Tipsheet: Amazon’s Orchestra | B.Buy Exec Denies | Bezos DC Party

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US core capital goods orders post biggest drop in 8 months at CNBC. “Orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending plans, fell 0.9% last month, the Commerce Department said.” Read more

 

Nike⁠⁠ (And Some Resellers⁠) Reportedly Suspend Kobe Bryant Merch Sales To Limit Profiteering at Forbes. Read more

 

How Amazon escapes liability for the riskiest products on its site by Colin Lecher at The Verge. “A recent decision from a federal circuit court has thrown the status quo into doubt. In 2014, a woman named Heather Oberdorf lost vision in one eye after a dog leash she’d ordered from an Amazon Marketplace seller broke as she took her dog for a walk…Oberdorf lost the case in a Pennsylvania district court, but the decision was reversed on appeal…” Read more

 

US home prices accelerate amid dwindling supply of homes at AP. “The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city home price index rose 2.6% in November from a year ago, up from a 2.2% annual gain in October.” Read more

 

Amazon has an orchestra by Chip Cutter at Wall Street Journal. “In the city that birthed grunge and was home to acts such as Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix, the latest musical sensation is the Amazon Symphony Orchestra. With a repertoire ranging from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 to Disney’s “Frozen,” Amazon’s nearly 100-employee orchestra is one of a number of acts following in the corporate music-tradition of old industry giants like Boeing Co. and Eastman Kodak Co.” WSJ subs.

 

Former colleague accused of affair with Best Buy CEO denies allegations by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “The former colleague Best Buy CEO Corie Barry has been accused of having an inappropriate relationship with has denied the allegation. In a short e-mail to the Star Tribune, Karl Sanft wrote: “The anonymous allegation that I had an affair with Corie Barry is false.” He said he had no further comment.” Tiered subs.

 

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Amazon’s big umbrellas renew a stormy old debate about Seattle culture by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “They cover people and dogs as the dogs — there are so many dogs at Amazon — do their business outside. “The dogs are divas and have to be covered while going to the bathroom,” an Amazon employee said to me while she stood in the rain without an umbrella…The umbrellas, which are big enough to cover at least three people, are available to employees or anyone visiting Amazon HQ.” Read more

 

Amazon asks FCC to give swift approval to Project Kuiper satellite network despite SpaceX opposition by Alan Boyle at GeekWire. Read more

 

Magazine buds from blog over Walmart by Serenah McCay at Arkansas Democrat. “Now social media stars with more than 316,000 Instagram followers, they’re highlighting products they love from (Walmart) in a quarterly magazine. Halford and Jerkins launched whoa, wait. in September with a fall/winter edition, and the spring issue hits Walmart store racks Feb. 2.” Read more

 

Family told to “step away” from Costco sample station due to coronavirus fears at King 5 News. Read more

 

After-party at Jeff Bezos’ D.C. mansion attracts Bill Gates, Ivanka Trump and other notable guests by Kurt Schlosser at DailyMail. “Bezos invited his high-flying friends to his home after they attended the annual, exclusive Alafalfa Club Dinner in DC. Guests arrived in elegant suits and floor-length dresses for the swanky affair Saturday evening, but Bezos and his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez were nowhere to be seen at the entrance to the 11-bedroom, 25-bathroom grand mansion.” Pics/Read more

 

FDA to Purell: Stop claiming your hand sanitizers eliminate Ebola and the flu at CNN. “Federal regulators also took issue with the company saying that Purell products are proven to “reduce student absenteeism by up to 51%.” Read more

 

Leaked Documents Expose the Secretive Market for Your Web Browsing Data by Joseph Cox at Vice. “An Avast antivirus subsidiary sells ‘Every search. Every click. Every buy. On every site.’ Its clients have included Home Depot, Google, Microsoft, Pepsi, and McKinsey.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

A new Pinterest feature allows users to virtually try on products, starting with lipstick

Casper Sleep IPO slipping over fact it doesn’t make its own mattresses

Verizon is the best wireless carrier, report says

Walmart wants court to rehear case on $55M back pay for truck drivers

Joanna and Chip Gaines Launch New Target Furniture Line

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Tipsheet: Albertsons Seeks IPO | NJ Mega-Mall 790K | New Home Sales Drop

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U.S. new home sales drop for third straight month in December at Reuters. “The Commerce Department said on Monday new home sales slipped 0.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 694,000 units last, with sales in the South dropping to more than a one-year low.” Read more

 

