Tipsheet: Nike Beats | Kroger Beat | Food Stamp Losers | Outlet Mall Trouble

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Fresh off IPO, Blue Apron CEO says Amazon’s grocery focus is ‘good for us and good for others’ by Monica Nickelsburg at GeekWire. “There have been tons of players trying to bring online grocery penetration up historically that haven’t been successful because quality is so important,” Salzberg told CNBC…Unlike Amazon, Blue Apron owns and operates its own farm and gets exclusive deals on about 70 percent of food from suppliers.” Read more

 

Retail stands to lose $70 billion over 10 years if food stamp benefits are slashed, and here’s who gets hit the most by Courtney Reagan at CNBC. “…the retail consultancy estimates Walmart would take a $12.7 billion hit to U.S. sales over the next decade. Target sees the second-largest food stamp redemption in the superstore and supercenter category, with an estimated $4.8 billion to $5.3 billion sales drag. Low-priced grocery store chain Aldi would see the third-largest impact, estimated to fall between $4.4 billion and $4.9 billion.” Read more

 

Nike tops Wall Street expectations; confirms deal with Amazon by Lauren Thomas at CNBC. “Earnings per share: 60 cents adjusted vs. a forecast of 50 cents, according to a Thomson Reuters consensus estimate. Revenue: $8.68 billion vs. an $8.63 billion estimate, analysts said.” Read more

 

People Magazine and Bed Bath & Beyond search for new pet products and accessories by Kelli Bender at People. “All you need to do is submit your pet product idea on Edison Nation. Great ideas at any stage are welcomed and encouraged: this means prototypes, sketches, market-ready goods and written descriptions are all suitable.” Read more

 

Deutsche Bank: Prices at Lidl’s stores during its opening week were running between 5.7% to 10% cheaper than neighboring Wal-Mart Stores, nearly 15% lower than Kroger stores but nearly at parity with Aldi by Jon Springer at Supermarket News. Read more

 

From Aldi to Zara, Western stores beef up safety for Bangladesh workers at Reuters. “Cut-price fashion giant Primark, H&M, Lidl and umbrella brand Inditex, which owns Zara and Massimo Dutti, are among the 13 retailers that extended a raft of existing standards and agreed on new terms.” Read more

 

How do Amazon employees view The Spheres? See the winning shots from company photo contest by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. Pics/Read more

 

Best Buy academy preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow by KARE 11 NBC “Minneapolis is one of nearly 40 cities that will offer a free two-day camp for kids between the ages of 10 and 18 to learn about coding and music engineering.” Video/Read more | Camp link

 

**A message from the Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show – get ready for the nation’s largest souvenir show! We bring together 1,300+ booths filled with the latest introductions from every major souvenir and resort supplier, plus countless new resources. The show welcomes even more made in America products, a new Boardwalk section and a special spotlight on Gourmet gifts. Look for new events and educational offerings, too . September 13-16, 2017. Register Now | Exhibitor List

 

15 Pet-Friendly Companies That Let You Take Your Dog to Work (Amazon, Etsy) via Fortune. List

 

Chinese ready to tuck into U.S. beef imports after 14-year wait at Reuters. “I am a frequent buyer of steak so I can tell the quality by its color and marbling,” said one woman on Thursday at a Beijing Walmart store. She selected a 211 yuan ($31.13) pack of newly arrived U.S. steak over her usual choice from Australia.” Read more

 

1,200 teens and young adults started a 10-week paid internship with Gap this month Press release

 

Schnucks and Instacart Expand Same-Day Grocery Delivery to Most Stores Press release

 

‘Spider-Man:’ A $175 Million Commercial for Disney Toys by Ben Fritz at Wall Street Journal. “Sony will keep all of the profits “Homecoming” generates following its release on July 7. Disney controls all merchandise rights to the character and is betting that a hit movie will result in millions more Spider-Man toys and bed sheets flying off shelves.” Read more (subs.)

 

The latest victim in the retail apocalypse? Outlet malls by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, which owns 43 centers in 22 states and is the largest publicly traded pure-play outlet operator in the US, is throwing off some warning signs, experts tell The Post.” Read more

 

Dramatic moment pregnant woman ran down a fleeing man ‘who stole purse from her car’ in Walmart parking lot at Daily Mail. “After she started chasing the man on foot, she quickly realized being five months pregnant she could not keep up the pace, so she got in her car and ran him over in footage captured on camera.” Video/Read more

 

Eye on Retail Tipsheet will return on July 6th!

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Cross-dressing man keeps tying pantyhose to cars in Home Depot parking lot

Mother of Kroger security guard accused of shooting man speaks out

Aldi helps 400 Kenyan farmers through Farm Africa

AMC wants to charge you an extra $5/month to watch its shows without commercials

We’ll consume more than 580 billion water bottles by 2021

RadioShack Creditors’ Lawsuit Says Sprint Killed 6,000 Jobs

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 20,000+ retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.

