“Target Expands Subscription Products & Adds Add’l 5% Discount (15% of Online Orders for Baby Items Come from Subscriptions)” by John Ewoldt at Star-Tribune.  “To attract even more shoppers, Target has added a new 5 percent discount on all subscription orders on top of the 5 percent discount for Redcard credit card holders. Shipping is free on subscription orders with or without a Redcard. If an item is on sale when ordered, customers get the sale price too.  While the new service is a time saver for harried consumers, it’s also a discreet way to order products that some might prove embarrassing in a shopping cart.” Read more

 

“Lowe’s settles EPA allegations on lead paint for $500K, Home Depot could be next” by Daniel Rothberg at LA Times (Survey required).  “Lowe’s has agreed to pay a $500,000 civil penalty and roll out a new record-keeping policy for contractors that could encounter lead paint…Ruth Ann Norton, who heads an initiative to prevent childhood lead poisoning, said she hoped that the agreement will influence other home-improvement firms, such as Home Depot and Sears. But she criticized the fine as too low…” Read more

 

“Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon Donates $1 Million to his Alma Mater” at The City Wire.  “It’s an honor and a joy to help launch the School of Global Retail Operations and Innovation at Walton College,” Doug McMillon said. “The University of Arkansas has given us so much, and Shelley and I appreciate the chance to give back.”  Read more

 

“New: ‘Walmart-2-Walmart’ Money Transfer System – Save $66.50 when you send $900” by Kim Souza at The City Wire.  “Walmart-2-Walmart has a clear fee structure depending on how much money is transferred. For amounts under $50 the transfer fee is $4.50, a slight discount from the $4.75 to $5 charged by other services. Eckert said the real value comes in the larger transactions as up to $900 can be sent for $9.50. Eckert said that same transaction would cost up to $76 with other service providers.”  Read more 

 

“Walmart’s New Transfer System Could Put Pressure on MoneyGram” by Hanah Cho at Dallas News.  “Shares of MoneyGram lost 17.7 percent, or $3.18, to close at $14.81. Western Union, the largest money transfer company, also took a hit, losing nearly 5 percent…In the fourth quarter, business at Wal-Mart represented 26 percent of MoneyGram’s total revenue, which includes money transfers, bill payments and money orders.”  Read more

 

“CVS Chief Marketing Officer Rob Price Exits” by Natalie Zmuda and Shareen Pathak at Ad Age.  “CVS Chief Marketing Officer Rob Price has exited the company to take on an as-yet undisclosed role, the company said. No successor has been named.” Read more

 

“Michaels Stores confirms data breach that could’ve affected 3M shoppers” by Danielle Abril at Dallas Business Journal.  “The breach affects both Michaels customers that shopped at stores between May 8, 2013 and Jan. 27 and Aaron Brothers customers that shopped between June 26, 2013 and Feb. 27.”  Read more

 

“Mi Pueblo –  21-store Chain of Hispanic Grocery Stores (CA) – might have to Liquidate”  by Dan Nakaso at San Jose Mercury News.  “If Mi Pueblo successfully emerges from bankruptcy protection, other lenders and suppliers will be nervous about doing business with the company, Reynolds said. “Once burned, twice wise,” he said. “That’s a little flip, but if I were a vendor and I got burned by the same family, I’d be in the situation of, ‘Show me the money.’ Everyone knows the kinds of problems Mi Pueblo is having.”  Read more

 

“Crazy Talk at CNBC?:  Why Amazon Should Acquire Sears” by Krystina Gustafson.  “Lewis wrote in his online newsletter, The Robin Report. “So just as Walmart’s 4,500 stores double as distribution centers, so would Amazon’s acquired Sears/Kmart stores.”  Read more

 

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Have a great weekend!