Tipsheet: H.Depot/Macy’s Beat | Costco Mag #4 | Target #8 US Ecom

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Home Depot’s same-store sales surge in final quarter of 2019 at AP. “Sales at stores open at least a year rose 5.2%, which was also better than analysts had expected. Those sales climbed 5.3% in the U.S.” Read more

 

Macy’s shares jump after earnings top estimates, helped by a last-minute holiday sales boost at CNBC. “Same-store sales: down 0.5%, on an owned plus licensed basis, vs. a drop of 0.9% expected.” Read more

 

Tesco completes China exit with $357 million stake sale at Reuters. “Having struggled to crack the Chinese market, Tesco established the Gain Land venture with CRH in 2014, combining the British group’s 131 stores in China with its partner’s almost 3,000.” Read more

 

Amazon opens first full-sized store without cashiers or checkout lines by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “Two years after launching a chain of convenience stores without cashiers or checkout lines, Amazon is opening its first “Amazon Go Grocery” store in Seattle on Tuesday morning…” Read more

 

The Costco Connection is America’s fourth biggest magazine at CNN. “The Connection has a circulation of around 14.3 million copies per edition, up from 12.2 million in 2016…behind two AARP publications and Parade, the publication distributed in Sunday newspapers, according to leading magazine auditing firms.” Read more

 

**A message from Sweets & Snacks Expo: The Most Innovative New Product Awards program showcases the most innovative ideas, concepts & products in candy and snacks. View the 2019 award winners | Register/Website

 

Shipt shoppers are the latest gig workers to organize by Megan Rose Dickey at TechCrunch. “We are losing money as shoppers at a ridiculous rate,” a shopper from Kalamazoo tells TechCrunch. “…It is a lot of money. Our best guestimation is, we’re all losing about 30% or more. I did four orders this past weekend and I lost money on every single one.” Read more

 

Target breaks into the top 10 list of US e-commerce retailers by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. Top 10 list

 

Walmart Takes on CVS and Amazon With Low-Price Clinics by Matthew Boyle at Bloomberg. “It won’t be easy to persuade Americans to entrust their health to a big-box discount retailer…Even (Doug) McMillon, whose father was a dentist, admits he “just can’t imagine being a dentist working at Walmart,” and he’s not alone.” Tiered subs.

 

Rent-A-Center Q4 comp sales +1.6% Press release

 

More than half of Apple retail stores are back open in China after being closed for weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak at Fast Company. Read more

 

Some Costco stores are barring non-members from eating at the food court — but they weren’t really supposed to be eating there in the first place at Business Insider. Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Hot Wheels unveils radio-control cars modeled after Tesla’s Cybertruck

Freds restaurant needs help after Barneys’ closure

Buffett isn’t as bullish on Kroger as previously reported

Toy industry weighing impact of coronavirus at New York Toy Fair

Here were last year’s most overpaid CEOs

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

 

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Tipsheet: Modell’s Closing 24 | Costco #50 Happy | WM Loses Deliv Provider

/in

 

Sporting goods retailer Modell’s to close 24 stores: CEO at Fox Business. “Modell’s was founded in 1889…The company has been family-owned and had 141 stores prior to the recent closures.” Read more

 

Sears snags new financial lifeline as losses continue, sources say at CNBC. “Sears has reached a deal for a fresh financial lifeline totaling roughly $100 million from hedge fund Brigade Capital Management, as it tries to stabilize after bankruptcy, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.” Read more

 

The Fortune 100 Happiness Index (Amazon #16, Best Buy #19, TJX #30, Costco #50, Home Depot #69, Publix #70, Target #74, Kroger #92, Walmart #94, Lowe’s #95, CVS #99, Walgreens #100) Read more

 

Gap is the latest retailer to get into resale at CNBC. “(Gap) announced Thursday it has partnered with resale platform ThredUp, which bills itself as the largest online consignment and thrift store. In select Gap, Banana Republic, Athleta and Janie and Jack stores, shoppers will now be able to drop off their used clothes, in exchange for credits to use at Gap’s portfolio of stores.” Read more

 

Walmart Loses Another Home-Delivery Provider by Matthew Boyle at Bloomberg. “Skipcart notified Walmart on Jan. 31 that it was terminating their relationship effective April 30, according to a letter obtained by Bloomberg News. That end date has since been pushed up to March, and Walmart has already reassigned stores covered by Skipcart to other providers. Boerne, Texas-based Skipcart handles deliveries from about 126 stores in 32 states, mostly in smaller markets, and began working with Walmart in late 2018.” Tiered subs.

