Tipsheet: Cristobal Landfall Mon. | Michaels -27.6% | eBay +23%

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Record-breaking Cristobal could approach US Gulf Coast as a hurricane at AccuWeather. “The current window of where predicted landfall is most likely extends from the upper Texas coast to the Mississippi Panhandle, putting central Louisiana in the middle of that zone late in the weekend or early next week.” Read more

 

Michaels Q1 comp sales -27.6% Press release

 

CDC wants people to drive solo to avoid coronavirus, sparking fear over more congestion and emissions at CNBC. “Promoting private vehicle use as public health strategy is like prescribing sugar to reduce tooth decay,” said University of British Columbia urban planning and public health professor Lawrence Frank.” Read more

 

The biggest US mall owner, Simon Property, sues Gap over skipped rent payments at CNBC. Read more

 

Amazon Air adding 12 more cargo aircraft to delivery fleet at GeekWire. “The expansion brings Amazon’s fleet to more than 80 aircraft, with one that was added last month and the other 11 to be delivered in 2021. Amazon Air launched in 2016.” Read more

 

eBay now expects full Q2 volume growth rates to land between 23% and 26% as compared to the prior year period Press release

 

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Walmart rethinking use of new home office; technology teams to continue working remotely at Talk Business. “McMillon said Walmart “is always going to need office space” for some divisions and for collaboration. One particular challenge he has seen with working remotely is the “difficulty in onboarding a new associate.”…McMillon said while some divisions will continue to work remotely, most will return to their offices as the pandemic impact subsides.” Read more

 

Dick’s Sporting Goods will be the lone surviving athletic retailer, Susquehanna says at MarketWatch. Read more

 

Walmart removes firearms and ammunition from some stores at CNBC. “Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said during the company’s annual shareholders meeting Wednesday that some of its stores have been damaged, too. “We’ve had some stores where we’ve had inventory lost and some physical damage, but it’s not very many stores as a percent of total,” he said.” Read more

 

Amazon in talks to buy $2 billion stake in Indian telco Bharti Airtel – sources at Reuters. “The planned investment, if completed, would mean Amazon acquiring a roughly 5% stake based on the current market value of Bharti and would give India’s third-largest telecoms company a boost as it seeks to compete against the number one player Reliance Jio.” Read more

 

Feds indict execs from chicken companies Pilgrim’s Pride, JBS USA for price-fixing at NY Post. Read more

 

Southeastern Grocers Selling 62 Stores to Food Lion, Dissolving Bi-Lo Banner at Progressive Grocer. “This is part of SEG’s larger plan to no longer operate stores under the Bi-Lo banner, but instead invest in its Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie banners.” Read more

 

Google and Walmart establish dominance in India’s mobile payments market at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon hosts 2020 annual shareholders’ meeting at Seeking Alpha. Transcript

 

Lowe’s Management presents at Baird 2020 Conference at Seeking Alpha. Transcript

 

Tipsheet Extra

Levi’s says ‘everybody has a new size,’ as shoppers return to stores

Search for baby raccoons handed out outside of 7-Eleven

Epidemic of wipes and masks plague sewers, storm drains

Nintendo’s Donkey Kong statue was not actually stolen from its NYC store

Tampa nurse wants to thank woman that paid for her groceries at Publix

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Tipsheet: Amazon 6/22 Sale | Saks (Mean) Guard Dogs | Shipt New Comms Head

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Amazon plans summer sale for June 22 to ‘jumpstart sales’ after coronavirus crunch at CNBC. “Amazon is still finalizing details around the event, which isn’t named, but has been given a working title of the “Biggest Sale in the Sky.” The company is in the process of finalizing the landing pages for the event and asked sellers to submit deals for items with a discount of at least 30% by the end of the day on Wednesday.” Read more

 

Report: Tiffany / LVMH Deal is at Risk at The Street. “Luxury goods retailer LVMH is worried that the economic crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic calls into question Tiffany’s ability to cover its debt covenants, knowledgeable sources told WWD.” Read more

 

American Eagle Inc. Q1 total revenue -38% Press release

 

GUARD DOGS AT SAKS – Saks Fifth Avenue in Manhattan wrapped in razor wire to prevent looting at NY Post. “At least seven German shepherds, Belgian Malinois and pit bull dogs were also on hand, along with guards who will use them to patrol outside the store…The guard noted that the dogs “aren’t friendly.” Read more/Pics

 

Amazon will offer temporary backup childcare to 650K U.S. employees through October at GeekWire. “…up to 10 days of childcare in partnership with Care.com. The benefit lasts until Oct. 2 and can also be used for adult care…Employees will still need to pay a $25 per day co-pay for in-center childcare or $5 per hour for in-home care.” Read more

 

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Alibaba adds financing tools and online trade shows for US merchants at TechCrunch. “Alibaba announced that it will be hosting a number of live-streamed, industry-specific trade shows through its new trade show hub. There are 20 shows scheduled for the next 120 days, starting with an event focused on nutritional supplements.” Read more

