Tipsheet: $1M H.Depot Heist | Amazon Profit +197% | Kohl’s CMO Iview | Target’s TV Spot

 

Amazon scores record sales with a 37% increase year-over-year at Fox Business. “…posted net income of $6.3 billion in the third quarter, or $12.37 per share, compared to $2.1 billion, or $4.23 per share a year ago. Meanwhile, Amazon’s third-party seller services saw a 55% increase year-over-year. On Prime Day, third-party sales surpassed $3.5 billion, a nearly 60% year-over-year increase.” Read more | Press release

 

Amazon expects to incur $4 billion in COVID-related costs next quarter at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Walmart pulls guns, ammo off sales floors because of ‘civil unrest’ in some areas, but will still sell them at CNBC. “We have seen some isolated civil unrest and as we have done on several occasions over the last few years, we have moved our firearms and ammunition off the sales floor as a precaution for the safety of our associates and customers,” Walmart said in a statement. “These items do remain available for purchase by customers,” the retail giant said.” Read more

 

US consumer spending rose a moderate 1.4% in September at AP. Read more

 

Sam’s Club partners with DoorDash to deliver medicines at Reuters. “DoorDash will deliver items from more than 500 Sam’s Club pharmacies and patients can call the pharmacies to schedule a same-day delivery, the warehouse club operator said.” Read more

 

Floor & Decor Q3 comp sales increased 18.4% Press release

 

6 Busted for Stealing $6M in Designer Goods in Series of JFK Airport Heists at NBC 4 New York. “The two primary defendants…are both truckers who formerly worked at JFK and allegedly used their “inside knowledge” to coordinate the heists. Gucci purses, sunglasses, sneakers and clothing, along with Prada bags, ready-to-wear and accessories were among the loot allegedly lifted from the airport since January.” Read more

 

Kohl’s CMO unveils holiday campaign at Ad Age. “Greg Revelle chats about the retailer’s shifting strategy and what that means for marketing.” 29:45 video

 

Target’s New Holiday Campaign at a Bullseye View. “The holidays will be different for all of us this year, and our marketing campaign is all about inspiring guests to celebrate the beauty in simple moments of joy at home,” says Rick Gomez, Target executive vice president and chief marketing and digital officer.” TV spot/Read more

 

Walgreens Boots Alliance Appoints Valerie Jarrett to Its Board of Directors Press release

 

Home Depot Taking East 61st Street Space in Largest Manhattan Retail Lease of 2020 at Commercial Observer. “…will fill the space that Bed Bath & Beyond plans to vacate when its current lease expires in 2021…The 20-year Home Depot deal at 410 East 61st is the largest retail lease in size and rent in Manhattan in the past several years, according to Gazit’s parent, Gazit-Globe. The retailer will exit a space at Vornado Realty Trust‘s 731 Lexington Avenue…” Read more

 

Alibaba-owned Lazada suffers data hack of 1.1 million accounts at Reuters. “…the information was taken from a database of its grocery arm RedMart that was more than 18 months out of date. “The user information that was illegally accessed include names, phone numbers, email and mailing addresses, encrypted passwords and partial credit card numbers,” a spokesman for Lazada said.” Read more

 

About 14 to 23 million households, or as many as 11.5%, said they planned to relocate to another city or region at Fox Business. “…with a higher percentage of residents in major cities (20.6%) saying they planned to do so…The majority of people also planned to move to a home two hours – or more – from their current location.” Read more

 

More than $1M worth of stolen Home Depot goods recovered in Houston area home at Houston Chronicle. “A Katy man is in custody after authorities allege he was part of a retail theft ring that stole more than $1 million worth of goods from a Home Depot in Colorado and then sold them out of his home…the homeowner built a mechanized lift in his home capable of moving heavy equipment.” Video/Pics/Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Canada’s 50 Best Executives 2020

Parisians flee, sidewalks empty as France enters lockdown

Zoom Is Now Worth More Than ExxonMobil

McRib returns to McDonald’s nationwide for the first time since 2012

Apple added a secret button to your iPhone & you may not have even noticed

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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: WM 4 Ecom Stores | At Home +44% | Sobeys CEO Criticizes WM

 

