Tuesday Tipsheet: PwC: AMZN #1, WMT #2 | Dollar Store=’Toxic’ Products? | Tracking Target’s Tie Teen

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 Lowe’s to launch innovation center in India by Varun Aggarwal at Economic Times. “Lowe’s expects to spend approximately $350M in their annual IT capital expenditures, including Omni-Channel capabilities. “We met with other retailers, asked them to explain how they were working on newage technology, and many of them pointed us to the global innovation centres they have in place in India,” (Robert) Niblock told ET in an exclusive interaction.” Read more

 

PwC Names ‘Top Ten Favorite Retailers’ (Amazon #1, Walmart #2, Target #3) by Andria Ching at MarketWatch. “PwC didn’t ask respondents to name their absolute favorite…Unlike past years, PwC combined both bricks-and-mortar and online retailers in one list. The total list comprised 38 retailers, and PwC declined to provide all the names. Some 71% of respondents have household income under $80,000, meaning that the list could be skewed toward certain kinds of retailers.” See the Top 10 list

 

…68% of respondents showroom…73% said they ended up making purchases at a physical store rather than online by Benjamin Snyder at Fortune. Read more

 

Retailers urged not to openly display Sports Illustrated ‘pornographic’ cover by Keith J. Kelly at NY Post. “The shot of the 24-year-old model pulling down the front of her bikini bottom “normalizes genital display,” according to the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, which wrote a letter to leading retail chains — including Walmart, CVS, 7-Eleven and Costco — asking them to display SI with its cover partially obscured as they would with adult magazines.” Read more

 

Arizona: Walmart tests grocery pickup service by Sue Doerfler at The Arizona Republic. “The service begins today at one Walmart Supercenter in Chandler and two in Mesa. It also is offered at select stores in Bentonville, Ark., and Denver.” Read more

 

***A Message from Orchard Road Canning:  Orchard Road targets young canners with a simple and elegant glass jar design and a unique package design featuring authentic food-filled jars.  See the sell sheet and package design.  www.orchardroadcanning.com  Contact info@shiftmarketinggroup.net for merchandising information.

 

Teen returns to Target to say thank you to store employee who helped him tie a tie for a job interview by James Gordon at Daily Mail. “Yasir’s mother is equally grateful to the strangers who showed her son kindness. ‘They could have just sold my son a tie,’ said Najirah Parrish. ‘But they took the time, helped him tie the tie and talked to him. They treated my son with dignity, respect.’ See the pics / Read more

 

…ABC 11 Tracks Down Target’s Tie Teen by Anna Laurel. “Moore went back for a second interview Saturday, and he did so well they will call him Friday for the next step in the interview process. Moore told ABC11 that he asked his parents to get him another new tie in case the same manager interviews him.” See the video / Read more

 

Report: Dollar-store products have unsafe levels of toxic chemicals at Louisville Business First. “The Campaign for Healthier Solutions tested 164 dollar-store products and found high levels of chemicals such as polyvinyl chloride, phthalates, lead and tin in 81 percent of them, WFPL-FM of Louisville, Ky., reports.” Read more

 

…See the 28 page report via Campaign for Healthier Solutions. Read more

 

Shop.org/Forrester Research: Mobile as a Percentage of Online Sales Increased 50% in 2014  Read the release

 

It’s No Fun Making Toys, Toasters in USA by James R. Hagerty at WSJ. “In terms of expertise and production capacity, “we let so much leave the country that you can’t find what you need,” he said.” Read more (Subscription)

 

Home Depot: hiring more than 80,000 workers for spring by Anne d’Innocenzio at AP via Yahoo News. Read more

 

Walmart VP of US Manufacturing to Address Plastics Industry  Read the release

 

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Eye-on-Retail is created early AM every weekday and read by thousands of Retail Merchants & Executives every morning. We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s happening in the world of retail. Contact us at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net.

