Tipsheet: WM US +3.4% | 38% Shop on Black Friday | Tiny Turkeys

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US retail sales rebound sharply in October at CNBC. “The Commerce Department said retail sales increased 0.8 percent last month also as households bought electronics and appliances. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast retail sales increasing 0.5 percent in October. Retail sales in October rose 4.6 percent from a year ago.” Read more

 

Walmart U.S. Q3 comp sales +3.4% and Walmart U.S. eCommerce sales grew 43% Press release

 

…Walmart 3Q earnings beat expectations, but revenue misses at Fox Business. Read more

 

About 38% of American consumers plan to shop on Black Friday this year, and six in 10 of those shoppers anticipate making at least half of their holiday purchases on that day at Reuters. Read more

 

U.S. Postal Service loss triples, even as package deliveries rise at Reuters. “…potentially giving U.S. President Donald Trump ammunition against Amazon, which he claims pays too little for the agency’s services.” Read more

 

Victoria’s Secret CEO out amid sagging sales by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “Jan Singer, who left the helm of Spanx to run Victoria’s Secret in 2016, was tapped to spearhead a turnaround…It isn’t clear whether the company is set to name a new CEO.” Read more

 

Canada Post strike having ‘critical’ impact on retailers, eBay says at Vancouver Sun. “EBay is calling on the federal government to legislate an end to the Canada Post contract dispute, warning that quick action is needed to ensure retailers don’t lose out on Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.” Read more

 

Smart & Final Q3 Comp Sales +0.6% Press release

 

To Curb Wasteful Health Spending, Walmart to Send Employees Traveling for Spine Surgery by Melanie Evans at Wall Street Journal. “Walmart decided to mandate the travel, starting in January, after finding that half of the workers who volunteered to travel ended up avoiding the high-cost surgery even though their local doctors said it was needed, said Lisa Woods, who oversees the design of the company’s health plan.” WSJ subs.

 

Ontario releases cannabis regulations for retail stores set to open April 1 at Toronto Star. “The stand-alone stores can be open any day between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m., but they must be at least 150 metres away from schools and bar entry to anyone under 19 years old. A market concentration limit of 75 stores per operator has been set.” Read more

 

…Canada-wide cannabis shortages to persist for years: producers at Vancouver Sun. Read more

 

Schwan’s being sold to South Korean firm in $1.8 billion deal by Kristen Leigh Painter at Star Tribune. “Schwan’s Co., the Minnesota food distributor known for the home deliveries made by its distinctive gold trucks, is being sold to South Korea’s largest food company. CJ CheilJedang, or CJCJ as it is known, will pay $1.8 billion for an 80 percent stake in Schwan’s.” Tiered subs.

 

Standard Cognition raises $40M to replace retailers’ cashiers with cameras at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Millennials Are Disrupting Thanksgiving With Their Tiny Turkeys by Leslie Patton & Lydia Mulvany at Bloomberg. “People are starting to understand it’s not natural to grow turkeys up to 30 pounds,” said Ariane Daguin, co-founder and owner of D’Artagnan LLC, a wholesale and e-commerce food company in Union, New Jersey. “In general, that means they were penned up with no room to move around, and that’s why they’re fat like that.” Tiered subs.

 

Macy’s Q3 comp sales: up 3.3 percent, on an owned plus licensed basis, vs. growth of 2.8 percent expected at CNBC. Read more

 

Nike’s huge new NYC flagship looks like the future of retail at Fast Company. “The Speed Shop, which is located in the store’s basement, even has its own separate entrance to make it more convenient. “You don’t have to go through the whole carnival ride,” says Andy Thaemert, a senior creative director at Nike who heads up global store design.” Read more

 

Hundreds of wildfire evacuees in Northern California have set up a tent city in a Walmart parking lot at Daily Mail. Pics/Read more

 

Buy your next winter coat at the airport vending machine by Alison Sider at Wall Street Journal. “She had run out of time to buy a coat for the glacier hike…Lo and behold,” she says, “a Uniqlo brand vending machine appeared in my path.”…She recalls swiping her card and exclaiming, “Take my money!” WSJ subs.

 

NRF Foundation Releases The List of People Shaping Retail’s Future 2019 Press release

 

Next generation of biotech food heading for grocery stores by Lauren Neergaard at AP. “The next generation of biotech food is headed for the grocery aisles, and first up may be salad dressings or granola bars made with soybean oil genetically tweaked to be good for your heart.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Atlanta bans pet stores from selling cats and dogs

Why Amazon tech bros will ruin the NYC dating scene

Walmart automating more jobs, high-tech distribution center on tap

Conor McGregor sorry for running out of whiskey

AI fingerprints can imitate real ones

Google Maps will let you chat with businesses

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

 

Website: eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Target Bitcoin Hack | H.Dep +4.8%

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Amazon Picks New York City, Northern Virginia for Its HQ2 Locations at CNBC. “The report said Amazon is dividing the headquarters evenly between New York’s Long Island City neighborhood in the borough of Queens, and the Crystal City section of Arlington County, across the Potomac from Washington. According to Reuters, Amazon will also be announcing a significant investment in one additional city.” Read more