Walmart turns four stores into e-commerce laboratories at CNBC. “…employees will use digital tools, store design features and different strategies that could speed up restocking shelves and fulfilling online orders. They will test an app that uses artificial intelligence to scan multiple boxes in the back room rather than one at a time as they move them to the store floor. They will use new store signage and handheld devices to cut down the time it takes to pick an online order. And product and technology teams will be based at the stores to accelerate the pace of prototyping.” Read more

 

U.S. GDP booms at 33.1% rate in Q3, better than 32% expected Read more

 

Shopify Q3 Revenue Grows 96% Press release

 

JCPenney Signs Asset Purchase Agreement with Brookfield, Simon and First Lien Lenders Press release

 

LVMH and Tiffany end luxury battle at Reuters. “The new takeover price was set at $131.5 a share, down from $135 in the original deal…bringing the total price tag to about $15.8 billion. That represents an overall discount of $425 million for LVMH.” Read more

 

At Home Group announces preliminary Q3 comp sales increase of approximately 44% Press release

 

Sobeys CEO is ready for grocers’ code of conduct at Financial Post. “The chief executive of Canada’s second-largest supermarket chain criticized two of his chief competitors on Wednesday for foisting a set of “repugnant” new fees on suppliers. Michael Medline at Empire Co. Ltd. — which owns Sobeys, Safeway and FreshCo — said the fees announced by both Walmart Canada and Loblaw Cos. Ltd. will hurt manufacturers, farmers and smaller grocers, and threaten to drive up prices for consumers.” Read more

 

Tapestry Q1 net sales down 14%: Coach down 9% / Kate Spade down 21% / Stuart Weitzman down 35% Press release

 

**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.

 

Kroger Health Launches COVID-19 Rapid Antibody Testing at Pharmacy Locations Press release

 

Adobe: Surge in online holiday shopping will pack 2 years of growth into one season at CNBC. “Online sales this November and December are forecast to surge 33% year over year to a record $189 billion.” Read more

 

CVS Plans to Add Nearly 1,000 Rapid-result Test Sites Press release

 

Walmart’s Mexico unit launches Walmart Express store format at Reuters/Yahoo. “Walmart’s Mexico unit will open stores under a new “Walmart Express” brand beginning in November, and gradually convert all existing Superama grocery stores to the format…” Read more

 

100 Fastest-Growing Companies (Etsy #8, Amazon #10) at Fortune. List

 

Walgreens Extends Relationship with WPP “WPP was first appointed in 2017 as WBA’s global marketing and communications agency…WBA and WPP will now extend their relationship until the end of 2022, with an option to further extend until the end of 2024.” Press release

 

Rent-A-Center Q3 Business Same Store Sales up 12.9% Press release

 

Tupperware sees profits quadruple amid COVID-19 closures at NY Post. “The explosion of sales caught almost everyone off guard and shares of Tupperware Brands…spiked 40 percent to a new high for the year. Shares that could be had for around $1 in March, closed in on $30 Wednesday.” Read more

 

Boot Barn Q2 same store sales decreased 5.1% Press release

 

Blue Apron Q3 net revenue increased 13% Press release

 

Best Buy Reveals Black Friday Specials Press release

 

Target in Hollywood finally open for business after 12 years at ABC 7. Video/Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Rioters hurl fireworks at DC police, loot and smash store windows

Concerned about election unrest, Beverly Hills will close Rodeo Drive

U.S. Gov’t Warns of Imminent, Credible Ransomware Threat Against U.S. Hospitals

Only 32% of Black adults said they would get a Covid-19 vaccine, down from 54% in May

Net income down for Murphy USA on lower fuel sales

Trade Show moves to Indy from Chicago’s McCormick

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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: Hy-Vee Cart Wash | Tritton @ CNBC Tonight | Bezos Buy CNN?

