Tipsheet: WM+ @11% | Clothing Glut | B.Lots +Mid Teens | PVH Q&A

 

Walmart looks to airports as inspiration of new store layout at AP. “(Walmart) said that the look, which includes signs with bold dimensional typeface spotlighting sections, is currently in one store. It will be rolled out to 200 stores by early next year. with plans to add another 800 stores by early 2022. Walmart says it was working on a new store layout a year ago. But the pandemic accelerated those efforts as customers are increasingly focused on contactless shopping amid safety concerns.” Read more

 

CLOTHING GLUT – Clothes mountains build up as recycling breaks down at Reuters. “We are reaching the point where our warehouses are completely full,” Antonio de Carvalho, boss of a textile recycling company in Stourbridge, central England, wrote to a client in June, asking for a price cut for clothes he collects. De Carvalho pays towns for clothing collected in his containers then sells it on at profit to traders overseas.” Read more

 

US private employers add 749,000 jobs in September, topping the 650,000-job increase that economists surveyed by Refinitiv had expected at Fox Business. Read more

 

Fortune Interview: Ann-Marie Campbell, EVP of U.S. Stores at Home Depot &  Judith McKenna, president and CEO at Walmart Int’l “Campbell says (customers are) doing “a lot” more research before buying and are more inclined to substitute if there’s a brand the retailer doesn’t have. “That has implications around assortment and how you narrow the assortment to drive more simplicity and consumer satisfaction,” she said. “Those are some of the things we think are going to stay.” 4:18 video/Read more

 

Big Lots estimates Q3 comp sales will increase in the mid-teens Press release

 

At Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, a New CEO Adapts to How We Shop Now at Wall Street Journal. “WSJ: You were one of the first brands to sell directly on Amazon. How did you arrive at that decision?… Mr. Chirico: It was always an easy decision for me. We did a lot of analysis, but the key is, Amazon has the eyeballs. Consumers love shopping on Amazon. It didn’t make any sense not to be there. Core products like Calvin Klein underwear and socks sold unbelievably well. The question was whether consumers would get more comfortable buying fashion online. That is happening.” WSJ subs.

 

Shooting breaks out at Amazon fulfillment center in Florida, killing 1 at Fox Business. “Authorities believed those involved may have been in a relationship.” Read more

 

**A message from SPS Commerce: Successful order fulfillment is impossible without vendor collaboration. SPS partners with you to automate information exchange with your supplier community, resulting in a multi-million dollar business impact for many buying organizations. Video | Contact | 866-245-8100.

 

Shopify shuffles C-suite as longtime executive Craig Miller departs at Financial Post. “CEO Tobi Lütke will “step into the role of leading product” after the exit of Craig Miller, who joined the firm in September 2011 from Kijiji and led marketing for nearly seven years.” Read more

 

Amazon starts offering virtual classes and sightseeing tours via new Explore platform at The Verge. “Amazon says the video is one-way, meaning only the host is on camera during the virtual experience, but the audio is two-way so you can ask questions and make requests…These include relatively cheap sessions like a $10, 40-minute virtual shopping experience in Ridgeland, USA, to a 45-minute virtual tour of a mansion in Lima, Peru for $70, or a $129 bagel cooking class.” Read more

 

Costco CFO Juggles Managing Inventory For Products in High, Low Demand at Wall Street Journal. “The supply chain continues to improve, but it will still take six to nine months on some categories or products,” Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti said.” WSJ subs.

 

Report: 11% of Americans have already subscribed to Walmart Plus within two weeks of its launch at PIPLSAY. Read more

 

Nordstrom to ban fur, exotic skins in its stores at NY Post. “The upscale department store’s announcement comes a year after Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s said they will no longer sell fur. But it goes a step further by banning products made from the skins of alligators, crocodiles, pythons, kangaroos and ostrich, according to the Humane Society of the United States, which has been working with the department stores.” Read more

 

Investigation into Amazon warehouse safety finds higher rate of injuries at robotic facilities at GeekWire. Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Duracell’s new coin batteries have a bitter coating that makes them taste terrible

Amazon’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ series resumes filming in New Zealand

Bed Bath & Beyond taps former Target exec for new role

Liquid Death canned water raises $23 million more

Rare Harry Potter book could be worth $65G after it was found ‘sitting on a shelf’

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Tipsheet: NRF: Shop Early | Shanghai Club Fight | Home Prices +4.8%

