Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports November Sales Results.  Costco Wholesale Corporation today reported net sales of $8.15 billion for the month of November, the four weeks ended November 25, 2012, an increase of nine percent from $7.51 billion during the similar four-week period last year.   https://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=83830&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1762306&highlight=

“Walmart comes to India: Can mom and pop stores play with the big boys?” by Mercedes White in Deseret News. “Shopping in India has never been like getting groceries in the United States.  “If we need toiletries, groceries, or even fish, meat or chicken, we just call down to the local kirana,” says Ruksana Hussain, an American from India who returns to her homeland regularly.  Within minutes the groceries are delivered by the shopkeeper, the same shopkeeper who has delivered items to Hassain’s family since she was a girl. Kirana is the Indian version of a corner store and kiranas are where most Indians do their grocery shopping. There are more than 14 million of these stores in India, 96 percent of which are less than 500 square feet.  But the way Indians shop is about to change forever…https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865567634/Walmart-comes-to-India-Can-mom-and-pop-stores-play-with-the-big-boys.html?pg=1

Frank Blake, Chairman and CEO of Home Depot, meets with President Obama today to discuss U.S. fiscal problems.  Chief Executives from others businesses are also represented…but Mr. Blake is the only retail head we see on the attendee list…https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-rt-us-usa-fiscal-obama-businessbre8ar01t-20121127,0,3860765.story

“WE Interviews — Ann-Marie Campbell (Division President at Home Depot)” by Ellen Kinlin in Women Executives.  “Ann-Marie Campbell’s rise up the ranks of Home Depot, from cashier to Divisional President, is the kind of story that instills confidence in the health of the American Dream… Today she is responsible for over 686 stores and a team of 100,000 employees…Campbell’s mentor played an instrumental role in her career trajectory by encouraging her to take a promotion that she believed was out of her reach.“I thought I needed to be perfect. Women often think they have to know everything before they can step into a role. But my mentor told me, ‘You can do this job.’ Campbell continued. “He taught me to understand and own the value of what I brought to the table.  By switching her focus from what she didn’t know, to what she did, Campbell found much more confidence in her abilities.  https://kinlin.com/blog/2012/11/we-interviews-ann-marie-campbell/

Sneak peak pictures of the Target / Neiman Marcus holiday collection…

“Target plans big splash for Neiman Marcus collection” by Thomas Lee in the Star-Tribune (includes several pictures).  (Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel and Neiman Marcus CEO Karen Katz) are showing off some of the merchandise Target and Neiman co-created for the holiday season during a preview for the media last month in New York. Both Target and Neiman have high hopes this partnership will boost sales throughout the holiday season.  As I write this, Target executives are on the way to New York for the collection’s debut fashion show Wednesday night. The retailers, which will also promote the merchandise in a pop up store, will officially launch the collection Saturday.”  https://www.startribune.com/blogs/181004591.html

“Dollar General joins Standard & Poor’s 500 index” at CNBC.  “Dollar General Corp. will replace Cooper Industries PLC to join the S&P 500 after the close of trading on Friday.”  https://www.cnbc.com/id/49971950

“Amazon’s Jeff Bezos Practically Confirmed the Kindle Smartphone” in Nasdaq.  “It is not yet known how long consumers will have to wait. Recent rumors suggest that the company may introduce its first smartphone in the spring. Amazon may also choose to save the announcement for its annual Kindle Fire event, which is likely to take place in late August or early September.  https://community.nasdaq.com/News/2012-11/amazons-jeff-bezos-practically-confirmed-the-kindle-smartphone.aspx?storyid=193536#.ULYYm4fAfzk 

Seventy Percent of Consumers Have Made a Purchase as a Result of Being Connected to a Brand Online.  “The study further found that 37 percent of consumers who build these online social connections with brands also terminate them by un-liking, un-following, etc. “Brands need to be mindful that connections can be both powerful and disruptive to the social experience,” said Tiffany Leslie, director of marketing communications for SocialVibe. “They need to carefully determine the balance between driving loyalty and overwhelming their advocates.” One-third of consumers who disconnected from brands did so because they were receiving too many updates.  https://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsLang=en&newsId=20121127006610&div=-1245645151

“Kroger, Fresh Market Earnings:  Grocers Seeing Green” by Gillian Rich at Investor’s Business Daily.  “Kroger, the nation’s largest pure-play supermarket chain, is slated to report third-quarter results on Thursday. Analysts see a 30% jump in earnings to 43 cents per share — that would be the biggest gain in years. Sales are seen rising 5% to $21.6 billion.”  https://news.investors.com/business/112712-634720-kroger-fresh-market-united-natural-foods-earnings-preview.htm