Tipsheet: Mackey’s ‘Tinder’ Talk | Lore Mentors Paltrow | Ulta CEO Q&A | Spacey Joins Target

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CAME TOGETHER QUICK – Amazon Met Whole Foods Just Six Weeks Ago—But It’s No ‘Tinder Relationship’ by Todd Bishop at GeekWire. “It’s been a whirlwind courtship,” Mackey said. “Little over six weeks after we met on this blind date, we’re officially engaged, as of today. But like an old traditional marriage, where there are all kinds of rules and chaperones, we can’t consummate the marriage, until we’re actually officially hooked up. … This is not a Tinder relationship.” Read more | Meeting transcript

 

…Whole Foods CEO Hints at Launching Another Brand Under Amazon via Fortune. “Amazon plans to keep the natural grocer’s high standards, Whole Foods Chief Executive John Mackey said, adding, “They’re not stupid enough to go change that.” But Mackey, at the Friday town hall, said, “Over time, there could be other formats that evolve that—that might—wouldn’t be branded Whole Foods Market, potentially, wouldn’t be our standards.” Read more

 

Kevin Spacey, 50 Cent and NBA stars join Target for $170M investment in Casper by Anthony Noto at New York Business Journal. Read more

 

MENTOR – Gwyneth Paltrow Gets Advice From Walmart’s Marc Lore by Jack Neff at Ad Age. “Marc Lore [CEO of Walmart eCommerce U.S.] is a new mentor of mine. He’s obviously an e-commerce genius. He’s incredibly helpful to me. …I have a business coach. It takes a village, as they say.” Read more (tiered subs.)

 

One of the Amazon execs leading its cashierless ‘store of the future’ has left the company by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “Bali Raghavan, whose LinkedIn profile describes his last Amazon role as “Director — Just Walk Out Technology, Amazon Go,” has joined the heavily funded real estate startup Opendoor as its vice president of engineering.” Read more

 

Governor attends Costco chicken plant groundbreaking in Nebraska by Barbara Soderlin at Omaha World-Herald. “..it makes sense for Costco to have more control over its own supply, said Jonathan Luz, director of strategic planning and infrastructure development for Costco…“Our need is abnormally regular,” he said.” Read more

 

How Ulta CEO Mary Dillon Defines Beauty & Her Perfect Chicago Day by J.P.Anderson at Michigan Avenue. “If I weren’t a CEO: “I think I’d be in showbiz [laughs]. If there’s ever any opportunity to get up and do karaoke or lead people in a line dance or something, I’m the first person there.” Read Q&A

 

Southeastern Grocers CEO Exits “Anthony Hucker, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer, will assume the responsibilities of President and Chief Executive Officer on an interim basis following the resignation of Ian McLeod to take up another opportunity.” Press release

 

Harris Teeter makes its return to Charlotte’s Sedgefield neighborhood on Tuesday by Jennifer Thomas at Charlotte Business Journal. 16 pics/Read more

 

UPS Will Charge More for Holiday Season Deliveries by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “UPS on Monday announced a new 27 cent surcharge on all U.S. ground shipments to homes between Nov. 19 and Dec. 2…and again from December 17-23.” Read more

 

**A message from PaintPincher – Never Waste Paint Again! The PaintPincher is an ingenious 8-in-1 paint can spatula that recovers paint, stain, adhesives and more from gallon and quart cans, leaving them 99.9% clean. The PaintPincher is great for Pro and DIY painters and can save up to a cup of paint per gallon! Video | Website | Request sample: info@shiftmarketinggroup.net

 

Ontario pharmacists to be required to report errors by Sammy Hudes at Toronto Star. “The move comes after Andrew Sheldrick, 8, died last year of a toxic overdose of baclofen, a muscle relaxant drug, according to a coroner’s report.” Read more

 

BANKRUPT – Apparel chain Papaya Clothing files for bankruptcy by Matt Linder at Internet Retailer. “Among its assets are the retailer’s more than 80 store locations and its 75,000 square foot headquarters that is also home to its online fulfillment center.” Read more

 

Costco Inks $9M Deal To End Calif. Pharmacists’ OT Suit by Dave Simpson at Law 360. “Under the agreement outlined in Friday’s motion for preliminary settlement approval, Costco Wholesale Corp. will pay nearly $5,000 apiece to roughly 1,175 pharmacists and pharmacist managers with Costco tenure dating back to April 2010.” Read more (subs.)

 

Amazon Pay rolls out its first payments integration on Instagram by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. “When a user sees something they want to buy on Moda’s Instagram, they can now check out using their Amazon log-in info, removing the need to manually type in address and other payment information.” Read more

 

Mall Landlords Roll the Dice With Tech Investments by Esther Fung at Wall Street Journal. “Some of the investments aren’t faring so well. Macerich Co., one of the biggest U.S. mall owners, last quarter wrote off $10 million invested in a startup that purported to help online and European retailers expand their physical store presence in the U.S.” Read more (subs.)

