“Target CMO: Content and Mobile Matters More Than Campaigns” by Mark Miller in Brand Channel (Video and Text).  ““In the past, marketers would make campaigns, they would put them in the world, and they would wait to see what happened,” Jones said in a video released on the brand’s A Bullseye View website and YouTube channel. “In today’s world, it happens hourly. It happens daily. And this is a brand that has such enriched deep content that our guests want to hear from us on. So if we can create content and share content and allow our guests to speak on our behalf, that’s really beneficial for them to deepen their engagement and it helps us amplify our message as well.”  https://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2012/12/07/Target-CMO-Content-Mobile-Matters-120712.aspx

 

“Can Mexico Deliver Growth For Lowe’s and Home Depot?” at Trefis.  “So where do Lowe’s and Home Depot turn to for some top-line sizzle? Mexico. The country checks out on all mentioned parameters for housing growth. The country is South America’s second largest economy, and is expected to grow faster than  Brazil for the second consecutive year in 2012. Lending rates are at 10%, down from 13% three years ago. Home loans grew by more than 10% over September 2011- September 2012. The country is expected to add around 14.6 million homes over the period 2010-2040, leading to a real scramble between the nation’s leading lenders for a slice of this rather enticing pie. Home Depot has 100 stores in the country (its 100th was flagged off recently in November). This is up from around 60 in 2009. Lowe’s, meanwhile has a rather limited international presence at the moment, with only 2 stores in the country.  Going forward, we expect the two companies to continue investing heavily in the region. Lowe’s, which has a markedly lower footprint in Mexico than Home Depot, starts off with a distinct disadvantage.”  https://www.trefis.com/stock/low/articles/155162/can-mexico-deliver-growth-for-lowes-and-home-depot/2012-12-07

 

“Aldi supermarket billionaire heir dies at age 58” by Cara Waters in Smart Company.  “German billionaire Berthold Albrecht, who was heir to half of supermarket Aldi, has died at age 58…Aldi is now the world’s 10th biggest retailer and the privately owned discount supermarket has annual sales of $67.1 billion.  The whole family is notoriously reclusive, after Theo (father) was kidnapped for seven days in 1971.  Karl (Theo’s brother) bargained to reduce the multi-million ransom demanded by the kidnappers and the Aldi heirs’ frugal approach to life was highlighted when Theo famously tried to claim a tax rebate for the ransom payment.”  https://www.smartcompany.com.au/retail/053343-aldi-supermarket-billionaire-heir-dies-at-age-58.html

 

“Menards shelves plans for store in O’Fallon (Missouri), blames Obama” by Brian Flinchpaugh at stltoday.com.  President Barack Obama is being blamed for a decision to take plans for a Menards home improvement store in O’Fallon off the table.  O’Fallon officials canceled a Dec. 6 public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission after the company withdrew its requests for rezoning and a conditional-use permit.  A statement emailed to the Journal Friday by Menards spokesman Jeff Abbott reads: “I’m very sorry, but we are a family owned business and with the Obama Administration scaring the dickens out of all small businesses in the USA at present, we have decided not to risk expansion until things are more settled.”  https://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/stcharles/news/menards-shelves-plans-for-store-in-o-fallon-blames-obama/article_ac330273-c8ba-5f9c-92eb-33eaca281cc4.html

 

“Canadian retailers brace for Target’s cheap chic” by Allison Martell at Reuters.  “Edward Jones’ Fehr thinks Canadian Tire Corp Ltd which sells a combination of auto parts, housewares, apparel and sporting goods across several banners, is particularly vulnerable, but Paul Taylor, chief investment officer of fundamental equities at BMO Asset Management Inc, says it is insulated by its auto parts and sporting goods segments.”  https://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCABRE8B80BP20121209?pageNumber=3&virtualBrandChannel=0 

 

“CVS/pharmacy updates its m-commerce site and mobile app” by Bill Siwicki.  “Both the CVS mobile site and app enable customers to shop the full CVS.com product catalog. Shoppers can use both the site and app to access Deal of the Day flash sales featuring a new deal every day online and in-store on popular household essentials and gifts.”  https://www.internetretailer.com/2012/12/06/cvspharmacy-updates-its-m-commerce-site-and-mobile-app

 

“CVS rounds out mobile strategy with QR-code enabled gift card exchange” by Chantal Tode.  ““Whether a consumer is exchanging a restaurant gift card, a competing retailer’s gift card or a gas station gift card, they are taking the unused portion of a gift card in a consumer’s wallet and we are giving them a CVS gift card,” said Dan Rogers, chief financial officer at Plastic Jungle, San Mateo, CA.”  https://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/cvs-rounds-out-mobile-strategy-with-qr-code-enabled-gift-card-exchange

 

“Walmart Canada stores to open around the clock until Christmas Eve” at Herald Online.  “Walmart Canada…announced that it will operate 200 of its 373 stores nationwide around the clock in December. More than half of the country’s Walmart stores will open their doors on December 7 and leave them open until closing time on Christmas Eve.”   https://www.heraldonline.com/2012/12/07/4468351/walmart-canada-stores-to-open.html#storylink=cpy

 

“Walmart Canada unveils 200th Supercentre” at The Sacramento Bee.  “Walmart Canada opened the doors of its 200th supercentre located in Edmonton, Alberta. Today’s grand opening marks a major milestone for Walmart Canada. The company opened its first supercentres in Ontario in 2006. Today, Walmart Canada has supercentres in six provinces and 373 stores nationwide serving more than eight million customers each week.  “Our 200th supercentre and 73 projects to be completed this year will make 2012 a major milestone in Walmart Canada’s history,” said Jim Thompson, Walmart Canada’s chief operations officer. “Walmart Canada is a strong business getting even stronger. We are Canada’s fastest growing retailer. The demand for everyday low prices and one-stop shopping remains high and we are responding with our biggest year ever of grand openings.” https://www.sacbee.com/2012/12/07/5038561/walmart-canada-unveils-200th-supercentre.html#storylink=cpy

 

“Food Lion’s parent company taps new president for grocery store chain that started in NC” at The Washington Post.  “The grocery store chain Food Lion has a new president. Beth Newlands Campbell is replacing Cathy Green Burns, who became a familiar face on Food Lion’s television commercials…In January, the company announced plans to close 113 underperforming Food Lion stores in the U.S.”  https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/food-lions-parent-company-taps-new-president-for-grocery-store-chain-that-started-in-nc/2012/12/08/a543ade4-4191-11e2-8a5c-473797be602c_story.html

 

Oddball retail story of the day… 

“In Roswell, N.M., slab of ribs was packing heat — with ammo (at Albertson’s)” by John Glionna at LA Times.  “New Mexico authorities have heard all the horror stories about unhealthy food additives, but they admit they’ve never seen anything as bizarre as this.  A worker unwrapping a case of frozen meat at an Albertsons grocery store in the town of Roswell this week discovered a handgun and ammunition packed alongside a slab of ribs.”  https://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-new-mexico-ribs-gun-ammo-20121207,0,2146491.story