Tipsheet: WM Leadership Changes | Target’s New College Plan | Amazon’s Iran-Linked Sales | H.Depot’s Decorator

 

Amazon under federal investigation over Iran-linked sales, including to person on terrorism list by Ethan Baron at The Mercury News. “The firm’s July 28 disclosure said that between January 2012 and June 2017, Amazon sold “consumer products” valued at about $24,700 to an Iranian embassy in an undisclosed country, along with about $8,100 in goods to people who may have bought them on behalf of five Iranian embassies.” Read more

 

FRIDAY MEMO – Walmart Food Changes by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “In three separate internal memos sent Friday (July 28) more than two dozen promotions and reassignments were announced, according to the documents obtained by Talk Business & Politics. Several positions at the director level were tagged “to be determined later” as a number of directors were laid off over the past two days in the company’s replenishment division.” See the changes

 

A merger between Staples and Office Depot may finally be in the cards — but it won’t be the kind that company brass had longed for by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “Sources say Sycamore has signaled a willingness to offload the stores which, like much of the retail sector, are struggling as shoppers increasingly shift their buying to online rivals led by Amazon. It’s not clear whether Office Depot and Staples have rekindled talks, but with Sycamore a willing seller, Office Depot is the most logical buyer, insiders said.” Read more

 

PARK THE BUS – Target steps up its game to court the college crowd by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “In the college-focused pilot program, students at six universities including Arizona State University and the University of Nevada-Las Vegas can pre-order online from a curated list of about 300 items such as sheets, lounge chairs and mini-fridges and then pick them up weeks later around move-in time at a designated spot near campus. “No need to haul it all from home,” Target says on its website in promoting the program.” Read more

 

Best Buy will restructure Geek Squad, affecting 400 employees by Nick Halter at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “The company notified the state of Minnesota that it’s eliminating 400 positions from Geek Squad’s “Covert Team” across the country. Covert agents are employees who work from home and provide remote tech support to customers.” Read more

 

Amazon Launches a Review of Its $1 Billion Global Media Buying Business by Patrick Coffee at Adweek. “According to several parties with knowledge of the business, Jeff Bezos’ Amazon recently issued an RFP seeking a media agency to handle promotional campaigns in North America and other markets around the world.” Read more

 

COMPLAINT – Google’s new program to track shoppers sparks a federal privacy complaint by Elizabeth Dwoskin & Craig Timberg at Washington Post. “The group claims that the search giant is relying on a secretive technical method to protect the data — a method that should be audited by outsiders and is likely vulnerable to hacks or other data breaches. “Google is seeking to extend its dominance from the online world to the real, offline world, and the FTC really needs to look at that,” said Marc Rotenberg, the organization’s executive director.” Read more

 

**A message from the Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show – get ready for the nation’s largest souvenir show! Browse 1,300+ booths filled with the latest introductions from every major souvenir and resort supplier. New for 2017, 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

 

Home Depot partners with digital decorator for its referral service by Eric Mandel at Atlanta Business Chronicle. “Home Depot has joined with Laurel & Wolf, which describes itself as a “digital decorating platform” to provide customers with a professional designer. Through the Home Depot Pro Referral Service, Laurel & Wolf connects customers with “top designers to transform your space” online through a flat fee — from $59 to $259 — using Home Depot supplies.” Read more/Video

 

Walmart Chile workers vote to go on strike at Reuters. “Either the union or the company may request government-mediated talks that would last five days to try to reach an agreement on a collective contract and avert the strike.” Read more

 

Panera CEO Ron Shaich thinks customers are saying, “I want to feel special in a world in which I’m not.” by Alexandra Wolfe at Wall Street Journal. Read more (subs.)

 

Amazon and Wal-Mart Finally Give Hydrogen Power a Reason to Be by Joe Ryan & Chris Martin at Bloomberg. “People have talked for years about hydrogen fuel cells being the next disruptive technology,” says Jeffrey Osborne, an analyst at investment bank Cowen & Co. “Forklifts are finally validating them.” Read more

 

The Amazon Treasure Truck is now hitting the streets of Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston by Monica Nickelsburg at GeekWire. “Amazon timed its Treasure Truck expansion by selling a one-of-a-kind product: the elusive Nintendo NES Classic Edition. The console sold for $60; it’s selling for $200 or more online.” Read more

 

Target pulls out of NASCAR circuit, steers spending to soccer by Mark Reilly at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. Read more

 

Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs on Amazon Sold More than 2 Billion Items Worldwide in first half of 2017 Press release

 

Private Equity Takes Fire as Some Retailers Struggle by Lillian Rizzo at Wall Street Journal. “A wave of retail bankruptcies washing through court has revived an old debate about the role of private-equity firms in accelerating the problems of companies in distress…” Read more (subs.)