 

RADIO STAR – Home Depot #1 national advertiser at radio for nine consecutive weeks at Inside Radio. “The top 10 for the week ending June 19 is also quite familiar: Home Depot at 1, iHeartRadio at 2, Lowe’s at 3, GEICO at 4, JC Penney at 5, AutoZone at 6, McDonald’s at 7, Macy’s at 8, O’Reilly Auto Parts at 9 and Staples at 10.” Read more

 

Fed. Circ. Clears Amazon Of Infringing Bar Code Reader IP by Matthew Bultman at Law 360. Read more (subs.)

 

Stitch Fix has hired a new CFO. An IPO probably comes next. by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “Paul Yee was most recently the global chief financial officer at People Against Dirty, the parent company of the household product brand Method. Before that, Yee served as the vice president of finance and investor relations at Peet’s Coffee; he has also worked at Gap and Old Navy.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Why Neiman Marcus Group’s Karen Katz Believes We All Need to Listen More

Lowe’s Canada to open new Winnipeg store in 2018

Mooresville Costco OK-ed in second vote ordered by a judge

Jeff Bezos accepts top aerospace award and Father’s Day pancakes in one weekend

Inc.: 25 Groundbreaking Companies to Watch in 2017

Woman at Target creates ‘Twitter storm’ after moving NASA shirts to girls’ section

Nearly 200M U.S. Voters’ Personal Data Accidentally Leaked by Firm Contracted by RNC

What happened inside President Trump’s meeting with top tech CEOs

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

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Buckle Breach | JCP CEO Best Dad | W.Foods Job Cuts? | ‘Bags of Cash’

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Amazon Said to Plan Cuts to Shed Whole Foods’ Pricey Image by Spencer Soper & Craig Giammona at Bloomberg. “Amazon expects to reduce headcount and change inventory to lower prices…according to a person with knowledge of the company’s grocery plans. That included potentially using technology to eliminate cashiers. An Amazon spokesman denied any job cuts were planned.” Read more

 

Here’s Who Helped Amazon Clinch Blockbuster Whole Foods Deal via Fortune. “Goldman had laid the ground for this moment. Last year, it dispatched senior bankers to several North American cities where big companies are based, including Atlanta, Toronto and Seattle…” Read more

 

Will Amazon Pay Big to Unwind Instacart/Whole Foods Contract? by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “Instacart and Whole Foods signed a five-year delivery contract in early 2016, Recode first reported, meaning they are in just Year 2 of the deal. At the time, sources said that the deal had some exclusivity around the delivery of perishables, which perhaps means there’s an opening for Amazon to take over delivery of packaged goods and prepared foods.” Read more

 

Credit Card Breach at Buckle Stores at Krebs on Security. ” The Buckle Inc. released a statement saying that point-of-sale malware was indeed found installed on cash registers at Buckle retail stores, and that the company believes the malware was stealing customer credit card data between Oct. 28, 2016 and April 14, 2017. The Buckle said purchases made on its online store were not affected.” Read more | Buckle statement

 

Sights & Sounds from Lidl’s First U.S. Stores at Field Agent. “Among agents with convenient access to their designated Lidl store (n = 26), 65% said they’re completely likely to purchase groceries from the retailer again in the future, while another 19% said they’re very likely.” Video/Read more

 

Blue Apron expects IPO price range of $15 to $17 per share, valuation of about $3 billion by Angelica LaVito at CNBC. Read more

 

Activist Land & Buildings Takes 4.3% Stake in Hudson’s Bay at Wall Street Journal. “Land & Buildings Investment Management LLC, which has accumulated a stake of roughly 4.3% in Hudson’s Bay Co., said in a letter that is expected to be delivered to the company’s board Monday that its real estate is worth four times the stock price.” Read more (subs.)

 

HAPPENING THIS WEEK – Home Depot & Kroger Present at Jefferies Global Consumer Conference on June 21st

 

BEST DAD – How JCPenney CEO Never Misses His Kids’ Special Moments by Sheena Butler-Young at Footwear News. “Marvin Ellison: ‘I’m a person who travels a lot — all around the country and literally all around the world. But not one time have I missed a parent-teacher conference, a band concert or sporting event for my two children. When people ask me how that’s possible with such a busy schedule, I tell them I have a full-proof way to determine what’s important to people: I don’t listen to what they say, I simply look at their calendar because the calendar dictates priorities’.” Read more

 

We tested Amazon’s new Dash Wand with Alexa: Here’s what worked, and what didn’t by Clare McGrane at GeekWire. “Unlike the Echo devices, you need to push a button on the Wand to activate Alexa, making it inconvenient for a baker with hands full of dough, or someone making dinner with messy hands. The Wand also doesn’t have integration with some basic functions that would make it a useful kitchen aid, namely a timer.” Video/Read more

 

World’s largest meatpacker, Brazil-based JBS, is weighing plans to open its first retail stores in North America by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “An internal team working at JBS’ Miami area-offices is developing the designs and coming up with a name for the stores. One under consideration is “Cut 40,” the source said. The stores would be less than 2,000 square feet.” Read more

 

Jack Ma Woos Mom and Pop Shops in U.S. Jobs Push by Selina Wang at Bloomberg. Read more

