Costco Snags Kroger CFO | TaylorMade Sues Costco | Dick’s Concept @ AZ

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Costco Announces Richard Galanti Will Step Down as CFO, Names Gary Millerchip New CFO “Gary (served) as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at The Kroger Co. since April 2019. Gary spent 15 years at The Kroger Co., preceded by more than 20 years in banking…Richard will remain with the Company through January 2025, serving in an advisory role.” Press release

 

…Kroger names Todd Foley, group vice president, corporate controller and chief accounting officer, as interim CFO…will name a CFO successor at a later date Press release

 

Luxury Retailers Are Buying Out Their Landlords at WSJ. “In New York City, Prada recently agreed to buy the building that houses its Fifth Avenue store as well as the building next door for more than $800 million. Gucci’s parent company, Kering, is also paying nearly $1 billion for a 115,000-square-foot retail space a few blocks south. Luxury behemoth LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, meanwhile, is in discussions to purchase the Fifth Avenue retail space occupied by Bergdorf Goodman’s men’s store, according to a person familiar with the matter.” WSJ subs.

 

Amazon ‘censored’ COVID-19 vaccine books after ‘feeling pressure’ from Biden White House: docs at NY Post. “The email states that a tweak to the bookseller’s website that would redirect more customers searching certain keywords to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website was in the works and that a screenshot of that change should be sent to the White House, but it warned employees to play coy with the Biden administration about potential further actions.” Read more

 

TaylorMade Sues Costco for Patent Infringement Over Kirkland Brand of Irons at Golficity. “Included in the court filing are 11 exhibits that TaylorMade says proves Costco infringed on patents held by the plaintiff. The complaint also says an engineer who is currently with SCDC used to work for TaylorMade.” Read more

 

New Macy’s CEO Tony Spring looks to revive a 166-year-old retailer fighting for relevance at CNBC. “In CNBC interviews, current and former Macy’s employees, industry leaders and investors said Spring will bring a deep retail background, a merchant’s sharp eye and credibility with coveted national and global brands from his decades at Bloomingdale’s. Yet they acknowledged the new CEO will have his hands full. Some expressed concern that as a longtime executive at the company, Spring won’t bring the same scrutiny an outsider would.” Read more

 

Gap names fashion designer Zac Posen as its new creative director at CBS News. “In his new role, Posen will lead design, merchandising and marketing for Old Navy, one of the largest apparel brands in the U.S. He will report to Old Navy CEO Haio Barbeito.” Read more

 

CANADA – Business insolvencies spike by 41% in two years as pandemic aid fades — experts say it’s just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ at Toronto Star

 

The top 10 overall titles in Nielsen’s year-end rankings are all acquired shows, the first time that’s happened in the four years streaming rankings have been publicly available at The Hollywood Reporter. “Suits #1, Bluey #2…” Top 10 list

 

Dick’s Sporting Goods to bring experiential concept store in Arizona at ABC 15. “…planning to debut its budding national store concept — called Dick’s House of Sport — in Arizona in 2025…combines…retail merchandise with sporting experiences such as rock climbing, golf simulation bays and multi-sport cages for baseball, softball, lacrosse and soccer…Dick’s could be planning to build the center in metro Phoenix.” Read more

 

LOS ANGELES – Amazon delivery truck stuck on hillside, threatening home below at KTLA 5

 

Wayfair extends shoppable generative AI images to Apple Vision Pro at Chain Store Age. “Decorify on Apple Vision Pro enables users to view and select Wayfair items in 3D directly in their spaces. All 3D items are at full scale and anchor to the floor, designed to enable shoppers can see a variety of life-size products in any room or space in their home.” Read more

 

Stew Leonard’s recalls 8 chicken products weeks after NYC dancer’s death blamed on mislabeled cookies at NY Post

 

Biden takes aim at grocery stores for ‘ripping people off’ amid continued high prices at Yahoo News. “Well, it’s going to stop. Americans, we’re tired of being played for suckers,” Biden said to resounding applause. “And that’s why we’re going to keep these guys — keep on them and get the prices down.” Read more

 

***Advertising inquiries, new product searches, comments, questions, etc…contact Jason Long at jlong@eyeonretail.net

Amazon 3rd Party Liable? | Lulu Men’s Shoes | CA Gov @ Target

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Amazon Could Face Government Order Making It Liable for Third-Party Products at WSJ. “The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is preparing an order that could classify Amazon’s online retail business as a distributor of goods, according to people familiar with the matter. That designation could give Amazon the same safety responsibilities as traditional retailers and potentially open Amazon up to lawsuits and extensive recalls over items sold through its website.” WSJ subs.

