Tipsheet: Costco +11.1% | Target TikTok Hoax | Amazon ‘No More Smiles’ Protest

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Costco March comp sales (ex. gas & f/x) +11.1% : U.S. +11.3% / Canada +13.0% / Other Int’l +7.7% “Costco…reported net sales of $18.21 billion for the retail month of March, the five weeks ended April 4, 2021, an increase of 17.6 percent from $15.49 billion last year.” Press release

 

Best Buy launches a new $200 membership program to fight Amazon at CNN. “… piloting a $199.99 annual membership program with free device installations, a concierge service for tech support and other perks. The program, Best Buy Beta, will be available at around 60 Best Buy stores in six states by the end of this month. It also includes free shipping without order minimums, extended return windows and exclusive sales.” Read more

 

Instacart and DoorDash Plan to Launch Their Own Credit Cards at Wall Street Journal. “The Instacart credit card isn’t expected to launch until next year, one of the people said. Cardholders will likely earn 5% cash back on their Instacart purchases…JPMorgan is also bidding for the DoorDash card, people familiar with the matter said. DoorDash is currently reviewing bids, which also include an offer from fintech company Deserve, which would work with another fintech firm, Marqeta.” WSJ subs.

 

Amazon union drive in Alabama sees 55% voter turnout at CNBC. “Hundreds of ballots were challenged, mostly by Amazon, according to the RWDSU. If the margin of victory ends up being less than the total number of challenged ballots, the final tally will be temporarily halted until those challenges are resolved via a hearing held by the NLRB.” Read more

 

GameStop plans to elect activist investor Cohen as chairman at Reuters. Read more

 

Sneaker reseller StockX’s valuation jumps to $3.8 billion at CNBC. “The company that once billed itself as the “Stock Market of Sneakers” has extended its offerings to collectibles, handbags, electronics and more. But the core business remains the same, users can buy or sell goods on an open market, with StockX providing the platform, authentication and niche content related to what it calls “current culture.” Read more

 

Target CIO Mike McNamara makes a cloud declaration of independence at Protocol. “Just to confirm, are you completely off of AWS at this point? Yes, we are. How much of that was a result of the fact that Amazon is Amazon? All of it was a result of Amazon.” Q&A

 

Saks Fifth Avenue Commits to Going Fur-Free “Shearling, goatskin, cattle hide, down, feathers, leather and faux fur products will continue to be sold online and in stores.” Press release

 

Amazon driver leaving packages upside down as part of ‘No More Smiles’ protest at GeekWire. “In a post on Reddit, user AugustaSummerz discussed what they called their own movement — “No More Smiles With Amazon.” The post is accompanied by a collage of images showing packages in front of doorways.” Read more/Pics

 

Tencent’s main shareholder Prosus nets $15 billion from record stock sale at CNN. Read more

 

A Target Sex-Trafficking Hoax Is Going Viral on TikTok at Rolling Stone. “The harrowing story, told in two parts, is hashtagged #sextraffickingawareness and #target, and has a combined 1.2 million views…anti-trafficking experts are highly skeptical of these reports. “I have never heard a case of anyone being abducted from Target in my 20 years in this field,” says Jean Bruggeman, executive director of Freedom Network USA.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

People who got the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine say they have more side effects

How FedEx & Otter solved the packing puzzle of cooled, secure wine shipping

Raley’s to transform all stores to O-N-E Market concept

Jeff Bezos-National Enquirer Drama Takes a Bizarre New Turn

Global Food Costs Keep Climbing

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Tipsheet: Target +$2B w/Black-owned Biz | Teen Spend Ticks Up | WM Poaches Disney

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Target says it will spend more than $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by 2025 at CNBC. “…the retailer said it will more actively seek out advertising firms, suppliers, construction companies and other kinds of businesses that are Black-owned. It said it will create a program called Forward Founders for early-stage start-ups led by Black entrepreneurs to help them develop, test and scale products to sell at mass retailers like Target.” Read more

 

A ‘System of Espionage’ Reigned at Ikea, a French Prosecutor Charges at NY Times. “Ikea came to France touting an image as a homespun retailer with humanist values,” Ms. Tabardel told the judges before a packed courtroom last week, as the trial wrapped up. Instead, she said, Ikea France illegally surveilled at least 400 people and used the information to its advantage.” Read more

