Amazon, Berkshire, JPM team up for cheaper employee healthcare at Reuters. “The ballooning costs of healthcare act as a hungry tapeworm on the American economy,” said Berkshire Hathaway Chairman and CEO, Warren Buffett. “Our group does not come to this problem with answers. But we also do not accept it as inevitable.” Read more

 

…UnitedHealth, CVS plunge at CNBC. “Analyst at Leerink Partners: “It is unclear if this means Amazon will accelerate its entry into the pharmacy supply chain, though the quest for transparency…would point to a more transformative effort by the new entity.” Read more

 

Walmart to share inventory data with suppliers at Fox Business. “Walmart, said its On Shelf Customer Availability (OSCA) data, which was only accessible internally, will be shared at the Supplier Growth Forum, a two-day event at Walmart headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, on Tuesday and Wednesday.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart Tightens Delivery Windows for Suppliers by Sarah Nassauer & Jennifer Smith at Wall Street Journal. “…large suppliers need to deliver full orders within a specified one- or two-day window 85% of the time or face a fine of 3% of the cost of delayed goods, said Steve Bratspies chief merchandising officer for Wal-Mart U.S., in an interview Monday. Previously, suppliers had to hit a 75% threshold to avoid fines. For smaller suppliers the on-time threshold will move to 50%, up from 33%. The change will take effect in April.” Read more (subs.) | Fox article

 

Amazon has a new invite-only program that could solve its growing warehouse congestion problem at CNBC. “Amazon described the new service, called FBA Onsite, as a “groundbreaking” program that combines the best parts of its existing fulfillment programs and brings down shipping rates, according to an invitation that was sent to sellers and viewed by CNBC.” Read more

 

Target Gets In The Middle Of It All During Grammys by Steve Olenski at Forbes. “As to why this particular song made such a good fit Gomez says it was in part due to the fact that the song brings together incredibly talented artists, blending their genres to create a sound that fans of all types of music will love. He also says there was a subliminal reason too saying the the middle is exactly where you land when you hit the center of the Target bullseye.” Read more

 

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FBA ONSITE – Amazon Expands Delivery Trial That Could Hurt FedEx, UPS by Spencer Soper at Bloomberg. “The trial pushes Amazon’s logistical reach beyond its own facilities and into those of its merchants…Amazon is enticing the sellers who use the company’s online marketplace with lower delivery costs, logistics software, warehouse inspections and recommendations.” Read more

 

Winco opens third Waremart store “While smaller than a typical WinCo, the 40,000 sq. ft. store is designed specifically for markets like Keizer.” Press release

 

‘The plants look happy’: Jeff Bezos, with help from Amazon’s Alexa, opens ‘remarkable’ Spheres by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. “Get a chance to walk around and enjoy yourselves,” Bezos said. “This is a remarkable environment.” And the Amazon founder did just that, as he was joined by his wife and other family members for a guided tour of the facility that was five years in the making.” Pics/Read more

 

Revlon CEO Steps Down as Losses Mount at Cosmetics Company at Bloomberg. “Some investors and researchers have raised the notion of Revlon doing a J. Crew-style debt makeover…Revlon Chief Financial Officer Chris Peterson sought to tamp down those concerns on Monday. “A material asset transfer is not being considered,” he said in the statement.” Read more

 

Struggling Bon-Ton Stores details turnaround plans by Paul Gores at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Bon-Ton already has said it expects to close at least 40 stores in 2018. The turnaround plan puts the number at 42, and potentially three more, including a clearance center. The stores marked to close typically have had weak financial performances and are located in dying malls, the plan says. The plan does not identify the stores likely to close.” Read more

 

To Get Anything Done, Georgia Politicians Say, ‘Do It for Amazon’ by Cameron McWhirter & Laura Stevens at Wall Street Journal. “From a religious-freedom bill to a proposed English-only constitutional amendment, Georgia politicians and advocates are invoking Amazon’s name. The prospect of luring the retailer here is being used as political ammunition…” Read more (subs.)

 

Mom sues Walmart over ‘segregated’ beauty products by Joshua Rhett Miller at NY Post. “In contrast, beauty products for other races were readily available and not kept behind glass partitions, according to Grundy and her attorney, Gloria Allred.” Read more

 

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