 

Lululemon to launch first men’s footwear line as it chases growth in crowded athletic apparel space at CNBC. “The retailer is debuting its first casual sneaker, dubbed “cityverse,” along with two new running shoes that will all come in both men’s and women’s styles for the first time. Cityverse will launch Feb. 13, while the new running models will debut in March and May.” Read more

 

EBay to pay $59 million to settle US charges over illegal pill-making machines at Reuters. “Wednesday’s settlement arose from eBay’s alleged inadequate monitoring since October 2015 of thousands of pill presses and encapsulating machines sold through its website, including presses capable of producing thousands of pills an hour.” Read more

 

Tractor Supply Q4 comp store sales decline 4.2% Press release

 

Walmart creating 150 new stores, redesigning hundreds more at Fox News. “It will mark the first time Walmart has opened a new store since November 2021, a spokesperson told FOX Business. New stores will be a mix of 182,000-square-foot Walmart Supercenters that employ about 300 and 38,000-square-foot Neighborhood Markets that employ up to 95.” Read more

 

Adidas won’t write off remaining Yeezy inventory, plans to sell ‘at least’ at cost at CNBC. “Last year, Adidas sold about 750 million euros worth of Yeezy merchandise and donated some of the profits to groups such as the Anti-Defamation League…It’s not clear if Adidas will donate any portion of the remaining Yeezy sales.” Read more

 

…Ex-Nike exec mocks Kayne West’s new sock shoe at Daily Mail

 

Amazon delivery gets faster, with 65% jump in number of same-day and overnight items in U.S. at GeekWire. “And the company continues to work on its Prime Air drone delivery, citing its fastest click-to-delivery time in the fourth quarter of 2023 — a box of Annie’s Cocoa and Vanilla Bunny Cookies dropped in 15 minutes, 29 seconds in College Station, Texas.” Read more

 

Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. Q3 same store sales decreased 9.7% Press release

 

Canada Goose Q3 2024 revenue increased 6% year-over-year “DTC revenue grew 14%…driven by growth of in-store retail sales…DTC comparable sales decreased 1.6% year-over-year due to lower e-commerce sales.” Press release

 

Gavin Newsom recalls how Target clerk blamed him for California retail theft — before realizing who he was at NY Post. “And then she goes – she looks at me twice and then she freaks out – she calls everyone over, wants to take photos,” Newsom said – a request he apparently turned down. “I’m like, ‘no we’re not taking a photo, we’re having a conversation, where’s your manager? How are you blaming the governor?’” he said. “And it was $380 later, and I was like ‘Why am I spending $380, everyone else can walk the hell right out?’” Read more

 

Shopify is rolling out an AI-powered image editor for products at TechCrunch

 

More than $85M in Zulily inventory and fulfillment center assets will be up for sale at GeekWire. “It’s also offering for sale the inner workings of two 775,000-square-feet fulfillment centers, which includes more than seven miles of conveyor belts, racks and shelves, furniture, hundreds of barcode scanners, lifts and trucks, and other warehouse miscellany.” Read more

 

Sally Beauty Holdings Q1 consolidated comp sales decline 0.8% Press release

 

Manulife-Loblaw deal on drugs for severe illness triggers fears for access, competition at Financial Post. “Some pharmacare policy experts are raising concerns about competition and patient access to much-needed medication after Manulife Financial Corp. announced its coverage of certain prescription drugs will only apply at Loblaw Cos. Ltd. pharmacies.” Read more

 

1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. Q2 total consolidated revenues decreased 8.4% Press release

 

One of America’s Hottest Commodities is Probably in Your Trash at WSJ. “The national average price for OCC free on board, or at the seller’s loading dock, was $87 a short ton in January, up from $29 a ton a year ago, according to Fastmarkets RISI’s PPI Pulp & Paper Week.” WSJ subs.