Walmart is raising starting hourly wage to $12 at 500 stores at AP via USA Today. “Walmart Inc. raised its starting pay to $11 an hour in early 2018. That still lags other rivals like Target. In 2017, Target announced a plan to raise starting hourly wages to $15 by the end of this year. Target’s starting wage is currently at $13 per hour.” Read more

 

China coronavirus: Hong Kong medical experts call for ‘draconian’ measures in city as research estimates there are already 44,000 cases in Wuhan at South China Morning Post. “University of Hong Kong academics on Monday estimated that the number of patients in Wuhan had reached 43,590 by Saturday, including those in the incubation stage of the virus, which causes pneumonia. Mainland authorities have put the number of confirmed cases across the country at about 2,800 as of Monday, with the death toll at 81.” Read more

 

…J&J scientific officer ‘pretty confident’ they can create coronavirus vaccine as outbreak widens at CNBC. “But Dr. Paul Stoffels said it could take up to a year to bring it to market. Stoffels said that J&J needed to start from scratch on this vaccine, much like how it operated in the Zika outbreak.” Read more

 

Safeway owner Albertsons seeks IPO amid woes over underfunded pensions by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “Albertsons…is locked in a battle over a group pension plan covering some 50,000 supermarket workers in the Washington, D.C. area…The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union…claims Safeway in its 2012 and 2016 worker agreements included a guarantee to cover one-third of all pension losses in the group plan — beyond its obligations to Safeway employees. That would amount to roughly $565 million.” Read more

 

Grocery Delivery Goes Small With Micro-Fulfillment Centers by Jennifer Smith at Wall Street Journal. “Micro-fulfillment centers provide another, potentially less costly option. Takeoff Technologies Inc.’s 10,000-square-foot systems, for example, cost around $3 million and can be up and running in about four months, said Chief Operating Officer Laura Scott. The centers hold some 15,000 different products and require about a dozen workers to operate, including some manual picking.” WSJ subs.

 

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How Under Armour Lost Its Edge by Julie Creswell & Kevin Draper at NY Times. “The fashion cycle moved away from them. They stayed true to their muse, performance footwear and apparel,” said Matt Powell, an analyst with the NPD Group. “But that’s just not where the business is. Right now, it’s all about fashion and athleisure.” Tiered subs.

 

American Dream has been open for 3 months. Are people going to the mega-mall? by Allison Pries at NJ Advance Media. “…if its first three months in business are any indication, American Dream is proving the nay-sayers wrong. The long-awaited mega-mall in the Meadowlands has seen more than 790,000 visitors since it opened its doors three months ago this weekend…much lower than the 100,000 visitors per day that Triple Five projected for the center when it’s fully open. But, right now, only 8% of American Dream is operating.” Read more

 

Hundreds of Amazon employees protest company PR policy by speaking out about climate change by Monica Nickelsburg at GeekWire. “More than 340 workers criticized Amazon’s contribution to climate change Sunday in a Medium post, violating corporate PR rules that prevent employees from discussing company business without approval.” Read more

 

Cities Prepare for the Worst as Food Stamp Cuts Near by Lola Fadula at NY Times via MSN. “To the Trump administration, record low unemployment and steady economic growth mean there is no time like the present to nudge people off federal assistance. Around 40 million people access the food-stamp program each year, nearly 3 million of them able-bodied, without children. Of those 3 million, around 2 million do not work.” Read more

 

American Households Waste Nearly A Third Of Their Food, Study Finds by Ben Renner at Study Finds. “…higher-income households generate more waste on average. Households with healthier diets that include more perishable vegetables and fruits also tend to waste more food. “It’s possible that programs encouraging healthy diets may unintentionally lead to more waste,” Jaenicke explains.” Read more

 

Atari to open video game-themed hotels across the U.S. by Chris Morris at Fortune. “…will result in eight or more Atari-themed hotels around the U.S., the first of which breaks ground in Phoenix, Ariz. later this year, CEO Fred Chesnais tells Fortune. Planned features for the hotels range from arcade bars to fine restaurants, with a smattering of augmented and virtual reality tech in between. Select locations will also feature e-sports studios…” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Coronavirus sparks Starbucks, McDonald’s closures in China

Walmart reaches agreement on 810-megawatt wind project

‘The new rule of thumb is $3 million’ saved for retirement

Clayton Christensen, author of “The Innovator’s Dilemma,” has passed away

What famous retailers looked like when they first opened

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Tipsheet: Hayneedle Cuts 200 | WM Reinventing Merchants | W.Foods Food Shortage

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Hayneedle lays off 200 employees in Omaha, closes main office at 94th and Dodge at KETV ABC 7. “…leaving 100 people working in Omaha….The Hayneedle business and select functions are being integrated within Walmart.com…In May 2019, 59 Hayneedle employees were laid off at the office at 94th and West Dodge. Another 180 were let go from the customer care location in the Chalco Hills area southwest of Omaha.” Video/Read more

 

U.S. Signals Crackdown on Counterfeit Goods Sold Online by William Mauldin & Alex Leary at Wall Street Journal. “The DHS report, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, says law enforcement will begin identifying cases immediately and “seek all available statutory authorities to pursue civil fines and other penalties against these entities.” It also calls for new laws “to explicitly permit the government to seek injunctive relief against third-party marketplaces and other intermediaries dealing in counterfeit merchandise.” WSJ subs.