 

…Reuters: Nashville will be home to Amazon’s new East Coast hub of operations, adding 5,000 new corporate jobs Read more

 

Home Depot Q3 Comp Sales +4.8% / US +5.4% Press release

 

…The Street: Home Depot Tops Q3 Earnings Estimate on Solid US Comps, Boosts Full-Year Outlook “…earnings for the three months ending in September came in at $2.51 per share, topping the $2.26 estimate and rising 36.4% from the same period last year.” Read more

 

Walmart Indian venture Flipkart loses CEO after misconduct probe at Reuters. “While the investigation did not find evidence to corroborate the complainant’s assertions against Binny, it did reveal other lapses in judgment, particularly a lack of transparency, related to how Binny responded to the situation,” the company said.” Read more

 

Petco will no longer sell cat and dog food filled with artificial ingredients by Dee-Ann Durbin at AP. “(Petco CEO) Coughlin said food with those ingredients will start coming off the shelves in January…Food with artificial ingredients that isn’t sold by May will be donated to animal shelters. Eventually the store plans to expand its ban on artificial ingredients to foods it sells for other animals, he said.” Read more

 

The decision to close two Target stores on Chicago’s South Side is shaping up to be a big issue in the mayor’s race—or as Gery Chico said Monday, “It’s the issue.” at Politico. “Also at issue (and it’s big): charging shoplifters with misdemeanors instead of felonies. That began two years ago when Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx ordered prosecutors to lower charge for shoplifters unless the value of the stolen goods exceeds $1,000 or the alleged shoplifter has 10 prior felony convictions. Retailers say they’re feeling the effects of that decision as shoplifting is on the rise.” Read more

 

Macy’s Radical Plan to Save Itself: Shrink by Suzanne Kapner at Wall Street Journal. “If your store is too big and your dollars per square feet are too low and you can’t lease the space to someone else, then you’ve got to hive off a floor,” Macy’s chief executive Jeff Gennette said in an interview…The smaller-store footprint, an experiment now under way at four locations…” WSJ subs.

 

Walmart to give hiring preferences to military spouses by Kim Souza at Talk Business. Read more

 

**A message from BK Resources – The Best Kept secret for commercial and food service kitchen equipment. Leading supplier of stainless steel: commercial faucets, sinks, work tables, bar equipment, ice bins and more. Catalog | Website | Contact

 

Amazon closes Sacramento center due to Camp Fire smoke by Michael McGough at Sacramento Bee. “Lynch said it was not immediately clear if local deliveries would be delayed, or if other California fulfillment centers may be affected by the ongoing closure.” Read more

 

1 million Americans live in RVs. Meet the ‘modern nomads.’ by Heather Long at The Washington Post via SF Gate. “The Meinhofers are doing this by choice, not financial desperation. They are part of a movement of people ditching “sticks and bricks” homes that have long embodied the American Dream and embracing a life of travel, minimal belongings and working when they want.” Tiered subs.

 

Kellogg looks to sell off Famous Amos and Keebler at CNN Business. Read more

 

40th FREIGHTER – Jeff Bezos unveils Amazon Prime Air’s flying tribute to veterans: Valor by Alan Boyle at GeekWire. “A cheering crowd, including more than 100 Amazon veterans and military spouses, was on hand for today’s ceremony at Long Beach Airport in California. After an appropriate drum roll, Bezos pulled down a banner that was slung over the plane’s nose, revealing the plane’s name.” Pic/Read more

 

U.S. pigs out on bacon, ribs as trade wars cut chicken demand at Reuters. Read more

 

Signet Jewelers, Tiffany shares fall as De Beers lowers low-end diamond prices at CNBC. “The low-end diamond market is struggling with too much supply, according to Bloomberg. This has put the squeeze on locations like Surat, India, a major diamond-cutting hub, leading to lower profit margins.” Read more

 

Wawa launches catering service with Sizzli Boxes in Philadelphia at Philly Voice. Read more

 

Scammers hack Target in bitcoin fraud by Nathan Bomey at USA Today. “Although Target quickly regained control of the account, the hackers were able to post a tweet promising to give out 5,000 Bitcoin in “the biggest crypto-giveaway in the world!” Read more

 

Walmart, Home Depot adopt health insurer tactic in drug copay battle at Reuters. “…have embraced a health insurance strategy that punishes drugmakers for using discount cards to keep patients from switching or stopping their medications.” Read more

 

Whole Foods hands AOR account to MWWPR by Diana Bradley at PR Week. PR Week subs.

 

The War Inside 7-Eleven by Lauren Etter & Michael Smith at Bloomberg. “The corporate investigators have used tactics including tailing franchisees in unmarked vehicles, planting hidden cameras and listening devices, and deploying a surveillance van disguised as a plumber’s truck. The company has also given the names of franchisees to the government, which in some cases has led immigration authorities to inspect their stores.” Tiered subs.