 

Stitch Fix has filed confidentially for an IPO by Jason Del Rey at Recode. Read more

 

Babies R Us: Enjoy the Poopy Diapers And Smashed Peas by Adrianne Pasquarelli at Ad Age. “There’s nobody in the parenting category who is celebrating those realities of parenting—the messy moments,” said Carla Zakhem-Hassan, who joined Toys R Us as chief marketing officer of both brands last February after 13 years with PepsiCo. “It’s a real opportunity to take a pain point and shed light on it to say the messy moments are the beautiful moments of parenting.” Read more

 

Chieh Huang, CEO and co-founder of Boxed, Live Interview at Inc. Video

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Mother & kids threatened with gun during argument over Sam’s Club parking spot

Barbie sales are bombing despite new body types

The great corn clash is coming

These retailers make the most money per square foot on their real estate

Google’s native ad blocker for Chrome shows up in Android developer build

Retail app transactions surge around Prime Day

Why Cooking Has Become a Lost Art (WSJ Subs.)

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: WM HQ Cuts | ‘Historic’ Egg Prices | Amazon’s Singapore Stumble

 

Wal-Mart Cuts a Few Dozen Jobs at Headquarters by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “News of this round of layoffs hit social media feeds Wednesday evening when employees began getting notices to report to a “support event” called by Human Resources on Thursday. Travel was canceled and all the vendor conference rooms have been booked by HR which points to another layoff, according to people familiar with the matter.” Read more

 

Amazon’s Entry Into Singapore Marred by Delivery Problem by Sterling Wong & Krystal Chia at Bloomberg. “The service appeared to go down hours after its official launch on Thursday, according to media reports. “Due to great customer response, delivery windows are currently sold out” Amazon spokeswoman Amanda Ip said, adding that the company is trying to resume normal delivery service.” Read more

 

Retailers cheer the death of the border adjustment tax at CNBC. “With BAT off the table, retailers [are] ready to advocate for tax reform,” the Retail Industry Leaders Association said in a statement.” Read more

 

Nordstrom family offers preferential terms to clinch buyout partner by Lauren Hirsch & Greg Roumeliotis at Reuters. “One possibility being explored is offering potential partners preferred equity in the deal, so that they reap more dividends out of the company’s cash flow or they get paid first if there is a stock sale in the future, the sources said. The Nordstrom family members are also contemplating using $7 billion to $8 billion in debt to finance their bid, some of the sources added.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart looks overseas for online vendors by Nandita Bose at Reuters. “According to two sources with knowledge of the matter, Wal-Mart Stores Inc in February began inviting sellers from China, the United Kingdom and Canada to list on the marketplace section of Walmart.com, where it earns a share of revenue from goods sold and delivered to customers by third-party vendors. Previously, it only allowed U.S. based sellers on the marketplace site, sources said.” Read more

 

Grocery stores are adapting to more male shoppers — whom they treat like knuckleheads by Abha Bhattarai at Washington Post. “Men’s Health…found that 84 percent of men are now the primary grocery shoppers in their households…It is worth noting that Men’s Health surveyed only men…NPD Group, for example, estimates that men are the primary grocery shoppers in 41 percent of U.S. households, while market research firm VideoMining puts that figure at about 49 percent of shoppers.” Read more

 

Floor & Decor Q2 Comp Sales +14.7% Press release

 

Off-price retailers are losing their steam by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “Over the past several months, Neiman Marcus has closed three of its Last Call off-price stores…“The Last Call news is the first suggestion that the luxury off-price sector is maturing,” despite a rash of new store openings, said Steve Dennis, a retail consultant and former Neiman Marcus executive.” Read more

 

Amazon.com Q2 Sales up 25% to $38.0 Billion “Operating income decreased 51% to $628 million in the second quarter, compared with operating income of $1.3 billion in second quarter 2016.” Press release

 

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Cheap Eggs Flood U.S. Grocery Stores by Jesse Newman & Jacob Bunge at Wall Street Journal. “Large shell eggs, the type sold at the grocery store, last week cost 98 cents a dozen at wholesale in the Midwest, a 62% drop over the past two years, according to market-research firm Urner Barry…“This is historic,” said Brian Moscogiuri, an analyst who tracks the egg market for Urner Barry.” Read more (subs.)

 

Mastercard Selected for Kroger Co-Brand Credit Card Issued by U.S. Bank Press release

 

Wal-Mart de mexico reports 118 pct increase in Q2 net profit at Barron’s. “Same-store sales rose 7.2% in Mexico. The company sold its Suburbia clothing stores to department store and shopping mall operator El Puerto De Liverpool  for a net gain of 7 billion pesos ($394 million).” Read more

 

Starbucks Is Closing All 379 of Its Teavana Stores by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “Teavana is not the first Starbucks acquisition to go bust: two years ago, Starbucks closed all 23 La Boulange bakery cafes.” Read more

 

Target To Follow Amazon, Walmart In How They Pay Vendors by Jennifer Mayerle at WCCO CBS Minnesota. “New payment terms for vendors means some businesses that provide products will now be paid 30 days later, at least twice as long as before. And Target will now take a 2-percent discount across the board. The changes go into effect on Sunday, July 30.” Read more