 

7-Eleven is in exclusive talks to buy Marathon Petroleum’s Speedway gas stations for about $22 billion by Jacky Wong at Wall Street Journal. “Seven & I said it is exploring various possibilities including alliances and acquisitions, but hasn’t made a decision yet. If they strike a deal, it would be one of Japan’s largest overseas acquisitions.” WSJ subs.

 

**A message from Sweets & Snacks Expo: The Most Innovative New Product Awards program showcases the most innovative ideas, concepts & products in candy and snacks! View the 2019 award winners | Register/Website

 

Floor & Decor Q4 comp sales +4.0% Press release

 

Loblaw profit rises as e-commerce revenue nearly doubles to hit $1 billion at Financial Post. “Shoppers Drug Mart same-store sales increased 3.9 per cent during the quarter compared with a year earlier while same-store food retail grew 1.9 per cent.” Read more

 

Tile Shop founder Robert Rucker steps away for a second time, revealing split with new owners by Evan Ramstad at Star Tribune. “Rucker said the executive they selected to lead the firm, Philip Livingston, is unqualified…“Mr. Livingston is an accountant, not a merchant,” Rucker wrote. “In my opinion, Mr. Livingston not only doesn’t have the sense to run The Tile Shop, he could not run a gas station.” Tiered subs.

 

Amazon names top 10 cities with the most handmade makers Press release

 

The Baby Yoda toys are finally here at CNN. “The latest additions to the Baby Yoda toy lineup were revealed at Disney’s Star Wars toy showcase in New York City on Thursday ahead of the latest annual American International Toy Fair…The star of the show was “The Child Animatronic Edition,” a life-like version of Baby Yoda that moves, blinks, coos and giggles…” Read more

 

Mrs. Dash is dropping ‘Mrs.’ from its name Press release

 

Tipsheet Extra

Supreme Oreos selling for thousands on eBay

Inside the Philip Morris campaign to ‘normalize’ a tobacco device

Regional grocers have the greatest cheerleaders

Des Moines is arguably the most competitive spot in the U.S. for c-stores

How Sprouts Plans to Avoid ‘BankruptcyGate’

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

 

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Tipsheet: Virus Impact Prime Day? | Timberland HQ Murder | Target Wants Voters

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CORONAVIRUS IMPACT PRIME DAY?… When You Click Buy on Amazon, It May Be Sweating the Supply by Karen Weise & Michael Corkery at NY Times. “Over the past few weeks, Amazon has responded to the crisis by making larger and more frequent orders of Chinese-made products that had already been shipped to the United States…Amazon also sent an urgent email to brands on Wednesday about Prime Day…indicating that it has begun worrying about inventory for the event.” Tiered subs.

 

…Coronavirus: China’s manufacturing supply chain pummelled from all sides in efforts to restart at South China Morning Post. “…following the extended Lunar New Year break. Only 15 per cent have come back, B&R China general manager Marko Dimitrijevic said. “All supply chains are having trouble, it’s very serious,” he said. “…For many companies, this could mean bankruptcy.” Read more

 

Target and Best Buy are among firms joining drive to get employees to vote by Chip Cutter at Wall Street Journal. “Hundreds of U.S. companies plan to give employees time off to vote in this year’s presidential election as part of a business-led push to lift the nation’s traditionally low voter turnout. At least 383 companies, with more than two million workers in 50 states…have signed on to the Time to Vote initiative.” WSJ subs.

 

Etsy Accelerates AI Experimentation Thanks to Cloud by Sara Castellanos at Wall Street Journal. “At Etsy, about 75 of its 500 engineers have been reallocated from infrastructure management to coding and software tasks that have a direct impact on customer-facing initiatives such as the website, Mr. Fisher said.” WSJ subs.

 

Costco maps out location for second Shanghai store at China Daily. “Located in the Kangqiao industrial area of Pudong district, the 47,319.2-square-meter area will be developed into a large warehouse store, per public information…the land is only one subway stop away from Shanghai Disney Resort.” Read more

 

Amazon launches on-demand virtual healthcare service for Seattle-area employees by Nat Levy at GeekWire. “Amazon Care eliminates travel and wait time, connecting employees and their family members to a physician or nurse practitioner through live chat or video…” Read more

 

L Brands to sell a controlling stake in its Victoria’s Secret brand to Sycamore Partners in a deal that values the lingerie brand at $1.1 billion at Fortune. Read more | WSJ subs.