 

Bank of America downgrades Best Buy to neutral ‘after several years of outsized growth’ at CNBC. Read more

 

Don’t drink this Tide just because it looks like boxed wine at NY Post. “The “visibly grape-flavored” liquid even comes complete with what one tweeter dubs a “shot glass.” Wow, just when we were finally recovering from the great “Tide Pod Challenge” hangover of 2017.” Pic/Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Jony Ive has gone from designing iPhones to diamond rings

eBay will end mandatory arbitration for sexual harassment claims

House Democrats are eager to take on corporate America

FDA recalls another blood pressure drug for possible cancer risk

Bay County, FL allowed some hurricane victims to vote by fax or email. That’s not allowed.

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Tipsheet: Alibaba Singles Day +27% | Wgreen Cuts Manager Bonuses | Wegmans #1 ‘Societal ROI’

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Alibaba sets new Singles Day record with more than $30.8 billion in sales in 24 hours at CNBC. “In Chinese currency terms, GMV totaled 213.5 billion yuan, easily beating last year’s figure of 168.2 billion yuan and representing a nearly 27 percent year-on-year rise. That was, however, smaller than the 39 percent year-on-year growth recorded in 2017.” Read more

 

UPS Freight approve new labor contract, avoid strike by Ben Tobin at USA Today. Read more

 

Wegmans has highest ‘societal ROI’ at PR Week. “Societal ROI looks at three broad areas: ethical stewardship, civic minds, and visible values. Based on that criteria, Wegmans came out on top, followed by Patagonia, UPS, Aldi, and Microsoft. The index’s data was taken from Harris Poll’s 2018 Reputation Quotient.” Tiered subs.

 

Walgreens cuts manager bonuses following employee benefit changes by Lisa Schencker at Chicago Tribune. “Walgreens told managers about the cuts to their bonuses in late October, according to sources familiar with the situation…bonuses were much lower than what store managers typically receive and expected to get, sources said.” Tiered subs.

 

Snap’s former No. 2 exec Imran Khan is building an online shopping startup by Kurt Wagner at Recode. “Khan, who is founder and CEO of the new venture, has a small team of a half-dozen employees working on the project, and just hired Dollar Shave Club’s VP of Engineering Jason Bosco to run engineering.” Read more

 

Latest Porch partnership teams home services company with eBay to give shoppers a helping hand by Kurt Schlosser at TechCrunch. “eBay is also partnering with New York-based Handy and Boston-based InstallerNet, which offer some of the same services.” Read more

 

Big Food Encounters Familiar Challenges in Pet-Food Aisle by Annie Gasparro at Wall Street Journal. “Spending on pet food rose 30% per U.S. household between 2006 and 2010, according to Nielsen…But from 2010 to 2017, spending on pet food rose just 5%, according to Nielsen. Many younger people who had put off children and homeownership are reaching those milestones now.” WSJ subs.

 

Australian woman who allegedly contaminated batches of strawberries with needles has been accused of acting out of spite by Zamira Rahim at The Independent. “Prosecutors are alleging that My Ut Trinh was “motivated by spite or revenge” and retaliated over a workplace grievance by placing needles in fruit.” Read more

 

Walmart Narrows Price Gap With Amazon and Has Lowest Baby Prices by Spencer Soper & Matthew Boyle at Bloomberg. “Online prices for almost 50,000 exactly-matched products were an average of 2.3 percent more expensive at Walmart than Amazon in a three-month period ending in June, according to price analytics firm Profitero…That’s narrower than the 3 percent price difference between them in a similar study the firm conducted in the third quarter of 2017.” Tiered subs.

 

**A message from Real Coconut Water – Boost private label coconut water sales with your very own organic coconut water. Sell sheet | Website | Request samples: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Inside the lab where Impossible Foods makes its plant-based “blood” by Adele Peters at Fast Company. “We know that meat lovers do not love the fact that their meat comes from an animal, essentially zero meat lovers, and we’ve done tons of research on this,” Brown says. “It’s just something that they’re willing to live with.” Read more

 

Khloe Kardashian “Basically Bought Everything” at CVS Store to Help Firefighters in Calabasas at E Online. “I know the brave men and women are working so hard, tirelessly, for all of us would greatly appreciate it,” Khloe said in her story. “Just do whatever you can, even if it’s one bottle of water, one container of eye drops, one granola bar, anything…” Read more

 

Black couple files $4 Million lawsuit against Costco after white manager said they ‘fit the bill’ of other shoplifters at Newsweek. Read more

 

Ellen DeGeneres, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Lead Walmart’s Celebrity Collaborations for the Holidays by Tim Chan at Variety. “And, just in time for Thanksgiving, Patti LaBelle’s line of baked goods (think pumpkin pie and caramel cake) is now available for online grocery pickup.” Read more

 