 

Williams-Sonoma Announces Opening of First Franchise Stores in South Korea Press release

 

Gas Pump Skimmer Sends Card Data Via Text at Krebs on Security. “Skimmers that transmit stolen card data wirelessly via GSM text messages and other mobile-based communications methods are not new…But this is the first instance KrebsOnSecurity is aware of in which such SMS skimmers have been found inside gas pumps.” Read more

 

Camping World Agrees to Acquire TheHouse.com, one of the Largest Outdoor Gear Retailers in the World Press release

 

Amazon launches ‘The Hub’, parcel delivery lockers for apartment buildings by Ingrid Lunden at TechCrunch. “The fact that Amazon is looking to provide the Hub not just for its own parcels but those of anyone also puts Amazon squarely into closer competition with erstwhile partners like FedEx, UPS and DHL.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Retailer apologizes after font makes ‘glitter’ appear to read as ‘Hitler’

Ex-Kroger exec’s startup raises millions, double what it was aiming for

Man Saves Stranger With Defibrillator He Bought at Costco

Spider Silk Startup Spins Into Retail By Buying an Apparel Company

9 fall ill at kids “video game truck” birthday party

Here’s Why It Feels Like You’re the Only Millennial Not Drinking La Croix

Loblaw expects higher minimum wage will increase its labor costs by $190M

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: Cornell Iview | Citi Hugs Costco | Neiman Cuts 225 | W.Foods -1.9%

 

Walmart unveils manufacturing plan to create 1.5 million new jobs at Fox Business. “The road map identifies four major obstacles — a lack of qualified workers, excessive government regulation, dated tax and trade agreements and a lack of coordination among suppliers — and calls on specific government and business entities to act together to address them.” Read more | Press release

 

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin hints the administration may soon take “a position” on Amazon’s tax collection policy by Tae Kim at CNBC. “Mnuchin said. “I am encouraged that Amazon is now charging tax, I believe, on their own sales but not the marketplace. I’m not sure I understand the consistency on that.” Mnuchin is referring to e-commerce giant’s “third-party” marketplace, where other firms sell goods on Amazon’s website. This compares to its “first-party” business where the internet company sell products directly to customers.” Read more

 

Neiman Marcus will eliminate roughly 225 positions across all of its brands and operating divisions by Korri Kezar at Dallas Business Journal. Read more

 

COSTCO GOLDMINE – Citigroup CEO touts the $100 billion Citi took from American Express by Elizabeth Gurdus at CNBC. “If I came in and said, ‘Jim, let me tell you about a deal that we’re gonna do. And that deal is going to be with a terrific partner, one of the best retailers in the world. And in that deal we’re going to bring in $10, $11 billion of receivables. We’re gonna bring in new cardholders. And those cardholders, in a single year, are going to spend $100 billion on that card,’ think about it,” Corbat said.” Video/Read more

 

Whole Foods Q3 Comp Sales -1.9% “John Mackey: “Our comparable store sales improved sequentially on a one- and two-year basis in the third quarter, and that momentum has accelerated 220 basis points in the fourth quarter, resulting in positive overall comps for the first three weeks.” Press release

 

Target Isn’t Worried About Amazon’s Whole Foods Purchase by Susie Gharib at Fortune. “Speaking with Susie Gharib at Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference, Cornell says he’s sticking with the plan he designed in February…“We decided to play the long game,” says Cornell. “We’re really planning the Target of tomorrow.” In fact, he adds, the Amazon news validated Target’s strategy. “It validated the fact that stores still matter,” explains Cornell.” Video/Read more

 

How J.C. Penney is approaching digital differently: ‘We’re not trying to be Amazon’ by Maria Halkias at Dallas Morning News. “Our customers have household incomes of $60,000 to $90,000, and they tend to be hardworking, two-income families living both in rural and urban settings,” Amend said. “They don’t have the discretionary income to commit to membership fees.” Read more

 

Best Buy adds Dyson in-store shops to demo vacuums, hair dryers by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “Dyson Demo Experiences, ranging in size from 40 to 400 square feet, will roll out to about 90 of Best Buy’s U.S. stores next month. In these mini-shops, customers can try Dyson products such as its $400 Supersonic hair dryer.” Read more

 

Tractor Supply Q2 Comp Sales +2.2% “Adjusting for the week shift, last year’s comparable store sales increase would have been 1.0%.” Press release

 

Amazon has a secret health care team called 1492 focused on medical records, virtual doc visits by Eugene Kim at CNBC. “The new team is currently looking at opportunities that involve pushing and pulling data from legacy electronic medical record systems…It is also hoping to build a platform for telemedicine, which in turn could make it easier for people to have virtual consultations with doctors, one of the people said.” Read more

 

**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. Request sample @ info@shiftmarketinggroup.net

 

Loblaw Q2 Sales: Revenue +3.2%, Food retail comp +1.0% Press release

 