 

Alibaba’s Freshippo opens first membership-only store in Shanghai, challenging Costco and Sam’s Club at South China Morning Post. “Freshippo opened its first bricks and mortar store in Shanghai in 2016. Two years later, it launched the X membership plan with an annual fee of 258 yuan (US$38) in the same city and then gradually expanded its footprint to Beijing, Xi’an and Chengdu in 2019. By the end of June, there were 214 Freshippo stores across China.” Read more

 

Home prices rose 4.8% in July, according to Case-Shiller index at CNBC. “The 10-City Composite annual increase showed a 3.3% gain, up from 2.8% in the previous month. The 20-City Composite rose 3.9% annually, up from 3.5% in June.” Read more

 

Consumer confidence posts solid gain to 101.8 in September at AP. “The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to a reading of 101.8, up from 86.3 in August.” Read more

 

Target won’t be left out of this year’s Prime Day at CNN. “On October 13 and 14, Target is holding Deal Days (the same days as Amazon’s Prime Day event). The retailer promises that this year’s sales extravaganza will have “nearly 1 million more deals” than last year and will serve as a revamped kick-off to the key holiday shopping season.” Read more | A Bullseye View

 

Amazon unveils biometric ID, touting convenience and testing customer trust at GeekWire. “Amazon has developed a new biometric ID system that works by scanning the palms of participating customers, planning to ultimately let people make in-store payments, gain access to office buildings, and move quickly through stadium turnstiles by holding out a hand.” Read more

 

U.S. Retail Bankruptcies, Store Closures Hit Record in First Half at Wall Street Journal. “This year is on pace to rival 2010, when 48 retailers filed for bankruptcy in the wake of the 2007-09 recession, BDO said. Retail bankruptcies in 2020 have already surpassed the 22 such filings recorded last year.” WSJ subs.

 

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Walmart looks to join hands with Tata group in retail push at Mint. “Tata group is in talks with Walmart for a deal entailing a strategic investment by Walmart in the super app platform business. The Walmart investment could touch $20-25 billion eventually for a large stake in the proposed super app to be hosted under a Tata Sons subsidiary,” one of the two people said on condition of anonymity.” Read more

 

United Natural Foods Q4 comp sales +8.0% Press release

 

LVMH files countersuit against Tiffany & Co. claiming ‘blatant breach’ amid breakdown of huge deal at Fox Business. Read more

 

Amazon launches a $4.99-per-month ‘personal shopper’ service for men’s fashion at TechCrunch. “At launch, the new men’s personal shopping service will include brands like Scotch & Soda, Original Penguin, Adidas, Lacoste, Carhartt, Levi’s, Amazon Essentials, Goodthreads and more…” Read more

 

Gabriel Arreaga joins Kroger Family of Companies as SVP of Supply Chain Press release

 

Bed Bath & Beyond teams with Shipt and Instacart for same-day delivery before holidays at CNBC. “The option will be available to customers in eligible ZIP codes at a flat-rate fee of $4.99 for orders of more than $39 at Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy Baby.” Read more

 

Kroger and Ocado Announce Location of High-Tech Customer Fulfillment Center in Michigan Press release

 

NRF tells consumers this holiday season to shop ‘safe and early’ at CNBC. “The National Retail Federation announced Tuesday the debut of its new ad campaign, “Shop safe, shop early.” “In a year that has been full of uncertainty, we encourage consumers to avoid the last-minute stresses of the holiday season like long lines and shipping delays,” NRF President and CEO Matt Shay said in a statement.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Molson Coors to launch Coca-Cola’s first alcoholic beverage in the U.S.

Home Depot is selling a new Google Chromecast that hasn’t been announced

Cardi B trademarking ‘WAP’ for lines of clothing, shoes, beverages

Google, Fitbit deal set to win EU okay after fresh concessions – sources

Yale’s Smart Delivery Box doesn’t yet solve the porch pirate problem

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Tipsheet: CDC Hits B.Friday | ‘Pandemic Pallets’ | N.Marcus CEO Mansion

 

As holidays approach, CDC puts shopping at crowded stores on Black Friday in high-risk category at CNBC. “The CDC is also discouraging other common holiday rituals that could become public health threats amid a pandemic. Among them, it warned of the risks of participating in Turkey Trots or other crowded races, attending crowded parades and gathering for large indoor events with extended family or friends.” Read more