Pabst says MillerCoors is trying to put it out of business by Ivan Moreno at AP/Yahoo. “The case has high stakes for Pabst, whose lawyers argue that the company’s very existence relies on the partnership with Chicago-based MillerCoors, which produces, packages and ships nearly all its products.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Report: In the last 12 months, 93% of stolen credit cards had the new chip technology

Walton Family Foundation gifts $23.7 million to University of Arkansas

Aerosmith’s Joe Perry hospitalized after collapsing at Billy Joel concert

U.S. movie theater chains fear Justice Department review may hit profits

Facebook, FAO Schwarz and Build-A-Bear pop up this holiday season

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Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

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

 

Website: eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: WM Outsources Fin/Actg Services | Brookstone Back | Product Online +50%

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FDA plans to restrict flavored e-cigarette sales to vape shops, ban menthol cigarettes from market at CNBC. “The flavor restrictions will exclude menthol, meaning menthol vapor products will still be allowed to be sold in convenience stores and gas stations — until the FDA removes menthol cigarettes from the market.” Read more

 

Brookstone will return to malls in $165M deal by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “…(Brookstone) has inked a deal to supply department stores by next spring…To start, Macy’s and Bed Bath & Beyond will beef up their Brookstone offerings, Gindi said. Plus, Bloomingdales will sell Brookstone products for the first time.” Read more

 

Walmart is building an AI lab in one of its stores by Megan Rose Dickey at TechCrunch. “…inside one of its stores in Levittown, New York…Lead by an internal team called Kepler, Walmart also envisions using the technology to identify spills, better understand when shopping carts are running low near the entrance and identify when items are on the wrong shelf.” Read more

 

Ulta Q3 comp sales +7.8% Press release

 

Walmart to outsource its finance, accounting services to Genpact by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “About 550 employees at Walmart in Bentonville will transition to Genpact effective Nov. 28 to work in the new digital hub. Genpact will handle back-office operations such as purchase orders and invoices with suppliers and other financial duties.” Read more

 

Murphy Oil returns to profitability, posts third quarter earnings of $94 million by Wesley Brown at Talk Business. Read more

 

Jeff Bezos is the most skilled leader among top tech CEOs, according to a new poll at Fortune. “…beating Apple CEO Tim Cook (77%), Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella (76%), Google CEO Sundar Pichai (76%), and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (71%)” Read more

 

U.S. Secret Service Warns ID Thieves are Abusing USPS’s Mail Scanning Service at Krebs on Security. Read more

 

Long Island City has no idea where Amazon would fit at Reuters via NY Post. “It’s a whole soccer stadium at 8 am each day coming in,” Kanellos said, gesturing at the narrow metal staircases leading from the subway platform to the street, already crowded with commuters at rush hour.” Read more

 

**A message from the 3-Foot Circle – Golf is back! The golf training aid that gets you down in two shots from the edge of the green. Video/Info

 

The Buckle October comp sales -1.0% Press release

 

As Singles’ Day nears, are China’s shoppers about to drop? at Reuters. “Companies in China are already seeing the effect of rising caution among the country’s shoppers. Car sales are down sharply this year, box office receipts have slowed and brands are facing pressure to roll out discounts to prop up sales.” Read more

 

There’s been a 50% jump in the number of shoppers buying produce online by Frank Catalano at Geek Wire. Read more

 

Walmart thinks shopping via text might be retail’s next big thing by Nathaniel Meyersohn at CNN Money. “Walmart is betting that Jetblack will give the company insights into “conversational commerce” — shopping through text messages, online chats, and voice commands — that could become the next wave of retail.” Read more

 

Sally Beauty Q4 comp sales -0.2% Press release

 

New IL Gov Pritzker wants to work on legalizing and decriminalizing cannabis “nearly right away” after being sworn in next year by Ally Marotti at Chicago Tribune. “But even if a bill is passed and signed into law in early 2019, it could be another 12 to 18 months before the first legal sale of recreational marijuana is made, said Unruh, from PharmaCann.” Tiered subs.

 

Sears plans to close 40 more stores in 2019: report at Fox Business/Yahoo. Read more

 

Humana CEO: ‘We’ll Continue To Build’ Walgreens, Walmart Relationships by Bruce Japsen at Forbes. “Broussard said Humana and Walgreens will need more time to evaluate the relationship in Kansas City before expanding it nationally and may want to evaluate the partnership in other markets as well.” Read more

 

Microsoft’s cloud wins business from Gap as another retailer shuns Amazon at CNBC. Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Brooklyn Target shooter was chased into store by six Bloods gang members

Bob Iger Talks Disney+, Hulu Plans and His Vision for Enlarged TV Studio

US Army to get advanced camouflage protection system

‘Harry Potter’ author JK Rowling sues assistant for shopping spree

‘The Simpsons’ Duff Beer Pop-Up Coming to Burbank

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Website: eyeonretail.net

 

Tipsheet: Rahm Keeps Calling Cornell | Wegmans #1 Workplace | Costco +6.6%

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The 20 Best Workplaces in Retail 2018 (Wegmans #1, Publix #2, Sheetz #4, Burlington #5) at Fortune. List

 

Costco October comp sales (ex. gas & f/x) +6.6% “Net sales of $11.16 billion for the retail month of October, the four weeks ended November 4, 2018, an increase of 10.6 percent from $10.09 billion last year.” Press release

 

TARGET STANDS BY ‘DIFFICULT DECISION’ – Chicago South Side stores will close, despite city’s push to reconsider by Lauren Zumbach at Chicago Tribune. “Mayor Rahm Emanuel has spoken with Target’s CEO at least five times since the company notified the city of its plans the day before the closures were announced publicly, and he has offered millions of dollars in tax increment financing assistance.” Tiered subs.