 

Whole Foods shoppers report food shortages by Hayley Peterson at Business Insider. “Whole Foods said Wednesday that its supplier of private-label beans, grains, lentils, and rice unexpectedly closed, leading to shortages of those items nationwide. The Amazon-owned company also said it recently faced some weather-related issues that temporarily impacted the availability of lettuce from California.” Read more

 

Walmart seeking to reinvent role of merchants to be more efficient by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “It’s a very big job for the buyers and their team of five or six that they also manage,” (Rick) Lockton added. “Buyers still walk around with 20 more reports every day. This part of the business is still quite manual. It’s still old school. My team is working on five different issues that deal with functions of the buyer’s work.” Read more

 

Coach suddenly folds up ginormous Manhattan store by Steve Cuozzo at NY Post. “The 6,000 square-foot Coach emporium at 595 Madison Ave. had been at the prime corner for more than thirty years. Coach spokesperson Andrea Shaw Resnick said the closing “was always part of our planning when we opened our Coach House store at 685 Fifth Ave.” That was in 2016.” Read more

 

Timberland Struggles to Sell Its Classic Boot by Charity L. Scott at Wall Street Journal. “Sales of the iconic boot brand in the December quarter fell 4% from a year earlier, according to owner VF Corp. And executives warned that sales were expected to fall for the fiscal year that ends in March, instead of increase as they had previously promised.” WSJ subs.

 

23andMe just laid off 100 employees by Monica Chen at CNBC. “CEO Anne Wojcicki told CNBC she’s been “surprised” to see the market starting to turn…“This has been slow and painful for us,” she said…Wojcicki notes that privacy could be a factor.” Read more

 

**A message from Home & Outdoor cookware – High quality cookware made for the cabin, camping, and the great outdoors. 3X stain and scratch resistance. Retail ready packaging. Sales deck | Samples: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Ralph Lauren CEO says the closet of the future will likely have three distinct sections by Christopher Zara at Fast Company. “(CEO) Louvet said the wardrobe of a typical consumer will consist of three categories: rented clothes, pre-owned clothes, and new clothes…“Consumers today are not necessarily excited about owning, particularly the younger population,” Louvet said. “ Read more

 

36% of online shoppers more likely to make a purchase if the product was delivered by drone (25% less likely) at Fox Business. Read more

 

Walmart debuts gym memberships for ‘$9 a paycheck’ by Shawn M. Carter at Fox Business. “…which is about $234 a year based on 26 paychecks annually…Users can visit Walmart’s gym page to find access to 9,000 facilities in all 50 states.” Read more

 

Sonos CEO apologizes for confusion, will deliver bug fixes and security patches to legacy products “for as long as possible” by Chris Welch at The Verge. Read more

 

Tiffany’s $21M Win Over Costco On Thin Ice In 2nd Circ. Law 360 subs.

 

Instacart Launches New “Instacart Meals” Product For Grocers “…a new grocery meals product that powers easy ordering, delivery and pickup of made-to-order food…As a first step, Instacart has collaborated with Publix to introduce the product with a new digital deli counter including its popular Publix subs.” Press release

 

Kroger Shares Fresh Food Trends for 2020 and Launches Podcast Press release

 

How Costco and Sam’s Club compare in ecommerce by Jacquelyn Cooley at Digital Commerce 360. “Over 50% of dollars spent in the last year on Costco.com were in the Appliances, Electronics or Industrial & Home Improvement departments. These three departments only comprise 15% of Samsclub.com sales…Sam’s Club’s robust pick-up-in-store and home-delivery services allow the retailer to excel in fast-moving consumer goods. 38% of sales come from Grocery and Household Essentials…” Read more

 

Hanford’s first Smart & Final Extra! store set to open Press release

 

Kroger and Ocado to Operate High-Tech Customer Fulfillment Center in Frederick, Maryland “350,000-square-foot CFC…400 new jobs will be created with up to 100 more added later…located at 7106 Geoffrey Way in Frederick, MD…expected to become operational 24 months after the site breaks ground and will service several markets, including Washington D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia.” Press release

