FDA plans to restrict flavored e-cigarette sales to vape shops, ban menthol cigarettes from market at CNBC. “The flavor restrictions will exclude menthol, meaning menthol vapor products will still be allowed to be sold in convenience stores and gas stations — until the FDA removes menthol cigarettes from the market.” Read more

 

Brookstone will return to malls in $165M deal by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “…(Brookstone) has inked a deal to supply department stores by next spring…To start, Macy’s and Bed Bath & Beyond will beef up their Brookstone offerings, Gindi said. Plus, Bloomingdales will sell Brookstone products for the first time.” Read more

 

Walmart is building an AI lab in one of its stores by Megan Rose Dickey at TechCrunch. “…inside one of its stores in Levittown, New York…Lead by an internal team called Kepler, Walmart also envisions using the technology to identify spills, better understand when shopping carts are running low near the entrance and identify when items are on the wrong shelf.” Read more

 

Ulta Q3 comp sales +7.8% Press release

 

Walmart to outsource its finance, accounting services to Genpact by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “About 550 employees at Walmart in Bentonville will transition to Genpact effective Nov. 28 to work in the new digital hub. Genpact will handle back-office operations such as purchase orders and invoices with suppliers and other financial duties.” Read more

 

Murphy Oil returns to profitability, posts third quarter earnings of $94 million by Wesley Brown at Talk Business. Read more

 

Jeff Bezos is the most skilled leader among top tech CEOs, according to a new poll at Fortune. “…beating Apple CEO Tim Cook (77%), Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella (76%), Google CEO Sundar Pichai (76%), and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (71%)” Read more

 

U.S. Secret Service Warns ID Thieves are Abusing USPS’s Mail Scanning Service at Krebs on Security. Read more

 

Long Island City has no idea where Amazon would fit at Reuters via NY Post. “It’s a whole soccer stadium at 8 am each day coming in,” Kanellos said, gesturing at the narrow metal staircases leading from the subway platform to the street, already crowded with commuters at rush hour.” Read more

 

**A message from the 3-Foot Circle – Golf is back! The golf training aid that gets you down in two shots from the edge of the green. Video/Info

 

The Buckle October comp sales -1.0% Press release

 

As Singles’ Day nears, are China’s shoppers about to drop? at Reuters. “Companies in China are already seeing the effect of rising caution among the country’s shoppers. Car sales are down sharply this year, box office receipts have slowed and brands are facing pressure to roll out discounts to prop up sales.” Read more

 

There’s been a 50% jump in the number of shoppers buying produce online by Frank Catalano at Geek Wire. Read more

 

Walmart thinks shopping via text might be retail’s next big thing by Nathaniel Meyersohn at CNN Money. “Walmart is betting that Jetblack will give the company insights into “conversational commerce” — shopping through text messages, online chats, and voice commands — that could become the next wave of retail.” Read more

 

Sally Beauty Q4 comp sales -0.2% Press release

 

New IL Gov Pritzker wants to work on legalizing and decriminalizing cannabis “nearly right away” after being sworn in next year by Ally Marotti at Chicago Tribune. “But even if a bill is passed and signed into law in early 2019, it could be another 12 to 18 months before the first legal sale of recreational marijuana is made, said Unruh, from PharmaCann.” Tiered subs.

 

Sears plans to close 40 more stores in 2019: report at Fox Business/Yahoo. Read more

 

Humana CEO: ‘We’ll Continue To Build’ Walgreens, Walmart Relationships by Bruce Japsen at Forbes. “Broussard said Humana and Walgreens will need more time to evaluate the relationship in Kansas City before expanding it nationally and may want to evaluate the partnership in other markets as well.” Read more

 

Microsoft’s cloud wins business from Gap as another retailer shuns Amazon at CNBC. Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Brooklyn Target shooter was chased into store by six Bloods gang members

Bob Iger Talks Disney+, Hulu Plans and His Vision for Enlarged TV Studio

US Army to get advanced camouflage protection system

‘Harry Potter’ author JK Rowling sues assistant for shopping spree

‘The Simpsons’ Duff Beer Pop-Up Coming to Burbank

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

**

Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.

 

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

Contact us: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: eyeonretail.net