Monday Tipsheet: Target: 8 Tests & $8 Mil Grammy Ad | H.Depot Employee Gets 30

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What Target is cooking up for its stores by Kavita Kumar at Star-Tribune. “Here’s a rundown of some of Target’s recent experiments: Home redesign.  Instead of dishes and cups being stacked up on shelves, Target is testing more of a lifestyle layout…Target first began testing this redesigned home department at the Quarry store in November. It will be rolled out to 15 more stores this spring…” See the list of 8 experiments

 

West Coast ports to reopen after weekend shutdown by Chris Woodyard at USA Today. “At the normally busy Port of Los Angeles, cranes sat idly perched over ships stacked high with containers during the weekend while other loaded vessels bobbed at anchor offshore.” Read more

 

Bigger Container Ships Pose Bigger Risks by Gregory J Millman at WSJ. “Today, the newest and biggest container ships can carry around 18,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units—the industry’s capacity benchmark—but Dr. Hacegaba said in a study last year that industry watchers expect ships as large as 22,000 TEU to come into service by 2018, and that 24,000-TEU vessels are on the drawing board.” Read more (Subscription)

 

Target employees in tears as “unruly mob” demands better deals by Robert Bostelaar at Ottawa Citizen. “While retail employers everywhere wish they could remind customers that it’s the boss, not them, who sets prices, these staff are still further removed. Target’s liquidator is determining price cuts as the chain moves toward a mid-May closing.” Read more

 

New York man sentenced to 30 years in Home Depot bomb plot at Reuters. “A former Home Depot employee was sentenced to more than 30 years in federal prison for threatening to set off pipe bombs in some of the chain’s suburban New York stores in an attempt to extort money from the retailer, his trial attorney said on Saturday.” Read more

 

…Home Depot estimated spending about $1.5 million for security guards, bomb-sniffing dogs and other protection measures.

 

Amazon’s ‘Box on Demand’ Machine by Ina Steiner at Ecommerce Bytes. “Amazon is now boasting about how it is shipping items in right-size boxes. The Central Valley Business Journal uploaded a YouTube video this month accompanied by the following abstract: “Ever wonder how Amazon manages to ship your items in boxes that seem made for them? It’s because they are.” See the video

 

Target’s Imagine Dragons Commercial Break During Grammys Cost About $8 Million by Andrew Flanagan at Billboard. “With ad rates averaging $1 million per thirty-second spot during the broadcast, Billboard can estimate that the time on air alone cost Target about $8 million.” Read more

 

…It took more than 22,000 man hours, 2,500 square feet of LED lights, 575 people, 15 semi-trucks and more for Target and Imagine Dragons to pull off the act at The Bullseye View. “Take a look at the exclusive behind-the-scenes time-lapse video below to see the full stage come together in just 77 seconds.” See the video / Read more

 

Sellers Choice 2015: Sellers Rate Top Online Marketplaces by Ina & David Steiner at Ecommerce Bytes. “Etsy placed first overall in this year’s Sellers Choice, and was rated the highest for Customer Service and Ease of Use….Amazon placed second after coming in fourth place last year. And Bonanza placed third overall, a perennial favorite among readers taking the survey.” Read more

 

Is there a Better CEO than Jeff Bezos? by Charles Fombrun at HBR.  See the rankings

 

Canada: Shoppers Drug Mart’s addition of fresh food blurs the line between convenience and grocery stores by Hollie Shaw at Financial Post. Read more

 

Woman rescued from safe at Tractor Supply store by Dylan Johnson at Daily American. “Somerset fire Chief Stephen Miller said Mitchell became trapped in the safe at approximately 2 p.m. when she was playing a game in the store with her daughters, who closed the door on her.” Read more

 

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Eye-on-Retail is created early AM every weekday and read by thousands of Retail Merchants & Executives every morning. We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s happening in the world of retail. Contact us at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net.