 

EVERYONE GETS A PODCAST…Some Staples stores in Boston are getting podcast studios by Ashley Carman at The Verge. “The studios will be soundproof, have enough space for four people to record, and will sync with another company called Spreaker’s technology so people can get discounted access to its hosting and distribution services. A recording specialist will be on hand to help, too, and a 60-minute session costs $60.” Read more

 

SpartanNash Q4: Net sales +5.3% / Retail comp store sales +0.5% Press release

 

**A message from Gusto kitchenware: Not made in China. Gusto’s new line of kitchenware is trendy, colorful and affordable. Manufactured by 90-year-old CINSA – the #1 cookware brand in Mexico. Diversify your kitchenware supply chain today. PowerPoint | POG | Request samples: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Timberland HQ employees return to work a week after office murder of marketing director by Jason Schreiber at Union Leader. “It was a somber return for grief-stricken employees who are still in shock after learning that the 46-year-old Exeter woman was stabbed allegedly by Securitas security guard Robert Pavao…” Read more

 

Canadian online pharmacy, PocketPills has raised $7.35 million as it expands into Quebec by Jonathan Shieber at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Walmart’s struggling Japan unit finally delivers with online grocery growth at Reuters. “The barely year-old tie-up between the U.S. supermarket chain’s Seiyu and local e-commerce firm Rakuten Inc clocked 30% sales growth for late October through December…” Read more

 

Hackers Were Inside Citrix for Five Months at Krebs on Security. “Citrix provides software used by hundreds of thousands of clients worldwide, including most of the Fortune 100 companies. It is perhaps best known for selling virtual private networking (VPN) software that lets users remotely access networks and computers over an encrypted connection.” Read more

 

Wayfair Partners with Kelly Clarkson Press release

 

Walmart’s new Twitter trash-talk strategy already paying off at Fox Business. “Walmart wants to get cheekier online…“The ‘bantering’ is part of our strategy,” a statement sent to Fox Business from Jodi Durkin, Walmart’s director of brand social, said. “When brands talk in a fun and playful way that does really well on social.” Read more

 

Amazon Becomes The Fastest-Growing Streamer In UK After Showing Premier League at Deadline. Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Police find secret cigarette factory 13 feet underground

Inside Wawa’s New One-of-a-Kind Philadelphia Store

Illinois sports betting ‘on track’ for March Madness launch

Nickelodeon will launch SpongeBob prequel

Deafen Amazon and Google with this ingenious bracelet

Amazon PBS documentary missing Jeff Bezos

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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: Bed Bath “Entire Reworking” | Grocers Gain Leverage | Hero China Deliv Drivers

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China turns to internet for food supplies amid virus fears at AP. “(Delivery drivers) work really hard, and it’s dangerous,” said Wang. “Without their services, we would not be able to survive at all.” JD.com Inc. and rivals including Pinduoduo, Missfresh Inc. and Alibaba Group’s Hema are scrambling to fill a boom in orders while trying to protect their employees.” Read more

 

U.S. homebuilding fell less than expected in January while permits surged to a near 13-year high at Reuters. Read more

 

Bed Bath & Beyond Boss Tries to Declutter Stores by Suzanne Kapner at Wall Street Journal. “And while (Mark Tritton) has no plans to eliminate the coupons the retailer is known for, he does want to simplify pricing by doing away with overlapping promotions and use more signs to better explain deals. “Customers don’t want to do the math,” Mr. Tritton said, adding that a lack of price clarity was a big reason shoppers left Bed Bath & Beyond stores empty-handed. Mr. Tritton plans to take the new look to 25 stores this year.” WSJ subs.

 

Macy’s cut to junk by S&P over doubts turnaround plan will work at Crain’s Chicago Business. Tiered subs.

 

Grocers Wrest Control of Shelf Space From Struggling Food Giants by Annie Gasparro & Jaewon Kang at Wall Street Journal. “Our retailers have better information now,” General Mills Chief Executive Jeff Harmening said. “So more of our conversation is about ‘How do we drive growth together?’” Retailers such as Kroger Co. and Walmart Inc. are using increasingly sophisticated software to decide where to place items and which products to shelve next to one another…” WSJ subs.

