Retail sales rose 0.3% in November vs. expectations for a decline at CNBC. “Excluding autos, sales rose 0.2%, also better than the forecast for no change. Stripping out autos and gas, sales rose 0.6%.” Read more

 

Temu files fresh lawsuit against Shein, accusing its rival of ‘mafia-style intimidation’ at CNBC. “They began to illegally detain merchants, forcibly asking for their phones, stealing our merchant accounts and passwords, stealing our business secrets, and simultaneously forcing merchants to leave our platform. Their actions are too exaggerated; we had no choice but to sue them.” Read more

 

Circuit City, angling for a comeback of sorts, hopes to raise $25M at TechCrunch. “So what does Circuit City plan to do with the cash if it’s successful in securing it? Not open brick-and-mortar stores, unfortunately. Instead, Shmoel plans to form “strategic alliances” with unnamed national companies (including possibly JCPenny) to launch a “Powered by Circuit City” co-branding program…” Read more

 

Costco’s new shopping carts have left customers deeply divided at Delish. “My store just got them. BJs has had them for a while. I find them a little harder to steer as they’re a bit blocky. Why don’t carts come with built in cupholders? We have the technology!” said one user.” Read more

 

Kroger: Over 5,800 regional office employees will be required to return to work in person at the grocer’s Cincinnati locations starting Feb. 5, 2024 at Cincinnati Enquirer

 

Costco’s $499 Kirkland Signature irons sold out in just hours at Golf. “With some rough math — calculated thanks in part to a leaked internal slide which showed that Costco had an initial buy of $2 million worth of iron sets, with the sets selling for $500 ($499 to be exact) — that means Costco likely sold around 4,000 sets in five hours. Not too shabby for clubs with no paid advertising or player endorsements.” Read more

 

Dollarama Q3 comp sales +11.1% Press release

 

New Walmart campus spurs plan to widen part of Highway 102 in Bentonville at Talk Business. “The new Walmart Home Office is being built south of Central Avenue, north of Highway 102 and east of J Street. It’s expected to open in 2025.” Read more

 

Amazon wins $270 million tax fight with EU at CNN

 

‘Just infuriating’: Online retailer Zulily flip-flops, now plans to lay off employees amid holidays at GeekWire. “Zulily employees received notice last week that they’d lose their jobs in February. But many of them were surprised Wednesday to get an email notifying them that today would be their last at the company. “Last week’s [decision] was already shocking. Today’s is just infuriating,” at GeekWire

 

Dollar General Withdraws Commitment to Cage-Free Eggs at Progressive Grocer

 

Amazon brings back ability to use Alexa to thank and tip delivery drivers during holiday rush at GeekWire. “The first two million thank yous will also send $5 to the driver, at no cost to the customer. Last year, Amazon said that the feature exceeded company expectations. Since then, customers have thanked their delivery drivers over 22 million times.” Read more

 

RaceTrac Completes Acquisition of Gulf Oil Press release

 

To Get Your Positive Review, Businesses Bully, Badger and Guilt-Trip at WSJ. “McKinsey & Co. found that products with three- or four-star ratings on a major online platform had sales that were three times higher than those with one-star ratings. An increase of a single star in an overall rating on review site Yelp .com boosts a restaurant’s revenue by 5% to 9%, according to research by Michael Luca, an associate professor of business administration at Harvard Business School.” WSJ subs.

 

HEB releases latest commercials featuring San Antonio Spurs at KTSA

 

Man who joked about throwing a Walmart self-checkout party turns event into toy drive at NY Post. “He never thought he’d see 21,000 people mark that they were interested in the event, prompting him to turn it into something bigger — and more realistic: a toy drive. Since the change of plans, 37,000 Facebook users are now interested, with 6,500 saying they plan to attend the drive, according to the event page.” Read more

 

Fastest Growing Brands 2023 (Shein #4, Amazon Pharmacy #12) at Morning Consult. Top 20 list