Tipsheet: FL Empty Shelves | Frank Blake Honored | Springsteen Store Frenzy | Amazon HQ Peek | Target Manhattan

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Deadly hurricane sends Florida residents flocking to buy supplies at Daily Mail. “People along the East Coast entered better-safe-than-sorry mode Tuesday, flocking to hardware stores, grocery aisles and gas stations as Hurricane Matthew marched toward Florida.” See pics / Read more

 

Former Home Depot CEO Frank Blake wins Lifetime Achievement Award by Maria Saporta at Atlanta Business Chronicle. “Blake was introduced by his wife, Liz Blake, who spoke of his dedication to his job and how he would get up at 5 a.m. on Saturday mornings to go get training in different departments at the Home Depot.” Read more

 

Thank Clinton and Trump for Pushing Back Christmas Creep This Year by Adrianne Pasquarelli at Ad Age. “NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz found that, starting in September through Election Day, ad space, particularly in swing states, is running low on inventory and screen time will be competitive for any non-political organizations, according to an NRF spokeswoman. After Nov. 8, holiday ads are expected to ramp up in aggression.” Read more

 

Target’s New Manhattan Location Is A Big Test for Its Smaller-Store Strategy by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “…it opens its first small-format store in New York on Wednesday…The Manhattan store is in the heart of the affluent TriBeCa district near the World Trade Center…Along with three other smaller stores opening this week in other cities, the Lower Manhattan opening brings to 27 the number of such stores Target has opened since 2012.” Read more

 

Wall Street Journal: Target Goes After Millennials With Small, Focused Stores by Khadeeja Safdar. “A store in downtown Manhattan is interesting, but is it scalable?” said Barclays analyst Matthew McClintock. “Wal-Mart couldn’t make it work with a better logistical network. It makes you wonder how Target is going to succeed.” Read more (subscription)

 

Lowe’s Names 2016 Innovation and Vendor Partners of the Year Press release

 

2016 World Dairy Expo Championship Product Contest Top 3 winners in 75 categories

 

TEXAS – Buc-ee’s reportedly calls off first out-of-state location by Olivia Pusinelli at Houston Business Journal. “Buc-ee’s would have anchored the Greens at Millerville, a mixed-use development at Interstate 12 and Millerville Road in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.” Read more

 

PetSmart Opens 11 New Stores in Q2 2016 Press release

 

BRUCE – Springsteen drives thousands of Portland fans into a frenzy at book store by Andy Giegerich at Portland Business Journal. “As a testament to Springsteen’s popularity, the website crashed the first day tickets went on sale. Two days later, it was back up and tickets sold out almost immediately. Fans came from all over the country for the chance to shake hands with their 67-year-old idol.” Read more | 10 pics

 

**A message from Fabe – Pillows hand-crafted in Italy prevent and relieve neck and back pain. Fabe’s Ergo Praxis pillow supports and aligns the head and neck to prevent cervical pain. Created in cooperation with Ludes University in Switzerland – it gets the body in the right position for a good night’s sleep. 100% Made in Italy. Ergo Praxis Specs | Fabe Website | Retailers request samples at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net. Italy-America Product Connection

 

More Zika mosquitoes in Miami Beach as state reports six new local infections by Daniel Chang at Miami Herald. “Prior to Sept. 28, Miami-Dade officials refused to identify addresses where they had captured the infected insects, citing a state statute that allows the information to be kept confidential but does not require secrecy. It took a Miami Herald lawsuit for Miami Beach residents to learn they were living beside Zika mosquitoes.” Read more

 

Camping World moves toward $300 million IPO by Will Racke at Chicago Business Journal. “According to an amended filing placed Monday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the company is seeking to raise up to $300 million by selling 11.4 million shares of Class A stock at a price of $21 per share to $23 per share.” Read more

 

Take a rare peek inside Amazon’s sprawling South Lake Union campus by Casey Coombs at Puget Sound Business Journal. “The Amazon culture of frugality is evident throughout the newly built offices. Amazonians still work on wooden desks made from old doors, but they no longer build them themselves.” See the 21 pics

 

Sears’s Craftsman Said to Get Interest From Black & Decker at Bloomberg. “Sears Holdings Corp.’s sale of its Craftsman tool business has attracted bidders including Stanley Black & Decker Inc. and Hong Kong’s Techtronic Industries Co., people with knowledge of the matter said…Final bids, which may value the brand at about $2 billion, are due at the end of the month.” Read more

 

Wall Street Journal: Cabela’s Deal Spurs Uncertainty for Small Nebraska Town by Sara Germano. Read more (subscription)

 

How Wal-Mart is eating Target’s lunch in the U.S. at MarketWatch. “While we think it’s still early yet, we believe that Walmart’s big upfront spend to grow online, among other steps in recent months, is showing early signs of promise,” said a team of Moody’s analysts led by Charles O’Shea. “Target, in contrast, has fallen harder and has much more work to do before it can regain its footing.” Read more