 

**A Message from Headache Hat – Wearable Ice Pack = The Original 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

 

Walmart pays $310 million in cash for Bonobos – not clear if Bonobos will continue to sell in Nordstrom, which also was an investor in the startup by Jason Del Rey at Recode. Read more

 

Bankrupt Gordmans set to vacate HQ by end of July by Russell Hubbard at Omaha World-Herald. Read more

 

IKEA is selling some of its products — even the Swedish meatball sauce — on Amazon now by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. Read more

 

ANY BUYERS LEFT? – Bass Pro could be forced to sell some stores if deal with Cabela’s goes through by Paige Yowell at Omaha World-Herald. “So what’s taking so long? Maybe they’re getting asked to divest a store or two,” said John Maysles, an analyst with Elevation Securities who has been following the deal. “If that’s the case, who’s out there to buy that store?” Read more

 

Stitch Fix founder built one of the few successful e-commerce subscription services by Tracey Lien at LA Times via Seattle Times. Read more

 

Lululemon Has Invested in a Cycling Apparel Startup by John Kell at Fortune. “Lululemon said it has made a minority investment in 7mesh Industries, a startup based in nearby Squamish, British Columbia, that is a purveyor of $250 cycling jackets and $140 shorts.” Read more

 

Life and death in Apple’s forbidden city by Brian Merchant at The Guardian. “But it turns out that there’s a secret way into the heart of the infamous operation: use the bathroom. I couldn’t believe it. Thanks to a simple twist of fate and some clever perseverance by my fixer, I’d found myself deep inside so-called FoxconnCity.” Read more

 

Exclusive: Behind the scenes on a Nike factory junket at Portland Business Journal. “In January 2016, Nike took three university athletic directors to Southeast Asia. The group visited Nike contract factories in Vietnam and China, toured various sights, ate gourmet meals and stayed at luxury hotels. The Business Journal obtained records, itineraries and photos of the trip through public records requests.” 40 pics / Read more

 

Fidget spinner factories demand ‘bags of cash’ from suppliers by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “The ball-bearing weights that cause the spinners to move are in short supply — and some charge that Asian manufacturers are hoarding them and asking for much higher prices than the roughly 25 cents apiece they used to charge.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

The making of the iPhone: ‘It’s the reason I’m divorced’

Lowe’s to remain Jimmy Johnson’s primary sponsor through at least the 2018 season

Amazon is granted an anti-showrooming patent

AOL co-founder Steve Case lists his Northern Virginia estate for $49.5M

Macy’s new CEO is so confident in the company, he just bought 13,085 shares

Trump’s criticism of Amazon looms over its Whole Foods deal

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Tipsheet: Publix Deep Fryer Death | W.Foods CEO Outs “Greedy Bastards” | Kroger -0.2% | Kohl’s CEO @ Fox

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Kroger Q1 comp sales (ex-fuel) -0.2% Press release

 

…Kroger Shares Slide as Grocer Is Battered by Price Fight by Austen Huffard at Wall Street Journal. “Shares of the company, which had fallen 12% so far this year through Wednesday’s close, dropped another 13% in premarket trading as the grocer also cut its forecast. Kroger had posted a 13-year streak of growing quarterly sales before the trend downward began.” Read more (subs.)

 

Whole Foods CEO John Mackey calls activist investor Jana ‘greedy bastards’ by Lauren Thomas at CNBC. “They’re putting a bunch of propaganda out there, trying to destroy my reputation and the reputation of Whole Foods, because it’s in their self-interest to do so,” Mackey said in an interview with TexasMonthly.” Read more

 

The Wegmans grocery chain is introducing delivery in partnership with Instacart by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “The partnership will start in the Washington, D.C., suburbs of northern Virginia and Maryland and expand to other markets including the Boston area in the near future. Within a few months, the partnership will cover a few dozen of Wegmans’ stores, an Instacart exec said.” Read more

 

Suit: Man died after falling into deep fryer at Publix store by Amanda C. Coyne at Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Blount was standing with his left leg on the cover while he cleaned the vent. Suddenly, the fryer cover gave way and Blount’s left leg fell into the deep fryer, the suit says.” Read more

 

Amazon unveils $20 Dash Wand with Alexa for voice-enabled grocery ordering and home controls by Todd Bishop at GeekWire. “Say it or scan a barcode. It’s added to your shopping cart. Just say “paper towels.” Water-resistant, durable design, and magnetic so you can stick it on your fridge.” Video/Read more

 

Kohl’s CEO on border tax: Consumers will pay more at Fox Business. “Kohl’s CEO Kevin Mansell on the state of the retail sector and the potential impact of a border adjustment tax.” Video

 

**A Message from Headache Hat – Wearable Ice Pack = The Original 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

 

