Marco Rubio endorses Amazon unionization effort at CNBC. “In an op-ed in USA Today, Rubio asserted that Amazon has “waged a war against working-class values” and is “looking to crush the union vote” at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama. “The days of conservatives being taken for granted by the business community are over,” Rubio wrote.” Read more

 

Ulta Beauty Q4 comp sales down 4.8% Press release

 

Ulta shares tumble on weaker-than-expected outlook, retailer taps President Dave Kimbell as CEO at CNBC. “Although the decline was smaller than expected, shares fell as the beauty retailer gave a disappointing outlook for the coming year…Kecia Steelman, Ulta’s chief store operations officer, will be promoted to chief operating officer.” Read more

 

Target downsizing Minneapolis office space at Fox Business. “Target will leave its office space in Minneapolis’ City Center skyscraper, according to an email to employees on Thursday. The move comes as the company is reimagining the future of work at its headquarters by adopting a hybrid “Flex for Your Day” approach. The “Flex” will give employees the option to work virtually and in person at the office as they “gradually return to headquarters” later this year.” Read more

 

Forbes Q&A with Marisa Thalberg, EVP, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer at Lowe’s “I wanted to open people’s eyes to the possibilities of dressing your home at Lowe’s—that we’re not just for building and project-based goods. The New York Fashion Week project came about when I was talking to a colleague who had a big responsibility for producing the New York Fashion Week. She was bemoaning, “How are we going to pull this off with virtual shows?” And I just started thinking, “Where does couture fashion even fit right now in the zeitgeist when people are so focused on their homes?” Read more

 

Poshmark sales top estimates in its first quarterly report as a public company, but outlook disappoints at CNBC. “Different parts of the country are behaving quite differently,” Chandra said, citing Florida as a strong growth market where customers are searching Poshmark for dresses and bathing suits, whereas New York is still catching up. “So, we are accounting for the state-wide differences.” Read more

 

Tilly’s, Inc. Q4 comp net sales +2.5% Press release

 

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Wayfair: Ed Macri, Chief Product & Marketing Officer, to retire “The marketing team will join other go-to-market functions as part of Wayfair’s Commercial organization under Steve Oblak, Chief Commercial Officer. Bob Sherwin, who has worked alongside Macri for the last eight years and currently serves as VP of Marketing, will assume the role of Chief Marketing Officer reporting to Oblak.” Press release

 

Costco membership fees poised to increase at Fox Business. “Analysts noted that Costco’s membership fee increases every five to 5.5 years, suggesting its next increase for international customers will begin in 2021 with U.S. and Canadian shoppers getting hit with an increase in the latter half of 2022.” Read more

 

SpartanNash appoints Jason Monaco as EVP and Chief Financial Officer Press release

 

14-hour days and no bathroom breaks: Amazon’s overworked delivery drivers at The Guardian via Yahoo. “Fourteen-hour shifts were common because delivery service providers wouldn’t allow drivers to return any packages from their routes and the pressure to meet delivery rates meant Meyers used a plastic bottle to go to the bathroom on a daily basis.” Read more

 

Instacart Appoints Frank Slootman, Chairman And CEO Of Snowflake, To Board Of Directors Press release

 

Amazon Won’t Sell Books Framing LGBTQ+ Identities as Mental Illnesses at Wall Street Journal. “The company explained its decision in a letter Thursday to Republican Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Mike Braun of Indiana and Josh Hawley of Missouri, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The senators had written last month to Chief Executive Jeff Bezos requesting an explanation of why “When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment” was no longer available on Amazon nor on its Kindle and Audible platforms.” WSJ subs.

 

Kohl’s pushes back against activist investors – says they’re focused on short-termism and financial engineering Press release

 

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Tipsheet Extra

In Brazil, organized crime siphons billions from gas stations

Stuart Weitzman Selling Three Treasures to Benefit Charities

E-commerce: 44% of respondents rarely complain directly to a company

U.S. consumer sentiment rises in mid-March to highest in a year

Chocolate sales up 10.5% in 2020 in grocery outlets

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