Tipsheet: Taylor’s Prime Concert | Wgreen -1.1% | Amazon/Rite Aid Team

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Walgreens Q3 comp sales in its U.S. drugstores fell 1.1% from the year-ago quarter, which Walgreens attributed to its “de-emphasis” of tobacco products at CNBC. “Walgreens Boots Alliance on Thursday beat fiscal third-quarter earnings estimates as higher prescription drug sales helped the company regain its footing after CEO Stefano Pessina dubbed last quarter “the most difficult” since the company was formed.” Read more

 

Amazon launches new in-store pickup option with Rite Aid as first partner at Reuters. “The new option, called Counter, will launch with pharmacy Rite Aid Corp offering the service in 100 stores, with an expansion to 1,500 stores by year’s end, the companies said. Amazon is also looking to get other retailers, including small businesses, to join the program as it expands.” Read more

 

Pier 1 Imports plans to close 57 stores, and more closures could be coming by Kelly Tyko at USA Today. “…up a dozen from the April estimate of (closing) 45 stores…“If we are unable to achieve our performance goals, sales targets and reductions in occupancies and other costs, we could close up to 15% of our portfolio,” (interim CEO Cheryl Bachelder) said Wednesday.” Read more

 

Wayfair Workers Walk Out Over Business With Migrant Detention Center at Huffpost. “Hundreds of outraged Wayfair employees at the company’s Boston headquarters walked off the job Wednesday to protest the online retailer’s business with a contractor that operates migrant detention centers.” Read more | Pics via Daily Mail

 

…Wayfair donates $100,000 to the Red Cross after employee backlash at CNN. “In a letter to employees, Wayfair cofounders Steve Conine and Niraj Shah said the company will donate the money to support the American Red Cross “in their effort to help those in dire need of basic necessities at the border.” Read more

 

…Leaked Wayfair receipt shows 1,600 mattresses and 100 bunk beds destined for a Texas detention camp for kids at CNBC.  Read more

 

Taylor Swift to headline streamed Amazon Prime Day concert on July 10 by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. “Amazon will stream a live show at 6 p.m. PT featuring Taylor Swift, along with other stars including Dua Lipa, SZA, and Becky G….the stream will be available only to Prime members…” Read more

 

**A message from Real Coconut Water: Young Brazilian coconuts = Sweeter taste. 100% pure coconut water. PL or branded organic in Tetra Pak. Sell sheet | Website | Samples: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Grocery Store Workers Authorize Strike Against Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons at CBS KCAL. “The strike authorization gives union negotiators the power to call for a strike if deemed necessary…“We’re not against the company at all. We just want them to recognize the hard work that we do, the commitment that we come in here every day,” (cashier Hill) said.” Read more

 

Walmart touts career possibilities in technology to Northwest Arkansas students by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “Roughly 40 high school students from Northwest Arkansas took part in Walmart’s first career exploration event for STEM-related professions on Wednesday at the retailer’s home office in Bentonville. The participants were the children of Walmart employees or close family of employees who were invited to take part in the day-long event.” Read more

 

Hat retailer Lids deal with Meek Mill is just the start of new growth plan by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “(Lids) which sells baseball-styled caps at 1,277 stores across the country, is wooing rappers, country stars and individual athletes for licensing deals for exclusive merchandise, executives told The Post. The new caps will make up half of the store’s merchandise within two years, they said.” Read more

 

Bernie Burns Amazon, Walmart & Trump in WSJ Oped “If you are a monopoly like Amazon, owned by the wealthiest person in the U.S., you get hundreds of millions of dollars in economic incentives from taxpayers to build warehouses, yet you end up paying not one penny in federal income taxes…If you are the billionaire Walton family, state and local governments grant you free land and subsidies and build infrastructure for your stores, even as Walmart ’s tax-avoidance schemes drain local towns of public revenues.” WSJ subs.

