Kors Emails Exposed | Kwik Trip Cult | 1 Decides Port | Boar’s #10

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The Addiction to Discounting at Michael Kors Is Exposed in Court at WSJ. “Michael Kors and the executives who ran his fashion label knew they had a serious problem: Many of the handbags were selling for less than $100, far from the regular price of $450. The designer complained in emails that were revealed in a recent court hearing that the once-hot brand was chasing down-market and unfashionable customers. In one message, Kors wrote the brand was pursuing an old-fashioned customer who wasn’t sleek and definitely not jet set.” WSJ subs.

 

The looming dockworkers strike is mostly up to 1 fiery union leader at Politico. “The decision to strike is largely in the hands of the mercurial and tough-as-nails head of the dockworkers union, Harold Daggett, a native New Yorker who’s been accused of having mob ties…The union’s constitution allows Daggett to call a strike without a vote of his members.” Read more

 

…Shippers scramble for workarounds ahead of looming US East Coast port strike at Reuters. “Ronnie Robinson, chief supply chain officer at DSW parent company Designer Brands, normally routes about 20% of the company’s shoe imports through the East Coast. He shifted about half of those goods to the West Coast. And, he paid ten times more than a typical ocean transit to fly in a small shipment of leather boots and dress shoes from Brazil.  Robinson (said) his company cannot risk late deliveries to clients like Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Dillard’s.” Read more

 

Adobe expects U.S. online sales to hit $240.8 billion this holiday shopping season (Nov. 1 to Dec. 31), representing 8.4% growth year-over-year Full report

 

H&M abandons 2024 margin target as costs hurt profit at Reuters. “H&M scrapped its margin target for 2024 as higher discounting, costs and fierce competition hurt operating profit in the third quarter, denting shares in the world’s second-biggest listed fashion retailer.” Read more

 

PayPal to allow cryptocurrency buying, holding and selling for US merchants at Reuters

 

Promises of ‘passive income’ on Amazon led to death threats for negative online review, FTC says at CNBC. “Jamaal Sanford received a disturbing email…The message, whose sender claimed to be part of a “Russian shadow team,” contained Sanford’s home address, social security number and his daughter’s college…The sender said Sanford…would only only be safe if he removed a negative online review. “Do not play tough guy,” the email said. “You have nothing to gain by keeping the reviews and EVERYTHING to lose by not cooperating.” Read more

 

Salt Life apparel brand to close 28 retail stores after bankruptcy auction at Fox Business

 

American Eagle sues Amazon over alleged ‘knock-offs’ of Aerie products at CNBC. “American Eagle said it didn’t authorize Amazon to sell products from its Aerie line…Clicking on a link leads to an Amazon webpage that “displays only knock-offs and ‘dupes’” of Aerie products…notified Amazon “over a month ago” of the infringing products, but says they were relabeled with misspellings of its Aerie trademarks, including “Aeries,” “Arie” or “Aries.” Read more

 

Kroger’s Wellness Festival is this weekend in Cincy “175+ sponsors engaging and educating attendees through live activations and sampling.” (+ Third Eye Blind!) Event schedule

 

Former JCPenney Executives Ask $30 Million for Their Colorado Estate at WSJ. “For years, no one wanted to buy a roughly 38-acre Colorado parcel overlooking the Rocky Mountains because it was filled with old buildings, a railroad caboose and a metal sculpture of an airplane…But in 2020, former JCPenney executives Peter McGrath and his wife, Janet Fox (spent) over $17 million to clean up the property and build a roughly 5,750-square-foot ranch-style home on it. Now they are putting the estate, known as Sage Ridge, on the market for $30 million.” WSJ subs.

 

Tire Study: Go-to tire retailer – Discount Tire 33.8%, Walmart 17.7%, Costco 16.9%…Costco took the crown for overall brand ranking…Sam’s Club faced the highest rate of customer-reported issues.” Press release

 

LinkedIn Top Startups 2024: The 50 U.S. companies on the rise List

 

How Kwik Trip created a cult-like following in the Midwest at Minneapolis Star Tribune. “That personal touch, replicated in 850 stores and growing, has made the La Crosse, Wis.-based convenience store chain a cultural icon in its region…Kwik Trip — and its Iowa counterpart, Kwik Star — has won the type of cult following common among regional convenience store brands. East Coasters love their WaWa, Texas has Buc-ee’s, and Great Plains folk swear by Casey’s General Store pizzas.” Tiered subs.

