Tipsheet: Costco +5.7% | Amazon ‘Chewed Up’ in Hollywood | Springsteen @ Barney’s | Meijer Layoffs

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Costco Q4 Comp Sales (Ex FE/Gas) +5.7%, September +6.2% “Net sales for the 17-week fourth quarter were $41.36 billion, an increase of 15.8 percent…Net sales for the 53-week fiscal year were $126.17 billion, an increase of 8.7 percent from $116.07 billion in the 52-week fiscal year of 2016.” Press release

 

…Reuters: Shrinking margins cloud Costco’s profit beat, shares fall “Costco Wholesale Corp’s quarterly profit scraped past estimates, helped by a hike in membership fees, but a fall in gross margins fueled concerns of an intensifying grocer price war, sending shares down 3.6 percent in after-market trading.” Read more

 

Costco debuts new grocery delivery service and expands partnership with Instacart by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. “Costco rolled out a new two-day delivery service called CostcoGrocery for customers across the U.S., with the exception of those in Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico. Costco already sold products online, but now it labels items available as part of the new 2-day service with a “CostcoGrocery” logo.” Read more

 

Walmart Takes a Swing at Amazon, Says a $99 Membership Shouldn’t be Required to Get Free Shipping by Kristina Monllos at Adweek. “Walmart svp and CMO Tony Rogers gave the audience at the ANA’s Masters of Marketing conference in Orlando, Fla., a sneak peek at the company’s upcoming holiday spot which touts free shipping. “Free shipping two-day for orders over $35,” said Rogers, after showing the upcoming new spot (Walmart declined to send Adweek the new ad, as it won’t be released for a few weeks). “No membership fee because, you know, we just don’t think you should have to pay $99 a year for the privilege of free shipping.” Read more

 

Bruce Springsteen swings by Barneys amid Broadway prep by Ian Moore & Emily Smith at NY Post. “Bruce Springsteen took a break from prepping his Broadway show at the Walter Kerr Theatre on Thursday by stepping out for lunch at Freds Madison Avenue atop Barneys New York.” Read more

 

**A message from deVaca coffee substitute – Nearly 50% of coffee drinkers limit consumption due to caffeine concerns. Boost coffee category sales with deVaca – the all-natural, small batch, non-GMO barley coffee proudly grown and roasted in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. Embrace the dark robust coffee like flavor of this original roast with just a hint of chocolate sensuality. Product details | Free sample request: info@shiftmarketinggroup.net

 

Tesco to Review Contracts and Centralize Orders, CFO Says by Nina Trentmann at Wall Street Journal. “We have been operating on a decentralized and more fragmented basis,” said Mr. Stewart in an interview with CFO Journal. The grocer is now working with suppliers and potential suppliers to “get the most out of contracts” when they are up for renewal, he added.” Read more (subs.)

 

Tesco’s top bosses ‘cooked the books’ and inflated profits by £250million amid immense pressure from budget rivals Lidl and Aldi at Daily Mail. “Tesco executives ‘inflated profits by £250million because of pressure from budget chains Aldi and Lidl’. Carl Rogberg, 50, Chris Bush, 51, and John Scouler, 49, face 13-week trial.” Read more

 

Layoffs, transitions within Meijer’s IT department at Fox 17 West Michigan. “Meijer: ‘One of these changes is a new relationship with IBM which leverages their strengths in cloud-based computing, and involves transitioning a number of our ITS professionals to IBM.'” Read more

 

Sears gets another $100M in Lampert cash for holiday season by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “That brings to $499.4 million the total of Lampert’s outstanding loans to the money-losing chains. The loans, from units of Lampert’s ESL Investments, carry an interest rate of 11 percent and are backed by mortgages of certain stores.” Read more

 

Bankrupt U.S. retailers begin to catch a break at Reuters. “We’re seeing a set of situations come together in which the constituencies have more interest in the retailer surviving than not,” said Holly Etlin, a managing director at AlixPartners LLP, a consulting firm that worked on the bankruptcy of Gymboree.” Read more

 

Hy-Vee is Progressive Grocer’s 2017 Retailer of the Year Read more

 

CHICAGO SODA TAX TROUBLE – John Daley flips on soda tax, boosting repeal effort by Hal Dardick at Chicago Tribune. “The change of heart by Daley, the brother of the former Chicago mayor and a longtime Preckwinkle ally, gives opponents nine votes in favor of repeal. That’s just enough to overturn the pop tax, but foes will need to round up two more votes to override a potential Preckwinkle veto.” Read more

 

Saks Unveils The Angelina Jolie $5 Million Star Sapphire by Anthony DeMarco at Forbes. Read more

 

German giant Kaufland plans first store in Australia by Simon Johanson at Sydney Morning Herald. “Kaufland, part of the world’s fourth-largest grocery conglomerate, has paid $25 million for the sprawling Le Cornu site in the Adelaide suburb of Forestville, where it will open its inaugural and flagship store.” Read more

 

Lowe’s hiring 200 employees in San Antonio, South Texas to meet Harvey demand by Joshua Fechter at My San Antonio. Read more

 

BEER ON THE GO – 7-Eleven gets ok to serve draft beer at Love Pattaya. “It is not clear at this time how many stores will start selling draft beer but the owners of 7-Eleven CP All have said that both of Thailand’s leading breweries are interested in “experimenting in the market.” Video/Pics/Read more

 

Michigan State honors Home Depot CEO Craig Menear as an outstanding alumni Press release

 

Where Amazon Is Failing to Dominate: Hollywood by Ben Fritz & Joe Flint at Wall Street Journal. “We were supposed to bring the best practices of one of the most successful companies in America to Hollywood,” said an Amazon Studios executive. “Instead, we’re getting chewed up.” Read more (subs.)

