Tipsheet: Lore/A-Rod Team | Target Halts Trading Cards | Amazon $100 Vac Bonus

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Marc Lore says venture firm with A-Rod will make big bets on digital retail at CNBC. “The new company, called Vision Capital People or VCP, will start with $50 million of Lore and Rodriguez’s own money. The pair are also in discussions to buy professional basketball team, the Minnesota Timberwolves.” Read more/Video

 

Target Stores To Halt Sales Of All Trading Cards at Bleeding Cool. “…perhaps it is for the best for the time being. This past Friday, May 7th, a man pulled a gun on a group of people in a Target parking lot in Wisconsin over a dispute stemming from sports card limitations.” Read more

 

…People have reportedly been opening cereal boxes in stores to steal the included Pokémon cards out of them. And someone in Japan even climbed down a rope to steal almost $9,000 worth of the cardboard cards designed for kids. at The Verge. Read more

 

Big 0.6% April wholesale price jump catches many off guard at AP. Read more

 

Anti-monopoly fine pushes Alibaba to first operating loss as public company at Reuters. “Core commerce revenue rose 72% to 161.37 billion yuan in the fourth quarter. But growth at its cloud computing unit slowed to 37% to 16.8 billion yuan from 58% a year earlier, its weakest since at least 2016.” Read more

 

Boot Barn Q4 comp sales +26.9% Press release

 

Amazon releases new images of HQ2 as it ramps up hiring in Virginia at CNBC. “The renderings show a “forest plaza” at the foot of the site’s centerpiece, a 350-foot-tall tower dubbed “The Helix.” The forest plaza includes public seating areas and pathways enclosed by what it calls “forest rooms” that feature trees, a waterfall and other landscaping.” Pics/Read more

 

**A message from Comfy Sacks – Shredded foam bean bag sales continue their meteoric sales growth! Grab your share of this high growth category and add some “wow” and high dollar ring to your assortment. Easy onboard / Retail ready. Website | Sample: info@eyeonretail.net 

 

Walmart Announces Plans To Acquire Zeekit, a Leading Virtual Fitting Room Platform “Through Zeekit’s technology, customers will soon be able to virtually try on items from our growing assortment of national brands like Free People, Champion and Levi’s Strauss, as well as a mix of exclusive brands, including private brands…” Read more

 

Amazon will pay a $100 bonus to new warehouse and transportation hires who show proof of their COVID-19 vaccination at CNBC. Read more

 

Kroger Announces Go Fresh & Local Supplier Accelerator “All finalists will present to a panel of judges during a pitch session, with one overall winner selected from each region. The prize package for the five overall winners includes product placement on shelf within Kroger’s Family of Companies; recommended partnerships with Gourmet Foods International; and business development coaching from Kroger merchandising and sales leaders.” Press release

 

Giant Eagle Former President Joins Mercatus at Financial Post. “Mercatus, a leading provider in grocery eCommerce solutions, today announced that John Lucot has joined the company as senior strategic advisor to the executive team.” Read more

 

Ollie’s opens 400th store – now in 26 states Press release

 

Price Chopper-Market 32 launches SNAP benefits via Instacart in Vermont at NBC 5. “Price Chopper–Market 32 is one of three companies to implement this system. Publix and the Save Mart companies have launched the program as well.” Read more

 

Amazon Boss Justifies ‘Lord of the Rings’ $465 Million Budget at Indie Wire. “The market is crazy, as you saw with the Knives Out deal. [Netflix paid $469 million for two sequels.],” Salke said. “This is a full season of a huge world-building show. The number is a sexy headline or a crazy headline that’s fun to click on, but [the budget] is really building the infrastructure of what will sustain the whole series.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Amazon Web Services helped sort endless NFL matchup options

1 in 3 Americans ready to dump streaming services over lackluster shows

Wayfair’s $112 billion plan to take over your entire home

Jeff Bezos bio makes bombshell claims about alleged Saudi role

Atlantic invader threatens to wipe out Croatia river delicacy

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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