 

NOT SHOCK POLL – Survey by Blind finds 91% of Amazon employees not happy about return-to-office policy at GeekWire

 

Harris Says She Will ‘Go After’ Companies Engaged In ‘Price Gouging,’ In First Solo Interview As Democratic Nominee at Forbes

 

Walmart’s 11th annual Open Call at Talk Business. “Walmart opened its doors to more than 500 entrepreneurs on Tuesday (Sept.24) at the retail giant’s 11th annual Open Call. Jason Fremstad, Walmart head of supplier development and sourcing, said merchants will hold 800 meetings on Wednesday with the supplier hopefuls. He said Walmart continues to source products made or assembled in the U.S. but also wanted to stretch the focus by inviting export buyers from Canada and Mexico.” Read more

 

CDC: Tenth death reported in listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head meats at USA Today

 

A Shoplifter Gets Shot Stealing Candy at Walgreens. Who’s to Blame? at WSJ. “More than a year after the killing, the official answer is no one; even San Francisco’s mayor backs a state ballot measure to stiffen shoplifting penalties.” WSJ subs.

 

Reuters speaks to nine current 7-Eleven franchisees in Japan, almost all voiced disapproval of Seven & i’s strategy  and welcomes the proposed buyout by Circle K owner Couche-Tard Read more

 

Ulta Beauty Announces Partnership with Wicked  Press release

 

CHECKS IN THE MAIL – $500K Target gift card scheme lands East Coast man behind bars at Mercury News. “In his plea agreement, O’Brien admitted the goal was $1,077,100…In addition to the (5-year) prison term, Judge Beth Labson Freeman ordered O’Brien to serve three years of supervised release and repay the retailer, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.” Read more

Tipsheet:

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Amazon Plans to Put 1,000 Warehouses in Suburban Neighborhoods at Bloomberg. “The facilities, which will eventually number about 1,500, will bring products closer to customers, making shopping online about as fast as a quick run to the store. It will also help the world’s largest e-commerce company take on a resurgent Walmart Inc.” Read more

 

U.S. retail sales rose 0.6% in August, vs 1.0% increase expected at CNBC. Read more

 

Tensions mount as Walmart Canada starts charging suppliers to pay for its retail revamp at Financial Post. “As of Monday, Walmart is charging a fee of 1.25 per cent on the cost of all goods sold to Walmart, plus an extra five per cent on goods sold through e-commerce…“The only recourse you have is to pull your products from the shelves. And that’s Armageddon. That’s the worst it could possibly be,” (one supplier) said.” Read more

 

Whole Foods CEO: We’re in a ‘virtuous circle’ of cutting costs and lowering grocery prices at CNBC. “We’ve made three significant price reductions since the merger, and we have a fourth that we’re beginning now,” said Mackey.” Read more

 

Rite Aid defends firing manager who pulled knife on violent, maskless customer at York Daily Record via USA Today. “When it was apparent the man wasn’t going to leave, Santiago said she asked the cashier to page her co-workers to help her. The man turned to her and shoved her into the magazine rack. She hit her forehead on the rack and was left with bruises on her legs.” Read more

 

Patagonia clothing gets political: ‘Vote the a–holes out’ at Fox Business. “…can be found written on the tag attached to the company’s 2020 men’s and women’s Regenerative Organic Stand-Up Shorts. “We have been standing up to climate deniers for almost as long as we’ve been making those shorts,” Patagonia spokesperson Corley Kenna told FOX Business Tuesday.” Read more

 

Marc Lore to sell 710,000 more shares of Walmart by April 2022 at Talk Business. Read more

 

US retailers roll out foreign toilet paper amid COVID-19 pandemic at AP/NY Post. “Oliver Olsen wasn’t even in the market for toilet paper, but he had to stop and take a closer look…Instead of Charmin and Cottonelle, there was Vogue and Delsey from Mexico. Next to them were rolls of Cashmere from Canada and King Blue from Trinidad and Tobago. “It really just jumped out at me,” said Olsen…” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Popular McDonald’s Travis Scott meal leading to shortages

Almost half of millennials and Gen Zers can’t name a single Holocaust concentration camp

TV Ratings: ‘Dancing With the Stars’ hits 3-year premiere high

Yuengling, America’s oldest brewer, will soon sell beer nationwide

Tipsheet: H.Dep #24 Trust | Instacart Holds 5% | RH CEO New Pad

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Instacart holds firm on its tipping policy as contract workers call for national boycott at CNBC. “Nilam Ganenthiran, Instacart’s president, said the current 5% rate is appropriate as the default, though customers have the option of giving more. “I truly think it’s right for our shoppers, right for our customers and right for the ecosystem,” Ganenthiran told CNBC.” Read more

 

Walmart Expands Its Robotic Workforce to 650 Additional Stores by Matthew Boyle at Bloomberg. “…bringing its fleet to 1,000. The six-foot-tall Bossa Nova devices, equipped with 15 cameras each, roam aisles and send alerts to store employees’  handheld devices when items are out of stock, helping to solve a vexing problem that costs retailers nearly a trillion dollars annually, according to researcher IHL Group.” Tiered subs.