 

Amazon Prime Day set for Oct. 13-14 after pandemic-related delay at GeekWire. “The company is using this year’s Prime Day to show support for small businesses. Amazon said it will give Prime members a $10 credit to use on Prime Day when they spend $10 on items sold by select small companies. It is also spending $100 million on promotional activities to help them increase sales and reach.” Read more

 

Grocers Stockpile, Build ‘Pandemic Pallets’ Ahead of Winter at Wall Street Journal. “Southeastern Grocers LLC secured holiday turkeys and hams over the summer, months before it normally starts inventory planning…Associated Food Stores recently started building “pandemic pallets” of cleaning and sanitizing products so it always has some inventory in warehouses.” WSJ subs.

 

Walmart picks EG Group founders, TDR Capital as preferred bidders for Asda: Sky News at Reuters. “Walmart, whose attempt to sell Asda to UK rival Sainsbury’s for 7.3 billion pounds was thwarted by Britain’s competition regulator last year, said in July it restarted talks with potential buyers of a majority stake in the supermarket chain.” Read more

 

Amazon quietly introduces mail surveillance at CNET. “The $30 Mailbox Sensor snuck in with Ring’s other news on an under-the-radar announcement page. Orders open Oct. 8.” Read more

 

Neiman Marcus is notifying employees of a new round of staff cuts by Maria Halkias at Dallas Morning News via Chicago Tribune. “Significant staff cuts at both its Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman stores have started this week. The company didn’t say how many people are permanently losing jobs. “We plan to separate from selling and non-selling associates,” the Dallas-based luxury retailer said in emailed statement.” Read more

 

…Neiman Marcus emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid COVID-19 at NY Post. “Its restructuring plan eliminated more than $4 billion of debt and $200 million of annual interest expense. The luxury department store chain said it had a new board of directors, including former LVMH North America Chairman Pauline Brown and former eBay Chief Strategy Officer Kris Miller.” Read more

 

**A message from Readywise, the leader in emergency food supplies – Consumers are looking for emergency food supplies – are you offering the selection they want? Up to 25-year shelf life. High quality and great taste. Website | Catalog | Request a sample: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Postmates posted a loss of just $32.2 million in Q2, compared to a loss of $73 million in Q1, nearly cutting its cash burning in half at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Amazon Announces Plans to Create 3,500 Jobs at Vancouver and Toronto Tech Hubs Press release

 

Neiman Marcus CEO shows off mansion while employees get pink slips at NY Post. “The 11-page PaperCity spread showcases the “1927 Italianate-style house” van Raemdonck shares with his interior-designer husband, Alvise Orsini, which is filled to the brim with expensive touches, including artworks by Andy Warhol, “silk cover walls” and 18th-century French and Italian furniture.” Read more

 

Cockroaches, porn and a bloody pig mask: How eBay harassed bloggers at CNN. “Although EcommerceBytes is a tiny trade publication aimed at eBay sellers, (CEO) Wenig hate-read it frequently. “We are going to crush this lady,” Wenig texted Steve Wymer, eBay’s former communications chief in April 2019, after one critical blog posted on EcommerceBytes’ website, the Times reported.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Half a million sharks ‘could be killed for vaccine’

Walton Family Foundation creates chief strategy officer position

Indiana to be home to Walmart’s largest U.S. facility

People are making their own desks due to coronavirus shortage

No Meat, No Milk, No Bread: Hunger Crisis Rocks Latin America

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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: N.J. Bans Paper Bags? | Amazon Tips Disappear | Costco +14.1%

 

Costco Q4 comp sales (ex-fuel & f/x) +14.1% / Ecom +91.3% “Net income for the fourth quarter was $1.389 billion, or $3.13 per diluted share, compared to $1.097 billion, or $2.47 per diluted share last year.” Read more

 

Costco not planning curbside grocery pickup at Fox Business. “We don’t have our head in the sand on it, we look at it, we have people here who study it, maybe we’ll surprise you one day but at this juncture, we are not prepared to do that,” (CFO Galanti) said during the Q&A portion of the company’s earnings call Thursday.” Read more

 

Rite-Aid Q2 revenues +11.5% “Retail Pharmacy Segment…same store sales from continuing operations for the second quarter increased 3.5 percent over the prior year period, consisting of a 4.6 percent increase in front-end sales and a 2.3 percent increase in pharmacy sales.” Press release

