Albertsons is bringing in robots to pack its online grocery orders at CNBC. "It will initially launch Takeoff as a pilot before deciding whether to scale it more broadly." Read more   75 Best Large Workplaces for Women (Wegmans #2, Publix #29, Sheetz #54) at Fortune. List   CVS is testing a membership program at CNBC. "CVS is piloting a program in Boston that includes free delivery on most prescriptions and online purchases, access to a pharmacist helpline, a 20 percent discount on all CVS-branded products and a monthly $10 coupon. Called CarePass, a membership costs either $48 annually or [...]

  Sam's Club Now is ditching cashiers at a new store in Dallas at CNBC. "At the Dallas location, shoppers will be introduced to a new "Sam's Club Now" app that builds on its existing "Shop and Go" app...At 32,000 square feet, Sam's Club said the new store will be about a quarter of the size of a traditional club, with a focus on food — produce, meat and alcohol." Read more   ...Pic of "Sam's Club Now" at Techcrunch   Day of the Dead comes to life for American retailers by Cheryl V. Jackson at USA Today. "Celebrated in [...]

  Amazon plunges 10% on revenue and guidance miss at CNBC. "The company gave fourth-quarter revenue guidance in the range of $66.5 billion and $72.5 billion, well-below consensus of $73.79 billion." Read more   ...Amazon is on track to generate $10 billion a year from its advertising business at CNBC. "The company reported $2.5 billion in sales in its "Other" category in Q3. The number marks a 122 percent increase year over year and is an increase of $301 million from last quarter." Read more   ...Amazon tops 600K worldwide employees for the 1st time by Nat Levy at GeekWire. "To [...]

  Single ticket in South Carolina wins record $1.6 billion Mega Millions jackpot at CNN. "The magic numbers drawn Tuesday night were 5, 28, 62, 65, 70, and the Mega Ball was 5. Mega Millions announced the historic win in a statement early Wednesday." Read more   State regulators probe CVS drug price fluctuations by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. "It’s like dealing with the mob,” D’Angelo told The Post, declining to give his pharmacy’s name for fear of retaliation. “I can leave my business and return the next day to learn that I’m being paid 70 percent less for [...]

  Walmart is expanding two-day shipping and in-store returns to many items sold by third parties on its website next month at CNBC. Read more   NYC's first Amazon Go cashierless store will open near the World Trade Center by Jason Del Rey at Recode. "Amazon plans to unveil the cashierless convenience store inside Brookfield Place, formerly known as the World Financial Center, in Manhattan’s Battery Park City neighborhood." Read more   ...Here are where the first Amazon Go stores in San Fran will be located by Lucas Matney at TechCrunch. List/Read more   The Best-Performing CEOs in the World [...]

  Sears chairman Lampert seeks partner for bankruptcy financing - sources at Reuters. "Lampert’s hedge fund, ESL Investments Inc, has held discussions with Cyrus Capital Partners LP, an investment firm that holds some of Sears’ existing debt, about sharing the burden of funding portions of the $300 million loan." Read more   Speculators are raising funds to invest in real estate near the winning Amazon HQ2 site at Wall Street Journal. "Mr. Copley says with proprietary software he can pick the most underutilized properties in any city. It will take him five minutes to narrow down the best 500 multifamily [...]

  Walmart's grocery warehouse worker of the future will have a STEM background by Julia La Roche at Yahoo. "Walmart will soon break ground on a distribution center in Shafter, California, that will deploy Witron technology...“I think the secret sauce to grocery distribution is the quality of work you get out of the order filling group,” (Tim) Cooper said." Read more   FDA regulators are considering prohibiting some e-cigarette sales in c-stores and confining them to vape shops at CNBC. Read more   Starbucks selling stores, closing office in Europe at AP/Yahoo. "...selling 83 company-owned stores in France, the Netherlands, Belgium [...]

  BACK FOR MORE - Warren and Sanders question Amazon CEO over Whole Foods anti-union video by John Bowden at The Hill. "In a letter to Bezos, the two senators write that the video first reported by Gizmodo could have violated labor laws if employees were warned that stores could close as a result of unionization." Read more   Nine West files amended bankruptcy plan at Reuters. "Nine West...said it will also receive a three-year purchase commitment from Belk Inc for an assortment of merchandise across the company’s businesses." Read more   Man gets 40 years for plotting bombs in Target stores at Tampa [...]