NY Times: Etsy Welcomes Manufacturers to Artisanal Fold by Hiroko Tabuchi. “This fall, Etsy is set to introduce Etsy Manufacturing, a new service in the United States and Canada that matches sellers like Ms. Goodall with small manufacturers.” Read more

 

Target & Other Retailers Are Getting Snapchat Users To Put Their Brand Images in Videos by Mike Shields at WSJ. “The localized execution that geofilters provide allows us to create a personalized experience that is relevant to our guests, and they add an element of surprise,” said Kristi Argyilan, Target’s senior vice president of media and guest engagement.” Read more (Subscription)

 

Washington Post: Good news for Jet: The e-commerce start-up is cultivating a loyal customer by Sarah Halzack. “Since its debut, Jet has had a 23 percent repeat buyer rate, better than the 17 percent seen at eBay and the 11 percent seen at Amazon during the same time period.” Read more

 

The change agent inside CVS by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “Suddenly (Helena) Foulkes spots something that catches her interest: Christmas stockings that each have one big monogrammed letter on them. “So, what, you have to have every letter in the alphabet?” she asks the buyer in charge of holiday decorations, an executive named Mike McEnany. He explains that, no, in fact there are studies on which monogram letters are the bestsellers, and they vary the mix depending on the store location. “But the key letters are ‘S,’ ‘M,’ ‘J,’ and ‘C,’ ” says McEnany. Then adds, “And ‘H.’ ” “Of course there’s ‘H’!” says Foulkes triumphantly as she and the half-dozen execs erupt in laughter.” Read more

 

QVC CEO explains why he loves Zulily, slow shipping times and all by Jacob Demmitt at GeekWire. “What I admire about the Zulily team is they were willing to go against conventional wisdom,” (Michael) George said. “Conventional wisdom is: the only thing that matters in e-commerce today is free shipping and overnight shipping. And we’ve never believed that at QVC.” Read more

 

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LA Times: For grocers, Southern California is an irresistible—and cutthroat—market by James F. Peltz & Shan Li. “(Jack) Brown is the longtime chief executive of the 168-store Stater Bros. chain, based in San Bernardino, and he’s seen the rise and fall of many supermarkets…Now 77, Brown even keeps a list of the chains that have disappeared…”I have seen everything in the food industry come and go in Southern California,” he said.” Read more

 

Etsy Will Test Same-Day Delivery Option in New York City by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “The pilot service, dubbed Etsy ASAP, will launch sometime in the fall and be available to Etsy sellers based in any part of Manhattan and in parts of Brooklyn and Queens where Postmates couriers are stationed.” Read more

 

Netflix and Amazon users sue to stop Chicago’s 9% streaming tax by Jeff John Roberts at Fortune. “The challenge to the tax policy, filed last week in Cook County state court, is important because it could help define the power of cities and states to tax parts of the internet economy.” Read more

 

Office Depot apologizes over refusal to copy anti-abortion prayer by Manya Brachear Pashman at Chicago Tribune. “She said she hadn’t had time to process the company’s latest response. “I need to take a step back and pray about it,” she said.” Read more

 

BB-gunplay at Wal-Mart leads to arrest at The Star Press. “New Castle police said they arrested White outside Wal-Mart…after he used the gun to repeatedly shoot BBs at the store’s lawn and garden section…White also is accused of displaying the gun to an employee who was collecting shopping carts in the parking lot, telling the man, “I’ll be back.” 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. See our website at www.eyeonretail.net