 

Ross Stores Appoints Karen Fleming President and Chief Merchandising Officer of dd’s DISCOUNTS Press release

 

***Advertising inquiries, new product searches, comments, questions, etc…contact Jason Long at jlong@eyeonretail.net

Wmart #1 Drugstore | Return Fraud 16.5% | 5.3% Vacancies @ Lowest

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Retail return fraud is rising as consumers send back purchases in droves at CNBC. “Retailers expect 16.5%, or $24.5 billion worth, of holiday returns to be fraudulent this year, according to a survey by Appriss Retail and the National Retail Federation.” Read more

 

Prisoners in the US are part of a hidden workforce linked to hundreds of popular food brands at AP. “The goods these prisoners produce wind up in the supply chains of a dizzying array of products found in most American kitchens, from Frosted Flakes cereal and Ball Park hot dogs to Gold Medal flour, Coca-Cola and Riceland rice. They are on the shelves of virtually every supermarket in the country, including Kroger, Target, Aldi and Whole Foods.” Read more

 

UPS announces 12,000 job cuts, says package volume slipped last quarter at CNBC. “The company reported a 7.4% drop in average daily volume domestically and an 8.3% decrease internationally. Tomé said the international softness was “heavily weighted” in Europe, coupled with freight complications in the Red Sea region, as well as the Panama and Suez Canals.” Read more

 

For Retailers, Business Is Back and Landlords Say No More Rent Discounts at WSJ. “Vacancies at U.S. shopping centers fell to 5.3% in the fourth quarter, the lowest level since real-estate firm Cushman & Wakefield began tracking the metric in 2007. Average asking rents rose to $23.70 a square foot and are now nearly 17% above 2019 levels.” WSJ subs.

 

ACSI Customer Satisfaction: Chewy #1 online…Costco/HEB/Publix #1 Supermarkets…Walmart #1 Drugstore…Macy’s/Costco #1 General Retailer Press release

 

Democrats’ next crime fight: Retail theft at Politico. “New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is waging her own war on shoplifters through a mix of tougher criminal penalties and funding…She wants to create new police teams to address the matter, while offering a tax credit for businesses to help bolster security measures. Hochul’s move comes as Democrats look to flip five U.S. House seats in New York in the narrowly-divided chamber this year…” Read more

 

Costco CFO says China has huge potential as he gives us a peek at international expansion plans at CNBC Pro. “The world’s second-largest economy has “very good potential” for Costco expansion, CFO Rich Galanti told CNBC. Perhaps, that’s even an understatement, if the mob scene outside the recent opening of the first Costco in Shenzhen is any indication. Six warehouse stores in all of mainland China do not seem to be anywhere close to being enough.” CNBC Pro subs.

 

Costco shopper is left stunned after store allowed her to return a two-and-a-half-year-old couch with no receipt at Daily Mail. “[They] just asked me if  there was anything wrong with it or I just didn’t want it or like it anymore,’ she recalled. ‘I said I just didn’t like it anymore, we just don’t like the color anymore,’ she explained. ‘And they gave us our refund.” Read more

 

Walmart says managers can now earn up to $400,000 a year — no college degree needed at CBS News

 

REI slashes workforce by more than 350 workers, prepares for ‘challenging’ year ahead at Fox Business. “…it impacts 200 people at headquarters near Seattle, six in sales and customer service, 30 in experiences and 121 in its distribution centers.” Read more

 

Walmart’s Jane Ewing to take a senior leadership role in Walmart’s International business at Talk Business. “Ewing will oversee operations, real estate, and supply chain initiatives across Walmart’s International markets.” Read more

 

‘A piece of my son:’ Painting of beloved Winston-Salem resident to be taken down from CVS store when it closes at WXII 12

 

Jeff Bezos still using homemade door desk from Amazon’s early days at Fox Business. “Bezos’ friend and Amazon’s fifth employee, Nico Lovejoy, explained, “We happened to be across the street from a Home Depot. He looked at desks for sale and looked at doors for sale, and the doors were a lot cheaper, so he decided to buy a door and put some legs on it.” Read more

 

Morgan Wallen and Eric Church Team to Purchase Field & Stream Brand With Investors at Billboard

 

Amazon terminates $1.4B iRobot deal, blames ‘disproportionate’ regulatory hurdles at GeekWire

 

Biden publishes watered-down gas stove efficiency rule at The Hill. “…97 percent of gas stoves and 77 percent of electric stoves on the market already meet the requirements it is proposing. This is down from the 50 percent of gas stoves on the market it estimated would be impacted by the rule last year.” Read more

 