 

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Tipsheet: Ebay Does NFTs | Amazon Wins Tax Case | Ecom: No Excuses

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U.S. consumer prices post biggest gain in nearly 12 years as inflation pressures build at Reuters. “The consumer price index jumped 0.8% last month, the largest gain since June 2009. The CPI rose 0.6% in March. Food prices increased 0.4%…Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the CPI climbing 0.2% in April.” Read more

 

EBay taps into NFT frenzy, allows sale on platform at Reuters. “Ebay Inc on Tuesday allowed the sale of non-fungible tokens for digital collectibles like trading cards, images or video clips on its platform, the first e-commerce company to tap into the recent frenzy around NFTs.” Read more

 

Amazon’s $300 million tax bill rejected by EU judges at The Verge. “The case was one of a number spearheaded by Margrethe Vestager, the European Commissioner for Competition, in which sweetheart tax deals given to powerful corporations were framed as a form of illegal state subsidy.” Read more

 

Apps that promise grocery deliveries in 10 minutes invade Europe as shopping shifts online at CNBC. “Turkey’s Getir, Germany’s Gorillas and Britain’s Dija are just a few of the apps promising users 10-minute grocery deliveries. Venture-backed grocery delivery firms have raised roughly $1.56 billion in Europe so far this year, up from $687 million in 2020.” Read more

 

Chinese products get pulled from Amazon at TechCrunch. “Analysts have estimated that the share of Chinese merchants represented 75% of Amazon’s new sellers in January, up from 47% the year before…Chinese sellers are swarming not just Amazon but also eBay, Wish, Shopee and Alibaba’s AliExpress. The boom is in part a result of intense domestic competition in China’s online retail world…” Read more

 

71 percent of gas stations in Charlotte area out of fuel at The Hill. Read more

 

Amazon files lawsuit to dismantle illegal advertising scheme targeting customers at Fox Business. “The text messages are designed to appear as they were sent by the e-commerce giant and encourage customers to click a link by promising “rewards” or other “gifts,” Amazon told FOX Business.” Read more

 

** The Sweets & Snacks Expo is a can’t-miss event for thousands of confectionery and snack retailers, manufacturers and suppliers – here you’ll find all the product innovations, insights and industry connections you need to build a world-class in-store or online experience that will delight your shoppers. See who’s exhibiting | Show website | Indianapolis, June 23-25 2021

 

Today’s e-commerce consumers aren’t keen on excuses at Harvard Business Review. “The Index found that only one in five (21%) U.S. consumers say they are forgiving retailers and brands for service disruptions due to Covid-19. In other words, the pandemic is no longer a reasonable excuse for not delivering orders on time.” Read more

 

Beyond Meat will offer Walmart shoppers free samples at stores around Dallas and SoCal. Beyond Meatballs will now be available at 2,100 Walmart stores. at Business Insider. Read more

 

Instacart tells entry-level team to return to office, senior managers can stay home at The Verge. “The team, estimated to be around 100 people, includes many entry-level employees and workers who are new to the tech industry. Employees say the power imbalance makes it difficult to push back on the remote work policy. “A lot of the roles are easily replaceable,” says another worker who asked not to be named. “They can happily find someone else to fill that role if you’re not okay with the policy.” Read more

 

Barnes & Noble owner to buy Paper Source out of bankruptcy Press release

 

‘Amazon Unbound’ is a portrait of a company ‘getting perilously close to invincible’ at GeekWire. “..I asked if Amazon’s “Andy Jassy era” will be worthy of Stone’s third Amazon book. Stone wasn’t sold on the premise of the question: “Is it the Andy Jassy era?…When there’s an S-team meeting that Jeff is in, does Andy speak last, or does Jeff speak last? Does Andy stand up and leave the room as everyone sits in solemn silence, or does Jeff?” Read more/Podcast

 

Cheating at School Is Easier Than Ever—and It’s Rampant at Wall Street Journal. “…auction website homeworkforyou.com featured one student post looking for someone willing to do weekly school assignments, exams and a project for a business class at York College in Queens, N.Y., over a two-month span. The winning bidder would also need to pose as the student and respond to classmates in a group assignment. The student specified that an “A” was the desired outcome, and that the “willing to pay” fee was $465. By the next day, 29 bids had come in. The average was $479.41.” WSJ subs.