 

As Amazon Suffers String of Box Office Flops, Executives Struggle to Find Winning Strategy at Hollywood Reporter. “Veteran exec Bob Berney is leaving his post as chief of marketing and distribution, while Late Night’s dismal box office performance so far means that all 10 movies released in theaters via Amazon’s self-distribution arm have floundered since late 2017.” Read more

 

Starbucks has nearly 1,000 stores in the UK. They’re losing money at CNN. “The American chain is the latest in a series of restaurants and retailers to come under pressure in Britain, where many businesses have struggled with the transition to online shopping and uncertainty about Brexit.” Read more

 

Bonobos founder Andy Dunn, Wednesday at the IRCE @RetailX in Chicago: “We got stuck with our early adopter customers and kind of topped out.” by James Melton at Internet Retailer. “Then an early experiment—aimed at launching a new line of Bonobos shirts—brought men into the company’s offices to “alpha test” the shirts. The shirts were not a hit, but the company’s pants—the product line that launched the company—were…That experience led to the creation of what is now a network of more than 60 Bonobos Guide Shops.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Expedia shows off $900M Seattle waterfront campus

Zillow launches retooled Zestimate – uses AI to ‘see’ value in homes

NBC Hit With Technical Issues at Democratic Debate

FDA cracks down on kratom sellers

Italy’s ‘cannabis light’ creates buzz even if the pot won’t

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Tipsheet: Wayfair Walkout | Tesco/Trigo Team | WM +Snap @ Pickup

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Wayfair workers plan walkout in protest of company’s bed sales to migrant camps at CNN. “…plan a walkout from company headquarters Wednesday…According to a woman identifying herself as an employee of the company, Wayfair employees learned last week that an order for about $200,000 worth of bedroom furniture was placed by BCFS…” Read more

 

Mnuchin: ‘We were about 90% of the way’ on China trade deal and there’s a ‘path to complete this’ at CNBC. Read more

 

Walmart now accepts SNAP for online grocery orders at all of the company’s 2,500-plus pickup locations by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. “Walmart says it’s planning to accept the SNAP payment option at over 3,100 Walmart stores by the end of the year.” Read more

 

Target announces ‘Deal Days’ to coincide with Amazon Prime Day at MarketWatch. Read more

 

Buy Low-Tops, Sell High-Tops: A Sneaker Exchange Is Worth $1 Billion by Erin Griffith at NY Times. “StockX is part of a burgeoning group of online marketplaces that have turned resales of sneakers into a kind of currency — and an increasingly big business. Other sites like GOAT Group, Stadium Goods and Bump, which also resell sneakers, streetwear and other goods, have raised more than $200 million in venture capital funding.” Tiered subs.

 

Paris is banning older cars for today as a heat wave aggravates the city’s pollution at AP News. Read more

 

Retailers are becoming restaurateurs to boost sales at CNBC. “If you asked me five years ago if we were in the restaurant business, I would say, I don’t know if there was a strategy behind it,” (Barneys CEO Daniella Vitale) said. “In hindsight, we should have moved much more quickly to make sure there were restaurants in all of our stores. … We won’t do a project anymore without a big restaurant component.” Read more

 

**A message from BK Resources: The ION Antimicrobial Handsink is infused with Silver Ions to inhibit the growth of millions of germs. Product sheet

 

Who are the best CEOs for minority workers? (Home Depot #9, Costco #10, Amazon #29) by Dalvin Brown at USA Today. Top 50 list

 

Tesco working on cashierless stores by Yaacov Benmeleh at Bloomberg. “The U.K.’s largest grocery chain is working with Trigo Vision Ltd., which has developed a system of cameras and software that allows retailers to automatically charge customers, according to three people familiar with the matter.” Tiered subs.

 

Advocates push FTC crackdown on secret consumer scores by Harper Neidig at The Hill. “#REPRESENT, a public interest group run by the Consumer Education Foundation in California, filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Monday asking the agency to investigate what the group is calling “surveillance scoring” of customers’ financial status or creditworthiness.” Read more

 

Justice Department Investigates Chicken Industry by Jacob Bunge at Wall Street Journal. “Wholesale prices for whole chickens are down about 2% so far this year but are up 17% from mid-2012, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture began estimating national prices.” WSJ subs.