 

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

Contact us: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net

 

 

 

 

Tipsheet: Prime Day July 10/11 | Wmart Pressures Truck Co’s? | Wgreens Buys 2,186

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Walgreens scraps Rite Aid deal – will buy 2,186 stores instead via CNBC. “Walgreens Boots Alliance terminated its agreement to buy smaller rival Rite Aid after struggling to win antitrust approval, and said it would instead buy 2,186 Rite Aid stores and assets for $5.18 billion in cash. Walgreens also said on Thursday it ended a related deal to sell 865 Rite Aid stores to Fred’s Inc. sending the company’s shares plunging 27 percent in premarket trading.” Read more | Press release

 

Amazon says third annual Prime Day will start July 10, running for 30 hours by Nat Levy at GeekWire. “…the third annual Prime Day will begin at 6 p.m. Pacific on Monday July 10 and run all day July 11…In addition to the extra shopping time, this year’s Prime Day has expanded to 13 countries…Amazon didn’t give much detail about Prime Day deals, but the company did say it is stocking up on TVs.” Read more

 

Pier 1 Q1 Comp Sales Flat “E-Commerce represented approximately 24% of net sales in the first quarter, as compared to approximately 19% of net sales in the first quarter of fiscal 2017.” Press release

 

Walgreens Q3 sales increase 2.1% to $30.1 billion Press release

 

Sobeys parent company post lower fourth-quarter adjusted earnings via Toronto Star. “Sales dropped to about $5.8 billion — with $461.2 million of the decline attributed to last year’s extra week. Same-store sales were also down 1.1 per cent overall, or 1.6 per cent when fuel sales were excluded.” Read more

 

Staples will go private in $7B deal with Sycamore Partners by David L. Harris at Boston Business Journal. “Staples’ stockholders will receive $10.25 per share in cash for each share of common stock they own, which represents a premium of approximately 20 percent to the 10-day volume weighted average stock price…” Read more

 

Walmart escalates war of words with Amazon by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “Walmart is escalating its war of words with Amazon by sending veiled messages to the trucking companies that haul its merchandise from its distribution centers and stores, telling them if they do business with the Web giant it may not want to work with them, according to an industry expert.” Read more

 

Amazon Starts Charm Offensive as Merchants Defect to Wal-Mart by Spencer Soper at Bloomberg. “For merchants, Wal-Mart today is what Amazon was a decade ago: a vast frontier with room to grow. Amazon, by contrast, is so crowded with products and sellers it has become difficult to stand out, forcing merchants to sacrifice some of their profits on advertising.” Read more

 

Blue Apron goes public – raises a third less than it had hoped at Reuters. “The IPO values Blue Apron at $1.89 billion, below the $3.2 billion implied by its previous estimate and the $2.2 billion by its last private fundraising round two years ago.” Read more

 

Advance Auto Parts confirms management job cuts by Amanda Hoyle at Triangle Business Journal. “…the changes impacted about 475 employees, all in corporate, supply chain and field-based management roles. No store-level associate or management positions were affected.” Read more

 

**A message from Lock-it Block-it – Leave windows open AND secure. The Lock-it Block-it is a high-impact security bar that allows windows to stay open AND secure at the same time. Stop burglars – keep the summer breeze. 13 adjustment holes allow for inch-by-inch opening adjustments. Great for sliding doors/windows too! Video | Sell sheet | Retailers request samples: info@shiftmarketinggroup.net

 

Nike Thought It Didn’t Need Amazon—Then the Ground Shifted by Laura Stevens & Sara Germano at Wall Street Journal. “In recent months, Nike realized it was losing negotiating leverage to argue for better brand presentation or eliminate counterfeits as long as Amazon could make money off unsanctioned sales of its product, according to one of the people familiar with the deal. That triggered internal conversations among senior Nike executives about its relationship with Amazon, according to people familiar with the deal.” Read more (subs.)

 

Lowe’s Goes High on Innovation by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “Yet no matter how cool all these innovations may be, Lowe’s has, so far, put them to use in a handful of stores.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart green lights the ‘Banana Wave’ and dozens of other products at annual Open Call by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “Talk Business & Politics interviewed two Wal-Mart buyers who said they saw some of the most inventive items in this year’s event, more so than in other years. Toy buyer Dawn Henry said…buyers are looking for items that don’t feel like a “me too” item.” Read more

 

…Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon told the group he just “wanted to buy items all day and walk up and down the halls saying “yes.” Read more about Open Call

 

QuikTrip to open 100 c-stores in Austin, San Antonio by Ryan Salchert at San Antonio Business Journal. Read more

 

Carrefour’s Brazilian IPO May Raise as Much as $1.7 Billion by Thomas Mulier at Bloomberg. “The grocer’s quarterly same-store revenue in Brazil has climbed between 5.6 percent and 13 percent since the third quarter of 2013, a stellar showing in a nation muddling through a two-year recession that’s the worst on record.” Read more

 

Walgreens to roll out urine, blood testing at some stores at Chicago Tribune. Read more (tiered subs.)

 

QVC Has Quietly Become Successful With Streaming Audiences, and Nearly Half Its Revenue Is From Ecommerce by Sami Main at Adweek. “Mobile, in fact, accounted for 62 percent of the company’s global ecommerce orders and 61 percent of its U.S. ecommerce orders during the first quarter of 2017.” Read more

 

CNBC: Why this store opening should terrify T.J. Maxx “ThredUp, a secondhand e-commerce company that’s been around since 2009 and now processes as many as 100,000 items in a single day, is opening its first store in San Marcos, Texas, today, with four more on the way across the country before the end of the year.” Read more

 

Judge shoots down challenge to J. Crew debt deal at Reuters. “The deal buys J. Crew an additional two years to turn its business around in the face of flagging sales and competition from e-commerce.” Read more

 

Target will open its downtown Minneapolis liquor store on Friday by Dan DeBaun at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “The Wine & Spirits shop is about 3,600 square feet on the first floor of the store, where a food counter used to be.” Pics/Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Vanderbilt says football players suspended after shooting at Target

Don Quijote acquires Hawaii-based Times Supermarkets

Apple Glasses will soon outshine the iPhone, influential analyst says

Earth Fare opens store #41

Amazon disputes claims that Echo Show’s Drop-In feature is a security risk

R2-D2 droid used in ‘Star Wars’ films sells for $2.76 million

Urban Outfitters to Calif. federal court: We’re not Free People

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Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 20,000+ retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.