 

Retailers including Walmart and Foot Locker looted in Philly at 3 CBS Philly. “Philadelphia police tweeted a warning to stay away from the area as a crowd of approximately 1,000 people was looting in the area…Police say looting along Aramingo Avenue in Philadelphia’s Port Richmond neighborhood has “rapidly gone downhill” Tuesday night and is a “total loss.” Video/Pics/Read more

 

Hy-Vee unveils cart sanitizing system at Fox Business. “Sterile Cart is manufactured by Minnesota-based IZZA Manufacturing and distributed by Ultra Green Packaging. It uses a low-pressure spray system and a dry-in-place disinfectant. With a small footprint, 6 by 4 feet, it can easily be installed where shopping carts are returned and staged for customer use.” Pic/Read more

 

Bed Bath & Beyond targets ‘stable’ sales growth in 2021, low-to-mid single-digit gains by 2023 at CNBC. “Mark Tritton is meeting with investors at 9 a.m. ET Wednesday to lay out a three-year road map for the company, offering fresh financial targets and the strategies to get there.” Read more | Press release

 

…Mark Tritton will appear on CNBC’s Mad Money at 6PM ET tonight 

 

Chewy launches virtual vet visits as pandemic fuels pet boom at CNBC. “Starting Wednesday, the online pet product’s customers can get advice in real time from a licensed veterinarian about their dogs or cats. The service, “Connect-with-a-Vet,” is free for customers who are part of Autoship, the company’s subscription program that automatically ships deliveries of food or other pet goods.” Read more

 

Walmart Inc, Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid have told Reuters demand for flu shots at their U.S. pharmacies is up sharply – in some cases double from last year Read more

 

**A message from Comfy Sacks bean bag chairs – Consumers want stay at home comfort. Comfy Sacks are filled with superior quality furniture grade foam and resist permanent compression. Booklet | Video | Website | Request sample bag: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Uber adds grocery delivery service to most of Manhattan at NY Post. “Uber spokesman Harry Hartfield told The Post that it has more than 50 supermarkets and specialty stores signed up on its platform, and is working to sign up more and expand its coverage area. Instead of expanding incrementally, Uber will increase its footprint in chunks when it has enlisted enough shops in a given area.” Read more

 

Grubhub sued for sneakily adding 150,000 restaurants to platform at Crain’s Chicago Business/Bloomberg. “To disguise the subterfuge, Grubhub instructs delivery drivers to place orders with the restaurants themselves and pretend to be the intended customers when they pick up the food, the suit alleges.” Read more

 

Amazon opens dedicated portal for Sweden at TechCrunch. Read more

 

UPS beats profit estimates as pandemic spurs home deliveries at Reuters. “Revenue rose to $21.24 billion from $18.32 billion. Average daily volumes in the United States jumped 13.8% on continued strength in residential demand.” Read more

 

Is Jeff Bezos interested in buying CNN? at Fox Business. “The investment banking world is buzzing that the controversial chief executive of Amazon.com and owner of the Washington Post, Jeff Bezos, is sniffing around on a potential purchase of one of AT&T’s most valued assets, the Cable News Network, bankers tell FOX Business.” Read more

 

Wholesale Marketplace Faire Valued At $2.5 Billion After Sequoia-Led Round at Forbes. “The wholesale marketplace was created by four former Square employees to help mom-and-pop stores compete against Amazon by making it easier to discover and stock new products. A key benefit is that it accepts free returns within 60 days for items that don’t sell, reducing the risk a retailer runs when buying new inventory.” Read more

 

Tapestry, Inc. Names Joanne Crevoiserat CEO “Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Crevoiserat was EVP and COO at Abercrombie & Fitch Co. from February 2017 to June 2019.” Press release

 

Postmates is launching a new retail delivery feature at TechCrunch. “Postmates is now rolling out what could be the biggest update to the company’s service in a long time — adding a retail option for users to shop local stores and for local merchants to set up a virtual on-demand storefront in the app.” Read more

 

Costco is the latest retailer to drop Chaokoh coconut milk over allegations of forced monkey labor, PETA says at USA Today. Read more

 

Tiffany and LVMH discuss price cut to settle deal dispute at Fox Business. “The negotiations were based on a price in the range of $131-$134 for each Tiffany share, against the $135 price when the deal was first agreed last November. An agreement at the bottom of that range would save LVMH, led by billionaire businessman Bernard Arnault, about $480 million on the initial $16.2 billion purchase price.” Read more

 