 

U.S. imports surge as pandemic worries have retailers stockpiling at Reuters. “U.S. imports leapt 5.9% to a record in August, the first year-over-year rise since September 2019, according Panjiva, the supply chain research unit of S&P Global Market Intelligence. It said imports of household appliances jumped 79.7%, and furniture imports increased 38.1%, fueled by orders from retailers like IKEA and Target.” Read more

 

Orders for big-ticket US manufactured goods up weak 0.4% at AP. “The Commerce Department reported Friday that the August advance marked the fourth consecutive increase but was far lower than the 11.7% surge seen in July.” Read more

 

Amazon is expanding its virtual care program, to become available to all of its employees in Washington state at Business Insider. Read more

 

**A message from SPS Commerce. Changing consumer shopping preferences have disrupted your business. We’ve implemented 500,000 replenishment order solutions for more than 3,000 buying organizations. Now is the time to update your supply chain practices so you can stay one step ahead of the competition. Visit our website for details or contact us at 866-245-8100.

 

Now it looks like even paper bags will be banned from N.J. supermarkets at North Jersey. “The most wide-ranging ban on plastic products and paper bags in the U.S. is only a step away from becoming law in New Jersey…The Assembly and Senate passed a bill Thursday…It will now go to Gov. Phil Murphy, who signaled support for a statewide plastics ban two years ago…” Read more

 

Many Amazon delivery drivers say tips have disappeared at Seattle Times. “Many of Amazon’s contract delivery drivers were not paid tips from customers for grocery deliveries, some for as long as 10 days, leaving them out several hundred dollars. It’s the third time this year an apparent glitch in Amazon’s system has deprived perhaps tens of thousands of workers of the majority of their income from delivering groceries for the commerce giant.” Read more

 

Target Introduces New Approach to Holiday Staffing “Target will hire extensively, with seasonal team members receiving an industry-leading starting wage of $15 and coronavirus health and wellness benefits.” Read more

 

Amazon’s new Ring drone stops the world’s most hapless thief in new ad at The Verge. “Ring’s flying drone camera, the Always Home Cam, was easily the most surprising hardware announcement at today’s Amazon event. It won’t actually be available until next year, but the company has already put together a short ad…” Spot/Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Amazon’s fall hardware event: the 13 biggest announcements

Costco’s new hard seltzer has White Claw fans doing a double take

The Air Force now has its own tattoo shop

Retailers have started paying rent again but are still fighting with their landlords

Coronavirus has transformed how we think about dinner, these 3 trends will stick

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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

Tipsheet: Amazon Bribery Scheme | Patagonia CEO Q&A | Bass Pro/19th Hole

 

Will this former Safeway store in Bellevue be a future Amazon retail location? at GeekWire. “The company has so far confirmed eight Amazon Fresh grocery stores: five in Southern California, and three in Illinois. For the record, Amazon declined to comment Wednesday when we asked about the Bellevue site.” Read more

 

Patagonia’s new CEO talks about the future of the beloved brand at Fast Company. Q&A

 

Amazon appeals product liability ruling to CA Supreme Court, citing ‘potentially vast blast radius’ at GeekWire. “The company’s petition for review, filed Tuesday, argues that the appeals court took an “unprecedented leap” when it found that Amazon was not shielded from liability for a replacement laptop battery that allegedly exploded several months after purchase, causing severe injuries to the plaintiff in the suit, Angela Bolger.” Read more

 

Amazon will make it easier to buy sustainable products with new climate label at The Verge. “Amazon is launching a new environmental program called Climate Pledge Friendly that will label certain products that meet one of 19 certifications for sustainability.” Read more

 

Four ex-eBay workers to plead guilty to cyberstalking at NY Post. “Four former eBay workers have agreed to plead guilty to participating in a cyberstalking campaign against a Massachusetts couple whose online newsletter they viewed as critical of the e-commerce company.” Read more

 

***A message from SPS Commerce. More than 90% of companies are missing the necessary information they need for a seamless replenishment order process. Without knowing the status of your order, you’re forced to reactively manage your orders, typically resulting in unused open to buy budget. Hear from a customer on how SPS helped them proactively manage their orders, or contact us at 866-245-8100.

