Dollar General Q1 Comp Sales +0.7% “Same-store sales were driven by positive results in the consumables and apparel categories, partially offset by negative results in the home and seasonal categories.” Press release

 

Hackers breach Kmart’s credit card payment system via Fortune. “The company said its Kmart store payment data systems were infected with a form of malicious code that was undetectable by its current antivirus systems, adding it was later able to remove the malicious code.” Read more

 

Express Q1 Comp Sales -10% “…compared to a 3% decrease in the first quarter of 2016.” Press release

 

Walmart U.S. execs talk success, challenges and opportunity by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “More than 3,000 of the 1.5 million Walmart U.S. employees donned in matching blue t-shirts filed into Bud Walton Arena early Wednesday (May 31) to kick off the retail giant’s annual shareholder week. What they heard first from top U.S. executives was “thank you.” Walmart U.S. COO Judith McKenna opened the meeting saying just that, “Thank you for the difference you have made.” Read more

 

…Washington Post: Walmart is preparing to take on Amazon. But first, parachuting M&M’s. by Abha Bhattarai. “An accounts payable specialist sang the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Actor and former professional football player Terry Crews emceed, and pop singer Julia Michaels performed. Bags of caramel chocolate M&Ms parachuted from the ceiling…” Read more

 

…1,500 Wal-Mart International employees meet in shareholders week, encouraged to take home company culture by Jeff Della Rosa at Talk Business. “(Cheesewright) said the company’s international division is not the “biggest, but we’re the most interesting by a long, long way.” Unlike the U.S. division, it has 65 store formats, and is in the fourth consecutive year of improving quarterly sales. “I don’t think there’s any other segment that has done that,” he said.” Read more

 

“Crazy Good Turns” podcast from ex-Home Depot execs focuses on interesting charities at Atlanta Journal Constitution. “Frank (Blake) and I are both big music fans,” Shaw said. “After we retired, we even considered opening a live music venue but quickly saw the folly in that. Music definitely augments the experience and brings a richness that might not otherwise be there.” Read more

 

CEO says Supervalu will scout for more wholesaler acquisitions as retail wanes by Dan DeBaun at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “I’m a grocery wholesaler. I’ve run retail, but I’m first and foremost a wholesaler and that’s where I believe where our strengths lie,” (CEO) Gross said. “That is our core business and that’s where our growth lies.” Gross’ remarks took place during the RBC Capital Markets Consumer and Retail Conference in Boston.” Read more

 

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Amazon should buy Macy’s, analysts say by Andy Brownfield at Cincinnati Business Courier. Read more

 

Whole Foods under more pressure from activist investor, Ex-Kellogg exec nominated for board by Will Anderson at Austin Business Journal. Read more

 

Netflix CEO: We’re like Starbucks, and Amazon is like Walmart by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. “What (Amazon does) is incredible at their breadth. We want to focus on how we can be the embodiment of entertainment, joy, movies, and TV shows.” Read more

 

Payless may close more than 300 additional stores at Atlanta Business Chronicle. Read more

 

Walmart is bringing VR instruction to all of its U.S. training centers by Lucas Matney at TechCrunch. “Each location will have an Oculus Rift headset and gaming PC showcasing a collection of VR training content. The virtual reality instruction Walmart will be using is entirely 360-degree video-based and will include interactive on-screen cues asking trainees to make decisions after encountering various situations.” Read more

 

Amazon partners with UC Berkeley for first foray into investigative journalism by Monica Nickelsburg at GeekWire. Read more

 

A “Fireside Chat” by Marc Lore on June 7th at 1:25 p.m. EDT Press release

 

Dallas-Fort Worth is now Wal-Mart’s biggest online grocery market in the nation by Maria Halkias at Dallas Morning News. “Some North Texas Wal-Mart stores are filling 900 orders a week. The average for the region is around 500 to 600 orders a week, said Jason Fogerty, Wal-Mart’s Dallas area market coach for e-commerce.” Read more

 

Users “Gush” About Amazon’s New Grocery Pickup Service at Field Agent “As a very early indication, AmazonFresh pickup looks like a winner. Prime members practically gushed about what they saw…” Video/Pics/Read more

 

Amazon begins offering refunds for unauthorized in-app purchases by Devin Coldewey at TechCrunch “There’s no big hurry: you have a full year to submit your requests for refunds.” Read more

 

Williams-Sonoma Announces New Board Members Press release

 

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