 

Amazon comes out in support of Biden’s infrastructure plans – including tax increases at Fox Business. “We’re supportive of a rise in the corporate tax rate,” Bezos said. “We look forward to Congress and the Administration coming together to find the right, balanced solution that maintains or enhances U.S. competitiveness.” Read more

 

Walmart hires Disney in-house agency leader as first Chief Creative Officer at Ad Age. “Walmart is adding some high-profile hires to its marketing team, including bringing in the former head of Disney Parks’ in-house creative agency as its first chief creative officer. The retail giant also lured a top Under Armour’ marketing exec to head category marketing.” Ad Age subs.

 

Lowe’s Canada Launches Pick-Up Locker Service at Select Lowe’s Locations “48 Lowe’s stores will offer this new contactless pick-up option by the end of April.” Press release

 

Amazon Is the Target of Small-Business Antitrust Campaign at Wall Street Journal. “The effort is being launched Tuesday by trade groups that represent small hardware stores, office suppliers, booksellers, grocers and others, along with business groups from 12 cities, organizers say. Merchants plan to push their congressional representatives for stricter antitrust laws and tougher enforcement of existing ones.” WSJ subs.

 

Signet Jewelers Acquires Rocksbox, the Leading Jewelry Rental Subscription Platform Press release

 

New Seasons Market, a chain of 19 stores primarily based in Oregon, and New Leaf Community Markets, its California-based subsidiary, will no longer sell standard single-use bottled water at Fast Company. 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

 

UK Deliveroo riders strike over pay, gig work condition at AP News. “The “success they claim to have had during the pandemic was built on our backs,” said Wave Roberts, a Deliveroo rider in Reading and chair of the union’s couriers branch. “It’s not sustainable. It’s got to the point where they’ve hired too many people. They’ve lowered the fees too much.” Read more

 

Teen spending is slowly ticking up from a two-decade low, according to Piper Sandler’s 41st biannual “Taking Stock with Teens” report at CNBC. “Teens plan to spend about $2,165 this year…That’s still down about 5% from a year earlier, but up 1% from last fall, when teen spending hit a low not seen in two decades…girls are leading the recovery in teen spending, the survey found.” Read more

 

Nordstrom Expands BEAUTYCYCLE to Canada “Nordstrom aims to take back 100 tons of hard-to-recycle beauty packaging by 2025…Many local recycling centres do not accept beauty materials and packaging, as they often contain a mix of materials that are not locally recyclable.” Press release

 

UPS agrees to buy electric vertical aircraft to speed up package delivery in small markets at CNBC. “You can see a future where it’s carrying, let’s say 1,000 pounds, 1,500 pounds to rural hospitals,” and landing on a helipad instead of an airport, UPS’ Bala Ganesh said.” Read more

 

Amazon is snapping up disused shopping malls and turning them into fulfillment centers at NBC News. “In March, Amazon won approval to turn a mall in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, into a 3.4 million-square-foot distribution building, and a mall in Knoxville, Tennessee, into a 220,000-square-foot distribution center. In December, the local planning board in Worcester, Massachusetts, signed off on Amazon’s request to convert the city’s Greendale Mall into a 121,000-square-foot distribution center.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Florida Gov. blasts CBS’ ’60 Minutes’ for ‘deceptively edited’ Publix-COVID clip

Former Amazon exec gives Chinese firms a tool to fight cyber threats

Amazon union vote: Here’s how the ballots will be counted this week

eBay’s app will soon be able to scan Pokémon cards to sell them more easily

Ikea and Sonos start to tease the next products they’ve collaborated on

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Tipsheet: Lebron Mom & WM | Kroger Empathy | GameStop Eyes $1B Stock Sale

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GameStop plans $1 billion stock sale at Reuters. “The company said it would sell up to 3.5 million shares and use the proceeds to speed up the shift in its business model to e-commerce in an overhaul being led by top shareholder and board member Ryan Cohen.” Read more

 