 

CVS taps Target’s designer for prescription labels Press release

 

A peek inside Nordstrom Local – Nordstrom’s store without any inventory at CNBC. Pics/Read more

 

Wal-Mart says it stopped fish imports from N.Korea-linked plant at Daily Mail. “Wal-Mart gave the Hunchun facility a “red” rating after it did not cooperate with a company investigation into labor problems, said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Marilee McInnis.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Pumpkin spice air freshener prompts school evacuation

Utah apparel company sues L.L. Bean over “Outsider” trademark

Walton Foundation donates $787,000 to purchase trees

Woman sues Junior Mints over 57% filled box

Pabst Blue Ribbon owner buys vitamin business

Cats in Australia kill over 1 million birds a day

Australians give up 51,000 illegal guns as govt stands by tough laws

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Tipsheet: Amazon Tests Its Own Delivery | Salmon Scandal | WM Tires of Joy | Sinegal Donates $1.14M

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SELLER FLEX – Amazon is reportedly testing its own delivery service by Spencer Soper at Bloomberg. “The service began two years ago in India, and Amazon has been slowly marketing it to U.S. merchants in preparation for a national expansion, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the U.S. pilot project is confidential. Amazon is calling the project Seller Flex, one person said. The service began on a trial basis this year in West Coast states with a broader rollout planned in 2018, the people said. Amazon declined to comment.” Read more

 

Whole Foods’ parking lots were busier after Amazon bought it – Kroger not so much at CNBC. “For the month of September, car traffic at Whole Foods stores was up 4.6%, the biggest increase since June 2014. To be sure, JPMorgan analyst Ken Goldman explained in a Wednesday note to clients that car traffic was “perhaps not as high as some observers may have expected.”…At Kroger, Satellite data showed a 7.3% decrease during the month.” Read more

 

Walgreens Expands Medication Disposal To 1,500 Stores In Opioid Battle Press release

 

Americans may be propping up North Korea by buying salmon at US stores at AP. “They cannot leave their compounds without permission. They must take the few steps to the factories in pairs or groups, with North Korean minders ensuring no one strays. They have no access to telephones or email. And they are paid a fraction of their salaries, while the rest — as much as 70 percent — is taken by North Korea’s government.” Read more

 

Easygoing Whole Foods Culture Faces Amazon Discipline by Ronald Holden at Forbes. “It hasn’t been widely reported, but Whole Foods is tightening the leash. There’s long been an internet portal for vendors, and there’s increasing pressure on vendors to use the web to manage their products. And they’ve got to get permission from district managers to actually set foot inside the store, even to do a spot-check on inventory.” Read more

 

How Macy’s Is Turning Beauty Store Bluemercury Into Its Secret Weapon by Phil Wahba at Fortune. ““We are gushers of innovation,” Barry Beck, Bluemercury co-founder, tells Fortune in an interview. Beck acts as Bluemercury’s operations chief; his wife, Marla, serves as CEO. After giving us a tour of the Bluemercury store in Manhattan’s TriBeCa district, he lists some of the ways in which the chain is breaking new ground…” Read more

 

Office Depot to acquire IT services firm CompuCom for $1B by Emon Reiser at South Florida Business Journal. Read more

 

WALMART TIRES OF JOY – How Walmart is growing Carolinas manufacturing jobs by Ken Elkins at Charlotte Business Journal. “About 200 local officials, workers, state execs and tire industry people attended a dedication ceremony on Wednesday. The two-hour event included a tearful speech by Giti employee Arlene McIver, who had been unemployed for as many as eight years before finding the permanent job in Richburg.” Read more

 

Home Depot’s Top Picks for Product Innovation 2017 Top 10 products/Press release

 

**A message from Hot Shot – When bugs cross your threshold, count on Hot Shot. There’s no place like home. And when you rule the roost, you do it all… keep the peace, dry the tears, mop up the messes – even squash the spiders. Count on Hot Shot brand for practical, easy-to-use, effective home insect solutions that take care of the creepy-crawlies for you – without breaking the bank. Facebook page

 

Camping World CEO opens upscale women’s fashion store in Chicago by Brigid Sweeney at Chicago Business. “”This” is Marcus, an upscale, two-story shop at 110 E. Delaware Pl. in the Gold Coast. …the bright, loft-like store opened quietly last week. It will be joined by outposts in Aspen, Colo.; New York and, early next year, west suburban Hinsdale, according to Menkin.” Read more

 

The era of holiday deals is dead, and so is Black Friday by Abha Bhattarai at Washington Post via Denver Post. “Thirty-five percent of consumers who plan to shop during Thanksgiving week say they will do so on Black Friday, down from 51 percent last year and 59 percent the year before, according to consumer markets research from PwC.” Read more

 

Costco co-founder Sinegal donates $1.14M for 20 college students in Washington by Miles Jay Oliver at Yakima Herald. “I’m not gonna change the world, but maybe I can make a few differences in a few lives” Sinegal said.” Read more

 

Sears Canada to Choose Between Chairman’s Bid and Liquidation by Andrew Scurria & Jacquie McNish at Wall Street Journal. “A special committee of the Sears Canada board will decide this week on Executive Chairman Brandon Stranzl’s bid to purchase some of its stores out of bankruptcy as a going concern.” Read more (subs.)

 

Mattel cancels plans for a kid-focused AI device that drew privacy concerns by Hayley Tsukayama at Washington Post via Houston Chronicle. “It also triggered broader concerns about how quickly companies are marketing products to parents without understanding how technology could affect early childhood development.” Read more

 

Casper now has ties to two of the most powerful mattress reviews sites on the web by Jason Del Rey at Recode. Read more

 

Bump stocks disappearing from online stores by Dennis Green at Business Insider. “Cabela’s previously offered the Slide Fire bump stock for sale on its website, but that listing has been taken down…A similar search at Bass Pro Shops yielded the same result…A version of the bump stock was previously available for sale by a third-party seller on Walmart’s website for an unknown period of time, but the retailer has pulled the listing.” Read more

 

BEZOS 25TH-LARGEST LANDOWNER IN US – The Many Places Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Calls Home by Nancy Keates at Wall Street Journal. “…includes several homes on over 10 acres of land on the shores of Lake Washington in Medina, Wash.; two neighboring houses in Beverly Hills, Calif.; a former museum in Washington, D.C.; four linked apartments in a landmark Art Deco tower on Manhattan’s Central Park West; and over 300,000 acres in West Texas.” Read more (subs.)