 

‘No smoking gun’: Bezos hacking report leaves cybersecurity experts with doubts by Brian Fung at CNN. Read more

 

7-Eleven is 70,000 Stores Strong Press release

 

Target’s new swimwear campaign features model with rare skin condition by Samantha Kubota at NBC Today. “Target’s 2020 swim campaign features Jeyza Gary, who has a rare skin condition called Ichthyosis…Gary, despite having a genetic condition that makes her skin scaly, says she has always believed in self-love. “Obviously, I have limitations but I’m not the kind of person who highlights things I can’t do,” she said. “I just work around them.” Read more/Pics

 

Tipsheet Extra

Although 25 percent said there would be less likely to order something.

Inside the big business of babymaking

Lowe’s employee fears financial future after change in pay structure

NY Times: Jeff Bezos, Tabloid Man

Pre-production of Obi-Wan Kenobi Series at Disney Plus put on hold

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Tipsheet: Amazon Lobby $ +12% | CVS Co-Founder Dead | H&M #27 Sustainable

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Fairway Files for Bankruptcy, Plans to Sell Five NYC Stores at Spectrum News NY 1. “Fairway Market has announced it is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and has agreed to sell five of its 14 stores and a distribution center. The price of the deal with Village Supermarket, owner of the ShopRite chain, is about $70 million and was announced Thursday morning.” Read more

 

The Top 25 Philanthropists In America by Jennifer Wang at Forbes: Walton Family #5 / eBay founder Pierre Omidyar #9 / Bernard & Billi Marcus #21 List

 

They Changed the Way You Buy Your Basics by Lawrence Ingrassia at NY Times. “Not long ago, it would have been difficult to imagine that a start-up company could take significant sales from Gillette…Astonishingly, Dollar Shave Club and Harry’s, a rival launched a year later, have done just that. By 2018, the two start-ups together had grabbed nearly 14 percent of U.S. razor blade sales…” Tiered subs.

 

Target CIO Helped Retailer Find Its Tech Groove by Sara Castellanos at Wall Street Journal. “Today, Target has about 4,000 IT employees, more than 80% of whom are full-time software engineers and developers. Before Mr. McNamara took over, the company had about 10,000 IT workers…The retailer can do more with fewer employees, Mr. McNamara said, because senior management prioritizes only technology initiatives that have a direct impact on business objectives such as revenue growth.” WSJ subs.

 

The world’s most sustainable corporations 2020 at Corporate Knights: H&M #27 / Adidas #55 / Campbell Soup #93 Top 100 list

 

Facebook, Amazon and Apple set records in annual spending on lobbying at MarketWatch. “Amazon has reported spending $16.1 million in 2019 vs. $14.4 million a year ago, and Apple said it put forth $7.4 million, topping its 2018 outlay of $6.7 million and its 2017 total of $7.2 million.” Read more

 

As Mobile App Downloads Swell, Amazon, AliExpress and Walmart Lead Retail at WWD. “Downloads are largely fueled by emerging markets, including India, Brazil and Indonesia,” the researchers said. “Consumers in mature markets like the U.S., Japan and [South] Korea have seen download growth level off, but are still seeking out new apps.” Tiered subs.

 

Express closing 91 stores by Nathan Bomey at USA Today. “Express had 411 primarily mall-based retail stores and 215 outlet stores as of Nov. 2, according to a public filing.” Read more

 

**A message from Sweets & Snacks Expo. Save the date: May 19-21, 2020 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Your year starts here. Website/Register

 

CVS co-founder Ralph Hoagland III is dead at 86 by Chauncey Alcorn at CNN. “Hoagland and his business partners, Sid and Stan Goldstein, started selling health and beauty products out of Hoagland’s apartment in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1963, establishing the world’s first Consumer Value Stores location.” Read more

 

Union membership falls to record low of 10.3 percent at The Hill. Read more

 

Hy-Vee announces changes to its executive team at Progressive Grocer. “Jay Marshall elevated to vice chairman…(Marshall) will continue to oversee the operations of Hy-Vee’s supply chain and subsidiaries…Darren Baty, current Hy-Vee EVP, will take on the role of chief merchandising officer.” Read more

 

J.C. Penney’s poison pill is about to expire by Maria Halkias at Dallas Morning News. Tiered subs.

