Kroger slowly backing away from Walgreens-Rite Aid merger by Josh Kosman at NY Post. “Kroger is close to passing on acquiring the 650 stores that Walgreens and Rite Aid would have to sell to gain regulatory approval of their $17 billion merger, sources said…Kroger may decide not to buy because Obama’s Federal Trade Commission — already a year into its merger review — recently told the supermarket owner that the 650 stores couldn’t be purchased and closed, with the operations moved inside the grocery stores, two sources close to the situation said.” Read more

 

Retired Walmart and Sam’s Club leader Ron Loveless dies by Dan Holtmeyer at Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. “Due in great part to his innovative nature, Ron rose through the ranks as Walmart grew,” McMillon and Brewer wrote, calling Loveless “one of the great leaders in our history.” Loveless described himself more modestly as “just an Arkansas boy with a high school education” in his 2011 memoir, “Walmart Inside Out,” co-written with his long-time friend Anna Morter.” Read more

 

Amazon Eyes Internet Service Offering by Amir Efrati & Martin Peers at The Information. “Amazon.com is considering offering internet service directly to consumers in Europe, said a person briefed on the discussion. That would allow Amazon to bundle internet access with its Prime streaming video offering…” Read more (subscription)

 

…It’s unclear how Amazon would implement such a service, and if a U.S. offering — similar to Google Fiber — could be in the cards by John Cook at GeekWire. Read more

 

Ex-American Apparel CEO Seeks to Leave the Death Threats Behind in New Job by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “The executive also had to fend off death threats, see a piñata with her likeness get beaten to smithereens in American Apparel’s parking lot, and contend with dozens of lawsuits lobbed by American Apparel’s founder and ousted CEO Dov Charney…“I don’t have a bodyguard here so it’s already better,” (Paula) Schneider quipped at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit on Tuesday.” Read more

 

Walmart’s Vudu Launches Free Ad-Supported Video on Demand by Jack Neff at Ad Age. Read more

 

SuperValu Q2 Net Sales -4.8% “Total net sales within the Wholesale segment decreased 5.5 percent. Retail identical store sales were negative 5.9 percent. Save-A-Lot network identical store sales were negative 5.2 percent. Identical store sales for corporate stores within the Save-A-Lot network were negative 5.0 percent.” Press release

 

…Fox Business: SuperValu Matches Profit Expectations, But Misses On Sales Read more

 

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Former Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf resigns from Target board by Nick Halter at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. Read more

 

First Wal-Mart Academy class in Minnesota graduates by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “Boy, if this isn’t Wal-Mart, then what is?” John Welling, the company’s regional general manager, joked to the 60 or so graduates and another 100 people seated in the garden center of the Wal-Mart store in Maple Grove. This particular ceremony had more bells and whistles because it doubled as a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Wal-Mart Academy at that location.” Read more

 

Twin Cities: Big-box retailer Meijer paid $3.9M for Brooklyn Park land by Nick Halter at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “At the time of the sale, Meijer was in the middle of a hot Twin Cities site search, negotiating deals for as many as four stores. But since then the company has throttled back on its Minnesota expansion plans and said it will instead focus on a Cleveland expansion first. A Minnesota entrance could be four or four years out.” Read more

 

Adidas is going after Nike where it hurts by Krystina Gustafson at CNBC. “According to a new report by Jefferies analyst Randal Konik, Adidas saw a “massive” increase in the number of men’s running shoes listed on Foot Locker’s best-seller list in October. While only two Adidas shoes ranked among the top 60 in September, that number shot to 13 in October. Meanwhile, category-leader Nike saw its penetration dip by six, to 46 units.” Read more

 

EBay Testing Shopping Assistant ShopBot on Facebook Messenger via Ad Age. “The trial service will use artificial intelligence to learn more about shoppers through their Facebook profiles and questions about what they’re seeking.” Read more

 

Starbucks names China CEO, sees 5,000 stores there by 2021 by Lisa Baertlein at Reuters. “Among other things, (Belinda) Wong will oversee the opening of Starbucks’ first international Roastery and Reserve Tasting Room in Shanghai in 2017.” Read more

 

Grainger Q3 Sales +3.0% “Excluding acquisitions and foreign exchange, organic sales were flat consisting of a 1 percentage point contribution from sales of seasonal products offset by a 1 percentage point reduction in price.” Press release

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Bloomberg: Apple Wants to Get Inside Your House Before It’s Built

Amazon has patented a voice-controlled drone that fits in your pocket

Clay Christensen’s New Theory Of Innovation Has Everything To Do With Hiring

A likely survivor in the impending death of brick-and-mortar stores: Williams-Sonoma (and here’s why)

The curse of the superstar CEO shift has struck Reckitt Benckiser at last

‘Hipsters’ will spend $500 more on average than their peers this holiday season

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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