 

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

Contact us: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net

 

Tipsheet: Kroger CEO @ CNBC | Wmart #21 Patriotic | Target Launches Restock | Tesco Cuts 1,200

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Kroger CEO Appears on CNBC “The [Amazon-Whole Foods] deal didn’t surprise me,” McMullen said in a rare, exclusive interview with CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” on Tuesday. “I think the retail industry is in constant change. We’ve been saying that for years.” Read more/Video | Interview Transcript

 

Target launches Restock home delivery service, takes aim at Amazon by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “Orders placed by 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday will reach customers’ doorsteps by the next day, Target said. That cutoff time is a half-hour later than when Target first announced the program last month. Orders placed over the weekend will arrive on Tuesday.” Read more

 

Best Buy introducing Amazon Alexa and Google Home experiences to 700 U.S. stores by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “Products nearby that can interact with these voice-enabled devices include Nest thermostats, Philips Hue lighting, Insignia Smart Plug, and more.” Read more

 

Tesco to cut 1,200 HQ jobs as part of major cost-cutting drive at Metro. “The supermarket giant informed affected staff on Wednesday morning about the cull, which amounts to 25 per cent of employees at offices in Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart’s new food truck is giving away free sliders by Katherine Peralta at Charlotte Observer. Food truck pic/Read more

 

Top 50 Most Patriotic Brands: Brand Keys (#21 Walmart, #25 L.L.Bean, #30 Amazon) Press release

 

How Female Mentors Helped Barneys’ Marina Larroudé Rise to the Top by Erin E. Clacker at The New Yorker. “Looking back, what advice would you give to your younger self? “I wish someone had told me early on in my career that the higher you move up the ladder, the more you will work. There is no turning off.” Read more

 

**A message from Fabe – Made in Italy, hand-crafted pillows 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. Ergo Praxis Specs | How the pillow is made video | Retailers request samples at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net. 

 

Walmart dominates paid search among online grocery-related terms by Zak Stambor at Internet Retailer. “Walmart’s spending was nearly double of the next-biggest spender, Aldi, which spent $441,000.” Top 10 list

 

Alimentation Couche-Tard obtains clearance from the Competition Bureau in Canada for the acquisition of CST Brands Press release

 

Blue Apron slashes its IPO range at CNBC. “Blue Apron now estimates it will price its IPO at $10 to $11 a share. Previously, the company was expecting to price shares between $15 and $17 apiece.” Read more

 

Newest Nordstrom Pop-In shop looks like the inside of a computer and features tech-focused gear by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “Starting Friday, the latest iteration of the curated shops — Pop-In@Nordstrom: Gets Wired — will open in select stores and online and offer more than 125 tech-themed products for home, fitness, health, travel, accessories, pet care, and more.” Read more

 

STRIPES BATTLE – Forever 21 is Suing Gucci Over Stripes by Stephanie Chan at Hollywood Reporter. “The claim is a response to Italian luxury house Gucci, whose representatives sent a letter in December 2016 demanding Forever 21 “cease and desist from any and all use of blue-red-blue stripes,” according to court documents.” Read more

 

Hank Meijer says dad would have been proud of retailer’s new urban store format by Shandra Martinez at MLive. “(Meijer) is looking at replicating the small format store in other urban areas if it is successful in Grand Rapids, CEO Rick Keyes told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press.” Pics/Video/Read more

 

Southeastern Grocers to Commit All Profits on the Fourth of July to Hope For The Warriors Press release

 

This Amazon-backed media startup has raised $15 million to make a big bet on commerce by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “The company runs the media sites Who What Wear, Byrdie and MyDomaine, making a chunk of its revenue from affiliate fees…Clique also recently unveiled a new shopping app, and has designed and exclusively licensed a line of apparel to Target.” Read more

 

Interview with Antonio Ocaranza, Director, Corporate Communication at Walmart Mexico & Central America at Brand Channel. Q&A

 

MIT’s gas-powered drone is able to stay in the air for five days at a time by Brian Heater at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Yes, this IKEA bowl can start a fire, but it’s not getting recalled by Sarah Whitten at CNBC. “But, it turns out that it’s pretty simple to start a fire in IKEA’s bowl. I know, I did it.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Body found in out-of-order Walmart bathroom by employee after three days

Meet JoJo, Jewel-Osco’s new mascot

Fresh Thyme Taps Roundy’s, Schnucks Vets for C-Suite

Subcontractor for Lowe’s admits to stealing jewelry from homes

Facebook had a plan to promote flu shots, but pulled the plug

People Can’t Get Enough of Trader Joe’s Canned Wine

Electric bike-share rides into SF, jumping ahead of Ford GoBike

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 20,000+ retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.

