COSTCO OVER THE “BIG HUMP” – Demand for the new Costco Visa not expected to slow down any time soon by Coral Garnick at Puget Sound Business Journal. “Monday and Tuesday many customers took to social media to voice frustration. That’s when average wait times at Citi were as much as 30 to 40 minutes, Costco CFO Richard Galanti said. But, by Friday, wait times were averaging just five minutes.” Read more

 

Best Buy tests in-home service to help customers figure out their tech needs by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “The in-home consulting program launched in recent months in San Antonio, Austin, Texas, and Atlanta. “We will learn from these markets over time before making any decisions on expanding to other markets,” Best Buy spokesman Jeff Shelman said in an e-mail.” Read more

 

Meet the Instagrammers who made shopping at Target their full-time jobs by Adele Chapin at Racked via CNBC. “Consider Jen Coleman and Laura Wiertzema your personal Target sherpas. That’s what they are to more than 500,000 Instagram followers, who shop right along with them as they post real-time updates on @TargetDoesItAgain…” Read more

 

Amazon to Add Dozens of Brands to Dash Buttons, but Do Shoppers Want Them? by Sharon Terlep & Greg Bensinger at WSJ. “Companies pay Amazon $15 for each button sold and 15% of each Dash product sale, atop the normal commission, which typically ranges from 8% to 15%, the people familiar with the matter said.” Read more (subscription)

 

PetSmart plans to open 80 stores in 2016 by Steven Totten at Phoenix Business Journal. Read more

 

Can Walmart’s food labels make a dent in America’s $29bn food waste problem? by Twilight Greenaway at The Guardian. “Frank Yiannas, vice president of food safety for Walmart, says when the company last checked, roughly 70% of suppliers had complied. While the company couldn’t say exactly how many products will change in total, it said the number is in the thousands.” Read more

 

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FAA hits Amazon with $130K more in hazmat fines by Rachel Nielsen at Puget Sound Business Journal. “In one episode described in the latest FAA announcements, Amazon is facing a $78,000 civil penalty for packages of Rid O’Rust Stain Preventer Acid Well Water Formula that leaked out of a plastic jug and through a cardboard box.” Read more

 

Sports Authority: No big bid for lots of stores by Mark Harden at Denver Business Journal. “…bids were due Thursday, with an auction set for June 29…suggests that the stores will be snatched up one by one or in small groups by various buyers.” Read more

 

Mission Impossible-style thefts at Best Buys by Dave Greber at WIVB 4. “Police said someone cut through nearly five inches of rubber, insulation and corrugated metal on the building’s roof. Once inside, they stole 400 iPads. “They definitely spent a lot of time in that store,” said Amherst Detective Lt. Richard Walter.” Read more

 

For Consumers, Injury Is Hard to Prove in Data-Breach Cases by Nicole Hong at WSJ. “As data breaches become more widespread, judges around the country are grappling with a new question: whether hacked companies should have to compensate customers for breaches that expose credit-card numbers or other personal information. The answer, at least so far, has largely been no.” Read more (subscription)

 

Walmart and T-Mobile Lead $1.7 Million Corporate Sponsorship Of NYC Pride by Katie Sola at Forbes. See the sponsors

 

Expanding in Africa, eBay partners with MallForAfrica.com by Jake Bright at TechCrunch. “The arrangement will launch a new “eBay Powered by MallforAfrica dedicated platform,” said eBay Business Development Director Fernando Saiz. “The platform will enable inventory from all eBay U.S. individual and business sellers with a 300+ star rating to be purchased by buyers in Nigeria and Kenya.” Read more

 

Wayfair Names Michael O’Hanlon Vice President of Government and Industry Relations Read the release

 

“RICH PEOPLE’S” KROGER – Donations for hungry Memphis teenager who offered to carry strangers’ shopping in exchange for donuts passes $250,000 mark by Euan McLelland at Daily Mail. “I started by asking for $250 to get Chauncy a lawn mower, lol!!! Oh my goodness !!! People have been showering Chauncy and his mother in an ocean of love and support.” Read more

 

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