RIPPLE EFFECT? – Winn-Dixie ordered to update website for the blind by John O’Brien at Legal News Line. “In what is believed to be the first lawsuit of its kind to go to trial, a Florida federal judge has ruled for a blind man who has filed nearly 70 lawsuits alleging that various companies’ websites violate the Americans with Disabilities Act.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart exec talks about innovations tested abroad, consumer expectations rising ‘dramatically’ by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “(Scott) Price said Wal-Mart has delivered groceries in Mexico for 20 years…That moved online and the Superama…is making one hour deliveries in 98 Mexican cities. A challenge to online ordering is the low credit card penetration as just about 20% of consumers use them. To combat that challenge Wal-Mart has begun to set up kiosks around the cities where people can make cash payments for the online orders.” Read more

 

These are the 25 most attractive employers on earth, according to LinkedIn (Amazon #2) via CNBC. List

 

Analyst: “In our view, Amazon is likely to grow sales marginally faster than Walmart … and substantially faster than Costco” by Lauren Thomas at CNBC. “Tapping into the grocery industry remains one of the “largest and most under-penetrated markets” for the e-commerce giant, Nomura Instinet analyst Anthony DiClemente wrote to clients in a note. DiClemente has upped his target on Amazon’s stock to $1,100 from $975 a share.” Read more

 

Avon Chief Executive Sheri McCoy is expected to step down via NY Post. “Activist investor Barington Capital has been pressuring the cosmetics company to search for a new chief executive, saying Avon’s shares have suffered under McCoy.” Read more

 

Amazon Prime Now Brings One-Hour Delivery to Denver Press release

 

Nike Announces New Consumer Direct Offense “In the new alignment, the company will drive growth by deeply serving consumers in 12 key cities, across 10 key countries: New York, London, Shanghai, Beijing, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Paris, Berlin, Mexico City, Barcelona, Seoul, and Milan. These key cities and countries are expected to represent over 80 percent of Nike’s projected growth through 2020.” Press release

 

‘Amazonians for the day’: Tech giant hosting summer camp to turn students on to STEM by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “But for the hundreds of Seattle-area students, ages 9 to 14, who will get the chance to participate in the “A to Z Experience,” this isn’t a camp with arts and crafts or the honing of sports skills. The kids will go through orientation just like any new hire and they’ll even get their own employee badge.” Read more

 

Gene Simmons trying to trademark “devil horns” hand gesture by Chris Perez at NY Post. ““The mark consists of a hand gesture with the index and small fingers extended upward and the thumb extended perpendicular,” he states in his application, which also features a drawing of his version for good measure.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

There is a 79-foot-tall Amazon Echo replica in New York City’s Times Square — here’s why

Costco removes homeless camp in Las Vegas

Inturn raises $22.5 million to help you buy clothes at a discount

CEO of ‘bed in a box’ start-up Casper on going from zero to a $500 million+ company in 4 years

Soup Nazi-inspired company Soupman Inc. files for bankruptcy

Former Mariano’s employee sues over fingerprint data

Apple is quietly working on turning your iPhone into the one-stop shop for all your medical info

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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 Spokesperson Out | Amazon Eyes Grocer | Couche-Tard Eyes Weed | Toys R Us -4.1%

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Target’s chief spokesperson is leaving the company by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “Dustee Jenkins, senior vice president and chief communications officer, is leaving next week. Her last day is June 23. The company did not disclose a reason for her departure, and she did not respond to requests for comment.” Read more

 

U.S. retail sales post biggest drop in 16 months at Reuters. “The Commerce Department said on Wednesday retail sales fell 0.3 percent last month after an unrevised 0.4 percent increase in April. May’s decline was the largest since January 2016 and confounded economists’ expectation for a 0.1 percent gain.” Read more

 

Amazon Is in Talks to Buy Indian Online Grocer BigBasket at Bloomberg. “The discussions are at an early stage and may not lead to a sale, the people said, asking not to be identified as the negotiations are private. BigBasket, run by SuperMarket Grocery Supplies Pvt, is India’s largest online grocer and operates in about 25 cities across the country.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart Just Created a Designer Cantaloupe by Matthew Boyle at Bloomberg. “The retailer teamed up with seed experts at German agriculture giant Bayer AG to help develop a bespoke melon that’s pleasing to the palate but still tough enough for the trek from warmer climes.Wal-Mart considered more than 100 varieties of seeds and tested 20. Wal-Mart employees spent six months grading the cantaloupes on attributes like flavor, texture and aroma.” Read more

 

Neiman Marcus takes itself off the auction block by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “Chief Executive Karen Katz said Tuesday that “any conversations about a full or partial sale of the company have terminated.” Read more

 

Toys R Us Q1 Comp Sales -4.1% Press release

 

Couche-Tard keen on selling cannabis in convenience stores in Quebec via Toronto Star. “Alimentation Couche-Tard has hired a lobbyist to work on ensuring it is involved in the cannabis-distribution system Quebec will eventually set up. The province’s official registry of lobbyists shows Marie-Eve Bedard has been authorized to work on behalf of Couche-Tard.” Read more

 

Sears is cutting 400 HQ corporate jobs by Gina Hall at Chicago Business Journal. Read more 

 

**A message from Lock-it Block-it – Shut out burglars – not the summer breeze! The Lock-it Block-it is a high-impact security bar that allows windows to stay open AND secure at the same time. 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

 