 

Amazon Music passes 55 million customers as it chips away at Spotify and Apple Music by Chris Welch at The Verge. “There’s still a long way to go if Amazon wants to catch Spotify, which most recently reported 113 million paying customers (and 248 million monthly users overall) back in September. Apple last cited an Apple Music subscriber count of over 60 million.” Read more

 

Gap looks to ‘redefine’ CMO role as Alegra O’Hare exits after 11 months by Katie Deighton at The Drum. “O’Hare joined from Adidas last February. She was tasked with launching a multi-pronged, 50-year anniversary celebration while building a life raft for the brand at the same time.” Read more

 

Morrisons, Britain’s No. 4 supermarket group, plans to cut 3,000 management jobs as part of a major restructuring of its workforce that will see 7,000 store jobs created at Reuters. Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

How Mike Bloomberg Got New York to Eat Its Veggies

Bon Jovi opens pay-what-you can restaurant on college campus

1 Dead, 2 hurt in triple shooting outside Philly Target store

Man says he’s Walmart shooting mystery hero

NYC stores must accept cash payment under bill set to pass Thursday

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Tipsheet: Jelinek @ CNBC | ‘Target Tori’ | WM #18 Admired

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Costco CEO Craig Jelinek appears on ‘Mad Money’ at CNBC. “We need a lot of volume going through these, as we call them, warehouses. So that’s really what it’s about,” Jelinek said. “We do a lot with very few units [and] turn a lot of inventory, and it just works the best way for us to do it that way. We will continue to expand our Costcos, but we are not going to have one on every corner.” Read more/Video

 

Jeff Bezos hack: Amazon boss’s phone ‘hacked by Saudi crown prince’ by Stephanie Kirchgaessner at The Guardian. “Jeff Bezos had his mobile phone “hacked” in 2018 after receiving a WhatsApp message that had apparently been sent from the personal account of the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, sources have told the Guardian.” Read more

 

…Saudi Arabia calls for probe into ‘absurd’ reports of Bezos phone hacking at The Hill. “Recent media reports that suggest the Kingdom is behind a hacking of Mr. Jeff Bezos’ phone are absurd,” the Saudi Embassy in Washington, D.C., tweeted. “We call for an investigation on these claims so that we can have all the facts out.” Read more

 

…UN calls for investigation into alleged Saudi crown prince involvement in Bezos phone hack at CNBC. “UN Statement: ‘The alleged hacking of Mr. Bezos’s phone, and those of others, demands immediate investigation by US and other relevant authorities, including investigation of the continuous, multi-year, direct and personal involvement of the Crown Prince in efforts to target perceived opponents.” Read more

 

America’s Best Employers For Diversity 2020 List at Forbes: eBay #53, Best Buy #65, Target #90, Trader Joe’s #121…” List

 

Venmo woos retailers with branded, animated stickers for its newsfeed by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. “Historically, the PayPal-owned app’s users would comment on their transactions using text, or, as is more common, emoji. But now the company is planning to add support for custom, animated stickers, as well…For example, one is of a hoagie sandwich broken in half with text that reads “split the bill.” Another features a spinning pizza. One includes two characters pushing an IKEA shopping cart. And so on.” Read more

 

Lucky’s Market reportedly plans to shutter as many as 32 of its 39 stores in 10 states by Kelly Tyko at USA Today. Read more

 

World’s Most Admired Companies at Fortune: Amazon #2, Starbucks #6, Costco #9, Walmart #18, Nordstrom #20, Home Depot #21, Target #22…” List

 

**A message from Sweets & Snacks Expo. Save the date: May 19-21, 2020 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Your year starts here. Website/Register

 

Greeting card and stationery chain Papyrus is closing all 254 of its stores by Kelly Tyko & Nathan Bomey at USA Today. “Most of the 254 closings will take place over four to six weeks, said Dominique Schurman, CEO of Papyrus parent company Schurman Retail Group.” Read more

 

Fairway planning to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, close all its stores by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “The New York City chain — known for its wide selection of cheeses and cheap produce — is planning to file for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which means the grocery chain does not currently have a plan to continue to exist…Under the current plan, Fairway will close all 14 of its stores, including its flagship store at Broadway and West 74th Street, sources said.” Read more

 

Lawsuit claims Amazon and freight partner worked truck driver ‘into the ground,’ causing him to crash by Nat Levy at GeekWire. Read more

 

Stamped on Target’s new athleticwear: an homage to its parent, Dayton’s by John Ewoldt at Star Tribune. “As they planned the All in Motion line, Target designers envisioned a logo representing “collective, inclusive movement.” They found it in one developed for its predecessor 52 years ago.” Tiered subs.

