Today’s Tipsheet: Lowe’s to Pay $2M Fine | P&G Buys Secret Ingredient | B.Pro Buy Cabela’s? | Dick’s New Ad
By Jason Long, jlong@eyeonretail.net
Lowe’s to pay NY customers $1.1 million for deceptive sales practices by Katherine Peralta at Charlotte Observer. “According to the attorney general’s investigation, Lowe’s charged customers for floor installations based on how many square feet of carpeting, tile, wood and laminate flooring they ordered for a project instead of those that were actually installed.” Read more
Target believes audio porn played in Calif. store was from outside source by Paul Walsh at Star Tribune. “Molly Snyder, spokeswoman for the Minneapolis-based national retailer, said this week that “there is absolutely no indication that any team members were involved” and that the company believes the raunchy recording did not originate from inside the store.” Read more
Report: Bass Pro Shops explores bid for Cabela’s by Reuters via CNBC. “Bass Pro is working with an investment bank on the potential offer, the people said this week….The sources asked not to be identified because the deliberations are confidential.” Read more
WI: Costco opening to be “organized chaos” by Maureen Wallenfang at Post Crescent. “If you’re not into lines, wait until Sunday. Come during the Packers game,” she said. “The week after opening it starts to ‘normal’ out.” Read more
Alibaba in Talks to Invest Around $80 Million in Boxed, a Costco-Like Shopping App by Jason Del Rey at Recode. “If a deal is struck, it would mark Alibaba’s second investment this year in a U.S. e-commerce startup. Earlier this year, it invested in Jet.com.” Read more
Walgreens-Rite Aid deal could lead to elimination of 3,000 stores by Phil Wahba at Fortune. Read more
Amazon to provide grants for ‘globally-impactful’ research at universities by John Cook at GeekWire. “Amazon.com announced a new program today called Amazon Catalyst…it plans to provide grants in the range of $10,000 to $100,000 to researchers, students and faculties at universities working to solve big problems, from climate change to cybersecurity threats.” Read more
Dick’s Pitches to the Heart in Holiday Campaign by Adrianne Pasquarelli at Ad Age. “Sports provide lasting memories passed down through generations,” said CMO and Exec VP Lauren Hobart, a former PepsiCo exec who has been with Dick’s since 2011. “We found it compelling to capture a special moment between a father and his daughter that represents a family tradition being extended to the next generation.” See the spot / Read more
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Judge ‘troubled’ by his own ruling in Amazon counterfeit goods case, says it’s an issue for Congress to address by Jacob Demmitt at GeekWire. Read more
How Barnes and Noble Is Hitting Back Against Amazon—With Coloring Books by Robert Klara at Ad Week. “On Nov. 14, Barnes & Noble will be staging its most colorful event yet: All of its stores are inviting adults to come in, sit down and color.” Read more
Tesco Is Hiring Someone to Untangle Christmas Lights by Benjamin Snyder at Fortune. “A store in Wrexham, north Wales has put out the job listing, according to The Telegraph, and Grinches need not apply. In fact, the job description requires a person who is “genuinely passionate about Christmas” and who has “excellent people skills.” Read more
Ikea to double stores in Canada even as website sales soar by Hollie Shaw at Financial Post. “The news is more remarkable given that 2016 marks Ikea’s 40th year in Canada, and it has built just 12 of its cavernous showroom warehouse stores in that period. “We are going to expand from coast to coast, in existing cities and into new cities,” Ikea Canada president Stefan Sjöstrand said in an interview.” Read more
Gap Connects Stores Over the Internet With Software-Defined Networking by Rachael King at WSJ. “So far this year, Gap has installed routers at 860 retail stores, said Snehal Patel, network architect at Gap, speaking at the Open Networking User Group conference here Thursday at New York University.” Read more (Subscription)
QVC’s U.S. web sales rise 15% in Q3 by Fareeha Ali at Internet Retailer. Read more
Whole Foods co-CEO says customers not looking “benath the hood” by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “Without naming names, Mackey said that many competitors are aping Whole Foods without really offering the same thing. “They are not copying our quality standards, they are copying our look and feel,” he said. “Many customers are not looking beneath the hood.” Read more
Inside The Coors Family’s Secretive Ceramics Business Worth Billions by Dan Alexander at Forbes. Read more
P&G buys a secret ingredient by Alexander Coolidge at Cincinnati Enquirer. “ChromaDex Corp. develops patented and proprietary ingredient technologies for dietary supplement, food and beverage, skin care, sports nutrition, and pharmaceutical products.” Read more
Tipsheet Extra
CBS Atlanta Targets Stores for ‘Gun Porn’ Magazines in View of Children
Panera pledges to use all cage-free eggs by 2020
Accenture Holiday Survey: 40% plan to spend more on their holiday shopping this year
Sam’s Club top execs under pressure to boost holiday sales, improve traffic
Minnesota-born Twister inducted into Toy Hall of Fame
Walmart greeter gives stranded elderly woman ride home