 

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

Contact us: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Costco’s New Burger | Kohl’s New CFO | Publix #17 w/Gen Y

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YES OR NO? – Skepticism persists around Walgreen-Rite Aid deal by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “Despite recent optimism, multiple sources close to Walgreen remain skeptical about the odds for the drug chain’s $9.7 billion deal to buy Rite Aid. The Federal Trade Commission is expected to vote Thursday.” Read more

 

Lidl announces $100M investment in Georgia by Eric Mandel at Atlanta Business Chronicle. “…will create 250 jobs and invest $100 million over the next five years in a new regional headquarters and distribution center in Cartersville.” Read more

 

Kohl’s Announces Bruce Besanko as CFO “Most recently, Besanko spent four years with Supervalu in financial leadership roles, including chief operating officer and chief financial officer, as well as five years as chief financial officer and chief administrative officer for OfficeMax.” Press release

 

Deadline for FTC review of Cabela’s sale extended by Paige Yowell at Omaha World-Herald. “Cabela’s said Monday that it has agreed to extend the Federal Trade Commission’s review of its deal with Bass Pro Shops until July 5. The deadline was originally set for Wednesday.” Read more

 

100 Best Workplaces for Millennials (Publix #17, QuikTrip #22, REI #54, Sheetz #92) at Fortune.  List

 

Costco is testing a new burger in Seattle, and it might remind you of Shake Shack by Tan Vinh at Seattle Times. “The website Foodbeast, which broke the story of the test burger, appears to have intel from a Costco insider, reporting that the secret sauce is a smoked Thousand Island dressing and that the organic beef patty is served on a challah bun (with romaine lettuce, tomatoes and cheddar).” Read more

 

Instacart CMO Cheryl Law is no longer at the company by Matthew Lynley at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Here Comes Uber Inspired Surge Pricing in Supermarkets by Lisa Botter at The Street. “We are always looking at ways to improve the shopping experience for our customers and are currently trialling electronic shelf edge labels in one of our stores. We’re still at the early stages of this trial and will review feedback from customers and colleagues before deciding next steps,” a Tesco spokesperson said.” Read more

 

Lowe’s completes $512M Maintenance Supply purchase by Jenna Martin at Charlotte Business Journal. Read more

 

Layoff-tracking website littered with comments from Advance Auto Parts workers by Amanda Hoyle at Triangle Business Journal. “Posters to TheLayoff.com estimate that nearly 900 employees mostly in middle-management positions –and some who have been with the company for 20 years or more – have been affected.” Read more

 

Supervalu’s No. 2 executive, Bruce Besanko, will leave next month by Mark Reilly at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “Rob Woseth, Supervalu’s chief strategy officer, will take over as interim CFO, while Controller David Johnson will become interim chief accounting officer.” Read more

 

**A Message from The Original Headache Hat – Don’t Suffer in Silence. Over 36M people suffer from migraines in the U.S. and 1B worldwide. 33% of attacks hit both sides of the head – 25% of U.S. households has a migraine sufferer. Yet no viable solution exists in the market today. Gel packs only stay cold for minutes and don’t cover the head. The Headache Hat is a hands-free, wearable ice pack for migraines, headaches & cooling therapy and has received rave reviews from both consumers and The Migraine World Summit. See it here now. Retailers request sample: info@shiftmarketinggroup.net

 

84 Lumber ad picks up Bronze Lion at Cannes by Patty Tascarella at Pittsburgh Business Times. Read more

 

NRF Chooses Stephanie Martz as General Counsel “Previously, Martz served as chief counsel to Senator Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.” Press release

 

Office Depot Launches “Taking Care of Business” Ad Campaign Press release

 

Amazon’s Prime a more ‘pressing threat’ for Canadian retailers than its Whole Foods acquisition: BMO by Hollie Shaw at Financial Post via Vancouver Sun. “There is a sizable gap in Canadian e-commerce sales between (Amazon) and all the other retailers,” BMO retail analyst Peter Sklar wrote in the report.” Read more

 

Tesco launches one-hour grocery deliveries in London by Natasha Lomas at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Appearances aside, Amazon’s Echo Show and its 7″ touchscreen looks like a hit by Nat Levy at GeekWire. “Reviewers didn’t give Amazon a ton of points on the design, with TechCrunch’s Brian Heater writing that the device looks like it “fell off the back of a RadioShack truck in the late-80s.” That said, Heater predicts the new device will be a boon for Amazon.” Read more

 

PICKING PRODUCE IN-STORE – Infarm wants to put a farm in every grocery store by Steve O’Hear at TechCrunch. “…what potentially sets Infarm apart…is the modular approach and go-to-market strategy it is taking…seeing Infarm place farms not in offsite warehouses but in customer-facing city locations, such as grocery stores, restaurants, shopping malls, and schools, enabling the end-customer to actually pick the produce themselves.” Read more

 

MASSACHUSETTS – Pharmacy exec gets nine years in prison for outbreak that killed 76 and made 778 people sick at Daily Mail. “Prosecutors had asked US District Judge Richard Stearns to sentence Cadden to at least 35 years in prison.” Read more

 

Charles Holley, Ex-Walmart CFO: What CEOs Want—and Need—From Their CFOs at Wall Street Journal. Read more (subs.)

 

Houzz, an online marketplace for home furnishings, has raised $400 million by Matt Linder at Internet Retailer. “Houzz, which says it has “over nine million products available for purchase from more than 20,000 sellers” on its online marketplace, is targeting an international audience with its latest round of funding.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

At least 17 registered sex offenders list Walmart store as home address

Ex- CEO of Natural Markets Food Group joins Albertsons as group VP of merchandising

Asda is named worst supermarket in treatment of suppliers

Bass Pro names new president for boat division

Why Walmart Is Being Sued by the Family of a Slain Uber Driver

Eddie Bauer to explore options including sale

Oscar Mayer adds the first hot-dog delivering drone to its Wienermobile fleet

How Baking Soda Could Help Fight Deadly Superbugs

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 20,000+ retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.