 

RETREAT – Groupon Says It Will No Longer Sell Stuff, Shift Focus To Experiences by Lauren Debter at Forbes. “Groupon’s decision to get out of the retail business came on the heels of another awful quarter. Revenue fell 23% to $612 million, which was short of the $709 million that Wall Street analysts were looking for. That was driven by a steep 32% decline in its goods business.” Read more

 

Krebs: Encoding Stolen Credit Card Data on Barcodes “The instructions on the phony rewards card are designed to make the cashier think it’s a payment alternative designed for use exclusively at Sam’s Club and Walmart stores. When the transaction goes through, it’s recorded as card-not-present purchase.” Read more

 

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon wants to crack the code on apparel and home goods at CNBC. “McMillon said stores didn’t have the right mix of apparel over the Christmas season. He said its clothing “looked like red and green” and had too much at the low end of price points.” Read more

 

…CNBC’s full interview with Walmart CEO Doug McMillon on fourth-quarter earnings 9:35 video

 

Walmart employees say they’re preparing for job cuts as retailer rolls out its ‘Great Workplace’ program by Abha Bhattarai at Washington Post. “Everyone’s on pins and needles right now,” said a customer service manager…The store where she works, she said, is replacing six customer service managers with four newly created positions. Employees who don’t make the cut will either be terminated or asked to apply for lower-paying positions, according to two store employees briefed on the transition.” Tiered subs.

 

**A message from Gusto kitchenware: Not made in China. Gusto’s new line of kitchenware is trendy, colorful and affordable. Manufactured by 90-year-old CINSA – the #1 cookware brand in Mexico. Diversify your kitchenware supply chain today. PowerPoint | POG | Request samples: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Issa Rae of HBO’s ‘Insecure’ at Target HQ for standing-room-only event by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “Rae spoke on a range of topics in a conversation with Caroline Wanga, Target’s chief culture, diversity and inclusion officer. And, yes, Rae told Wanga, she likes to shop at Target: “It’s always my goal to spend less than $50, but … you guys set a lot of traps!” she joked.” Tiered subs.

 

Belk eliminates 80 positions at corporate office by Catherine Muccigrosso at Charlotte Observer. “The company had about 1,200 employees in 2018 at its Tyvola Road headquarters in Charlotte, down 200 people from two years prior, the Observer previously reported.” Tiered subs.

 

Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For (Wegmans #3, Publix #39, REI #60, Sheetz #80) Ranked list

 

Bed Bath & Beyond agreed to sell online retailer PersonalizationMall.com to 1-800-Flowers.com for $252 million at Fox Business. Read more

 

Amazon Changes the Way It Recruits M.B.A.s by Patrick Thomas at Wall Street Journal. “In the recent past, (Amazon) has hired as many as 1,000 full-time and intern M.B.A.s each year, concentrating on a couple dozen elite programs…Now, in its quest for recruits with a combination of technical skills and business acumen, Amazon says it has broadened its scope and has extended offers to students from 80 M.B.A. programs, curtailing some campus visits and putting a heavy emphasis on virtual meetings.” WSJ subs.

 

Warren Buffett buys $500M / 2.3% stake in Kroger by Alexander Coolidge at Cincinnati Enquirer.  Tiered subs.

 

FOR SALE – Blue Apron is considering selling itself by Megan Rose Dickey at TechCrunch. “In Q4 2019, Blue Apron reported a net revenue decrease of 33% year-over-year, to $94.3 million. For the full fiscal year of 2019, revenues decreased 32%, to $454.9 million from $667.6 million the year prior.” Read more

 

Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen Appointed to American Heart Association CEO Roundtable Press release

 

Nike’s new CEO shuffles execs with new CFO, COO at Fox Business. “Mr. Donahoe, who took over last month as CEO, said the changes demonstrate the depth of the company’s management bench. The former eBay Inc. chief executive and technology veteran succeeded longtime Nike chief Mark Parker, who stayed on as executive chairman.” Read more

 

How H-E-B helped reduce utility company’s request for electricity price hike by L.M. Sixel at Houston Chronicle. “H-E-B was experiencing so many power outages at its Houston-area stores that three years ago it began installing its own backup generators to keep food at the right temperature. So when CenterPoint Energy, the regulated utility that distributes electricity to the Houston area, asked Texas regulators to raise rates this spring by $161 million and to boost its profit to 10.4 percent, H-E-B stepped up and said the utility didn’t deserve either.” Tiered subs.

 

Tipsheet Extra

77 of the Most Anticipated Movies for the Rest of 2020

Can San Francisco be saved?

