Tipsheet: Wmart & Jet Keep Distinct Brands | Amazon Japan Raided | R.Hard.CEO Home For Sale | Wgreen Comms Head Jumps

 

Walmart is buying Jet.com for $3 billion by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “Some senior Jet executives, including co-founder and CEO Marc Lore, will have incentive bonuses on top of that. Lore will continue to run Jet as well as Walmart’s U.S. e-commerce operations after the acquisition closes.” Read more

 

…”Walmart and Jet will maintain distinct brands, with Walmart.com focusing on delivering the company’s Everyday Low Price strategy, while Jet will continue to provide a unique and differentiated customer experience with curated assortment.” Press release

 

…Jet.com deal was said to hinge on keeping its founder by Spencer Soper & Eric Newcomer at Bloomberg. “…will require Jet founder Marc Lore to head the retailer’s online division for several years, according to people familiar with the matter. Lore would stay in that role for longer than the two-plus years he spent at Amazon.com Inc., said one of the people, who asked not to be identified…” Read more

 

Amazon Japan raided on suspicion of antitrust practices by Thomas Wilson at Reuters. “A Japan Fair Trade Commission spokesman said he could not confirm the report but added: “I won’t say the contents are incorrect.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart updates ‘best by’ labeling by Robbie Neiswanger at Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. “”They were being date labeled 47 different ways,” said Frank Yiannas, the retailer’s vice president of food safety. “Every time we say that, people are in awe. There were literally 47 different ways.” Read more

 

Restoration Hardware CEO Lists Napa Valley Home for $10.5 Million by Sarah Tilton at Wall Street Journal. “(CEO Gary Friedman) said he personally led the RH design team, and all the furnishings are RH down to the linens and planters….While he said the company has “no immediate plans” to enter the real-estate business, Mr. Friedman now calls the place the first “RH Residence” and hinted that more could be coming at some point.” See the 8 house pics / Read more (subscription)

 

Doug McMillon speaks at Color of Hope fundraising event by Dan Holtmeyer at Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. “Wal-Mart and the Walmart Foundation gave $8 million and this week Tyson Foods and the Tyson family chipped in $15 million, the hospital’s biggest gift.” Read more / See the pics

 

Photos: Amazon’s first ‘Prime Air’ cargo jet takes spotlight at Seattle’s Seafair air show by Alan Boyle at GeekWire. See the pics / Read more

 

Online accounts for more than half of QVC’s US sales by Stefany Zaroban at Internet Retailer. “…and sales at recently acquired flash retailer zulily.com jumped 23% in the quarter.” Read more

 

**A message from 2016 Sweets & Snacks Expo – The Most Innovative New Products winners have been announced! Winners were awarded in nine categories: chocolate, non-chocolate, sweet, salty, savory, novelty, seasonal, gourmet/premium and gum/mints. See the 9 winners & 36 nominees The 2017 Sweets & Snacks Expo is nearly 90% sold out and will take place May 23-25 at Chicago’s McCormick Place – Notify me when registration opens

 

Dick’s Sporting Goods CEO Promises $1,000 Donation For Each Team USA Medal by Noah Kirsch at Forbes. Read more

 

Someone is trying to steal accounts from Walmart.com customers by Chris Mills at BGR. “According to hundreds of reports on social media, people across the US have been receiving password reset emails for their Walmart.com accounts, indicating that someone is trying to access those accounts and change the password.” Read more

 

CST Brands CEO says company has “laser focus” on execution, continued growth by Katie Burke at San Antonio Business Journal. “(CEO Kim) Lubel said that to date, the company has opened 13 stores in the U.S. and five in Canada, with 32 of the 39 currently under construction located in the United States. Throughout the third quarter, the company is targeting more than 15 store openings.” Read more

 

Walgreens Boots Alliance internal comms head joins Kingfisher as comms director by John Harrington at PR Week. Read more

 

Bass Pro founder still buying land near Ozark’s old mill; plans remain unclear by Giacomo Bologna at Springfield News-Leader. “According to Glenn, one of the reasons (Johnny) Morris has an interest in that area is because at one point his parents lived “within a stone’s throw” of the mill. “(The mill is) where his momma brought him home to,” Glenn said. “That’s what he told me.” Read more

 

Australia: Coles is experimenting with a weird new convenience store brand by Paul Colgan at Business Insider. “The stores – of which there are three currently running in Melbourne – will sell coffee for 80c a cup, undercutting the $1 offering from 7-Eleven, and also offer a range of healthy snacks. The Australian reports that the stores will try to bring convenience food offerings down to the prices in the supermarket sector…” Read more

 

Merger creates mattress giant by Rem Rieder at USA Today. “In a deal that would create the world’s largest mattress firm, Steinhoff International Holdings announced Sunday that it is acquiring Mattress Firm Holding Corp. for about $2.4 billion.” Read more

 

30,000 to 60,000 bees escape and sting people in Walmart parking lot via ABC 13 News. “Each of the three injured are adults, but no other information about them was released. Oklahoma City Fire Battalion Chief Benny Fulkerson says the incident began about 10:30 a.m., when a person selling bee hives met a buyer in the parking lot and the bees escaped.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

North Hollywood Macy’s closing, marking the end of Laurel Plaza

Sid Applebaum, Rainbow Foods co-founder who powered family grocery dynasty, dies at 92

Wisconsin named worst state for black Americans, Minnesota #2

IBM’s Watson has a summer job working at Macy’s

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

 

QUICK-SUBSCRIBE to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here