PRIVATE LABEL PERFORMS – If Kroger’s private label business was its own company it would land at about No. 127 on the Fortune 500 by Alexander Coolidge at Cincinnati Enquirer. “In the last 18 months (Kroger) has rolled out 1,000 new food and household items, growing its house-branded offerings to more than 30,000 products.” Read more

 

O’Reilly Automotive Q2 Comp Sales +1.7%  Press release

 

P&G tops Wall Street views, but activist Peltz says it must fix ‘root cause’ of its slow growth at CNBC. “Earnings per share: 85 cents adjusted vs. a forecast for 78 cents, according to a Thomson Reuters consensus estimate by analysts. Revenue: $16.08 billion vs. an estimate of $16.02 billion.” Read more

 

STUDY: People could save on average up to 15% buying school supplies online if they shopped somewhere other than Amazon by Grace Donnelly at Fortune. Read more

 

Supervalu buys Central Grocers warehouse; deal may put more store brands in supermarkets by Greg Trotter at Chicago Tribune. “Supervalu Holdings has entered into an agreement to buy Central Grocers’ massive distribution center in Joliet for $61 million. A bankruptcy court judge approved the deal Tuesday, despite some objections from unsecured creditors.” Read more

 

Carter’s Q2 US Comp Sales +6.0% Press release

 

Walmart Has Cancelled All SNES Classic Edition Preorders by Mitch Wallace at Forbes. “(The) email message cited a possible “technical glitch” for the mishap, and said that the fact that the item was even displayed on the website in the first place was a massive mistake.” Read more

 

Build-A-Bear Q2 Comp Sales -0.9% Press release

 

Criticism, concern expressed about Wal-Mart’s new in-store merchandising policy by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “I am another Advantage employee that will be losing my job after 15 years. This was all put out for bid, the top 5 companies willing to pay the most get to stay. Now these reps will become glorified WM employees and have to bow down each time they walk through the door. No thank you!” Read more

 

Lidl just won the first battle in its war against Kroger by Hayley Peterson at Business Insider. “U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. ruled Tuesday that the logos look “somewhat alike” but said “private” and “preferred” have different definitions, according to The Richmond Times-Dispatch. “I think the public interest lies in competition,” he said, according to the Times-Dispatch. “I don’t find they have an identical or similar meaning.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

This is ModCloth’s Plan to Win Over Customers after the Walmart Acquisition

‘Star Wars’ toy fatigue may finally be setting in

Young Walmart cashier’s act of kindness leaves foster parent in tears

Want a job, mate? Amazon is hiring Aussie speakers

Wal-Mart strategically buying up land in Bentonville

Two antique dealers plead guilty for selling $4.5M of elephant ivory

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: Terrell to Glaxo | B.Pro Settles | Smart & Final +1.3%

 

GlaxoSmithKline appoints Ex-Walmart exec Karenann Terrell to chief digital and technology officer at Reuters. “Terrell, who left Wal-Mart as chief information officer in February, will join GSK on Sept. 4 and will be a member of the senior corporate executive team in her new role, GSK said.” Read more

 

Birkenstock CEO accuses Amazon of “modern day piracy” by Abha Bhattarai at Washington Post via Denver Post. “In a blistering five-page email obtained by The Washington Post, David Kahan last week derided the online behemoth for contacting shop owners and offering to buy their products at full price.” Read more

 

Smart & Final Q2 Comp Sales +1.3% Press release

 

Amazon patents tech for delivery drones to capture video of homes and recommend purchases by Casey Coombs at Puget Sound Business Journal. “For example, the drone’s camera may find that the roof of an Amazon customer’s home needs repair and alert the customer or a nearby technician who could fix the problem.” Read more

 

How Jony Ive Masterminded Apple’s New Headquarters by Christina Passariello at Wall Street Journal. “Norman Foster, whose architecture firm was hired by Apple to build the headquarters at a reported cost of $5 billion, calls him “a poet.” Other designers are “amazing essayists, but the difference between an essay and a poem is that you really have to work harder at the poem. It’s much more distilled, it’s much more the essence,” Foster says. “He works tirelessly at the detail, evolving, improving, refining. For me, that makes him a poet.” Read more (subs.)

 

The team who created Amazon’s warehouse robots returns with a new robot named Chuck by Lora Kolodny at CNBC. “6 River Systems recently attracted $15 million in new venture funding, Dubois said. The round was led by Norwest Venture Partners, joined by Eclipse Ventures and iRobot, the company that created the Roomba vacuum.” Read more

 

Executive Pay Falls for Big Mall Owners as Retail Storm Rages On by Peter Grant at Wall Street Journal. “That’s the way the stock plans are structured,” said Macerich Chief Financial Officer Thomas O’Hern in an interview. “When the stock is down, we suffer from a compensation standpoint.” Read more (subs.)