 

Tipsheet Extra

Krebs: A Closer Look at the DarkSide Ransomware Gang

4 PetSmart employees charged with animal cruelty after poodle dies during grooming

Public service in the US: Increasingly thankless, exhausting

Fortune: World’s 50 Greatest Leaders (Jelinek #27)

Buy now, pay later changed retail. Health care and rent are next.

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Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

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Website: eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: $500 for Payroll Passwords @ WM/THD | Home Prices +16.2% | Flipkart To Raise $1B

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U.S. Home Prices Surge the Most on Record in Buying Frenzy at Bloomberg/Yahoo. “Prices jumped 16.2% from a year earlier to a record high of $319,200. The growth eclipsed the 14.8% rate in the fourth quarter, which was the highest in data going back to 1989, the (National Assoc. of Realtors) said in a report Tuesday.” Read more

 

US job openings soar to highest level on record at AP. “Job openings rose nearly 8%, to 8.1 million in March, the most on records dating back to December 2000, the government said. Yet overall hiring that month rose less than 4% to 6 million.” Read more

 

Average daily U.S. Covid cases fall below 40,000 for the first time since September at CNBC. “The latest seven-day average of daily Covid deaths in the U.S. is 635, according to Hopkins data. That figure is far below its winter peaks, when the country was recording more than 3,000 deaths per day…” Read more

 

L Brands to spin off Victoria’s Secret by August, hoping to nab higher valuation at CNBC. “The company said it received interest from multiple potential buyers, but its board concluded that separating Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works into two separate publicly traded companies would be a better option.” Read more

 

Flipkart in talks to raise $1 billion ahead of IPO at TechCrunch. “Flipkart has hit the market to raise about $1 billion at up to $30 billion valuation in a pre-IPO financing round, two people familiar with the matter told TechCrunch.” Read more

 

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

 

Experts baffled by Walmart’s trademark dispute with Kanye West at NY Post. “The idea that Yeezy would deliberately associate itself with Walmart to get a free ride on Walmart’s [reputation] — I don’t see it,” said Susan Scafidi, founder and director of the Fashion Law Institute, told The Post. “Yeezy’s coattails are pretty stylish.” Read more

 

Walmart’s in-house Android TV device might only cost $30 at The Verge. “Walmart appears to be getting into the streaming devices with the Onn Android TV UHD Streaming Device, according to a new listing on its website (spotted by 9to5Google). The company’s new streaming box (in this case, really more of a flattened cube) is currently listed for $29.88 but is also “out of stock” — which could be due to the fact it hasn’t been officially announced yet.” Read more

 

Gas stations along Southeast coast suffer fuel shortage amid pipeline shutdown at NY Post. “About 7.6 percent of gas stations in Virginia were out of fuel by early Tuesday, according to GasBuddy analyst Patrick DeHaan’s estimates. He added that nearly 5 percent of gas stations in North Carolina, 3.3 percent in Georgia as well as 2.4 percent in Florida are also reporting that they’ve sold out of fuel.” Read more

 

Mall owner Simon’s CEO sees shopper ‘euphoria’ as people return to stores at CNBC. “Between being cooped up, between being locked down, between the stimulus, between celebrating that the country is still around … there’s clearly some level of euphoria around that,” David Simon said during an earnings conference call Monday.” Read more

 

Callaway Golf Q1 net revenue +47% Press release

 

Fintech Startup Offers $500 for Payroll Passwords (Walmart, Home Depot, etc.) at Krebs. “KrebsOnSecurity contacted multiple high-level sources at major companies whose login pages are shown in these payroll connect programs running on Argyle’s platform. None of those sources were authorized to talk to the media, but all seemed fairly horrified at what they were seeing, and each said their employer’s legal departments were launching their own investigations.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Amazon-first gadget brands Aukey and Mpow are suddenly, suspiciously disappearing

