Target’s Saying ‘Thank You’ to Frontline Team Members with a $500 Bonus in the New Year “Target is giving $500 bonuses to all hourly team members in stores, distribution centers and our headquarters and field-based offices. In addition, all Store Directors, Executive Team Leaders and salaried Distribution Center leaders (12,000 in total) will receive a bonus ranging from $1,000-$2,000. That’s a $200 million investment.” Read more

 

GameStop jumps another 70% to above $110, trading briefly halted in another wild day at CNBC. “GameStop has rallied 480% in January alone, skyrocketing to $110 a share from just about $6 four months ago…GameStop is a hot topic in online chatrooms, Twitter and Reddit as some retail investors and day traders aim to push shares higher and squeeze out short sellers.” Read more

 

Godiva is closing or selling all of its stores in the U.S. at CNN. “The company is closing or selling all 128 of its brick-and-mortar stores in North America…by the end of March. Godiva will keep its stores open across Europe, Middle East and Greater China.” Read more

 

Bonobos clothing store suffers a data breach, hacker leaks 70GB database at Bleeping Computer. “Bonobos states that the corporate systems were not breached during the attack…The database also includes various data far more interesting to threat actors, such as customers’ addresses, phone numbers, partial credit card numbers (last four digits), order information, password histories.” Read more

 

CVS completes first round of COVID-19 vaccination at 8,000 U.S. nursing facilities at Reuters. “Administration of second doses is underway and expected to be completed within four weeks, the company said. CVS says its long-term care vaccination effort remains on track, with nearly two million doses administered to date.” Read more

 

**A message from Comfy Sacks bean bag chairs – stuffed with furniture-grade memory foam that cradles your body and resists compression. Hot growth item! Booklet | Video | Website | Request sample bag: info@eyeonretail.net

 

Biden pushes elusive ‘Buy American’ goal with new federal contract guidelines at Reuters. “Biden will sign an executive order aimed at closing loopholes in existing “Buy American” provisions, which structure the $600 billion in goods and services the federal government buys each year, making any waivers more transparent, and creating a senior White House role to oversee the process.” Read more

 

Amazon presses for in-person voting for unionization election at The Verge. “Amazon is trying to delay a union vote in Bessemer, Alabama, appealing a US labor board decision to allow 6,000 warehouse workers to vote by mail on unionization. The company is arguing for the election to be held in person…” Read more

 

Photos: Inside Amazon’s pop-up COVID-19 vaccination site at its Seattle headquarters at GeekWire. Pics/Read more

 

An ‘aggressive’ fight over containers is causing shipping costs to rocket by 300% at CNBC. “In December, spot freight rates were 264% higher for the Asia to North Europe route, compared with a year ago, according to Mirko Woitzik, risk intelligence solutions manager at supply chain risk firm Resilience36. For the route from Asia to the West Coast of the U.S., rates are up 145% year over year.” Read more

 

Kroger and Ocado Announce Location of High-Tech Customer Fulfillment Center in Phoenix, Arizona Press release

 

Tipsheet Extra

Got a package you didn’t order? It could be a scam

Shell to acquire UK’s largest electric vehicle charging network

Woman who made Bernie Sanders’ mittens says she has no more to sell

U.S. goal to squeeze more COVID shots from Pfizer vials hampered by syringe production

Google workers across the world are coming together to form a global union alliance

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: Put your product or service in front of the most powerful retail execs in the world, send advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: eyeonretail.net