 

Morning Consult: The 25 Most Trusted Brands in America – Amazon #2 / Home Depot #24 / Walmart #25 Ranked lists

 

CVS CEO Larry Merlo says 600 remodeled HealthHUBs will be opened by the end of 2020 at CNBC. “Boston, Dallas-Fort Worth, North Carolina and Ohio are among the next markets that CVS is targeting for its HealthHUB expansion this year. With its HealthHUBs, CVS wants to offer more health services and products to customers, which is tailored around the company’s $70 billion acquisition of Aetna.” Video/Read more

 

Target and Lowe’s Tech Execs Credit Talent, Culture for Insourcing Success by Jared Council at Wall Street Journal. “Not everything needs to be done in-house, but companies should opt to build technologies that are core to their businesses, said Seemantini Godbole, chief information officer at Lowe’s. “Wherever you have secret sauce that you want to put your fingerprints on, for your customer experience or for your own associates,” she said, “I’ve always believed that you should build your own technology.” WSJ subs.

 

Iain Nairn Named President of Hudson’s Bay “Most recently, Mr. Nairn was CEO of kikki.K, a global Swedish design and stationery business…Previously, Mr. Nairn was CEO of David Jones, Australia’s leading premium omnichannel department store chain.” Press release

 

Kohl’s CEO Michelle Gass: ‘Amazon is working’ at CNBC. “Some say it is benefiting Amazon more than it is Kohl’s. “We’re getting a younger customer,” Gass said Sunday. “And to what we expected, some of them were buying. … You’re never going to get 100%. But some of them are buying.” Read more

 

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

 

The Container Store Group prelim Q3 comp sales +3.0% Press release

 

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to Face Protests From ‘Enraged’ Local Merchants During India Visit by Saritha Rai at Bloomberg via Fortune. “More than half-a-million traders representing thousands of trading bodies grouped under the Confederation of All India Traders plan to organize sit-ins and public rallies in 300 cities to protest Bezos’s visit, the group said.” Read more

 

J.Jill increases Q4 2019 guidance  “…now expects total comp sales to decrease 6% to 8%… (vs.) previous guidance for total comp sales to decrease 8% to 10%.” Press release

 

GameStop holiday sales down 27.5% at Hollywood Reporter. Read more

 

Tilly’s comp sales decreased by 2.0% for the holiday period Press release

 

The former Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) is now officially the Consumer Brands Association (CBA) at The Hill. “CBA’s main goals will involve championing smart regulations for the industry, building frictionless supply chains, enhancing packaging sustainability, and building consumer trust.” Read more

 

Stage Stores reports 1.4% comp sales increase for holiday period Press release

 

Amazon Publishes Books by Top Authors, and Rivals Fret by Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg at Wall Street Journal. “When Dean Koontz’s book contract expired last year, his stature as one of the country’s top-selling authors made him a hot target for several major publishing houses. He  chose Amazon.com Inc. It was a surprising move because it means his new books likely won’t appear in retail stores, which generally boycott Amazon-published titles.” WSJ subs.

 

At Home Group updates Q4 and fiscal 2020 outlook “…expects fiscal 2020 net sales and comparable store sales toward the high end of its previously provided outlook of $1,352.0 million to $1,360.0 million and (2.6)% to (2.0)%.” Press release

 

Lowe’s expands Google Cloud ties “Lowe’s is in the early stages of a large-scale, multiyear technology transformation, investing more than $500 million annually through 2021 and hiring up to 2,000 engineers to continue to build out future retail experiences.” Press release

 

Walmart sacks 56 executives in India as part of restructuring at Reuters. “It’s happening because focus is shifting to e-commerce rather than physical (stores),” according to one of three people, who spoke to Reuters ahead of the company announcement.” Read more

 

Barneys accused of leaving staff in the dark during liquidation by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “Among the grievances is that Barneys has not informed them of their last day of work or assured them that they will receive severance or their pensions, the filing said.” Read more

 

RH CEO Gary Friedman Buys $37 Million Beverly Hills Estate by James McClain at Variety. “Friedman’s new $37 million palace lies just two doors away from an even larger compound that was sold back in 2018 for a whopping $41.5 million to Walmart heiress Paige Laurie.” Pics/Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Ad Age Best Places to Work 2020

Casey’s won’t avoid small metro markets

The New Beer Barons

Oscars: Full List of Nominations

NRF names new chairman, board members

U.S. bike firms face uphill slog to replace Chinese supply chains

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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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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Big Lots Q2 sales +1.6% Press release

 

Lululemon Q2 comp sales +20% vs. expected +9.6% Press release | CNBC article

 

Google and Mastercard Cut a Secret Ad Deal to Track Retail Sales by Mark Bergen & Jennifer Surane. Tiered subs.