 

Ulta Beauty CEO Mary Dillon to Chair Retail Industry Leaders Association Board of Directors Press release

 

Sainsbury’s turns to retail boss as CEO checks out at Reuters. “Sainsbury’s has picked retail and operations director Simon Roberts to succeed CEO Mike Coupe, the architect of the British supermarket group’s failed bid for rival Asda who will step down in May after six years at the helm.” Read more

 

RH CEO Gary Friedman Bags Another Beverly Hills Estate by James McClain at Variety. “Earlier this month, amid much publicity, he shelled out $37 million for a brand-new Beverly Hills-adjacent estate. But as it turns out, he’s not stopping there — records reveal he’s quietly forked out another $15 million for a second property elsewhere in the same general area.” Pics/Read more

 

Target worker rakes in over $30K in donations after customer shames her on social media for not selling an electronic toothbrush for a penny by Karu F. Daniels at NY Daily News. “My first thought was I wish I had worn makeup to work that day,” Perrotti joked during an interview with NBC News. “It’s so often that people will take the picture and make a meme out of it in a mean way,” she said, adding that “it’s nice to see there’s publicity out of this to support me and my feelings.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Starbucks to phase out black plastic in Canada

Amazon wins patent for robots that drop off bunches of items on delivery routes

France to put on hold digital tax plan, meet with US

Inside the $10 million cyber lab trying to break Apple’s iPhone

Costco’s sea cucumbers sign of global growth opportunity

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Tipsheet: Bezos @ Bollywood | Housing +16.9% | New WM HQ Update

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US housing construction jumps 16.9% in December at AP. “Construction of new homes surged in December to the highest level in 13 years…Housing construction has been rising since July…For the year, builders started work on a total of 1.29 million homes, the best showing since 2007.” Read more

 

U.S. manufacturing output rises unexpectedly at Reuters. “The Federal Reserve said on Friday that manufacturing production rose 0.2% last month after a downwardly revised 1.0% increase in November. Overall industrial output fell 0.3% in December after a downwardly revised increase of 0.8% in November.” Read more

 

Procrastinators abounded this Christmas at CNBC. “Target CEO Brian Cornell said one of the biggest trends he spotted this holiday season was the fact that more shoppers were “comfortable shopping later in the season.”…On Dec. 24, for example, Cornell said Target prepared nearly five times the number of products for curbside pickup of e-commerce orders compared with a year ago.” Read more

 

Barneys Workers Feel Used as They March Store Toward Death by Sapna Maheshwari at NY Times. “Frank Elbling, a sales associate at Barneys for 16 years…has started to send out job applications. “I’ve had some interviews over the phone and they want to offer around 30, 40 percent less pay,” he said, adding, “I can’t afford to do that.” Tiered subs.

 

New Walmart headquarters campus to be ‘part of the neighborhood’ by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “Dan Bartlett, executive vice president of corporate affairs at Walmart, told members of the Northwest Arkansas Council that the retailer’s new corporate headquarters will not be one grand structure, but will be a “functional campus” that will look more like a college campus. Bartlett spoke Wednesday (Jan. 15) at the Northwest Arkansas Council’s winter meeting in Bentonville and shared details about the retail giant’s new corporate campus taking shape in Bentonville.” Read more/Pic

 

NRF Says 2019 Holiday Sales Were Up 4.1% “Down: Sporting goods stores were down 0.4 percent…clothing and clothing accessory stores were down 1.6 percent…electronics and appliance stores were down 2 percent year-over-year.” Press release

 

Signet Jewelers holiday comp sales +1.6% / North America +2.0% Press release

 

China’s Economic Growth Slows to Near 30-Year Low at +6.1% at CNBC. “Other Chinese economic data released alongside the GDP numbers showed growth in industrial output and retail sales for the month of December.” Read more

 

**A message from Real Coconut Water: Sweet, 100% pure coconut water. PL or branded organic in Tetra Pak. Sell sheet | Website | Samples: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Gap Inc. No Longer Pursuing Separation of Old Navy Press release

 

Adidas is banking on Beyonce for growth with Ivy Park athleticwear line debut at CNBC. “Initially, Ivy Park will be smaller than Yeezy, but Ivy Park has the potential to be larger, if managed properly,” says Matt Powell, a senior footwear analyst at NPD Group. Powell says similar to the Yeezy line, he expects Adidas to keep the quantities tight on Ivy Park.” Read more

 

Canadian Tire Corporation Appoints New CFO Press release

 

Luxury retailer Louis Vuitton buys world’s second-largest rough diamond by Noah Manskar at NY Post. “Louis Vuitton’s acquisition of the diamond marks another step into luxury jewelry for its parent company, LVMH. The French luxury conglomerate agreed to buy storied New York jeweler Tiffany & Co. in November for about $16.2 billion.” Read more

 