Amazon gives 2% rewards back to Prime members who deposit cash via their bank account by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. ““Amazon Prime Reload” gives customers 2% back when they reload their Amazon Gift Card Balance with a connected checking account and linked debit card.” Read more

 

JC Penney Pegs Hopes on ’80s Shoe Designer by Chavie Lieber at Racked. “The Sam Edelman brand might be a household name that’s known for its trendy styles, but this partnership with Edelman is baffling — and not just because she has never designed clothes before…” Read more

 

Indiana: Kroger and new competitor Fresh Encounter split Marsh locations at IndyStar. “The Kroger Co. and Fresh Encounter Inc. are dividing up 26 of Marsh’s 44 remaining stores, including eight Central Indiana locations, according to a motion filed Tuesday in Marsh’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case.” Read more

 

Supervalu Looks to Cloud for Savings, Flexibility by Angus Loten at Wall Street Journal. “Its chains, including Shop N’Save and Cub Foods, have come under intense pressure from the growth of discount retailers across the Midwest…Finding a secure platform was also a consideration. Two years ago, the chain was hit by a data breach.” Read more (subs.)

 

Amazon Go job posting points to potential expansion of checkout-free retail concept by Nat Levy at GeekWire. “Some of the duties included in the posting, first spotted by The Seattle Times, are site selection, working with local brokers, negotiating leases for new locations and putting together a strategic real estate plan for Amazon Go.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart Stores’ Management Presents at dbAccess Global Consumer Conference Transcript @ Seeking Alpha

 

Australia: 7-Eleven compensation bill climbs over $110 million by Anna Patty by Sydney Morning Herald. “While 7-Eleven’s head office was not held responsible for the conduct of its franchisees that had underpaid workers, it volunteered to repay workers what they were owed in back pay.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Walmart Foundation gives update on work to change perception of retail jobs

The producers behind New York Fashion Week are launching a startup accelerator

Daily aspirin behind more than 3,000 deaths a year, study suggests

Costco worker stocks up on adoring female fans after his six-pack and shelf-stacks go viral

‘Keep smilin’ Josh’: Target store creates memorial for employee who died of cancer

Walmart shoplifting suspect tries to use taxi as getaway (bites driver when he won’t budge)

Cumberland Farms customers doused in chemical while pumping gas

Panera is set to hit $1 billion in digital sales by the end of this year

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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

 

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Tipsheet: Jet Ends Costco | Neiman -4.9% | Best Buy Try | Yumi

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Jet.com Will Phase Out Costco Products After Wal-Mart Acquisition by Matthew Boyle at Bloomberg. “A recent search for “Kirkland Signature” on Jet’s site yielded 229 results, ranging from 40-ounce jars of Kirkland cashews for $20.99 to 40-packs of organic roasted seaweed for $67.63. That’s about to change.” Read more

 

Mills Fleet Farm names new CEO by David Schuyler at Milwaukee Business Journal. “Derick Prelle has been appointed president and CEO of the Midwest retailer, succeeding Wayne Sales…Prelle joins Mills Fleet Farm from KKR Capstone.” Read more

 

Neiman Marcus Group Q3 Comp Sales -4.9% Press release

 

Gymboree files bankruptcy, closing up to 450 stores by Nathan Bomey at USA Today. “Gymboree said it plans to remain in business but will close 375 to 450 of its 1,281 stores in filing for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.” Read more

 

Sears Canada says it’s running out of cash and reveals ‘significant doubt’ it can stay in business by Hayley Peterson at Business Insider. “Sears Canada said Tuesday it has “significant doubt” about its ability to stay in business, and is looking at a possible restructuring or sale.” Read more

 

Mindy Grossman has joined the board of Fanatics — the $3 billion online sports retailer by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “Fanatics is the $3 billion privately-held sports licensing company that sells professional sports team apparel through its own website and via the online storefronts of the major U.S. sports leagues.” Read more

 

Amazon’s plan to sell cars makes Auto Trader shares swerve at Bloomberg via Toronto Star. “Amazon, which has been testing European waters with a limited offer of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV models in Italy, is now in talks to start sales in the U.K. before potentially adding other countries, German trade magazine Automobilwoche reported.” Read more

 

Best Buy’s new weapon against Amazon: A try-before-you-buy option by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “Best Buy will feature the try-before-you-buy option on BestBuy.com and then send interested customers to Lumoid’s website to make the rental. Customers earn about 20 percentage of the rental price back in Lumoid credits and can use them if they go on to buy the item outright.” Read more

 

Enso: The brands that do the most good for the world, ranked by people not shareholders (Amazon #3, Home Depot #11, CVS #27, Target #35) Top 50 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

 

Retailers Curb Their Ambitions in Africa by Alexandra Wexler at Wall Street Journal. “They sort of go [into Africa] thinking, ‘We’re God’s gift to the retail industry,’” said Nicholas Corbishley, head of Africa investments at Old Mutual Property, a South African real-estate developer. “And they got hammered.” Read more (subs.)