 

Toys ‘R’ Us sells FAO Schwarz brand to ThreeSixty Group by Teresa Novellino at New York Business Journal. Read more

 

Architect behind Amazon’s massive ‘biospheres’ says they aren’t for show by Monica Nickelsburg at GeekWire. “It’s not a set piece,” he said on stage at the GeekWire Summit Tuesday. “It’s not a showpiece. It’s not a showcase for people to come in from the outside. This is for the people that work at Amazon.” Read more

 

Online holiday sales head for double-digit growth by Tracy Maple at Internet Retailer. “The National Retail Federation projects non-store holiday sales will increase up to 10%, while Deloitte says e-commerce could grow 19% compared with last year.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Rolls-Royce Made a Picnic Basket That Costs $46,000

Brookstone hires an e-commerce veteran as its new CEO

Panasonic reveals the ‘invisible’ TV: Prototype OLED screen turns into transparent glass when not in use

Harvard University dining hall workers go on strike

Newell has dropped metro Atlanta HQ; will now shed businesses, workers

Meijer Shares Early Glimpse of 2016 Holiday Season’s Top 10 Toys

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Tipsheet: Lowe’s Cuts 95 IT Jobs | Wmart Shutters 3 | Target in PR Week | Dick’s New CFO

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Lowe’s cuts 95 corporate IT jobs by Katherine Peralta at Charlotte Observer. “Sixty of those positions are at its corporate headquarters in Mooresville, and the remainder are at other company locations in North Carolina and Texas, spokeswoman Connie Bryant said.” Read more

 

It’s still too damn hot out to buy winter clothes by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “…sales at specialty apparel stores…were down by $393 million in August and September, compared with a decline of $376 million over the same period last year, according to Planalytics, which tracks weather trends for retailers.” Read more

 

HURRICANE MATTHEW – Florida Gov. Rick Scott warns residents to stock three days worth of food and water for what could be ‘biggest storm in 24 years’ via Daily Mail. “If the storm changes track, it could hit the Sunshine state as early as Wednesday and last through Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center. There are currently no evacuation orders for Florida.” Read more

 

How a series of crises flipped Target’s internal comms strategy on its head by Diana Bradley at PR Week. “We wanted to make sure we were talking to team members in real-time,” said (Dustee) Jenkins. “A group of us started talking about how one of the things we most enjoy reading every morning was TheSkimm, so I met with one of its founders and talked with her about the process and approach they take.” Jenkins and her team set out to create Target’s version of the morning email newsletter. She also met with peers at other Fortune 50 companies, who told her their internal newsletters have an average readership of 30% to 40%.” Read more

 

Q&A: Wal-Mart CIO Karenann Terrell on What the Retailer Learns From Online Grocery Data by Kim S. Nash at Wall Street Journal. “We’ve observed that online customers have a very, very high level of satisfaction—above 90%—while for those shopping in the store, it isn’t nearly at that high level. We wanted to dig underneath and find out why.” Read more (subscription)

 

Walmart U.S. to close three stores as leases expire by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “Walmart U.S. plans to close two discount stores in west Texas and one campus store in Columbia, Mo., in the coming weeks as the leases on these properties expire.” Read more

 

Dick’s Sporting Goods names new CFO by Paul J. Gough at Pittsburgh Business Times. “Lee Belitsky has been executive vice president, product development and merchandise planning, allocation and replenishment. He has also served in a number of senior vice president roles over the past 19 years since joining Dick’s Sporting Goods in 1997 as vice president, controller.” Read more

 

What’s next for Cabela’s hometown of Sydney, Nebraska? at Omaha World-Herald. “Around here, it stings, say people in this company town of 6,800 — around 2,000 of whom work for the homegrown outdoors retailer…”I’m feeling like there’s been a death in the family,” said Jenifer Wamsley, a former Cabela’s worker…“Cabela’s has been what’s kept this town afloat and allowed it to thrive,” she said. “If Bass Pro doesn’t stick around, it’s going to be devastating.” Read more

 

Facebook is taking on Craigslist with its own used goods marketplace by Jason Del Rey at Recode. Read more

 

Tracy Morgan ‘refuses to release medical records subpoenaed as part of legal battle over $90M Walmart settlement’ by Ryan Perry at Daily Mail. “Walmart’s insurers, who are trying to avoid taking the hit for the payments, believe Morgan’s health problems can be disproved after he was spotted driving around New York in a Lamborghini and appearing at the Emmy’s shortly after the settlement.” Read more

 