Pharmacies score customer data in vaccine effort. Some are crying foul. at Politico. “Privacy experts said that some retail pharmacies have been better than others at separating vaccine appointments from marketing efforts. The grocery chain Albertsons, at the point of securing a vaccine slot, allows people to opt-in to receive Covid-related marketing information about vaccines or general marketing outreach, rather than register them automatically.” Read more

 

Labor board finds Amazon illegally fired activist workers: NYT at Reuters. “Last year, Amazon fired two user experience designers, Maren Costa and Emily Cunningham, for what it called repeated violations of internal policies.” Read more

 

Watch: Walmart enlists Lebron James’ mom to talk about how community helped put food on their table at Ad Age. “FCB work backs hunger relief effort by focusing on how eliminating food insecurity creates opportunities for other things.” Video

 

Amazon apologizes for lying about pee at The Verge. Read more

 

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

 

Walgreens announces “This Is Our Shot” campaign with John Legend to remind Americans that the vaccine is the nation’s opportunity to help bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic Press release

 

Stores in Greece open amid virus surge to help save economy at AP News. Read more

 

U.S. service sector activity index jumps to record high in March – ISM survey at Reuters. “…to a reading of 63.7 last month…That was the highest in the survey’s history and followed 55.3 in February. A reading above 50 indicates growth in the services sector…Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the index rising to 59.0 in March.” Read more

 

Netflix Lost 31% of Market Share in the Last Year as Streaming Rivals Gained Ground at The Wrap/Yahoo. Read more

 

Korean American shopper, moved by Kroger employees’ empathy, gives them each $100 at Tennessean. “Ro recorded her Instagram video and returned to the story an hour later with thank you cards with $100 cash each for Bassham and Davis…”People don’t realize words can hurt a person,” Davis said, “and some simple words can cheer up a person. And that’s apparently what we did for her.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Unopened Super Mario Bros. game from 1986 sells for $660,000

Analysts applaud Walmart’s effort to raise fashion credibility

Uber will pay a blind woman $1.1 million after drivers stranded her 14 times

How Home Depot and Lowe’s will grab share in the outdoor living market

Sprouts livestream to celebrate school gardens

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Tipsheet: Amazon Home Goods Outlets? | WM NWA In-Home Deliv | Target Shuts 2 @ SF

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Amazon exploring opening outlets selling home goods, electronics at Bloomberg/Fortune. “The outlets would carry unsold inventory sitting in Amazon’s warehouses at steep discounts, according to two people familiar with the plans. The company has considered opening permanent stores, as well as pop-up locations in malls or parking lots, said the people. The plans were preliminary and under discussion last year, but the pandemic and new Fresh grocery chain forced many employees to focus on day-to-day operations.” Read more

 

US economy adds 916,000 jobs in March as service-sector hiring booms at Fox Business. “Employers added 916,000 jobs in March and the gains from February were revised higher to 468,000 jobs, the Labor Department said Friday. Economists surveyed by Refinitiv expected the addition of 647,000 jobs.” Read more

 

The Ghosts of Brooks Brothers at NY Times. “The bones of Brooks Brothers stores are scattered across 100,000 square feet here in a warehouse near the Massachusetts border, mixed in with a sea of cardboard boxes and junk. There are legions of mannequins, empty circular tables that once displayed neckties, posters of horseback-riding gentlemen from a bygone era. There is a whole section of Christmas trees and countless gold-painted ornaments of sheep suspended by ribbon — a Brooks Brothers symbol since 1850 known as the Golden Fleece. Blank order forms for tailors are strewn about…” Read more

 

Macy’s reorganizes comms, promotes Julie Strider PR Week subs.

 

Amazon says it expects some employees to return to the office this summer, most will return in fall at CNBC. “Our plan is to return to an office-centric culture as our baseline,” Amazon told employees in the memo. “We believe it enables us to invent, collaborate, and learn together most effectively.” 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

 

Walmart to offer in-home delivery in parts of Northwest Arkansas at Talk Business. “Walmart announced Wednesday (March 31) plans to bring its in-home delivery service to parts of Northwest Arkansas effective April 7. The retailer’s home base is the fourth market for the service. The service is available to about 5 million people in Kansas City, Pittsburg and Vero Beach, Fla.” Read more

 

