Survey: Dads spend more than moms shopping by Robert Channick at Chicago Tribune. “A third of dads say they try to buy products on sale, versus 52 percent of moms…”Discounts are such a point of pride for mom,” Bruno said. “For dad, it’s the opposite — deals are an insult to his vanity a little bit.” Not surprisingly, dads spent an average of $250 more on back-to-school shopping than moms last year, the report said.” Read more

 

Report: Wal-Mart Has $76 Billion in Overseas Tax Havens by Jesse Drucker & Renee Dudley at Bloomberg. “The study, researched by the United Food & Commercial Workers International Union and published Wednesday in a report by Americans for Tax Fairness, found 90 percent of Wal-Mart’s overseas assets are owned by subsidiaries in Luxembourg and the Netherlands, two of the most popular corporate tax havens.” Read more

 

Restoration Hardware is betting people still want to buy $7,000 couches by Sarah Halzack at Washington Post via Star-Tribune. “Now the company believes it can reach an even wider audience — and capture even more of shoppers’ dollars — by launching a new “mirror image brand” that has the same price point but a different vibe. And it aims to do it by sticking with a strategy that largely focuses on brick-and-mortar stores, unusual in an era when many retailers are obsessed with boosting their digital ­presences.” Read more

 

Dollar Tree-Family Dollar merger inches toward to July closing by Jennifer Thomas at Charlotte Business Journal. “Dollar Tree is one step closer to acquiring Family Dollar according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Tuesday. The filing states that both parties have “signed an agreement containing consent orders proposed by the staff of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.” Read more

 

Your neighbor may deliver your next Amazon package by Emily Parkhurst at Puget Sound Business Journal. “Amazon’s move into this kind of delivery would have enormous impacts on a variety of industries, but particularly on the shipping industry and UPS.” Read more

 

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A&P shopping more than half of its 301 stores by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “The money-losing supermarket operator — whose brands include Food Emporium, Pathmark and Waldbaums in addition to its flagship A&P stores — is shopping 137 of its 301-store portfolio, The Post has learned.” Read more

 

Western Firms Caught Off Guard as Chinese Shoppers Flock to Web at WSJ. “After enjoying nearly three decades of steady growth in its China business, Unilever PLC last year watched sales fall off a cliff. The maker of Dove soap, Lux shampoo and Comfort fabric softener warned in October of a 20% drop in its third-quarter China sales. The next quarter, the company announced another 20% fall.” Read more (Subscription)

 

Petco Expands One-Hour Delivery “Petco today announced the launch of Petco Now, the first on-demand delivery service in the pet specialty retail category.” Read the release

 

Wal-Mart’s request moves toothbrush production to Michigan from China by Shandra Martinez at M Live. “Ranir, the largest maker of store brand toothbrushes and oral care products, is shifting production in China to its Michigan headquarters at the request of the retail giant…Making the switch required Ranir to invest $3 million to add 7,500 square feet of new high-tech equipment. It is also hiring 19 employees, a stat that Wal-Mart is tracking.” Read more

 

Etsy launches crowdfunding pilot program by Heesun Wee at CNBC. Read more

 

Gap Details Product and Customer Experience Strategies to Build for the Future Read the release

 

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Eye-on-Retail Tipsheet is created early every weekday morning and read by retail merchants and executives worldwide. We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s really happening in the world of retail. See our website at www.eyeonretail.net