 

 

Friday Tipsheet: Costco #4 in Harris Poll | Bezos on CBS | Target’s Tie & Handshake

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Disappointed shoppers say Target bargains off the mark on first day of liquidation by Bill Mah at Edmonton Journal. “Despite store signs and ads promising markdowns of 30 per cent, shoppers at the West Edmonton Mall store Thursday said most items were discounted only 10 per cent, with some 20-per-cent deals…“I kind of thought they would be a little bit cheaper,” shopper Val Kendall said. “Everything’s only 10-per-cent off. We keep looking for the 30s, but I’m not finding them.” Read more / See the in-store video

 

…Globe & Mail Canadian Poll:  97% aren’t excited by Target’s liquidation sale.  See the poll

 

Harris Poll 2015 (Reputation): Wegman’s Bumps Amazon from Top Spot (Costco #4, Lowe’s Beats Home Depot)  See the Top 100 ranked

 

Jeff Bezos on “Transparent” and Amazon’s “insurmountable opportunity” by Jason Kashdan at CBS News. “Earlier this week, reports surfaced that Amazon may be in the running to purchase Radio Shack real estate…”I’ve been reading the same article as you’re reading on that but that’s something I can’t comment on,” Bezos said. But he did admit to their brick and mortar aspirations. “We’re starting in little bits and pieces. We’ve done some pop-up stores during the holidays. We’ve just launched some college bookstores,” Bezos said.” See the video / Read more

 

***A message from Relax Sacks – Get Ready For the Most Comfortable Chair on Earth! Consumers love the comfort of our ‘big and fun’ bean bag chairs (up to 7.5 feet in size!).  Incredibly soft micro-suede covers and uniquely comfortable shredded foam filling make the Relax Sacks great for living rooms, basements, kids rooms, dorm rooms, etc. info@shiftmarketinggroup.net for merchandising information. www.relaxsacks.com

 

Woman Walking Through Target Noticed Something Out of the Ordinary Going On. So She Took a Picture by Oliver Darcy at The Blaze. “A kid came in looking for a clip-on tie for a job interview this afternoon,” she wrote in a post shared on Target’s Facebook page. “The store only had regular ties, so this awesome Target team member took the time to help the nervous teen put on his new tie, tuck in his shirt and then showed him how to give a proper handshake and tackle a few tough interview questions!” “As the kid exited the store, a bunch of supportive Target team members cheered him on! THIS is true customer service – Right on the mark, Target!” Mark added.” See the pics & video / Read more

 

Alibaba begins drone delivery tests in China while Amazon pleads to start trials in U.S. at Bloomberg via Financial Post. “Asia’s largest Internet company is partnering with Shanghai YTO Express Logistics Co. to deliver ginger tea packets to 450 Chinese customers who volunteered for the one-time drone tests, according to an e-mailed statement from Alibaba.” Read more

 

It’s official: Target is on Snapchat at A Bullseye View.  “Kristi Argyilan, senior vice president, Media and Guest Engagement, Target: “Snapchat provides a fun channel for us to quickly share exclusive, behind-the-scenes content with our guests that they can’t get anywhere else.” Read more

 

JC Penney’s next big bet a bit of a head scratcher by Krystina Gustafson at CNBC. “Have you ever been browsing the shelves at J.C. Penney and thought to yourself, boy, I need a new haircut? Probably not. But the department store is hoping to change that by reinventing its 850 salons across the U.S. In a new partnership with Time Inc.-owned fashion magazine InStyle, Penney’s will rebrand its salons into a “modern, cutting-edge salon concept” called The Salon by InStyle.” Read more

 

GameStop’s new president of U.S. stores played for the Philadelphia Phillies / was SVP of HR at Home Depot by Maria Halkia at Dallas News. “Mike Buskey came to Grapevine-based GameStop in 2010 as senior vice president of human resources from Home Depot where he led HR activities for about 2,000 stores.” Read more

 

Some Shoppers Uncomfortable with Items from ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ on Target Shelves by Elaina Athans at ABC 11 – Raleigh, NC. “Target stands by the sales.”As a national mass retailer, we carry a broad assortment of merchandise. The Fifty Shades of Grey products are not exclusive to Target. Our stores were directed to place them on a side cap in an adult health area of the store,” said Target spokesperson Molly Snyder.” See the video / Read more

 

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Eye-on-Retail is created early AM every weekday and read by thousands of Retail Merchants & Executives every morning. We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s happening in the world of retail. Contact us at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net.