 

Instacart will expand sick pay to more gig workers at The Verge. “Instacart will expand its COVID-19 sick pay to include more gig workers as part of an agreement with the attorney general for Washington, DC. Under the agreement, the company is also launching a telemedicine pilot in the DC area to remotely diagnose shoppers who believe they may have contracted the disease, and provide childcare assistance pay to eligible workers while schools are closed.” Read more

 

H-E-B Tops Customer Satisfaction Pandemic Ranking at Progressive Grocer. “(H-E-B) achieved an 80% customer satisfaction mark in the newest Bond Brand Loyalty “Covid-19 Consumer Tracker” study. H-E-B scored higher than such other food retailers as Costco and Walmart, each of them scoring 61%. Publix and The Kroger Co. were behind them, with scores of 59% each.” Read more

 

H-E-B no longer making masks mandatory for customers at News 4 San Antonio. “H-E-B said it will continue to require all partners and vendors to wear them.” Read more

 

New York & Company owner RTW Retailwinds warns bankruptcy filing imminent at CNBC. “RTW Retailwinds currently operates more than 385 retail and outlet locations, across 33 states.” Read more

 

HELP WANTED – Tesco CFO to Step Down in April 2021 at Wall Street Journal. “Tesco said it would look for a successor to Mr. Stewart both inside and outside the company. The long lead time for the search, a spokeswoman said, is unrelated to the coronavirus upheaval, which has delayed CFO searches at other companies.” WSJ subs.

 

Dick’s Sporting Goods Q1 Earnings Call Transcript

 

Target’s Shipt hires Molly Snyder as its first comms head at PR Week. “Most recently, Snyder was SVP of public affairs and comms for U.S. Bank…David Palombi, U.S. Bank’s EVP and chief global communications and public affairs officer…called Snyder a “star”.” Read more

 

Kroger CEO shares reopening plan at White House at Chain Drug Review. “…we developed a 59-page blueprint that we made public. The other day, I was on the Today Show, and they asked me like four times, ‘Why would you do that?’…“We’ve had over 100,000 site visits on that,” McMullen said.  “We’ve had over 26,000 individuals and companies download that.  We get a ton of notes from small companies, in terms of their appreciation.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

U.S. labor market appears to stabilize as private payrolls fall less than expected

Cauliflower and cheaper beer as Prague puts local tourists first

Canada Goose predicts ‘negligible’ revenue after coronavirus shutdown

Dramatic video captures looters clashing with NYPD outside a Zara store

Express Inc. loss widens during coronavirus pandemic

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Tipsheet: Dick’s -29.5% | Stitch Fix -1,400 CA | Judge Hits N.Marcus

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Dick’s Sporting Goods Q1 comp sales down 29.5% “Through the first four weeks of the second quarter comp sales have decreased only 4.0%…approx 80% of stores open as of May 30.” Press release

 

Amazon sees strong demand for pepper spray and Black Lives Matter merchandise at CNBC. “In the Books category, “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism” is listed as the top-selling item, while “How to Be an Antiracist” is ranked third and “We’re Different, We’re the Same” is ranked seventh.” Read more

 

‘Hundreds’ of looters rush into Macy’s Herald Square store at NY Post. Read more

 

Stitch Fix to Lay off About 1,400 Employees in California at Wall Street Journal. “Most of the layoffs will take place in September and those affected will have the opportunity to relocate and stay with the San Francisco-based company. The online retailer said it will be hiring about 2,000 stylists in lower-cost locations like Dallas, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Minneapolis and Austin, Texas, beginning this summer, and going through 2021.” WSJ subs.

 

Lowe’s launches new video tool that allows Pro’s to consult virtually with customers at CNBC. Read more

 

Neiman Marcus draws strong criticism from bankruptcy judge by Maria Halkias at Dallas Morning News. “I do not want to see a fiduciary to this estate ever appear in front of me, ever again, unprepared, uneducated and borderline incompetent,” (Judge) Jones said at the end of the hearing Friday.” Read more

 

Pinterest is launching a new “Shop” tab in its Lens camera search results at TechCrunch. Read more

 

***A message from SPS Commerce. Tired of waiting weeks or even months to onboard new vendors? SPS Commerce can help! Onboard your vendors on EDI within 48 hours by eliminating technology as a barrier. Immediately address spikes in demand or add new products in key categories. More than 3,000 organizations rely on our proven approach to vendor onboarding. Visit our website for details or contact us at 866-245-8100.