 

Payne’s Valley: What went behind Bass Pro founder Johnny Morris’ design on the breathtaking 19th hole at Springfield News-Leader. “The course was designed by (Tiger) Woods, but the 19th hole was a special one designed by the Bass Pro Shops CEO…”I’m very proud of the last hole because it connects people to nature and it’s a lot of fun,” Morris told the News-leader.” Pics/Read more

 

Amazon Expected to Unveil More Alexa, Smart-Home Devices at Wall Street Journal. “Amazon on Thursday is expected to announce new devices aimed at expanding its home-security products and line of Echo smart speakers featuring its Alexa voice assistant. In view of the coronavirus pandemic, the tech giant is planning a virtual event for select viewers beginning at 1 p.m. ET in place of an event with an audience that has generally been held in the past at its Seattle headquarters.” WSJ subs.

 

How an Amazon Bribery Scheme Became a $100 Million Swindle at Bloomberg. “It sounds like the plot of a made-for-Netflix crime drama. A Brooklyn businessman stuffs $8,000 in cash in a suitcase and calls an Uber to send it to accomplices. Hundreds of thousands of dollars crisscross the globe via MoneyGram, PayPal, and foreign bank accounts in a plot to swindle more than $100 million from the world’s most valuable internet retailer and its customers. But it’s the real-life story of a small ring of e-commerce consultants and former Amazon.com Inc. employees who federal prosecutors say bribed Amazon workers…” Tiered subs.

 

Tipsheet Extra

Petco Opens 100th In-Store Pet Hospital

Procter & Gamble Will Negotiate Directly With TV, Media for Ad Buys

Helicopters, armed police swoop in to arrest ‘Russian Jesus’ cult leader

Olive Garden parent’s quarterly revenue falls by 28% as pandemic weighs on sales

Why this drive-through restaurant could be the future of fine dining

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Tipsheet: Prime Day Oct 13? | Shopify ‘Rogue’ Employees | Amazon Denies Ads

 

Walmart Took Its Eye Off Black Managers While Women Advanced at Bloomberg. “Walmart Inc. isn’t the only retailer with a poor track record on race: At Target Corp., its cheap-chic rival, only three of the top 54 executives are Black. Costco had no Black senior executives as of 2018, according to the most recent data available, and the leadership team at electronics retailer Best Buy Co. is also dominated by White faces.” Tiered subs.

 

Amazon Prime Day will begin October 13th, multiple sources say Amazon Prime Day will begin October 13th, multiple sources say at The Verge. “An internal Amazon email seen by The Verge confirms that its Prime Day shopping event will take place October 13th and 14th, and that the company will make an official announcement September 27th.” Read more

 

Walmart promises ‘all-new Black Friday experience’ at USA Today. “Walmart is “promising an all-new Black Friday experience” and says it “will spread traditional Black Friday savings throughout the season” with more deals available online. While Walmart says the savings will start earlier than ever, the full details on its Black Friday experience weren’t unveiled Wednesday.” Read more

 

Nike online sales jump 82%, retailer sees rebound in China at CNBC. “…net income climbed to $1.52 billion, or 95 cents per share…far better than the 47 cents per share analysts were expecting…revenue slipped 0.6% to $10.59 billion from $10.66 billion a year earlier, but topped the $9.15 billion forecast by analysts.” Read more

 

Preorders for the new Xbox crash Amazon, Walmart, Microsoft sites at NY Post. Read more

 

Walmart Piloting Drone Delivery of COVID-19 At-Home Self-Collection Kits “Walmart has partnered with Quest Diagnostics and DroneUp, a nationwide drone services provider, to launch trial deliveries of collection kits in North Las Vegas today and Cheektowaga, New York, in early October.” Read more

 

**A message from Readywise, the leader in emergency food supplies – Consumers are looking for emergency food supplies – are you offering the selection they want? Up to 25-year shelf life. High quality and great taste. Website | Catalog | Request a sample: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Bezos’ Blue Origin to set record with launch testing NASA moon mission hardware at CNET. Read more

 

GameStop shares soar as investor hatches plan to challenge Amazon at NY Post. Read more

 

Shopify says ‘rogue’ employees stole data from merchants in breach at Financial Post. “Rogue members” of Shopify’s support team were involved in a scheme to obtain customer transactional records from some of the merchants, the company said in a blog post that noted fewer than 200 sellers were affected.” Read more

 

Jeff Bezos Announces The First Bezos Academy, A Free Preschool For Students From Low-Income Families at Forbes. Read more