 

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

Contact us: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Wmart Happy Hour Flip-Flop | H.Depot Tornado | Brewer @ Forum | Saks Amazon Windows

/in

 

It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere—Unless You’ve Been Acquired by Wal-Mart by Sarah Nassauer & Brian Baskin at Wall Street Journal via Fortune. “Those moves backfired. According to the Journal, Jet executives complained that fewer employees were attending happy hour after it was moved off-site. To its credit, Walmart reversed its stance, allowing happy hour to return to the Jet office and loosening similar restrictions on other recently-acquired startups.” Read more | WSJ article (subs.)

 

With its ‘endless aisle’ Walmart Canada takes another swipe at Amazon by Hollie Shaw at Financial Post. “If you own the centre of the plate, there is a halo effect,” (CEO Tappenden) said. “If people are willing to buy meat from you, they are likely to have trust on produce, trust in grocery, trust on laundry. (Meat) is the hardest one to get trust on.” Read more

 

Ex-Sam’s Club CEO offers advice at 2017 Women’s Leadership Forum by Jessica Saunders at Atlanta Business Chronicle. “About 400 women crowded into the ballroom of the Cobb Galleria Centre to hear Brewer kick off the 2017 Women’s Leadership Forum with a keynote address Friday morning…” Read more/Pics

 

CLOUT? – Amazon’s Grocery Ambitions Spell Trouble for Big Food Brands by Annie Gasparro & Laura Stevens at Wall Street Journal. “But Susquehanna Financial Group analyst Pablo Zuanic says Amazon and Whole Foods’ combined share of about 4% of U.S. grocery sales hasn’t enough “clout” to hurt big food companies in the way of bargaining power.” Read more (subs.)

 

Gymboree’s lenders working on comeback strategy for retailer by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “They are nearly done restructuring the leases for the 900 stores that will remain open, and believe the new leases will save the company $20 million a year, according to a source. “Tenants right now have a lot of leverage,” the source said, adding that Gymboree is closing roughly 400 stores.” Read more

 

Jeff Bezos says Amazon will ‘keep investing’ in India as rivals raise new war chests by Jon Russell at TechCrunch. “Bezos went public with his continued commitment to the country in a tweet that followed a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington.” Read more

 

…Top US Business Leaders Who Attended the Roundtable (McMillon, Cook, Bezos) via The Economic Times. List

 

A street fight among grocers to deliver your milk, eggs, bananas by Rachel Abrams at NY Times via CNBC. “…When he asks for directions, the man working at the service entrance yells at him: “You don’t know, you should tell me you don’t know!” But rudeness, Mr. Browne says, is just one of the things he has to deal with. He’s still got to get in and out, in and out. Nineteen stops to go.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart not considering Whole Foods bid via CNBC. 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. Protect your home with Sarge video | Facebook page

 

The New Model of Lowe’s Stores Opens in Canada “…designed by taking the best of Lowe’s and RONA’s offering, to create the new model of Lowe’s stores.” Press release

 

Wal-Mart closing dazes Arkansas town by Robbie Neiswanger at Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. “I think it’s a shame Wal-Mart is leaving,” (Mayor) Cherry said. “I’m just personally hurt. I didn’t like it when Wal-Mart moved in here. I had a small business at that time, and it hurt us. It put a lot of Waldron businesses out of business.” Read more

 

Barney’s New York is stocking a ‘paper clip’ for $180 at Daily Mail. Read more

 

Large Harvard Study Adds to Evidence That Chocolate Could Have Heart Health Benefits by Sy Mukherjee at Fortune. “The analysis conducted by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Danish scientists involved more than 55,500 people. Those who ate two to six servings per week had a 20% lower chance of the irregular heartbeats.” Read more

 

Amazon Robots Poised to Revamp How Whole Foods Runs Warehouses by Spencer Soper & Alex Sherman at Bloomberg. “In negotiations, Amazon spent a lot of time analyzing Whole Foods’ distribution technology, pointing to a possible way in which the company sees the most immediate opportunities to reduce costs, said a person familiar with the matter.” Read more

 

Watch: Confirmed tornado rips through Home Depot parking lot in New Jersey at Philly Enquirer. Video

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Saks Fifth Avenue Honors Amazon Shows with Five Fashionable Windows

Thousands of Kickstarter backers still waiting on Coolest Cooler may have to wait another 3 years

Man Admits He Helped Steal 94,000 Credit, Debit Card Numbers From Michaels Stores

Edgenet Hires Former Lowe’s Leader Alex Panzano as SVP of Strategy

Chicago’s New Apple Store Will Have a Giant Macbook on its Roof (Video)

Anthem agrees to pay record $115M to settle data breach suit

Former Staples CEO named JFK Library Foundation chairman

110-year-old passes – loved shopping at Neiman Marcus & Nordstrom

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 20,000+ retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.