Thursday Tipsheet: Target Liquidates Today | W.Coast Ports Close in 5? | ‘Ikea Like’ Spam Museum

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West Coast ports could shut down in 5 to 10 days by Karma Allen at CNBC. “Traffic at nearly 30 West Coast ports is on the verge of “complete gridlock” and shipping officials have threatened to stop paying dockworkers if a contract deal is not reached soon.” Read more / See the video

 

…New contract proposal is offered to West Coast dockworkers by Andrew Khouri at LA Times. “McKenna said employers offered a contract with fully paid healthcare and wages that would increase about 3% each year. The maximum pension would rise to $88,800 per year, McKenna said. Under the previous deal, dockworkers made between $25.71 and $41.48 an hour.” Read more

 

Target hires media executive away from MillerCoors by Nick Halter at Minn./St. Paul Business Journal. “Target hired Stevie Benjamin as vice president of media strategie…Benjamin is leaving her role as senior director of marketing connections at MillerCoors of Chicago.” Read more

 

Kohl’s: Sales surged back in retailer’s fourth quarter by Alison Bauter at Milwaukee Business Journal. “Kohl’s reported fourth-quarter comparable store sales up 3.7 percent, upping its predicted earning per share to between $4.20 and $4.22. It marks a resurgence after several previous quarters of dipping same-store sales.” Read more

 

Target Canada liquidation sales get green light, will start today by Marina Strauss at Globe & Mail. “The sales will offer up to 30 per cent off regular prices, Target Corp. spokeswoman Molly Snyder said in an interview. However, refrigerated items such as milk and eggs are no longer being shipped to Target outlets and are already out of stock.” Read more

 

Humble headquarters: quirky sites where 6 big brands originated by Colleen Kane at Fortune. “Cabela first placed a newspaper ad to sell fishing flies in a local paper, but the ad received just one response. He then lowered his price, and more people responded. From there he grew a mailing list. Dick and his wife, Mary, first ran their burgeoning business from their kitchen in Chappell, Neb.” Read more

 

Velveeta revives as young and poor shop dollar stores for groceries by Anjali Athavaley at Reuters. “Customers like Troyan are one reason why Kraft reversed course after considering stopping the sale of single-serve packages of Velveeta cheese sauce, which wasn’t moving in traditional grocery stores. After another look at the numbers, Kraft found that shoppers on tight budgets at dollar stores were gobbling up Velveeta sauce in the affordable small size, and the food got a new lease on life.” Read more

 

Sears bull: Why it won’t go the way of RadioShack by Krystina Gustafson at CNBC. “Instead of viewing the retailer’s deteriorating stores as a reason to be bearish on the stock, they should be seen as a prudent decision that Sears will focus its investments on the future of retail, which is taking place online, Ingham said.” Read more

 

RadioShack Store Closings to Jolt Some Developers by Matt Jarzemsky at WSJ. “Smaller players house a relatively big share of RadioShack’s stores, analysts said. While giant real-estate investment trusts can more readily absorb the loss of a tenant like RadioShack.” Read more (Subscription)

 

‘Ikea-like’ design for Spam Museum stirs controversy in Austin by Clare Kennedy at Minn./St.Paul Business Journal. “The drawings prompted some spirited discussion on the Herald’s website. “It is wretched!” said one commenter. “The rest of it looks like Ikea and Crate & Barrel had an illegitimate child.” Read more

 

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Eye-on-Retail is a daily tipsheet read by thousands of Retail Merchants & Executives every weekday morning. Eye-on-Retail is created and delivered early AM every day.  We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s happening in the world of retail. Contact us at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net.

Wednesday Tipsheet: Costco Jan. Comp Flat | Target Can. Redo? | H.Depot ‘Disney’ Video

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Costco comp sales flat in Jan., misses Street’s view at Yahoo Finance. “Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters predicted a 1.2 percent rise in sales at stores open at least a year.” Read more

 

…Comp sales +7% excluding gasoline price deflation and foreign exchange. Read the release

 

Target will eventually take a second crack at Canada by Thomas Lee at San Francisco Chronicle. “If Target can’t succeed in Canada, where else in the world can the retailer expand? Abu Dhabi?…But Wall Street won’t ease up on Target for long, and it will force Cornell to show growth. That’s when Target will make a second attempt at Canada. And maybe this time, the retailer will get it right.” Read more

