Tipsheet: Prime Air Protest | Actress Dating Wmart Heir | Worst Paying Retailers | Macy’s “Tattoo” Strategy
Amazon Prime Air pilots are heading to shareholders meeting to confront execs over low wages by Ari Levy at CNBC. “More than 50 pilots are set to protest at Amazon’s shareholders meeting on Tuesday. The Teamsters say that Atlas Air and ATSG pay 50 to 60 percent below the rest of the industry. Without better pay and benefits, the pilots fear there won’t be enough of them to keep up their end of the contract with Amazon.” Read more
Nearly Half of All Retail Jobs Could Be Lost to Automation Within 10 Years by David Z. Morris at Fortune. “Between 6 million and 7.5 million retail industry jobs are vulnerable to automation within ten years, according to an exhaustive study released this week.” Read more
Australia: Thousands of shoppers line up around the block for Aldi’s famous snow and ski sale at Daily Mail. “Sydney father Philip Argy wrote on Facebook: ‘We are still alive after the ALDI annual snow sale – got the kids $2,500 worth of quality gear for $400. Still hobbling with a pinched nerve – almost got trampled in the rush!'” Pics/Read more
Macy’s CEO unveils new strategy inspired by founder’s tattoo by Andy Brownfield at Cincinnati Business Courier. “The five-point North Star Strategy laid out by Gennette is: (1) From familiar to favorite….(2) It must be Macy’s….(3) Every experience matters, both in-store and online…(4) Funding our future…(5) What’s New…” Read more | Gennette video
Here are the best and worst paying retailers in America by Hayley Peterson at Business Insider. “According to the report, Dollar General, Foot Locker, and Kroger are among the lowest-paying retailers, while Nordstrom, Costco, and Tiffany & Co. pay the highest hourly rates. The report was conducted by investment advisory firm Cornerstone Capital Group.” List of 29
Walmart continues test of vending machine pickup service in five stores by Tyler Cliford at Crain’s Detroit. “We’ve seen steady growth of how folks are using it,” she said. “Once the customer uses it, we’re seeing great feedback by just how quick it is. It is growing in popularity.” Pics/Read more
Scammers elude Amazon crackdown on fake reviews with new tricks by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “But the votes can also be used to sabotage a competitor, voting up negative reviews of rival products and tanking demand for goods that previously had been well-received, sources told The Post.” Read more
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Charbroil and cosmetics maker Tatcha were hit by hackers who accessed payment card information by Matt Linder at Internet Retailer. “A recent rash of malware attacks has targeted mid-tier e-commerce providers across the United States, the United Kingdom and India, in such industries as apparel, home goods and beauty, says Chris Olson, CEO of website security software vendor The Media Trust.” Read more
Baywatch actress is dating Walmart heir Steuart Walton at E News. “An insider tells us the 26-year-old has been dating the billionaire for “four or five months,” and he even takes her for “flying lessons on his personal plane.” Read more/Pics
Lone holdout stalls Target’s $10 million data-breach settlement with shoppers by Mark Reilly at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “…the fund is still in limbo because of Texas resident Leif Olson…His legal team is a group called Center for Class Action Fairness…A lawyer for the center said that legal and administrative fees for the fund have risen to $13 million, more than the consumers themselves get.” Read more
L.L. Bean’s Bootmobile leaves North America for the first time – visits 25 stores in Japan at Boston Herald. Read more
Forever 21 is bringing its new beauty boutique, Riley Rose, to malls by Lauren Thomas at CNBC. “Ten Riley Rose stores will open before the end of this year, and three will open in 2018, according to the retailer and its real estate landlord.” Read more
Target looked at buying the mattress startup Casper for $1 billion by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “Target held serious acquisition discussions over the last few months with the mattress startup Casper Sleep, according to multiple sources, but plans to take a minority stake instead.” Read more
Jeff Bezos talk with kids about Apollo’s space legacy by Alan Boyle at GeekWire. Video/Read more
Nearly 1,200 employees losing their jobs with last Martin’s Food Markets closures by Tammie Smith at Richmond Times-Dispatch. “Nearly 1,200 Martin’s Food Markets employees will lose their jobs when nine stores not being sold to Publix Super Markets close this summer.” Read more
Target/Walgreens/Walmart Can’t Dodge Herbal Supplement MDL Claims at Law 360. Read more (subscription)
CABELA’S FIRST – U.S. Judge Allows First Transgender Person to Sue Under Disability Law at U.S. News. “Blatt is suing her former employer, the retail chain Cabela’s Inc, for sex discrimination, saying she was fired after harassment that included denying her use of the women’s bathroom and temporarily forcing her to wear a name tag with her male name given at birth.” Read more
New Target store near University of Texas campus delayed by Gary Dinges at American-Statesman. Read more
The place where old-fashioned malls are beating Amazon: Small-town America by Jill Rothenberg at Washington Post. “You take your family, your neighbors, and you make a day of it. The Pueblo Mall isn’t just the only game in town two hours away, it’s the only game in town for three counties.” Read more
Tipsheet Extra Stories
Aldi employee scouted in checkout line – voted ‘second hottest man in world’
More than 37,000 AT&T workers begin strike
New York landlords slashing rents to attract retailers
Dollarama dream catcher kitsch ‘a slap in the face’
Why Is It So Hard to Build a $3.4 Billion Mega-Mall Near Paris?
Q&A with Topgolf’s CEO
Semen throw on woman at grocery store – for the second time
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