 

Ulta Beauty Q2 comp sales +6.5% “Retail comparable sales increased 4.0%, including salon comparable sales growth of 1.7%; E-commerce sales increased 37.9% to $132.8 million.” Press release

 

Walmart will have 30% more toys in stores this holiday season at CNBC. “…and it will offer 40 percent more toys on Walmart.com. At some locations, the physical space dedicated to toys also will be larger, Walmart said Thursday at a briefing with the media in New York.” Read more

 

…Hatchimals, hoverboards and Fingerlings are tops as Walmart unveils top toy picks by Charisse Jones at USA Today. “On Sept. 8, young shoppers will be able to try out toys, snap pictures and leave with giveaways as Walmart hosts a “National Play Day” at over 1,500 Walmart locations.” Read more

 

The Most Powerful Women in Chicago Business (Mary Dillon, etc.) at Crain’s Chicago Business. Tiered subs.

 

Why Walmart Shoppers are Finding More Items ‘Out of Stock’ by Sarah Nassauer at Wall Street Journal. “The change means that a bottle of detergent or can of cat food stored too far away from a customer’s shipping address will be unavailable for purchase. Previously, the retailer would ship those items, regardless of distance or shipping cost. The new system…has led to a decline in sales at some companies that sell their products on walmart.com, according to executives at Walmart suppliers.” Subscription

 

…Walmart.com tests new fulfillment protocol for consumables, some vendors in limbo by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “…for suppliers selling everyday consumables…including pets, dry grocery, office and party supplies, household, baby, health and beauty…the test is known as Geo-Location/ Geo-Gaging, and is considered is a next step toward smart basket capabilities used by Jet.com.” Read more

 

**A message from BK Resources – The Best Kept secret for commercial and food service kitchen equipment. Leading supplier of stainless steel: commercial faucets, sinks, work tables, bar equipment, ice bins and more. Catalog | Website | Contact

 

Instacart is now available to 70% of U.S. households at TechCrunch.”Last year, the company announced its goal to reach 80 percent of U.S. households by the end of 2018, and its most recent funding round seems to be propelling the startup to achieve that goal.” Read more

 

…Kroger and Instacart Expand Same-day Grocery Delivery by 50% to 1,600+ Stores Press release

 

Abercrombie comp sales rose 3 percent in the quarter vs. 3.7 percent increase, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S at NY Post. Read more

 

Chinese government plans to limit the number of new games approved for release, and the total number of titles. The initiative is part of a growing government campaign against games and online addiction in young people. at Variety. Read more

 

Target Is Already Thinking Of Expanding Heyday, Its First-Ever Consumer Electronics Brand by Barbara Thau at Forbes. “Mark Tritton: “Our first internally designed and developed brand in electronics gives us a chance to more deeply connect with our Gen Z and younger Millennial guest. We believe it’s a disruptor…” Read more

 

Austin’s bag ban is no more; City Hall still hopes store owners shun single-use bags by Daniel Salazar at Austin Business Journal. Read more

 

Gunmaker American Outdoor Brands (Smith & Wesson) jumps more than 20 percent after earnings beat at CNBC. Read more

 

The hardest-working Americans live in these states by Matthew Rocco at Fox Business. Read more

 

Target will require suppliers to reveal chemical data at Chemical Watch. “Target’s suppliers must give the US retailer access to further chemical data by the end of 2018, according to an internal company document obtained by Chemical Watch…unable to screen ingredients for 62% of products.” Read more

 

The Cosby Show star Geoffrey Owens is spotted working as a cashier at Trader Joe’s at Daily Mail. Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Home Depot employees build lemonade stand for boy raising money for cancer-stricken friend

Useful or creepy? Machines suggest Gmail replies

Target & Nordstrom model talks about living with a disability and navigating the streets of NYC

DSW to close Town Shoes brand, all 38 stores in Canada by January

Chief U.S. spy catcher says China using LinkedIn to recruit Americans

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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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: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet:

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Big Lots Q2 sales +1.6% Press release

 

Lululemon Q2 comp sales +20% vs. expected +9.6% Press release | CNBC article

 

Google and Mastercard Cut a Secret Ad Deal to Track Retail Sales by Mark Bergen & Jennifer Surane. Tiered subs.