 

Chinese Retailers Play Poker in Empty Malls as Shoppers Go Online at Bloomberg. “The market was packed with people when it first opened in 2004,” said Li, looking up from the TV drama he was watching, for want of customers. “Business has gone from bad to worse in the last five years. The impact from online sales is huge.” Read more

 

Target Canada’s liquidation sales worry landlords by Marina Strauss & Jeff Gray. “The landlords are worried that Target, which is operating in bankruptcy protection, will flout the terms of some of its leases by bulking up on inventory and widely promoting its going-out-of-business sales – potentially sullying their malls’ image and detracting from rival retail tenants.” Read more

 

***A message from Lock-it Block-it: Keep the Bad Guys Out and Let the Fresh-Air In. Adjustable window security bar blocks criminals from entering a home through open windows. Windows can be open AND homes remain secured. Helps prevent children from falling out open windows. Easy to install.  Watch the video  See the sell sheet  info@shiftmarketinggroup.net

 

Target taps new chief information officer by Kavita Kumar at Star-Tribune. “(Bob) DeRodes will continue to serve for a short period in an advisory role at Target. (Mike) McNamara, who is moving to the Twin Cities from England, will join Target later this year. In the meantime, the IT department will be led by (Brad) Maiorino; Jim Fisher, senior vice president of technology services; and Navneet Kapoor, president of Target India.” Read more

 

“The Magical World of Home Depot” at The Mommy Page. “Every year, Home Depot holds a talent contest for its staff across the country—and it’s actually a pretty huge deal…Now they’re back with a brand new song...In this new parody, the team pairs up to belt out famous Disney tunes rewritten with lyrics that compliment the products and services Home Depot has to offer. With lines like, “I can tile your floor, granite, porcelain or marble,” set to Aladdin’s “A Whole New World,” this fun crew sings through the floor, lighting, and paint aisles, awarding each department its own song.” See the video

 

Target’s downtown Minneapolis employment dips in survey by Sam Black at Minn./St. Paul Business Journal. “Target said it has 10,000 downtown employees, down from the 12,582 it reported last February in the 2014 survey of the largest employers by the Minneapolis Downtown Council.” Read more

 

Sam’s Club vs. Walmart: Is Sam’s really worth the $45 membership fee? at WCPO 9 Cincinnati. “When it comes to buying in bulk, is Sam’s Club really worth its membership fee? That’s what WCPO’s sister station KJRH worked to figure out in a comparison study of Sam’s Club versus Walmart…The difference between most items was a few cents, and in some cases less than one penny.” See the video / Read more

 

Macy’s buys spa retailer Bluemercury for $200M by Alexander Coolidge at Cincinnati Enquirer. “Based in Washington, D.C., Bluemercury operates about 60 specialty stores in 18 states – typically in prime street-level locations and urban lifestyle centers – and an online business.” Read more

 

Staples to buy competitor Office Depot at CNBC. “The deal values Office Depot at $11 per share. The companies put the transaction’s value at $6.3 billion. The deal is expected to close by year’s end.” Read more

 

Dollar Tree: Feds’ review of Family Dollar deal delays closing by Jennifer Thomas at Charlotte Business Journal. “It appears that Family Dollar Stores Inc. won’t become part of Dollar Tree Inc. until at least late April, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing Tuesday.” Read more

 

Walmart heiress’s ex-husband ‘claims he needs $400,000 a Month in alimony for “necessities” including a personal stylist, a chauffeur and vacations’ by Sophie Jane Evans at Daily Mail. “$30,000 a month would go on vacations, a staggering $80,000 every month would be spent on entertainment and a further $4,000 would be used to pay for a driver.” Read more

 

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Eye-on-Retail is a daily tipsheet read by thousands of Retail Merchants & Executives every weekday morning. Eye-on-Retail is created and delivered early AM every day.  We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s happening in the world of retail. Contact us at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net.