Ex-UPS driver says Amazon’s pee-in-water-bottles problem isn’t unique at Fox Business. “I saw this story break about the Amazon workers, and that is nothing new to UPS,” the former UPS driver told FOX Business on the condition of anonymity, citing fears of “retaliation” from her former employer. “It is a well-known practice that takes place on a daily basis.” Read more

 

Target closing two San Francisco Bay area stores at Fox Business. “A location on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco and on Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino will shut down on June 26. All eligible team members, however, will be given the chance to transfer to different area stores, according to the company.” Read more

 

Professor tried walking every aisle at all 46 San Antonio H-E-B stores in 1-day at My San Antonio. “Lucas, an avid walker and head of the psychology department at Northwest Vista College, launched what he calls his  H-E-B pilgrimage for no reason at all other than pure curiosity. Is it possible to walk it? Short answer, no. However, Lucas, 53, and his two 50-something buddies, Paul Franklin and Emmet Faulk, ended up learning more about San Antonio than they thought they would in their 17-hour H-E-B journey.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Shot hits front door of Target store in South Bay shopping plaza

How Amazon honed its anti-union bent at a Seattle call center 20 years ago

Research firm visits more than 50 Walmart stores and files ‘disorganized’ report

Sam’s Club highlights outdoor offerings with Deck the Yard virtual shopping experience

U.S. factories desperate for workers, even as ranks of jobless remains high

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Tipsheet: Walgreens +4.6% | Chewy +51% | Boxes in Demand

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Walgreens Q2 sales +4.6% “The United States segment had second quarter sales of $27.3 billion, an increase of 0.4 percent from the year-ago quarter…Comparable sales increased 2.0 percent from the year-ago quarter reflecting a 4.5 percent increase in comparable pharmacy sales and a 3.5 percent decline in comparable retail sales.” Press release

 

Lululemon quarterly comp sales +21% at Fox Business. Read more

 

Chewy Q4 net sales +51% Press release

 

Macy’s CEO says company is already benefiting from vaccinations and stimulus checks at CNBC. “Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette said business from loyal Macy’s customers is already up by 10% from the company’s fiscal fourth quarter. “That’s clearly the vaccine starting to take root,” he told CNBC’s Jim Cramer in a “Mad Money” interview.” Read more

 

PVH Corp. Q4 revenue down 20% “A 16% decrease…in the Tommy Hilfiger business…A 17% decrease…in the Calvin Klein business…” Press release

 

Deliveroo dives 30% as London debut of the decade turns torrid at Reuters. “Investors are turning away from the work-at-home play and putting their money into the economic recovery play. Deliveroo got caught in the middle of a huge rotation. It was the last IPO of the old COVID world,” he said.” Read more

 

Walmart to hold virtual shareholder events again this year – meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 Press release

 

**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

 

Corrugated Boxes Have Never Been in More Demand—or More Expensive at The Wall Street Journal. “U.S. producers in 2020 churned out nearly 407 billion square feet of corrugated product, from dot.com delivery boxes to watermelon crates, according to the Fibre Box Association. The year-over-year rise was 3.4%, equivalent to about 477 square miles of additional corrugated board.” WSJ subs.

 

Albertsons and Google Partner “Planned innovations under this partnership include: Shoppable maps with dynamic hyperlocal features, AI-powered conversational commerce and predictive grocery list building.” Press release

 

Target can’t erase IP suit over autistic boy’s artwork Law 360 subs.

 

Amazon acquires Indian retail startup Perpule at TechCrunch. “Amazon has acquired a startup in India that is helping offline stores go online, the e-commerce group’s latest attempt to make inroads in the world’s second most populous nation where brick and mortar continue to drive more than 95% of sales.” Read more

 

Dollarama Inc missed analysts’ sales estimates for the crucial holiday quarter on Wednesday at Financial Post. “Net sales rose to $1.10 billion in the fourth quarter ended Jan. 31, from $1.07 billion a year earlier, below Refinitiv IBES estimates of $1.13 billion.” Read more

 

Amazon is reportedly working on custom networking chips at The Verge. Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Higher commodity costs lead to price hikes from Kimberly-Clark and others 

America’s imports are stuck on ships floating just off Los Angeles

Guess reportedly pulls ‘G-Logo’ tote bag after fans say it look too similar to an indie label

