Walmart tests HappyOrNot kiosk across from HQ by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “During a 20-minute period on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 14) there were no shoppers who used the kiosk to rate their experience. Traffic in the store was heavy ahead of inclement weather and last minute Valentine’s Day shoppers. Wal-Mart did not say if this kiosk would be added to other stores, only noting it is a test.” Read more

 

Walmart to set up 15 cash & carry stores in Andhra Pradesh, India in 5 years at Economic Times. “The company currently had three stores in Andhra Pradesh – in Vijayawada, Guntur and Rajahmundry,” the release said.” Read more

 

Memphis: Sneak peek inside the new Bass Pro ‘Pyramid’ store (The ‘Swamp’ will hold 600,000 gal of water and hold 1,800 fish from 36 difference species).  See the behind the scenes video

 

Roof collapse reported at Mass. Lowe’s at WCVB 5 ABC.  See the 19 pics

 

JCPenney finds in-store mobile is right fit for Cinderella promotion by Chantal Tode at Mobile Commerce Daily. “JCPenney is hoping to drum up some interested in its Disney shops, which launched in late 2013. The collection of toys, costumes and children’s apparel is being expanded this year to an additional 116 stores.” Read more

 

***A message from Comfy Sacks – Not your parent’s bean bag chair!  Incredibly soft micro-suede covers and our uniquely comfortable shredded foam filling make the Comfy Sacks experience one your customers won’t want to miss. These ‘big and fun’ foam bag chairs (up to 7.5 feet in size!) are great for living rooms, basements, kids rooms, dorm rooms, etc. For merchandising information contact info@eyeonretail.net  See the sack/website

 

With smart mirror, shopping trips become solo fashion shows by Julia Love at Mercury News. “It’s a new way to see how you look,” said Scott Emmons, who heads the Innovation Lab at Neiman Marcus. “We’re socializing people as to what it is.”…”It’s a selfie on steroids,” MemoMi CEO Salvador Nissi Vilcovsky said.” Read more / See the in-store video

 

Port Delays Starting to Damage Businesses by Laura Stevens, Suzanne Kapner & Leslie Josephs at WSJ. “Softline Home Fashions, a major importer of fabric for curtains and other home decorations, has about $800,000 of goods waiting to be unloaded for retailers including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., J.C. Penney Co. and Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. “We’re in trouble right now with some of our customers,” said Softline President Jason Carr. “It’s a major headache.” Softline is worried about a shipment of drapes bound for Wal-Mart that is stuck in a ship idling along with 35 others outside the port at Long Beach, Calif.” Read more (Subscription)

 

Top US labor official arrives as West Coast ports back up by Justin Pritchard at AP via Yahoo. “U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez arrived in San Francisco…Full port operations are supposed to resume Tuesday, when Perez is scheduled to speak formally with both sides for the first time.” Read more

 

Millenials ditching their TV sets at a record rate by Claire Atkinson at NY Post. “Traditional TV usage… tumbled 10.6 percent between September and January…“The change in behavior is stunning. The use of streaming and smartphones just year-on-year is double-digit increases,” Alan Wurtzel, NBCUniversal’s audience research chief, told The Post. “I’ve never seen that kind of change in behavior.” Read more

 

Gas station could join already congested Sam’s Club in Northern Chicago suburb by Rick Kambic at Chicago Tribune. “Competition is the reason we’re talking about this, and adding gas stations is consistent with big-box markets,” Village Manager John Kalmar said. “Costco is intercepting people that were going to our Sam’s Club.”…Kalmar said the Costco in Mettawa is doing $130 million in sales, which is about 30 percent more than originally projected.” Read more

 

CVS Health To Present At RBC Capital Markets Healthcare Conference  February 25, 2015, at approximately 10:00 a.m. ET.

 

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