Costco March Comp Sales +1.0% / +4.0% Excluding Gas, F/X “Costco reported net sales of $10.71 billion for the month of March, the five weeks ended April 3, 2016, an increase of three percent from $10.40 billion during the similar period last year.” Read the release

 

Best Buy rolls out same-day delivery in 13 markets by Kavita Kumar at Star Tribune. “It added New York City to the program earlier this year. Then, late last month, it quietly rolled out same-day delivery to the other 11 markets where Deliv operates.” Read more

 

Bed Bath & Beyond Q4 Comp Sales +1.7% Read the release

 

Claim: Alibaba Surpasses Walmart As Largest Retail Company In The World by Tyler Durden at Zero Hedge. “In a filing with the SEC on Tuesday, China’s online retail behemoth Alibaba Group announced that it had “become the largest retail economy in the world” at the end of its fiscal year on March 31, “as measured by gross merchandise volume on its China retail marketplaces.” Read more

 

Rite Aid Q4 Comp Sales -0.6% “…consisting of a 0.8 percent decrease in pharmacy sales and a 0.4 percent decrease in front-end sales.” Read the release

 

Menards still too scared by Obama (and apparently his possible replacements) to build store in Ohio by Alex Knisely at Times-Reporter. “We are a family owned business and with the Obama Administration scaring the dickens out of all family businesses in the U.S.A at present and with no certainty if the next administration will be any better, we have decided not to risk expansion until things are more settled,” (spokesperson) O’Mara wrote.” Read more

 

SAM’S CLUB SVP HEALTH AND WELLNESS SPEAKS TO GROUP – Sam’s Club testing ways to deliver health care, exploring dietitians to all stores by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “Jill Turner-Mitchael, senior vice president overseeing health and wellness for Sam’s Club…“We are also looking at adding dietitians to our clubs this year. We know it will drive loyalty to our company and will drive grocery sales. But we have no idea exactly how to quantify that. We will figure it out over the next few months,” Mitchael said.” Read more

 

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Amazon Struts Its Fashion Sense, Challenging Traditional Stores by Suzanne Kapner at WSJ. “Amazon.com Inc. has crushed rivals by offering cut-rate prices on everything from books and electronics to diapers. But to attract fashion brands, it has employed a new strategy: promising full price…” Read more (subscription)

 

Whole Foods CEO John Mackey Quits Spiritual Guru’s Think Tank by John A. Oswald at Forward. “Mackey so far has issued no statement on his reason for stepping down from the Center for Integral Wisdom, but his departure comes as Gafni continues to be dogged by allegations of sexual improprieties stretching back years.” Read more

 

HAPPENING TODAY – Sarah Jessica Parker Heads To Bloomingdale’s In L.A. by Rachael Allen at Footwear News. “Sarah Jessica Parker is once again giving some lucky shoe shoppers the experience of a lifetime. Parker announced she’ll be working the shoe floor at the Bloomingdale’s in Century City, Calif. on Thursday at 12 p.m.” Read more

 

Amazon Echo sales reach 3M units as consumer awareness grows, research firm says by James Risley at GeekWire. “According to CIRP’s research, customer awareness of the product reached almost 50 percent by the end of last year, up from about 20 percent in March 2015. About a third of Echo smart speakers were sold during the holiday season.” Read more

 

Kroger Names President of Smith’s “Kroger announced the promotion of Kenny Kimball, currently vice president of operations in the company’s Smith’s division, to serve as president of Smith’s, effective April 30.” Read the release

 

Saks Contest Showcases Newbie Designer Labels – Competition Drew 300+ Submissions by Ray A. Smith at WSJ. “The Saks group took turns visiting each designer’s displayed collection for a few minutes, poring over clothes and peppering the designer with questions about fabrics, inspirations, and retail sales. When a visit ended, a designer typically packed the collection in a suitcase and left. The Saks group then deliberated privately to decide the winners.” Read more (subscription)

 

Home Depot Kicks Off Spring Black Friday Event Read the release

 

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