Wal-Mart takes weekly circular digital with new ‘Live Better’ focus by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “The normal tab we send out every weekend, we are changing how we do that. For one thing we will be doing it less frequently,” (Steve) Bratspies said…“It is going to be integrated in the technological world. Everything is going to be connected with digital partnerships and digital content so that you make the connection of product to the online world and back and forth much more seamlessly than you have been able to do in the past,” he said.”  Read more

 

Amazon reportedly prepping private-label grocery items by Jay Greene at Seattle Times. “(Amazon) which sells baby wipes under the Elements brand, reportedly has sought trademark protection for more than two dozen categories under its Elements brand, including coffee, water, vitamins, dog food and razors…The (Wall Street) Journal reported that Amazon had approached private-label producer TreeHouse Foods of Oak Brook, Ill., to make some products.” Read more

 

Walgreens chairman: We were ‘whipping boy’ for President Obama by Ameet Sachdev at Chicago Tribune. “We were disappointed with the publicity around inversions because we never intended to invert in the first place,” (James) Skinner said in response to a question from a shareholder.” Read more

 

Costco philosophical about chicken prices by Angel Gonzalez at Seattle Times. “What is your philosophy about chickens?” Adler asked during a call that followed Wednesday’s release of Costco’s earnings.” Read more

 

Costco Q3 2015 Results – Earnings Call Transcript via Seeking Alpha. Read here

 

Target Must Reveal Info On Past Data Breaches, Judge Says by Jody Godoy at Law360. “Target Corp. has to tell financial institutions suing over the retailer’s massive 2013 data breach whether it suffered similar attacks in the past and if so, how it responded to them, a Minnesota federal judge ruled in the multidistrict litigation Wednesday.” Read more (Subscription)

 

Amazon is Looking for the Perfect Warehouse Worker (On a Thin Budget) by Spencer Soper at Bloomberg. “(Amazon) budgeted a total of $26,000 for prizes and $60,000 for travel grants for more than 30 teams participating in the competition this week at the International Conference of Robotics and Automation in Seattle. “If you really want strong teams, you need a bigger investment,” said Alberto Rodriguez, who led a team of graduate-level students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “This probably needs 10 times the money.” Read more

 

Nordstrom’s Innovation Revamp Leads to E-commerce Texting App by Kim S. Nash at WSJ. “Using TextStyle, a salesperson can chat and share images with customers who opt in to the service. Customers can buy a product immediately by texting a unique code to Nordstrom, without having to type personal and financial information already on file.” Read more (Subscription)

 

Big Lots profit up as same-store sales rise by Lisa Beilfuss at MarketWatch. “In all for the first quarter, the retailer reported income from continuing operations of $32.3 million, or 60 cents a share, up from a year-earlier profit of $28.6 million, or 50 cents a share.” Read more

 

Amazon launches free same-day delivery for Prime members in 500 U.S. cities by Tricia Duryee at GeekWire. Read more

 

Rexall lands former Shoppers CEO Schreiber for top job by Marina Strauss at The Globe & Mail. “The tightening market has prompted some industry observers to predict that Mr. Schreiber could eventually steer Rexall into being acquired by a bigger global company to give it more purchasing power with suppliers and other economies of scale.” Read more

 

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Eye-on-Retail Tipsheet is created early every weekday morning and read by retail merchants and executives worldwide. We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s really happening in the world of retail. Contact us at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net.