 

…Rahm exec order would stop closings like Target’s plans in Chatham, Morgan Park by Fran Spielman at Chicago Sun Times. “… the mayor is doing the legislative equivalent of closing the barn door after the horses are already out. Emanuel signed an executive order on Wednesday that, in essence, would empower the city to recoup city subsidies from developments that lease space to retailers that open stores in one Chicago neighborhood while also closing them in another.” Tiered subs.

 

Walmart is holding parties in its stores on Thanksgiving, kicking off online deals earlier than ever before at CNBC. “Walmart will hold events in stores on Thanksgiving Day from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. with free coffee and cookies. As it did last year, Walmart will officially kick off Black Friday deals in stores at 6 p.m. that Thursday. Online, Walmart will be rolling out Black Friday deals at 10 p.m. ET on Nov. 21, earlier than it’s ever done before.” Read more

 

Coty Q1 net revenues -9.2% Press release

 

P&G introduces new concentrated Tide box for e-commerce only by Alexander Coolidge at Cincinnati Enquirer. “…the new formulation and packaging targeted for digital sales is the first of its kind at the company…the first major P&G product designed without regard to how it will appeal to consumers in any traditional store.” Read more

 

Man shot and killed inside Brooklyn Target at NY Post. “One shot. Just sounded like ‘pow,’” said a mall security guard who did not want to be named. “Then all the Target employees, everyone on the [second floor] just started running.” Read more

 

**A message from the Megaphone sound enhancing case – Don’t tolerate average smart phone sound! No wires or batteries, boosts sound 2X and filters the sound for a smoother “stereo” listening experience. Website/Video | Sample

 

Report: Cherokee Debt Acquisition, a distressed debt purchaser, sent letters this week to a number of Sears vendors offering to buy their receivables for 55 cents on the dollar at NY Post. Read more

 

Alexa and Amazon Echo Now Available in Mexico Press release

 

Best Buy is having a pre-Black Friday sale this week by Catherine Roberts at Star Tribune. “Some of the holiday deals at Best Buy are on the shelves now. Through Sunday, the Richfield-based retailer will offer deals on several big ticket items, including the Toshiba Fire TV, which it sells exclusively for Amazon.” Tiered subs.

 

Office Depot Q3 retail sales -6.0% Press release

 

Report: Google is planning a major expansion in New York City at Boston Herald. “The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the company plans to add space for more than 12,000 additional New York workers…The paper said Google has New York real estate deals in the works that would give it room for nearly 20,000 workers.” Tiered subs. | WSJ article (subs.)

 

Vitamin Shoppe Q3 comp sales -1.9% Press release

 

Instacart’s ‘Click and Collect’ Pickup service is now available in nearly 200 stores — across 25 “key markets” at Techcrunch. Read more

 

150 trailers of mail pile up as Canada Post strike shuts down Canada’s biggest processing plant again at Financial Post. “The Canadian Union of Postal Workers says 4,500 Canada Post employees joined picket lines in Toronto at 7 p.m. Tuesday.” Tiered subs.

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Best & worst places for Veterans to live

American Airlines will allow passengers with nut allergies to board early

Here’s what Samsung’s wacky folding phone looks like in action

Execs from Amazon, LinkedIn and Square start some meetings in silence — here’s why

Amazon Launches 360 Spin Images To Boost Product Listings

‘Wizard of Oz’ draft scripts head for auction block

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Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 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: eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Facebook in Macy’s | WM #1 Online Grocer | Target Upgrade

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Facebook catches pop-up fever, opening first retail shop in 9 Macy’s stores by Charisse Jones at USA Today. “(Facebook) is introducing a mix of roughly 100 businesses at nine Macy’s stores across the U.S. this month, through December. The small ventures will be housed within “The Market,”  a nearly year-old space carved out at various Macy’s stores to put the spotlight on new or growing brands.” Read more

 

Ahold ups stakes in U.S. grocery war with mini-‘robot supermarkets’ at Reuters. “At an investor event on Nov. 13, the world’s eighth biggest food retailer is set to showcase a partnership that will allow it to automate order collection at mini “robot supermarkets” attached to the stores of its U.S. chains like Stop & Shop.” Read more

 

Walmart Surpasses Amazon as Online Shoppers’ Most Popular Grocer by Matthew Boyle at Bloomberg. “…in a survey of online food shoppers, more of whom said they most recently visited Walmart’s site for groceries. Local supermarkets were in third place, fueled in part by logistics provider Instacart.” Tiered subs.

