Another Target Executive is Leaving Company by Nick Halter at Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. ” …this time it’s Judy Werthauser, the senior vice president of human resources, headquarters…by my count at least eight of the company’s top 50 executives have left since Cornell’s arrival.” Read more

CVS accused of overcharging thousands of customers for generic drugs in suit at AP via NY Daily News. “We’ve seen people who pay $20 for a 30-day supply as their copayments on a drug that was $11.99 for a 90-day supply had they been in the (discount program),” said Kristen Broz, an attorney with Hausfeld, the firm that filed the suit.” Read more

CVS partners with IBM to mine all your health data by Jessica Bartlett at Boston Business Journal. “…engineers imagine programs that can track your prescription uses to figure out if you’re properly taking your medication, or a system that can use data CVS has collected on you to figure out when you might develop complications from diabetes.” Read more

Best Buy’s online site becomes outlet for holders of American Express reward cards by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “Shoppers can now use their American Express points to buy TVs, refrigerators, drones or pretty much anything they want from Best Buy’s website. The new capability that has been integrated into the checkout process on BestBuy.com went live Thursday.” Read more

Target begins using credit card chip readers as deadline looms by Nick Halter at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “It appears Target started reading chips at least a month ago. Target installed the card readers months ago but hadn’t used them until recently. It’s not clear why, and Target could not immediately be reached for more information.” Read more

Lee Rudofsky leaves Wal-Mart legal team to be Arkansas’ solicitor general at The City Wire. Read more

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Landlords call on Target to release inter-company claims information by Marina Strauss at Globe & Mail. “RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, the largest landlord of Target Canada, contends the retailer could be holding back on releasing vital information, possibly putting all creditors at a disadvantage, according to the landlord’s submission this week to Ontario Superior Court.” Read more

Kroger’s first female officer announces retirement by Tom Demeropolis at Cincinnati Business Courier. “Lynn Marmer, 62, is the fifth senior Kroger executive among the 18 top managers to announce their retirement since CEO Rodney McMullen assumed the helm in January 2014.” Read more

IKEA Gets Deeper Into the Woods by Saabira Chaudhuri at WSJ. “IKEA is working to wield more control over its most important raw material: wood. The Swedish furniture giant earlier this month bought a forest in Romania, marking the first time that the company will manage its own forest operations.” Read more (Subscription)

Rite-Aid July Comp +2.4% (Front End +0.1%) Read the release

How America’s biggest companies are intimately interconnected by Jonathan Marino at Business Insider. “Only three companies — The Home Depot, Verizon, and UnitedHealthcare — had no board member overlap with other DJIA constituents.” Read more

Weis Markets Q2 Comp +4.3% Read the release

Woman with Tourette’s sues Walmart after being banned for outbursts by Rick Neale at Florida Today via USA Today. “Her husband of 29 years, Kevin, seeks $200,000 for “loss of consortium” with his wife.” Read more

Tipsheet Extra

KFC makes a chicken bucket that also prints photos, but only in Canada

Target Inspires Budding Designers at STITCHED Fashion Camp

Alibaba unlikely to set up U.S. headquarters in Seattle

Kraft ditches free snacks for employees in cost crackdown following Heinz merger

Boston Public Market Opens, Dedicated to New England Wares

Instacart now offering workers employee status in nine cities

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Eye-on-Retail Tipsheet is created early every weekday morning and read by retail merchants and executives worldwide. We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s really happening in the world of retail. See our website at www.eyeonretail.net

Top Target Digital Executive Alan Wizemann Is Leaving by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “Wizemann started working with Target in late 2012 as a consultant, when he helped overhaul the team building the Cartwheel coupon app…Wizemann is an entrepreneur at heart, having founded several startups before he joined Target. He also lives full time in Portland, Ore., and traveled regularly to Target’s Minneapolis headquarters.” Read more

Amazon First to Lay Out Drone ‘Rules of the Road’ by Matt O’Brien at San Jose Mercury News. “Amazon was first to unveil a plan Tuesday that includes a high-speed lane for robot delivery drones — including its own Prime Air fleet — flying between 200 and 400 feet above the ground.” Read more

Wal-Mart Warns Suppliers Over Labeling Laws by Dow Jones via Nasdaq. “The memo, dated July 20, reads as a perfunctory reiteration of state, federal and company regulations. It also notes that any fines against Wal-Mart or the company’s membership-only club chain Sam’s Club could be directed back to suppliers.” Read more

Supervalu shares soar on plan to spin off Save-A-Lot by Mike Hughlett at Star Tribune. “Supervalu’s announcement Tuesday that it aims to spin off Save-A-Lot, a national discount grocery chain, sent the company’s shares soaring 10 percent.” Read more

Amazon’s New Launchpad Page Showcases Startup Products by Abigail Tracy at Forbes. “More than 200 products created by startups are currently featured on Amazon’s new Launchpad page, which launched on Tuesday. The online retail giant worked with 25 venture capital firms, crowdfunding platforms and startup accelerators to curate the storefront’s selection.” Read more

