Walmart Q4 US Comp Sales +0.6% “Neighborhood Market comps increased approximately 7%…Read the release

…CNBC: Wal-Mart posts earnings beat Read more

…Fox Business: Wal-Mart Lowers Sales Outlook Read more

…Tweet: @Retail_Guru – Walmart web sales +8%. Less than 1/3rd of Amazon’s +26%. Despite being far smaller $WMT losing even more online share to $AMZN

 

Cabela’s Q4 Comp Sales Down 3.5% “(Cabela’s) plans to reduce working capital and sell unproductive assets. Lower inventory levels will be a major source of the reduction in working capital.” Read the release

 

Canadian Tire Q4 Comp Sales +2.0% Read the release

 

Wal-Mart to create hundreds of fresh food manager roles by Nathan Layne at Reuters. “Wal-Mart…has already hired 30 field managers and plans to hire hundreds more over the next three years, people familiar with matter said in recent days. Their job is to train workers and take other steps to improve the fresh food offering in stores, the people said.” Read more

 

Gwen Stefani reveals behind-the-scenes details from her Target video shoot by Madison Vain at Entertainment Weekly. “She didn’t come out of the shoot completely unscathed, though. “I have a massive bruise on the back of my leg,” she says…“We practiced so many times,” she says. “The two takes before the live one, I fell on my my head. It was crazy.” In fact, Stefani says it wasn’t until just the take or two before the live filming that she even felt like they had gotten the routine down. “It’s really weird how things came together at the very last minute.” Read more

 

…Target and Stefani came together on the project via a third party, marketing wiz Gary Tobey, says Vice Chairman, Interscope Geffen A&M, Steve Berman. “He is the heart and soul around all these Target campaigns built around great creative.”

 

Ulta Beauty CEO Mary Dillon Named 24th Most Powerful Person in Chicago via Chicago Magazine. See the top 50 list

 

**A message from ASD Market Week – ASD has the widest variety of goods anywhere! On February 28 – March 2, 2016, we open the doors of the Las Vegas Convention Center to 45,000+ attendees looking to shop the world’s widest variety of wholesale lifestyle accessories and general merchandise at the lowest price points available. Discover hot new products and stylish finds from over 2,600 vendors in categories including: fashion & accessories, beauty & fragrance, gift & home, toys & novelties and many more. Learn more about ASD / See category list | See the show floor video | Register now

 

Amazon is expanding deliveries by its ‘on-demand’ drivers via CNBC. “Amazon.com is quietly inviting drivers for its new “on-demand” delivery service to handle its standard packages…The move, which has not been announced publicly, is the latest sign that the world’s biggest e-commerce company wants to control more of its own deliveries.” Read more

 

Next wave of store closings may hit luxury: Real estate pro by Krystina Gustafson at CNBC. “Research by The NPD Group/Checkout Tracking Total Channel found that 71 percent of luxury consumers also shop at off-price stores. The research firm also found that 30 percent of luxury buyers shop at fast-fashion retailers, while 23 percent visit luxury retailers’ outlet stores.” Read more

 

Amazon in talks to hire former Marks & Spencer womenswear boss by Sarah Butler at The Guardian. “Amazon is in talks with former Marks & Spencer womenswear boss Frances Russell as it works on plans to gatecrash the fashion business with an own-label clothing brand.” Read more

 

Adidas Hires Former Lululemon CEO as Strategic Adviser via Dow Jones. “I look at myself as a free agent,” (Christine Day) said. “I have a choice at this stage in my career to play for the love of the game.” Read more

 

U.S. e-commerce grows 14.6% in 2015 by Stefany Zaroban at Internet Retailer. “Online sales accounted for 7.3% of total retail sales in 2015 versus 6.4% in 2014, and e-commerce accounted for 66.4% of total retail sales growth.” Read more

 

Casey Carl, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer, Talks Innovation and Disruption via A Bullseye View. “What advice would you give someone trying to infuse a spirit of innovation into their own organization? Be bold: At Target, we reinforce that “new to us” is not innovation.  Solve an existing problem with a real consumer market and opportunity for growth.” Read the Q&A

 

Amazon Prime Members Are Even More Valuable Than You Thought by Rebecca Borison at The Street. “Customers who joined Prime in January 2014 spent on average $2,147 in 2015. And customers who joined Prime in January 2012 spent on average $3,091 in 2015.” Read more

 

Walmart’s help needed to fight senior tax scam, Senator says by Darran Simon at Newsday. “He wants the Bentonville, Arkansas-based chain, which his office said had apparently been the go-to store for the scam, to display large warning signs in its stores. He said store employees handling money orders should also caution people.” Read more

 

Target adding 600 jobs at Virginia distribution center by Kevin Green at WAVY 10. Read more

 

Kmart to stock shelves with bankrupt companies’ products by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “Kmart is going to be the land of the living dead. The desperate discount chain, owned by Edward Lampert’s Sears, has a new merchandise strategy that involves stocking its shelves with products from bankrupt companies or mass liquidations, the company said on Wednesday.” Read more

 

Sports Authority employees told all Texas stores closing by Maria Halkias at Dallas Morning News. Read more

 

Google Express Adds Grocery Delivery by Mark Bergen at Recode. “On Wednesday, the three-year-old service announced it will start shipping perishable items to select neighborhoods in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Google Express will be working with its existing retail partners Costco, Smart & Final and Whole Foods.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Target, Do Solar Like You Do the Grammys

The Walmart Case That Could Expand Gay Rights at Work

A Women’s Retailer On America’s Mall Glut And Why Online Sellers Are Opening Stores

Paint chain under aggressive new ownership plans to expand to 50 stores

Dallas gets next branch of TreeHouse, the eco-friendly home improvement store

“DC Super Hero Girls” Merchandise Soars Into Target This Spring

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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