Mastercard exec says almost 75% of apparel sales were made online last month at CNBC. “…up from 47% just a year ago.” Apparel sales overall declined 5.3% during the month, but e-commerce spending didn’t miss a beat. Online clothing sales spiked 47% year over year, according to data from Mastercard Economics Institute.” Read more

 

Consumer prices up 0.4% last month but core prices moderate at AP News. “U.S. consumer prices increased 0.4% in February, the biggest gain in six months, led by a sharp jump in gasoline prices. But core inflation, excluding food and energy, posted a much smaller 0.1% gain, easing fears about a possible sustained acceleration in inflation.” Read more

 

Weis Markets Q4 comp sales +14.1% Press release

 

Sam’s Club tops Costco in the land of apps at Fox Business. “The Sam’s app was downloaded 9.6 million times, nearly double the amount that Costco’s app was downloaded…BJ’s saw its app downloaded about three million times last year, according to Apptopia.” Read more

 

United Natural Foods, Inc. Q2 net sales +7.1% Press release

 

Amazon’s secret home robot Vesta reportedly in ‘late-prototype stage’ of development at The Verge. “The device has been under development for around four years and now has more than 800 employees working on it..The basic premise…is that Vesta will be an Amazon Echo on wheels: a voice-activated assistant that can navigate your home, respond to your commands, and interface with other smart home devices.” Read more

 

Express, Inc. Q4 comp sales down 27% Press release

 

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CDC, Dollar General exploring partnership to speed up COVID-19 vaccine rollout at USA Today. Read more

 

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc Q4 net retail sales down 8.7% Press release

 

Canada’s competition laws come under scrutiny after grocery business controversies at Financial Post. “A group of MPs will start considering changes to Canada’s antitrust rules next month, prompted in part by a series of controversies in the grocery business. Supermarket chains have been under scrutiny from Ottawa since last spring, when the country’s three largest grocers opted to simultaneously cut $2-per-hour pandemic pay bonuses for front-line workers.” Read more

 

The Gap Inc. can’t use the pandemic and ensuing lockdown orders as an excuse not to pay rent for a pair of stores in Manhattan Law 360 subs.

 

Planned production of the smallest iPhone 12 mini has reportedly been reduced by 70 percent or more in the first half of this year at The Verge. Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra

Entrepreneur shines in first ever national pitch competition put on by Lowe’s

Scientists turn Amazon’s Alexa into heart monitoring device using sound waves

Beyond Meat expands distribution at Walmart

How one small Pennsylvania pharmacy is vaccinating thousands

Swingers crazy golf comes to America

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