Seattle bans batteries from the trash at GeekWire

 

Dollar General Surpasses Milestone of 5,000 Stores Nationwide Offering Fresh Produce Press release

 

Michelle Gass Assumes Role of Levi Strauss & Co. President & Chief Executive Officer Press release

 

 

 

Stew Leonard’s Tragedy | JIT Back | Costco Daytona Buzz

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Retailers Return to Bringing in Inventory ‘Just in Time’ at WSJ. “The ratio of inventories to sales at general-merchandise retailers, which tracks how much companies have in stock compared with what they sell, fell to 1.36 in November from a pandemic-era peak of 1.5 in August 2022, according to the Census Bureau. That compares with 1.33 in November 2019. “We’re basically right back in line with where we were in 2019, which I think is where folks want to be,” said Jason Miller, a logistics professor at Michigan State University.” WSJ subs.

 

Macy’s could get takeover bid from buyout firm Sycamore Partners during sagging sales, job cuts at NY Post. “Sycamore — a prolific buyout firm whose retail properties include Ann Taylor, Talbots and the regional department-store chain Belk — has been in quiet talks with Macy’s, which also owns Bloomingdale’s, since at least late December, sources told The Post.” Read more

 

US fourth quarter economic growth +3.3% vs. +2.0% forecast at Reuters

 

IKEA is busy cutting prices while everything else gets expensive at Yahoo Finance. “The reason IKEA is able to consider what other retailers haven’t been able to is because manufacturing costs have fallen recently. IKEA, in turn, wants to pass that on to the budget-constrained shopper. “It’s interesting right now, because we have inflation in the customer but we have massive deflation upstream. So, right now, we’re lowering prices more than we’ve ever done,” Brodin said.” Read more

 

Walmart’s Anshu Bhardwaj on AI and the retailer’s role as a global tech leader at NRF. “Bhardwaj says she challenges her teams and colleagues to find new ways to blend their retail acumen with technology to meet customers’ needs. She points to Sam Club’s Scan and Go, which launched chainwide in September 2016. The technology was there…Luckily, a product manager knew exactly what it would be good for…” Read more/Podcast

 

Professional dancer, 25, dead after eating mislabeled cookies from Stew Leonard’s grocery store at NY Post. “A professional dancer in New York died after she ate an incorrectly labeled holiday cookie containing peanuts sold at popular supermarket Stew Leonard’s, as the store and wholesaler point fingers at who is to blame.” Read more

 

Target, Walmart, and Albertson’s named top e-commerce grocery performers at Ipsos. “For the delivery category, respondents viewed Whole Foods Market as the grocer with the best communication (with 83% “very satisfied”), while Albertson’s was the brand shoppers said they were most likely to buy from again (61% extremely likely to use again). For curbside pickup, however, Albertson’s ranked highest (with 97% very satisfied), while Amazon Fresh was the brand that shoppers said they were most likely to use again (76% extremely likely to use again).” Read more

 

Knott’s Berry Farm, 100-year-old jam and cookie brand, is discontinued in stores at Fox Business

 

Buzz builds for new Costco across the street from Daytona International Speedway at Daytona Beach News-Journal. “With just a month to go before its Feb. 22 opening day, membership sales for Costco at One Daytona are on pace to set a new record for the chain’s Southeast region….Costco gas station opens here on Feb. 1, three weeks ahead of the store.” Read more

 

Target parts ways with independent agency Mother after 20 years at Ad Age (subs. required)

 

Walmart leaders exit the retailer ahead of the fiscal year-end at Talk Business. “Kevin Buncum, who led Walmart’s Neighborhood Market business for the past 12 years, is…leaving the company…Judith McKenna is also exiting the company on Feb. 1…She’s been working with Kath McLay who took over the international leadership role in August.” Read more

 

TikTok is coming for YouTube – the company has been spotted testing the ability for users to upload 30-minute videos at TechCrunch

 

Why Walmart pays its truck drivers 6 figures at Freight Waves/Finance. “Barring a lottery win or marrying a sugar mama, I don’t see myself going anywhere,” said the Texas-based driver, who asked not to have his name included as he is not authorized to speak on behalf of the company. Such loyalty to a single company is unusual in trucking, an industry notorious for massive turnover. And the Texas trucker isn’t alone in his dedication to Walmart…” Read more

 

There are 152,396 convenience stores operating in the United States, a 1.5% increase from the 2023 store count, reversing a four-year decline at NACS

 

Nearly 60% of parents provide financial help to their adult kids at WSJ. “About 59% of parents said they helped their young adult children financially in the past year, according to a report released Thursday by the Pew Research Center that focused on adults under age 35. (This question hadn’t been asked in prior surveys.) More young adults are also living with their parents. Among adults under age 25, 57% live with their parents, up from 53% in 1993.” WSJ subs.