 

Target Sets Sights on Wide-Width Shoe Customers by Barbara Schneider-Levy at Footwear News. Read more

 

Target gears up for back-to-school season by Kelly Tyko at USA Today. “Target will have “shops within a shop” in new Back to College sections in more than 700 select stores near college campuses…Three new small-format stores are scheduled to open by the fall. The locations are in East Lansing located near Michigan State University, in Seattle near the University of Washington and in Lexington near University of Kentucky.” Read more

 

Walmart China Takes on Food Safety with VeChainThor Blockchain Technology Press release

 

The battle to turn Arkansas’s dry counties wet – with Walmart’s help by Teresa Krug at The Guardian. “In the run-up to the 2012 general election, the Waltons…donated hundreds of thousands of dollars toward getting the necessary signatures for the pro-wet initiative to appear on the ballot. It succeeded, and the county became wet. Since then, more than 10 counties have followed. “That kind of gave people the encouragement that it could be done,” Bowlin said.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

The richest person in every state

The 15 cities where you’ll find the worst drivers in the U.S.

Madewell, Patagonia, and Eileen Fisher want to buy your old clothes

The town where Jeff Bezos & Bill Gates live is having a budget crisis

China hacked eight major computer services firms in years-long attack

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Tipsheet: Menear @ CNBC | Jelinek #5 w/Women | WM #9 Patriotic

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Amazon’s Prime Day will start July 15 and last 48 hours at The Verge. Read more

 

H-E-B unveils Austin digital tech hub; plans for 650 workers by Lori Hawkins at Austin American Statesman. Pics/Read more

 

Home Depot CEO Craig Menear appears on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” “Home Depot CEO Craig Menear said the company aims to minimize the impact that potential tariffs will have on prices by cutting costs elsewhere along its supply chain. The company makes 70% of its goods domestically, which also lessens the effect, Menear said in an interview Monday…” Video / Transcript

 

US new-home sales fell 7.8% in May at AP News. Read more

 

Consumer Confidence Index tumbled to 121.5 in June, dropping from a downwardly revised reading of 131.3 in May and snapping three consecutive months of improvements. at Yahoo Finance. Read more

 

Gas station on wheels: Booster Fuels raises $56M to expand high-tech mobile fuel delivery service by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. “Booster has emerged as the market leader. The 4-year-old company delivers millions of gallons per month in 20 cities, using its purple-branded trucks to fill up tanks on corporate campuses. Fortune 500 giants such as eBay, HPE, and Cisco use Booster to provide a fueling perk for employees.” Read more

 

Carrefour is selling an 80% stake in its China business, including more than 200 stores, to Suning.com Co. at TechCrunch. Read more

 

7-Eleven begins delivery in public spaces at AP via Yahoo Finance. “…more than 2,000 7-Eleven “hot spots” including New York’s Central Park and Venice Beach in Los Angeles will be activated Monday…7-Eleven believes it will eventually be able to deliver to 200,000 hot spot locations…” Read more

 

JD.com’s logistics arm raises a $218 million investment fund by Catherine Shu at TechCrunch. Read more

 

**A message from Real Coconut Water: Young Brazilian coconuts = Sweeter taste. 100% pure coconut water. PL or branded organic in Tetra Pak. Sell sheet | Website | Samples: info@eyeonretail.net

 

JetBlue sues Walmart for trademark infringement over Jetblack text-based personal shopping service at Reuters. Read more

 

Amazon announces the opening of the Amazon Professional Beauty Store by Yun Li at CNBC. “…to offer professional stylists, barbers, and aestheticians beauty supplies typically found in salons and spas. Sally Beauty’s stock plunged nearly 17% and Ulta fell 2.6% following the news on Monday.” Read more

 

Sam’s Club launches alcohol delivery through Instacart by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. “…is currently live in 215 stores across 12 U.S. states, with plans to reach other cities and markets in the months ahead.” Read more

 

Apple doubles down on Seattle with plans to employ 2,000 people in ‘key engineering hub’ by Monica Nickelsburg at GeekWire. Read more

 

Beyond Meat slides after Whole Foods inks a deal with major competitor The Meatless Farm at Business Insider. Read more

 

FMI wins Supreme Court ruling on SNAP data disclosure by Russell Redman at Supermarket News. “The case arose in 2011, when a South Dakota newspaper, the Argus Leader, filed a FOIA request with the USDA for the names and addresses of all retail stores participating in SNAP and each store’s annual redemption data for the fiscal years 2005 to 2010.” Read more

 

Best CEOs in the U.S., according to women (Costco #5, HEB #17, H.Depot #30) by Frances Yu at USA Today. Top 50 list

 