 

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

Contact us: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Target Pulls Hampton Creek | Jet Prez’s Bookie Grandpa | Bed/Bath -2% | F.Line -1.1%

/in

 

Bed Bath & Beyond Q1 Comp Sales -2.0% “Net sales for the fiscal 2017 first quarter were approximately $2.7 billion, an increase of approximately 0.1% from the prior year quarter.” Press release

 

Target Begins Removing Hampton Creek’s Products From Stores by Olivia Zaleski at Bloomberg. “The Target spokeswoman said the company received allegations of food safety concerns as well as accusations of manipulation and adulteration of Hampton Creek’s products. She said one concern involved reports of pathogens found in a manufacturing facility used by Hampton Creek. Target also received allegations that Hampton Creek products had tested positive for salmonella and listeria.” Read more

 

Finish Line Q1 Comp Sales -1.1% “Consolidated net sales were $429.8 million, a decrease of 0.1% over the prior year period. Finish Line Macy’s sales increased 13.6%.” Press release

 

BOOKIE GRANDPA – Jet’s Liza Landsman, Sam’s Club Tracey Brown share insights, like not working with ‘jerks’ by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “Jet.com President Liza Landsman honed her math and analytical problem solving skills from an early age thanks to a grandfather who was a bookie and spent a lot of time with her at the horse track…Tracey Brown, chief experience officer at Sam’s Club, interviewed Landsman at the (LPGA) event.” Read more

 

Dollar General Names Jason Reiser as Chief Merchandising Officer “…he served as the chief merchandising officer at Family Dollar from 2013 to 2016. Reiser started his retail career as a pharmacy manager for Walmart. From there, he rose through the ranks to positions of increasing responsibility. He served as vice president, merchandising, health and family care for Sam’s Club from 2010 to 2013.” Press release

 

Lenders ask judge to hit J.Crew with restraining order by Josh Kosman and Julia Marsh at NY Post. “Just when J.Crew thought it had fixed its debt mess, a group of creditors is raising a fresh ruckus in court over the retailer’s unusual deal to fix its balance sheet…They allege J.Crew reported numbers for the period ended July 30, 2016 that were not based on “factually supportable” assumptions and therefore defaulted on its loan agreement, court papers said.” Read more

 

In its 100th year, Omaha Steaks works to stay relevant by Barbara Soderlin at Omaha World-Herald. “Asked if Blue Apron-style meal kits may be on the way, Simon said, “I can’t tell you all about it, but you’ll be seeing some new meal stuff coming from us later this year.” Read more

 

**A message from Fabe – Made in Italy, hand-crafted pillows 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. Ergo Praxis Specs | How the pillow is made video | Retailers request samples at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net. 

 

Kroger executive refuses to believe everyone will get their groceries delivered by Steve Watkins at Cincinnati Business Courier. “Mike Schlotman: ‘I mean, humans are social animals and we thrive on interaction with one another. The good news is food is one of the things that’s at the center of social interaction today.'” Read more

 

Wal-Mart could enter a bidding war with Amazon over Whole Foods, JPMorgan says by Tae Kim at CNBC. “The analysts said if Wal-Mart does bid for Whole Foods it is unlikely to win…”We don’t believe a serious bid comes out of Bentonville that wouldn’t be countered,” the report said.” Read more

 

…Kroger CEO mum on Whole Foods counter bid by Alexander Coolidge at Cincinnati Enquirer. Read more

 

SHRINK – Retailers losing big bucks due to theft, inventory shrink, says NRF by Matthew Kazin at Fox Business. “…inventory shrink grew to $48.9 billion in 2016 from $45.2 billion the year prior…Nearly half (48.8 percent) of retailers surveyed said they saw an increase in inventory shrink…Shoplifting accounted for the most losses, averaging $798.48 per incident, up $377 from 2015.” Read more

 

Amazon aims to charge $2.8 million for NFL ad packages via CNBC. Read more

 

WPP’s Martin Sorrell Says Whole Foods Deal Could Up Amazon’s Ad Game by Jack Marshall at Wall Street Journal. “Amazon still isn’t a big digital ad player — eMarketer predicts it will generate $1.81 billion in ad revenue worldwide this year, for a 0.8% market share. Beyond Amazon, Mr. Sorrell once again expressed concern about the growing power of the online ad “duopoly” of Google and Facebook…The two companies currently control 75% of digital advertising, he estimated.” Read more (subs.)

 

Sears Opens First Appliances & Mattresses Store Press release

 

…Sears Canada to cut 2,900 jobs, close 59 stores in restructuring by Francine Kopun at Toronto Star. Read more

 

Cramer: This market is scared of Amazon, and it’s fighting back at CNBC. “Something’s happening now. Something … no one seems to be noticing, and that’s the characterization seeping in that Amazon, loved by consumers, might end up being viewed as the evil empire,” Cramer said.” Read more

 

Krebs: Why So Many Top Hackers Hail from Russia Read more

 

IKEA Is Investigating Reports of a Shiny Serving Bowl Setting Stuff on Fire by Jennifer Calfas at Fortune. “The man, Richard Walter, posted a video on Facebook of a piece of paper smoking after he set it over his bowl.” Pic/Video/Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

There Could Be Ketamine in Your ‘Natural’ Chicken

JC Penney and Dillard’s are about to be kicked out of this big index

Couple find the largest ever intact Native American canoe measuring 33 feet and dating back 1,000 years

Key NFL exec explains Amazon’s football streaming deal

Woman suing Wal-Mart after maggot-filled Almond Joy leads to injury

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop under fire after sharing phony information

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

***

Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 20,000+ retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.

