Tipsheet: Bezos Divorce | JCP -3.5% | Costco Tiffany Loss

 

Court gives Sears new life, allows Chairman Eddie Lampert another chance to save retailer at CNBC. “Lampert’s hedge fund, ESL Investments, will now be required to pay a $120 million deposit by 4:00 p.m. Wednesday. Sears will then allow Lampert to participate in a previously scheduled auction on Monday.” Read more

 

JCPenney comp sales fell 3.5% for the nine weeks ended Jan. 5 at CNBC. “On an “unshifted basis,” sales were down 5.4 percent at stores open at least a year.” Read more | Press release

 

Costco loses bid for new trial in Tiffany trademark lawsuit at Reuters. “A federal judge in Manhattan has declined to grant retailer Costco a new trial or amend a $19.4 million judgment against it in a trademark lawsuit by Tiffany & Co accusing it of falsely labeling its rings as “Tiffany” jewelry on store display cases.” Read more

 

LuLaRoe Founders Accused of Hiding Millions to Avoid Creditors by Claire Suddath at Bloomberg. “Late last year, Los Angeles-based clothing maker MyDyer sued LuLaRoe, claiming the company owes it $48.7 million for products and services. MyDyer also sued the Stidhams, saying they’d set up more than 20 limited liability companies as part of a “scheme to hinder, delay and defraud” creditors like MyDyer.” Tiered subs.

 

Jeff Bezos and wife MacKenzie are divorcing at CNBC. “The billionaire executive announced the news Wednesday in a tweet signed by both of them. “We want to make people aware of a development in our lives. As our family and close friends know, after a long period of loving exploration and trial separation, we have decided to divorce and continue our shared lives as friends,” the tweeted statement says.” Read more

 

California Democrats made plastic straws hard to get. Are paper receipts next? by Bryan Anderson at Sacramento Bee. “Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, unveiled a plan on Tuesday to take the state off of printed receipts. Under Assembly Bill 181, businesses would have to give customers electronic receipts if they don’t ask for physical copies.” Read more

 

Food stamps guaranteed through February, USDA says at CNN. Read more

 

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After over a million pre-orders, Amazon’s Echo Auto has begun to ship by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. “What Amazon didn’t explain is why the device has remained in pre-order status for so long, why it largely missed the holiday season with this ideal stocking stuffer-type of product or when it would finally exit “invite only” status for good.” Read more

 

DoorDash CEO wants to bring you more than just food by Eric Johnson at Recode. “We started with food just because it was the hardest problem,” Xu said. “It’s not just because it’s high frequency, but because if you can figure out food … if you can deliver something in 30 minutes, you can deliver something in an hour. The reverse is not true.” Q&A

 

Neiman Marcus settles data breach for $1.5 million at Baltimore Sun. “The breach, which took place over several months in 2013, compromised names and payment card data collected at 77 Neiman Marcus stores throughout the U.S.” Read more

 

Apple CEO Tim Cook talks to Jim Cramer at CNBC. “If you zoom out into the future, and you look back, and you ask the question, ‘What was Apple’s greatest contribution to mankind?’ It will be about health,” Cook said.” Video/Read more

 

There’s always money in the (Amazon) banana stand, even at CES by Nat Levy at GeekWire. “Though it’s a regular site in Seattle, many weary attendees appeared initially puzzled by the concept, before giving in and accepting a Potassium-filled power up.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Rare penny found among lunch money change could go for up to $1.7 million

The ‘Right to Repair’ Movement Is Gaining Ground and Could Hit Manufacturers Hard

Stan Lee’s devoted fans can mourn him at Hollywood memorial

People left key fobs inside their cars and auto theft hit an 8-year high

‘Game of Thrones’ Prequel Casts 8 Rising Stars

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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.

 

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

 

Website: eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Sears to Shutter | Amazon In-Garage | Icahn Out of D.Tree

 

Sears to ask bankruptcy judge to liquidate at Reuters. “Sears…may have to close hundreds of stores it is still operating…the sources said. Its vast inventories of tools, appliances and store fixtures will be sold in fire sales, the sources added.” Read more

 

…“We are down, but not out” Sears, via its official Twitter account (@Sears), said in reply to one of the many posts Monday morning about the 126-year-old company potentially going out of business. at Reuters. Read more

 

IT’S OFFICIAL NOW – Shoppers Drug Mart launches ecommerce platform for medical cannabis Press release

 

GeekWire checks out the new high-tech store from Microsoft and Kroger by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “A small kiosk near the front of the store, labeled “Scan, Bag, Go,” is stocked with handheld devices. Shoppers have the option of connecting their QFC account to one of these or using the QFC app on their smartphone as a guide and scanning device throughout the store.” Pics/Read more

 

