Walmart makes last-minute holiday push for procrastinators at CNBC. “This holiday season, the big-box retailer will qualify more items on Walmart.com for same-day pickup in stores than ever before, Walmart announced Friday.” Read more

 

Sam’s Club, Your Store for Premium Goods and Rare Imports (in China) by Wayne Ma at Wall Street Journal. “We continue to explore the market” in China, Costco Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti said. Eager to maintain its edge, Sam’s plans to “put our foot on the gas” in China by doubling the number of clubs to 40 by 2020, Mr. Miles said.” Read more (subs.)

 

United Natural Foods Q1 Net Sales +7.9% Press release

 

Judge orders Whole Foods to reopen shuttered 365 store by Matt Day at Seattle Times. “We don’t want a check,” Nold said. “We want Whole Foods to open and operate.” The company, he said, plans to expand elsewhere in the U.S., and can afford the expense associated with trying to improve a Bellevue Square location long enough to meet the terms of the lease.” Read more

 

99 Cents Only Stores Q3 Comp +11.3% Press release

 

Amazon sues ‘con artists’ claiming ‘insider knowledge’ and affiliation with retail giant in classes for aspiring third-party sellers by Nat Levy at GeekWire. “They allegedly pitched their experience and track record to get people to attend seminars at a cost of up to $35,000.” Read more

 

PetSmart Lenders Are Worried About a Chewy.com Spinoff at Bloomberg. “Buying Chewy.com was supposed to be a coup for PetSmart Inc. For debt investors who funded the deal, it’s been more like a dog. Within months of the May acquisition, PetSmart lost some of its mojo with a key supplier, and then lost its chief executive. The notes sold by the pet superstore to finance the takeover of Chewy Inc. are among the year’s worst performers for newly issued junk debt.” Read more

 

Alibaba redraws retail fault lines with bricks-and-mortar push by Cate Cadell at Reuters. Read more

 

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Family Businesses Worry the Tax Overhaul Will Hurt Them by Siobahn Hughes at Wall Street Journal. “Family-owned businesses are a slice of the universe of “pass through” companies… that pay taxes through individual rather than corporate returns. Trusts in this category of business include Hobby Lobby, the arts and crafts chain founded by billionaire David Green, and Love’s Travel Stop.” Read more (subs.)

 

Alibaba to Invest $200 Million In India Online Grocer by Saritha Rai at Bloomberg. “Alibaba is taking a stake of about 25 percent in Bigbasket after months of negotiations, said the people, asking not to be identified because the matter is private.” Read more

 

What it’s like to work a bad job (in retail) by Laura Amico at Harvard Business Review. Read more (subs.)

 

Rush of online orders leaves Canada Post pickup centres overwhelmed by Alex McKeen at Toronto Star. “Canada Post spokesperson Jon Hamilton confirmed Thursday that three of the city’s 300 post offices are currently too full to store any more items….”According to the post office employees, there was no room,” (a resident) said. “Neither the slip nor the 7/11 had any information about where my package currently is.” Read more

 

UPS Taps Wal-Mart Executive for a ‘Transformation’ Role by Lauren Olsen at Footwear News. “UPS said it is tapping Wal-Mart Stores Inc. executive Scott Price to be its chief transformation officer, effective Dec. 11.” Read more

 

Chip and Joanna Gaines Give Target House Families a First Look at Their Remodeled Dining Room at a a Bullseye View. Video/Pics/Read more

 

Retail fraud is on the rise as companies grapple for solutions at CNBC. “The level of fraud as a percentage of retailers’ revenues has climbed to 1.58 percent year to date from 1.47 percent a year ago, according to a study by LexisNexis Risk Solutions.” Read more

 

Brazen thieves could steal Christmas one shipping container at a time by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “On Nov. 29, in a town near Tacoma, Wash., a cargo container packed with 6,000 Laser X toys, among the hottest gadgets on store shelves this year, was stolen from the parking lot of a warehouse — in broad daylight.” Read more

 

Beyonce let her hair down, threw on some shades, and did some Target shopping at TMZ. “Tar-jay customers and Lady Bey had a close encounter Thursday in San Clemente, CA. Looks like she was cruising the toy aisles with her mom, Tina. Shhh!!! Don’t tell Blue Ivy … or Siror Rumi.” Pics

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

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Homeless man seeking shelter at Sam’s Club run over by 18-wheeler

$449 bird stolen at knife-point from Petco – thief jumps in getaway car to flee

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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