Lowe’s drops most innovative home products guide

Macy’s to build office tower atop Herald Square flagship store

Target is launching a line of plant-based food

Voice commerce remains an open frontier in retail

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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: Atlanta Mayor No to Wgreens | Dollar Stores 45% of Openings | Simon Gets Eddie

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Atlanta Mayor Bottoms not going to Walgreens at 11 Alive. “What I know is that in the absence of my speaking my truth, people will insert a narrative, which is why I’m here today. Ros Brewer is my girl, I love her dearly, but she didn’t get to be the CEO of Walgreens by offering jobs to random friends,” the mayor said. “I am not going to Walgreens in Chicago, (her husband) Derek is not going to Walgreens in Idaho. I can’t get Derek to move two miles off of Cascade Road, so I promise you that is not true.” Read more

 

Amazon blocked 10B listings in counterfeit crackdown at Fox Business. “The numbers were released in Amazon’s first report on its anti-counterfeiting efforts since it announced new tools and technologies in 2019. The number of blocked phony listings last year was up about 67% from the year before.” Read more

 

Nearly 1 in 3 new stores opening in the US is a Dollar General at CNN. “About 45% of the 3,597 store openings that large retail chains in the United States have announced so far this year are from Dollar General, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar, according to the latest figures from Coresight Research, a firm that aggregates the numbers from company filings and press releases.” Read more

 

Simon Property, Authentic Brands to buy outdoor gear label Eddie Bauer at Reuters. “Eddie Bauer has 300 stores across the United States and Canada, but nearly half of its retail sales last year came through e-commerce as COVID-19 accelerated a shift to online shopping.” Read more

 

Ex-Amazon exec Jeff Blackburn leaves venture capital post after 5 weeks on job at GeekWire. “Will Blackburn’s new role be as welcomed by his former boss Jeff Bezos. When Blackburn retired, Bezos wrote that his former colleague “has kept me in the loop on his next chapter, and I can assure you it’s a very exciting one!” Read more

 

Tile’s trackers will work with Amazon’s Sidewalk network starting June 14th at The Verge. Read more

 

**The Sweets & Snacks Expo is a can’t-miss event for thousands of confectionery and snack retailers, manufacturers and suppliers – here you’ll find all the product innovations, insights and industry connections you need to build a world-class in-store or online experience that will delight your shoppers. See who’s exhibiting | Show website | Indianapolis, June 23-25 2021

 

Walmart’s Flipkart to cover insurance for all sellers in India and waive additional fees at TechCrunch. “The news today comes a week after Amazon, Flipkart’s chief rival in India, announced it was waiving 50% of the referral fee sellers are required to pay the e-commerce firm for this month, though not all sellers are qualified to avail this benefit.” Read more

 

Hedge fund founder sentenced to prison in Neiman Marcus fraud at NY Post. “According to prosecutors, Kamensky exploited his role as co-chair of a Neiman creditors committee last July 31 to block Jefferies from bidding 30 cents per share for securities he wanted to buy for 20 cents per share.” Read more

 

A leaked Walmart memo highlights the daunting challenges facing the world’s largest retailer at Recode. “A source familiar with Walmart+ told Recode that retaining members has indeed been an issue for the new subscription service in its short existence and that retention is strongest among members who use the gas-discount perk of the program.” Read more

 

Amazon delivery drivers were told to turn off safety apps to meet quotas at The Verge. “Vice reports that some of the delivery companies will have the drivers keep the app on for part of the day to try to trick Amazon and the Mentor app, with one company sending drivers messages like “everyone needs to be logged into Mentor for at least 2 hours no more no less.” Read more

 

Walmart Health To Acquire Telehealth Provider MeMD “MeMD was founded in 2010 by Dr. John Shufeldt to provide virtual care nationwide, leveraging the latest online technologies to deliver high-quality care 24/7/365 in a convenient and accessible manner. Today, MeMD delivers medical and mental health visits to millions of members nationwide.” Press release