 

Zefo, an online store for secondhand goods, gets $9.2M Series B led by Sequoia India by Catherine Shu at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Shopify shares slide after company called ‘get-rich-quick scheme’ via Toronto Star. “In a stinging tweet and video rebuke, Citron founder Andrew Left called Ottawa-based Shopify a “get-rich-quick” scheme and “dirtier” than Herbalife Ltd., which has been targeted by regulators for deceptive business practices.” Read more

 

Off-price retailers are starting to cannibalize themselves by Tonya Garcia at MarketWatch. ““With department stores struggling, fewer off-price stores opening, and different location strategies emerging, sales siphoning could be taking place,” Kroll wrote.” Read more

 

Tractor Supply CEO joins home decor retailer Kirkland’s board by Eleanor Kennedy at Nashville Business Journal. Read more

 

“Dollar Dog” – named for his frequent trips to Dollar General – lured into road and killed WSAZ Newchannel 3. “…a couple people had actually seen where somebody had intentionally put a little pile of of dog food right at the intersection of 40 and 172,” said Price. “It wasn’t consistent with somebody hauling dog food and maybe some of it spilling out of the bed. This was intentional that somebody had set up a little pile of food just to lure it out there.” Video/Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Woman creates Twitter account specifically to call out abandoned Costco carts

Arkansas family wins $546,000 over bed bugs at hotel

More than 1 million chickens die in Indiana egg farm fire

FDA: ‘Love’ Is Not A Real Ingredient

Sam’s Club Shoplifting Suspect Dies While In Custody

Former H-E-B exec found guilty on 48 counts in child porn case

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

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Amazon +1K MBA’s | SHOT Show On | Target Talks Cotton

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Kroger stock jumps amid acquisition rumors by Steve Watkins at Cincinnati Business Courier. “Bloomberg reported that Twitter speculation referenced Ahold reportedly has hired advisers to look into a possible bid for Kroger $32 a share, Bruno Monteyne, a London-based supermarket analyst at Bernstein, wrote in a research report Tuesday. But Monteyne believes any deal would have to be structured as a merger of equals.” Read more (subs.)

 

Amazon said looking for physical stores, possible acquisition in France by Jeff Daniels at CNBC. “Amazon is on the prowl for approximately 15 store locations in France, especially in Paris, in the next two years, according to the newspaper Le Monde. The French publication also said that the U.S. company has “approached French distributors to forge partnerships or make an acquisition in France.” Read more

 

…French supermarket operator Leclerc has been approached by Amazon over possible logistics partnerships at Fortune. Read more

 

Amazon has acquired 3D body model startup, Body Labs, for $50M-$70M by Natasha Lomas & Jordan Crook at TechCrunch. “…a company with a stated aim of creating true-to-life 3D body models to support various b2b software applications — such as virtually trying on clothes or photorealistic avatars for gaming.” Read more

 

Report: If Sears Canada is to completely shutter – it should get it done before Christmas by Francine Kopun at Toronto Star. Read more

 

Puerto Rico Faces Critical Drug Shortage as Walgreens Restores Service at NBC News. “As of Tuesday, only 76 of the 120 Walgreen pharmacies across the island are open, many on a limited basis.” Read more

 

The SHOT Show will go on as planned in Las Vegas by Tamar Lapin at NY Post. “Out of respect for the families of the victims and the law enforcement process, we are not going to comment or participate in media requests made relating to this attack.” Read more

 

M.B.A.s Want to Work for Amazon by Kelsey Gee at Wall Street Journal. “Amazon is now the top recruiter at the business schools of Carnegie Mellon University, Duke University and University of California, Berkeley, and it is the biggest internship destination for first-year M.B.A.s at the University of Michigan, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dartmouth College and Duke…All told, Amazon has hired roughly 1,000 M.B.A.s in the past year.“ Read more (subs.)

 

Target Team Travels the Globe to Kick off New Sustainable Cotton Sourcing Goal at A Bullseye View. “Today, we’re taking our next step forward—setting a goal to source 100% sustainable cotton by 2022 for our owned and exclusive national brands in apparel, home and essentials, and introducing a new policy to help guide the way.” Read more

 

**A message from Lock-it Block-it – Leave windows open AND secure. The Lock-it Block-it is a high-impact security bar that allows windows to stay open AND secure at the same time. Great for sliding doors/windows too! Video | Sell sheet | Retailers request samples: info@shiftmarketinggroup.net

 

EU hits Amazon with $294 million bill over what it deems to be illegal tax breaks at Bloomberg. Read more

 

60 per cent of a consumer’s buying decision shaped by digital medium: Krish Iyer, Walmart India CEO at The Economic Times. Read more

 

Ace Hardware Acquires Majority Stake In E-Commerce Startup, The Grommet “The Grommet operates an e-commerce website that markets and sells new and innovative products created by independent entrepreneurs…It has discovered and launched dozens of now household brand names, including FitBit, IdeaPaint, OtterBox, SimpliSafe and SodaStream.” Press release

 

Due to Lowe’s contract, logistics company to ink large industrial lease in Houston by Cara Smith at Houston Business Journal. “NFI plans to sign a three-year lease for 250,000 square feet of industrial space, per industry sources, and will work exclusively with Lowe’s…In September..Home Depot signed a lease for 300,000 square feet of warehouse space in Jersey Village.” Read more (subs.)