How a twice-bankrupt entrepreneur turned Poo-Pourri Toilet Spray into a $240 Million fortune by Madeline Berg at Forbes. “….(during) a fateful family dinner in 2006 during which someone stunk up the bathroom; her then-brother-in-law wondered aloud if bathroom odor could be trapped…For nine months, she researched oils and natural ways to fight stink…Finally, her husband walked out of the bathroom one day with good news. “His famous words were, ‘Oh my god, we’re going to be millionaires,’” Batiz recalls.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

2019’s Most Patriotic American Brands

Strategic downtown Seattle blocks for sale near Amazon HQ

Q&A with H&M’s new diversity chief

Hugh Jackman was fired from his job at 7-Eleven

Even Bill Gates pronounces ‘Bezos’ wrong

How he got 200,000 people to buy ugly fruits and vegetables

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Tipsheet: WM Closing Campus Store | 6 Cleanest Stores | Top 50 Brands in Purses

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Amazon launches domestic airline ticket sales in India, alarming airlines at Reuters. “The (airlines) have nothing left if Google is in that position, or Amazon,” Travelport Chief Executive Gordon Wilson said at a CAPA Centre for Aviation conference this month. “I think the airlines are being very watchful over this.” Read more

 

Mattress Firm and the maker of Tempur-Pedic mattresses are getting back together at USA Today. “…less than a year after a bitter dispute over accusations that Mattress Firm was illegally selling lookalike products under the similar name “Therapedic.” Read more

 

Walmart Will Pay $282 Million to Settle Claims of Corrupt Payments Abroad Press release

 

…Inside Walmart’s corporate offices in Brazil, one local contact was known as the “sorceress” for the ability to obtain government permits quickly. In India, concerns about bribery were met with a “wink and a nod” by Walmart’s local business partner. by Michael Corkery at NY Times. Tiered subs.

 

Sprouts names Jack Sinclair CEO “He has been chief executive officer of 99 Cents Only Stores…since 2018…chief merchandising officer from 2015 to 2018…From 2007 to 2015, Sinclair was the Executive Vice President of the U.S. Grocery Division of Walmart.” Press release

 

Walmart’s campus store at Arizona State University in Tempe to close by Claire Rafford at Arizona Republic. “ASU was the second university in the country to adopt the campus store – the first was the University of Arkansas in 2011. The “Walmart on Campus” near Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, also is closing this summer…” Read more

 

Field Agent: Women Reveal the Top 50 CPG Brands in Their Purses (Bath & Body Works #1) Top 50 list

 

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

 

REI shelves catalog for print magazine by Adrienne Pasquarelli at Ad Age. “Called Uncommon Path, the print publication will run on a quarterly basis and include stories focused on the outdoors…REI is partnering with Hearst Magazines on the project, which will be staffed by a team of roughly six in-house REI employees as well as a collection of freelancers and Hearst workers.” Tiered subs.

 

Vera Bradley acquires a majority stake in online jewelry store Pura Vida Bracelets for $75 million at CNBC. Read more

 

YouTube rolls out augmented reality for viewers to virtually try on makeup at CNBC. “MAC Cosmetics, owned by Estee Lauder, is the first company to launch a campaign by partnering with Google’s in-house branded content platform FameBit.” Read more

 

Kroger Q1 2019 Earnings Call Transcript via Seeking Alpha Transcript

 

Walmart reveals it’s tracking checkout theft with AI-powered cameras in 1,000 stores by Hayley Peterson at Business Insider. Read more

 

Amazon is still investing in AmazonFresh, expands grocery delivery service to Las Vegas by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. Read more

 

Study: High levels of arsenic found in bottled water sold at Whole Foods, Target, Walmart by Joshua Bote at USA Today. “A test conducted by California nonprofit Center for Environmental Health finds that two bottled water brands — Peñafiel, owned by Keurig Dr. Pepper and Starkey, owned by Whole Foods — contain levels of arsenic that are higher than tap water…” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Here Are the Cleanest Grocery Stores in America

Taco Bell shares first look at Palm Springs hotel

Walmart Greeter Clobbered By Irate Customer

Amazon patents system that provides home security surveillance as a service

Exxon’s $53 billion Iraq deal hit by contract snags, Iran tensions

Kawhi Leonard spotted at a Home Depot in Toronto buying moving boxes

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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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Tipsheet: Kroger +1.5% | Open Call Chatter | Joly Wasn’t ‘Crazy’