Amazon unveils in-garage package delivery service in 37 cities by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. “Customers will need to purchase a Chamberlain or LiftMaster myQ garage door opener ($180) or affix their existing door opener with a $80 hub.” Read more

 

Activist investor Carl Icahn backs out of Dollar Tree at NY Post. Read more

 

Banana Republic to Reissue Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dissent Collar With Proceeds Going to ACLU at Hollywood Reporter. Read more

 

Seattle officials visit New York with warnings about Amazon: ‘They thought they could bury us’ by Monica Nickelsburg at GeekWire. “You guys have the leverage,” Mosqueda said. “You have the opportunity that Seattle didn’t. We weren’t able to keep up with the demand on housing because we couldn’t respond fast enough.” Read more

 

Overstock will become the first company in the US to pay its taxes in bitcoin at NY Post. Read more

 

Amazon is using your data to send you free samples at Fast Company. “Essentially, Amazon’s robust data on its users is figuring out who would be more likely to buy a certain product. If someone fits that mold, they may end up randomly receiving a package from Amazon.” Read more

 

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Wegmans to open first NYC store Press release

 

Food stamps for millions of Americans become pawn in shutdown fight at Politico. “Senior administration officials said last week they think the program has enough money for January, but not enough to cover all benefits in February.” Read more

 

Amazon is getting more serious about Alexa in the car at TechCrunch. “Amazon announced a significant partnership with Telenav,  a connected car and location-based services provider.” Read more

 

How Retail Changes When Algorithms Curate Everything We Buy by Bobby Gibbs & Nick Harrison at Harvard Business Review. “A new generation of retail choice engines will work more clearly on behalf of customers by offering transparency, neutrality, and an unlimited catalog. Just as flight intermediaries such as Google Flights, Hopper and Skyscanner find the lowest possible prices, agnostic digital retail curators could direct consumers to the retailer offering the best deals.” Tiered subs.

 

Magic mushroom legalization gets closer in Denver at Denver Post. Tiered subs.

 

Amazon Struggles To Reach Gen Z Shoppers by Walter Loeb at Forbes. “Kennedy says this is in large part because the platform’s main value proposition – namely convenience and cost – doesn’t speak to them…Kennedy feels that Amazon’s biggest downfall in attracting Gen Z customers is its failure to meet them on social media.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Kroger Apologizes for Racial Profiling in Dallas

Burberry is running its first Lunar New Year ad — but some are calling it creepy

Bass Pro Shops to continue partnership with Martin Truex Jr.

The Love Bug Hits Bloomingdale’s

More blood pressure medication recalled over carcinogen concerns

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Website: eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Kroger/Microsoft Test | Lowe’s Restructures | Starboard Pushes D.Tree

 

Starboard buys stake in Dollar Tree, seeks sale of Family Dollar at CNBC. “Starboard, which has taken a 1.7 percent stake worth about $370 million in the retailer, is seeking majority control of the board and is also pushing for Dollar Tree to tweak its pricing model, the paper reported, citing sources.” Read more | WSJ subs.

 

Kroger, Microsoft Create Futuristic Grocery Store by Matthew Boyle & Dina Bass at Bloomberg. “At the two test stores, located near Kroger and Microsoft’s respective headquarters in Cincinnati and Redmond, Washington, customers using Kroger’s self-checkout app will be guided through the store to items on their shopping list. When they enter an aisle, the digital shelf will display a personalized icon chosen by the shopper—a  banana, say, or a pumpkin—below the relevant product.” Tiered subs.

 

Walmart ad enlists classic movie cars to tout online grocery pickup by Jack Neff at Ad Age. “…(launched)…during the Golden Globe Awards on NBC Sunday night…feature drive-ups to Walmart grocery pickup spots by classic movie cars, including the Batmobile, the DeLorean from “Back to the Future,” Scooby Doo’s Mystery Machine, and a more current entry — the yellow VW Beetle from “Bumblebee.” Read more/See spot

 

Lowe’s announces a major restructuring by Katherine Peralta at Charlotte Observer. “Lowe’s said it is discontinuing its project specialist interiors program, which employs workers responsible for overseeing every phase of complex home projects such as kitchen remodels…Lowe’s said it will be hiring 10,000 permanent, full-time workers as part of a merchandising service team focused on inventory management.” Tiered subs.

 

Amazon’s cashierless Go stores could be a $4 billion business by 2021, new research suggests by Rani Molla at Recode. Read more

 

Apple doesn’t usually have a presence at CES but this year it has an ad plastered to the side of a hotel at CNBC. “The message, which takes up about 13 floors of building, says : “What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone”…Apple’s message is clear: we’re not trying to sell your data, while Amazon and Google use your data — if sometimes anonymously — to try to sell you stuff.” Read more/Pic

 

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Amazon removes ‘offensive’ products containing Islamic text by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. Read more

 

The $9 Billion Upcharge: How Insurers Kept Extra Cash From Medicare by Joseph Walker & Christopher Weaver at Wall Street Journal. “CVS, UnitedHealth, Humana and other health insurers’ bids to manage Part D prescription-drug plans for seniors have been consistently off in ways that benefit the companies at the expense of taxpayers.” WSJ subs.

