Home Depot Q3 comp sales +0.2% / US comp sales +0.1% Press release

 

…Home Depot cuts earnings outlook as home improvement demand falls short of expectations at CNBC. “The retailer said it now expects full-year sales will climb about 3% and comparable sales…to be slightly positive. That compares to its previous expectations for full-year sales to grow by 2.8% and comparable sales to increase by 1%.” Read more

 

Layoff Tactics Keep Changing, and the Blunders Keep Coming at WSJ. “During Target’s recent layoffs, some employees logged on to a Zoom call—only to discover an audio glitch in the first few minutes that prevented them from hearing parts of the conversation. The company later emailed workers to apologize for the snafu—and to reiterate that they had been laid off—according to a copy of the note viewed by The Wall Street Journal. A Target spokesman acknowledged the audio issue but said the email after the call was always planned. He added that the Zoom glitch didn’t prevent those in the meeting from hearing the information before the call ended.” WSJ subs.

 

Amazon Raises $15 Billion in First US Bond Sale in Three Years to Fund AI at Bloomberg/Yahoo

 

Improving Substitutions in Online Ordering at Harvard Business Review. “…it’s clear that substitution is no longer a minor irritation…As one VP of e-commerce put it: “Substitutions are killing our margins. They’re right up there with returns and delivery fees.”…Retailers that offer more expensive replacements without extra charges lose additional profit margin. According to our survey, retailers incur on average $2.66 in labor cost and lost margin for every $1 in recovered profit margin. In aggregate, these hidden substitution costs account for nearly 2% of their annual online sales…” Read more

 

The Hidden Risk When Retailers Ask for a Five-Star Review at WSJ. “In a recent study, researchers found that customers can get turned off if a business specifically asks for a positive review online. They may think the business is trying to manipulate them, and will be less likely to buy from it or recommend it in the future.” WSJ subs.

 

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The U.S. Postal Service has announced shipping price increases for January 2026 at USA Today

 

Ford to start selling certified used cars on Amazon at CBS. “…allows customers to browse local dealers’ pre-owned Ford vehicle selections on Amazon Autos, and complete most paperwork online. Shoppers can then schedule a time to pick up their auto in person. The program will debut in Los Angeles, Seattle and Dallas and add other locations over time…” Read more

 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Monday that new dietary guidelines are expected to be released next month that will end the “war on saturated fats.” The Hill

 

The ‘Rolls-Royce Of Turkey’ Is Coming To America at Forbes. “Paul Kelly’s family farm in England has been selling $500 heirloom turkeys for two generations…Kelly, 62, is now the owner of the only USDA-approved turkey plant in the U.S. that dry-plucks and hangs its birds, which many believe creates crispier skin and better flavor. Since purchasing 130 acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Crozet, Virginia a decade ago, Kelly has opened America’s first newly built turkey hatchery in years.” Read more

 

Toys ‘R’ Us Canada closes at least 38 stores this year, puts another 12 up for sale. Only 40 remain open. Financial Post

 

Cutting Ties With China Is Harder Than Companies Expected at Bloomberg. “Vietnam has 53 million workers (out of a population of 100 million), less than a tenth the size of China’s workforce, so the country simply can’t accommodate all the companies quitting its northern neighbor. And China has about 10,000 toy manufacturers, versus roughly 100 factories in Vietnam skilled enough to produce for export, according to supply chain adviser CEL Consulting. This lack of scale means less competition to bring down prices, crucial for toys, where margins typically stand in the single digits.” Bloomberg subs.

 

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