 

AutoZone’s national sales meeting draws thousands to Memphis by Meagan Nichols at Memphis Business Journal. 31 pics/Read more

 

Best Buy Bets on Adults Remotely Monitoring Their Aging Parents by Matthew Boyle at Bloomberg. “As Best Buy proceeds, it could find itself competing against companies that already sell geriatric products in—you guessed it—Best Buy stores. One of those is GreatCall, which has offered its senior-friendly phones and medical-alert devices at Best Buy for about a decade. GreatCall CEO David Inns says he welcomes the competition as a sign that senior care is “finally becoming sexy.” Read more

 

St.Thomas Home Depot Re-Opens Today at 11 a.m. at St.Thomas Source. Read more

 

Amazon brings Echo and Alexa to India and soon Japan, its first markets in Asia by Ingrid Lunden at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Pilot Flying J Teams with Bass Pro Shops for In-Store Experience by David Bennett at Convenience Store Decisions. “The shop-in-shop concept is scheduled to be expanded to additional Pilot Flying J locations by the end of the second quarter 2018. Pilot Flying J is looking at five more locations to fit the shop-in-shop concept.” Pics/Read more

 

Blue Apron Launches New Branded Podcast “Why We Eat What We Eat” by Jeff Beer at Fast Company. Read more

 

Amazon leases Seattle’s soon-to-be 2nd tallest building by Nat Levy at GeekWire. “The 1.17 million-square-foot project includes 200 apartments on the upper floors of the 58-story building…Amazon does not get special priority on either the housing or hotel rooms, but Johnson said those aspects were attractive to Amazon.” Read more/Pic

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Icahn pushes $2B into auto parts business

A peek inside McDonald’s new Chicago HQ (13 pics)

Publix sued for religious discrimination for requiring employee to cut dreadlocks

Canadian cafe goes ‘screen free after 5 p.m.’, sparks backlash

Walmart Thief Leaves 2-Year-Old Son to Die on Road as He Flees Scene

Why Colorado’s special legislative session on pot-tax error left everyone empty-handed

Snap has sold ‘over 150k’ pairs of Spectacles since launch

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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 Buys Parcel | Buffett Buys Pilot | USPS ‘Stalker’s Dream’ | Target Pickup Test

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Berkshire Hathaway buys 38.6% stake in Pilot Flying J at CNBC. “Pilot Flying J is the largest operator of truck stops and rest stops in North America, with 750 locations and more than $20 billion in revenue. The company is 15th on Forbes’ list of America’s largest private companies.” Read more

 

Walmart has acquired the logistics startup Parcel to help launch same-day delivery in New York City by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “(Parcel) handles scheduled and same-day delivery services in New York for online retailers like Bonobos and meal-kit companies like Chef’d and Martha Stewart’s Martha & Marley Spoon. Parcel will continue to serve those clients, but Walmart will also utilize the startup’s technology and network of delivery employees to ramp up its own same-day delivery offerings for both Jet.com and Walmart.com in New York City.” Read more

 

Target’s test of curbside pickup launches at 50 Twin Cities stores by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “Nearly 200,000 items that span home furnishings, household essentials, toys and nonperishable food are eligible for the service. Fresh groceries such as produce and refrigerated or frozen items are not included. No minimum order is required and the service is free.” Read more

 

High-Income Shoppers to Drive Holiday Spending Up 6% This Year by Alexandra Stratton at Bloomberg. “…those with household incomes under $60,000 will cut their outlays for both gifts and entertainment as they deal with stagnant wages…Last year, U.S. holiday sales grew 4 percent to $658.3 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.” Read more

 

Boxed Is Looking to Challenge Amazon and Cash In on the Ecommerce Ad Exchange Boom by Christopher Heine at Adweek. “Boxed…is introducing a real-time auction platform for its top-of-the-page, sponsored search results. The New York-based company has offered ads for a few years through its six-person sales team, but is now aiming to ramp up revenue from its ad inventory by pitting bidder versus bidder—and in the process, take away a chunk of business from ecommerce powerhouses Amazon and Walmart.” Read more

 

YouGov: 2017’s Top 10 Millennial Brands (HEB & Walmart #3, Amazon #8) by Angela Natavidad at Adweek. Top 10 list

 

USPS ‘Informed Delivery’ Is Stalker’s Dream at Krebs on Security. “A free new service from the U.S. Postal Service that provides scanned images of incoming mail before it is slated to arrive at its destination address is raising eyebrows among security experts who worry about the service’s potential for misuse by private investigators, identity thieves, stalkers or abusive ex-partners. The USPS says it hopes to have changes in place by early next year that could help blunt some of those concerns.” Read more

 

American Express wins dismissal of lawsuit over lost Costco contract by Jonathan Stempel at Fox Business. “In a decision made public on Monday, U.S. District Judge Paul Gardephe in Manhattan rejected claims that American Express improperly downplayed the risk its 16-year relationship with Costco might end, and concealed how the warehouse chain had generated 8 percent of its revenue and 20 percent of its loans.” Read more

 

**A message from Pirola – Made in Italy – Designer ironing boards add style to any home. Exclusively made in Italy for 45 years. Custom colors & designs available. Website. Retailers request samples at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net. Italy to U.S. product connection

 

Nordstrom buyout unlikely due to high interest rates by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “With little chance of receiving much less expensive rates, a buyout of their company is not likely, the sources said. In recent days, banks like JPMorgan Chase asked the Nordstrom family for the flexibility to charge a 12 percent interest rate on the bonds they underwrite, one lender said.” Read more

 

This Couple Scammed Amazon Out of $1.2 Million. Now They Have to Pay It Back by Grace Donnelly at Forbes. “For Amazon, it’s often cheaper to replace items when these claims are filed than to investigate. But after using hundreds of fake online identities to grift the online retail giant, the husband and wife team face up to 20 years behind bars for fraud and money laundering.” Read more

 

Inside Amazon’s $300 million private-label business by Stefany Zaroban at Internet Retailer. “The merchant’s AmazonBasics brand accounts for nearly 85% of all of its private-label sales so far this year, while its apparel and baby care brands are growing at 90% year over year.” Read more

 

Jeff Bezos muscles way to top of Vanity Fair’s ‘New Establishment’ list again at Vanity Fair. Top 100 list

 

Metro’s $4.5-billion takeover of Jean Coutu creates Quebec mega-firm by Hollie Shaw at Financial Post. “The deal will create a combined company with 1,300 retail stores, 87,000 employees and $16 billion in annual revenue, and will result in an anticipated $75 million in cost savings in three years.” Read more

 

Whole Foods dominating the competition since Amazon takeover by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “In the first week of the Amazon takeover…(Whole Foods) gained nearly 10 percent of (Trader Joe’s) customers compared with a year ago, according to a report by Thasos Group, a research company, which tracked shoppers’ mobile phone location data…by the third week (Trader Joe’s) shoppers accounted for 6 percent.” Read more | Download report

 