 

Blue Apron COO Matthew Wadiak steps down in post-IPO shakeup by Matthew Lynley at TechCrunch. “Tim Smith, currently Blue Apron’s VP of supply chain is being promoted to SVP of consumer products reporting to CEO Matt Salzberg; SVP of operations Pablo Cussatti also will report to Salzberg.” Read more

 

Who Wants to Run that Mom-and-Pop Market? Almost No One by Julie Turkewitz at NY Times. Read more

 

Ex-Amazon manager’s startup Kwontified aims to help fashion retailers navigate e-commerce by Nat Levy at GeekWire. “The company helps sellers by mining data from Amazon’s API and sharing crucial metrics that are hard to find, such as ways to determine which customers will become repeat shoppers.” Read more

 

Robots to perform inventory tasks at Schnucks grocery stores by Lisa Brown at St. Louis Post Dispatch. “Simbe has placed Tally robots in mass merchants, dollar stores and groceries across the country, including some Target stores in San Francisco last year.” Read more

 

Amazon prepares to enter Southeast Asia via Singapore launch by Jon Russell at TechCrunch. “The arrival could happen as soon as this week, according to a source with knowledge of the plans.” Read more

 

Bass Pro, EEOC reach agreement on discrimination claims; company will pay $10.5 million by Wes Johnson at Springfield News-Leader. “The initial EEOC complaint, filed in 2011, accused the company of failing to hire qualified black and Hispanic job applicants…In court filings, Bass Pro denied all the allegations…The court also noted that any payments Bass Pro made as part of the settlement “should not  be construed as an admission of liability.” Read more

 

JAPAN’S KIT KAT KRAZE – Demand for Exotic Kit Kats Is So High Nestle’s Building a New Plant by Naomi Schanen at Bloomberg. “While the wafer-and-chocolate snacks have been available in more than 300 flavors here for more than four decades, recent offerings from custard pudding to ginger have made (Japan) the go-to destination for picking up odd variations.” Read more

 

Augmented-reality shopping on your phone? Patent hints at Amazon’s ambitions by Alan Boyle at GeekWire. “Imagine that you’re shopping online for a classy watch or bracelet, and you want to get a sense for how it’ll look around your wrist. Just point your smartphone camera at your hand, and an augmented-reality app will show you the item superimposed on the camera video.” 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. 

 

New LinkedIn tool tells businesses about who’s visiting their websites by Anthony Ha at TechCrunch. “The Website Demographics tool allows businesses to break down their website visitors across eight categories including job title, industry, company and location.” Read more

 

Amazon Has More Than 50,000 Jobs Available and Expects to Hire Thousands of Employees at the Nation’s Largest Job Fair Press release

 

BJ’s Wholesale Club Announces New Mobile Site Press release

 

You will soon be able to search eBay using a mobile phone snap or social media web link by Luke Graham at CNBC. “The features use computer vision, image recognition and machine learning to find products based on pictures taken on smartphones or shared from a website.” Read more

 

Walgreens Signs Global Manufacturing Deal With Fareva at Forbes. Read more

 

LIFE OF THE PARTY – Founder of U.K. retailer Sports Direct a ‘Power Drinker’ “The courtroom scenes, which read in parts more like a script to the next “Hangover” movie sequel than a day in the life of the chairman of one of the U.K.’s biggest companies, present an executive who parties hard, likes his drink, and knows where to take a break: under the conference-room table.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Apple ad exec details transparency, pivot to Search Ads, more in interview

Why is Stitch Fix’s second-most powerful executive leaving right before an IPO?

Priebus recalls beginning of Foxconn-to-Wisconsin process

One sick worker is to blame for Chipotle’s $1B value loss

An IGA in Montreal is growing its own vegetables on the roof

Walmart shopper Facebook Lives confrontation with loss prevention officer

Alice Cooper Discovers Andy Warhol Classic in Storage Locker

Roomba maker wants to sell your home’s floor plan

Driver blocking traffic on I-35W orders Jimmy John’s delivery

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: Ex-WM Exec JCP CFO | D.Tree Fires | Albertsons Spends | Trump Unloads

 

Supervalu Q1 net retail sales -2.7%…Consolidated net sales increased by 6.3%…Wholesale net sales increased by 12.4% Press release

 

Barnes & Noble shares surge 14% as activist investor urges the bookstore chain to sell itself by Lauren Thomas at CNBC. Read more

 

Dollar Tree fires new volley in Charlotte dollar-store legal battle by Rick Rothacker at Charlotte Business Journal. “Dollar Tree is asking a Delaware court to dismiss a suit that alleges it tried to “kill” the business of now-defunct Charlotte rival Dollar Express.” Read more

 

J.C. Penney appoints Ex-Walmart exec to chief financial officer by Korri Kezar at Dallas Business Journal. “Jeffrey Davis takes J.C. Penney’s executive vice president and CFO role effective immediately.” Read more

 

Organic ranchers eye Amazon distribution ahead of Whole Foods deal by Rod Nickel at Reuters. “Amazon plans to meet on Wednesday with a dozen U.S. ranchers, seeking to expand distribution of organic and grass-fed meats as it takes over Whole Foods, according to the meeting’s organizer.” Read more