 

Ulta Beauty Q2 comp sales +6.5% “Retail comparable sales increased 4.0%, including salon comparable sales growth of 1.7%; E-commerce sales increased 37.9% to $132.8 million.” Press release

 

Walmart will have 30% more toys in stores this holiday season at CNBC. “…and it will offer 40 percent more toys on Walmart.com. At some locations, the physical space dedicated to toys also will be larger, Walmart said Thursday at a briefing with the media in New York.” Read more

 

…Hatchimals, hoverboards and Fingerlings are tops as Walmart unveils top toy picks by Charisse Jones at USA Today. “On Sept. 8, young shoppers will be able to try out toys, snap pictures and leave with giveaways as Walmart hosts a “National Play Day” at over 1,500 Walmart locations.” Read more

 

The Most Powerful Women in Chicago Business (Mary Dillon, etc.) at Crain’s Chicago Business. Tiered subs.

 

Walmart.com tests new fulfillment protocol for consumables, some vendors in limbo by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “…for suppliers selling everyday consumables…including pets, dry grocery, office and party supplies, household, baby, health and beauty…the test is known as Geo-Location/ Geo-Gaging, and is considered is a next step toward smart basket capabilities used by Jet.com.” Read more

 

Instacart is now available to 70% of U.S. households at TechCrunch.”Last year, the company announced its goal to reach 80 percent of U.S. households by the end of 2018, and its most recent funding round seems to be propelling the startup to achieve that goal.” Read more

 

…Kroger and Instacart Expand Same-day Grocery Delivery by 50% to 1,600+ Stores Press release

 

Abercrombie comp sales rose 3 percent in the quarter vs. 3.7 percent increase, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S at NY Post. Read more

 

Chinese government plans to limit the number of new games approved for release, and the total number of titles. The initiative is part of a growing government campaign against games and online addiction in young people. at Variety. Read more

 

Target Is Already Thinking Of Expanding Heyday, Its First-Ever Consumer Electronics Brand by Barbara Thau at Forbes. “Mark Tritton: “Our first internally designed and developed brand in electronics gives us a chance to more deeply connect with our Gen Z and younger Millennial guest. We believe it’s a disruptor…” Read more

 

Austin’s bag ban is no more; City Hall still hopes store owners shun single-use bags by Daniel Salazar at Austin Business Journal. Read more

 

Gunmaker American Outdoor Brands (Smith & Wesson) jumps more than 20 percent after earnings beat at CNBC. Read more

 

The Cosby Show star Geoffrey Owens is spotted working as a cashier at Trader Joe’s at Daily Mail. Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Home Depot employees build lemonade stand for boy raising money for cancer-stricken friend

Useful or creepy? Machines suggest Gmail replies

Target & Nordstrom model talks about living with a disability and navigating the streets of NYC

DSW to close Town Shoes brand, all 38 stores in Canada by January

Chief U.S. spy catcher says China using LinkedIn to recruit Americans

Tipsheet: Speaker Ryan @ H.Depot | Target +3.6% | Mega Costco DC Australia

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Target Q4 Comp Sales +3.6% “Traffic grew 3.2 percent in the fourth quarter…comp digital channel sales increased 29 percent contributing 1.8 percentage points of comparable growth…healthy comp sales growth across all five of its core merchandise categories.” Press release

 

…Target shares drop on profit miss, wage hikes offset sales gains at CNBC. “Actual vs. expected: Adjusted earnings per share: $1.37 vs. $1.38 expected. Revenue: $22.8 billion vs. $22.5 billion. Same-store sales: 3.6 percent growth vs. an increase of 3.1 percent.” Read more

 

U.S. clothing, cosmetics on possible EU retaliation list at Reuters. “(The EU) has drawn up a list of 2.8 billion euros ($3.46 billion) worth of U.S. products on which it could apply a 25% tariff. Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Friday those products included Harley Davidson motorcycles, bourbon and Levi jeans.” Read more

 

Trump administration backs states’ bid to collect online sales taxes at CNBC. Read more

 

Amazon is bringing free Whole Foods delivery to Prime members in San Francisco and Atlanta by Jason Del Rey at Recode. Read more

 

GameStop announces death of former CEO Paul Raines by Korri Kezar at Dallas Business Journal. “Raines resigned from the Grapevine retailer’s top role in November due to “a reoccurrence of his previously disclosed medical issue.” Read more

 

House Speaker Paul Ryan to visit Home Depot’s Atlanta HQ this Thursday by David Allison at Atlanta Business Chronicle. “During his visit, Ryan will observe a product demo, participate in an employee town hall, and hold a press conference, according to a statement from his office.” Read more

 

CVS readies $44 Billion bond sale – Largest corporate bond sale in more than two years will help it pay for $69 billion acquisition of Aetna by Matt Wirz at Wall Street Journal. Read more (subs.) | Bloomberg article

 

**A message from Kidibul – The festive, bubbly beverage made for kids’ parties! Wildly popular European beverage now available in the US for the first time. 100% natural & sparkling juice in a champagne type bottle with natural cork & wire to pop. Great for birthdays, New Year, Christmas, etc. Kids love the bubbles! Website | PowerPoint | Samples: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Nordstrom’s Spurned $50-a-Share Bid Sends Family Scrambling by Lindsey Rupp at Bloomberg. Read more

 

Lowe’s scores a 104% higher conversion rate when customers interact with 3-D objects in its app compared to those who didn’t by Ann-Marie Alcantara at Adweek. Read more

 

As of March 2, 2018, Rite Aid has transferred 1,651 stores and related assets to Walgreens…Walgreens will purchase a total of 1,932 stores Press release

 

Toronto home sales plummet 35% as new mortgage rules bite by Naomi Powell at Financial Post. “Prices tumbled too, down more than 12% from a year ago.” Read more (Tiered subs.)