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Kroger Q1 comp sales (ex-fuel) +1.5% Press release

 

…Reuters: Kroger quarterly results beat as digital push pays off “Sales fell 1.2% to $37.25 billion, as Kroger operated fewer stores following the sales of its convenience store business. Analysts had expected sales of $37.21 billion.” Read more

 

…Kroger Pilots 30-Minute Grocery Delivery at Progressive Grocer. “Kroger Rush is now available at two stores in the grocer’s home market of Cincinnati…The Oakley and Newport Marketplace stores can make the quick deliveries within a 3-mile radius.” Read more

 

Items pitched at Walmart’s Open Call by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “Sean Lee and Tiffany Yang of Sweety Mochi Ice Cream, a brand they created as second-generation ice cream makers from Los Angeles, got the automatic “yes” from (Steve) Bratspies…Michelle Leffert, CEO of Foppers Pet Treat Bakery in Logansport, Ind., was the other instant winner.” Read more

 

People thought Hubert Joly was ‘crazy or suicidal’ for taking the job as Best Buy CEO at CNBC. “Speaking at CNBC’s Evolve Conference in New York, Joly discussed the steps needed to turn around the business…Not firing anyone too quickly also helped to make sure the best leaders were in place.  “The most important thing we do is not the ideas we had, it’s who we put in position of leadership,” he said.” Read more

 

Shopify adds U.S. fulfillment network by Emil Protalinski at Venture Beat. Read more

 

Chip and Joanna Gaines have big expansion plans for their Silos district by Maria Halkias at Dallas Morning News. “The couple plans a $10.4 million expansion that will take in additional blocks and add a Magnolia Home Furniture store and a coffee shop. They will move an empty historic church to the property to be used for events and more shops, with a whiffle ball field and gardens outside.” Tiered subs.

 

Wayfair to bring 500 jobs to Athens at AJC. Read more

 

**A message from Real Coconut Water: Young Brazilian coconuts = Sweeter taste. 100% pure coconut water. PL or branded organic in Tetra Pak. Sell sheet | Website | Samples: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Tapestry Appoints Joanne Crevoiserat Chief Financial Officer “Ms. Crevoiserat joins from Abercrombie & Fitch, where she served as EVP & COO from February 2017 to June 2019.” Press release

 

From T-shirts to ice cream, Kroger pushes house brands in grocery wars at Reuters. “Almost half of Kroger’s private-label grocery lines, including bakery and dairy items, are produced in its 37 plants, giving it an advantage over rivals when it comes to quickly creating and testing out items…”They (Kroger) are very serious about private label and in my opinion better than any consumer goods company in the U.S.,” said Davidson, who used to oversee food procurement at Walmart.” Read more

 

Former Petco exec Allen Fujimoto joins True Leaf – a hemp wellness brand for pets Press release

 

Walmart to close jewelry distribution center in Bentonville, 158 jobs eliminated by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “Anne Hatfield, corporate spokeswoman for Walmart…said the operations will be transferred to Marlow, Okla., and employees were told of the pending closure in March 2018.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

House Dems on brink of minimum wage victory

Jeff Bezos chats with Caroline Kennedy at JFK Space Summit

The 40 Most Powerful People in Comedy 2019

Ralph Lauren Awarded Honorary Knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II

95% of Americans hate mornings

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Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

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Website: eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Cornell Apologizes | HEB CEO #2 | WM Open Call Today

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Target CEO Brian Cornell reiterates forecast, apologizes to customers for weekend outages at CNBC. “There was no impact to the company’s earnings forecast as a result of the outage, said Cornell in an interview on Wednesday with CNBC’s Becky Quick on “Squawk Box.”…“Within a couple of hours, our teams were able to identify the root cause and push the fix to our stores and get us back up and running,” he said. “But disappointing performance.” Video/Read more

 

Walmart’s Kickstarting a $1 Trillion Driverless Delivery Market by Keith Naughton & Matthew Boyle at Bloomberg. “This area has the least number of obstacles and the most certain return on invested capital in the near term,” said Mike Ramsey, an analyst with consultant Gartner Inc. “If you’re looking to start a business where you can actually generate revenue, this has fewer barriers than the taxi market.” Tiered subs.

