Marc Lore Eyeing Exit at Walmart? by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he left,” said Edward Jones analyst Brian Yarbrough. “I’m not convinced that Marc Lore and the other members of Jet.com leadership team are truly in it for the long haul,” added Brittain Ladd, a digital consultant and former Amazon executive.” Read more

 

Amazon has quietly launched an exclusive line of over-the-counter health products at CNBC. “The e-commerce giant launched the Basic Care line in August, including 60 products ranging from ibuprofen to hair regrowth treatment.” Read more

 

Home Depot Expects Lower Taxes, Stronger Sales Following U.S. Tax Reform — CFO by Tatyana Shumsky at Wall Street Journal. “(Home Depot) in December announced plans to invest $1.2 billion over five years to upgrade its delivery network….“When we are done, 90% of the U.S. population will have same day delivery and this is big, bulky stuff,” Ms. Tomé said.” Read more (subs.)

 

Home Depot’s Q4 2017 Earnings Call Transcript at Seeking Alpha. Read more

 

Walmart senior director of digital comms Chad Mitchell leaves after almost 10 years by Diana Bradley at PR Week. “Last Tuesday was Mitchell’s last day at the company. He said that he doesn’t have any plans yet, but is “excited to see what is out there.” Read more (tiered subs.)

 

Walmart’s Q4 2018 Earnings Call Transcript at Seeking Alpha. Read more

 

How Patagonia Grows Every Time It Amplifies Its Social Mission by Jeff Beer at Fast Company. “Incited by Trump’s agenda, the company has upped its commitment to environmental activism, making an unprecedented bet on corporate social responsibility. This has served not only to energize product innovation and marketing but to grow the company’s brand awareness and sales.” Read more

 

57% of Costco members also pay for Amazon Prime, up from 13% in 2013, according to a survey via Boston Herald. Read more

 

**A message from 2018 Sweets & Snacks Expo – Be first to market with the newest candy and snack products!  See the 2017 Innovation Winners. Put yourself in the center of the single largest gathering of confectionery & snack companies under one roof – schedule your trip now! Chicago, May 22-24, 2018. Website | Exhibitors

 

Barneys Aims to Reinvent Luxury Marketing for Younger Shoppers by Christina Binkley at Wall Street Journal. “WSJ: Did you just drop a piece of news, that you’re launching a new loyalty program? MS. VITALE: I’m sure I’m going to be in a lot of trouble for saying that. What I can tell you is that we want to make sure that loyalty to our brand doesn’t have to be tied to a Barneys proprietary credit card.” Read more (subs.)

 

Apple in Talks to Buy Cobalt Directly From Miners by Jack Farchy & Mark Gurman at Bloomberg. “The price of cobalt has more than tripled in the past 18 months to trade above $80,000 a metric ton. Two-thirds of supplies come from the Democratic Republic of Congo.” Read more

 

Walmart courts urban Vancouver customers with launch of fresh grocery delivery service by Hollie Shaw at Financial Post. “The Vancouver home delivery arrangement differs from Walmart’s fulfilment model in Toronto, where it delivers goods picked from its own store shelves using crowd source delivery companies. In Vancouver, Walmart will ship and store fresh groceries to the warehouse of Food-X’s parent company, Spud Inc., a local online grocery retailer.” Read more

 

Jeff Bezos shows how installation of 10,000 Year Clock is ticking along in Texas by Alan Boyle at GeekWire. “Over the lifetime of this clock, the United States won’t exist,” Bezos told Wired back in 2011. “Whole civilizations will rise and fall.” Video/Read more

 

Bi-Lo prepares for bankruptcy again, may close hundreds of stores by Katherine Peralta at Charlotte Observer. “Bi-Lo could close up to 200 stores before filing for bankruptcy protection as early as next month…” Read more

 

Costco to shutter all Massachusetts photo departments except one via Boston Business Journal. Read more

 

Food workers union, Hannaford owners will come to table via Sacramento Bee.  “More than 200 members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445 who work at the Hannaford Distribution Center in South Portland say they authorized a strike.” Read more

 

Guess chairman steps aside while harassment claims are investigated at Bloomberg via Toronto Star. Read more

 

Money Laundering Via Author Impersonation on Amazon? at Krebs on Security. “Patrick Reames had no idea why Amazon.com sent him a 1099 form saying he’d made almost $24,000 selling books via Createspace, the company’s on-demand publishing arm. That is, until he searched the site for his name and discovered someone has been using it to peddle a $555 book that’s full of nothing but gibberish.” Read more

 

Tipsheet Extra Stories

Wayfair provides 3-D views via Facebook

Kroger-shopping firefighters save heart attack victim – a couple of aisles over

Target Launches New Home Brand, Opalhouse

Ex-Walmart US CEO: Gun regulation is the responsibility of the government, not retailers

Gap Brand CEO Jeff Kirwan to leave retailer

Saks fashion experts dish on Calgary’s new luxury store

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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