Wednesday Tipsheet: Costco Q4 Comp +6% | FTC/F.Dol. on Friday | N.Marcus’ Fantasy Gifts

  “Costco Q4 Comp Sales Jump 6%” “Net sales for the fourth quarter were $34.75 billion, an increase of nine percent from $31.77 billion in fiscal 2013. Net sales for the fiscal year were $110.21 billion, an increase of seven percent from $102.87 billion last year.” Read the release   “Costco Beats Street – Q4 […]

Tuesday Tipsheet: ‘Curbside’ Pickup at Target | iPAD #1 Brand w/Kids | 8-11% Holiday Online Growth

  “Curbside Powers Same-Day Pickup at Target, Raises $8 Million” by Liz Gannes at Recode. “That’s the premise of Curbside, a startup that’s officially launching today with significant funding and a beta test with 10 San Francisco Bay Area Target stores…Under Curbside’s current business model, retailers pay Curbside a customer acquisition fee. Customers pay neither […]

Monday Tipsheet: Wmart: Ends BOGO Match in FL; Beats Amazon by 10% | Wayfair’s 52% Awareness

  “Amazon feels the pricing heat from Walmart.com and Target.com” by Thad Reuter at Internet Retailer. “The report focuses on four main product categories: clothing and shoes; electronics; housewares; and health and cosmetics. The report finds that Amazon “largely remains the retail price leader for like-to-like items, but Wal-Mart and Target have lower online prices […]

Friday Tipsheet: Wmart’s E-com Chief Pokes Amazon | Target Appeases Blogger | Wayfair +30%

  CNN: Could this ‘chemist’ be the next boss of Walmart? by Poppy Harlow & Sheena McKenzie. “Could the 64th most powerful woman in the world (Rosalind Brewer), according to Forbes, one day have the top job at Walmart? “Oh boy, that is a good question,” she says, laughing a little nervously. “If ever I was afforded […]

Thursday Tipsheet: Costco’s Reciprocity | Amazon’s Tom & Jerry Warning | Wayfair Eyes $319M IPO

  “The Psychology Behind Costco’s Free Samples” by Joe Pinsker at The Atlantic. “When we compare it to other in-store mediums … in-store product demonstration has the highest [sales] lift,” says Giovanni DeMeo of the product-demonstration company Interactions, a department of which handles Costco’s samples…Interactions’ beer samples at many national retailers on average boosted sales […]

Wednesday Tipsheet: Target’s Pajama ‘Outcry’ | REI Revamps Web | CA Bans Plastic Bags

  Canada: “Target’s ‘sexist’ baby pajamas spark social media outcry” by Colin Perkel at The Canadian Press via Globe & Mail. “Hundreds of people have denounced Target for selling “sexist” baby pyjamas after a university professor posted a photograph of the clothing on social media. The boy clothing features a Superman logo and the line, […]