Digital gym-on-a-wall startup Tonal raises $250 million at $1.6. billion valuation

Feb. US home contract signings tumble, now lag year-ago pace

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Tipsheet: Home Prices +11.1% | Gennette @ Mad Money | Bed Bath & GameStop Poach

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Bed Bath & Beyond poaches Wayfair, Walmart execs to help it grow online at CNBC. “Jill Pavlovich, previously head of exclusive brands and merchandising for the online furniture retailer Wayfair, has been named senior vice president of digital commerce at Bed Bath. Jake Griffith, previously a general manager for sports and fitness at the big-box retailer Walmart, has been named vice president of product management.” Read more | Press release

 

US home prices soared 11.1% in January – the most in seven years at AP. “The biggest price gain was in Phoenix, where home prices jumped 15.8%, followed by Seattle, with a 14.3% gain, and San Diego, at 14.2%.” Read more

 

PayPal launches crypto checkout service at Reuters. “The service, which PayPal revealed it was working on late last year, will be available at all of its 29 million merchants in the coming months, the company said. “This is the first time you can seamlessly use cryptocurrencies in the same way as a credit card or a debit card inside your PayPal wallet,” President and CEO Dan Schulman told Reuters ahead of a formal announcement.” Read more

 

GameStop hires Amazon executive as chief growth officer in e-commerce shift at CNBC. “…appointed Amazon executive Elliott Wilke as chief growth officer. Wilke, who has spent nearly seven years at Amazon and last led its Fresh Stores business, will oversee growth strategies and marketing at GameStop, the company said.” Read more

 

Amazon union vote enters final stretch in watershed moment for U.S. labor at Reuters. “Tallying votes might not begin until later this week or next, after both Amazon and the union check the eligibility of ballots cast, said a person familiar with the process. Subsequent procedures and objections could further forestall a certified result, the person said.” Read more

 

…For union battling Amazon, victory could bring a stalemate at Politico. “…initial collective bargaining agreements usually take years to hammer out at the negotiating table. More than half of workplaces that form unions are unable to reach an initial contract within a year, according to the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute, and 37 percent of newly formed private-sector unions still have no contract after two years.” Read more

 

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

 

Biden administration’s federal vaccination sites a bust as Americans prefer local pharmacies at Fox Business. Read more

 

Cameo Aims to Connect Celebrities With Fans and It’s Now Worth $1 Billion at Wall Street Journal. “Rivals are circling. A smaller San Francisco-based company, Vidsig Inc., features some of the same celebrity talent and specializes in live-video conversations…Facebook Inc.’s new product lab began development on a Cameo-like service called Super last year and is now running public tests of the platform.” WSJ subs.

 

TONIGHT – Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette on Mad Money at 6P ET

 

Tracy Sun, co-founder and SVP of new markets at Poshmark, on why community is the future of retail at The Verge. “You go to the local farmer’s market and you like to know who grows your lettuce, or you like to speak to the shopkeeper at a store, to find out how to style things. And with the rise of e-commerce, what’s happened is a lot of that human connection gets stripped out…But what Poshmark does is it brings back a lot of that really innate human connection that happens around shopping and combines it with e-commerce.” Read more

 

Petco pushes its health and wellness transformation in first work from Droga5 Ad Age subs.

 

Amazon employees, bots or trolls? New Twitter bios emerge to speak out mostly against union effort at GeekWire. “Gizmodo wrote about Amazon’s “anti-union Twitter army” on Monday, and said that Darla’s profile pic was almost certainly created using the website Generated Photos. Gizmodo said it was able to almost create the same Darla image using the website’s AI.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

15,000 bees invade car while owner shops at Albertsons

Google Maps to start directing drivers to ‘eco-friendly’ routes

Americans want the government to buy U.S.-made goods, even if they cost more

Sprouts Farmers Market founder dies at 52

Dog who stole purple unicorn from Dollar General store gets adopted

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Tipsheet: Sam’s SVP @ Chamber | Dick’s 1st Experiential Store | Costco’s Ravens