 

American guitar brand Gibson is opening its first-ever flagship store outside of U.S. in London at Chain Store Age

 

***Advertising inquiries, new product searches, comments, questions, etc…contact Jason Long at jlong@eyeonretail.net

Amazon Union Broke | Target Stanley Firings | WM Greeter “On the Door”

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The Labor Union That Defeated Amazon Is Fighting for Survival at WSJ. “The union’s financial position is one of its most pressing obstacles. The organization is “pretty much broke,” said Michelle Nieves, its vice president…The Amazon Labor Union’s momentum from its victory quickly faded. The group lost two subsequent votes at other Amazon warehouses and has failed to unionize another Amazon facility.” WSJ subs.

 

Gucci owner pays nearly $1B to scoop up tower on red-haute Fifth Avenue at NY Post. “… it could mean the boot for rival fashion house Armani from its flagship location. Gucci’s parent Kering scooped up the 115,000 square-foot, three-level retail space at 715-717 Fifth Ave., at East 56th Street, which sits at the base of a 28-story office tower known as the Corning Glass Building.” Read more

 

Target Workers Are Being Fired For Buying Limited-Edition Stanley Cups at Delish. “A number of stories have surfaced on a Target subreddit from people who have been fired or have witnessed others being terminated for buying the limited-edition cups. One Reddit user recalled having a conversation with a coworker about shifts not being picked up, only to find out that several people had been fired.” Read more

 

…Parents reportedly spent $3,000 to get their 16-year-old every variety of Stanley Cup – she now has 67 in various styles and colors acquired over the past year at Yahoo

 

Macy’s rejects $5.8B takeover bid from Arkhouse Management, Brigade Capital Management at AP. “Arkhouse and Brigade offered $21 for each of the remaining shares in Macy’s they don’t already own. Shares of New York-based Macy’s rose 3.6% Monday to close at $18.26.” Read more

 

Alibaba co-founders buy more than $200 million worth of shares, sending stock up at CNBC

 

French regulator fines Amazon $35 million over its surveillance system of warehouse workers at TechCrunch. “Indicators tracking the inactivity time of employees’ scanners were put in place. The CNIL ruled that it was illegal to set up a system measuring work interruptions with such accuracy, potentially requiring employees to justify every break or interruption,” the French regulator wrote.” Read more

 

Driver used fake Amazon van to move black-market marijuana at The Oklahoman

 

TikTok usage is starting to slow — is TikTok Shop to blame? at TechCrunch. “Personally, I’m starting to get really annoyed by how almost every other video on my [For You Page] is someone overhyping a product from the Shop feature to try to get it to go viral and make a lot of commissions,” wrote Redditor u/megg-salad-sammich…A search across Reddit finds many more threads complaining of the same thing throughout last year…” Read more

 

Chicago migrants wait outside of Home Depot store for $5/hour jobs at WBEZ Chicago. “They don’t know that is not a living wage,” said Mauricio Huertas, of the Latino Union, which advocates for immigrant workers. “And part of the conversation around that is telling them like, ‘OK, sure, right now you have these transitional benefits to get you set up. But how do you expect to pay for housing … when you’re earning $5 an hour?’” Read more

 

Loblaw backs away from plan to end 50% discount on food nearing best-before date at CBC News

 

Amazon Hopes to Dominate the World of Streaming Ads. It Faces Some Challenges Along the Way. at WSJ. “Much of Amazon Prime’s success will rely on buy-in from so-called nonendemic brands, meaning those that don’t already sell products on Amazon. “What is yet to be seen is how they win over brands not selling in the marketplace. Will brands like Mercedes, Chipotle and Allstate be as excited?” said Jared Belsky, chief executive of marketing firm Acadia.” WSJ subs.

