Amazon grocery service slowly returns in India after e-commerce disruption at Reuters. “New federal rules, which bar companies from selling products via vendors in which they have an equity interest, forced Amazon India to remove hundreds of thousands of products from its site last week.” Read more

 

Flipkart founder says he’s ‘moved on’ after Walmart ouster at CNBC. “The former Flipkart chief executive has formed a team for his new project, xto10x Technologies…Bansal described it as an “AmazonWeb Services” for start-ups and said his long-term ambition is to help “10,000 early and mid-stage entrepreneurs.” Read more

 

Amazon names Starbucks COO Rosalind Brewer as director, diversifying previously all-white board by Taylor Soper at GeekWire. Read more

 

Target is taking its new loyalty program to more cities by Lauren Thomas at CNBC. “… to five new markets on Feb. 19: Charlotte, North Carolina; Denver, Indianapolis, Kansas City and Phoenix. The program is free to members…It offers perks like 1 percent back on all Target purchases to redeem later on, and will give out rewards on customers’ birthdays.” Read more

 

Officials in Ohio raid CBD sellers by Randy Tucker at Cincinnati Enquirer. “The Ohio Department of Agriculture is working with health departments and police agencies throughout the state to “embargo” products containing CBD, according to a statement from the Cincinnati Health Department.” Read more

 

DoorDash partners with food stamp startup mRelief by Megan Rose Dickey at TechCrunch. “First launched in 2014 as part of Silicon Valley accelerator Y Combinator, mRelief has helped people receive $65 million worth of food stamps across the nation.” Read more

 

**A message from Real Coconut Water – 100% Pure Coconut Water in bottles, bulk pack, cans, and Tetra Pak. Ask about our private label program. Sell sheet | Website | Samples: info@eyeonretail.net

 

How Amazon became the biggest spender in Sundance history by Steven Zeitchik at Washington Post. “…over the past week in the Utah snow, Amazon has spent $46 million — three or four times what even high-spending companies typically shell out at the event. It used to be big news if any one distributor paid more than $10 million for a movie at Sundance.” Tiered subs.

 

Saks Turns Prime Space Into a Handbag Emporium by Suzanne Kapner at Wall Street Journal. “The luxury retailer on Tuesday unveiled at its Fifth Avenue flagship store a remodeled ground floor that includes a handbag emporium featuring 50 brands, ranging from a $45 Saks tote to a $49,500 alligator bag from The Row.” WSJ subs.

 

Michaels Partners with Carnival Cruise Line “…the exclusive arts and crafts provider fleet-wide for guests sailing on the line’s 26-ship fleet.” Press release

 

Charlotte Russe to close 94 stores in bankruptcy at USA Today. Closing list

 

Walmart tweaks attendance policy for store employees by Kim Souza at Talk Business. “Walmart is incentivizing workers to show up on weekends and holidays because the new system penalizes them if they call in sick or don’t show up as scheduled, sources have told Talk Business & Politics.” Read more

 

The Vitamin Shoppe names new SVP, Retail Sales & Operations “Neal Panza was most recently at Williams-Sonoma where he was responsible for rebuilding a key market for the company.  Prior to that he was at Brookstone…” Press release

 

British economy ‘stalling’ amid intensified Brexit worries at AP. Read more

 

Most shoppers are still leery of buying their groceries online. But delivery in the US is set to ‘explode’ at CNBC. “In the U.S., a mere 3 percent of grocery spending takes place online today. A new study by Bain & Co. in collaboration with Google finds shoppers are still reluctant to try delivery services and often don’t stick with them.” Read more

 

Pier 1 Appoints Lance Wills as EVP, Chief Information Officer “Most recently, Mr. Wills served as Executive Vice President, Global Technology Officer for Toys”R”Us, Inc. from 2016 to 2018.” Press release

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Millennials getting obesity-related cancers at younger ages

The stores we know of coming to the American Dream mega-mall

USPS is launching a test of 15 electric delivery trucks

Kurt Cobain Remembered by Nirvana Co-Manager in New Book

UK music retailer HMV sold to Canada’s Sunrise Records

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: Send story tips, press releases and advertising inquiries to info@eyeonretail.net

 

Website: eyeonretail.net