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ThredUp shares jump nearly 43% in first day of trading at CNBC. “Based in Oakland, Calif., ThredUp is an online resale marketplace where consumers can buy and sell secondhand clothing, shoes and accessories. The website features about 2.4 million listings from over 35,000 brands at any given time.” Read more

 

Amazon started a Twitter war because Jeff Bezos was pissed at Recode. “Amazon has long been at odds with Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren over their criticisms…Recode has learned that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos expressed dissatisfaction in recent weeks that company officials weren’t more aggressive in how they pushed back against criticisms of the company…” Read more

 

Dick’s to open new experiential store at The Motley Fool/USA Today. “Dick’s just opened its first “experiential” store in Rochester, New York. The store will be called Dick’s House of Sports, and it will focus on giving customers a hands-on shopping experience. The store will include an outdoor field for sporting events, a rock-climbing wall, and indoor wellness spaces. It’ll also give consumers an opportunity to seek advice from fitness experts…” Read more

 

Amazon-backed Deliveroo cuts IPO target range after investor backlash at CNBC. “…it will now sell shares for £3.90 ($5.40) to £4.10 each instead of £3.90 to £4.60 each. As a result, Deliveroo’s market cap will be between £7.6 billion and £7.8 billion, instead of between £7.6 billion and £8.8 billion.” Read more

 

Prathibha Rajashekhar, SVP of sourcing and private brands at Sam’s Club, speaks at Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce event at Talk Business. “We’re looking to grow, but we don’t measure growth the way you may think,” Rajashekhar said. “Success for Member’s Mark will be measured in a way to ensure we’re constantly surprising and delighting members with quality products at an incredible value. We know that if we get that right, we will continue to be a strong asset to the overall Sam’s Club business.” 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

 

The Story of Plug Power – Amazon’s Fuel-Cell Supplier – Explains This Crazy Market at Wall Street Journal. “In return for spending $600 million on fuel cells and other kit to meet pandemic demand, (Amazon) gained the right to buy Plug Power shares for approximately $900 million less than they were worth when vested. Plug only took a paper charge related to the cost of issuing the stock of $438 million, but that was still enough to more than wipe out revenue from all sources last year.” WSJ subs.

 

Investors flock to European e-commerce start-ups hoping to take on Amazon at CNBC. “While Amazon is huge in the U.S. and many other countries, it isn’t as well established in some corners of Europe and large swathes of Asia. In fact, the tech giant only has dedicated online stores for around 17 countries worldwide.” Read more

 

Stitch Fix relied on flexibility to ride out the pandemic. CEO Katrina Lake says those changes are here to stay at Fortune. “What advice would you offer about how to be a young woman in this sort of public company CEO job, whether to Whitney or the next person who comes along? The fact that there’s not a lot of women doing this right now—you almost get licensed to lead in your own way…” Q&A

 

Lil Nas ‘Satan’ shoes stir new political controversy at The Hill. “The footwear includes a bronze pentagram, an inverted cross and a drop of human blood from one of the members of the MSCHF team, a spokesperson told CNN. The blood is included in the shoe’s bubble sole, which has 60 cubic centimeters of red ink.” Read more

 

Anchorage Costco customers say ravens are stealing their groceries in the parking lot at Fox Business. “Matt Lewallen told Anchorage Daily News that two ravens took a short rib from his cart after he said he walked only a few feet away from it…“They’re very fat, so I think they’ve got a whole system there,” he told the newspaper…Another woman said one tried to make off with a mini-melon.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

U.S. church membership falls below majority for first time

Amazon 10-year deal with NFL means restrictions for sellers

Meat sales in grocery stores have risen by 20% from 2019 to 2020

H-E-B readies to rule Dallas-Fort Worth

Here’s what BJ’s Wholesale Club paid for 9 acres outside of Pittsburgh

Biden mulls giving farmers billions to fight climate change

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Tipsheet: Italy Fake Amazon Reviews | Grocers Face $11B in Equal Pay | JCP CEO Search

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Grocers Face $11 Billion in Equal Pay Claims After Asda Ruling at Bloomberg. “The U.K. Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the salaries earned by women who work in grocery stores could be compared to men who predominantly work in warehouses. The case will return to an employment tribunal, where a judge will determine whether the roles are of equal value and the wage discrepancy was a result of discrimination.” Read more