Amazon is #1 ‘Evil’ Tech Company, According to Experts at Slate. List

 

Why a ban on Vaporfly shoe could boost Nike’s bottom line at Reuters. “Controversy is good for sales,” said Matt Powell, senior sports industry adviser at NPD Group. “Nike has not made a lot of pairs here, so (there is) no real financial impact. Amateur runners can still run in these shoes.” Read more

 

98.6 Degrees Fahrenheit Isn’t the Average Any More by Jo Craven McGinty at Wall Street Journal. “In a new study, researchers from Stanford University argue that Wunderlich’s number was correct at the time but is no longer accurate because the human body has changed. Today, they say, the average normal human-body temperature is closer to 97.5 degrees Fahrenheit.” WSJ subs.

 

Jeff Bezos hangs out with Bollywood stars during India trip at Fox Business. “Jeff Bezos has been rubbing shoulders with some of India’s top entertainers during a trip to the country this week. Bezos and his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, posed for photos at a blue carpet event in Mumbai organized by Amazon Prime Video on Thursday.” Pics/Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Walmart in hot water over Paul Walker car accident joke

The U.S. govt knows some household items aren’t safe but won’t tell you

Coke trade secrets case highlights U.S.-China tension

Did Jeff Bezos Buy His Neighbor’s D.C. Mansion?

Judge halts CA gig work law that threatened 70,000 truckers’ jobs

WinCo shooter insane. He says he was poisoned, now he’s been committed.

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Tipsheet: H.Dep Mex Strike? | Bose Close 119 | Amazon HQ Pop Up

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Mexico union threatens Home Depot strike at Reuters. “Spurred on by labor protections in the new North American trade deal, a top Mexican trade union has accused Home Depot of blocking union activity and threatened strikes next week if the U.S. home improvement chain does not improve pay and benefits for workers.” Read more

 

Peter Navarro puts Amazon and eBay on notice: The China trade deal cracks down on counterfeits at CNBC. “The Amazons and the Alibabas, Shopify, they have been facilitators of the Chinese counterfeiting. So, if we’re going to enforce this deal, it’s going to be a big part of that is scrutinizing this,” the White House trade advisor warned.” Read more

 

U.S. retail sales rise steadily; labor market tightening at Reuters. “The Commerce Department said retail sales increased 0.3% last month. Data for November was revised up to show retail sales gaining 0.3% instead of rising 0.2% as previously reported…Compared to December last year, retail sales accelerated 5.8%.” Read more

 

Advocate, the largest Chicago-area physicians group, is closing immediate care clinics at seven Walgreens pharmacies due to “unsustainable” patient volumes by Stephanie Goldberg at Crain’s Chicago Business. Read more

 

Amazon Sought $1 Billion in Incentives on Top of Lures for HQ2 by Shayndi Raice & Dana Mattioli at Wall Street Journal. “As Amazon.com Inc. began a search for a second headquarters in 2017, and billions in economic incentives that would go with it, Chief Executive Jeff Bezos and senior executives set another goal: to secure an additional $1 billion for other real-estate projects…The unusually large goal was due to high capital investment costs that year, said one of the people.” WSJ subs.

 

Bose is closing all of its retail stores in North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia by Chris Welch at The Verge. “That adds up to a total of 119 stores (closing), according to a spokesperson. “In other parts of the world, Bose stores will remain open, including approximately 130 stores located in Greater China and the United Arab Emirates; and additional stores in India, Southeast Asia, and South Korea,” the company told The Verge by email.” Read more

 

Groupon Names TBWA\Chiat\Day New York Creative Agency of Record Press release

 

**A message from Sweets & Snacks Expo. Save the date: May 19-21, 2020 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Your year starts here. Website/Register

 

India’s trade minister isn’t impressed with Amazon’s new $1 billion investment in the country by Manish Singh at TechCrunch. Read more

 

mcguffin: The 25 Best-Known Unicorn Brands: DoorDash #5 / Postmates #11 / Instacart #12 List

 

Amazon Picks Manchester Over London for New U.K. Corporate Office at Bloomberg/Yahoo. Read more

 

Payless ShoeSource emerges from bankruptcy—again at CNBC. “…with a renewed focus on its international operations…Payless is still operating in Latin America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. It has more than 710 stores, including those with franchises, in more than 30 countries.” Read more

 

Amazon to open new ‘themed’ pop-up store at Seattle HQ by Nat Levy at GeekWire. “The Seattle location will be the sixth in a new generation of Amazon Pop Up stores… The website for the company’s retail stores calls the new Pop Up concept “a physical extension of Amazon.com,” with inventory regularly swapped out as part of rotating themes. The Las Vegas location is focused on cameras, for example, and other stores offer a Food Network theme.” Read more

 

NRF Welcomes Phase One Trade Deal with China but Says Remaining Tariffs Must End Press release

 

Sears Advisers Have Racked Up $200 Million in Fees as Vendors Await Payment by Soma Biswas at Wall Street Journal. “Of the more than $200 million in fees and expenses already billed by restructuring professionals, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Sears’s main bankruptcy law firm where top partners charge $1,695 an hour, billed the estate more than $65 million through October. Paul Weiss, where top restructuring lawyers charge $1,560 an hour, billed Sears more than $20 million through October.” WSJ subs.