Starbucks Shutters Online Store As It ‘Elevates’ Mobile Perks, Store Experiences by Barbara Thau at Forbes. “The coffee chain will instead channel its digital-commerce efforts towards its mobile app and the Starbucks Rewards loyalty program (which accounts for 36% of U.S. company-operated sales), both cornerstones of its so-called “digital flywheel strategy.” Read more

 

Amazon flies cargo plane into hurricane-devastated Puerto Rico, loaded with donated supplies by Todd Bishop at GeekWire. “Amazon plane packed with donation of critical supplies landed earlier today in San Juan. Thank you to all the Amazonians who made it happen,” Bezos wrote in posts on Twitter and Instagram.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

“Craft beer” faces an identity crisis as Great American Beer Festival arrives in Denver

New Hannaford loyalty program will reward private-brand purchases

Quebec retailers fear they will be shortchanged in NAFTA renegotiation

Whole Foods in-house items on the rise among Amazon’s top-selling brands

Here are the retailers opting to stay closed on Thanksgiving 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

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Target Removes Hemp | W.Foods Breach | Jet’s PL | Billy Bass/Alexa

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Whole Foods suffers data breach in some stores by Angelica LaVito at CNBC. “Whole Foods suffered a data breach of credit card information used in taprooms and full table-service restaurants in some of the grocery chain’s stores, the company said Thursday. Whole Foods noted these venues use a different point-of-sale system than the main checkout systems. Credit cards used at those systems were not affected, the company said.” Read more

 

Ikea has bought TaskRabbit by Kara Swisher & Theodore Schleifer at NY Post. “The price of the deal could not be determined, but the contract labor marketplace company has raised about $50 million since it was founded nine years ago. Sources added that TaskRabbit will become an independent subsidiary within Ikea and that CEO Stacy Brown-Philpot and its staff would remain.” Read more

 

Jet.com site to launch its own line of groceries by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “…with plans to introduce more than 60 food and household items in the coming months…“The branded vendors are privately telling us that they are relieved about the Jet.com division becoming a big private label seller,” said Flickinger. “They see Jet.com as the best opportunity to slow Amazon’s march towards making unreasonable demands in its procurement.” Read more

 

Hemp pills and oils make brief appearance at Target.com, get purged from the site at Pioneer Press. “Although some medical marijuana advocates celebrated the appearance of Charlotte’s Web products on Target’s website, the product was quickly made unavailable.” Read more

 

Rite Aid Blames Walgreens Deal Drama for Poor Performance by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “Rite Aid tried to mitigate the blow by announcing it had tapped a respected executive in the drugstore industry to be its new president and operations chief. Kermit Crawford, who spent 30 years at Walgreens but left in 2014, will join the company next Thursday. At Walgreens, he had last served as executive vice president and president of pharmacy health and wellness.” Read more

 

Saks clerk and his psychic stole $50K from Fifth Avenue store by Rebecca Rosenberg at NY Post. “He [Axel] said if I returned the items so we could put them on gift cards and buy things. I was directed as to which things to take,” she confessed, according to authorities. The thieves grew even more brazen toward the end of their scheme, snatching goods and strolling out the door with them, court papers allege.” Read more

 

Fired Harris Teeter worker accused of stealing $78,000 from its charitable foundation by Joe Marusak & Maria David at Charlotte Observer. “Belk is accused of modifying employees’ approved financial hardship applications after payments were made to the workers. The changes caused additional checks to be issued to pay her expenses as well, according to the federal document.” 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. 

 

Finish Line in talks to sell itself to a British retailer by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “British-based Sports Direct — which owns brands including Everlast and Kangol — is in direct negotiations to buy Finish Line, and an acquisition could be announced in the coming weeks, a source close to the situation said.” Read more

 

Taco Bell and Forever 21’s new clothing line is the ultimate Generation Z bait by Whitney Filoon at Eater via CNBC. “Think a pink pullover sweatshirt with an embroidered “Live Mas” logo on the chest, or a tank top designed to look like a packet of the chain’s signature Fire Sauce. The collection will be available in Forever 21 stores and via Forever21.com beginning Wednesday, October 11, with a preview event slated for October 11 in downtown LA’s Fashion District.” Read more

 

P&G board member Frank Blake dismisses Nelson Peltz efforts at Bloomberg. “P&G board member Frank Blake, former CEO of Home Depot Inc., said that Peltz would be joining in the middle of a turnaround that is already yielding results. “If this were at the very beginning and someone said, ‘I have a ton of ideas’ that’s a different situation. We’re two years into this.” Read more

 

Loblaw says it’s exploring grocery home delivery partnership with Instacart at Toronto Star. “Currently, Canadians have few options for grocery delivery with a small number of companies, like Grocery Gateway, and a few large chains offering the service in limited locations.” Read more

 

Amazon Alexa To Give Billy Big Mouth Bass a Bigger Playlist by Barb Darrow at Fortune. “What that means is that the fish will be able to lip sync and move to whatever tunes you play on your Amazon Echo speaker. This significantly expands Billy’s repertoire from its early days, when it was limited to covering a few songs like Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” or Al Green’s “Take Me To the River.” Read more

 

A new Amazon plant stalled in the Philly suburbs at Philly Inquirer. “…a months-long state air pollution review has delayed the planned opening of its Amazon Woot! manufacturing facility near Norristown until next year.” Read more

 

Mattel Nursery Gadget Listens to Babies, Sets Off Privacy Alarms by Todd Shields at Bloomberg. Read more

 

Lowe’s chief innovation officer Kyle Nel talks to Entrepreneur Read more/38 min podcast

 

Toymakers say there is ‘widespread panic’ following Toys R Us bankruptcy by Abha Bhattarai at Washington Post via Chicago Tribune. “In total, Toys R Us owes $7.5 billion to a group that includes virtually every major toymaker in the country: Mattel (owed $136 million), Hasbro ($59 million), Spin Master ($33 million), Lego ($32 million), Radio Flyer ($12 million), Crayola ($2.6 million).” Read more

 

Whole Foods CEO says Amazon helped his company escape ‘whole paycheck’ trap by Eugene Kim at CNBC. “One reason the merger came about is Whole Foods was in a trap, and I couldn’t quite figure how to get out of that trap,” Mackey said at SNAC International’s Executive Leadership Forum, which Food Business news covered. “We escaped the trap. I feel a little bit like Houdini.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Amazon Developing 3 New Sci-Fi Series

Madonna launches MDNA Skin at Barneys New York

Same-store sales for online grocery up 26%

Reebok shows off its 30,000-square-foot gym at future Boston HQ

Wristbands track toxic exposure after Harvey

What Is It About Tater Tots That’s Made Them So Appealing?