 

Albertsons to ‘aggressively’ roll out more home deliveries in response to Amazon: CEO by Jade Scipioni at Fox Business. “At the end of this fiscal year, we’ll be in eight of the 10 biggest markets in the U.S. We’re going to spend lots of money on home delivery. A place like Chicago, we’re number-one share in the supermarket sector. … We’re going to work hard on home delivery…We think we can compete in that space, because somebody can order the complete variety from our store. And we have countertop service,” Alberstons CEO Bob Miller told The Idaho Statesman.” Read more

 

Chawla set to become COO of Walmart India by John Sarkari at Times of India. “PM Narendra Modi’s meeting with Walmart president & CEO Doug McMillon during his recent US visit has provided a new impetus in hiring top talent here in India, said senior industry executives.” Read more

 

Trump unloads on “Amazon Washington Post” in late night tweetstorm by Todd Venezia at NY Post. “Trump continued to decry The Washington Post as “Fake News” in a tweet saying the paper is “being used as a lobbyist weapon against Congress to keep Politicians from looking into Amazon no-tax monopoly?” Read more

 

HOME IMPROVEMENT HOT – Americans are expected to pour a record $316 billion into home remodeling this year, up from $296 billion a year earlier, according to Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. via Wall Street Journal. Read more (subs.)

 

**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

 

YouGov: Band-Aid, Amazon, Google Are Tops In Brand Health by Tanya Gazdik at MediaPost. “Rounding out the top 10 are Craftsman, Dawn, YouTube, Clorox, M&M’s, Lowe’s and Quaker.” Read more

 

Amazon Bids for Indian Payments Business FreeCharge at Bloomberg. “The offer is worth between $50 million to $80 million, the person said, asking not to be identified as the negotiations are private.” Read more

 

Michael Kors Is Buying Shoemaker Jimmy Choo’s For $1.2 Billion at Fortune. “For Kors, the deal is a step back upmarket, after an ill-judged over-expansion into brick-and-mortar shops when it chased volume instead of defending the value of its brand.” Read more

 

Walmart and JD.com Expand Strategic Cooperation “Beginning July 20, customers have been able to scan a QR code at more than 400 Walmart stores in China to earn coupons for use at the Walmart online stores on JD.com during the 8.8 shopping festival on August 8. The festival will help Walmart extend its reach to the 99% of the country’s population that JD’s delivery network covers.” Press release

 

Ex-Home Depot CEO Nardelli named chairman of power storage company by Katie Buda at Automotive News. Read more

 

$97.5M JC Penney Investor Settlement Gets Initial OK by Abraham Moussako at Law 360. “A Texas federal judge ruled Monday to grant preliminary approval to a deal for J.C. Penney to pay $97.5 million and make other concessions to a class of investors who’d accused the retailer of lying about its financial health, following the recommendation of a magistrate judge.” Read more (subs.)

 

Amazon jacked up Prime Day prices, misleading consumers, says vendor by Jade Scipioni at Fox Business. “Jason Jacobs, founder of Remodeez, a small company that specializes in non-toxic foot deodorizers and other odor stoppers, says he had an agreement with Amazon since 2015 on a suggested retail price of $9.99 for his products…“They showed the product at $15.42 and then exed it out to put ‘$9.99 for Amazon Prime Day.’ And on the final day, the price was like $18.44.” Read more

 

Bill Gates joins Jeff Bezos & other big names behind trucking startup Convoy by Theodore Schleifer at Recode. Read more

 

How Spacee wowed Wal-Mart with a new look at merchandise by Melissa Repko at Dallas News “In the stores, a digital display table shows off connected devices, from smart thermostats to baby gadgets…In a video posted on Facebook, Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon called the Spacee-enabled display “the future of shopping.” Read more

 

It’s not just banks anymore. Democrats want to break up all kinds of big business. by Max Ehrenfreund at Washington Post. “A white paper Democrats released Monday identifies beer, food, cable, airlines and eyeglasses as products that might have become more expensive for ordinary consumers because the industries are controlled by a few big firms.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Home Depot plans major expansion at California DC

Under Armour’s terrible year may get worse – Deutsche Bank predicts more than 15% decline

Design firm founder who helped America’s biggest brands dies in plane crash

Next stop for Amazon is ‘most valuable company on the planet’

Lowe’s truck runs red light – collides with another vehicle

Blue Apron’s stock rebounds on the heels of analyst recommendations

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: Hibbett Scares | B.Buy CFO Close-Up | Wegmans Crowd | Forklift Battle

 

Hibbett Sports Scare: “Based on very challenging sales trends, comparable store sales are expected to decrease approximately 10% for the second quarter ending July 29, 2017.” Press release

 

…Academy lays off 100 people from corporate office by Jack Witthaus at Houston Business Journal. Read more

 

9 people dead after sweltering tractor-trailer found at San Antonio Walmart at CNN. “The employee told authorities the trailer was parked at a Walmart lot in San Antonio. A man who was in it asked the employee for water. The employee brought water for the man, then called police and asked them to conduct a welfare check, McManus said.” Read more