Tuesday Tipsheet: Wmart/Target ‘Herbals’ Sting | Amazon Eyes Rshack Stores | BH&G Top 93 New Products

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Wal-Mart, Walgreens & Target accused of selling adulterated ‘herbals’ by Sarah Kaplan at Washington Post. “Wal-Mart was the worst offender: None of its six supplements that were tested were found to contain purely the ingredient they advertised. Target’s supplements were the least misleading of the lot — though that isn’t saying much, since tests on six of the brand’s products resulted in only one unqualified positive. Two of Target’s other supplements contained DNA from other plants alongside their purported ingredients, while the remaining three tested negative.” Read more

 

…Retailer Response by Anahad O’Connor at NY Times. “Walgreens said it would remove the products from its shelves nationwide, even though only New York State had demanded it. Walmart said it would reach out to the suppliers of its supplements “and take appropriate action.” Target did not respond to requests for comment.” Read more

 

Target liquidation sales could start Thursday, retailer seeks court approval at Financial Post. “Target Canada will seek court approval Wednesday to allow a group of liquidation companies to start to sell off the contents of its Canadian stores.” Read more

 

Canadian pharmacists fighting Target Canada by Francine Kopun at Toronto Star. “Franchisees were told to be ready to hit the ground running as the first weeks were the most critical in building up a client base, said Gavrilidis. Instead they were hampered by fax machines that didn’t work on the first day, making it impossible to fax doctor’s offices for prescriptions. The computer software they had to use was relatively untested and difficult to operate, said Gavrilidis.” Read more

 

Seattle Times: 10 years later, Amazon celebrates Prime’s triumph by Jay Greene. “Prime started when an Amazon engineer named Charlie Ward pitched the idea in a digital employee-suggestion box. At the time, Amazon offered customers free shipping on purchases of $25 or more, as long as they were willing to wait a few extra days for their order to arrive. Ward thought some customers would be willing to spend more, and might even shop more often if they could be part of a buying club that offered rapid shipping.Bezos seized on the idea and pulled together a group of executives in November 2004 in the boathouse at his Medina home.” Read more

 

Clorox Loses ‘Club Store’ Suit by Andrew M Harris at Bloomberg. “Clorox lost a bid to dismiss a novel antitrust lawsuit by a Wisconsin supermarket challenging the household product maker’s policy of only selling bulk packages to large retailers.  Woodman’s Food Market Inc., a 15-store grocery chain, claims Clorox last year adopted a policy of selling its large-pack products only to super-stores such as Costco Wholesale Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. unit Sam’s Club.” Read more

 

Amazon in Talks to Buy Some of RadioShack’s Stores at Bloomberg. “Amazon has considered using the RadioShack stores as showcases for the Seattle-based company’s hardware, as well as potential pickup and drop-off centers for online customers, said one of the people, who asked not to be named because the deliberations are private.” Read more

 

Target joins industry trend, will open more express stores this year by Kavita Kumar at Star-Tribune. “(Target) said this year it will open nine smaller-format stores and six big-box stores. “For these big, mature retailers, there’s just nowhere else to go with their full, general merchandise stores,” said Brian Yarbrough, an analyst with Edward Jones.” Read more

 

…Philly/LA/DC/San Francisco/Chicago by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “Beyond this year, Target is also looking into expanding the TargetExpress concept in greater Philadelphia and in Los Angeles, as well as additional such stores in metro Washington, San Francisco and Chicago.” Read more

 

WSJ: Staples, Office Depot in Advanced Talks to Merge by Liz  Hoffman and Dana Mattioli. “The price and structure of the proposed deal couldn’t be learned. Staples has a market value of about $11 billion, while Office Depot, which in 2013 absorbed rival OfficeMax, has a market value of about $4 billion. There is no guarantee a deal will be reached, the people cautioned.” Read more (Subscription)

 

Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Awards Announces 2015 Winners See the 93 winning products

 

Target pharmacists seek protection as Wal-Mart secures patient records by Marina Strauss at Globe & Mail. “We’re the illegitimate child,” said Stavros (Steve) Gavrilidis, a Target pharmacist in Windsor, Ont., and and secretary of the Pharmacy Franchisee Association of Canada. “We want to be recognized” in Target’s bankruptcy protection process.” Read more

 

Dick’s Announces that Chief Financial Officer Andre J. Hawaux will Assume Additional Responsibilities as Chief Operating Officer  Read the release

 

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Eye-on-Retail is a daily tipsheet read by thousands of Retail Merchants & Executives every weekday morning. Eye-on-Retail is created and delivered early AM every day.  We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s happening in the world of retail. Contact us at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net.

