Monday Tipsheet: Target Hackers Hit Parking Co’s | Amazon’s College Push | Super Bowl Ads Ranked

 

Target Hackers Hit Third Parking Service at Krebs on Security. “Book2Park.com, an online parking reservation service for airports across the United States, appears to be the latest victim of the hacker gang that stole more than a 100 million credit and debit cards from Target and Home Depot. Book2park.com is the third online parking service since December 2014 to fall victim to this cybercriminal group.” Read more

 

Amazon Makes a Push on College Campuses by Greg Bensinger at WSJ. “Amazon has struck deals with three large universities to operate co-branded websites selling textbooks, fan shirts, ramen noodles and most other items available on Amazon.com. While the deals aren’t exclusive, officials at the colleges say the arrangements acknowledge a reality: Their students already shop on Amazon.” Read more (Subscription)

 

Super Bowl Ad Meter Results at USA Today. See all 61 ads ranked

 

Sam’s Club Wouldn’t Stand By Vodka Money-Back Guarantee (But Comes Through in the End) by Kurtis Ming at CBS Sacramento. “After reaching out to Sam’s Club, they realized the mistake and asked Ed to return to the store. “I showed them my card and they said, ‘Oh, yeah. Mr. Sullivan we’ve been expecting you.’” Ed walked out with a refund and a $25 gift card for his trouble. “I’ve got a different brand we love,” Sullivan said. It’s called Kirkland.” See the video / Read more

 

The Startup Behind Amazon’s Best-Rated Mattress Is Opening Its First Store by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “The building is located in an out-of-the way location and only one potential buyer stopped in during the first week. But in Week 2, 75 people came to check out the upstart mattress maker, some even walking out with a mattress that very same day…which allowed them to choose a location with monthly rent between $5,000 and $10,000 rather than $20,000 and up.” Read more

 

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Canada dims the light on the incandescent light bulb by Richard Blackwell at The Globe & Mail. “Last year there was quite a spike, but this year we have seen very little of a rush at all,” said Ron Cleary, senior merchant for electrical products at Home Depot Canada Inc.” Read more

 

Zulily to shutter UK office, shift international distribution back to U.S. by Rachel Lerman at Puget Sound Business Journal. “Zulily’s existing U.S. merchandise team will ship products to the UK. That means all the company’s business will now shift back to its U.S. site and team.” Read more

 

RadioShack is expected to announce store closings by Maria Halkias at Dallas News. “RadioShack’s fiscal year ended Sunday, which means CEO Joe Magnacca can close 200 stores without altering a debt agreement.” Read more

 

WSJ: RadioShack, Hedge Fund Hashing Out Auction Process “RadioShack…was aiming to file for Chapter 11 protection as early as Monday, the people said. But as of Sunday afternoon, the company and its advisers were still working out the details of an agreement with Standard General to serve as the so-called stalking horse at a court-supervised auction for RadioShack’s assets, some of the people said.” Read more (Subscription)

 

NYT: Retailers Prepare for Tie-Ins to ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Film by Rachel Abrams. “The movie will not be as graphic as the book. Neal Slateford, a co-founder of Lovehoney, the only company that has the rights to make the official “Fifty Shades of Grey” adult products sold in Target and elsewhere, does not expect certain toys used in the book’s steamiest scenes to appear in the movie.” Read more

 

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Eye-on-Retail is a daily tipsheet read by thousands of Retail Merchants & Executives every weekday morning. Eye-on-Retail is created and delivered early AM every day.  We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s happening in the world of retail. Contact us at info@shiftmarketinggroup.net.