 

Sears picks liquidator should rescue talks fall through at Reuters. “Sears has lined up Closter, New Jersey-based Abacus Advisory Group LLC to sell the chain’s vast inventories of tools, appliances and store fixtures should negotiations with Chairman Edward Lampert over his $4.4 billion takeover bid end unsuccessfully, the sources said.” Read more

 

GameStop shares climb on report it could be announcing a buyer next month at CNBC. “Private equity firms interested in buying GameStop include Sycamore Partners and Apollo Global Management, people familiar with the matter told the Journal.” Read more

 

Jeff Bezos and Jamie Dimon: Best of Frenemies by Emily Glazer, Laura Stevens & AnnaMaria Andriotis at Wall Street Journal. “As the relationship between the men and their companies deepened, the balance of power shifted in Amazon’s favor. The retailer’s market value—at $770 billion—now dwarfs JPMorgan’s $335 billion. The bank, used to being the heavyweight in the room, is trying to figure out how Amazon fits into its world and how to avoid becoming its latest casualty.” WSJ subs.

 

Amazon invests further in furniture with new ‘Showroom’ visual shopping app by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. Read more

 

Why Your Ice Cream Will Ride in a Self-Driving Car Before You Do by Christopher Mims at Wall Street Journal. “Robomart, which makes a “mobile store” and has partnered with a yet-to-be- announced top-five grocery chain in the U.S., has designed low-speed vehicles made from foam and fiberglass that are designed to crumple in a crash, says founder and chief executive Ali Ahmed.” WSJ subs.

 

‘Bird Box’ brings Northern California’s Smith River to the masses, money to local merchants by Dan Squier at The Mercury News. Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

More Than a Third of Americans Return Gifts They Receive Over the Holidays

Golden Globes Winners: The Complete List

Inside The $9,500 Golden Globes Gift Bag

Smart mailbox protects your packages from porch thieves

Super Soaker creator awarded $72.9M from Hasbro

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

 

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Tipsheet: Rite Aid De-Listed NYSE? | Hudson’s Eyes Private | GameStop ‘Irrelevant’

 

Rite Aid warned of risk of delisting from NYSE as shares fall below $1 at CNBC. “Shares of the drugstore chain have fallen 64 percent over the past year, down to 75 cents a share as of Thursday’s close from $2.11 on Jan. 3, 2018.” Read more

 

Hudson’s Bay Co. closer to going private by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is cashing out its position, selling its 18 million shares to the company’s executive chairman, Richard Baker.” Read more

 

Apple’s slowdown in China could mean bad news for Best Buy at CNBC. “UBS has estimated that roughly 15 to 20 percent of Best Buy’s total sales are of Apple products, which tend to sell at higher price points than other merchandise in Best Buy stores.” Read more

 

US employers added a stellar 312,000 jobs in December at AP. “Health care and education services added 82,000 jobs in December, the biggest jump since February 2012. Restaurants and drinking placed posted a net gain of 40,700 jobs. Builders added 38,000 construction jobs, while manufacturers increased their payrolls by 32,000 workers.” Read more

 

Whole Foods launches digital catalog organized by dietary preference by Tonya Garcia at MarketWatch. Read more

 

Startups Can Lead Kids to Water But It’s Harder to Make Them Drink by Matthew Boyle at Bloomberg. “It’s the Bermuda Triangle of beverages,” says Gerry Khermouch, founder of Beverage Business Insights, an industry publication. “They’ve tried every permutation of recipe — unsweetened, juice-sweetened, naturally sweetened — and almost all inevitably fail.” Tiered subs.

 

Health insurer Molina Healthcare has extended its agreement with CVS Health’s PBM through 2021 by Bruce Japsen at Forbes. Read more

 

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Clothing Retailer FullBeauty To Restructure In Ch. 11 Press release

 

GameStop Struggles to Boost Sales by Patrick Thomas at Wall Street Journal. “GameStop has become irrelevant in the video game market,” said Mike Hickey, an analyst at BenchMark, in a research note. Not everyone considers a sale to be the best outcome. GameStop could become more active in esports—competitive videogame contests—and hold tournaments at its most popular locations, said Colin Sebastian, an analyst at Baird.” WSJ subs.