 

Tower Records Founder Russ Solomon Dies at 92 at Variety. “The deep impact of Solomon’s vision on music retailing was captured in the elegiac 2015 documentary “All Things Must Pass,” produced by Colin Hanks, which featured Solomon and other Tower execs.” Read more

 

Rare peak inside Mars Inc’s McClean headquarters by Robert J. Terry at Washington Business Journal. 20 pics/Read more

 

Chico’s Makes NAFE’s Top 10 List of Best Companies for Executive Women by Lisa Lockwood at WWD. “In addition to Chico’s, the NAFE Top 10 Companies for 2018 are L’Oréal, Procter & Gamble, Accenture, Deloitte, Ernst & Young LLP, FleishmanHillard, IBM, JLL and Marriott International.” Read more

 

New Costco warehouse to bring 1000 jobs to Western Sydney by Laura Tunstall at News 9. “Costco will open its 10th store in Australia this year, but the new distribution centre will have the capacity to supply 30 stores. It will also service the company’s new online store, which is expected to be up and running next year.” Video/Read more

 

Sears Canada shareholder payments to be reviewed via Toronto Star. “Superior Court has appointed a litigation investigator to review $3 billion in payments made to Sears Canada shareholders, while the company’s pension fund had a nearly $300 million shortfall.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Ex-Food Network star says delivery apps killing restaurants

6,000 Dogs ‘Work’ at Amazon, Company Reports

Oregon man, 20, sues Dick’s and Walmart for raising the age on rifle sales

Can You Imagine A Supermarket With No Plastic?

MoviePass CEO proudly says app tracks your location before and after movies

Alligator captured wandering Target parking lot

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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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: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: www.eyeonretail.net

Tipsheet: Dick’s Eyes Golfsmith | Apple’s Ahrendts Iview | Powerful Retail Women Help Girls | Target’s Logo History

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Amazon is putting veteran leaders in charge of its big grocery delivery plans by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “Earlier this year, longtime Amazonian Ben Hartman was chosen to run Amazon Fresh, Recode has learned. Hartman was most recently the technical adviser or “shadow” to Jeff Wilke…Amazon lifer Steve Kessel, a member of Bezos’s leadership team, is also involved in the planning for Amazon grocery store experiments, two sources told Recode.” Read more

 

In a Wal-Mart First, the CEO Turns Pitchman by Sarah Nassauer at Wall Street Journal. “Google searches for ‘Wal-Mart CEO salary,’ spiked during the summer when the commercial aired to the highest levels since Mr. McMillon was announced as chief executive. Searches for ‘Wal-Mart CEO’ and ‘Doug McMillon’ also rose. He gained about 10,000 followers on his Instagram account, where commenters call him “commercial guy.” Read more (subscription)

 

Report: Dick’s Prepares Bid for Golfsmith’s U.S. Stores at Fox Business. “…challenging an offer by rival retailer Worldwide Golf Shops, people familiar with the matter said on Monday. While bids for Golfsmith, owned by OMERS Private Equity, the buyout arm of one of Canada’s largest pension funds, were due earlier on Monday, Dick’s was given an extension until Tuesday morning to submit its offer, the people said.” Read more

 

NBC’s Today Show: Drugstore vs. designer makeup: Can you save money and still get a great look? “Do you really need to spend a fortune to get a flawless look with makeup? TODAY national investigative reporter Jeff Rossen, with the help of identical twins, puts drugstore and designer brands to the test to find out if you should splurge, or save your cash.” See the video

 

Amazon amps up fashion push with $15M ad campaign by Monica Nickelsburg at GeekWire. “Over the past month, Amazon has aired a TV spot entitled “Delivering Fashion,” more than 2,500 times.” See the spot / Read more

 

Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Give Gen Z Girls a Standing Ovation by Erika Fry at Fortune. “Each young woman conducted five, 5-minute one-on-one interviews with high-profile business leaders, including Johnson & Johnson Group Worldwide Chairman Sandi Peterson, Instagram COO Marne Levine, Ulta Beauty CEO Mary Dillon, and Build-A-Bear Workshop founder Maxine Clark…The participants also got a dose of inspiration from (Ann-Marie) Campbell, the Home Depot EVP, who told the young ladies of her own improbable trajectory.” Read more

