Walmart Canada says no more free shipping for most orders under $50 by Ashante Infantry at Toronto Star. "Walmart Canada is implementing a $50 minimum order for free standard online shipping, and shoppers can thank Target Canada’s demise for the change, a retail expert says. “It’s a fall-out of easing competition,” said Schulich School of Business marketing professor Detlev Zwick of Walmart’s move." Read more   We May Have Just Uncovered Amazon’s Vision for a New Kind of Retail Store by Jason Del Rey at Recode. "A recently filed patent application by Amazon reveals details about a new kind of [...]

  Laid-off Target workers support each other online by Kavita Kumar at Star-Tribune. "When (John) Drevlow settles in at his home computer each morning, one of his first stops online is a private Facebook group that connects Target employees and those it recently idled. The nearly 5,000 people in the group share job leads, contacts at potential employers, interviewing tips and words of encouragement...Meanwhile, recruiters from Home Depot, Gap and other retailers have flown in to meet former Target employees. On Thursday, Amazon.com staged a recruitment party at the Surly Brewing Co.’s new taproom in Minneapolis." Read more   Costco [...]

  Forbes: America's Top 500 Employers (Costco #2, Winco #241, Bass Pro #402, JCP #494).  See the top 500 list   Report: Amazon makes even temporary warehouse workers sign 18-month non-competes by Spencer Woodman at The Verge. "The Amazon contract, obtained by The Verge, requires employees to promise that they will not work at any company where they "directly or indirectly" support any good or service that competes with those they helped support at Amazon, for a year and a half after their brief stints at Amazon end." Read more    Fresh & Easy CEO buys $6.35-million home in Redondo [...]

  Costco's Jim Sinegal Honored at Univ. of Notre Dame - Reflects on Success by Heidi Prescott at South Bend Tribune. "Q: You said a lot of luck along the way. What kind of luck? A: We were about ready to open our first warehouse in Seattle when we got a letter from the city. They were going to tear down a wooden bridge about 100 yards south of our building and the road would be closed to through traffic for 18 months...I called the city manager and said something really intelligent like, “You can’t do this.” And they said, “Of course [...]

  Wal-Mart uses discount to woo more consumers to pickup format by Kim Souza at The City Wire. "Using targeted emails to Walmart.com customers in the test areas like Northwest Arkansas, Wal-Mart agreed to give a $10 discount on a user’s first $50 order. This offer went out to proposed customers on Monday (March 24) and is good through March 26. The offer supplies an eVoucher code that can be used at checkout. This offer comes on the heels of a $5 discount voucher offered in recent weeks to the same potential shoppers." Read more   Kraft Foods and HJ [...]

  Former Target Chief Information Officer Lands at SPS by Kavita Kumar at Star-Tribune. "(Beth) Jacob was the chief information officer who stepped down at Target in the aftermath of cyberthieves’ data breach at the retailer. In her new role, she will help SPS Commerce with its strategy as it expands its services around the globe. She starts April 6." Read more   How To Get Paid Faster From Home Depot by Gene Marks at Forbes. "But what if Home Depot comes back to you and says “Look little guy – we value you and we’re happy to pay you earlier. [...]

  REI climbs to new heights with record sales by Angel Gonzalez at Seattle Times. "We’ve gone back to who we were,” (CFO Eric) Artz said in an interview. REI’s outdoorsy gospel also spread more quickly than ever before, with 945,000 new members joining the co-op. That brings the number of active members (those who’ve spent money there in the past 12 months) to 5.5 million, a nice bump after two years when the membership rolls stayed flat at around 5 million." Read more   Wal-Mart Fights Bid to Curb Gun Sales by Dow Jones at Nasdaq. "A U.S. appeals court [...]

  Home Depot CEO Craig Menear Appears on CNBC by Krystina Gustafson at CNBC. "Tough winter weather and issues at West Coast ports pressured the home improvement retailer's business in recent months, Menear said. He believes Home Depot will sustain its momentum through low oil prices and a looming Federal Reserve interest rate hike. "We're not overly concerned about it," Menear said of a rate increase." See the video / Read more   Target circles back, lays off 40 in HR by Tom Webb at Twin Cities/Pioneer Press. "Thursday's 40 layoffs at its Minneapolis headquarters are included among the 1,700 [...]