 

Former CVS exec can’t work for Amazon’s PillPack, judge rules at Reuters. “…saying that allowing him to take a job where he would help drive its “disruptive strategy” would violate a non-compete agreement.” Read more

 

Walmart hosted a prep day Tuesday (June 18) for participants for this year’s Open Call event, to be held Wednesday at HQ by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “More than 500 businesses from across the globe are in Northwest Arkansas this week trying to get their products on Walmart shelves. This is the sixth year Walmart has held the Open Call…” Read more

 

Amazon Air cargo network adding 15 more planes, with fleet expected to hit 70 by 2021 by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “Amazon Air launched in 2016 and now operates out of more than 20 U.S. airports. New facilities will open this year at Fort Worth Alliance Airport, Wilmington Air Park, and Chicago Rockford International Airport.” Read more

 

Apple Is Reportedly Asking Suppliers to Shift at Least 15% of Output from China at Fortune. Read more

 

Stop & Shop president stepping down by Jonathan Ng at Boston Herald. “The shake-up comes months after an 11-day strike in April in which more than 31,000 employees walked off the job, disrupting 246 of Stop & Shop’s 415 stores…McGowan will be replaced by Gordon Reid, president of Giant Food…” Read more

 

These are the top 100 CEOs in 2019, according to actual employees (HEB’s Butt #2, Best Buy’s Joly #9, Costco’s Jelinek #42) at Glassdoor. Top 100 list

 

**A message from BK Resources: The ION Antimicrobial Handsink is infused with Silver Ions to inhibit the growth of millions of germs. Sell sheet

 

Lululemon unveils its line of personal-care products as it tries to grow beyond apparel at CNBC. “Lululemon’s dry shampoo will cost $34. The deodorant is $18, the face moisturizer is $48 and the lip balm is $14. These first three items are also available in travel sizes.” Read more

 

Barnes & Noble Q4 comp sales -2.3% Press release

 

Target’s Media Company Is Enhancing Programmatic Offerings With a New Partnership by Diana Pearl at Adweek. “Roundel is teaming up with Index Exchange for an easier process with fewer platforms.” Tiered subs.

 

Apple expands authorized repairs to around 1,000 Best Buy stores by Brian Heater at TechCrunch. “For Apple, it means covering customers in locations like Yuma, Sioux City and Bismarck. This brings its total third-party authorized service locations up to 1,800 in the U.S.” Read more

 

Apps help find unsold food and reduce waste at AP News. Read more

 

How 13 Became the Internet’s Age of Adulthood by Julie Jargon at Wall Street Journal. “At 13, kids are still more than a decade from having a fully developed prefrontal cortex…And yet parents and educators unleash them on the internet at that age—if not before—because they’re told children in the U.S. must be at least 13 to download certain apps, create email accounts and sign up for social media.” WSJ subs.

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Walmart eliminating 569 accounting/finance jobs in North Carolina

Inside the final days of New York’s iconic beauty store Ricky’s

FAA pushed to allow drone deliveries

Target employees share their stories from the retailer’s weekend register crash

Netflix recommends these three TVs for 2019

Pharmacy warns FDA of cancer-causing chemical found in widely used heart pill

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Website: eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Target 2X Outage | LAPD Eye Costco Shooter | WM Drone Patents

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A glitch stalled checkout lines at Target stores worldwide Saturday at AP News. “After an initial but thorough review, we can confirm that this was not a data breach or security-related issue, and no guest information was compromised at any time,” Target said.” Read more

 

…TARGET SAYS SUNDAY OUTAGE NOT RELATED TO SATURDAY – Target customers report issues checking out for second day after weekend outage at CNBC. “Target spokesperson said the company’s payment processor, NCR, experienced issues at one of its data centers. As a consequence, Target was unable to process card payments at some stores for about 90 minutes. The spokesperson said the issue was not security related and was not connected to the outage on Saturday.” Read more

 

Two years in, Amazon has hardly launched a revolution at Whole Foods by Sarah Halzack & Shira Ovide at Bloomberg via LA Times. “Amazon’s lack of imagination at Whole Foods is something we’ve seen repeatedly as the e-commerce giant experiments with physical stores. Amazon’s bookstores aren’t that different from conventional shops. Its 4-star knickknack stores are Hallmark gift stores crossed with Brookstone.” Read more

