Today’s Tipsheet: Safeway Skimming Empties Accounts | Gawker Hits Menards | Ebay in Malls | Amazon’s 40% Share

 

Thieves Have Been Stealing Credit & Debit Card Info at Safeway Stores by Martha C. White at Time. “Shoppers who visited Safeway stores in California and Colorado found their bank accounts emptied after cybercrooks infiltrated the checkout terminals in card “skimming” scams. “Safeway confirmed it is investigating skimming incidents at several stores,” cybersecurity expert Brian Krebs wrote on hisKrebs on Security blog.” Read more

 

…Krebs: Skimmers Found at Some Calif., Colo. Safeways Read the report

 

Organic groceries go discount as Walmart Canada rolls out new label by Jamie Sturgeon at Global News. “Walmart Canada has quietly launched a new lineup of organic products under its Great Value store brand…About a dozen Great Value “Organic” products can be found on the Walmart.ca website that weren’t there previously. The products, which range from cookies to pastas to popcorn, display the federal logo certifying each item as organic.” Read more

 

CVS Slams Walgreens Over Valeant Distribution Deal by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “This is another example of Valeant attempting to circumvent what PBMs do for payers,” (Larry) Merlo told Wall Street analysts at the CVS investor day in New York. “These actions ultimately drive up costs for payers when you think about the use of prescription co-payment programs.” Read more

 

Rite-Aid Q3 Comp Sales +0.3% Front-End / +1.2% Pharmacy Read more

 

CVS Analyst Day: Read the release | See Full PowerPoint | See Helena Foulkes PowerPoint

 

Gawker Slams Menards over Labor Relations by Hamilton Nolan. “Last week, Menards made news when it was revealedthat it made managers sign a contract stating they would lose 60% of their pay if employees formed a union on their watch. That provision has reportedly been removed after a backlash ensued, but not soon enough to prevent a complaint against the company being filed with the National Labor Relations Board.” Read more

 

Target to expand its North Texas online fulfillment capabilities next year by Maria Halkias at The Dallas Morning News. “The plan is to hire 160 people to work at the online fulfillment side beginning in February. It’s holding a job fair at the distribution center on Jan. 5-7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.” Read more

 

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EBay Will Be Popping Up In Shopping Malls by Leena Rao at Fortune. “The online marketplace is installing temporary outposts at Westfield Malls in the U.S. so that shoppers can sell the holiday gifts they don’t want. On Dec. 26 and 27, eBay will let people list items online themselves at the dedicated outposts.” Read more

 

Amazon reworking rules for product reviews by Jay Greene at Seattle Times. “The Times article reported on coordinated attacks by Amazon reviewers on Scarlett Lewis, the mother of a 6-year-old boy murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut three years ago.” Read more

 

Dick’s Sporting Goods: California woman reported to police for inquiring about AR-15 ammo says she was racially profiled by Tobias Salinger at NY Daily News. “Officials in the sporting goods retailer’s national office didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday night. A Dick’s clerk grew concerned when Sangha looked nervous during her visit to the store last week, and staff didn’t know she was a gun safety instructor.” Read more

 

Pier 1 Q3 Comp Sales -0.7% Read the release

 

Meet Etsy’s hands-on advocate for its handmade sellers by Teresa Novellino at New York Business Journal. “Since Etsy senior vice president of members and community Heather Jassy is based about 127 miles north of the company’s Brooklyn headquarters, in the city of Hudson, it’s easy to think of her as the small-town mayor of a crafting community…” Read more

 

Amazon took in nearly 40% of e-commerce spending from Nov. 1 through Dec. 6 by Spencer Soper at Bloomberg. Read more

 

‘Accidental fur’: Company turns roadkill into fashion by Phillip Marcelo at USA Today. “Paquin works with animal control specialists to gather the carcasses, but skins many of them herself. She considers the process almost sacred and doesn’t care much for the “roadkill” label.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Forbes: Target’s Fashion Blunders In Social Media

Trader Joe’s: Triple Ginger Brew recalled for bursting

P&G veteran named CEO of major hotel chain

Amazon has big plans for Uber-like ‘Flex’ package delivery service, job postings reveal

Fox’s ‘Empire’: Turning a hit show into a retail star

Mystery Santas pay $484,000 in Walmart holiday layaway

Marissa Mayer loyalists defend lavish, $7M holiday party

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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Contact Jason Long, jlong@eyeonretail.net