 

Amazon delays Prime Day in India and Canada at CNBC. “Outside of Canada and India, Amazon said Prime Day will continue to move forward in other countries including the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Spain and China. Amazon announced in its first-quarter earnings results that this year’s Prime Day will take place in June.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Publix employee accidentally trashes man’s $1M lottery ticket

Sprouts CEO: ‘We’re Focused on Growth, Not Comps’

Southeastern Grocers CEO Talks Shop as Turnaround Hits Growth Phase

Wegmans has no plans to bring back self-serve food ‘in their traditional way’

How Nordstrom and The Home Depot take advantage of livestreaming’s potential

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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: Lore Does Gourmet | Costco +24.5% | Roz Talks w/Hoda

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Costco April comp sales (ex gas & f/x) +24.5%: US +24.9% / Canada +23.8% / Other Int’l +20.3% / Ecom +17.3% Press release

 

Marc Lore’s next attempt to woo the affluent consumer: A fleet of on-demand food trucks at CNBC. “Jay Zuckerman, a 47-year-old father of two who resides with his wife in the pilot area, said his family has used Wonder about six or seven times for dinner over the past few months…“It was like ordering from a gourmet restaurant, but you don’t have the issues of waiting, and you don’t have the issues of the food not tasting good because of transportation. It was a very high-end experience.”…A dinner for four might be upwards of $100, he said.” Read more

 

Wayfair Q1 total net revenue up 49.2% Press release

 

Rosalind Brewer, the CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, discusses her experiences with discrimination and advocating for diversity at NBC Today. “She then shared a story about attending a meeting of less than 25 people just for CEOs. “I had one gentleman ask me constantly, what did I do for a living, almost like, ‘Why are you here?'” she recalled. “He must have asked me 20 questions like, ‘Marketing? Sales?’ I was like, ‘No.’. “It was so funny because I happened to be the keynote speaker for the private luncheon. I assumed my position on the stage, and I just saw his face just totally drain.” Video/Read more

 

Tapestry Inc. Q3 net sales up 19% / Coach up 25% / Kate Spade up 1% / Stuart Weitzman up 13% Press release

 

Etsy, Inc Q1 revenue up 141.5% Read more

 

Aldi and other big grocers threaten to boycott Brazil over deforestation in the Amazon at CNN. “Germany’s Metro and discount chains Aldi and Lidl are among the signatories, as are British retailers Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose & Partners, and Dutch group Ahold Delhaize, which operates 21 brands mainly in Europe and the United States.” Read more

 

Rent-A-Center Q1 comp sales up 23.4% Press release

 

Hellman & Friedman Nears Deal to Buy At Home Group at Wall Street Journal. “A deal, which would value At Home Group in the mid-$30s a share, could be inked as soon as Thursday, assuming the two sides reach a final agreement, the people said. At Home shares were trading at $31.15 Wednesday afternoon, giving the Plano, Texas, company a market value of around $2 billion.” WSJ subs.

 

Sally Beauty Q2 comp sales up 6.5% Press release

 

**The Sweets & Snacks Expo is a can’t-miss event for thousands of confectionery and snack retailers, manufacturers and suppliers – here you’ll find all the product innovations, insights and industry connections you need to build a world-class in-store or online experience that will delight your shoppers. See who’s exhibiting | Show website | Indianapolis, June 23-25 2021. 

