Tipsheet: Wmart Can. Layoffs | Harris Poll #1 Retailer | Loblaw Sells 213 C-Stores | CVS Facelift
Your Local CVS Drugstore Is About to Look Very Different by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “Take the new beauty sections being opened at 2,000 stores. New “trend wall” displays have been added to showcase new launches, make them stand out more within the store, and emphasize CVS’ exclusive brands. The druggist recently added an area to showcase Korean products to ride the surge in interest in skin care products from that country.” Read more
Walmart Canada laying off employees in store restructuring at CTV News. “Spokesman Alex Roberton would not disclose how many employees would lose their jobs. He denied a media report that 475 workers would be let go, saying the actual number is lower.” Read more
EBay’s second-quarter profit forecast falls short of estimates at Reuters. “Revenue rose 3.7 percent to $2.22 billion. Analysts on average had expected $2.21 billion.” Read more
Wayfair in the M&A spotlight at Seeking Alpha. “Wedbush analyst Seth Basham’s list of potential acquirers for Wayfair include Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Amazon and Steinhoff. Another completely different take on Wayfair is offered up by noted short seller Andrew Left of Citron Research. Left maintains that the company has serious accounts payable issues.” Read more
J.C. Penney CEO visits founder’s hometown by Jenn Hall at News Press Now. “A sea of red shirts flooded the small town of Hamilton, Missouri, on Tuesday to celebrate the 115th anniversary of J.C. Penney stores. Dozens of employees from stores around the country joined the company’s top executives, including chairman and chief executive officer Marvin Ellison.” Read more
Amazon’s arrival sounds wake-up bell for Australia’s sleepy retailers by Byron Kaye at Reuters. “The announcement fires the starting gun on a new era of competition between bricks-and-mortar and online retail in the world’s 12th-largest economy, where 80 percent of the population live in cities and more than 90 percent have home internet.” Read more
…Welcome to Amazon’s Australian ground zero by Carolyn Cummins at Sydney Morning Herald. “…other industrial agents told Fairfax Media, “a deal has been done at Goodman’s Oakdale Estate”. Read more
2017 Harris Poll Top Retailers:
Department Store: Kohl’s
Electronics: Best Buy
Footwear: DSW
Hardware: Home Depot
Luxury: Nordstrom
Off-Price: TJ Maxx
Sporting Goods: Dick’s
Full EquiTrend rankings | Press release
Bloomingdale’s store clerks demand commissions for online sales by Julia Horowitz at CNN Money. “I am sure the company can work on a tracking system,” Connor said. “There’s technology for everything.” Read more
Is FTC set to fight Walgreens-Rite Aid combo? via Chicago Crain’s. “Capitol Forum, a trade publication, reported that the FTC was considering a lawsuit.” Read more
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Walmart Launches Project Gigaton to Reduce Emissions in Company’s Supply Chain Press release | via Fast Company
Loblaw is selling all 213 of its gas stations across Canada for $540 million at Toronto Star. “The 213 gas stations will be renamed under the Mobil fuel brand as a result of Brookfield’s agreement with Imperial Oil, which is the Canadian unit of Exxon Mobil.” Read more
Central Grocers will close 9 Ultra Foods stores, sell 22 Strack & Van Til sites by Greg Trotter at Chicago Tribune. Read more
Think running retail stores is more expensive than selling online? Think again. by Courtney Reagan at CNBC. Read more
Kroger shareholders targeted by lowball offer by Alexander Coolidge at Cincinnati Enquirer. “A Toronto-based firm, TRC Capital Corp., said it will buy up to 4 million shares for $28.70 each. The catch? Investors could sell the stock on the market for roughly $30 a share Wednesday afternoon in a regular trade.” Read more
Jenna Lyons refuses to talk about J.Crew at NY Post. “No questions about my job! No questions about J.Crew, OK!?” she declared on the “green carpet,” crossing her arms and shaking her head.” Read more
Albertsons Promotes Wayne Denningham to President & COO Press release
Wal-Mart’s Lore hires customer care executive from Citibank at Talk Business. “Rahul Joshi’s team includes: Deserie Delaney, customer care for Walmart.com, Eric Thompson, Operations – fraud and risk for Walmart.com, Laura Duke, returns experience at Walmart.com and Doug De Angelo, Jet member services.” Read more
Field Agent: Previewing the Competition between Lidl, Walmart, & Aldi (survey of 736 U.K. shoppers):
- Lidl trails Aldi and Walmart’s Asda for the affection of U.K. shoppers
- Shoppers like Asda’s product selection, yet they seem to prefer Lidl and Aldi’s prices/value
- Lidl and Aldi are fairly similar in the minds of U.K. shoppers
- Shoppers equate the two retailers’ prices and, to a lesser degree, their layouts/interiors, merchandise, product assortments, and store sizes Read more
Matt Kenseth Welcomes Circle K as New Sponsor by Kenny Bruce at Nascar. Read more
Tipsheet Extra Stories
Sam’s Club partners with Kansas City Barbecue Society on BBQ
Forbes: National Retailers Are Abandoning Small Town, USA
Wal-Mart is ‘poking the bear,’ says Barclays analyst
NYC Mayor de Blasio Proposes Raising Cigarette Pack Price to $13
Zara pulls denim skirt after ‘Pepe the Frog’ accusations
Fast Company’s World Changing Food Ideas Awards
Gap Upgraded On ‘Quality Casual’ Strategic Focus
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