 

Taiwan will finally get its first Apple Store by Catherine Shu at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Conde Nast closes its first major experiment in online fashion retail by Elizabeth Paton & Vanessa Friedman at NY Times. Read more

 

Baby food delivery service Yumi launches with $4.1 million in seed funding by Sarah Buhr at TechCrunch. “Yumi, the Los Angeles-based baby food delivery service co-created by former TechCrunch and Wall Street Journal reporter Evelyn Rusli and Angela Sutherland is finally open for business, with $4.1 million in seed investment from VC firms Brand Foundry, August Capital and NEA, as well as several angels, including early Dropbox investor Ali Partovi, WordPress’s Matt Mullenweg, and Philip Krim, co-founder of mattress company Casper.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart Stores executive Ben Hasan to deliver keynote address at August 22nd luncheon at Talk Business. “Hasan is the chief culture, diversity and inclusion officer for Wal-Mart.” Read more

 

Hudson’s Bay will likely pay for digital efforts with job cuts, analysts say by Tonya Garcia at MarketWatch. Read more

 

This tiny grocery store is mobile, self-driving and run by AI by Adele Peters at Fast Company. “A hologram-like AI greets you, and, as you shop, you scan what you want to buy or place it in a smart basket that tracks your purchases. Then you walk out the door; instead of waiting in line, the store automatically charges your card when you leave…” Pics/Video/Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Movement to let fans pour their own beers at sports venues goes flat

Imax lays off 100 employees

Jessica Alba’s Honest Co Settles Second Labeling Lawsuit

FedEx may get involved with Trump’s push to privatize airports

Walmart, Costco Among ‘Charity Checkout Champions’

Woman Claims She Bought an Avocado With a Bullet Inside It

Could Phubbing Be Secretly Ruining Your Relationship?

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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: Aldi Eyes #3 | QVC Q&A | Body Shop on the Block | Prime Redesign

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Aldi to Invest $3.4 Billion to Expand U.S. Stores via Fortune. “Aldi said on Sunday it would invest $3.4 billion to expand its U.S. store base to 2,500 by 2022, raising the stakes for rivals caught in a price war. Aldi operates 1,600 U.S. stores and earlier this year said it would add another 400 by the end of 2018 and spend $1.6 billion to remodel 1,300 of them.” Read more

 

…The expansion, over the next five years, puts the German grocer on track to becoming the third-largest food retailer in the U.S. by store count, behind Wal-Mart and Kroger by Heather Haddon at Wall Street Journal. Read more (subs.)

 

L’Oreal in talks to sell The Body Shop by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “Brazilian-based Natura offered $1.1 billion for the 40 year-old, all natural Body Shop…The companies are in “exclusive” discussions. Natura is the Mary Kay of Latin America, selling its lotions and makeup door-to-door with nearly 10,000 sales associates worldwide.” Read more

 

QVC Execs On Mobile, the New Shopping Mall and Fidget Spinners by Leena Rao at Fortune. “Fortune spoke to QVC’s senior vice president of digital commerce, Alex Miller, and Peter Goodnough, the company’s vice president of consumer insights and analytics, about how the company is tackling mobile commerce and trying to appeal to younger shoppers.” Q&A

 

Amazon just quietly redesigned the Prime logo by Todd Bishop at GeekWire. “The italics and capital “P” are gone in favor of a new font, in all lower-case letters, with a simplified checkmark.” Read more

 

Talks to Combine Neiman Marcus and Saks Have Stalled by Suzanne Kapner & Matt Jarzemsky at Wall Street Journal. “The two sides have been unable to reach an agreement on price and are no longer actively working on a deal, one of the people said, adding that the talks could resume.” Read more (subs.)

 

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Home Depot grills its customers for product description ideas by Jessica Young at Internet Retailer. “We get this all the time. ‘I’ve got a grill, and it’s 64 inches. That means zip to me,’” said Mike Shady, senior director of web operations process at Home Depot. “‘I have no idea what that relates to or how that translates.’ We do it by hamburgers. Everybody understands how many burgers they can throw on a grill.” Read more

 

Target and Cartwheel apps to merge starting this summer by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. “The Target app will also receive a notable upgrade this year, adding support for an indoor map that shows your location in the store, along with the nearby Cartwheel deals, in addition to support for mobile payments.” Read more

 

Now owned by Walmart, Omaha-based Hayneedle wants to make its name known with ad campaign by Cole Epley at Omaha World-Herald. “The goal of the campaign is to connect with homemakers — Hayneedle’s “primary customer” is female, between 36 and 55 years of age, and married with children living at home.” Read more

 

Amazon Prime Now expanding grocery relationships in Chicago by Lewis Lazare at Chicago Business Journal. “In addition to the newly launched Fresh Thyme relationship, Amazon Prime Now also offers delivery of goods from Chicago outposts of Plum Market and Eataly.” Read more

 

…Instacart is expanding throughout Chicago, adding 70 new ZIP codes by Jim Dallke at Chicago Inno. “Instacart says the expanded service will begin June 15, and it estimates that an additional 310,000 Chicagoland households will have access to its grocery delivery.” Read more

 

Twin City grocers step up their game by Sharyn Jackson at Star Tribune. “For a fee, plant-based sous chefs armed with cutting boards and sharp knives will slice, dice or julienne whatever needs chopping. New to Minnesota, the concept is taking hold throughout the country at select high-end supermarkets.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Store gets $1 million payout for selling winning Powerball ticket

Shooter looked at witness amid Weis Market massacre, decided to spare her life

MillerCoors CEO spent Friday buying beers for people at Milwaukee bars (Pics)

The King of Mall Kiosks Aims to Bounce Back

Amazon to spend $200M for one of its most expensive fulfillment centers ever (Video)

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Tipsheet: Ex-Target Chief to Blue Nile | Pirate Joe’s Closes | HEB #1 Trusted | D.Tree New Pres.