 

Walmart Sale of Asda Likely to Be Approved By U.K.’s CMA at Bloomberg/Yahoo. “The potential green light comes two years after regulators blocked Walmart’s previous attempt to sell the Asda business to bigger rival J Sainsbury Plc…” Read more

 

Blue Apron Q1 net revenue up 27% Press release

 

Pay Pal soars on digital payments boom at Fox Business. “PayPal processed a total of $285 billion in payments in the first quarter, up 50% from a year earlier, and added 14.5 million net new active customers.” Read more

 

Jeff Bezos sells more than $2.4B in Amazon stock at GeekWire. Read more

 

Millions Are Unemployed. Why Can’t Companies Find Workers? at Wall Street Journal. “Lorne Zaman lost his jobs as a concert promoter in Los Angeles more than a year ago. He hasn’t worked since, supporting himself on savings, stimulus checks and unemployment benefits, which have been about $750 a week in recent months…“I really enjoyed what I did,” he said. “If the government is going to pay you to stay home, you’re going to do that unless that job you really want comes along.” WSJ subs.

 

Loblaw Q1 revenue up 0.6%: Food retail (Loblaw) comp sales up 0.1% / Drug retail (Shoppers Drug Mart) comp sales down 1.7% Press release

 

Amazon wants to make sure drivers who don’t work for the company are well-groomed and nice online at The Verge. “The rules govern everything from how the delivery people look (they must have clean fingernails, teeth, ears, and hair) to how they smell (no bad breath, body odor, or immodest perfume).” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

East Village gets futuristic grocery store designed by Accel Robotics

SEC’s Gensler to talk GameStop chaos causes in hearing Thursday

Schnucks to let customers donate their rewards points

Trader Joe’s cuts employee ‘thank you’ bonus after three months

Apple’s privacy changes could be great for Amazon’s ads business

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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: How Bezos Beat the Tabloids | Polar Pop Subs. | Best Retail Worker Attire

/in

 

Circle K launches beverage subscription program for $5.99 per month at CNBC. “Starting Wednesday, U.S. customers who pay $5.99 per month can have one tea, coffee, Froster slushy or Polar Pop fountain drink of their choosing every day. Circle K’s Sip & Save program looks to build loyalty and coax people into its stores again on a regular basis.” Read more

 

The Untold Story of How Jeff Bezos Beat the Tabloids at Bloomberg. “‘Raise your hand if you think you’ve had a harder week than I’ve had.’ It was Feb. 14, 2019, in the early afternoon, and for perhaps the first time in the 25-year history of Amazon.com Inc., Jeff Bezos was prepared to explain himself to his employees…As the sun set over the Olympic Mountains, casting a golden glow into the conference room, executives started furtively glancing at their phones and responding to texts from their significant others. Finally, at 7:30, Senior Vice President Jeff Blackburn spoke up and said what everyone else was thinking: “Hey Jeff, how long do you think this meeting is going to go? A lot of us have plans.” It was, after all, Valentine’s Day.” Tiered subs.

 

Gap to sell its Intermix designer clothing brand to the private equity firm Altamont Capital Partners at CNBC. Read more

 

Amazon is polling drivers about their bathroom breaks. Drivers say the survey is missing a key answer. at Business Insider. “Several Amazon delivery drivers shared a screenshot of the survey with Insider on Monday. It asked, “Are you able to find open restrooms for use while making deliveries?” And had four options for answers. “The funny part about this screenshot is that they don’t provide an option for ‘Do not have time to use the restroom,’ which is the main problem,” one Amazon driver told Insider.” Read more

 

Bed Bath & Beyond CEO Mark Tritton @ CNBC’s Mad Money tonight at 6PM ET

 

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

 

NYC mayoral candidates pledge more restrictions on Amazon at Politico. “Attorney Maya Wiley, City Comptroller Scott Stringer, and former non-profit executive Dianne Morales all agreed to the platform, which calls for making it more difficult for Amazon to open warehouses in the five boroughs. Lesser-known candidate Paperboy Prince also signed the pledge.” Read more

 

Canada authorizes Pfizer vaccine for age 12 and older at AP. Read more

 

MEXICO – Despite controversy, Costco will continue to review buyer tickets at Entrepreneur. “…the Federal Consumer Prosecutor’s Office exhorted self-service stores from Twitter to stop reviewing purchase receipts. The agency pointed out that after buying the product, it becomes the property of the consumer, so they should not subject it to this type of practice.” Read more

 