**A message from Alma Italy – Enjoy the innovative, yet simple elegance of Alma Cookware. Alma Cookware produces non-stick aluminum cookware products and delivers healthy and tasty foods with the security of a professional product. Featuring La Sughiera – the thick-tempered glass lid with upper hole allows for spice-adding and stirring without removing the lid. Featuring Egizia – this warm color pottery connects modern technology with a traditional rural aesthetic. Made in Italy | Website | Italy-America new product inquiries | Retailers request samples at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net

 

Ex-Home Depot CMO Trish Mueller Speaks at Industry Event by Rob Stott at Dealerscope. “FutureVision was capped off by an important closing keynote that featured recently retired Chief Marketing Officer of Home Depot Trish Mueller, who told the impactful story about her (successful) attempt to turn the hardware giant into an omnichannel organization.” Read more

 

Amazon bans incentivized reviews tied to free or discounted products by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. “In general, shoppers have begun to distrust these reviews because they believe them to be biased…a recent study of over 7 million reviews indicated that the average rating for products with incentivized reviews was higher than non-incentivized ones. (That is, a 4.74 average rating versus a 4.36 average rating, out of 5 stars).” Read more

 

WalmartLabs open sources the application platform that powers Walmart.com by Frederic Lardinois at TechCrunch. “Over the course of the last year, Walmart.com — a site that handles 80 million monthly visitors and offers 15 million items for sale — migrated to React and Node.js. In the process of this transition, the WalmartLabs team built Electrode, a React-based application platform to power Walmart.com. It’s now open sourcing this platform.” Read more

 

Kroger Lights HQ Pink to Join in Fight Against Breast Cancer Press release

 

Home Depot #2 in Weekly Radio Spots at Inside Radio. “Home Depot committed 28,952 ads for its No. 2 rank, with Rite Aid placing 27,675 ads for No. 3. McDonald’s and Burger King are Nos. 4 and 5, respectively, with JC Penney at No. 6, O’Reilly at No. 7, NAPA at 8, Nabisco at 9 and Macy’s roaring from No. 26 a week ago to No. 10.” Read more

 

Former Macy’s worker pleads guilty to mail fraud by Bowdeha Tweh at Cincinnati Enquirer. “As part of a plea deal, Suraj Patel, 37, of Long Beach, California, would serve one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Patel would also pay Macy’s $924,000 in restitution.” Read more

 

Amazon launches stealthy employee shuttle system with nondescript buses and little fanfare by Nat Levy at GeekWire. “Fitting with the under-the-radar pilot status of the program, and unlike the highly visible Microsoft Connector shuttles, Amazon’s buses are not decked out with company branding. The nondescript shuttles sport an all white exterior and tinted windows.” Read more / See the pic

 

More free money, please: Alaskans bemoan sum of yearly check via Denver Post. “Yes, you could call it free money. But that doesn’t mean all Alaskans are happy about the $1,022 dividend checks nearly every resident will receive starting Thursday from the state’s oil wealth fund. Folks were looking at getting more than twice that amount…” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Safety commission: Best Buy will pay $3.8 million civil penalty

San Diego Target Found Liable for $1,560,750.37 for Trip and Fall

Krebs: Who Makes the IoT Things Under Attack?

In a Tight Market, Stores Lure Holiday Workers With Perks

Windsor, Canada: Flood-stricken residents raid area hardware stores

Watch out, Amazon: Google set to launch Echo competitor at event Tuesday

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Tipsheet: Costco Owes Tiffany $5.5M | Bass Pro Buys Cabela’s | Blue Apron’s ‘Violent’ Facility | Lottery Looters

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Costco owes Tiffany & Co. $5.5M for selling ‘Tiffany’ rings by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “The wholesale club claimed Tiffany was a generic description. But during the trial, Judge Laura Taylor Swain was having none of it — noting that Costco’s jewelry buyers asked vendors to copy Tiffany designs and that Costco customers were confused about the brand.” Read more

 

Bass Pro Shops hooks Cabela’s in $5.5 billion deal at Reuters. “The offer of $65.50 per share is a 19.2 percent premium to Cabela’s Friday close. Shares of Cabela’s jumped nearly 15 percent to $62.88 in premarket trading and were set to open at their highest in more than two years.” Read more

 

Report Details Blue Apron’s Violent, Unsafe, High-Pressure Packing Facility by David Z. Morris at Fortune. “The apex of the problems came in August of last year. On a single day, the facility experienced two threats of violence from employees, while at the same time management met with Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigators regarding what would become nine workplace safety citations.” Read more

 

…Blue Apron is on pace for more than $1 billion in sales as it preps for an IPO by Jason Del Rey at Recode. Read more

 