Many NYC bodegas continue to dole out plastic bags with purchases — risking hefty fines — because paper bags are too costly and hard to find at NY Post. “Bodega owners have found that a package of 200 paper bags costs up to $50 compared with $11 for a package of 600 single-use plastic bags, the survey said. Meanwhile, the state won’t let retailers to recoup those expenses. Stores can charge a 5-cent tax for each paper bag they hand out, but that money goes to state and municipal coffers.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Callaway announces merger with Topgolf

Ex-police captain is fifth eBay employee to plead guilty in harassment scheme

Amazon taps airline executive to oversee sort centers

These mushroom balls turn your yard into a climate-change-fighting machine

Hollywood turns to K Street for help during pandemic

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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: McMillon @ Summit | Ikea Bad Photo | Q&A: H.Depot/Saks

 

Home prices in August see biggest gains in more than two years, S&P Case Shiller says at CNBC. “The 10-City Composite posted a 4.7% gain, up from 3.5% in the previous month. The 20-City Composite rose 5.2% year-over-year, up from 4.1% in July.” Read more

 

Doug McMillon Speaks at the Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit “We have been through a lot of these [elections]. We want to help the country get stronger, so whatever we are asked to do that’s what we’ll do. We hope to contribute to bringing the country together as it is related to things like inclusion, but we want to solve other problems too if we are asked how can we serve the country,” McMillon said when asked how higher corporate taxes would impact the world’s largest retailer.” Video/Read more

 

Can Gap Escape the Whirlwind? New CEO Confronts Years of Decline at Wall Street Journal. “Ms. Syngal’s job is to avoid that vortex, in part by fixing Gap, the company’s namesake brand that some financial analysts say is so troubled that it is worth less than zero. She holed up in her San Francisco Bay Area house, working so many hours her children delivered food to her home office to make sure she was eating.” WSJ subs.

 

U.S. core capital goods orders beat expectations in September at CNBC. “Overall durable goods orders jumped 1.9% in September, compared with expectations of an increase of just 0.5%.” Read more

 

Amazon has created fertile ground for bribery schemes, sellers say at Recode. “In the wake of a $100 million Amazon bribery scandal, sellers say the tech giant deserves more scrutiny for suspending merchants with no warning and little explanation.” Read more

 

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. Names Elizabeth Meltzer As General Merchandising Manager “Ms. Meltzer has over 25 years of experience in retail merchandising, most recently as SVP of Merchandising at The Gap…” Press release

 

**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.

 

Home Depot CIO Matt Carey Q&A w/Wall Street Journal “Matt Carey, Home Depot’s chief information officer…and his team quickly spun out mobile apps for curbside-pickup services and real-time inventory-tracking software, among other tools. “It was like Black Friday every day,” he says about the unexpected run. Mr. Carey spoke to The Wall Street Journal about the efforts Home Depot made to get its technology in place and how it’s handling the surge in business.” Carey Q&A/WSJ subs.

 

Amazon Promotes Over 35,000 Employees Across North America Operations Network This Year, Opens 100,000 New Seasonal Jobs Heading Into the Holidays Press release

 

How Saks Fifth Avenue is providing luxury shoppers with ‘comfort food’ during the pandemic at Fortune. “Saks president Marc Metrick himself professes some surprise at luxury’s performance. “Christian Louboutin pumps, really? When are you wearing those?” he asks—rhetorically but with gratitude. He spoke with Fortune to discuss how Saks is managing the pandemic’s effects on its business.” Q&A

 

Kroger Announces Framework for Action: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Plan “Kroger’s plan features five focus areas: Create More Inclusive Culture, Develop Diverse Talent, Advance Diverse Partnerships, Advance Equitable Communities, and Deeply Listen and Report Progress.” Press release

 

Dollar General Announces One-Day-Only Early Holiday Savings on November 13 Press release

 

Consumer companies pitch discounts, bargain products as economic malaise looms at Reuters. “Consumer spending levels are not going to recover until at least end-2022, so there is going to be a sustained pressure on consumer-packaged goods companies to offer promotions and incentives,” said Oliver Wright, Accenture’s global industry lead of consumer goods and services.” Read more

 