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Target’s former e-commerce chief is now the new CEO of the online jeweler Blue Nile by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “Blue Nile…has hired former Target executive Jason Goldberger as its new CEO…Goldberger also spent time at Gilt Groupe, Hayneedle and Amazon for many years.” Read more

 

Owner of Saks, Lord & Taylor set to slash 2,000 jobs by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “The layoffs began on Thursday as roughly 600 employees, including some senior staffers across Hudson’s Bay Co.’s various brands — including Gilt Groupe, Saks and L&T — got pink-slipped.” Read more

 

…Hudson’s Bay Q1 Comp -3.0% Press release  |  Names Alison Coville President of Hudson’s Bay Press release

 

CRUSH IT – Wal-Mart’s Lore shares e-commerce insights at analyst meeting by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “I think a lot of the heavy lifting is going on creating really specialized shopping experiences by micro category. We’ve got all the details just perfected. And so we are going out and hiring category specialists focused on very narrow categories and just trying to crush it,” Lore said.” Read more

 

Ascena Retail Group, the owner of Ann Taylor, Dress Barn and Lane Bryant clothing retailers, is closing up to 657 stores, or 25% of its total number by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. Read more

 

Michael Witynski Promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer of the Dollar Tree Banner “A Dollar Tree veteran, Mr. Witynski has served as Chief Operating Officer since July 2015, and he previously served as SVP of Stores since joining Dollar Tree in 2010. Prior to joining Dollar Tree, he held executive leadership positions at Shaw’s Supermarkets and Supervalu.” Press release

 

Pirate Joe’s closes Vancouver shop in wake of suit by Trader Joe’s by Stephanie Ip at Vancouver Sun. “If you just so happen to be a millionaire and have $50,000 available to donate to us to stand up to Trader Joe’s in federal court, please call,” read a post shared Wednesday on Facebook by Pirate Joe’s owner Mike Hallatt.” Read more

 

Field Agent Instant Video: A Look at Walmart’s New Grocery “ATM” See the onsite video / 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

 

82% of households with $112K+ income have Amazon Prime membership by Rani Malla at Recode. Income charts/Read more

 

Walton Family divests $862 million in Wal-Mart shares to keep ownership around 50% at Talk Business. “Walton Family Holdings Trust was left with 120,318,879 shares after the last sell on June 6. Those shares held in the trust have a street value of $9.501 billion as of Thursday (June 8).” Read more

 

Home Depot EVP Merchandising Ted Decker to present at Oppenheimer Consumer Conference on June 21st Press release

 

Temkin: H-E-B and Mercedes-Benz Are the Most Trusted Companies Press Release | Top 20 list

 

CVS to buy 14-store, Doc’s Drugs chain by Lee Provost at Daily Journal. Read more

 

Why GE, Boeing, Lowe’s, and Walmart Are Directly Buying Health Care for Employees at Harvard Business Review. “Twelve-months claims data comparing Lowe’s associates who have surgery with local providers under traditional insurance as compared to those who have surgery as part of ECEN demonstrated striking findings…” Read more

 

Wal-Mart promotes exclusive products with 32-page Better Homes and Garden catalog by Kim Souza at The City Wire. Read more

 

JD CEO: We Want to Have One Million Drones at Wall Street Journal (subscription) Video

 

Moody’s: Number of distressed retailers tops total during financial crisis by Kevin McCoy at USA Today. “The list of U.S. retailers with troubled financials that could make them potential bankruptcy risks, now totals 22, according to Moody’s Investors Service — topping the 19 recorded at the peak of the Great Recession.” Read more

 

BJ’s expands into South Carolina, building the company’s footprint to 16 states and 215 clubs Press release

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Supermarket employee fatally shoots three coworkers

Cramer: Nordstrom is ‘mad as hell’ that it gets no respect on Wall Street

Woman screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’ charged in Canadian Tire store attack

Walmart employees break window to save baby in hot car

Everything you need to know about eating activated charcoal

As Retail Outlook Dims, Mall Tenants Push for Shorter Leases

Former Apple employees rip the company for letting Siri fall behind

Amazon proposes a ‘virtual safety shroud’ to protect pets and people from drones

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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.