USDA closes investigation into a massive organic farm in Colorado — but what did it check?

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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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Website: www.eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Rite Aid -3.4% | Pier 1 +1.8% | Amazon #6 Brand | Wawa Fights Claim

/in

 

Report: Amazon created more jobs last year than 46 states by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “In terms of job creation, if Amazon was a state, those figures would put the company behind only Texas, California, Florida, and New York over that period of time, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.” Read more

 

Rite Aid Q2 comp sales -3.4% “…consisting of a 4.6 percent decrease in pharmacy sales and a 0.9 percent decrease in front-end sales.” Press release

 

Wal-Mart Will Offer Free Same-Day Delivery in NYC by Matthew Boyle & Mark Bergan at Bloomberg. “In the New York surrounding area, Jet.com right now is offering free, same-day delivery,” Lore said at the conference. “And we’ll be doing the same with Wal-Mart very soon.” That might be news to the rest of the company, as a Jet customer-service representative said there was no such service available.” Read more

 

Best Global Brands 2017 Rankings (Amazon #6, H&M #23, Ikea #25, Ebay#34) at Interbrand. Top 100 list

 

Pier 1 Q2 comp sales +1.8% “Net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2018 increased 0.4% to $407.6 million, compared to $405.8 million in the same period last year.” Press release

 

Kohl’s won’t reveal one number that retailers talk about every holiday season at CNBC. “The company is taking a similar approach to Wal-Mart, which has promised to rely more on its current employees for the busy shopping season, giving them additional hours. Kohl’s will be hiring some seasonal staff, but for the first time ever it won’t talk about that number.” Read more

 

US 2Q GDP growth revised up to 3.1 percent at Fox Business. Read more

 

TODAY – Publix Begins Curbside Grocery Pickup Test “Beginning today, Publix will begin testing curbside grocery pickup at two locations: store #0006, Wesley Chapel, Florida, and store #0878, Valrico, Florida. In addition, Metro-Atlanta stores will begin testing curbside pickup by the end of this year.” Press release

 

**A message from Pirola – Made in Italy designer ironing boards bring style to any home. Exclusively made in Italy for 45 years, these high-quality boards bring design & excitement to the category. Custom colors & designs available. Website | Retailers: request samples at: info@shiftmarketinggroup.net. Italy to U.S. product connection

 

Wawa comes out swinging against man’s maggot video claim by Kevin Shea at NJ.com. “Wawa says their internal investigation of a customer’s video of what appears to be maggots crawling out of a cheesesteak he bought at the new Ewing store shows no evidence to support the video’s claims.” Read more

 

CANADA – Metro and Jean Coutu Group are “engaged in exclusive discussions” about a roughly $4.5-billion merger at Toronto Star. “Jean Coutu operates more than 400 stores in Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick. Metro has more than 600 food stores in Quebec and Ontario, as well as more than 250 drug stores and pharmacies.” Read more

 

Amazon announced a bunch of new hardware products — here’s a rundown at CNBC. Read more

 

Lululemon CEO: Retail isn’t dead because people ‘crave human connections’ at Mad Money CNBC. “If you think about the evolution of how people lead their life and the evolution of athletic, mindful lifestyle[s], we know for a fact that people continue to crave human connections,” Potdevin told “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer.” Video/Read more

 

Walmart Strengthens Sustainable Chemistry Commitment “Walmart aims to reduce its consumables chemical footprint for Walmart and Sam’s Clubs U.S. stores by 10 percent by 2022, becoming the first U.S. retailer to set a time bound reduction goal.” Press release

 

PEAK HOPS? – Market for hops could go from bloom to bust as growth in craft beer slows by Mai Hoang at Yakima World-Republic via Seattle Times. “A lot of (breweries) purchased hops based on 15 to 18 percent growth, which is what we experienced over the five years prior to last year,” said Steve Carpenter, chief operating officer of YCH Hops, a hop supplier that is owned by local hop growers. “Last year, we had 5 to 6 percent growth.” Read more

 

NRF Launches New Quarterly Report on Consumer Behavior “According to the report, only 21 percent of consumers surveyed are primarily online shoppers, defined as those who purchase more than half of their items online. By contrast, 79 percent said they purchase half or less of their items online. Among Millennials and Generation Z, 34 percent are primarily online shoppers.” Press release

 

Can the Yeti Unite America? by Steven Kurutz at NY Times. Read article

 

‘Walmart’s bleeding this town’ official says by Ian Cummings at Kansas City Star. “In a city of about 10 square miles officers made more than 500 arrests last year at the Walmart store at 10300 E. U.S. 350. The store is the scene of about 30 percent of Raytown’s reported serious crimes.” Read more

 

NYC mayor has never ordered anything from Amazon at Yoav Gonen at NY Post. “That’s no disrespect to Amazon,” he added. “I understand the efficiency of it . . . but I personally just like the experience of going into a store, choosing something myself, having the physical opportunity to see what the thing looks like.” Read more

 

Missing Product Information Doesn’t Bother Consumers as Much as It Should by Sunita Sah & Daniel Read at Harvard Business Review. “But despite the elegant and logical predictions of game theory, we can’t count on people to notice or make the correct inferences about missing information. Even if they do notice nondisclosure, it might not occur to them that the salesperson or marketer may have something sinister to hide unless the nondisclosure is strongly flagged.” Read more

 

Legal Weed May Be a Windfall for McDonald’s and Taco Bell by Jennifer Kaplan at Bloomberg. “Cannabis has been shown to increase users’ appetite…Forty-three percent of legal-marijuana users ate at a McDonald’s restaurant in the past four weeks, the survey found. Eighteen percent ate at Taco Bell… Those results were significantly higher than among respondents who hadn’t visited a dispensary.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