Ikea’s 2021 catalog delayed as company removes potentially offensive image at Fox Business. “Ikea’s release of its widely anticipated yearly catalog was stalled as the company removed a potentially offensive photograph showing a Black man trying to assemble furniture while wearing a shirt that, to some, resembled an inmate’s uniform, according to a report confirmed by FOX Business.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Amazon Suggests Outlet Deals to Trim Excess Inventory

BP reports 3Q earnings plunge amid falling demand

KFC is bringing back its ‘fried chicken-scented’ firelog

UK to ban sale of carrier-locked phones from December 2021

RV rentals are up for the holidays in response to social distancing

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Tipsheet: D. Gen Pays Least | Macy’s Stiffs Santa | Gap Exits Malls

 

Walmart sues government to pre-empt allegations it helped fuel opioid crisis at Fortune. “(Walmart) argues in the suit that the U.S. Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration is scapegoating the chain to divert attention from the agencies’ failures to effectively address the public-health crisis over opioids. Watchdog groups have “meticulously cataloged” the ways regulators have “failed to safeguard the public from improper diversion of prescription opioids,” Walmart’s lawyers said in the 54-page complaint.” Read more

 

American Express Sees Higher Consumer Retail Spending at Wall Street Journal. “Non-travel and entertainment spending—which made up about 70% of spending going into the pandemic—increased about 1% in the third quarter from a year earlier, Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey Campbell said in an interview Friday. He said that climb was partly because of sizable online transactions growth.” WSJ subs.

 

Gap Inc. exiting malls, to shutter 350 stores by 2024 at ABC News. “That will result in 80% of its remaining Gap stores being in off-mall locations…it also plans to close 130 of its Banana Republic stores in North America in three years.” Read more

 

Walmart has a grand plan to help suppliers club together to buy green energy at CNBC. “We launched (Gigaton PPA) because of interest from the suppliers, and just listening to them say ‘oh, we wish that we could do more in renewables, this is hard for us, we don’t have the procurement team, we don’t know how to go about it,’” McLaughlin told CNBC.” Read more

 

Instacart, in partnership with Aldi, will support SNAP EBT for online groceries at TechCrunch. “The program will launch over the next few weeks, and will first arrive at ALDI’s over 60 Georgia stores before expanding to more than 570 stores across Illinois, California, Florida and Pennsylvania in the months ahead.” Read more

 

Tractor Supply Q3 comp sales +26.8% “…driven by comparable average transaction count and ticket growth of 14.3% and 12.5%, respectively.” Press release

 

Mattel Q3 net sales +10% Press release

 

**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.

 

Walmart de Mexico Q3 revenue +6.7% at Yahoo. Read more

 

A UBS report says Dollar General pays workers the least among 25 major retailers at Business Insider. “Dollar General pays employees the least at $9.68 an hour on average, UBS said in a report…Dollar Tree and Dollar King follow closely behind at $10, and $10.11, respectively. By comparison, Walmart pays employees $13.08 an hour on average per UBS.” Read more

 

CVS CMO on the chain’s new media network, health care marketing trends and Halloween Ad Age subs.

 

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. appoints Mary-Farrell Tarbox and Ann-Marie Clendenin as Regional Vice Presidents for the Central and East regions respectively “Prior…Ms. Tarbox held multiple roles at Crate & Barrel Holdings, including as VP for Stores…Ms. Clendenin joins Bed Bath & Beyond after serving as US Retail President for Aritzia, prior to which she spent more than 8 years at the Kate Spade organization as VP for Global Omnichannel Operations.” Press release

 

Flipkart is acquiring a 7.8% stake in Aditya Birla Fashion as the Walmart-owned Indian e-commerce firm makes a further push into the apparel category in one of the world’s largest retail markets. TechCrunch

 

Dick’s Sporting Goods alum Jennifer Moreau joins Dollar General as VP of PR PR Week subs.