 

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

 

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Tipsheet: Lowe’s/PetSmart HQ Layoffs | Nordstrom Private? | Target Music | 6-Twelve

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Lowe’s lays off over 120 tech workers in Mooresville, will send jobs to India by Katherine Peralta at Charlotte Observer. “The home-improvement retailer informed affected employees Wednesday morning through early afternoon, according to people familiar with the matter. Many of the affected information technology job functions are being sent to Bangalore, India, where Lowe’s employs approximately 1,000 people in information and technology and analytics.” Read more

 

Nordstrom shares spike after company announces exploration of going private by Lauren Thomas at CNBC. “The retailer explained that Co-Presidents Blake Nordstrom, Peter Nordstrom and Erik Nordstrom, along with President of Stores James Nordstrom and Chairman Emeritus Bruce Nordstrom, and Anne Gittinger, are a part of the recently formed exploratory group.” Read more

 

PetSmart laying off employees at Phoenix headquarters by Steven Totten at Phoenix Business Journal. “We are investing for the future and always looking for ways to be more efficient in our business and to better serve our customers. As a result we have made the difficult decision to reduce less than 5% of positions at our corporate headquarters.” Read more

 

J.D. Power Home Improvement Retailer Satisfaction Rankings – Ace Hardware #1 (for 11th straight year), Menards #2, Lowe’s #3, Home Depot #4 Rankings/Read more

 

Amazon Loans More Than $3 Billion to Over 20,000 Small Businesses Press release

 

…Amazon issued $1 billion in loans in the past year to merchants selling on its marketplace by Spencer Soper & Selina Wang. Read more

 

Now playing at more Target stores: Background music by Dan DeBaun at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “Currently, there are 65 Target stores that play music overhead; about half of them are smaller flex-format stores in dense urban areas…Target will add music at 85 remodeled stores and at 30 new stores this year. By the end of 2017, Target will have at least 180 stores that play music.” Read more

 

Dollarama Q1 Comp Sales +4.6% Press release

 

Amazon error sends some shoppers to dog photo, not product page at Daily Mail. “‘Sorry something went wrong on our end,’ Amazon said on a page some shoppers were sent to after clicking on items from its U.S. home page. The problems began at around 12:28EDT according to down detector, although by 17:50 pages appeared to be working again.” Read more

 

**A message from the Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition – Show Ends at Noon Tomorrow! Whether you’re focused on solutions in content or search marketing, maximizing your mobile commerce platforms or minimizing customer disengagement, you’ll find what you need at IRCE. Chicago McCormick Place West June 6-9. Website | Exhibitor list | Register now

 

Jos. A. Bank Q1 Comp Sales +3.5% Press release

 

Lenders who finance luxe shopping chains are nervous for the holidays by Josh Kosman & Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “The lending companies, who supply credit to allow the suppliers to make the shirts, pants, shoes and other items, have started to ask their clients for a surcharge of up to 2 percent on shipments to those chains, sources said. The suppliers, while not happy about the added cost, which will cut into their profits, have nonetheless agreed to the terms, sources said.” Read more

 

Publix and Instacart Expanding Service Across Southeast Press release

 

Head Of Neiman Marcus’ iLab Answers 4 Questions For Marketing Innovators by Ernan Roman at CMO. Q&A

 

Popular fashion media brand Who What Wear is launching its own shopping app by Jason Del Rey at Recode. Read more

 

Target Named a Top 5 “Polarizing Brand” by Ben Schiller at Fast Company. “NPR, NBC, Ben & Jerry’s, and Target also score much more highly among Democrats than Republicans (at least 50 places), while the opposite is true for Exxon Mobil, Boeing, Pfizer, Unilever, and AT&T, all of which skew Republican.” Read more

 

PriceSmart May Comp Sales +1.5% Press release

 

Alibaba shares surge after CFO’s forecast literally causes investors to gasp at CNBC. “The Chinese conglomerate is now forecasting total sales growth of 45 to 49 percent this year, a target that tops analysts’ expectations by 10 percentage points.” Read more

 

80% of Sephora store shoppers use a smartphone before or during a shopping trip by April Berthene at Internet Retailer. Read more

 

Former 7-Eleven employee opens rival ‘6-Twelve’ store (across the street) via NY Post. “But Musa has a lofty goal regarding the fate of his old 7-Eleven. “My goal is to get them to close,” Musa told The Boston Globe. Since he knows what 7-Eleven charges for most items, Musa said his strategy is to simply undercut the big guys by selling everything for less at his own shop.” Read more

 

Parents of disabled adults horrified by attack on ShopRite employee by Ronnie Polaneczky at Philly Inquirer. “If you didn’t see the Facebook video of Mark Smith being attacked by a gang of gleeful little monsters, please pity those of us who have. We can’t unsee the atrocious images portrayed in the video, which hit 4.6 million Facebook views in just 24 hours before being pulled down on Wednesday.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Cubs reveal more detail about Wrigley Field’s exclusive clubs

Craft brewers question Anheuser-Busch’s foray into publishing

Ethics attorney for Wal-Mart considered for U.S. Attorney for western Arkansas

MIT praises anonymous “no strings attached” $140M gift

96% of Batteries Plus Bulbs’ online orders are picked up in stores

K-mart is on fire in Australia

5 Hispanic Market Segments You’ve Likely Never Heard Of

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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