A witch-themed store opens in Kansas

Domino teams up with Home Depot for bicoastal holiday pop-ups

15 Creative Ideas That Changed the World Over the Past Year

Shore town bids ‘somber’ farewell to a beloved Wawa

Despite Brand Safety Concerns, 78% of Marketers Buy Ads on at Least 50 Sites

Ikea Parodies Apple’s Ridiculous Catchphrases

Jimmy John’s delivery driver crashes into pond, dies

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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: Tesla C-Stores? | Freshii Out @ Target | WM #1 in Makeup | Buy BJ’s @$4.5B

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Tesla could add C-stores and restaurants at car-charging stations by Luke Stangel at Austin Business Journal. “People are coming and spending 20 to 30 minutes at these stops,” Straubel said, according to Restaurant Business. “They want to eat, they want to have a cup of coffee, they want to use the bathroom.” Read more

 

Freshii a dud at Target; eatery will close all 18 Target store locations by Dan DeBaun at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “A statement from Freshii reads. “Sales levels of these locations did not support a continued investment of resources by both parties.” Read more

 

BJ’s owner looking to sell chain for $4.5B by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “BJ’s was at a similar place this spring but postponed the sale after Amazon, a potential BJ’s suitor, in June agreed to buy Whole Foods, a source said. Amazon is now likely out of the running. Walmart in 2011 showed interest in buying BJ’s, but is not expected to this time, a source said.” Read more

 

Kohl’s CEO Kevin Mansell to retire in May 2018 by Melanie Lawder at Milwaukee Business Journal. “Kohl’s executives Michelle Gass, 49, and Sona Chawla, 50, will succeed Mansell, with Gass assuming the title of CEO and Chawla taking the role of president of the company.” Read more | Press release

 

Former Walmart U.S. CEO Bill Simon joins Drizly board by Kelly J. O’Brien at Boston Business Journal. Read more

 

Retail stores want to cash in on growing chew toy sales by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “The fast-paced growth has convinced some nontraditional toy sellers, like Home Depot, T.J.Maxx and even Tractor Supply Co., to start stocking pet toys in recent years.” Read more

 

Marc Lore still feels like he’s running a startup a year after Walmart bought Jet by Zak Stambor. “We’re moving fast, we’re innovating, we’re having fun,” Lore said at the Shop.org conference in Los Angeles.” Read more

 

**A message from Hot Shot – There’s no place like home. And when you rule the roost, you do it all… keep the peace, dry the tears, mop up the messes – even squash the spiders. When bugs cross your threshold, count on Hot Shot® brand for practical, easy-to-use, effective home insect solutions that take care of the creepy-crawlies for you – without breaking the bank. Save the Day. Facebook page

 

Macy’s Is Overhauling Its Rewards Program to Win Back Straying Shoppers by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “Macy’s says it will introduce far more features in 2018, including perks that could include exclusive early access to a hot new fragrance or personalized trunk shows. But it wanted to start with a pitch to its most frequent spenders, whom CEO Jeff Gennette told Fortune have not abandoned Macy’s, but are not quite the regular shoppers they were before. “We were seeing customer spending shifts that we needed to stop,” Gennette said in an exclusive interview.” Read more

 

Jet.com Launches First Campaign of the Holiday Price Wars by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “Jet.com said on Monday that customers would get 5% cash back on orders made between Sept. 18 and Oct. 29 and be able to apply the credit to holiday season purchases as of November 13, about when Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales will be in full swing. Customers can accumulate and redeem a credit, called “JetCash,” of up to $50.” Read more

 

Target Makes First Self-Serve Programmatic Buy at NBCU by John Lafayette at Broadcast & Cable. “This is a watershed moment for advertisers, who have been looking for a way to unlock the power of first-party data in television,” said Kristi Argyilan, SVP of marketing for Target. “Through programmatic ad buying, NBCUniversal is giving us the opportunity to apply better data to our TV decisions and choose the programming that resonates most strongly with our guests.” Read more

 

Google Pulls YouTube from Amazon’s Echo Show in a Tech Face-Off via Fortune. Read more

 

Walmart is using Facebook’s enterprise office product, Workplace by Kurt Wagner at Recode. “Walmart is not yet paying for Workplace — Facebook offers a 90-day free trial of the product — but will be a paying customer once the free trial is over, according to a Facebook spokesperson.” Read more

 

Breach at Sonic Drive-In May Have Impacted Millions of Credit, Debit Cards at Krebs on Security. “The ongoing breach may have led to a fire sale on millions of stolen credit and debit card accounts that are now being peddled in shadowy underground cybercrime stores, KrebsOnSecurity has learned.” Read more

 

Walmart is #1 destination for makeup at Field Agent. “Walmart (64%) fared best in our survey, followed by rivals Target (48%) and Walgreens (38%). At 35% and 27% respectively, specialty beauty retailers Ulta and Sephora also made strong showings in our survey.” More cosmetic study stats

 

Target, Toyota to Sponsor NBC’s ‘The Voice’ at Variety. “(Target) will run ads created with NBC that feature former winners of the show – Chris Blue, Sundance Head and Alisan Porter – which will air in commercial time and also in a dedicated hub at NBC.com. The retailer will also run content touting its own brand as well as the show in brief ads that run within a Snapchat show associated with “The Voice.” Read more

 

Walmart unveils new baby products by Charisse Jones at USA Today. “…its private baby brand, Parent’s Choice, is adding 100 new items and upgrading roughly 100 more…rolling out into January of 2018, and are already for sale in many Walmart stores. The products include eco-conscious wipes, spill-proof sippy cups, a new 53-piece bedding collection and an expanded menu featuring organic baby food. There will also be environmentally friendly products like a “premium’’ diaper with a lining made in part from sustainable wood pulp and baby wipes crafted from recycled T-shirts.” Read more

 

Dollar General Denied Vision-Impaired Applicant, EEOC Says by Dave Simpson at Law 360. “The EEOC claims that Dollar General violated the Americans with Disabilities Act when it rejected a job applicant with monocular vision, a disability that would not prevent him from working in the small-box discount retailer’s warehouse.” Read more (subs.)