 

Nordstrom Reveals Data Security Breach Law 360 subs.

 

Michael Kors shares plunge as sales disappoint at CNBC. “…recorded weaker sales at its retail stores in Europe during the fiscal second quarter, making this the first time in almost two years that Kors missed analysts’ quarterly revenue expectations.” Read more

 

Camping World Q3 revenue +6.2% Press release

 

CVS tops earnings, revenue estimates, says it expects Aetna acquisition to close before Thanksgiving at CNBC. “…(front-end revenue) increasing 2 percent from last year. Same-store sales…were up 0.8 percent. While the trends improved, they were up against easy comparisons.” Read more

 

Ralph Lauren shares plummet / Comp sales -1.0% by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. Read more

 

Home Depot creates 3,000 multimillionaires, co-founder says at Fox Business. “(Ann Marie-Campbell) is from Jamaica. She knows all about capitalism. She’s a product of capitalism,” said Langone. “But better than that, she’s bringing all of these kids to the party with her – it is the American Dream.” Read more

 

**A message from BK Resources – The Best Kept secret for commercial and food service kitchen equipment. Leading supplier of stainless steel: commercial faucets, sinks, work tables, bar equipment, ice bins and more. Catalog | Website | Contact

 

Amazon is releasing a physical holiday toy catalog because nostalgia sells at Fast Company. Read more | PDF of catalog

 

Etsy Q3 revenue growth +41.3% / Raises full-year 2018 guidance Press release

 

Target shares rise after Cowen upgrades the stock, raises price forecast to $100 at CNBC. “Target rose a little more than 1 percent in premarket trading to above $86.” Read more

 

Grocery pickup from Whole Foods Market is now available in 22 cities, with plans for continued expansion Press release

 

7-Eleven in Indonesia was popular — but that didn’t save it from total failure at CNBC. Read more

 

Amazon HQ2 Change Leaves Cities in a Bind by Shayndi Raice at Wall Street Journal. “The change in plans was frustrating, one city official said, because it might have pitched Amazon differently had officials know the plan was for half the number of workers.” WSJ subs.

 

Tapestry CFO Wills to Leave Press release

 

Sears boss Eddie Lampert accused of possibly profiting from retailer’s decline by Nathan Bomey at USA Today. “They “may have exercised undue influence to siphon value away from the Company on favorable terms,” the creditors group said in a court filing.” Read more

 

Giant Food Stores Agrees To Acquire Five Shop ‘n Save Stores Press release

 

Legal marijuana in Michigan: What you need to know by Kathleen Gray at Detroit Free Press. “When will marijuana be legal? Ten days after the election results are certified, which should be by early December. But marijuana won’t be commercially available for sale until probably early 2020.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

‘Breaking Bad’ Movie From Creator Vince Gilligan in the Works

Mortgage applications drop to 4-year low as interest rates hit 8-year high

Kraft to sell Canada natural cheese business to Parmalat

List of the fattest states in America

Pringles is selling Thanksgiving-flavored chips

‘Shrek’ Getting Rebooted

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Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

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

 

Website: eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Christmas +$1T | Saks Social Stars | Rona Pays Price

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US Christmas sales predicted to surpass $1 trillion for the first time this year at CNBC. Read more

 

Marvin Ellison has chopped 150 stores since taking the reigns at Lowe’s at MarketPlace. “Lowe’s announcement that it would shutter 51 “underperforming” stores…is the second set of closures in Marvin Ellison’s short tenure as CEO, and analysts say they might not be the last. The company announced in August that it would close all 99 Orchard Supply Hardware stores.” Read more

 

…Rona pays the price — 31 stores — after rebuilding with Lowe’s at Montreal Gazette. “Lowe’s Canada, with a head office in Boucherville, will close its regional support centres in Mississauga, Ont., and Saint John, N.L., and consolidate those activities in the Montreal suburb. Two pre-fabricated parts plants in Newfoundland and B.C. will also stop operations.” Read more | Press release

 

Report: Amazon will split HQ2 between Long Island City in Queens, and Crystal City in DC at CNBC. “The update follows a pair of weekend reports naming the Crystal City section of Arlington, Virginia, and other cities as front runners in the tightening race for Amazon’s second headquarters…The New York Times on Monday reported that the Long Island City neighborhood of New York City is nearing an agreement with the tech giant.” Read more

 

Dollar Tree’s $9 Billion Problem: Family Dollar Isn’t Paying Off by Sarah Nassauer at Wall Street Journal. “We have to do renovations,” said the (Dollar Tree CEO), who started at Dollar Tree in 2001 as head of stores. “Maybe that is a little clearer to me than when we started out.” WSJ subs.