Rebel Teens Are Killing America’s Clothing Giants by Kim Bhasin at Bloomberg. “Two years ago, Aéropostale Chief Executive Officer Julian Geiger shared his view of the adolescent shopper. “The teenager today wants to fit in,” he told analysts. “They want to fit in by wearing things that make them feel safe. If there’s a brand promise toAéropostale, it’s that the teenager can wear our clothes, go to school, and not be teased or made fun of the way they look.” It turned out he was wrong.” Read more

 

Gander Mountain President Derek Siddons Q&A by John Ewoldt at Star Tribune. “Q: How do you differentiate yourselves from competition at Cabela’s, Fleet Farm, Sportsman’s Guide, Bass Pro Shops and other outdoor stores? A: We dedicate resources to finding regional products. The local standpoint is important. Fishing is different in Duluth than it is in Bemidji, just as Minnesota fishing is different from Florida. Our stores have autonomy. They didn’t used to have that.” Read more

 

Costco’s CFO doesn’t believe his company is ‘Amazon-proof’ by Eugene Kim at Business Insider. “We don’t buy that for a minute,” Galanti said during Costco’s earnings call, referring to reports that dubbed his company “Amazon-proof” or “internet-proof.” Read more

 

Some NC lottery retailers win bigger than their customers by Adam Bell & Gavin Off at Charlotte Observer. “In a convenience store north of Raleigh, the retailer selling lottery tickets has won more big prizes than any of his customers. Amitkumar Pandya collected nearly $90,000 from 2009 through last year. He claimed 42 of the 99 winning tickets sold at his Franklinton store during that time, records show, mostly from scratch-off tickets….he’d have a better chance of flipping a coin 142 times and getting heads each toss, a Virginia Tech statistician estimated.” Read more

 

Amazon Echo and Alexa groups are currently looking to fill 400 positions by Jason Del Rey at Recode. Read more

 

**A message from Black Flag® – We take no prisoners. In the battle against indoor and outdoor pests, it’s every man for himself. Arm yourself with Black Flag insect and rodent controls. Our tough, no-nonsense formulas are packed with a powerful punch to make short work of home insect invaders. Whether you’re battling crawling, flying or stinging insects or fending off mice, when the flag flies, pests die. Let it Fly. See the ‘Sarge’ product videos | Facebook page

 

Advanced Auto Parts races to the top of desktop site performance index – Home Depot moves into Top 10 by April Berthene at Internet Retailer. Top 10 desktop sites | Top 10 mobile sites

 

Honest Co. is reformulating its soaps after ingredients controversy by Lora Kolodny at TechCrunch. “The consumer products startup founded by Jessica Alba, The Honest Co., on Friday told The Wall Street Journal that it plans to reformulate its dish soap, laundry detergent and other cleaners after an earlier controversy over their ingredients.” Read more

 

Australia: Costco to take over warehouses left empty by failed home improvement chain Masters by Josh Hanrahan at Daily Mail. Read more

 

Wall Street Journal Obit: Charles Walgreen III Propelled Family Firm by Focusing on Drugstores by James R. Hagerty. “L. Daniel Jorndt, who succeeded Mr. Walgreen as CEO and became the first person outside the founding family to run the company, said his predecessor was so shy and reserved that many people underestimated him. “He was content to be in the background,” Mr. Jorndt said. Mr. Walgreen made the big strategic decisions and delegated the details. “He’d let you make a lot of mistakes if you were trying to do things right”. Read more (subscription)

 

Schnucks strike not imminent, negotiations are ongoing, employee union says by Lisa Brown at St. Louis Post Dispatch. Read more

 

Higher shipping fees will force e-retailers to adjust by April Berthene at Internet Retailer. “UPS and FedEx are raising their ground shipping rates 4.9% after the holidays, and some additional fees will kick in sooner.” Read more

 

Costco to expand aggressively in Canada over the next year, adding seven stores in fiscal 2017 by Hollie Shaw at Financial Post. Read more

 

Online Meal Delivery Service Home Chef raises $40 million, its biggest funding round yet by Matt Linder at Internet Retailer. Read more

 

Q&A: Frito-Lay’s New CMO on Why the Brand Is Making Doritos Out of Cardboard by Robert Klara at Adweek. “Was upper management nervous about putting cardboard in a bag and calling it Doritos?  It was a bold step to put cardboard chips in that bag, especially when typically we’re trying to raise the appetite appeal.” Read the Q&A

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

The ‘Average’ Woman Is Now Size 16 Or 18. Why Do Retailers Keep Failing Her?

Harvard Business Review: Why More American Men Feel Discriminated Against

Walmart hourly employee says bonus pay plan helps morale, critics say bonus not enough

Lady Gaga Is Going On Tour To Dive Bars Across America

Former Pilot Flying J Execs Want to Move Trial

Man With Hatchet Tries to Rob Container Store – Leaves When Register Isn’t Opened

New pet food delivery service debuts in Twin Cities

J.C. Penney offers refunds on questionable towels, comforter set

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