Peloton recalling all treadmills after safety concerns and one death at NBC News. “Customers should stop using the product and contact Peloton for a full refund “or other qualified remedy,” the New York-based exercise equipment company said in a joint statement with the CPSC. Shares sank by more than 8 percent on the news.” Read more

 

What Retail Workers’ Attire Communicates to Customers at Harvard Business Review. “Research from before the Covid-19 crisis found that 90 percent of customers would rather leave a store empty handed than ask for assistance…Participants in our studies were almost twice as likely to interact with a formally dressed employee (a hair salon employee wearing a white lab coat) as one who was informally dressed (white polo). When we explored why this was, we learned that participants viewed formally dressed employees as having more expertise than their casually dressed peers.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Costco and 23 More Companies With Surprisingly Great 401(k) Plans

Porch pirate who dressed as Amazon worker arrested on his bicycle

Report: how shelf-stable food categories rebounded in a big way in 2020

Lucky rebrands, readies to open flagship store in Calif.

Guy Fieri called out Jeff Bezos for not donating to his restaurant worker relief fund

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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: CVS Beats | Publix +2.4% | Skeptical @ Amazon Stats

/in

 

CVS Health earnings top estimates at CNBC. “Same-store sales across its pharmacy and front store combined were up just 0.4% compared with growth of 9% a year earlier. Same-store sales for the front store fell 11.4%.” Read more

 

Camping World Q1: Revenue increased by $530.5 million to $1.558 billion / Gross profit increased by $217.8 million to $520.5 million Press release

 

Publix Q1 comp sales up 2.4% Press release

 

Walmart and Sam’s Club Now Administering Walk-Up COVID-19 Vaccines at 5,100+ Pharmacies Nationwide Press release

 

Q&A with former Amazon exec Jeff Wilke at GeekWire. “Wilke’s interests are decidedly less celestial – investing in underrepresented founders and restoring American manufacturing. It is full circle for Wilke, who grew up in Pittsburgh, where he saw once-prosperous factories shutter their doors. “I watched the decline of industry and the effect that it had on the people of Pittsburgh and it really left a mark on my life,” he said.” Q&A/Read more

 

Pandora takes a shine to lab-made diamonds at CNBC/Reuters. “Prices of lab-grown diamonds have fallen over the past two years following the U-turn by De Beers in 2018 and are now up to 10 times cheaper than mined diamonds, according to a report by Bain & Company. Pandora’s new collection of lab-grown diamonds will be launched initially in the United Kingdom and will be available in other key markets next year, it said.” Read more

 

**A message from Comfy Sacks – Shredded foam bean bag sales continue their meteoric sales growth! Grab your share of this high growth category and add some “wow” and high dollar ring to your assortment. Easy onboard / Retail ready. Website | Sample: info@eyeonretail.net 

 

Amazon’s Thursday Night Football deal will start early – starting with the 2022 season at The Verge. “Now Amazon gets its exclusive rights even sooner and for even longer thanks to a new 11-year contract…” Read more

 

CVS, Walgreens have wasted more Covid vaccine doses than most states combined at NBC News. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 182,874 wasted doses as of late March, three months into the country’s effort to vaccinate the masses against the coronavirus. CVS was responsible for nearly half, and Walgreens was responsible for 21 percent, or nearly 128,500 wasted shots combined.” Read more

 

Berlin’s Razor Group raises $400M to buy and scale Amazon Marketplace merchants at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Amazon employees say you should be skeptical of Jeff Bezos’s worker satisfaction stat at Recode. “The 94 percent number was gleaned from an employee survey program at Amazon called Connections, which asks Amazon employees to answer a single question each day before they can start working on their company computer or their warehouse workstation…employees told Recode that many Amazon employees do not answer Connections questions honestly because they fear their responses are not truly anonymous, and they fear retaliation if they give negative feedback.” Read more

 

7-Eleven Franchisees Seek Relief from 24-hour Mandate Press release

 

