Amazon Could Face Government Order Making It Liable for Third-Party Products at WSJ. “The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is preparing an order that could classify Amazon’s online retail business as a distributor of goods, according to people familiar with the matter. That designation could give Amazon the same safety responsibilities as traditional retailers and potentially open Amazon up to lawsuits and extensive recalls over items sold through its website.” WSJ subs.

 

Lululemon to launch first men’s footwear line as it chases growth in crowded athletic apparel space at CNBC. “The retailer is debuting its first casual sneaker, dubbed “cityverse,” along with two new running shoes that will all come in both men’s and women’s styles for the first time. Cityverse will launch Feb. 13, while the new running models will debut in March and May.” Read more

 

EBay to pay $59 million to settle US charges over illegal pill-making machines at Reuters. “Wednesday’s settlement arose from eBay’s alleged inadequate monitoring since October 2015 of thousands of pill presses and encapsulating machines sold through its website, including presses capable of producing thousands of pills an hour.” Read more

 

Tractor Supply Q4 comp store sales decline 4.2% Press release

 

Walmart creating 150 new stores, redesigning hundreds more at Fox News. “It will mark the first time Walmart has opened a new store since November 2021, a spokesperson told FOX Business. New stores will be a mix of 182,000-square-foot Walmart Supercenters that employ about 300 and 38,000-square-foot Neighborhood Markets that employ up to 95.” Read more

 

Adidas won’t write off remaining Yeezy inventory, plans to sell ‘at least’ at cost at CNBC. “Last year, Adidas sold about 750 million euros worth of Yeezy merchandise and donated some of the profits to groups such as the Anti-Defamation League…It’s not clear if Adidas will donate any portion of the remaining Yeezy sales.” Read more

 

…Ex-Nike exec mocks Kayne West’s new sock shoe at Daily Mail

 

Amazon delivery gets faster, with 65% jump in number of same-day and overnight items in U.S. at GeekWire. “And the company continues to work on its Prime Air drone delivery, citing its fastest click-to-delivery time in the fourth quarter of 2023 — a box of Annie’s Cocoa and Vanilla Bunny Cookies dropped in 15 minutes, 29 seconds in College Station, Texas.” Read more

 

Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. Q3 same store sales decreased 9.7% Press release

 

Canada Goose Q3 2024 revenue increased 6% year-over-year “DTC revenue grew 14%…driven by growth of in-store retail sales…DTC comparable sales decreased 1.6% year-over-year due to lower e-commerce sales.” Press release

 

Gavin Newsom recalls how Target clerk blamed him for California retail theft — before realizing who he was at NY Post. “And then she goes – she looks at me twice and then she freaks out – she calls everyone over, wants to take photos,” Newsom said – a request he apparently turned down. “I’m like, ‘no we’re not taking a photo, we’re having a conversation, where’s your manager? How are you blaming the governor?’” he said. “And it was $380 later, and I was like ‘Why am I spending $380, everyone else can walk the hell right out?’” Read more

 

Shopify is rolling out an AI-powered image editor for products at TechCrunch

 

More than $85M in Zulily inventory and fulfillment center assets will be up for sale at GeekWire. “It’s also offering for sale the inner workings of two 775,000-square-feet fulfillment centers, which includes more than seven miles of conveyor belts, racks and shelves, furniture, hundreds of barcode scanners, lifts and trucks, and other warehouse miscellany.” Read more

 

Sally Beauty Holdings Q1 consolidated comp sales decline 0.8% Press release

 

Manulife-Loblaw deal on drugs for severe illness triggers fears for access, competition at Financial Post. “Some pharmacare policy experts are raising concerns about competition and patient access to much-needed medication after Manulife Financial Corp. announced its coverage of certain prescription drugs will only apply at Loblaw Cos. Ltd. pharmacies.” Read more

 

1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. Q2 total consolidated revenues decreased 8.4% Press release

 

One of America’s Hottest Commodities is Probably in Your Trash at WSJ. “The national average price for OCC free on board, or at the seller’s loading dock, was $87 a short ton in January, up from $29 a ton a year ago, according to Fastmarkets RISI’s PPI Pulp & Paper Week.” WSJ subs.

 

Ross Stores Appoints Karen Fleming President and Chief Merchandising Officer of dd’s DISCOUNTS Press release

 

***Advertising inquiries, new product searches, comments, questions, etc…contact Jason Long at jlong@eyeonretail.net