“Target Gets Twitter Heat From Gun Control Group” by Christopher Heine at Ad Age.  “Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a Michael Bloomberg-backed organization in favor of more gun control, is applying notable pressure on Target via Twitter this evening. The activist group is drawing attention to an open-carry gun policy that the retail giant evidently has in place for locations in states where such an action is legal. ”  See the Twitter pics / Read more

 

“India likely to ease restrictions for foreign online retailers next month” at Reuters.  “India could allow global online retailers such as Amazon.com Inc to sell their own products as early as next month…The decision, which is likely to be announced in the budget, is one of the first tangible signs of economic reform by the business-friendly government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was sworn in 10 days ago.”  Read more

 

Walmart Shareholder Week Shenanigans…

 

“NYC Council Members Tell Walmart to Stop Making Millions in Charitable Donations to Local Groups!” by James Covert at NY Post.  “We know how desperate you are to find a foothold in New York City to buy influence and support here,” says the letter, obtained by The Post and addressed to Walmart and the Walton Family Foundation.  “Stop spending your dangerous dollars in our city,” the testy letter demands. “That’s right: this is a cease-and-desist letter.”  Read more

 

“Walmart Protesters Head to Chairman Rob Walton’s Home in Arizona” by Matthew Hendley at Phoenix New Times.  “Most of the protesters who took to Walton’s home Monday were women, and their main message was calling for a minimum pay of $25,000 per year for full-time work to provide for their families.”  See the pics / Read more

 

***A message from Dig It® Handwear.  Revolutionary garden glove protection for manicured female hands!  Patented line of high-quality gardening gloves provides unique “pillow-top” protection for female gardeners.  Nationally distributed in Canada…Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary is an investor…now being offered to US Retailers for the first time.  View the line at www.digithandwear.com.  Peggable gloves merchandise easily – see the off-shelf display.  Contact info@eyeonretail.net to get started.

 

“Dollar General significantly increases the number of products available for between $1 and $5”  by Anna Prior at WSJ.  “Today, more than ever, given the economic environment that has lingered for quite some time, affordability has now become the focus of our core customer,” Chief Executive Rick Dreiling said on the company’s quarterly conference call.”  Read more

 

“Walmart’s ‘Made in USA’ push exposes strains of manufacturing rebirth” by James B. Kelleher at Reuters via Chicago Tribune.  “Cindi Marsiglio, the Walmart vice president overseeing the U.S. sourcing push, says the retailer and its existing suppliers have 150 active reshoring projects in various stages of development. For all too many, she says, finding U.S.-made component parts has emerged as a vexing problem.”  Read more

 

“Supermarkets add digital coupons, but response has been tepid” by John Ewoldt at Star-Tribune.  “In 2013, 52 percent of Internet users said they had redeemed at least one digital coupon that year. By 2016, that number is expected to rise to only 59 percent, according to eMarketer…“Digital is clunky,”…“Redeeming them should be flawless, quick and fun. We haven’t figured that out yet.”  Read more

 

“Tesco reports 3.7% drop in same-store sales” by Katy Barnato at  CNBC.  “Tesco Chief Executive Philip Clarke said on Wednesday that Tesco sales had been hit by the supermarket’s own price cuts. He warned investors in a news call not to count on sales improvements in the next few quarters and said he had “never seen sales fall like this before”.  Read more

 

RadioShack CEO:  ‘I don’t know if we can overcome this…’ by Danielle Abril at Dallas Bus. Journal.  “CEO Joseph Magnacca once was singing the praises for the comeback… But at Tuesday’s shareholders meeting, he wasn’t as optimistic as he tries to find areas to cut costs after lenders nixed plans to close 1,100 stores.  “I don’t know if we can overcome this impasse, but we’ll continue to work at it”  Read more

 

Report:  “Blue Light Emitted by Tablets ‘increases hunger’ “ by Emma Innes at Daily Mail.  “Results of the US study show that blue-enriched light exposure, compared with dim light exposure, was associated with an increase in hunger that began 15 minutes after light onset and was still present almost two hours after the meal.”  Read more

 

***

About Eye-on-Retail

Eye-on-Retail is a daily tipsheet that is must-read material for thousands of Retail Merchants/Executives every weekday morning. Eye-on-Retail is unique because it’s timely, smart and fun. It’s created bright and early every morning and delivered around 7 am CST. 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. Enjoy!

Send story tips, news releases, comments & questions to: info@eyeonretail.net