Costco pharmacy directors fined $20,000 after admitting to $1.2 million drug kickback scheme by Jesse McLean at Toronto Star. “As part of the settlement, charges that the pharmacists allegedly accepted illegal payments from four other generic drug companies were withdrawn. The backbone of the case was a secretly recorded 2014 phone conversation in which Hanna explains to a Ranbaxy drug sales representative how much the company would have to pay to “greatly reduce the likelihood of somebody eating your business.” Read more

 

Boxed CEO @ NRF: Huang would not directly comment on a report that Kroger might acquire Boxed. However, he did say that stores are “absolutely” in Boxed’s future at Internet Retailer. Read more

 

Instacart Acquires Coupon and Voice-Shopping Startup Unata by Olivia Zaleski at Bloomberg. “…agreed to acquire Toronto-based startup Unata Inc., giving the grocery-delivery company new kinds of e-commerce tools and a path to expand in Canada. The deal totals about $65 million…Unata specializes in making and tracking digital coupons and circulars. The company is also developing a voice-activated tool to allow customers to purchase goods online from midsize retailers using devices like Google Home.” Read more

 

“THIS IS A MOVEMENT THAT IS HAPPENING” – CVS Health’s Helena Foulkes Appears on “CBS This Morning” “CVS Health will inform customers if certain advertisements for products were digitally altered.” Video

 

….Foulkes touched on Amazon, opioid crisis and shopper behavior

 

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Walmart, other businesses kicked frantic Hawaiians out during missile scare at Hawaii News Now. “In a statement to Hawaii News Now, Walmart apologized for telling customers to leave after the alert was sent and said it’s reviewing its procedures to “help ensure all of our associates are prepared for any similar situations in the future.” Read more

 

White House press secretary calls out Amazon after 2-year-old orders Batman toy using Echo by Morgan Chalfant at The Hill. “Alexa, we have a problem if my 2 year old can order a Batman toy by yelling ‘Batman!’ over and over again into the Echo,” Sanders, who has three children, tweeted.” Read more

 

Report: Apple’s revenue from its app Store is set to overtake overtake Global Box Office revenues this year by Mark Prigg at Daily Mail. Read more

 

Alice Walton will receive the Sam M. Walton Award of Excellence at the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Luncheon on Jan 25 at Talk Business. Read more

 

Venezuela Promises Pregnant Women a Handout That’s Worth Almost Nothing at Fortune. “The monthly payment of 700,000 bolivars is, at the current exchange rate, worth about $3.83, according to CNN…After the women give birth, their stipend will increase to 1 million bolivars, or $5.48.” Read more

 

Platinum, Clinging to Its Status as a Top Precious Metal, Faces a Crisis by Alexandra Wexler at Wall Street Journal. “With benchmark prices down nearly 60% since 2008, the industry is facing a worst-case scenario: a dethroning from the pantheon of the world’s top precious metals…Gold traded at $1,340.90 a troy ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange’s Comex division Monday, as of midday trading, while platinum was $1,001.90. In 2008, gold was trading under $1,000 an ounce, while platinum rose above $2,250.” Read more (subs.)

 

Contraceptive app hit with complaints after being blamed for 37 unwanted pregnancies at The Verge. “The app uses an algorithm and measures factors like temperature to determine the period when a woman may be fertile. It’s a popular alternative to hormonal contraceptives like the pill because it lacks side effects.” Read more

 

Amazon delivery driver who was robbed of 62 parcels while on duty is sacked and ordered to repay the cost of the van repairs and stolen packages at Daily Mail. Read more

 

Wal-Mart Removes Lord Ganesh Doll from Store Amid Hindu Protest at India West. “Zed also urged the withdrawal of two other products involving Lord Ganesh and being sold at Walmart.com, including the Shri Ganesha Belly Button Ring and Ganesha God Pendant.” Read more/Pic

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Chicago O’Hare travelers possibly exposed to measles

Walmart Apologizes for Labeling Black Professor a Toilet Cleaner

$1.7 million verdict upheld for lady that slips in laundry detergent at Dollar General

Sam’s Club, Walmart to close on same block in Sacramento

This new Amazon service sends two boxes of Oreos and ‘swag’ to you every month

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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