Modular decisions shift back to Walmart store operators by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “This recent shift in decision making means that the store operators have the final say whether an item is right for their store and they can control how it is merchandised…With this shift in modular decisions, large suppliers who in past years have downsized their merchandising staffs could be forced to shift budgets and once again reallocate more resources to the stores.” Read more

 

Wal-Mart makes high-level executive changes in U.S, China by Kim Souza at The City Wire. “In recent internal memo received Thursday (Aug. 20) by The City Wire, Wal-Mart announced that Marybeth Hays, senior vice president over the home category for Walmart U.S., will move to chief merchandising and marketing officer for Walmart China…Rick Hays, who has served as vice president of hardware and paint for Walmart U.S., will take over as the general merchandise and merchandising officer for Sam’s Club China.” Read more

 

Google Express Plans to Shut Down Its Two Delivery Hubs by Mark Bergen at Recode. “When the service arrived in the Bay Area, Google tried out a hub model. Customers would order from Google’s retail partners, and drivers delivered the goods from the two locations on the same day or overnight. Now, Google is changing course.” Read more

 

Americans spending again but ‘value’ still reigns by Courtney Reagan at CNBC. “We actually really see spending twice a year. We see it in October for the winter, and we see it in April for the summer and we put a sweater on in between,” she said.” Read more

 

Canada pharmacy charged in $78M drug export scheme by Dan Mangan at CNBC. “”For years, millions of patients and physicians have relied upon PharmacyChecker.com and CanadaDrugs.com believing they are getting genuine drugs from a real Canadian pharmacy,” said ASOP founder and executive director Libby Baney. “The [Justice Department] indictment evidences that these entities have been touting myths.” Read more

 

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John Mackey: The conscious capitalist by Beth Kowitt at Fortune. ““(Whole Foods is) getting Tom Brady-ed,” says BB&T Capital Markets analyst Andrew Wolf. “They’re getting piled on.” What better time to test what is perhaps Mackey’s most dissonant, brazen idea yet? Read more

 

Sears reports first quarterly profit since 2012; sales still tumble at Reuters. “Comparable revenue at stores open more than a year tumbled 10.8 percent, partly due to a shrinking consumer electronics business. Total revenue fell 22.5 percent to $6.21 billion.” Read more

 

Jeff Bezos’ ruthless Amazon culture would never fly in Canada, and that’s a shame by Howard Levitt at Financial Post. “Without a fundamental shift in our political-cultural-judicial landscape, it won’t happen in Canada anytime soon. Here, it will take chickens coming home to roost in the form of unfinanced pensions, uncompetitive employers and a hollowing out of the economy before the requisite tectonic sea change will occur.” Read more

 

Staples CEO: Paper still generates money by David Harris at Boston Business Journal. “”And then paper, which we all think that’s going away, paper, which is almost 10 percent of our mix, was flat,” Sargent said in the call.” Read more

 

Hillary Clinton Pushes Branded Back-to-School Gear by Ashley Rodriguez at Ad Age. “The collection — advertised as “back to school basics” on Ms. Clinton’s website — features new arrivals such as a “She’s Got Your Back(pack)” knapsack for $65.” Read more / See the pics

 

Tipsheet Extra

Popular foods taking on new hues without artificial dyes

Minneapolis Gets Trashed: How a unique energy project helped remake the trendiest neighborhood 

Amazon plans to lease this new Seattle office building, source says

Walmart stores in Fort Smith, Greenwood to sell U.S. Marshal coins

Read Tipsheet Extra Stories

 

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Eye-on-Retail Tipsheet is created early every weekday morning and read by retail merchants and executives worldwide. We love data, earnings reports, executive presentations and stories off the beaten path that get at what’s really happening in the world of retail. See our website at www.eyeonretail.net