Costco’s popular Kirkland diapers shifting suppliers at Bloomberg/Orange County Register. “First Quality is replacing Kimberly-Clark Corp. as the maker of Costco’s diapers, with the official change set to happen in January…Earlier this month, Kimberly-Clark CFO Nelson Urdaneta said that the company’s exit of private label businesses, “allows us to dedicate our capacity and our investments to our own technologies and brands to differentiate them.” Read more

 

Amazon is officially in the online car sales business at TechCrunch. “Amazon is kicking off the new endeavor with Hyundai in 48 U.S. cities…Amazon Autos will function, in many ways, like the rest of the broader Amazon e-commerce ecosystem. Shoppers will be able to search for available vehicles from participating dealers by model, trim, color, and features. Notably, customers will also be able to secure financing and e-sign paperwork via the Amazon Autos site. Once the payment is finalized, customers can schedule when to pick up their vehicle from that dealership.” Read more

 

Activist investors urge Macy’s to make changes to boost stock at AP. “Activist investor Barington Capital Group is calling on department store retailer Macy’s to develop an internal real estate subsidiary, reduce capital expenditures, and explore strategic options for its Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury chains among other changes to boost its slumping stock…” Read more

 

Casey’s Q2: Inside same-store sales increased 4.0% Press release

 

Retiree Who Shot Walmart Drone In Plea Deal at The Smoking Gun. “Winn said, he retrieved his firearm from a gun safe and fired. “Now they say I hit it, so I must be a good shot,” he said…When the DroneUp workers heard gunfire–and saw Winn “holding a handgun towards the sky”–they ran back to their van, while the drone returned to a Walmart Supercenter about four miles away…” Read more

 

PetSmart launches streaming experience for cats and dogs Press release

 

How an App Selling Secondhand Clothes Went From Near Collapse to Worth $5 Billion at WSJ. “Today Vinted is changing the way millions of people shop and dress. In France and the U.K., its top markets, about one person in four is buying or selling on the Vinted platform. The app has a limited presence in the U.S. but is planning to make a big push there in the coming years.” WSJ subs.

 

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Amazon is bringing Intuit QuickBooks software to its millions of third-party sellers at CNBC. “Intuit QuickBooks will be available on Amazon Seller Central…Eligible sellers will also have access to loans through QuickBooks Capital.” Read more

 

UK to make online retailers pay e-waste recycling costs “…implementation of the deposit return scheme for drinks containers and extended producer responsibility for packaging that will end the nation’s throwaway culture and stop the avalanche of rubbish…These packaging reforms will collectively support 21,000 jobs…” Press release

 

Walmart plans to transform home category, double sales by 2030 at Talk Business. “Senior Vice President Creighton Kiper…took over leadership of the expansive home division in August and spoke in Bentonville on Nov. 21 to a group of suppliers…“I remind my team that when you sell a KitchenAid stand mixer you are also selling the opportunity for a grandmother to pass down a recipe to her granddaughter. Or when you sell a foam mattress, think about how it’s not just a place to sleep, but also where a dad tells bedtime stories to his son or daughter,” Kiper said.” Read more

 

Canada Post strike hits day 26 as union sends new proposals at Financial Post

 

Amazon pilots quick-commerce service in India at TechCrunch. “…will see the U.S. tech giant delivering grocery and other items in 15 minutes or less. The firm is the sixth major entrant in India’s quick-commerce market…Amazon said it is initially piloting the service in Bengaluru.” Read more

 

Lord & Taylor to be relaunched as online discount luxury retailer at ABC News. “Instead of operating its own stores, Regal Brands reportedly aims to position Lord & Taylor products in high-end retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom.” Read more

 

Amazon opens new AI lab in San Francisco Read more

 

This Christmas, Give Your Loved One a Box of Unopened Mail. What Could Go Wrong? at WSJ. “The mystery-box phenomenon is a child of the pandemic. In early 2021, Rebecca Dallaman and Jena Butler were looking for a new venture after Covid halted their commercial cleaning business…Dallaman and Butler have sold more than 90,000 boxes—each containing at least six packages—built social-media accounts with more than a million followers combined…” WSJ subs.

 

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