 

Chick-fil-A to start selling its sauces at Walmart, other national retailers at USA Today. Read more

 

Florida man used Kool-Aid packets to steal $1K in Walmart merch: cops at NY Post. “A not-sneaky-enough Florida thief was busted walking out of a Walmart with $1,000 in stolen merch — after pretending to ring it up at a self-checkout by repeatedly scanning a 24-cent Kool-Aid packet he’d palmed, local authorities said.” Read more

 

SANTA STIFFED – Macy’s said Santa Claus won’t be greeting kids at its flagship New York store this year at Fox 5 NY. “…the decision by Macy’s differs from big mall owners, which will still go ahead with in-person Santa visits by banning kids from sitting on his lap and making sure they stay six feet away from him…Macy’s will be offering a free online experience on its website…” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Elton John Barbie hits Walmart stores for the price of $50

Costco, Etsy and Nordstrom lead on ACSI e-commerce satisfaction survey

Meet the 24-year-old who’s tracking every broken McDonald’s ice-cream machine in the US

Reese’s created a robot door that dispenses peanut butter cups

Makro owner brings in Walmart executive to drive online in South Africa

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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: Shoplifters Love SF | Home Sales +9.5% | Target’s Safer Plan

 

September existing home sales jump 9.5%, but ‘prices are rising too fast’ as supply remains tight at CNBC. “The median price of an existing home sold in September was $311,800, a 14.8% gain compared with September 2019. The inventory of homes for sale fell 19.2% annually…At the current sales pace that represents a 2.7-month supply. That is the lowest since the Realtors began tracking this metric in 1982.” Read more

 

Apple expands ‘Express’ retail store format ahead of holiday season at Reuters. “The new format has a wall built in front of the main store with sales counters protected by plexiglass and a few shelves of accessories such as phone cases and AirPods. Customers make an appointment to pick up orders placed online or interact with Apple’s technicians for customer service.” Read more

 

Target says it will hold your spot in line as it looks to make holiday shopping safer at CNBC. “It will double the number of parking spots dedicated to curbside pickup. Customers can use their smartphones instead of shared scanners in the self-checkout lanes. More employees will have handheld mobile devices that allow people to skip the line and make purchases in different parts of the store.” Read more

 

Walmart cuts Sunnyvale tech jobs after Fandango deal at The Mercury News. “The (Vudu) buyer, Fandango, has offered positions to 158 employees,” Walmart stated in the filing. The remaining 58 of the 216 affected workers have been given the opportunity to find a job with Walmart.” Read more

 

Amazon is going to pay you for your data at Fox Business. “…Amazon Shopper Panel lets users upload 10 receipts per month from purchases made at non-Amazon retailers…The types of rewards vary, either a $10 credit to a person’s Amazon balance or $10 toward a charitable donation.” Read more

 

Walmart and Sam’s Club are hosting in-person medication disposal events at select stores/clubs on Oct. 24 Press release

 

Jony Ive is bringing his design talents to… Airbnb at The Verge. “Ive and Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky have apparently been friends for years…Maybe he can fix the company’s unfortunately shaped logo. Ive still counts Apple as a client, by the way, even though he left last November.” Read more

 

Costco’s Oleen Smethurst to  receive The Packer’s 2020 Canadian Produce Person of the Year Award  Watch virtual presentation at Noon ET today

 

Stage Store’s brands & property sold in $7M bankruptcy deal at ABL Advisor “The intellectual property acquired by Bealls Inc. from the court includes the trademarks and trade names for Stage Stores, Goody’s, Gordmans, Palais Royal, and Peebles, as well as the national rights for the Bealls name. In addition, Bealls acquired all of Stage’s private label brands and customer lists.” Read more

 

Sam’s Club goes Griswold with National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation virtual holiday shopping experience Read more

 

**A message from the Kitchenology 4-In-1 Scrub Bar™ – Don’t settle for a lightweight sponge that can’t scrub the dirtiest dishes! Introducing the Scrub Bar – the kitchen sponge that tackles every dirty dish in the sink. A different abrasive strength on each side!: regular sponge, medium-duty, heavy-duty & super-duty. Website | Samples: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Ipsos: Walmart, H-E-B lead in customer satisfaction for grocery pickup, delivery at Talk Business. “Ipsos also found discounter Aldi performed “well” across the board, and predominantly excelled at providing delivery notifications on 95% of orders. Aldi’s same-day delivery service is provided by Instacart.” Read more

 

Amazon and small business J.L. Childress File Joint Lawsuit against Counterfeiters Press release

 