 

…Field behind Walmart could be path for undocumented immigrants, neighbor says by Jessie Degollado at KSAT 12 ABC. “I know there’s people back there that walk around in the nighttime, yelling at each other to come on, come on this way,” Munoz said.” Read more

 

BEST BUY – CFO Corie Barry proudly leads the way as Best Buy surges by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “Corie Barry never saw herself in one of the top jobs at Best Buy. That began to change in the fall of 2012 when she met her new boss…she did a double take when the petite Sharon McCollam breezed in, wearing an impeccable dress and designer shoes along with an air of confidence and friendliness. “I literally thought I might run up and hug her,” said Barry, 42, in a recent interview over sushi at the company’s Richfield headquarters. “I felt like my whole life had changed.” Read more

 

Huge crowds as Wegmans opens its first Northern New Jersey store by Rob Jennings at NJ.com. “The company’s eighth New Jersey store was proving popular with an estimated 20,000 customers by 4:30 p.m., division manager Joe Sofia said.” 24 pics/Read more

 

Snap tests the retail waters by selling Spectacles inside London department store Harrods by Fitz Tepper at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Wal-Mart, Amazon Rivalry Spreads to Forklifts by Sarah Nassauer at Wall Street Journal. “Wal-Mart secured the right to invest in Plug Power Inc. by buying more of its fuel-cell-powered machines…“Discussions were going on simultaneously” with the two retailers starting late last year, said Plug Power Chief Executive Andy Marsh.” Read more (subs.)

 

**A message from the Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show – get ready for the nation’s largest souvenir show! Browse 1,300+ booths filled with the latest introductions from every major souvenir and resort supplier. New for 2017, 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 offeringstoo. September 13-16, 2017. Register Now | Exhibitor List

 

Amazon has started moving staff into a huge new London office with enough space for over 5,000 people by Sam Shead at Business Insider. Read more

 

FedEx Office stores closing in Canada via Toronto Star. “Spokeswoman Stacey Sullivan says FedEx Office will close its 24 stores, a manufacturing plant in Markham, Ont., and its head office in Toronto. The move will result in the loss of 214 jobs.” Read more

 

THEN THERE WERE FIVE – Wal-Mart streamlines the number of in-store merchandisers by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “Wal-Mart Stores has internally announced a new merchandising services program that narrows to five companies able to manage supplier displays and other services in more than 4,600 Walmart U.S. stores. Everyone else is out of luck…Steve Bratspies, chief merchandising officer for Walmart U.S., noted new guidelines for its “Merchandising Services Program” in a July 18 memo to suppliers and obtained by Talk Business & Politics.” Read more

 

Whole Foods sets August 23rd date for vote on Amazon deal by James Rodriguez at Austin Business Journal. Read more

 

Snail slime hits beauty mainstream after taking South Korea by storm by Christine Jenkins & Javiera Quiroga at Bloomberg via Denver Post. “Target is selling the products in about 850 stores and said they represent about 25 percent of its total premium offerings. Ulta said it expanded its offerings with a prestige collection in March and CVS began rolling K-Beauty HQ at 2,100 stores in April.” Read more

 

Target India announces the largest cohort for its accelerator program at The Hindu. List of eight

 

Next Leap for Robots: Picking Out and Boxing Your Online Order by Brian Baskin at Wall Street Journal. “Several companies, including…Hudson’s Bay…and JD.com…have recently begun testing robotic “pickers” in their distribution centers. Some robotics companies say their machines can move gadgets, toys and consumer products 50% faster than human workers.” Read more (subs.)

 

Amid liquidation sales, Sears Canada faces calls for boycott over employee treatment via Globe & Mail. Read more

 

Sephora rolls out smaller-store concept with high-tech beauty upgrades by Lauren Thomas at CNBC. “The studios will be about 2,000 square feet, less than half the size of a typical 5,500-square-foot Sephora store.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Bloomberg: Inside the Fight to Design the Perfect Sports Bra

Rap fans flock to Kendrick Lamar’s pop-up shop

Adweek: The 10 Next Hot Jobs in Digital Marketing

Big smartphones ate the tablet market

Why are these Tijuana barber shops all the rage with Mexican men?

KKR nears deal to buy health website WebMD

Here’s what the new small-format Buffalo Wild Wings will look like

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

Eye on Retail Tipsheet Returns 7/24/17!

Eye on Retail Tipsheet is on summer break and returns 7/24/17. A big thank you to our loyal readers!