 

How Walmart Founds Its Footing in the Amazon Era by Jack Neff at Ad Age. “Aspirational products at disruptive prices” was how Scott McCall, senior VP of home and seasonal, described Walmart’s product development effort.” Read more

 

Judge approves $27 mln Home Depot data breach settlement at Reuters. Read more

 

With Walmart As Its Owner, Here’s How Shoes.com Is Rebooting Its Business by Sheena Butler-Young at Footwear News. “The new site — unveiled this week — will add trendy brands such as Sam Edelman and Hunter to its assortment. Here, (SVP Alex) Proelss gives FN the scoop on the key facets of the relaunch.” Q&A

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Shake Shack’s head chef found the perfect burger in this grocery store

What Tiffany & Co. Learned About Mobile From Watching Its Competitors

Nurse delivers Target shopper’s baby at store entrance

90% of Americans don’t like to cook

Most Americans support legalized sports betting: Poll

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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

 

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

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

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Target Embeds Pinterest | Kroger Goes Local | Carol Tome Honored | Disney’s New Store

/in

 

Bass Pro’s $5 billion deal to buy Cabela’s is complete; combined company’s HQ will be in Springfield, Missouri by Paige Yowell at Omaha World-Herald. “Bass Pro did not respond to questions from The World-Herald about what would happen next with Nebraska workers; Bass Pro has said in the past that it would keep some presence in Nebraska.” Read more

 

Amazon can’t compete with off-price retailers, JPMorgan says at CNBC. “Here’s the argument for off-price retail: Amazon’s encroachment into the apparel industry more closely resembles a full-price department store, instead of a Ross or TJ Maxx model, JPMorgan’s Boss said.” Read more

 

Target is adding Pinterest’s visual search tool to its app and website by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. “The deal, which represents the first time the company has integrated Lens into a retailer’s app, will allow Target shoppers to snap a photo of any product, and then find similar items available for sale at Target. The company says that this feature will initially become available within Target’s registry, but will expand more fully to Target’s app and desktop website in the future. As a result of this deal, Target is also increasing their ad buy significantly with Pinterest.” Read more

 

Sarah Jessica Parker to host Airbnb Bloomingdale’s trip by Beth J. Harpaz at AP via Seattle Times. “Each participant will get a pair of shoes from her SJP Collection at Bloomingdale’s, with a stop at the department store’s Forty Carrots cafe for frozen yogurt before the guests head off to the ballet. The listing for Parker’s Oct. 6 experience will go live Tuesday morning, with four spaces bookable at $400 each, first come, first served.” Read more

 

Kroger is now making it a priority to partner with local brands at its supermarket stores across the U.S. at CNBC. “Currently, Kroger sources from thousands of local suppliers, but it’s looking to grow that number, according to Mike Donnelly, Kroger’s executive vice president of merchandising and procurement…Kroger is now inviting local vendors to join its team. Kroger’s new website reads: “Kroger Loves Local” and “We Are Local.” Read more

 

Disney’s Fix for Retail Slump: Stream Theme-Park Events in Store by Christopher Palmeri at Bloomberg. “Since July, (Disney) has unveiled 4 of 6 planned stores with the new look, which includes a giant video screen in the front. Guests celebrating a birthday can have Donald Duck and friends sing to them, with their photo featured on the screen. Those showing up in the afternoon can sit on seat cushions and watch a live feed of Disneyland’s daily parade down Main Street. Soon, the stores will wheel up a cart where customers can buy cotton candy and mouse ears, just like those sold at the parks.” Read more

 

Home Depot’s Carol Tomé among Women Who Mean Business honorees to be celebrated Oct. 19 by Jessica Saunders at Atlanta Business Chronicle. 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

 

Alibaba Says It’s About to Build Up a Massive Logistics Network via Fortune. “Alibaba is investing 5.3 billion yuan in Cainiao Smart Logistics Network to boost its stake to 51% from 47%. The investment would value Cainiao, a joint venture of top Chinese logistics firms, at around $20 billion.” Read more

 

Amazon reportedly invests $28M in India retailer Shoppers Stop by Nat Levy at GeekWire. “The cash infusion will help Shoppers Stop open 20 new stores over the next four years, bringing its footprint to 100 locations in India. Amazon will put experience centers — areas where customers can try out Amazon products — in Shoppers Stop stores.” Read more

 

How tall is that wall? Lowe’s has a measuring app for that at Fox Business. “The app, called Measured by Lowe’s, uses the smartphone’s camera to measure items in a room. Measurements can be saved for later or shared on social media.” Read more

 

Did Target aim for $15 minimum wage too soon? by Brittany De Lea at Fox Business. “[Fifteen dollars per hour is] a big movement higher and I think the challenge is we don’t have any idea what the employment markets are going to look like in 2020,” Scott Mushkin, senior retail analyst and managing director at Wolfe Research, told FOX Business. “If I was running a business, I don’t know if I would rush to match that intention. I wouldn’t have even advised Target to make that announcement.” Read more

 

E-Commerce Mania Spreads To Warehouse Market by Esther Fung at Wall Street Journal. “A well-located last-mile facility “has the functional equivalent of a high-end retail store,” said Hamid Moghadam, chairman and chief executive officer of industrial real-estate investment trust Prologis Inc.” Read more (subs.)

 

Moms fuming as posh baby chain Giggle gets ready to close for good by Lisa Fickenscher & Julia Marsh at NY Post. “Many of them had recently purchased expensive items from the stores, had their baby registry with it or were sitting on generous gift cards that might be worth nothing now. “I have $1,000 in Giggle gift cards that I don’t know what to do with,” Jessica-Ann Cohen, who is expecting her first child in December, told The Post.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

China Tells Entrepreneurs They Must Put Patriotism Over Profit

Justin Bieber leaves Barneys New York with bags of purchases

Girl, 8, still gets pet hamster after her letter to Petco ends up going to utility Pepco

Amazon Flexes Its Muscle With Tokyo Fashion Week

Coffee sold in California could carry cancer warning labels

Orange juice prices may soon shock you

This Is the Job Where Women Make the Most Compared to Men

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