Target comp sales jump 17.2% in November and December at CNBC. "Home goods and hardlines...saw same-store sales gains in the low-20% range...Comparable sales of food and beverage rose about 17%...Beauty and essentials saw growth in the low teens and apparel saw high single-digit gains...Combined transactions in Target stores and on its website rose 4.3% and average tickets grew by 12.3%." Read more   Bed Bath & Beyond adds execs from Target & Macy's - names new ad agency "...appointed Kristi Argyilan as SVP, Brand Innovation and Jim Reath as SVP, Marketing...has appointed MUH-TAY-ZIK / HOF-FER as lead brand agency...and [...]

  Albertsons Q3 ID sales +12.3% "Net income was $123.7 million during the third quarter of fiscal 2020 compared to $54.8 million during the third quarter of fiscal 2019." Press release   Walmart teams up with investment firm behind Robinhood on new fintech startup at Fox Business. "Walmart is teaming up with Ribbit Capital, a venture capital firm behind the no-fee investment platform Robinhood, on a new fintech startup designed to develop and offer "modern, innovative and affordable financial solutions" to the retailer's employees and customers." Read more   Dollar Shave Club Appoints Ex-Target Digital Exec as CEO "The Board [...]

  Staples offers $2.1 billion cash to buy Office Depot parent at Reuters. "The two companies agreed to merge in 1996, but the deal was put to rest as a government lawsuit argued the move would have meant higher prices for pens, paper and other office supplies." Read more   Lululemon forecasts fourth-quarter earnings and sales at the top end of outlook thanks to strong holidays at CNBC. Read more   Amazon Pantry is being discontinued as Amazon consolidates its grocery delivery services at The Verge. "...instead rolling those household goods and shelf-stable pantry items into the main Amazon website [...]

  Data exposure flaw on Walmart.ca revealed personal customer information at CTV News. "Customers’ names, shipping and billing addresses, order dates, methods of payment and the last four digits of the credit cards used were on full display for orders of a $1,500 laptop computer in Ontario, a $700 spin bike in Saskatchewan, and more than $1,100 worth of baby gear in B.C. These are just a few samples of Walmart.ca orders CTVNews.ca was able to call up on the retailer’s website Tuesday..." Read more   Albertsons is laying off employees and replacing them with gig workers, as app platforms rise [...]

  Costco December comp sales (ex. gas & f/x) +10.9% / U.S. +11% / Canada +5.7% / Other Int'l +15.8% / Ecom +61.6% Press release   Victoria’s Secret parent L Brands says holiday same-store sales rose 5% at CNBC. "Victoria’s Secret, same-store sales...fell 9% during the holiday period...Same-store sales for Bath & Body Works were up 17%." Read more   Bed Bath & Beyond banner Q3 comp sales +5% / Total enterprise comp sales +2% Press release   Walgreens Q1 comp sales at its U.S. pharmacies rose 3.7% "Comparable pharmacy sales increased 5.0 percent...Retail sales decreased 2.2 percent in the [...]

  Tiffany 2020 holiday period, preliminary worldwide net sales increased approximately 2% / Ecom +80%+ Press release   Amazon eases new seller delivery requirements as Covid strains carriers at CNBC. "Last August, the company announced that, starting in February 2021, members of Amazon’s Seller Fulfilled Prime program would be required to make deliveries on Saturdays and meet one- and two-day delivery targets. In a note sent to sellers on Tuesday that was viewed by CNBC, Amazon said it was temporarily relaxing the delivery speed targets..." Read more   AmerisourceBergen to buy Walgreens' distribution unit in $6.5 billion Europe push at [...]

  Macy’s Names Nata Dvir Chief Merchandising Officer "She currently serves as Macy’s senior vice president and general business manager for Beauty and Center Core merchandise." Press release   Alibaba founder Jack Ma is lying low for the time being, but he’s not missing at CNBC. Read more   Podcast Merch Has Become Big Business at The Wall Street Journal. "Marisa Morales, the head of merchandising at Stitcher, a podcast conglomerate, said that sales of merchandise associated with Stitcher shows like “WTF with Marc Maron,” “Sklarbro Country” and “Freakonomics Radio” are roughly doubling every year. She likened the excitement surrounding, [...]

  Minimum wage hike could be Biden's bipartisan breakthrough at The Hill. "Biden might begin by issuing an executive order mandating a $15 minimum hourly wage for all workers on federal contracts (which would also increase the pressure on state legislatures to raise their minimum wage). If necessary, he might then agree to stretch out the number of annual increases before the minimum wage reaches $15 (and indexing to median annual wages kicks in)." Read more   Jack Ma's disappearing act fuels speculation about billionaire's whereabouts at Reuters. "China’s highest-profile entrepreneur has not appeared in a public setting since a [...]