 

Amish horse and buggy stolen from Walmart parking lot at Fox 17

 

Amazon’s birthplace is back on the market: Visitors flock to the house ‘where it all started’ at GeekWire. “I just wanted to see where it all started,” said Manan Patel, an Amazon employee who was one of numerous people with connections to the company who were among the steady stream of visitors at the open house. The listing team made sure that the home’s history was clear to anyone who visited.” Read more | Daily Mail pics

 

Jeff Bezos 60th birthday bash featured replica of his first Amazon office with his original chair at The Sun

 

Applebee’s date night passes sell out in 1 minute at NY Post

 

“Rain or sleet or snow, I’m on the door” at KNOE 8. “John Terry, a 76-year-old Walmart greeter in Monroe has captured the hearts of over two million TikTok viewers after a post of him expressing his dedication to his job went viral. They call him “Mr. John.” Video/Read more

 

***Advertising inquiries, new product searches, comments, questions, etc…contact Jason Long at jlong@eyeonretail.net

Target Mgmt Changes | “Egg King” Survives Hit | Costco Bday Party

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Target Announces Michael Fiddelke as Chief Operating Officer “Additionally, Target announced the upcoming retirement of chief legal and compliance officer Don Liu…Rick Gomez, currently Target’s chief food & beverage officer, will oversee the retailer’s frequency categories as chief food, essentials & beauty officer…Jill Sando, currently the retailer’s chief merchandising officer, will oversee Target’s discretionary categories as chief merchandising officer of apparel & accessories, home and hardlines.” Press release

 

…Five Questions with Michael Fiddelke “From a young age, my parents inspired both a strong work ethic and a taste for business. I grew up on a farm in Iowa. It was a small farm, but my dad made sure I had chores to do every morning before I headed to school. That’s where the work ethic set in.” Press release

 

China launches a security review of Shein at CNBC. “The review squarely positions Shein as a Chinese company despite its many efforts to distance itself from the country where it was founded. To move forward with its IPO, Shein will need the blessing of both Washington, D.C., and Beijing.” Read more

 

CANADA SUSPICIOUS – Loblaw discount reduction not evidence of grocery collusion: competition expert at Toronto Star. “In a letter to the competition commissioner Tuesday, MacGregor called for an investigation into potential anti-competitive practices in the grocery industry. MacGregor said that comments by Loblaw indicated they changed their discount to align with their competitors, and that this was cause for suspicion.” Read more

 

Americans Are Ditching Weeknight Fun. Can They Be Tempted Back? at WSJ. “The midweek slowdown could be an early crack forming in consumers’ willingness to spend on experiences—a key corner of the economy that has helped offset slowing spending on goods.” WSJ subs.

 

J.Crew Group CEO Libby Wadle On What 2024 Has In Store at Forbes

 

Eggs in short supply in Russia – “The Egg King” survives assassination attempt at WSJ. “Authorities also launched antitrust investigations into egg and chicken producers, including the Tretyakovskaya poultry farm in the Voronezh region, owned by Gennady Shiryaev, the Egg King. On Dec. 27, after news of the probe became public, a shooter fired at least twice on Shiryaev’s Volkswagen  SUV, though Shiryaev escaped unscathed.” WSJ subs.

 

Amazon Business leader taking leave of absence; Devices exec will step in to fill role at GeekWire

 

Target store in Denver has raised eyebrows for charging a 1 percent ‘public improvement fee’ at Daily Mail. “It is not the first Target to be found to apply the surcharge. Last March, flight attendant Holly Teska went viral on TikTok after claiming she was slapped with a extra 2.5 percent charge on every item she bought from a Target.” Read more

 

Thief steals more than $39K worth of merchandise from Target stores across Southern California at NY Post

 

Alphabet’s Wing supersizes delivery drones to tow big orders at TechCrunch. “Walmart said last week that a quarter of the items in its larger Supercenter stores don’t meet the current size and weight requirements for delivery by drone…Wing’s current drones can only handle packages weighing up to a modest 2.5 pounds. Wing’s larger drones, however, will handle “up to 5 pounds in a standard cardboard box,” the company told TechCrunch.” Read more

 

Uniqlo sues Shein over alleged copy of its popular ‘Mary Poppins bag’ at AP News

 

Woman throws epic Costco-themed birthday party with food samples, employee badges and photo booth at Fox News. “Tony Huynh also said his wife replicated the Costco supervisor vest, put price tags around items on their home…Guests at the party played Costco trivia and “guess the price” games…A recap video of the party made by a friend has over 373,000 Instagram likes.” Pics/Read more