 

Stitch Fix shares plummet after personal styling service swings to a loss at CNBC. “Stitch Fix reported a fourth-quarter loss of $44.5 million, or 44 cents per share, compared with earnings of $7.2 million, or 7 cents per share, a year ago…The company’s active clients grew to 3.5 million, up 9% year over year.” Read more

 

Saks Fifth Avenue offering 2020 voter registration at Fox Business. Read more

 

Amazon reportedly prevents some device rivals from advertising competing products at CNBC. “Among the findings were that device makers including Roku can’t purchase sponsored ads in search results for Amazon’s Fire TV, or for Roku’s streaming devices, the Journal found.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

2020 Working Mother 100 Best Companies

Amazon stops sale of so-called ‘Prime Bike’, calls out fitness company

Mark Cuban, Gwyneth Paltrow, others invest in tree-free TP

DoorDash among LinkedIn’s top U.S. startups

Barriers erected around Louisville Kroger awaiting Breonna Taylor verdict

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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: Dems Wait @ Amazon | Loblaw Fines Return | UK Panic Buying

 

UK: Panic buying is back as people fear second lockdown at DorsetEcho. “Reduced-price food aisles and hygiene sections at some stores were left depleted in scenes familiar to March and early April, after the Government warned of rising coronavirus cases across the UK.” Read more

 

Ralph Lauren to cut thousands of jobs and beef up online business at Reuters. “The company had a total workforce of 24,900 as of March end and based on that, the plan could impact more than 3,700 jobs.” Read more

 

Lawmakers Call Amazon Warehouse Unsafe After Surprise Visit at Bloomberg. “Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Debbie Dingell, both Michigan Democrats, made a surprise visit earlier this month to an Amazon warehouse in Romulus, Michigan. The lawmakers said they were asked to wait outside for about 90 minutes before being invited in for a tour. While they waited, someone inside the building called the police on them.” Tiered subs.

 

Canada: Loblaw to resume charging suppliers fines on light shipments even as second wave looms at Financial Post. “Loblaw Cos. Ltd., the biggest grocer in Canada, is reinstating fines for light shipments after months of leniency for suppliers that couldn’t keep up with the panic buying and unprecedented demand for food during the pandemic’s first months, but a major trade association is questioning the timing of the fines.” Read more

 

Walmart Partners with Goldman Sachs to Offer Marketplace Sellers Access to Capital “Initially, approved sellers will have access to lines of credit from Marcus between $10,000 – $75,000, and plans are to substantially increase the maximum line amount available in the future.” Read more

 

Sam’s Club partners with Seattle startup 98point6 to offer customers telehealth service at GeekWire. “Sam’s Club members will get a discounted introductory fee of $20 for the first three months (normally $30), and then $33.50/month after that…98point6…offers access to physicians that diagnose more than 400 common conditions. It provides primary care in all 50 states to more than 3 million patients.” Read more

 

**A message from SPS Commerce. Successful order fulfillment is impossible without vendor collaboration. SPS partners with you to automate information exchange with your supplier community, resulting in a multi-million dollar business impact for many buying organizations. How it works 2:28 video | Contact us at 866-245-8100

 

Lowe’s plans to install pickup lockers at all U.S. stores by the end of March 2021 Press release

 

Amazon adds Tile to Sidewalk wireless network at GeekWire. Read more

 

Walmart aims for zero emissions across its global operations by 2040 at Fox Business. “Walmart says it plans to harvest enough wind, solar and “other energy sources” to power its facilities with 100% renewable energy by 2035.” Read more

 

Brookfield Properties’ retail arm is laying off 20% of its workforce, as pandemic hits malls at CNBC. Read more

 

TikTok’s Zero Hour: Haggling With Trump, Doubts in China and a Deal in Limbo at The Wall Street Journal. “On Friday Mr. Trump jumped on the phone with Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison and Walmart Chief Executive Doug McMillon. Mr. Ellison, a Trump supporter and one of the world’s richest people, spent most of the time getting the president comfortable with the deal structure and Oracle’s role in addressing his security concerns, according to people familiar with the matter.” WSJ subs.