 

Walmart & Microsoft expand strategic partnership at US News. “Walmart (will) expand its technology center in Austin to help associates make better use of digital data and improve operations…Microsoft says about 30 technologists will work in the cloud factory that should open in early 2019.” Read more

 

7-Eleven is testing new ‘scan-and-go’ technology in 14 Dallas stores by Ilyse Liffreing at Digiday. “When shopping, customers scan barcodes of items and pay directly through their phones, either with a card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, applying any rewards to their purchases. Upon leaving these stores, customers scan a QR code in the store to confirm they paid.” Read more

 

Bonobos & Nike get their own branded shops at Jet.com by Sarah Perez at Techcrunch. Read more

 

How high-end department store reps use social media to rake in millions by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “A spokesman for Saks said the company has “several” sales associates who generate more than $1 million a year through social media — including a Philadelphia-based rep who has crossed the $2 million mark — and he refused to identify any of them.” Read more

 

Alibaba says it will help China buy $200 billion in goods in the next five years at CNBC. Read more

 

Under Armour’s #MeToo Moment: No More Strip Clubs on Company Dime by Khadeefa Safdar at Wall Street Journal. “Strip-club visits were symptomatic of practices women at Under Armour found demeaning, according to more than a dozen current and former employees and executives.” WSJ subs. | Baltimore Sun article

 

College student accuses JD.com CEO of rape: I told him ‘no’ at NY Post. Read more

 

Who’s In Your Online Shopping Cart? at Krebs on Security. “Publicwww.com is a handy online service that lets you search the Web for sites running snippets of specific code. Searching publicwww.com for sites pulling code from bootstrap-js-dot-com currently reveals more than 50 e-commerce sites seeded with this malicious script.” Read more

 

**A message from X1 Ebike – Up to 37 miles on a single 4-hour charge. Folds into the size of a golf bag in 1 second. GPS tracking, VIN # & alarm for security. Video | Website | Contact

 

Amazon offers free shipping with no minimum purchase amount on orders that will arrive in time for the Christmas holiday Press release

 

Americans Just Got Used to Dipping Credit Cards. Now It’s Time to Tap by Jennifer Surane at Bloomberg. “There’s still some work to be done: 30 percent of the top 100 merchants in the U.S. don’t accept contactless payments, among them Walmart.” Tiered subs.

 

‘A lot’ of people in Walmart when deadly shooting began in produce aisle by Jane Wester & Mark Price at Charlotte Observer. Tiered subs.

 

Geoffrey’s Toy Box is coming to Kroger this holiday season at CNBC. “(Kroger) has partnered with the hedge fund owners of the Toys R Us brands to bring Geoffrey’s Toy Box sections to around 600 Kroger locations this holiday. The area will be stocked with 35 toys from Animal Zone and Imaginarium, among others, priced between $19.99 and $49.99.” Read more

 

Red suitcase near NYC Macy’s brings out the bomb squad but proves harmless at Fox News. Read more

 

Couple orders flooring from Costco that is infested with termite-like beetles at CBC News. “Their floors are slippery because they’re coated in a thin layer of sawdust, forever regenerating itself, even when the couple sweeps and washes two or three times a day, due to what they say is an infestation of powderpost beetles: tiny woodboring insects whose talents rival those of the termite.” Read more

 

Pier 1 Appoints Donna Noce Colaco as Chief Customer Officer Press release

 

Customers buy out his California doughnut shop daily so he can care for his wife by Allison Klein at Washington Post via Mercury News. “…one day, Stella Chhan wasn’t there. When customers inquired, John Chhan, 62, told them she had suffered an aneurysm…He would go visit his wife, 63, in the afternoon once all the doughnuts were sold and the shop was clean, he said. That’s all it took.” Tiered subs.

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Bill Gates just gave the keynote at a toilet expo

Home Depot among dozens of companies adding breast milk shipping benefit

Cub executives hope to sell the chain to one buyer

Walmart to move its Bentonville call center, 700 jobs to Springdale

Confident shoppers could actually hurt Amazon this holiday season

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 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: eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Chicago Rep. Rips Target | “TJ Maxx for Kids” | Container Data Revealed

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US employers added 250K jobs in October, soaring past expectations of +190K at Fox Business. Read more

 

Shipping container data details what retailers are importing for Christmas by Lori Ann LaRocco at CNBC. “Kohl’s is betting on shopper demand for ladies’ cardigans, cable knit holiday stockings, cook pots and radio-controlled toys, the data show. Amazon ordered 50 containers full of Paw Patrol Ultimate toy fire trucks. Target shipped 32,000 Razor A2 Elite scooters, 24,375 Sunbeam microwave ovens and 30,798 18-quart turkey roasters.” Read more

 

Target will open its doors at 5 pm on Thanksgiving, one hour earlier than last year at A Bullseye View

 

Jeff Bezos says he’s choosing HQ2 location with his heart by Sarah Ashley O’Brien at CNN. “(Bezos) was interviewed by journalist and historian Walter Isaacson at an event Thursday…Bezos revealed that there are “somewhere around 10,000 or 12,000 people” who work on Alexa and Echo at the company. “It is technically one of the hardest things — not that just that we’ve ever done — that’s ever been done. It is … ASR — automatic speech recognition, that’s super hard.” Read more/Video