Monday Tipsheet: Target Hackers Hit Parking Co’s | Amazon’s College Push | Super Bowl Ads Ranked

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Target Hackers Hit Third Parking Service at Krebs on Security. “Book2Park.com, an online parking reservation service for airports across the United States, appears to be the latest victim of the hacker gang that stole more than a 100 million credit and debit cards from Target and Home Depot. Book2park.com is the third online parking service since December 2014 to fall victim to this cybercriminal group.” Read more

 

Amazon Makes a Push on College Campuses by Greg Bensinger at WSJ. “Amazon has struck deals with three large universities to operate co-branded websites selling textbooks, fan shirts, ramen noodles and most other items available on Amazon.com. While the deals aren’t exclusive, officials at the colleges say the arrangements acknowledge a reality: Their students already shop on Amazon.” Read more (Subscription)

 

Super Bowl Ad Meter Results at USA Today. See all 61 ads ranked

 

Sam’s Club Wouldn’t Stand By Vodka Money-Back Guarantee (But Comes Through in the End) by Kurtis Ming at CBS Sacramento. “After reaching out to Sam’s Club, they realized the mistake and asked Ed to return to the store. “I showed them my card and they said, ‘Oh, yeah. Mr. Sullivan we’ve been expecting you.’” Ed walked out with a refund and a $25 gift card for his trouble. “I’ve got a different brand we love,” Sullivan said. It’s called Kirkland.” See the video / Read more

 

The Startup Behind Amazon’s Best-Rated Mattress Is Opening Its First Store by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “The building is located in an out-of-the way location and only one potential buyer stopped in during the first week. But in Week 2, 75 people came to check out the upstart mattress maker, some even walking out with a mattress that very same day…which allowed them to choose a location with monthly rent between $5,000 and $10,000 rather than $20,000 and up.” Read more

 

***A message from Eye Dig It Safety Sunglasses: Don’t Sacrifice your Safety for Style. Set your sights on this pair of chic sunglasses to find the best of both worlds. Maximum visual perception and shatter/scratch-resistant protection, Eye Dig It helps protect your eyes from debris and provide UVA and UVB protection…and women love the stylish look and feel.  Available in Black and Tortoise Shell. See the sell sheet. For merchandising information contact info@shiftmarketinggroup.net

 

Canada dims the light on the incandescent light bulb by Richard Blackwell at The Globe & Mail. “Last year there was quite a spike, but this year we have seen very little of a rush at all,” said Ron Cleary, senior merchant for electrical products at Home Depot Canada Inc.” Read more

 

Zulily to shutter UK office, shift international distribution back to U.S. by Rachel Lerman at Puget Sound Business Journal. “Zulily’s existing U.S. merchandise team will ship products to the UK. That means all the company’s business will now shift back to its U.S. site and team.” Read more

 

RadioShack is expected to announce store closings by Maria Halkias at Dallas News. “RadioShack’s fiscal year ended Sunday, which means CEO Joe Magnacca can close 200 stores without altering a debt agreement.” Read more

 

WSJ: RadioShack, Hedge Fund Hashing Out Auction Process “RadioShack…was aiming to file for Chapter 11 protection as early as Monday, the people said. But as of Sunday afternoon, the company and its advisers were still working out the details of an agreement with Standard General to serve as the so-called stalking horse at a court-supervised auction for RadioShack’s assets, some of the people said.” Read more (Subscription)

 

NYT: Retailers Prepare for Tie-Ins to ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Film by Rachel Abrams. “The movie will not be as graphic as the book. Neal Slateford, a co-founder of Lovehoney, the only company that has the rights to make the official “Fifty Shades of Grey” adult products sold in Target and elsewhere, does not expect certain toys used in the book’s steamiest scenes to appear in the movie.” Read more

 

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Eye-on-Retail is a daily tipsheet read by thousands of Retail Merchants & Executives every weekday morning. Eye-on-Retail is created and delivered early AM every day.  We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s happening in the world of retail. Contact us at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net.

