Friday Tipsheet: Costco #4 in Harris Poll | Bezos on CBS | Target’s Tie & Handshake

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Disappointed shoppers say Target bargains off the mark on first day of liquidation by Bill Mah at Edmonton Journal. “Despite store signs and ads promising markdowns of 30 per cent, shoppers at the West Edmonton Mall store Thursday said most items were discounted only 10 per cent, with some 20-per-cent deals…“I kind of thought they would be a little bit cheaper,” shopper Val Kendall said. “Everything’s only 10-per-cent off. We keep looking for the 30s, but I’m not finding them.” Read more / See the in-store video

 

…Globe & Mail Canadian Poll:  97% aren’t excited by Target’s liquidation sale.  See the poll

 

Harris Poll 2015 (Reputation): Wegman’s Bumps Amazon from Top Spot (Costco #4, Lowe’s Beats Home Depot)  See the Top 100 ranked

 

Jeff Bezos on “Transparent” and Amazon’s “insurmountable opportunity” by Jason Kashdan at CBS News. “Earlier this week, reports surfaced that Amazon may be in the running to purchase Radio Shack real estate…”I’ve been reading the same article as you’re reading on that but that’s something I can’t comment on,” Bezos said. But he did admit to their brick and mortar aspirations. “We’re starting in little bits and pieces. We’ve done some pop-up stores during the holidays. We’ve just launched some college bookstores,” Bezos said.” See the video / Read more

 

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Woman Walking Through Target Noticed Something Out of the Ordinary Going On. So She Took a Picture by Oliver Darcy at The Blaze. “A kid came in looking for a clip-on tie for a job interview this afternoon,” she wrote in a post shared on Target’s Facebook page. “The store only had regular ties, so this awesome Target team member took the time to help the nervous teen put on his new tie, tuck in his shirt and then showed him how to give a proper handshake and tackle a few tough interview questions!” “As the kid exited the store, a bunch of supportive Target team members cheered him on! THIS is true customer service – Right on the mark, Target!” Mark added.” See the pics & video / Read more

 

Alibaba begins drone delivery tests in China while Amazon pleads to start trials in U.S. at Bloomberg via Financial Post. “Asia’s largest Internet company is partnering with Shanghai YTO Express Logistics Co. to deliver ginger tea packets to 450 Chinese customers who volunteered for the one-time drone tests, according to an e-mailed statement from Alibaba.” Read more

 

It’s official: Target is on Snapchat at A Bullseye View.  “Kristi Argyilan, senior vice president, Media and Guest Engagement, Target: “Snapchat provides a fun channel for us to quickly share exclusive, behind-the-scenes content with our guests that they can’t get anywhere else.” Read more

 

JC Penney’s next big bet a bit of a head scratcher by Krystina Gustafson at CNBC. “Have you ever been browsing the shelves at J.C. Penney and thought to yourself, boy, I need a new haircut? Probably not. But the department store is hoping to change that by reinventing its 850 salons across the U.S. In a new partnership with Time Inc.-owned fashion magazine InStyle, Penney’s will rebrand its salons into a “modern, cutting-edge salon concept” called The Salon by InStyle.” Read more

 

GameStop’s new president of U.S. stores played for the Philadelphia Phillies / was SVP of HR at Home Depot by Maria Halkia at Dallas News. “Mike Buskey came to Grapevine-based GameStop in 2010 as senior vice president of human resources from Home Depot where he led HR activities for about 2,000 stores.” Read more

 

Some Shoppers Uncomfortable with Items from ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ on Target Shelves by Elaina Athans at ABC 11 – Raleigh, NC. “Target stands by the sales.”As a national mass retailer, we carry a broad assortment of merchandise. The Fifty Shades of Grey products are not exclusive to Target. Our stores were directed to place them on a side cap in an adult health area of the store,” said Target spokesperson Molly Snyder.” See the video / Read more

 

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