Here’s how Kroger got on the cutting edge of the craft beer scene by Andy Brownfield at Cincinnati Business Courier. “Kroger was one of the first grocery chains that saw the potential of craft beer, and they were one of the first chains to put Samuel Adams on their shelves,” Koch told me.” Read more

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DICK’S Sporting Goods, DonorsChoose.org launch ‘Sports Matter’ crowdfunding partnership by Cam Smith at USA Today. “Three million dollars, half of it from DICK’S, can go a long way toward soothing the sting of many of these cutbacks.” Read more

St. Louis suburb gets first Neighborhood Markets in area by Lisa Brown at St. Louis Post Dispatch. “Two Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets, which are about 41,000 square feet versus 182,000 square feet for Supercenters, will open at 45 Sutters Mill Road and 3031 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in St. Peters.” Read more

Lowe’s Canada President to Speak at Retail Council Breakfast on Sep. 3rd  Read the invite

Brit tried to extort £2million from Meijer family by Steph Cockroft at Daily Mail. “Casbolt – described in court as an ‘extremely dangerous man’ – also posted ramblings about his wife being a prostitute and even threatened to send suicide bombers to her parents’ home.” Read more

Tipsheet Extra

Brian Cornell resigns from the board of directors of Polaris Industries

‘Elvis Presley Bedding’ headed to select Walmart stores

Sunglass company Oakley is laying off more than 160 workers

Waltons to bring new private school to Bentonville

Meat-labeling legislation sparks fear of retaliation against US

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Eye-on-Retail Tipsheet is created early every weekday morning and read by retail merchants and executives worldwide. We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s really happening in the world of retail. See our website at www.eyeonretail.net

Report: Amazon planning drive-up grocery stores by Nathan Donato-Weinstein at Silicon Valley Business Journal. “The e-commerce giant is developing a new drive-up store concept in Silicon Valley that will allow consumers to order grocery items online, then schedule a pickup at a dedicated facility, according to industry sources familiar with Amazon’s plans.” Read more

Lowe’s expanding Canadian network to 54 stores via Globe & Mail. “Lowe’s Canada said it will spend $50-million to build two new stores in Ontario….Lowe’s acquired 12 former Target locations as well as Target’s Milton, Ont., distribution centre for $147.75-million after the company decided to close its Canadian operations…The 14 new stores will be located across the country including four new stores in British Columbia, two in Alberta, one in Saskatchewan and seven in Ontario.” Read more

Apple Watch coming to Best Buy on August 7th by Casey Common at Star-Tribune. “It will initially be available in more than 100 stores and on BestBuy.com, the Richfield retailer said Sunday in a posting on its corporate website. Another 200 stores will have it in time for the holidays.” Read more

Today Show: Wal-Mart’s oldest employee in the US celebrates turning 103 with special party by Shelby Marra. “Loren Wade works at a Winfield, Kansas Wal-Mart where he waters plants, greets customers and runs the cash register. In fact, he is such a fixture at the local Wal-Mart that his coworkers recently helped him ring in his birthday by throwing him a very special birthday party.” See the video / Read more

Retail Just Lost Its 2nd Busiest Shopping Season by Krystina Gustafson at CNBC. “As consumers increasingly stock up on back-to-school essentials throughout the year, and simultaneously shift their view as to what constitutes a school item in the first place, a new study has found that parents of children from kindergarten through high school plan to spend $434 on back-to-school items this year—a 20 percent decline.” Read more

Target will have solar-power projects in all major N.C. markets by John Downey at Charlotte Business Journal. “The plans already filed represent an investment of almost $22 million. And Target is likely to put rooftop projects on at least two more stores this year, according to its filings with the N.C. Utilities Commission. That would be about 60% of its 49 stores in the state.” Read more

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Bass Pro confirms layoffs at HQ by Wes Johnson at Springfield News-Leader. “Bass Pro Shops laid off “fewer than 60” employees at its corporate headquarters on east Kearney Street in Springfield and at a woodworking shop in Nixa, the company confirmed Friday…the company also laid off an average of six employees at most of its retail stores across the country.” Read more

Walmart plans grocery pickup in Rogers, AR by Teresa Moss at Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “The Rogers Planning Commission approved a waiver for Walmart to build a grocery pickup at the store at 4208 Pleasant Crossing Blvd. Plans provided to the city show two kiosks with overhangs and a loading area connected to the side of the store. The loading area consists of parking spots with a metal canopy.” Read more

The Cities That Are Leading America’s Industrial Revival by Joel Kotkin at Forbes.  See the Top 10 List / Read more

Target’s struggle to sell stores exposes Canada’s weak retail leasing market by Marina Strauss at Globe & Mail. “It is quite a bit of space for the market to absorb,” said Caiti Morgan, vice-president of retail valuation at realtor Cushman & Wakefield. “The Target property auction results … weren’t particularly stellar.” Read more