Q&A with President of Shopify at The Verge. “While a marketplace may rent you their customers for a period of time, they are never going to be your customers. In fact, in some cases, if the marketplace sees you’re making too much money, they may set up a white-label version of what you’re doing. So, that’s what I mean when I say we are on a different side of the table than a lot of other technology companies or marketplaces, because we only do well when these merchants do well independently.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Top RV rental company sees record growth amid COVID pandemic

Skittles owner sues THC-laced copycat Zkittlez for trademark infringement

Under Armour hikes full-year outlook, sees demand returning

Why Shoppers Drug Mart is recruiting doctors

‘Simpsons’ writer spills show secrets in rare interview

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: Shaw’s Trucker Strike | Biden Eyes Food Stamp Bump | Macy’s App Commission

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Shaw’s, Star Market truckers go on strike in New England at AP. “Truck drivers for Shaw’s supermarkets represented by the Teamsters went on strike Monday, stopping shipments to Shaw’s and Star Market grocery stores in New England. The drivers are responsible for delivering grocery store staples to more than 100 supermarkets across the region…” Read more

 

Amazon knew seller data was used to boost company sales at Politico. “An internal audit seen by POLITICO warned Amazon’s senior leadership in 2015 that 4,700 of its workforce working on its own sales had unauthorized access to sensitive third-party seller data on the platform — even identifying one case in which an employee used the access to improve sales.” Read more

 

Macy’s store employees score victory in challenging self-checkout in mobile app at CNBC. “An independent arbitrator ruled last week that Macy’s violated its bargaining agreement and said the company must find a way to credit employees for sales through the app or exclude departments, such as men’s suits and cosmetics, that have commission-based pay.” Read more

 

Kroger begins testing drone deliveries for baby products and s’mores at The Verge. “(Kroger) is partnering with Drone Express to deliver items like baby products, over-the-counter medications, and picnic supplies weighing up to about five pounds from a test store in Centerville, Ohio.” Read more

 

Here’s why Amazon is moving Prime Day to earlier in the summer at CNBC. “The two-day shopping extravaganza originally has been held in July, but Amazon said it will now take place in its second quarter, implying a June event…“There’re a number of factors,” Olsavsky said about why Amazon is moving the event up. Among those reasons, the CFO cited the Olympics taking place in July, as well as it being a “vacation month” for many families.” Read more

 

**Find the future of the candy and snacks industries at the Sweets & Snacks Expo’s Innovation Avenue! Innovation Avenue delivers the leading brands of tomorrow for retailers truly looking for something cutting-edge to wow their shoppers. Indianapolis, June 23-25 2021. Most innovative new products 2019 & 2018 | Register now

 

Tiffany & Co. is selling men’s engagement rings for the first time in its 184-year history at CNN. Read more

 

California appeals court finds Amazon responsible for third party sellers’ products at The Verge. “It’s the second major case in California where an appeals court has rejected Amazon’s long-held position that it is merely an intermediary between buyers and its third-party sellers.” Read more

 

Starbucks Reserve — one of four in the world — opens in downtown Naperville; serving pizza, beer and wine at Chicago Tribune. “Its alcoholic drinks menu includes signature cocktails such as a seasonal pineapple rum float, an espresso martini and a whiskey cloud; wine by the glass or bottle; and beer that can be taken home in a growler.” Pics/Read more

 

Canadian Covid outbreaks challenge Tim Hortons’ turnaround and may hide its progress at CNBC. Read more

 

Biden Quietly Preparing for Food Stamp Increase Without Congress at Newsmax. “James Ziliak, director of the Center for Poverty Research at the University of Kentucky, said the re-evaluation “could result in an upward adjustment of 20% or more in the benefits.” That would amount to roughly a $136-a-month increase in the maximum benefit for a family of four, which was $680 before the temporary pandemic-related increase.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Amazon plans to install smaller Elephant Car Wash sign outdoors on its campus

Zulily co-founder’s SPAC raises $300 million

Walmart’s expanded in-home delivery is timely

Weis to invest $135M in growth in 2021

Billionaire is buying up small Colorado town—and locals are freaked

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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