 

Walmart sues its former credit-card issuer, Synchrony Financial at MarketWatch. “The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Arkansas, alleges that some of Synchrony’s underwriting standards financially harmed Walmart. The merchant said it is seeking damages “in an amount to be proven at trial but estimated to be no less than $800 million.” Read more

 

…Synchrony response: “This lawsuit is nothing more than an attempt by Walmart to exert leverage and avoid the contractually defined process for valuing the loan portfolio that Synchrony has serviced…” Press release

 

Publix Q3 comp sales +0.6 Press release

 

“THE T.J. MAXX FOR KIDS” – Five Below becomes the Amazon-proof store by Suzanne Kapner at Wall Street Journal. “Online is great when you know what you want,” Five Below Chief Executive Joel Anderson said. “When you walk into one of our stores, you will discover things you didn’t know you wanted. It’s like a treasure hunt. We’re the T.J. Maxx for kids.” WSJ subs.

 

Deloitte Holiday Shopping Survey:

  • 88% of survey respondents prefer free shipping over receiving their holiday packages faster.
  • Of the 77% of shoppers who are concerned about retailers who experienced breaches, 91%  say they would continue to shop those same retailers.
  • 67% of smartphone shoppers plan to use their phones to make a purchase, up from 59 percent last year.  Press release

 

Costco Will Pay Up To $200 For Hep A Shots In Berry Row by Emily Field at Law 360. Law 360 subs.

 

Walmart launches new AR scanning tool in its iPhone application which will help customers with product comparisons by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. “The technology was first developed by a team at an internal Walmart hackathon using Apple’s ARKit technology.” Read more

 

**A message from X1 Ebike – Up to 37 miles on a single 4-hour charge. Folds into the size of a golf bag in 1 second. GPS tracking, VIN # & alarm for security. Video | Website | Contact

 

Amazon opening second 4-star store for top-rated items in Denver suburb by Nat Levy at GeekWire. “…in the Denver suburb of Lone Tree, Colo…in the Park Meadows shopping center.” Read more

 

Congressman asks Target to delay closing Chicago South Side stores by Manny Ramos at Chicago Sun Times. “This is unconscionable. It’s an outrage. It’s a really callous decision by the Target corporation to abandon this community,” Rush said. “It’s morally criminal for them to make this decision.” Read more

 

Kohl’s is sweetening its rewards program this holiday season at CNBC. “…including a pre-Black Friday event Thursday where shoppers can get $15 to use for every $50 spent. The same deal will run again from Nov. 19 to Nov. 23, according to Kohl’s, and again on Cyber Monday.” Read more

 

The Smartphone Market Is Now Officially in a Recession by David Meyer at Fortune. “IDC reported a 6% year-on-year decline in third-quarter shipments, down to 355.2 million units. Strategy Analytics put the total at 360 million units, down 8% from the 393.1 million units shipped the same quarter a year ago.” Read more

 

…Apple will stop sharing numbers of how many devices it’s selling at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Canada Goose Enters the Footwear Category With Acquisition of Baffin at Footwear News. “Baffin, which was established in 1979, is best known for its insulated cold-weather performance footwear. The Ontario, Canada-based company caters to several categories including hiking, hunting lifestyle and fishing.” Read more

 

Floor & Decor Q3 comp sales +11.1% Press release

 

CLV NUMBER – Wall Street Journal digs into customer lifetime value/CLV scores by Khadeeja Safdar at Wall Street Journal. “There needs to be a public conversation around the accuracy of the scores being used,” says Pam Dixon, executive director of the World Privacy Forum, a nonprofit digital-privacy research group. “You can essentially be accused of being cheap or a fraudster, and it may not even be true.” WSJ subs.

 

BJ’s Wholesale names Domino’s Pizza Chief People Officer to Board Press release

 

L.L. Bean looks north for boost at AP via Boston Herald. “…partnering with Jaytex Group to distribute L.L. Bean products to Canadian retailers like Sporting Life, Hudson’s Bay, Mountain Equipment Co-Op and SportChek…Jaytex also will open L.L. Bean-branded stores in Canada, starting with the first store in the Toronto area in 2019. The goal is to open 20 stores across Canada within 10 years.” Read more

 

Wayfair spent $196 to win over each new customer it added over the past year, shares crater at CNBC. “Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail: “When customers only spend $443 a year, this seems like a rather excessive, and completely unprofitable, acquisition cost,” he wrote in a research note Thursday.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

PetSmart Uses Mobile Location Technology To Drive Adoptions

Brady Bunch cast reunites to renovate the original house from the series for HGTV

Flying squid harder to find off Japan’s shores, unsettling a seafood-loving nation

Amazon launches ‘Amazon Future Engineer’ program

Walmart seeks to reimagine shopping areas near its stores

Washington, DC, could let 16-year-olds vote for president

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for 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: eyeonretail.net