70,000 ceiling fans sold at Lowe’s recalled because the blades can fly off

Publix faces lawsuit for selling knife after child fatally stabbed

Kroger gives CPG advertisers more sales visibility

20K sign petition to save movie theatre from being demolished for a Costco

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: WM +1.9% | Sam’s +0.8% | Belk -80 HQ | Wegmans #3 Workplace

/in

 

Walmart earnings and outlook fall short as holiday season disappoints at CNBC. “Same-store sales: up 1.9% in the U.S. vs. growth of 2.3% expected. “Sales leading up to Christmas in our U.S. stores were a little softer than expected,” CEO Doug McMillon said.” Read more

 

…Sam’s Club (comp sales) climbed just 0.8%, compared with growth of 3.4% a year earlier

 

Walmart employees say they’re preparing for job cuts as retailer rolls out its ‘Great Workplace’ program by Abha Bhattarai at Washington Post. “Everyone’s on pins and needles right now,” said a customer service manager at a Neighborhood Market in South Carolina who has been working for Walmart for 14 years…The store where she works, she said, is replacing six customer service managers with four newly created positions. Employees who don’t make the cut will either be terminated or asked to apply for lower-paying positions, according to two store employees briefed on the transition.” Tiered subs.

 

Belk eliminates 80 positions at corporate office by Catherine Muccigrosso at Charlotte Observer. “The company had about 1,200 employees in 2018 at its Tyvola Road headquarters in Charlotte, down 200 people from two years prior, the Observer previously reported.” Tiered subs.

 

Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For (Wegmans #3, Publix #39, REI #60, Sheetz #80) Ranked list

 

Bed Bath & Beyond agreed to sell online retailer PersonalizationMall.com to 1-800-Flowers.com for $252 million at Fox Business. Read more

 

**A message from Gusto kitchenware: Not made in China. Gusto’s new line of kitchenware is trendy, colorful and affordable. Manufactured by 90-year-old CINSA – the #1 cookware brand in Mexico. Diversify your kitchenware supply chain today. PowerPoint | POG | Request samples: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Bezos launching initiative that commits $10 billion to combat climate change at The Hill. “The fund will provide donations — not investments that Bezos could potentially profit from, The New York Times reported, citing a person with knowledge of the plan. The initiative is reportedly separate from Amazon’s work.” Read more

 

Advance Auto Parts Q4 comp sales +0.1% Press release

 

IKEA to offer home insurance with Swiss financial group at Fox Business. “The product is being rolled out in Switzerland and Singapore first.” Read more

 

Amazon Changes the Way It Recruits M.B.A.s by Patrick Thomas at Wall Street Journal. “In the recent past, (Amazon) has hired as many as 1,000 full-time and intern M.B.A.s each year, concentrating on a couple dozen elite programs…Now, in its quest for recruits with a combination of technical skills and business acumen, Amazon says it has broadened its scope and has extended offers to students from 80 M.B.A. programs, curtailing some campus visits and putting a heavy emphasis on virtual meetings.” WSJ subs.

 

Pier 1 files for bankruptcy at CNN. “(Pier 1) released a statement saying that it reached a plan with lenders to provide it with $256 million. It will try to find a buyer for the company.” Read more

 

Warren Buffett buys $500M stake in Kroger by Alexander Coolidge at Cincinnati Enquirer. “Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has acquired a 2.3% stake in Cincinnati-based Kroger, government disclosures say.” Tiered subs.

 

Amazon stops working with several small delivery contractors, forcing companies to lay off hundreds at GeekWire. Read more

 

How H-E-B helped reduce utility company’s request for electricity price hike by L.M. Sixel at Houston Chronicle. “H-E-B was experiencing so many power outages at its Houston-area stores that three years ago it began installing its own backup generators to keep food at the right temperature. So when CenterPoint Energy, the regulated utility that distributes electricity to the Houston area, asked Texas regulators to raise rates this spring by $161 million and to boost its profit to 10.4 percent, H-E-B stepped up and said the utility didn’t deserve either.” Tiered subs.

 

Tipsheet Extra

Can San Francisco be saved?

70,000 ceiling fans sold at Lowe’s recalled because the blades can fly off

Publix faces lawsuit for selling knife after child fatally stabbed

Kroger gives CPG advertisers more sales visibility

20K sign petition to save movie theatre from being demolished for a Costco

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

Tipsheet: Self-Checkout Headaches | Barneys Closes 2/23 | Tesco Stopped Rivals

/in

 

US retail sales up a modest 0.3% in January at Fox Business. “Sales at furniture stores shot up 0.6%, rebounding from a 1.6% decline in December. Sales at hardware and other building supply stores surged 2.1%, building on a strong 1.3% gain in December. Sales at general merchandise stores…rose a solid 0.5% in January, up from a 0.4% December increase….department store category…show(ed) a tiny increase of 0.1% in January following a 0.6% decline in December.” Read more

 

Kudlow: New tax cuts will ‘probably come out sometime in September’ at The Hill. Read more

 

Barneys New York to close all stores for good Feb. 23 at NY Post. “Barneys corporate offices at 575 Fifth Ave. also will close in 10 days, the filing said…Barneys management told staffers that they would receive five weeks of severance pay if they have worked for the company for two years or longer.” Read more