 

An entrepreneur wants major retailers to commit to buying 15% of their merchandise from black-owned businesses—a campaign dubbed the 15 Percent Pledge at Fast Company. “So many of your businesses are built on Black spending power,” Aurora James, founder of the Brooklyn boutique Brother Vellies, wrote on Instagram two days ago.” Read more

 

Build-A-Bear Workshop Q1 total sales down 44.7% Press release

 

Sell, stow or dump? Retailers wrestle with mountain of unsold stock at Reuters. “Potentially more lucrative is moving merchandise to online re-sale marketplaces that take a commission on sales…California-based luxury re-sale marketplace Tradesy opened a new business unit in April to deal with the jump in brands looking to sell stock they were stuck with…” Read more

 

Australia’s Woolworths to reward over 100,000 staff with shares for virus efforts at Reuters. Read more

 

The Kroger Co.’s 84.51° data analytics arm has hired Nancy Winé as vice president of advertising sales for its Kroger Precision Marketing retail media advertising solution at Supermarket News. Read more

 

Camping World announces the promotion of five executives within the company, including the promotion of Karin Bell to the position of CFO Press release

 

Video shows looters raiding Amazon van in Santa Monica, California at Fox 5 New York. Video/Read more

 

10 year old arrested for throwing a scooter through a window at Home Goods at CBS 13 Sacramento. Read more

 

Target Launches Gender Inclusive Pride Collection With Socks, Slides & More at Footwear News. “In addition to the collection, Target is donating $100,000 to GLSEN, the leading education organization working to create safe and inclusive schools for LGBTQ youth.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Looters reportedly use Twitter to target California shopping district

Gun sales surge 80% in May

How a small-town grocer kept prices even during the pandemic

Millennials are the most optimistic about life returning to normal in less than 6 months

Santa Monica owner protects his store with AR-15 and other guns

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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: Put your product or service in front of the most powerful retail execs in the world, send advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

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Tipsheet: Target #1 Pandemic Retailer | Sephora Destoying Returns | Pier 1 Black Friday

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George Floyd protests force Walmart, Target and CVS to close stores at NY Post. “What’s disturbing over the last 24 hours is it isn’t just at night,” a Walmart spokesman told the Wall Street Journal on Sunday. “We’ve even had issues this morning in broad daylight. We want to make sure our associates are safe.” Read more

 

Target to temporarily close and adjust hours at 200 stores at Yahoo Finance. Read more

 

Forbes: Ranking of Nation’s Top Employers’ Responses to Pandemic (Target #2, Walmart #4, Lowe’s #6, Home Depot #8, Kroger #10, CVS #17, Walgreens #19…) Top 100 ranked

 

Coty Appoints Chairman Peter Harf as CEO to Spearhead Turnaround at Wall Street Journal. “Mr. (Peter) Harf’s appointment is unexpected since Coty, whose other brands include Clairol hair dye and OPI nail polish, announced only in February that Pierre Denis, previously head of the Jimmy Choo fashion brand, and a Coty director, would take over the CEO role this summer. He won’t get that chance now, though he will remain a company adviser.” WSJ subs.

 

India rejects Walmart-owned Flipkart’s proposed foray into food retail business at TechCrunch. “Several e-commerce and grocery firms in India, including Amazon, Zomato, and Grofers, have previously secured approval from New Delhi…A Flipkart executive, who did not want to be identified, said they were “at a loss of words” to assess on what ground their application was rejected.” Read more

 

Amazon reduces deliveries in some cities, says ‘brutal treatment’ of black people must stop at Fox Business. “Amazon reduced deliveries and changed drivers’ routes in cities including Chicago and Los Angeles, Bloomberg reported Sunday, citing an Amazon spokesperson.” Read more

 

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Looters who snag iPhones won’t be able to use them at Fox Business. “…since 2016, demo devices have only worked in-store. The iPhones can’t do anything but respond to “Find my iPhone” when removed from stores, 9to5Mac reported.” Read more

 

Chinese online grocery firm Dada looks to raise over $280 million in U.S. IPO at Reuters. Read more

 

FDA Pushes Back Cigarette Graphic Warning Implementation Date at Convenience Store News. “The request came as a joint motion in the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. et al. v. United States Food and Drug Administration et al. The agency cited the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the both the tobacco industry and the FDA as reasons for the delay.” Read more

 

Store return policies have changed due to COVID-19 at USA Today. “Kohl’s CEO Michelle Gass said in an interview with USA TODAY that her stores extended the company’s “very generous” return policy of 180 days by 30 days…“We also have a ‘just say yes’ attitude so if people are returning things and it’s outside that we will meet the customer’s needs,” Gass said.” Read more

 

…Sephora will destroy all returned products at USA Today. Read more

 

Pier 1 raking in $20M a week in online going-out-of-business sales at NY Post. “We are blowing through Black Friday levels,” Chief Executive Robert Riesbeck told the court during a hearing that resulted in the company’s liquidation plan being approved.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Protesters shatter Amazon Go windows in Seattle

Spain creates a universal minimum income targeted at 2.3 million people

Krebs: Cybercrime is Mostly Boring

Cub Foods Chooses Digital Agency of Record

United Supermarkets Acquires Rights to August’s Pies

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: Put your product or service in front of the most powerful retail execs in the world, send advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: eyeonretail.net