 

Hemp entrepreneurs say big retailers unfairly dominate online ads by Alexis Keenan at Yahoo Finance. “Sherman…wants to know why big box retailers are allowed to run paid ads for hemp products while his ads are shot down…“They’re allowing them to advertise a few hemp products here and there,” Sherman said. “Versus us, we couldn’t promote those exact same items.” Read more

 

26% of First-Time Home Buyers Are Turning to the Bank of Mom and Dad – Up From 22% in 2011 by Ben Eisen at Wall Street Journal. WSJ subs.

 

Apple’s App store pulled in $1.22B over the holidays plus a record $322M on New Year’s by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Amazon settles bias claims with transgender employee, husband at Reuters. Read more

 

Ex-Toys ‘R’ Us staffers start receiving checks from hardship fund by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “MJ Williams, a former Toys ‘R’ Us employee in Texas, received a $4,000 check this week for her two decades of service to the retailer.” Read more

 

The distance at which flu may spread from one person to another is 3 to 6 feet by Jo Craven McGinty at Wall Street Journal. WSJ subs.

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

How Walmart recruited truck drivers amid a labor shortage crisis

Lines for salads out of control in NYC after ‘eat healthy’ resolutions

Worker injured after wall collapses in Bloomingdale’s

Fatal Shooting of 7-Year-Old Black Girl Outside Walmart Sparks Hate Crime Fears

Luxury loot box sponsorships are tearing YouTube apart

John Bobbitt’s severed member was wrapped in a 7-Eleven ‘hot dog bag’

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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: B.Nordstrom Dies | PetSmart Selects Empower | Lotto Drive-Thru Window

 

Blake Nordstrom, co-president of Nordstrom, dies at 58 by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “His passing comes less than a month after he disclosed that he had been diagnosed with lymphoma…Executive leadership of Nordstrom will continue under company co-presidents Pete and Erik Nordstrom, the retailer said.” Read more

 

After 104 years, Lord & Taylor’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue locked its doors forever by Verena Dobnik at NY Daily News. “The 11-story building has been sold to the WeWork space-leasing company for more than $850 million. Forty-five other, smaller Lord & Taylor stores remain open, mostly on the East Coast.” Read more

 

Jeff Bezos rides horse into Western store in Colorado by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “Bezos was captured on New Year’s Eve in Aspen, Colo., riding a horse into a Western apparel store called Kemo Sabe.” Pics/Read more

 

Camping World Announces Executive Management Realignment “As previously disclosed, Roger Nuttall resigned from his position as President of the Company’s dealership group on December 21, 2018, and his responsibilities will be divided up between Marcus Lemonis and four tenured Divisional RV Presidents.” Press release

 

PetSmart selects Empower to handle all traditional media buying and planning in the U.S. by Megan Graham at Ad Age. “PetSmart VP of marketing Joice Wirkus said in a statement that the marketer intends to focus its investments more on digital video, and felt Empower’s experience in data-driven and advanced video was a fit.” Tiered subs.

 

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How Eddie Lampert plans to save Sears — or sell its real estate assets by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “The offers will be vetted by the White Plains federal bankruptcy court on Friday. At the same time, there are competing offers from liquidators who would sell Sears for its parts.” Read more

 

Tickets for college football championship game available for cheap via USA Today. “It’s sort of a perfect storm of factors at play this year,” said Jesse Lawrence, the founder of TicketIQ, a secondary ticket market. “It’s a big ask for fans to come and that’s why we’re seeing the prices the way they are.” Read more

 

ShopRite kicks Can Can girls ad to the curb by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “That’s despite ShopRite’s insistence this summer that the girls…would return in January after they first went missing in July…“From time to time, we refresh the creative for this iconic sale,” said Karen O’Shea, a spokeswoman for corporate parent Wakefern.” Read more

 

SpartanNash hires new CIO from SC Johnson & Sons Press release

 

Amazon’s Biggest Bull Says It Should Disrupt Gas Stations at Bloomberg. “Gas stations would also “provide the company additional data on the physical whereabouts of consumers,” as it would have “thousands more locations where it would know where consumers were shopping,” Forte wrote in a Wednesday note to clients.” Tiered subs.

 

The No. 1 lottery seller in Texas now includes a drive-thru lottery window by Lauren Talarico at KHOU 11. “Lucky Rudy’s in Rosenberg opened its new store this past fall, and the store says it’s the only lottery drive-thru in the area and maybe even all of Texas. “Lucky” Rudy’s has long been the place that people go to buy their lottery tickets, believing it’s the luckiest.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Scientists test breathalyser for detecting early cancers

When a Billionaire Needs a Boss: The Story of the Jimmy John’s Empire

Hannaford debuts digitally equipped concept store in Portland

Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino Headline Coachella 2019 Lineup

Amazon to compete for skilled vets in DC hiring spree

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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