 

UK regulator raps Tesco for unlawfully preventing rival store openings at Reuters. “Tesco (found) 23 breaches in total…“It’s unacceptable that Tesco had these unlawful restrictions in place for up to a decade…” said Andrea Gomes da Silva, executive director, markets and mergers, at the CMA.” Read more

 

Stores and Shoppers Agree: Self-Checkout Is Hard by Sarah Nassauer at Wall Street Journal. “As Walmart backed away from weight-based theft detection on its self-checkout machines, it started using a data-gathering camera system made by Everseen Ltd., a technology company based in Cork, Ireland. Walmart said Everseen camera systems are in more than 2,000 stores. The system uses cameras to track product and shopper movement…” WSJ subs.

 

Canadian Tire Q4 comp sales +4.8% Press release

 

Wayfair is cutting 550 jobs at CNN. “Sales growth at Wayfair has slowed down in recent quarters…Wayfair’s stock has dropped 20% over the past year. The company has a history of losses, in part because of the high costs of shipping bulky furniture.” Read more

 

Ace Hardware Q4 comp sales +2.1% Press release

 

**A message from EasyLock keyless locking deadbolt – An unlocked deadbolt is useless! EasyLock = twist to lock/priced right. Video | Product sheet | Sample @ info@eyeonretail.net

 

Apple expands ‘Quick Look’ to let retailers sell things directly in augmented reality by Greg Kumparak at TechCrunch. “Apple previewed the feature at WWDC last year; this week, a handful of big retailers — Home Depot, Wayfair, Bang & Olufsen and 1-800-Flowers — are rolling out their implementations.” Read more

 

Ahold Delhaize Q4 comp sales +2.3% / online +42.7% Press release

 

Wawa goes after the dinner crowd with burgers and chicken sandwiches by Nathaniel Meyersohn at CNN. “The Philadelphia Inquirer reviewed Wawa’s new foods and was unimpressed. The $5.99 burger was “mushy and gray all the way through, and as perfectly formed as a lab specimen,” it said in its review, while the breading on the $5.49 chicken sandwich was “gummy, moist, flavorless, and devoid of crunch.” Read more

 

DSW partners with Jennifer Lopez for exclusive shoe collection at MarketWatch. Read more

 

Jim Cramer: Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is bargain stock in a market near its highs at CNBC. “Now that I’ve done my homework … I think [Butler’s] successor is up for the challenge and the stock has become ridiculously cheap here and deserves to be bought.” Read more

 

Yelp Q4: revenue +10% / net income was $17 million (compared to $32 million in Q4 2018) Press release

 

A giant project will bring Target and 550 apartments to Miami’s struggling Overtown by Andres Viglucci at Miami Herald. “The plan, which Swerdlow said has full financing from private backers, would represent the biggest financial infusion in history in Overtown, an impoverished, formerly segregated neighborhood that has struggled for decades to attract investment.” Read more

 

eBay completes sale of StubHub to viagogo for $4.05 billion in cash Press release

 

‘Hamburglar’ shoplifter sentenced to prison, admits to stealing more than 1,000 times at KGW8. “A KGW investigation in 2017 found retailers and police frustrated by a flawed system that allows shoplifters to re-offend without facing serious consequences…”I know the law. I know the rules. I know what I can and can’t do,” Sanders told a Portland police detective during a videotaped interview in 2016. “Every time I get out of prison, I steal.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Wedding dresses delayed at least six weeks due to coronavirus

Unilever to stop marketing to children under 13

Meijer debuts a first-of-its-kind sushi and craft beer bar

Kroger is first supermarket chain to lobby Federal Gov’t on hemp

Couche-Tard Ups Its Bid for Australia’s Caltex

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: Amazon Groc Peek | CVS Beats | Kohl’s Cuts 250 | WM Mktg Reorg

/in

 

CVS Health beats on fourth-quarter earnings and revenue at CNBC. “Same-store sales rose 3.2% during the quarter, with sales in its pharmacy unit up 4.1%.” Read more

 

A first peek inside Amazon’s new grocery store at Bloomberg. “The $800 billion grocery industry is keeping a sharp eye on a strip mall in the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. There, sandwiched between a nail salon and a bank branch, Amazon.com Inc. is working on the first in a new chain of grocery stores set to open this year. The company has kept construction inside the store firmly under wraps, and, until now, no one has peeked in on Amazon’s latest plan to upend how food is sold. Based on never-before-seen photos of the facility at 6245 Topanga Canyon Blvd., as well as planning documents filed with the city, the store looks remarkably conventional…” Tiered subs.