 

Costco co-founder told CEO ‘I will kill you’ following hot dog combo price hike suggestion at Fox News. Read more

 

Netflix’s ‘Get Organized with The Home Edit’ has viewers flocking to The Container Store at Mashable. “Shearer and Teplin make over 16 different spaces…everywhere from Reese Witherspoon’s memorabilia closet and Khloe Kardashian’s garage to a neighborhood youth center and kitchen for a family of five…” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Teenager ‘shot with crossbow’ at Aldi store

Walmart says it will no longer supply English cucumbers wrapped in plastic

Why Boxed is doubling down on its private label program

What to expect at Tesla’s battery day event

Existing home sales jump to 14-year high

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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

Tipsheet: Target #3 Workplace Women | WM + Free Assembly

 

Walmart expands fashion focus with new private clothing label for men and women at CNBC. “Walmart is launching Free Assembly, a private label of men’s and women’s clothing, which will sell online and in stores…Walmart has a new opportunity to grab market share from apparel retailers like J.C. Penney that have filed for bankruptcy protection and others, such as Kohl’s and Macy’s, that have seen sales drop.” Read more

 

Tropical Storm Beta forecast to make landfall Monday in hurricane-weary Gulf Coast at USA Today. “No longer expected to gain hurricane strength, forecasters also decreased estimated rainfall totals from Beta early Monday, saying in a U.S. National Hurricane Center advisory that up to 15 inches of rain could fall in some areas. That’s down from earlier predictions of up to 20 inches.” Read more

 

Amazon won’t confirm latest rumors of mid-October Prime Day at The Verge. “An Amazon spokesperson told The Verge in an email, however, that the company hasn’t made any announcement regarding the exact timing of the event. “We can confirm PD will take place in Q4,” the spokesperson says.” Read more

 

75 Best Large Workplaces for Women – Target #3 at Fortune. “Wegmans #6, Publix #29…” Ranked list

 

Retailers anxious about socially distant Black Friday rush at NY Post. “We have found that people are willing to wait in line for 11 minutes — but not much longer than that,” (Pandora President) Keswani said…(Pandora) has set up 6-foot kiosks outside 10 of its stores…The kiosks are filled with bestsellers and gift sets that customers can buy without coming inside the store or waiting in line. A Pandora employee is stationed at the kiosk to handle the transaction.” Read more

 

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Consumers take retailers to court over unused gift cards at Fox Business. “Gift-card holders filed proposed class-action claims on Friday in the bankruptcy cases of Lord & Taylor and Sur La Table Inc., seeking priority status for those stuck holding potentially unusable gift cards. At the same time, the law firms representing them are planning to request that the U.S. Trustee, the U.S. government’s bankruptcy watchdog, appoint official consumer committees in the same bankruptcy cases.” Read more

 

In a pandemic, even discount grocer Save A Lot offers grocery delivery, curbside pickup at St. Louis Post Dispatch. Read more

 

Why people are flocking to ugly produce during the pandemic at CNN. “In early 2020, the five-year-old online grocery startup (Imperfect Foods) was delivering about 100,000 food boxes a week. By May, that weekly figure had doubled. From June to August, weekly orders have remained at about 200,000 to 210,000 per week. On average, order sizes have doubled year over year.” Read more

 

Over 2000 Foot Locker stores to become voter registration sites at The Hill. Read more

 

Saks Fifth Avenue CEO: Department stores have failed customers. Here’s how to fix them at Fast Company. “Delivery cycles, all born iteratively through the 20th century, simply never evolved to meet the consumer’s on-demand lifestyle. We see it across the industry: winter boots available in August, fall sweaters on shelves in May, and summer shorts arriving in February. Items everyone needs, but not available when they want them.” Read more

 

Chinese e-commerce retailer JD.com is planning to spin off its health unit and list it on the Hong Kong stock exchange at Reuters. Read more

 

How CEO Gary Friedman Built Restoration Hardware Into RH, a Luxury-Brand Juggernaut at Adweek. Adweek subs.

 

Costco nixes sales of Palmetto Cheese 3 weeks after owner calls BLM ‘terror’ group at Myrtle Beach Online. “However, Henry said in a statement that Costco often rotates its variety of products and is hopeful Palmetto Cheese will return to its stores.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Taiwan plant hunters race to collect rare species before they are gone

Sony apologizes for PS5 preorders mess, promises more stock over ‘next few days’

Grocery vet rejoins TJX board

Kroger teams with visual AI company Everseen to transform the customer experience

REI Co-op introduces new own brand bikes, preps new shoes

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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