a 100 percent paid service dubbed Google Shopping. There were some concerns that retailers would balk at the idea of paying for the ads, but according to checks by analysts at Jefferies, there has been robust adoption. “Using visuals to command user attention, [Product Listing Ads (PLAs)] get more clicks than the blue link ads they effectively displace, translating into more rev for GOOG,” said analyst Brian Pitz.” https://www.streetinsider.com/Analyst+Comments/Larry+Page+Puts+Amazon+(AMZN)+in+Crosshairs+as+Google+Shopping+Rakes+in+Cash+(GOOG)/7928976.html
Target Executive Kathryn A. Tesija Joins Verizon Board of Directors. “Tesija joined Target in 1986 and has held a variety of leadership positions within merchandising. She is a member of Target’s executive committee and currently oversees all merchandising functions, including product design and development, sourcing, inventory management, merchandising systems, presentation and operations, as well as the company’s global supply chain. Tesija received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin” https://www.sacbee.com/2012/12/06/5036102/target-executive-kathryn-a-tesija.html