 

Apple Retail Chief Angela Ahrendts on Turning Stores Into Town Squares by Leena Rao at Fortune. “Ahrendts views the company’s newly redesigned retail outlets not just as stores, but as the company’s next big products, she explained at the Fortune Most Powerful Women conference in Laguna Niguel on Monday night, in her first interview about Apple’s retail redesign.” Read more / See the video

 

**A message from GlobalShop – As a retail expert, you impact the customer experience and GlobalShop is the driving force behind that experience. Through education, peer networking and interaction with retail suppliers, you’ll return with results to build your brand and create a more effective retail environment. From mannequins and lighting to flooring and signage, GlobalShop has it all. Register now to join us in Las Vegas March 28-30, 2017. Check out this year’s exhibitors. Learn more at our website about the best retail shopper marketing show.

 

Target’s Bullseye Logo and the Minneapolis PR Man Who Created It by Robert Klara at Adweek. “Stewart K. Widdess probably didn’t think he was making history. For the time being, all he had to make was a name and a logo. It was 1961, and Widdess was the publicity man for Dayton’s in Minneapolis. A downtown landmark since 1902, Dayton’s was a fancy department store that sold things like fine jewelry and cashmere sweaters. But its owners had decided to go into the discount business with a new store for the suburbs—and charged Widdess with naming it.” Read more

 

Under Armour inks baseball-related deal with online retailer Fanatics by Terry Lefton at Baltimore Business Journal. “The deal would mean the end of MLB’s longtime licensing relationship with both Nike and Majestic Athletic. Starting in the spring of 2020, all jerseys would feature UA branding.” Read more

 

eBay’s new high-end furniture shop, eBay Collective, includes a visual search engine by Sarah Perez at TechCrunch. “…the technology has been integrated to power a “Shop the Room” feature which lets online shoppers hover over an image of a fully designed space, and then the tool will search across eBay inventory to surface items that are close matches to that portion of the image.” Read more

 

Supervalu to sell Save-A-Lot to Canada’s Onex for $1.37 billion via St.Louis Post Dispatch. “Analyst Ajay Jain of Pivotal Research Group in New York thought Save-A-Lot could fetch as much as $1.8 billion, but sales in the last four quarters declined between 1.4 percent to 3.4 percent. “We are not entirely surprised that the sale proceeds were lower than expected,” he said in a research note.” Read more | Press release

 

Here’s Why Visa CEO’s Resignation Is Shocking via Fortune. Read more

 

New Staples Canada president sees company shifting to services amid digital onslaught by Hollie Shaw at Financial Post. “Though Office Depot has no stores in Canada, it owns the Grand & Toy business that remains a major supplier to corporate offices across the country. “We compete with Grand & Toy, but we also have a unit that focuses on (business-to-business) and it’s doing well. We were anticipating the merger, so that made us change focus a little bit.” Read more

 

Women are buying more leggings than jeans online by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “For the first time, in the third quarter, women purchased more leggings than jeans online…In fact, over the past year, demand for the tight-fitting pants has increased by 41 percent, compared with a paltry 3 percent growth rate for jeans.” Read more

 

Walgreens Introduces Ship to Store Offering, with Free Shipping for Online and Mobile Orders Press release

 

Phil and Penny Knight give $500 million to University of Oregon by Matthew Kish at Portland Business Journal. “The money will create the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, which will work to take science from the laboratory to the real world.” Read more

 

Inside Amazon’s Prime Air secret drone testing facility by Cambridge News. “In a world exclusive, the News was given a tour of their workshop today in Castle Park, just off Castle Street, along with eight children from the Year 5 class at Steeple Morden School. We were shown around the laboratory which has been nestled just a stone’s throw from the city centre unbeknown to the general public for several years.” See the pics / Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

NY Times: David Letterman (and His Beard) Shop at Target These Days

P&G names top 12 suppliers

Pabst Blue Ribbon Wins Gold Medal at 2016 Great American Beer Festival

Profitable online retailer Etailz sells for $75M

Culver’s president and CEO Phil Keiser dies at 60

Burberry’s Losing the It-Bag Fight

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Costco January Comp Flat / +4.0% ex-gas & F/X “Costco reported net sales of $8.32 billion for the month of January…an increase of two percent from $8.15 billion during the similar period last year.” Read more

 

Lowe’s $2.3 Billion Bid For Rona Sets Off Political Firestorm in Canada by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “Pierre-Karl Péladeau, the former media magnate (think Quebec’s Rupert Murdoch) now heading the secessionist Parti Québécois, had denounced the deal on Twitter and is calling on the pro-business governing Liberal Party, headed by Philippe Couillard, to block the deal.” Read more