 

Man killed by off-duty officer in California Costco was ‘mentally challenged,’ cousin says at NBC News. “Police in the city of Corona, 47 miles from Los Angeles, have said French allegedly “assaulted” the off-duty Los Angeles officer “without provocation” inside a Costco store there. The officer, who has not been identified, was holding a young child and shopping with his family, police said.” Read more

 

…LAPD investigates officer’s actions in Costco shooting at AP News. “The shooting prompted a stampede of frightened shoppers, some who fled the store as others sought cover inside. Witnesses reported seeing an argument between two people near a freezer section when shots rang out at least six times.” Read more

 

Amazon shutters Instagram-inspired shopping feed Amazon Spark by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. “Amazon Spark had been a fairly bland service, if truth be told. Unlike on Instagram, where people follow their friend, interests, brands like they like, and people they find engaging or inspiring, Spark was focused on the shopping and the sale.” Read more

 

Walmart outpaces Amazon in drone patent race by Martin Coulter at Financial Times. “(Walmart) has filed 97 new drone patents with the World Intellectual Property Organisation since July 2018, according to research by accounting firm BDO. In the same period, Amazon registered 54 product ideas. The year before, Walmart submitted 57 patents compared to Amazon’s 54.” Read more

 

**A message from Real Coconut Water: Young Brazilian coconuts = Sweeter taste. 100% pure coconut water. PL or branded organic in Tetra Pak. Sell sheet | Website | Samples: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Walmart grocery is now offering a $98 per year “Delivery Unlimited” option by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Ocasio-Cortez criticizes Amazon’s Bezos for paying workers ‘starvation wages’ at Fox Business. “When you have a very large workforce and you underpay every single person and then you also participate in taking billions of dollars of government subsidies, that could be part of it,” Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, regarding how she believes Bezos attained his wealth.” Read more

 

Mexico blamed Walmart’s size, access to rivals’ data in blocking app deal by Daina Beth Solomon at Reuters. “Cornershop operates in Mexico and Chile, promoting the app as providing delivery of “groceries to your front door in one hour” from retailers including Costco Wholesale Corp, Chedraui and Walmart…Walmart had struck a deal to buy the popular app for $225 million.” Read more

 

Chewy soars as much 86% after IPO pricing at $22 per share at CNBC. Read more

 

Amazon Game Studios confirms reorganization, reportedly cutting ‘dozens’ of developer jobs by James Thorne at GeekWire. “Amazon Game Studios currently only markets one game title, “The Grand Tour Game,” which is based on the Amazon Prime show of the same name and features the former stars of long-running British car series “Top Gear.” Read more

 

Lord & Taylor President Vanessa LeFebvre Exits at Footwear News. Read more

 

Forget the Mall, Shoppers Are Buying Gucci at Airports by Jaewon Kang & Sharon Terlap at Wall Street Journal. “For the first time last year, Estee Lauder Co. generated more revenue at airports globally than at U.S. department stores…” WSJ subs.

 

Phoenix police chief apologizes to family for the ‘unacceptable behavior’ of officers who threatened to shoot them after ‘their daughter, four, stole a $1 Barbie doll’ from a Family Dollar store at 12 News NBC. Video/Read more

 

A mysterious sickness has killed nearly 100 children in India. Could litchi fruit be the cause? by Joanna Slater at Washington Post. “Indian television channels showed scenes of unresponsive children lying several to a bed at a hospital in Muzaffarpur. When Indian Health Minister Harsh Vardhan visited the area on Sunday, he was trailed by angry and grieving relatives.” Tiered subs.