 

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

Contact us: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Should Target Outsource Grocery? | H.Depot 4×4 Lawsuit | Kroger Glad Lidl Store Open | Etsy Cuts 22%

/in

 

BRAVE FACE – Kroger Is Oddly ‘Excited’ About Being Invaded By Lidl by Lindsay Rittenhouse at The Street. “I’m glad their stores are finally open,” Kroger CFO Michael Schlotman said at Oppenheimer’s Consumer Conference on Wednesday, June 21…One of the biggest markdowns Schlotman highlighted at Wednesday’s conferences was on the price of a half-gallon carton of milk. He said at some of those southern stores, milk is sold for 99 cents.” Read more

 

Menards, Home Depot face lawsuits over descriptions of 4x4s by Rick Romell at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “They haven’t measured 4 inches by 4 inches since the ‘50s,” Scott Sunila said after loading purchases from the Germantown store into the bed of his pickup. “My God, that’s crazy,” the 60-year-old bulldozer operator said of the lawsuits. “Let me on the jury. They ain’t winning. And they’re gonna pay me extra for my time.” Read more

 

Etsy will cut 15 percent of its workforce in a new round of layoffs by Catherine Shu at TechCrunch. “When combined with an earlier downsizing announced in early May, this round brings total eliminated positions to about 230, or about 22 percent of what Etsy’s total workforce was at the end of 2016.” Read more

 

Sycamore Partners in advanced talks to buy Staples, with deal potentially topping $6 billion via CNBC. “An agreement could be announced as early as next week, though negotiations between Sycamore and Staples are continuing and there is still a possibility that deal discussions could fall apart, the sources added.” Read more

 

…Lady Gaga Teams Up with Staples for Education Press release

 

Wayfair’s co-founders are now worth a combined $2.74 billion by Tom Metcalf at Bloomberg. “I probably spent three years bugging Niraj to take my money,” said Alex Finkelstein, a venture capitalist at Spark Capital who led a $165 million investment round in 2011 and served on Wayfair’s board until 2015. “They built the company to an incredible scale without raising money. They didn’t need to as they always ran it profitably.” Read more

 

Hollywood Reporter’s 100 Most Powerful People in Entertainment Top 100 list

 

**A Message from Headache Hat – Wearable Ice Pack is a Hands-Free Migraine Fighter! High-tech stretch material is form fitting, soft and stylish. Contains 24 real ice cubes coated in thin plastic. Wrap around your head and enjoy 2 hours of cold ice. Cubes individually moveable to target pain points. No more lukewarm gel packs! Named a top product by The Migraine World Summit. See it here now. Request sample @ info@shiftmarketinggroup.net

 

New Products Are Coming At a Staggering Pace, Home Depot Says by Lindsay Rittenhouse at The Street. “Home Depot’s Ted Decker, EVP of merchandising, said at Wednesday’s conference that new products like battery-powered outdoor tools including lawnmowers and hedge trimmers, compared to gas-powered, are “transforming the industry.” “The pace of innovation in new product introduction is staggering,” Decker said. “We have a quarterly new product book. It’s hundreds of pages.” Read more | Conference transcript

 

MATCH – Ebay will now match Amazon’s, Walmart’s and others’ prices on over 50,000 items by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. “In order to qualify, the item must be one of the new, unopened items sold daily through eBay Deals, for starters.” Read more

 

NO MATCH – Walmart adds Minnesota stores to locations that will no longer match rivals’ prices by John Ewoldt at Star Tribune. “The move is an extension of a test that began last year as the country’s largest retailer quit price-matching in about 800 of its 5,000 U.S. stores.” Read more

 

Jet.com Agency Wins Grand Prix in Media by Katie Richards at Adweek. “Back in February, R/GA released a Super Bowl campaign for Jet.com, but it didn’t run during the Super Bowl and it wasn’t exactly a Super Bowl ad. The ads featured a bunch of “Super Bowls,” from ice cream bowls to decorative bowls, that could all be purchased on Jet.com.” Read more

 

Hacked: How Business Is Fighting Back Against the Explosion in Cybercrime by Jeff John Roberts & Adam Lashinsky at Fortune. Read more

 

…Here Are 10 of the Biggest Corporate Hacks in History (Target, Home Depot, Tesco) by Jeff John Roberts at Fortune. Read more

 

JD.com invests $397M into luxury marketplace Farfetch by Catherine Shu at TechCrunch. Read more

 

J.Crew’s lenders consent to amend loan terms, buying the apparel retailer more time by Lauren Thomas at CNBC. “If J.Crew’s lenders hadn’t consented, this could have sped up the retailer’s path to a potential bankruptcy — something many people who follow the company have been watching.” Read more

 

The 2017 Civic 50 Honorees (CVS, Food Lion, General Mills) Full list

 

Target’s Been Talking Food for a Decade. Now Amazon Could Eat Bullseye’s Lunch by Matthew Boyle at Bloomberg. “Some analysts think Target should just outsource its grocery aisles to a supermarket specialist as it’s done with its pharmacy business, which since December 2015 has been operated by CVS Health Corp.” Read more

 

Speculation for Uber’s Next CEO Includes Walmart’s Karenann Terrell & CVS’s Helena Foulkes at Fortune. Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Wisconsin is now the third state to allow delivery robots

‘Downton Abbey’ Movie Aims for Production in 2018

A Chinese bike-sharing startup has closed because riders stole almost all their bikes

Jeff Bezos has advice for the news business: ‘Ask people to pay. They will pay’

Harley-Davidson could be looking to buy Ducati

Walmart responds to social media rumors about system hack

Grocery store odor was like “shopping in a toilet that hasn’t been flushed for months”

Aggressive bees attack in California, killing dog and stinging several people

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

***

Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 20,000+ retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.