Friday Tipsheet: Costco ‘Cornucopia’ | Target: Bounced Check & Bus Trip | Dick’s Not for Sale?

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Shareholder meeting shows Costco bounty by Angel Gonzalez at Seattle Times. “Costco’s worldly cornucopia was highlighted at the Bellevue gathering, where hundreds of stockholders lined up for freebies — from maple-leaf-shaped bottles of Canadian maple syrup to Spanish extra virgin olive oil, Kirkland Signature roasted seaweed and an instant coffee popular in Taiwan. There was also a mammoth-sized Toblerone chocolate bar and vats of vegemite, a spread popular in Australia.” Read more

 

Dick’s Sporting Goods not for sale after all by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “(Dick’s) will likely not be sold because CEO Edward Stack, whose family has most of the sporting good retailer’s voting stock, wants to keep control of the business, according to bankers familiar with his thinking.” Read more

 

Amazon smashes Street forecast; stock soars 14% by Karma Allen at CNBC. “Amazon issued fourth-quarter earnings of 45 cents a share, down from 51 cents per share a year ago, but soaring past expectations of 17 cents…The company said worldwide Prime memberships grew 53 percent last year—up 50 percent in the U.S. and “even a bit faster” abroad.” Read more

 

…Amazon’s Press Release “Full Year 2014 – Net sales increased 20% to $88.99 billion, compared with $74.45 billion in 2013.” Read the release

 

Sears Canada bused fired Target workers to its headquarters last week to talk jobs: ‘We care about you’ at Financial Post. “We felt like we had to reach out and say ’We’re here,”’ Boire said in an interview with The Canadian Press. “Saying ’We care about you’ and ’We may not have a job for you today, but we may in six months’ — it’s the right thing to do.” Read more

 

Dick’s Sporting Goods #1 in Omnichannel Study by Don Davis at Internet Retailer. “Those tests included delivering in no more than three days, correctly answering an e-mailed question within 24 hours and letting a consumer check out in no more than five clicks or providing one-click checkout…The other six, in alphabetical order, are Kate Spade (No. 176), Office Depot Inc. (No. 9), Ross-Simons Inc. (No. 213), The Home Depot (No. 16), Williams-Sonoma Inc. (No. 21) and Zappos.” Read more

 

Walmart greeter told to stop saying ‘Have a blessed day’ at My Fox Atlanta. “When asked if Phillips was specifically told to quit saying this, a Walmart spokesman wrote, “Yes and that was not correct guidance because it doesn’t reflect any Walmart policy.” The controversy sparked an online firestorm, with hundreds of comments and shares in support of Phillips’ posted on the FOX 5 Facebook page.” Read more / See the video

 

NY Post: Costco worker says management mocked his Tourette’s by Julia Marsh & Jennifer Bain. “The supervisors looked the other way when co-workers yelled “hut-hut-hut” at Fox, mimicking his uncontrollable grunts, the suit says…Fox is seeking unspecified damages and is currently on leave.” Read more

 

Best Buy shifts emphasis from Super Bowl ads to digital marketing by Kavita Kumar at Star-Tribune. “As often happens when a new marketing executive comes on board with their own ideas, other leaders in the department are on their way out. Best Buy confirmed to the Star Tribune that Scott Moore, a senior vice president of marketing who has been with the firm for more than a decade, and Gayle Malcolm, vice president of advertising, will be leaving the company.” Read more

 

Target’s Kim Carswell to Present at Sustainability Conference “Target began using How2Recycle on private label packaging in 2013 as an official member of the program. Hear Kim Carswell, Group Manager of Owned Brands Packaging, talk about Target’s top 10 takeaways from their participation in the program.” See the agenda

 

Amazon’s headcount tops 150,000 after adding nearly 40,000 employees in 2014 by Rachel Lerman at Puget Sound Business Journal. Read more

 

Canada: Target’s $8,000 cheque for student conference bounces at CBC News. “Their accounts were frozen,” Normand said. He also had to pay a $5 penalty for the bounced cheque.” Read more