US jobless claims drop to 787,000, but layoffs remain high at AP. Read more

 

eBay Launches Destination for Certified Refurbished Products from Top Brands Press release

 

SHOPLIFTERS PARADISE – Man steals from SF Walgreens during TV report on shoplifting at KRON 4. “A crew from Inside Edition was at the store on Van Ness and Eddy for a story on rampant shoplifting at the location when it happened. The store will close for good on November 11. The store will be the third in San Francisco this year to close because of excessive shoplifting.” Video/Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Adidas planning to sell its Reebok division: Report

Holiday searches are up 79% on Etsy over last year

Retail sales are fizzling in Canada

South Korea sticks to flu vaccine plan despite safety fears after 25 die

Whirlpool strains to meet appliance demand

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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 Media Opening | Election Looting | 25% Done Shopping | Sam’s Robots

 

ELECTION LOOTING – U.S. retailers secure stores as worries about election unrest mount at Reuters. “Aon…told Reuters the majority of retailer clients it surveyed are considering boarding up stores because they are worried about looting around the election…“You’d be foolish to think the worst is over. We all watch the news,” said Bob Moraca, principal at Rock Security Group and former vice president of loss prevention for the National Retail Federation.” Read more

 

Head of Target’s Media Business to Leave at Ad Age. “The face of Target’s media business is leaving the company at a time when competitors are ramping up their own offerings. Kristi Argyilan, president of Roundel, will depart the Minneapolis-based chain on Oct. 30. Target is conducting an external search for her replacement, a spokeswoman says.” Tiered subs.

 

PayPal to allow cryptocurrency buying, selling and shopping on its network at Financial Post. “PayPal hopes the service will encourage global use of virtual coins and prepare its network for new digital currencies that may be developed by central banks and corporations, President and Chief Executive Dan Schulman said in an interview.” Read more

 

The Container Store Group Q2 net sales +5.0% Press release

 

1 in 4 Americans already finished buying all their gifts: Lending Tree “Among the consumers buying ahead of time, over 44% of them were parents with children under 18. Nearly half of the consumers also have household incomes of $100,000 or more.” USA Today

 

Fortune’s Most Powerful Women International (H&M CEO #4) Top 50 list

 

Sam’s Club is putting robot janitors in all of its stores during the pandemic at CNN. “Sam’s Club…has already deployed hundreds of the robotic scrubbers. With the addition of 372 new robots, the company will soon have a scrubber in each location. It will also implement one of Brain Corp’s accessories that will allow them to analyze shelf inventory.” Read more/Video

 

Amazon extends remote work policy for office employees to June 2021 at GeekWire. 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.

 

Whole Foods now offers free one-hour grocery pickup at all US stores at The Verge. “Orders costing $35 or more are eligible, and thousands of items including fresh produce, meat and seafood, and other staples are available for pickup.” Read more

 

JCPenney CEO says company expects to exit Chapter 11 ahead of holiday season at CNBC. “(JCPenney) reiterated plans to have Brookfield and Simon own and operate its retail assets. Meanwhile, 160 of its real estate assets and its distribution centers will become part of separate property holding company owned by a group of its lenders.” Read more

 

Walgreens Seeks Progress, Not Perfection, During Pandemic Adweek subs.

 

After Amazon Split, FedEx Chases Bigger Cut Of Online’s Booming Returns Business at Forbes. “(FedEx) has partnered with startup Happy Returns to accept items from 150 participating retailers — including Rothy’s, Everlane, Untuckit, Revolve, Steve Madden and Draper James — at 2,000 FedEx Office locations. The arrangement (starts) at the end of October…” Read more

 

Kohl’s Announces Launch of New Private Label, Specialty Athleisure Brand Press release

 

JPMorgan Chase takes on Square and PayPal with smartphone card reader, faster deposits for merchants at CNBC. “Our competition either doesn’t have same-day funding, or they charge for it,” Max Neukirchen, CEO of JPMorgan’s merchant services arm, said in an interview. “We think it’s a great differentiator for businesses because getting money into their account quickly is so important as they manage their cash flow.” Read more

 

Etsy enables millions of US shoppers to ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ with Klarna Press release

 