 

Jason Long

Eye on Retail

jlong@eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Nordstrom Frustrates | Buff Bezos | Wmart’s Helpers | NRF Bullish

 

US retail sales drop 0.2% in June vs 0.1% increase expected via CNBC. “U.S. retail sales unexpectedly fell in June for a second straight month, which could temper expectations of strong acceleration in economic growth in the second quarter.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart introducing ‘helpers’ for back-to-school season by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “…has expanded the (online pickup) service to include hundreds of back-to-school items like pens and notepads. Walmart will also integrate TeachersList, an online resource with more than 500,000 classroom lists, so customers can directly look up the school supplies they need to buy. Finally, the retailer will add extra in-store employees to assist customers at checkout.” Read more

 

Amazon heading into real estate? Fake news, source says by Angel Gonzalez at Seattle Times. “The thing is, the rumor may be just that — a rumor. A person familiar with the company’s thinking called the speculation “fake news.” Read more

 

Nordstrom website issues frustrate shoppers looking for early access to anniversary sale by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “Shoppers with a Nordstrom credit card were given access to featured items eight days ahead of the sale, which starts July 21 and runs through Aug. 6. The Associated Press reported that some shoppers saw their virtual carts emptying at checkout.” Read more

 

Why the Post Office Gives Amazon Special Delivery by Josh Sandbulte at Wall Street Journal. “A Citigroup analysis finds each box gets a $1.46 subsidy…Like many close observers of the shipping business, I know a secret about the federal government’s relationship with Amazon: The U.S. Postal Service delivers the company’s boxes well below its own costs.” Read more (subs.)

 

NRF bullish back-to-school forecast leaves some scratching their heads by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “Overall back-to-school spending will grow 10 percent from last year, to $83.8 billion, the National Retail Federation said on Thursday.” Read more

 

Bezos looks buff at exclusive mogul retreat by Kurt Wagner at Recode. “The who’s who of the tech and media worlds have descended upon Sun Valley, Idaho, this week for the annual invite-only gathering hosted by the investment bank Allen & Co.” Attendee pics/Read more

 

PEAK AMAZON? – Amazon is getting too big and the government is talking about it by Tonya Garcia at MarketWatch. “My understanding is that certain Democrats in the Senate have instituted the very recent and preliminary investigation of Amazon’s possible adverse impact on competition,” he said. “But, in the Trump administration we also have a foe against Jeff Bezos…” Read more

 

**A message from the Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show – get ready for the nation’s largest souvenir show! Browse 1,300+ booths filled with the latest introductions from every major souvenir and resort supplier. New for 2017, 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 offeringstoo. September 13-16, 2017. Register Now | Exhibitor List

 

Jet.com is installing Latch access systems in 1,000 NYC apartment buildings by Fitz Tepper at TechCrunch. “Over 100,000 residents living in 1,000 buildings will get free and full access to Latch’s residential “R” system for the exterior door of their building, with the install paid for by a “joint investment” from Jet and Latch.” Read more

 

Target Unveils 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility Report Highlights/Download report

 

AmazonFresh priced at a 16.1% premium to Walmart in June, higher than 14.6% in May at The Street. Read more

 

Kroger advantages over competitors are weakening, analyst says by Steve Watkins at Cincinnati Business Courier. “Goldman wrote. “We hope that in the future, when the company elects which topics to emphasize in investor meetings, it does not accentuate positives at a time when near-term fundamentals perhaps are worsening.” Read more

 

…Wal-Mart can ‘sidestep the Amazon juggernaut,’ Goldman says, upgrading the retailer to buy at CNBC. “[Wal-Mart] has seen the world quite clearly,” Goldman said. “Tactically, [Wal-Mart] has improved in-store execution visibly, tightened inventory, and kept pace with overall US retail [comparable-sales] momentum after years of lagging behind.” Read more

 

Amazon’s Prime Day conversion rate, traffic and transactions surge by April Berthene at Internet Retailer. “The 18.6% conversion rate is more than five times higher than the average of the top 500 largest online retailers in North America, which is 3.55%.” Read more

 

…53 MILLION AMERICANS – Roughly 21.8% of online shoppers made a purchase on Amazon.com on Prime Day. That’s up from 19.4% last year by Stefany Zaroban at Internet Retailer. Read more

 

Why You Should Look to China for the Future of Retail by Li Yuan at Wall Street Journal. “China is an ideal market for experimenting because its traditional banking and retail industries are weak. A generation ago, stores had little to offer and service to match—legacies of the planned economy. Credit cards, nonexistent back then, still aren’t common, while smartphones are everywhere.” Read more (subs.)

 

‘We’re losing more people to the sweets than to the streets’: Why two black pastors are suing Coca-Cola by Caitlin Dewey at Washington Post. “Lamar and Coates say, they will continue visiting hospitals, and overseeing funerals, for members of their churches suffering from obesity-related illnesses. “I am disgusted by the number of hospital visits I make,” Lamar said. “It just adds to the injustices all around us.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Sears Canada layoffs include Mike Myers’ brother who starred in “we’re not going anywhere” ad

America Has a $27 Billion Sepsis Crisis

A Solar Eclipse Could Wipe Out 9,000 Megawatts of Power Supplies

Cubs manager Joe Maddon (and wife) doing digital sitcom for Winnebago

Wawa announces plans to open dozens of stores in D.C.

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