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Goodwill opens new store with ‘Old Town Road’ performance

Illinois farmers give up on planting after floods and throw party instead

There’s no reason to trust Amazon’s Choice

Tom Hanks Shares Disney’s Strict Rules for ‘Toy Story 4’ Media Tour

Inside Mike Tyson’s weed resort in the middle of the California desert

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: WM/FDA Collab | Amazon #1 w/Dogs | Greenpeace Rips H-E-B

/in

 

Walmart in blockchain collaboration with FDA at Reuters. “IBM, Merck and Walmart have been chosen for a U.S. Food and Drug Administration pilot program that will explore using blockchain technology to improve the security of prescription drug supply and distribution.” Read more

 

Target expands same-day delivery options – Shoppers pay a flat fee of $9.99 per order at CNBC. “Up until now, Target shoppers have been able to get orders delivered on the same day by being a Shipt member, which costs $99 per year. That option is still available for everyone, Target said, but the company is making it easier for people to choose same-day delivery on an order-by-order basis, versus signing up for an annual membership.” Read more

 

Walmart Adjusts to Trump’s Tariffs Through a Price-Changing Tool by Matthew Boyle at Bloomberg. “The retailer introduced the tool, dubbed “Cost Change Scenario,” a year ago and has been rolling it out across product categories, according to internal memos and emails obtained by Bloomberg. The online application, whose existence hasn’t previously been reported, replaces Excel-based forms that vendors had to fill out manually.” Tiered subs.

 

Lululemon Q1 comp sales +14%, beating a Refinitiv consensus estimate for 11.6% growth at CNBC. Read more

 

Walmart will fold Jet.com into Walmart.com by Catherine Shu at TechCrunch. “Jet president Simon Belsham will support the transition through early August. After that, Jet will be managed by Kiernan Shanahan, Walmart  senior vice president of food, consumables and health and wellness and the lead of Walmart Ecommerce’s Everyday Living category.” Read more

 

Greenpeace report ranks 20 grocers on their plastic reduction plans – H-E-B scored last among grocers by Paul Takahashi at Houston Chronicle. “H-E-B does not participate in surveys, which we believe is responsible for our low score,” Lisa Helfman, director of H-E-B’s public affairs in Houston, said in an email.” Read more | Greenpeace report

 

RH Earnings, Sales Top Estimates; RH Stock Jumps at Investor’s Business Daily. “RH on Wednesday reported first-quarter earnings per share of $1.85, a 53% jump…Net sales rose 7.4% to $599 million, above estimates for $583 million.” Read more

 

A Buyout Won’t Solve Saks Owner’s Real Issue: Department Stores Are Dying by Suzanne Kapner at Wall Street Journal. “Some investors say the Hudson’s Bay Co. buyout offer of C$9.45 a share is too low, given that its CEO Helena Foulkes recently told investors at a conference that the company’s real estate is worth C$28 a share.” WSJ subs.

 

Alibaba files for HK listing that may raise $20 billion as soon as third quarter at Reuters. 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 seconds! GPS tracking, VIN # & alarm for security. Video | Website | Contact

 

Why Targeting Millennial Consumers Might Not Be Such a Hot Idea After All by Robert Klara at Adweek. “That’s one of the takeaways of a brand new study from Deloitte’s Center for Consumer Insight, which surveyed over 4,000 American consumers to determine their current consuming habits. And when it came to millennials, one statistic stuck out: Since 1996, the average net worth of consumers under 35 has dropped by 35%.” Tiered subs.

 

Kroger and Ocado Break Ground on America’s First High-Tech Customer Fulfillment Center Press release

 

Women’s clothing rental service Armoire raises more cash, moves into new Seattle HQ by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. “Starting at $149 per month, Armoire ships designer clothes to members who can swap out the items at any time or purchase them at a discounted rate.” Read more

 

Chewy founder on its fast-approaching IPO: “It’s like seeing by baby graduate” by Connie Loizos at TechCrunch. “TC: Without outside help, how did you get started? RC: We contacted a local distributor who worked with a [third-party logistics] company that was next to him, and we started buying product the same day.  Then we started marketing to cities and states near fulfillment centers, using all direct response marketing that we were able to optimize on the fly.” Q&A

 

Blue Apron Appoints Irina Krechmer as Chief Technology Officer Press release

 

Amazon ranks No. 1 as most dog-friendly company in America (PetSmart #4, Petco #7, Chewy #12) by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. “There are more than 6,000 registered dogs who come to Amazon’s headquarters in Seattle, with 500 coming in on the average day.” Read more | Rover list

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Full list of cereals and snacks that tested positive for glyphosate

Tyson is launching a new part-beef, part-pea burger

Amazon execs slam Oracle and Microsoft as the cloud wars heat up

Costco announces the location of its first New Zealand store

Jeff Bezos: This is who ‘always wins’ in business

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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