Bed Bath & Beyond Q2 comp sales -6.7% Press release

 

…Bed Bath & Beyond increases projected store closures to 60 by Kelly Tyko at USA Today. “…up 20 from the April estimate of 40 stores…Forty of the stores closing will be Bed Bath & Beyond stores and 20 will be stores in the company’s other concepts.” Read more

 

Kroger is looking to lay off several store employees holding middle management roles at Fox Business. Read more

 

Walmart to test programs for U.S. workers to cut its healthcare costs at Reuters. “In Colorado, Wisconsin and Minnesota, Walmart will expand a program that allows patients to video chat with a doctor from home for $4 per chat. The retailer will also offer workers access to fitness clubs for $9 per bi-weekly pay period and add a predictable co-pay of $35 for every visit to a primary care physician under its most popular medical plan.” Read more

 

Shoppers have more options to return online purchases by Anne D’Innocenzio at AP. “Shoppers are increasingly able to have a return get picked up inside their home. Walmart says it will launch such a return service later this year but didn’t offer any details.” Read more

 

Zulily unveils price comparison feature to compete with Amazon and Walmart by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. “Zulily is also offering a price-matching promise for items that are higher-priced on its site compared to Amazon or Walmart. The strategy is part of a “pilot” that lasts until Dec. 19, said John Lohnas, Zulily’s chief merchant who joined the company in May after nearly a decade at Amazon where he ran apparel and footwear businesses.” Read more

 

Amazon sites in France and India should be added to US counterfeit watchlist, says apparel trade group at CNBC. Read more

 

**A message from X1 Ebike – Up to 37 miles on a single 4-hour charge. Folds into the size of a golf bag in seconds! GPS tracking, VIN # & alarm for security. Video 

 

WEGMANS OPENING RECORD – More than 3,000 people lined up outside the new Wegmans in Raleigh before dawn for the grand opening by Marcia Greenwood at Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. “Previously (Wegmans Natale said), the grand opening crowd record was 2,400 people, held by Wegmans’ Northborough, Massachusetts, store, which launched in 2011.” Read more/Video

 

The BrandLab auctions off 1 hour meetings with Target’s Rick Gomez and others Read more

 

New Tesco boss isn’t the obvious choice for chief executive by Nils Patley at The Guardian. “The surprise is that the Tesco chairman, John Allan, couldn’t find a replacement within the ranks. One can’t judge Ken Murphy until he arrives, but a 20-year career at Boots and its US-based parent may not be ideal preparation for a scrap with Aldi et al.” Read more

 

The Trump administration slapped 25% tariffs on French wine, Italian cheese and single-malt Scotch whisky — but spared Italian wine, pasta and olive oil at Reuters. Read more

 

Meet Triple Five Group: The real estate developers behind New Jersey’s ‘American Dream’ mega mall at CNBC. Read more

 

Target’s back rooms are becoming unsafe, overcrowded ‘nightmares’ as the company cuts shifts and hours, workers say by Shoshy Cimint at Business Insider. “Business Insider spoke with 28 former and current Target workers, 13 of whom said they felt that the shift changes made their back rooms an unsafe work environment.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Walmart continues process of relocating workers out of future corporate campus footprint

Amazon workers in Sacramento are protesting the company’s strict time-off rules

Empty shelves at numerous Fry’s Electronics stores spark concern

Chick-fil-A drive-throughs now slowest among big chains, study finds

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt believes biology is the next frontier in computing

Man arrested for cutting the brakes on over 100 electric scooters

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

**

Eye on Retail Tipsheet is must-read material for retail execs every weekday morning. Tipsheet stories are carefully curated bright and early every morning to ensure fresh and unique content.

 

Subscribe to Eye on Retail Tipsheet here

 

Contact us: Put your product or service in front of the most powerful retail execs in the world, send advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: eyeonretail.net