 

Lobbying World: Schumer, Amazon alum Lucy Panza to join Crossroads Strategies at The Hill

 

China widens South America trade highway with Silk Road mega port at Reuters. “The $3.5 billion deep water port, set to start operations late this year, will provide China with a direct gateway to the resource-rich region. Over the last ten years, Beijing has unseated the United States as the largest trade partner for South America, devouring its soy, corn and copper.” Read more

 

Shoppers sue Target, saying they were rammed by kids on electric scooters at Philly Inquirer

 

***Advertising inquiries, new product searches, comments, questions, etc…contact Jason Long at jlong@eyeonretail.net

Kroger Delays | Diamond Prices Slashed | BJ’s Likes M&Ms

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Washington state sues to block proposed merger of Kroger and Albertsons grocery chains at AP. “In a statement Monday, Kroger said it was pushing back its timeline for closing the deal due to ongoing dialogue with regulators, including state attorneys general and the Federal Trade Commission. It now anticipates the closure may occur in the first half of its fiscal year, which ends in mid-August.” Read more

 

Canada’s December inflation rose 3.4% – dashes hopes of early rate cut at Reuters

 

De Beers’ slashes diamond prices by as much as 25% at NY Post. “The hefty price reductions come as natural diamonds lose market share to their lab-grown counterparts…Lab diamonds are typically 60% to 85% cheaper than mined diamonds…” Read more

 

Hasbro’s shift from China is no child’s play at Reuters. “India accounted for only 1% of U.S. and EU toy imports over the past five years, according to Panjiva’s data. “The issue in India is really the gridlock of moving even from one state to another. There are so many crazy regulations,” MGA Entertainment CEO Isaac Larian told Reuters.” Read more

 

BJ’s Wholesale Club aligns with Mars at NRF. “I challenge you to find better product than peanut M&M’s, by the way,” said Bob Eddy, BJ’s chairman and CEO. The 62-ounce jar of the candy is not just a Halloween bonanza; it was the club’s second-best selling SKU last year, with strong sales all year long. It’s also Eddy’s favorite, as well as his family’s.” Read more

 

Shoppers Prefer Staying Outdoors. That’s More Trouble for Malls. at WSJ. “You know where your customer is buying and where they live,” said Scott Lipesky, chief financial and operating officer for Abercrombie & Fitch. “We’re looking at this digital shipping data, and we just plop a store down in the middle of it.” WSJ subs.

 

Another ship comes under fire in Red Sea, disruption seen pushing up prices at Reuters. “The U.S.-led coalition meant to safeguard commercial traffic in the Red Sea is weak because regional powerhouses Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt have not taken part, Yemen’s vice president said on Tuesday.” Read more

 

How Walmart is fighting back against gift card scams at Fox Business. “…with Redemption, Walmart can spot red flags for gift card fraud and effectively stop the crime during the transaction. “Where we really invested was creating a technology to try to spot gift card risk at the time of the transaction so that we could freeze the funds in the gift card process so the bad actors wouldn’t get their money,” Lundeen said.” Read more

 

Loblaw ends 50% discounts on food nearing expiration date – will now offer 30% off at Financial Post

 

Former Dick’s Sporting Goods CEO defends stance on gun restrictions at Fox Business. “Stack spoke candidly at NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show in New York City on Monday, saying he firmly believed it is important for the sporting goods retailer, in certain issues, “to really step up and make a statement.” Read more

 

Costco stores in Las Vegas add new item to food court menu – A double chocolate chunk cookie at Las Vegas Review-Journal

 

Tencent sees a future where everyone gets by with just a swipe of the hand at CNN. “In the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, more than 1,500 7-Eleven stores have rolled it out. At Supermonkey, a trendy Chinese gym chain, about 2,000 users have signed up to use palm scanning to check in and out of facilities for workouts…” Read more

 

FedEx announces its own commerce platform for merchants at TechCrunch. “The company said that FDX is currently in private preview with plans for a wider launch in fall 2024. Businesses can register their interest in trying it out through a form. The company didn’t mention any brands that are part of the pilot program.” Read more

 

Underwear and socks are the latest items to be locked up in shoplifting crackdown at Daily Mail

 

