Report:  Happening today – Obama to hold intimate roundtable fundraiser at home of former Costco CEO Jim Sinegal at Puget Sound Bus. Journal.  Read more

 

“Target introduces an image recognition app” by John Ewoldt at Star-Tribune.  “The free app, which has been in development for a year by Target’s Rapid Accelerated Development (RAD) technology team, includes dozens of products, but it is still in a test mode…In a Snap is available in issues of nearly 10 magazines such as Real Simple, Architectural Digest and Domino, as well as Target’s back-to-college catalog, and via store signage featuring products in the new Target Express store that opens in Dinkytown on Wednesday.” Read more

 

“Lowe’s plans massive call center in Indianapolis – could employ up to 1,000” at Indianapolis Bus. Journal.  “Lowe’s has acquired a 140,368-square-foot office building in Intech Park…Lowe’s also bought 3 adjacent acres of land because call centers require more parking space than traditional office buildings, a source said. Lowe’s paid about $9 million for the building and the land, the source said.” Read more

 

“Walgreens to close Flagstaff, AZ distribution center” by Stephen Root at Arizona Republic.  “Walgreens announced it will be closing its distribution center in Flagstaff, leaving 345 people wondering what they’re going to do as the company slowly lays them all off by April of next year.” Read more / See the video

 

“Wal-Mart Cuts Prices More Aggressively for Back-to-School” by Cotten Timberlake at Businessweek.  “Wal-Mart will reduce prices on 10 percent more items this year, said Steve Bratspies, the company’s executive vice president for U.S. general merchandise. The number of back-to-school items Wal-Mart sells online will grow 30 percent to 75,000, he said. “Price is going to be extremely important for us, as it always is,” Bratspies said in a phone interview. “It’s about the best prices in the market on a large assortment.” Read more

 

***A message from Orchard Road Canning Co. – Target Millennials to Grow Canning Category Sales. Young female canners are the future of the category and there is untapped potential within this segment.  Orchard Road targets this demographic with a simple and elegant glass jar design and unique package graphics that feature authentic food-filled jars.  See the package design. See the sell sheet. www.orchardroadcanning.com.  Contact info@shiftmarketinggroup.net for more information.

 

Home Depot: 18 Straight Weeks as #1 Radio Advertiser at Radio Ink. Read more

 

“Amazon launches Sunday delivery from Kent, WA warehouse” by Jay Greene at Seattle Times.  “By controlling the delivery process right up to the last mile, Amazon can get packages to customers on Sunday, a service it announced with the U.S. Postal Service last November. And with the opening of the Kent facility, Sunday delivery has begun in the Pacific Northwest. “When you see us announcing Sunday delivery, you can assume a sortation center is close by,” Roth said.” Read more

 

Ranker Survey: Which Co’s Have the Worst Customer Service (Walmart #4, Home Depot #28, Walgreen #43)?  See the Top 50 List

 

“Walmart surprises Bentonville teachers” at NWA.  “Walmart pledged to give 10 percent back on all school supplies bought through the week of July 25 through the 31st. On top of that, the retailer gave the Bentonville School district one thousand dollars and gave teachers gift baskets filled with back to school gear.” Read more / See the video

 

“Office Depot Names Mark Cosby President, North America” “Most recently, he was president, pharmacy at CVS Caremark Corporation, where he was responsible for all aspects of the $65 billion retail business.” Read the release

 

Twin Cities: “9 Rainbow Foods Stores Close Today” by Jackie Crosby at Star-Tribune.  “Rainbow has historically been No. 2 in the Twin Cities, after Cub, but it slipped to fourth in recent years and has closed five Twin Cities stores in the past 16 months.” Read more

 

Nashville’s Most Underpaid CEOs:  Tractor Supply’s Gregory Sandfort at #4 at Nashville Bus. Journal.  Read more

 

“A Dollar General Cashier Left a Mother ‘Humiliated.’ What the Manager Allegedly Posted Online Afterwards Only Made Things Worse” at The Blaze.  “The biggest part of it was I’m a mom, and that’s my baby, and you don’t talk about my child,” Sargent told WDAF. “That’s a feeling that only a mother can understand.” The Dollar General corporate office, for its part, apologized for the incident and promised “additional training” for the employees in Holt, WDAF reported.” Read more / See the video

 

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