TikTok Shop officially launches in the U.S. at TechCrunch. “As part of the rollout, the company is bringing features such as a dedicated shop tab on the home screen, live video shopping, shoppable ads, and affiliate programs for creators. TikTok has been testing its e-commerce initative in the U.S. since last November.” Read more

 

A Mall Owner’s About-Face: Bet on America’s High-End Malls at Kate King at Wall Street Journal. “The European owner of Westfield malls is pulling back from its aggressive plan to sell nearly all its properties and exit from the U.S. market this year…will hold some of its top-performing malls but still plans a ‘radical reduction’ of its U.S. exposure.” WSJ subs. 

 

Macy’s-owned Bloomingdale’s taps Olivier Bron as its next CEO at CNBC. “Bron, 46, is a French national who was most recently CEO of Central and Robinson department stores in Thailand. Prior to that, he was chief operating officer and director of strategy for Galeries Lafayette, a French retail group in Paris. He also spent more than a decade at Bain & Company as a retail consultant.” Read more | Press release

 

Amazon Announces Supply Chain by Amazon, Offering Sellers End-to-End Supply Chain Management Across All Sales Channels Press release

 

Britain’s biggest retailers are teaming up to invest $750K in a new police project to stop shoplifters at Fortune. Fortune subs. required

 

Amazon follows Microsoft, investing big in carbon capture at CNBC. “The carbon that is removed through the air capture systems will then be stored underground in saline aquifers…A quarter of a million metric tons of carbon dioxide is equivalent to the emissions in one year from 55,633 gasoline-powered cars, according to the EPA.” Read more

 

Bain & Company forecasts US retail sales to grow by 3% this holiday season, the lowest holiday growth rate since 2018 Press release

 

Amazon’s Makeover of Lord & Taylor Building Shows Challenge of Office Conversions by Konrad Putzier at Wall Street Journal. “Amazon had to add bathrooms, kitchens, new elevators and stairs wide enough for a rush of office workers. And then there is the lack of daylight. Floors span around 55,000 square feet on average, meaning large parts of the building are far away from windows. So the company decided to build a staircase with plants and daylight-mimicking lamps, giving the illusion of a courtyard.” WSJ subs. 

 

Disabled Arkansans an ‘untapped talent pipeline’ of workers, Walmart exec tells group by Doug Thompson at Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. “the unemployment rate among Arkansans with a disability is 19%, said Victor Calise, director of global belonging, diversity, equity and inclusion at Walmart…Calise worked as a plumber before an accident put him in a wheelchair, he told the audience. He then attained a college degree in sports management.” Read more

 

Kohl’s Reveals the Top 20 Toys of the 2023 Holiday Season Press release

 

Disaster relief delivered by Amazon by Monica Nickelsburg at KUOW. “Hawaii — as they should for remote islands — they don’t want to have single-use plastic,” (Diaz) said in an interview at Amazon’s headquarters. “So for me to send food clamshells, they need to be compostable. They need to be biodegradable. We’re able to tap into not just our selection, but the expertise of many of our people in the company, like vendor managers, to say, ‘What is the right product for us to send to that location?’” Read more

 

Casey’s Q1 inside same-store sales +5.4% Press release

 

China considering ban on clothing that ‘hurts feelings’ of nation at CNN. “It follows a series of clampdowns on personal style in recent years, including broadcast regulations aimed at banishing artists with “effeminate styles” from shows and an ongoing crackdown on tattoos.” Read more

 

BJ’s Wholesale Club Names Anjana Harve Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer Press release