Crop-killing weeds advance across US farmland as chemicals lose effectiveness at Reuters. “We’re in for big problems over the next 10 years for sure,” said Ian Heap, director of the International Survey of Herbicide Resistant Weeds, a group of scientists in over 80 countries that maintains a global database. “We are in for a real shake-up.” Read more

Top 10 Grocers | Target Office Auction | WM Health Center Pics

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Inflation rose 0.3% in December from the previous month, more than expected at Fox Business

 

Shipment rates soar 4x after Red Sea attacks: CEO at Yahoo Finance

 

Neiman Marcus CEO says there’s ‘no need’ to sell the business as Saks takeover rumors swirl at CNBC. “Some people close to the companies have told CNBC a merger between the two is inevitable, and is a matter of when, not if. But Neiman’s CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck said there is currently “no process to sell the company.” Read more

 

H-E-B Holds Top Spot in dunnhumby’s Annual Grocery Rankings “Amazon (2) and Costco (3) round out the top three grocers in the U.S. for a second year in a row. The seven other retailers in the top 10 are: 4) Market Basket, 5) Sam’s Club, 6) Wegman’s, 7) Aldi, 8) Shoprite, 9) Walmart Neighborhood Market, 10) Walmart.” Press release

 

Target is trying to offload furnishings as it exits City Center offices at Minneapolis Star Tribune. “The auction this week includes hundreds of items from four of the upper floors that Target once used in City Center. Target occupied 37 of the 50-plus floors of City Center, according to Target spokesman Brian Harper-Tibaldo. It vacated the building in May 2021.” Read more

 

Amazon Is About to Eat the TV Universe at Hollywood Reporter. “On Jan. 29, Prime Video will make its ad tier the default for its tens of millions of subscribers…The move will instantly turn Amazon into a streaming-ad juggernaut, and the largest ad-supported subscription streaming platform in the marketplace with tens of millions of users, leapfrogging the likes of Netflix in the process.” Read more

 

Walmart ready to open new Whole Health fitness center on corporate campus at Talk Business. “Walmart is set to open on Friday (Jan. 12) its new 360,000-square-foot Walton Family Whole Health & Fitness center on its new home office campus – which is still under construction – in the heart of Bentonville.” Read more

 

…Walmart hopes associates get fit at new whole health center at NWA Online. “Walmart and Sam’s Club associates are able to access the Rest and Restore area regardless of membership. This area has cryotherapy chairs, a massage therapist and a registered dietitian.” Read more/Pics/Video

 

Lowe’s launches DIY rewards loyalty program Press release

 

Walmart Expands Drone Delivery in Dallas as It Races Amazon at WSJ. “In Dallas, Walmart will partner with Wing, a unit of Alphabet, and Zipline, a global drone delivery company that works with healthcare providers and others. Walmart is currently offering drone delivery in a limited way in Dallas. After the expansion, drone delivery from Walmart will be available to about 75% of the Dallas-Fort Worth population…” WSJ subs.

 

Wolverine World Wide sells Sperry to Authentic Brands Group in shoe retail deal at CNBC

 

As Retailers Cite Rising Theft and Shrinkage, Analysts Want More Details at WSJ. “We want them to talk about what the heck is going on, what are you doing about it, and how should we bake this into their models?” Rosenblum said. Retailers calculate shrink differently, and often don’t disclose exact figures to show the impact to their financials.” WSJ subs.

 

Amazon’s Twitch, Prime Video, MGM Studios units lay off hundreds at GeekWire

 

Walmart experiments with AI to enhance customers’ shopping experiences via San Antonio Express News. “…provided a glimpse into “InHome Replenishment,” which aims to use AI to learn consumers’ shopping habits and keep them stocked on their favorite groceries, as well as a beta platform that allows customers to create outfits virtually and get feedback from their friends…(At) Sam’s Club…Instead of stopping at a cashier to show the receipt, cameras at the stores’ exits take a picture of what’s in shoppers’ carts to confirm purchases. This camera technology is available in 10 clubs so far.” Read more | WM press release

 

Amazon is deploying its Just Walk Out cashierless technology in hospitals and other healthcare facilities at CNBC

 

Big Y Appoints New President/CEO and COO at Progressive Grocer. “…the roles of president and CEO will transition to Michael P. D’Amour, and those of EVP and COO will move to Richard D. Bossie.” Read more

 

***Advertising inquiries, new product searches, comments, questions, etc…contact Jason Long at jlong@eyeonretail.net