 

Kohl’s eliminating around 250 positions in corporate restructuring by Sarah Hauer at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “The departures include removing a layer of regional store leadership roles and positions, restructuring teams in our merchant organization, and changes to other positions in our corporate offices,” Johnson said.” Read more

 

Walmart’s marketing division realignment continues by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “Rich Lehrfeld, SVP of brand marketing, media and creative, will serve as the retailer’s interim chief marketing officer…“For the last number of months, he [Lehrfeld] has made a big difference focusing on how we bring the team together, drive the business and advance Walmart’s creative execution and reputation,” (Janey) Whiteside noted in an internal memo dated Jan. 31, and obtained by Talk Business & Politics on Wednesday (Feb. 12).” Details/Names

 

Jeff Bezos buys L.A. mansion for $165M and land from Paul Allen estate for $90M at GeekWire. Read more | WSJ article (subs.)

 

Report: Supermarkets should do a better job informing shoppers about product recalls at USA Today. “A vast majority of stores – 84% – failed to “adequately inform the public about recall notification efforts”…The only chains to get passing grades: Harris Teeter, Kroger, Smith’s and Target.” Read more

 

Walmart to Scale Back Jetblack After Investor Talks Fizzle by Sarah Nassauer at Wall Street Journal. “The New York City-based unit, which offers fast product delivery through text message, plans to rebrand and in coming months would cease to be a personal-shopping service, some of these people said. Its technology could be moved within Walmart, they said.” WSJ subs.

 

Shares of Stage Stores plunge amid bankruptcy speculation by Paul Takahashi at Houston Chronicle. “Stage Stores’ financial woes comes as the retailer is converting all of its department stores into Gordmans locations, betting the company’s future on the still-flourishing off-price segment of the retail industry.” Tiered subs.

 

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Peapod is shutting down grocery delivery in the Midwest and cutting 500 jobs at Chicago Tribune. “Chicago will remain the headquarters for Peapod Digital Labs, which runs the e-commerce technology for Ahold Delhaize’s U.S. grocery brands. Peapod Digital Labs employs about 450 people, half of them in Chicago, and plans to hire 100 more people this year.” Tiered subs.

 

Morgan Stanley Accused Of Draining Tops Markets Dry Law 360 subs.

 

Target apologizes for selling ‘Minnesota Badgers’ onesies at ESPN. “Target apologized to University of Minnesota Golden Gophers fans Tuesday for carrying a maroon onesie with the words “Minnesota Badgers,” the nickname of Big Ten rival Wisconsin.” Pic/Read more

 

Amazon headquarters in Madrid briefly evacuated after false bomb threat at Fox Business. Read more

 

Direct-to-consumer ‘is no longer a fad,’ Shopify COO says after strong Q4 earnings report at CNBC. “(Shopify) grew its top line by 47% year over year to $505.2 million in the December quarter…“We think we can be the entrepreneurship company. While other companies are trying to build empires, we are arming the rebels.” (COO) Finkelstein said.” Video/Read more

 

Alibaba beats estimates on record Singles’ Day sales at Reuters. “The company said sales during the 24-hour shopping event hit a record $38.4 billion in 2019.” Read more

 

Home Depot’s strategy for hiring 80,000 new workers: help them with paying for school at CNBC. “The program provides part-time hourly employees $1,500 for educational expenses on their first day, $3,000 to full-time hourly employees and $5,000 for salaried employees.” Read more

 

Officer Buys Plane Ticket Home For Heartbroken Woman Stranded In Walmart After Falling Victim To Dating Scam at CBS 13 Baltimore. “I think that she only had three dollars on her. She was essentially homeless,” Gilbert Police Officer Adam Walicke told CBS affiliate KPHO. Walicke thought about taking her to a homeless shelter, but “that just did not sit well with me.” Video/Read more

 

‘Stopped dead in his tracks:’ toddler in awe when he saw Target ad with boy in wheelchair at Fox 6 Now. “It was just a beautiful moment to see — him admiring somebody like him — because he doesn’t get to see that often,” said Garza-Pena. Garza-Pena took to Facebook to share the moment that brought her to tears, and to celebrate Target’s inclusivity. The post quickly went viral.” Read more/Pic

 

Tipsheet Extra

Amazon patents a launch system for snapping payloads into the air

7-Eleven reportedly among those eyeing a takeover of Speedway

.com prices could rise for the first time in eight years

Police confront black man wearing KKK robe outside Target

Popular Costco store to close

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Tipsheet: Kroger #1 @ Daytona | WM Hero Needs Help | REI’s Outdoorsy HQ