 

…UK supermarket chain Asda loses ruling over equal pay claim at AP. ““Asda has wasted money on lawyers’ bills chasing a lost cause, losing appeal after appeal, while tens of thousands of retail workers remain out of pocket,” said Susan Harris, legal director at the GMB union. “We now call on Asda to sit down with us to reach agreement on the back pay owed to our members — which could run to hundreds of millions of pounds,” she added.” Read more

 

Italians stay afloat by faking it on Amazon at Reuters. “Tens of thousands of people have joined dedicated Amazon channels on the Telegram instant messaging site where anonymous intermediaries sign people up to write glowing five-star reviews for products in return for financial reward. “It might not be very ethical or legal, but it has allowed me to indulge in a few things … that I couldn’t otherwise afford,” said the mother in Rome…” Read more

 

JC Penney’s interim CEO sees green shoots emerging at CNBC. “Specifically, he cited growth in home goods and athletic apparel…According to Shashoua, the search for a permanent CEO is also ongoing and the prospects are plentiful. “We are taking our time,” he said. “We’ve gotten a lot of interest from a lot of very high-quality, highly qualified people.” Read more

 

Amazon starts on-site COVID-19 vaccination for U.S. employees at Reuters. “(Amazon) said that on-site vaccination programs would first start in Missouri, Nevada, and Kansas and then expand across the country as more vaccines become available.” Read more

 

Rite Aid Forecasts Full-Year Loss, Lower Adjusted Ebitda at The Street. “The revised full-year estimates were prompted because a “soft” cough, cold and flu season hurt fourth-quarter results, President and Chief Executive Heyward Donigan said in a statement.” Read more

 

Foot Locker, Inc. appoints Andrew Page as EVP & CFO “Page joins Foot Locker from Advance Auto Parts, Inc. where he served as Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller…” Press release

 

Walmart #1 in race for shoppers’ grocery dollars in Charlotte at Charlotte Business Journal. “Walmart Supercenter stores claimed a 21.3% market share in metro Charlotte in 2020, down slightly from 21.6%…Harris Teeter…captured a combined 17.8% market share in the Charlotte region last year.” Read more

 

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Amazon asks Indian government not to change e-commerce foreign investment rules until investigations into its business practices had been concluded at Yahoo. Read more

 

Gorillas, the Berlin-HQ’d startup that promises to let you order groceries and other “every day” items for delivery in as little as 10 minutes, has raised $290 million in Series B funding, at a valuation that surpasses $1 billion at TechCrunch. Read more

 

King Soopers chain to give $1M to Colorado Healing Fund following Boulder shooting at The Hill. Read more

 

What CVS and Walgreens stand to gain from the vaccine rollout at Fortune. “Retailers will ultimately administer half of the shots…That translates into CVS pharmacy, Walgreens, Walmart, Rite Aid and other retailers giving about 150 million shots. And with dispensing fees of roughly $40 per shot paid by the government to the retailers, almost all profit since the chains don’t buy the vaccines, they will collect a nice little bonanza.” Read more

 

Amazon blasts Bernie Sanders as he heads to Alabama to support union drive at CNBC. “I welcome [Sanders] to Birmingham and appreciate his push for a progressive workplace,” (CEO of Amazon’s worldwide consumer business) Clark wrote in a tweet. “I often say we are the Bernie Sanders of employers, but that’s not quite right because we actually deliver a progressive workplace.” Read more

 

Former Blue Apron CEO raises $25M for his new venture studio Material at TechCrunch. Read more

 

Amazon denies stories of workers peeing in bottles, receives a flood of evidence in return at The Verge. “…after Amazon sent out its ill-judged tweet, reporters who cover the company’s labor practices practically lined up to soak the firm with evidence. These included English journalist James Bloodworth, whose 2018 book Hired: Six Months Undercover in Low-Wage Britain documented his experience of low-paid work for companies including Amazon.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Chipotle invests in driverless delivery startup Nuro

Williams Sonoma announces a new virtual event series in partnership with Nutella

Donald C. R. Sobey dies

Wegmans speaks out after being targeted by activists during Rochester protest

Kantar: Walmart holds its spot as largest global retailer

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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