 

Jeff Bezos: Anyone who denies reality of climate change is ‘not being reasonable’ at CNBC. “We have sent robotic probes to every planet in the solar system — this is the good one,” he said. “There are no other good planets in this solar system. We have to take care of this one.” Read more

 

The merger of the National Grocers Association (NGA) and Retailer Owned Foods Distributors & Associates (ROFDA) falls through at Progressive Grocer. Read more

 

Publix promotes Norman Badger to VP of Product Business Development for Bakery and Meat Press release

 

Amazon’s Patrick Gauthier says retailers should prepare for voice commerce by Lisa Lacy at Adweek. Adweek subs.

 

Tipsheet Extra

Inside Armslist, the Craigslist of Guns

SXSW Film Festival Full Lineup

E-com boom means delivery emissions could increase 30% by 2030

Starbucks aims for local economic boost with ‘community store’ plan

America’s favorite Valentine’s Day candy is back

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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 Miss | Build-A-Yoda | Low CO2 Labeling

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Target, like other retailers, did not have a Merry Christmas at AP. “Comparable sales climbed 1.4% in the November-December period, compared with a very strong 5.7% increase a year earlier. Digital sales rose 19%, also down from last year’s jump of 29%.” Read more

 

…Target said it found strength in apparel and beauty, while lackluster performance in key holiday categories like electronics, toys and parts of its home business offset those gains. at CNBC. Read more

 

Holiday sales may have been better-than-expected, up nearly 5%, Bank of America economists say at CNBC. “The lowest income group, with annual household income lower than $20,000, continued to lead in spending growth. The three-month moving average for the income group was up 4.7% year-over-year.” Read more

 

Amazon to invest $1 billion into India to help small and medium-sized businesses in the country come online at TechCrunch. “Bezos said the company is also eyeing making exports of locally produced goods from India…to be of $10 billion in size on Amazon platform by 2025.” Read more

 

…Pics and video from Bezos trip to India at Daily Mail. See here

 

H-E-B’s digital outpost in Austin is changing the company by Dwight Silverman at Houston Chronicle. Tiered subs.

 

Now Stores Must Tell You How They’re Tracking Your Every Move by Tom Simonite at Wired. “There’s a feeling of resignation about data collection,” (Professor) Turow says. “People think it’s just the way of the world in the 21st century.” CCPA warnings, he says, could end up like California’s ubiquitous Prop 65 notices, affixed to buildings, cars, phone chargers, and countless other products to warn that they contain chemicals “known to the State of California to cause cancer.” Read more

 

Most Inventive Companies of 2019 Based on Patent Activity by Bill Hankes at Sqoop. “Design Patents: Apple #4, Amazon #13, Target #38” Ranked lists

 

**A message from Home & Outdoor cookware – High quality cookware made for the cabin, camping, and the great outdoors. 3X stain and scratch resistance. Retail ready packaging. Sales deck | Samples: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Amazon removes FedEx Ground ban for third-party sellers at GeekWire. Read more

 

Baby Yoda is coming to a Build-A-Bear near you at CNN. “The news was announced at an investment conference on Tuesday by Build-A-Bear CEO Sharon Price John. “I’m excited to share that we’ll be one of the first companies to be able provide the new digital and internet phenomenon who is trending higher than all of the presidential candidates combined,” she said. “We now will have The Child, also known as Baby Yoda.” Read more

 

Khalil Mack’s Walmart Christmas donation was improperly handled at Fox Business. “A representative from Mack’s charity made the donation by paying more than $60,000 in layaway accounts at the store, according to NBC Chicago. However, the spokesman said that at least $20,000 of the funds possibly went to store associates.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Low-CO2 food labeling will be the next ‘low fat’ craze

Amazon seeks to block Microsoft from working on JEDI contract

Glassdoor: 50 Best Jobs in America for 2020

Steve Case’s ‘Rise of the Rest’ bus tour plans stop in Bentonville

US-China phase one trade deal: What Beijing has agreed to buy

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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