/in

 

2 police officers injured, suspect dead at Walmart shooting in Arkansas at USA Today. “According to Forrest City police officials, a call was made to authorities from someone inside the Walmart Supercenter, about 50 miles west of Memphis, Tennessee. The caller reported an individual inside the store was making threats, acting suspicious and, as the police chief described it, “talking out of his head.” Officers arrived around 10:30 and confronted the man.” Read more

 

International Housewares Association cancels part of its Chicago show because of coronavirus travel limitations by Abdel Jimenez at Chicago Tribune. “The Inspired Home Show will not include an International Sourcing Expo, which was to include dishes, flatware and other household products made by 500 Chinese companies, said Leana Salamah, the International Housewares Association’s vice president of marketing.” Tiered subs.

 

Macy’s plan to build billion-dollar private label brands faces tough odds by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “The textbook case of private-label success is Target’s extensive brand overhaul…But here’s the rub: private label only works if consumers want what the brand sells. Indeed, trying to rejuvenate older brands is not easy. Just ask Kohl’s and J.C. Penney.” Read more

 

Walmart’s Mexico unit posts 2.7% rise in January same-store sales at Reuters. Read more

 

REI Building the Most Outdoorsy HQ Ever by Konrad Putzier at Wall Street Journal. “Once it opens in the summer, workers will be able to walk from one room to the next through outdoor staircases and bridges. They can hold group meetings on rooftop terraces, or around a fire pit in a courtyard full of native plants. Skylights and oversize sliding doors will bring in sunshine and air. “You can’t really be in the building anywhere without having a visual connection to the outdoors,” said Mindy Levine-Archer, a partner at architecture firm NBBJ, which designed the project.” WSJ subs.

 

Kroger Names Keith Dailey Group Vice President of Corporate Affairs Press release

 

Stakes Run High for Mall Owner Trying to Save Forever 21 by Esther Fung at Wall Street Journal. “Analysts are split about whether Simon Property Group Inc.’s bid to rescue a distressed fast-fashion retailer will succeed…Simon Property, Brookfield Property Partners LP and Authentic Brands Group LLC made an $81 million bid for Forever 21 Inc. last week. The retailer now says it will go ahead after no rival bids emerged.” WSJ subs.

 

Under Armour shares tank on sales miss, sees $50 million to $60 million hit from coronavirus at CNBC. Read more

 

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Democratic senators press Amazon over injury rates by Emily Birnbaum at The Hill. “The senators also called called for a “comprehensive ergonomic evaluation of all warehouse tasks.” The company said it has already employed many ergonomic experts to observe and update how workers are advised to move on the job. The senators asked for a written response by Feb. 21.” Read more

 

…Amazon’s PR chief gets combative on Twitter over media criticism by Nick Statt at The Verge. “Carney’s op-ed for the NYT framed a 2018 phone call from Sanders as a voice of support from the senator for Amazon raising its minimum wage to $15 an hour. It did, however, leave out that Amazon did so after pressure from Sanders himself, among other vocal critics and labor activists.” Read more

 

Nearly 70% of U.S. smart speaker owners use an Amazon Echo device by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Kroger is main sponsor of pole position car at the 2020 Daytona 500 at Cincinnati Enquirer. “It was a great start, definitely thrilled about it,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “It’s been an offseason that’s had a lot of news. New people, new team, new manufacturer and new partners. Obviously, The Kroger Company has been a big part of what we do at JTG Daugherty Racing.” Tiered subs.

 

El Paso Walmart mass-shooting hero says he suffered minor heart attack and is asking for financial support on a GoFundMe page by Aaron Montes at El Paso Times. “As of Monday afternoon, he had raised $3,817 of a $50,000 goal.” Read more

 

Home Depot Roars Back on Radio at Radio Ink. “(Home Depot) rose more than 20 places to land at number two on the Media Monitors chart of the nation’s leading radio advertisers. Home Depot had been quiet by its own standards for some time, but last week ran 47,697 spots.” Read more

 

Brandless, the pioneering Amazon alternative, shuts down at Fast Company. “The company, which sold simply branded household, personal care, baby, and pet products on the cheap, is no longer taking orders and has laid off 70 people. The last 10 employees still working at the company will process the remaining few customer orders…” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

H-E-B gives $100 bills to all employees after being named top grocer

Save A Lot Stores Closing in Florida

Jennifer Lopez promotes Walmart frozen meals

SiriusXM Acquires Minority Stake in SoundCloud for $75 Million

Tyson Foods to trim corporate payroll with about 500 job cuts

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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