Tipsheet Extra

Travis Kalanick’s ‘ghost kitchen’ firm has spent $130M on real estate

Int’l Labor Organization says garment industry should do more to help workers

More than 7 in 10 Gen-Zers report symptoms of depression during pandemic

FedEx readies COVID-19 vaccine delivery pipeline

U.S. set to announce legal action on opioid maker

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

Tipsheet: NordicTrack @ Lowe’s | Albertsons +13.8% | WM Media $1B TY

 

Albertsons Q2 comp sales +13.8% “Digital sales growth of 243%…Net income of $284.5 million
Adjusted EBITDA of $948.4 million, an increase of 67% compared to the second quarter last year.” Press release

 

NORDICTRACK @ LOWE’S – Lowe’s bets on new categories this holiday season at CNBC. “We thought that home fitness was one of those areas that we could play in as it relates to home improvement and we still feel that way,” (Bill Boltz) said. “The pandemic has just kind of escalated that.” During the holidays, he said Lowe’s wants to make shopping on its website “a little bit of a treasure hunt.” It will feature products like Razor scooters, Melissa & Doug toys, Serta pillows and NordicTrack exercise equipment.” Read more

 

Walmart cranks up advertising drive, with or without TikTok at Reuters. “The refocused strategy was born early last year when Walmart cut ties with its external advertising partner…The shift has been paying off, according to one source briefed on the company’s plans who said Walmart Media Group was on track to earn nearly $1 billion of advertising sales this year, more than double the amount it brought in last year.” Read more

 

Justice Department seizes websites used to trick Amazon customers into buying device tech support at GeekWire. “The phony technicians charged customers — $99 for a two-year plan or $149 for a four-year plan — for otherwise-free and unnecessary steps like registering the Alexa software or providing network security.” Read more

 

DELOITTE HOLIDAY STUDY – Consumers planning to visit just 5.2 retail stores on average…down from seven last year, 6.9 in 2018 and 5.7 in 2017. It marks a record low for the survey.” at CNBC

 

Alibaba Group will spend about $3.6 billion to take a controlling stake in Sun Art, one of China’s largest big-box and supermarket chains at TechCrunch. Read more

 

This ace engineer powered Amazon through the COVID crisis at Fortune. “As someone who knows what it’s like to be the only woman or the only Black person in a room, (Alicia Boler Davis) also wants to bring people like her up through the company. “It can be hard being the only one. Whether you’re carrying it around on your shoulders or not, it’s the reality,” she says.” 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

 

Amazon’s healthcare job postings reveal interest in buying provider networks, expanding Amazon Care at GeekWire. Read more

 

Saks pushing back its Barneys relaunch plans, CEO says at NY Post. “Barneys…had been slated to make a splashy comeback in September…But Saks is pushing back those plans until spring…And next year’s Barneys’ relaunch will be limited to Saks’ New York flagship and a small stand-alone store in Greenwich, Conn. as it postpones plans to open Barneys boutiques at other Saks locations in the US and Canada.” Read more

 

Sam’s Club and Synchrony Extend Strategic Credit Card Program Collaboration with Multi-Year Agreement Press release

 

Whole Foods Market Forecasts Top 10 Food Trends for 2021 (Chickpeas Are the New Cauliflower) Press release

 

Kohl’s Partners with Cole Haan “The Kohl’s assortment of Cole Haan footwear will include styles across all categories…will be available in 200 stores starting spring 2021, with an expanded assortment available online at Kohls.com.” Press release

 

Instacart Appoints New Execs to Leadership Team – Christina Hall as CHRO & Ariel Bardin as SVP of Product Press release

 

DELI AFTER HOURS – Man found living in Raley’s store rafters after foot crashes through ceiling at NY Daily News. “…he’d been climbing an exterior ladder to the roof, then down into the store’s rafters, where he had carved out a little living space, stealing provisions from the deli…They sent a police dog up there, but it fell into a shaft and got stuck…” Video/Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Israeli companies inch one step closer to COVID-19 breathalyzer test

Mouthwash, baby shampoo deactivate coronaviruses

Impossible Foods enters grocery stores outside the U.S. for the first time

Swelled by rain and COVID curbs, locust swarms ravage Ethiopia

Microsoft’s Windows 10 is breaking PCs

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

**

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