 

…A BANNER DAY FOR RONA CEO – Rona CEO’s equity holdings to increase $14-million with Lowe’s deal by Janet McFarland & Jacqueline Nelson at Globe & Mail. “Wednesday was a lucrative day for Rona Inc. chief executive officer Robert Sawyer, who saw the value of his shares and stock options climb by $14-million under Lowe’s Cos. Inc.’s friendly takeover offer for his hardware chain. After fewer than three years in the CEO job, Mr. Sawyer stands to reap more than $22-million from his equity holdings if the takeover bid is concluded at the $24-a-share offering price announced by Lowe’s early Wednesday.” Read more

 

TARGET’S CORNELL SPEAKS TO BOSTON GROUP – In Boston, Target CEO speaks about adapting to ecommerce by Megan Woolhouse at Boston Globe. “Stores still matter,” he said, but Target “has to do things differently.”…Cyber security also remains a major concern for Target, the victim of one the nation’s biggest data thefts in 2013. “I consider this to be one of the biggest threats to commerce in America,” Cornell said.” Read more

 

Q&A with Target & CVS CEOs by Nathan Bomey at USA Today. “Q: Walmart recently announced it’s closing some of its smaller stores. Is that an indication of general trouble for that format? Cornell: No, I think we’ve taken a very different approach from Walmart as we’ve moved into these urban settings. They effectively were opening up small grocery stores.” Read the full Q&A

 

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Kohl’s Q4 sales ‘very volatile’ – cuts 2015 profit forecast at Reuters. “Kohl’s said it expects 2015 earnings to be $3.95-$4.00 per share, excluding losses from debt repayment. Kohl’s had earlier expected earnings to be at the low end of $4.40-$4.60 per share.” Read more | Read the release

 

Wal-Mart to operate its own gas stations by Sarah Nassauer at MarketWatch via WSJ. “When building new stores, Wal-Mart plans to add its own gas stations to as many as possible, said (Randy) Hargrove.” Read more | Read WSJ article (subscription)

 

Krebs: Safeway Self-Checkout Skimmer Close Up “…images from a recent skimming attack allegedly launched against self-checkout shoppers at a Safeway in Maryland offers a closer look at once such device…The device is designed to fit directly over top of the Verifone terminals in use at many Safeways and other retailers.” See the pic / Read more

 

NY Times: Walmart Sues Puerto Rico, Claiming an Unfair and Onerous Tax Burden by Mary Williams Walsh. “The tax “sentences Walmart in Puerto Rico to death, for a crime there is no evidence it committed,” Walmart’s lawyer, Neal S. Manne, told the court. “No business can operate for long in an environment where 91.5 percent of its net income is confiscated through taxes,” the company said in its complaint.” Read more

 

Meet the Guy Behind Amazon’s Secret Retail Store Plans by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “(Steve) Kessel is widely respected inside Amazon, where he is known as a low-ego leader with greater emotional intelligence than some other senior executives at the company, according to two sources. He joined Amazon in 1999 and left in 2011 or 2012 to take a sabbatical. He started working on this initiative when he came back, these people say.” Read more

 

…Retail CEO backs down from statement about Amazon’s plan to open 400 bookstores by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. “Chief Executive Officer Sandeep Mathrani has indicated that a statement he made concerning Amazon during GGP’s earnings conference call held on February 2, 2016, was not intended to represent Amazon’s plans.” Read more

 

Fred’s January Comp Sales +0.7% “Fred’s total sales for the month increased 12% to $155.7 million from $139.6 million in January 2015.” Read the release

 

Amazon’s giant Seattle biodomes start getting huge steel exoskeleton by Todd Bishop at GeekWire. “Office workers from nearby office buildings watched from the surrounding sidewalks on Tuesday afternoon, as sparks flew into the sky at the end of a rare sunny day in February in Seattle city. The steel pieces are going up on multiple sides of the three biodome structures, north of Lenora Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues.” See the pics / Read more

 

UPS’s Q4 daily shipments grow 2.4% on strong e-commerce volume by Tracy Maple at Internet Retailer. “About half of UPS’s business is now retail e-commerce, chief commercial officer Alan Gershenhorn said on the call.” Read more

 

Rite Aid Stockholders Approve Merger Agreement with Walgreens Boots Alliance Read the release

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

HBR: How the Rise of the Post Office Explains American Innovation

Supervalu discloses pay and perks for new CEO Mark Gross

P&G’s ‘Rebloom’ Fighter

CDC advises women of child-bearing age not to drink at all

Master Brands wants eco-friendly paint in U.S. Walmart, Sam’s Club

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