 

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

Contact us: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Walmart Tech “Bully”? | Costco #88 CEO | D.Gen New CIO | Dick’s New Tech Center

/in

 

Amazon Prime is testing a try-before-you-buy option on up to 15 pieces of clothing at a time by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “The service — called Prime Wardrobe — lets customers pick from more than a million products across men’s and women’s fashion, as well as baby clothing. Shoppers have to order at least three items on the low end, but can order up to 15 pieces in a box. Keep three or four items, and customers save 10 percent. Keep five or more and the discount increases to 20 percent.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart to Vendors: Get Off Amazon’s Cloud by Jay Greene & Laura Stevens at Wall Street Journal. “It shouldn’t be a big surprise that there are cases in which we’d prefer our most sensitive data isn’t sitting on a competitor’s platform,” he said, adding that it’s a “small number.” An Amazon spokeswoman referred to Wal-Mart’s moves as attempts to “bully” tech suppliers. “Tactics like this are bad for business and customers,” the spokeswoman said.” Read more (subs.)

 

…Walmart Gears Up Anti-Amazon Stance in Wake of Whole Foods Deal by Barb Darrow at Fortune. Read more

 

Dollar General Names Carman Wenkoff as Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer “Wenkoff most recently served as chief information officer and chief digital officer for Subway® restaurants…” Press release

 

Dick’s to open San Diego technology center by Paul J. Gough at Pittsburgh Business Times. “The center will support the Team Sports HQ digital division that works with youth sports associations around the U.S. on digital platforms and administration.” Read more

 

CEO of The Fresh Market resigns after less than two years at the helm by John Brasier at Triad Business Journal. “Apollo Global Management, which acquired The Fresh Market last year, has appointed Brian Nicholson, chief financial officer of The Fresh Market as interim CEO, “while a search is conducted” the source told TBJ.” Read more

 

Nike may be close to selling products directly on Amazon, according to Goldman Sachs’ Lindsay Drucker Mann via Seeking Alpha

 

Frank Yiannas, VP of Food Safety at Walmart Gives Update on “Blockchain” Partnership with IBM by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “Without the blockchain technology it took Wal-Mart nearly seven days to trace the mango back to the farm. That time was reduced to two seconds using blockchain…” Read more

 

Glassdoor’s 2017 Top 100 CEOs (HEB #16, Apple #53, Ikea #58, Best Buy #77, REI #86, Costco #88, Nordstrom #98) Top 100 list

 

**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. Protect your home with Sarge video | Facebook page

 

More than one-third of shoppers said they “feel nothing” when asked about their initial reaction after shopping in stores by Lauren Thomas at CNBC. Read more

 

Grainger, Groupon and Home Depot speed up their mobile sites by April Berthene at Internet Retailer. Top 10 list

 

WATCH: Giant tree is hoisted into the Amazon Spheres in milestone planting by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “An attempt to lift the tree on June 12 was stopped over concern for the stability of the box holding the tree’s root ball. Eight days later, with a crowd of Amazon and Sellen construction workers and others looking on, a giant crane made short work of the job.” Video/Pics/Read more

 

How to Survive the Retail Crisis: A Master Class from T.J. Maxx by Suzanne Kapner at Wall Street Journal. “Little is known publicly about how the retailer executes its strategy, and TJX declined to make current executives available for interviews. The Wall Street Journal pieced together how the company operates from conversations with former executives and people familiar with its business practices…” Read more (subs.)

 

57% of Consumers Will Boycott a Brand That Doesn’t Share Their Social Beliefs by Kristina Monllos at Adweek. Read more

 

Alibaba founder Jack Ma to be interviewed by CNBC today at 9am ET

 

Theranos, Walgreens to settle lawsuit for less than $30 million via Morningstar | WSJ article (subs.)

 

CVS emerges as top drug chain for food shopping on 2017 Love List by David Salazar at Drug Store News. “Wal-Mart topped the list for millennial food enthusiasts surveyed, and Target came in second place among millennials. The top drug chain was CVS, which came in eighth among millennial food enthusiasts, followed by Walgreens at 10.” Read more

 

2017 Restaurant Customer Satisfaction Survey (#1: Cracker Barrel & Chick-fil-A) at ACSI. Download report

 

Sears Canada preparing to seek creditor protection by John Tilak at Reuters. “The business may be sold off in pieces after the court filing which will likely lead to liquidation, the person said.” Read more

 

Batman came to the rescue, literally, at a Texas Walmart at Fox News. “Batman says ‘I want you to know I have this Batman costume on but I’m an off-duty police officer,” Anthony Drake, a Walmart community involvement member, told Fox 4 News. The suspected shoplifter was issued a citation since the value of the DVDs was less than $100. But the suspect didn’t leave until he got a selfie with Batman.” Pics/Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

U.S. Supreme Court ruling threatens massive talc litigation against J&J

Feds say man used 173 accounts to scam Lowe’s of $2.6 million

Aspiring Country Singer Stuns Walmart Shoppers With ‘Hurricane’

‘Star Wars’ Han Solo Spinoff: Lord & Miller Fired After Clash

Meet the CEO of Halsey Inc.

Inside the drug-addled, sex-crazed world of Van Halen

Disney Sued for Allegedly Stealing the Concept for the Movie Inside Out

First look: LinkedIn’s newly renovated Mountain View campus (pics)

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

***

Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 20,000+ retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.

 

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

Contact us: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net