Tipsheet: Bezos #1 World Leader (Ellison #19) | Kimmel VP Launch at Costco | REI Campaign Wins
RETAIL EARNINGS PARADE THIS WEEK:
Tuesday: Home Depot, TJX
Wednesday: Target, Lowe’s
Thursday: Walmart, Dick’s
Amazon is going to sell its own lines of food, detergent and diapers by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “The e-commerce powerhouse will soon begin selling its own packaged goods, exclusively to Amazon Prime members under brands like Happy Belly and Mama Bear, the Wall Street Journal reports.” Read more
Wall Street Journal: Amazon to Expand Private-Label Offerings by Greg Bensinger. “While the full lineup couldn’t be ascertained, Amazon previously applied for trademark protection for foods including pasta, granola, potato chips and chocolate, as well as razors and air deodorizers. Amazon’s plans also include the Presto! line of household products such as laundry detergent and the Mama Bear brand for baby products like diapers, baby-food jars and gentle detergent, these people said.” Read more (subscription)
Kroger exec: Urban stores will be part of our growth by Bowdeya Tweh at Cincinnati Enquirer. “Kroger is planning to open 90 stores around the country this year, Hodge said. Those stores range in size from the 113,000-square-foot “Marketplaces” with groceries, apparel, toys and home goods to the 18,000-square-foot low price warehouse format Ruler Foods.” Read more
DISAPPOINTING – Sports Authority Bids from Dick’s and Modell’s considered “disappointing” and for fewer stores than initially expected by Lillian Rizzo at WSJ. “Dick’s, which one equity analyst said could make an offer for 180 stores, instead placed a bid for less than 20 stores; Modell’s made an offer for a small handful of stores, the person added.” Read more (subscription)
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NY Times: Amazon Proves Infertile Soil for Unions, So Far by Nick Wingfield. “…Mr. Wadach said the union did not help his family financially after his father died suddenly in front of their house, not even bothering to send a condolence card, according to three current workers at the warehouse who heard him speak and asked for anonymity for fear of losing their jobs. The problem with Mr. Wadach’s story was that much of it appears to have been untrue…” Read more
SETTLEMENT – Lowe’s Settles Employee Leave Lawsuit for $8.6 Million via ABC News. Read more
Fortune: World’s Greatest Leaders (Bezos #1, Ellison #19) See the list of 50
REI WINS – REI’s ‘#OptOutside’ Campaign Takes Best of Show at the One Show by Ann-Christine Diaz at Ad Age. “The award was announced at the One Show’s final awards ceremony, hosted by “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” actress Ellie Kemper at Cipriani Wall Street on Friday Night.” Read more
USPS PACKAGE VOLUME BOOM – Package volume grew by over 1 billion packages in the last three years – delivered one-third of all domestic packages in the United States by Ina Steiner at EcommerceBytes. Read more
Whole Foods president: new 365 chain ‘another tool’ for grocer by Shan Li at LA Times. “Patrick Bradley, Whole Foods’ president of the southern Pacific region, which includes the Southern California, said his team has been looking at real estate in cities like Riverside. They’re “places where traditionally we wouldn’t go into,” Bradley said… “We’re going to go into cities where we’re not going into now.” Read more
COSTCO CAMPAIGN – Jimmy Kimmel Launches Vice Presidential Campaign, Sells Merch At Costco by Carman Tse at laist. “He said on Friday that Southern California Costcos would have pop-up stores this weekend with #KimmelForVP clothes.” See the pics / Read more
Meghan Trainor Does Surprise Performance At Target via Perez Hilton. “Simply backed by an acoustic guitar, the songstress gave an intimate performance of her hit No — and the most adorable little girl in the world danced along to the entire song.” See the video / Read more
Tipsheet Extra Stories
Couple forgo traditional engagement pictures to get snapped in Costco instead
PETA Opened a High-End Leather Store, but Inside the Goods Was Something Horrible
19% of Internet-using households have been impacted by an online breach
Wal-Mart expected to report lower earnings, wage and training spending to hurt margins
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