Costco Scrutinizes Bulk Cigarette Purchases after Investigation by Scott MacFarlane at News 4 NBC. “News4 I-Team undercover cameras caught alleged smugglers buying huge loads of cigarettes at one time. Some spent tens of thousands of dollars in cash, and bought so much product they needed help wheeling the cartloads out of the store.” See the video / Read more

Manchester United kit accidentally put on sale in US one week before official release by Jack Briden at Daily Mail. “The club are set to release the strip on August 1, however a picture emerged on Saturday showing the shirt available for $90 from US retailer Dick’s Sporting Goods.” See the pics / Read more

Wal-Mart’s e-commerce goal: Reach 95% of customers in 2 days or less by Matt Linder at Internet Retailer. Read more

US anchor’s bizarre theory about Amazon’s success stuns co-host at 9 News. “His female co-host was momentarily speechless. “They’re trying to eat breakfast!” she said, pointing out at the viewers on the other side of the screen.” See the video / Read more

Tipsheet Extra

Oscar Mayer rolls all-terrain ‘Wiener Rover’

Build-A-Bear Quietly Removes “Bear” From Job Titles

Jet.com CEO: We Are the Costco of Internet Retail

Bob Abt of Abt Electronics, who ‘raised bar’ for ethical retail, dies at 77

McDonald’s to line Germany’s autobahn with 100 restaurants

Tesco has abandoned 62 planned stores across the UK

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Eye-on-Retail Tipsheet is created early every weekday morning and read by retail merchants and executives worldwide. We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s really happening in the world of retail. See our website at www.eyeonretail.net

Wal-Mart buys out China e-commerce firm Yihaodian at Reuters. “Wal-Mart Stores Inc has taken full ownership of Chinese e-commerce firm Yihaodian.com, buying out the 49 percent stake that it did not already own to accelerate its push online.” Read more

Amazon’s Latest Prime Perk: A Five Percent Cash-Back Credit Card by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “Amazon quietly introduced the card, the Amazon Prime Store Card, in March and has been slowly rolling out marketing for it on Amazon.com since then. But the company hasn’t done any PR around it.” Read more

Under Armour’s quarterly sales jump 29 pct via Yahoo.  Read the release

Wal-Mart Is Ending Overnight Hours at Some Stores by Shannon Pettypiece at Bloomberg. “The move will affect about 40 stores, including those in Philadelphia, New Jersey and Maryland, beginning next week, said spokesman Brian Nick. About two dozen 24-hour locations already had their hours reduced this spring, and more stores are slated to go through the process later.” Read more

Home Depot just made its biggest acquisition in nearly a decade at Fortune. “Home Depot said Bill Lennie, president of its Canada operations, will oversee the integration and then lead the Pro, MRO and installation services business in a newly created role.” Read more

Inside Target’s Cyber Fusion Center via a Bullseye View. “We’ve got teams of Cyber Security analysts working round the clock,” adds Brad Maiorino, Target’s Chief Information Security Officer. “They use a mix of human intelligence, analytics and state-of-the-art technology to detect, investigate and contain threats to our business.” Much of the work they do takes place in our newly opened Cyber Fusion Center (CFC).” See the pics / Read more

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Walmart Tests Pizza & Pastry Counter at New Store by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “Corporate spokesman John Forrest Ales said the store also offers made-to-order pizzas while customers wait. The shopper has the option of having it baked by Wal-Mart or simply wrapped for baking at home…Another new feature in the North Walton Boulevard store is a pastry counter supplied by Rick’s Bakery, which is based in Fayetteville.” Read more

Macy’s battles Amazon with same day delivery via CNBC. “Macy’s…already offers same-day delivery services in eight markets. By partnering with Deliv,an Uber-like startup that uses a fleet of contract drivers to pickup online orders from stores and malls, the retailer has found a cost-effective way to expand, said the Macy’s official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.” Read more

Ikea recalls 27 million chests, dressers after two deaths by Jayne O’Donnell at USA Today. Read more

Walmart, Whole Foods Urged To Sell ‘Ugly’ Produce At A Discount at CBS. “Figueiredo’s petition calls on the stores to sell the produce at 30 to 50 percent discount, noting that many low-income families can’t afford fruits and vegetables.” Read more

Jet Hits $1 Million in Sales on Launch Day by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “To be clear, that’s the company’s gross receipts, not the cut of sales it keeps for itself.” Read more

Walmart Opens New e-Commerce Fulfillment Center in Bethlehem, PA “The new 1.2 million sq. ft. facility in the Majestic Bethlehem Center, which features state-of-the-art automation and warehousing systems, created nearly 400 full-time jobs in the Lehigh Valley…” Read the release  See the video via Morning Call

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Eye-on-Retail Tipsheet is created early every weekday morning and read by retail merchants and executives worldwide. We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s really happening in the world of retail. See our website at www.eyeonretail.net