Macy’s, Rite Aid part of first U.S. multi-brand loyalty program by Phil Wahba at Fortune. “The program, called Plenti, will be operated by American Express…One study has found that the average American is a member of 29 loyalty programs but only uses eight actively.” Read more

 

Target claims $1.6B tax benefit from Canadian losses by Jim Hammerand at Minn./St. Paul Business Journal.  Read more

 

Target’s 10-K Annual Report  See it here

 

How Bed Bath & Beyond Will Punish Customers Making Returns Without Receipts by Nicole Pelletiere at ABC News. “Beginning April 20, all returns made without a receipt will be refunded in the form of store credit or exchange at the lowest current price, in addition to a 20 percent deduction.” Read more

 

Amazon is hiring so many people that interviews take up 30-40% of many engineers’ time by Jillian D’onfro at Business Insider. “Our hiring process is extremely intensive and we’re still growing at such a rapid pace that many of our engineers are spending 30 to 40% of their time on hiring,” (Amazon’s Werner Vogels) said.” Read more

 

Walmart Will Hold Annual Shareholders Meeting On June 5  Read the release

 

Target Planning to Install Solar Systems on 180 U.S. Buildings by Ehren Goossens at Bloomberg. “Target, based in Minneapolis, has pledged to have rooftop solar power on 500 of its buildings by 2020. The projects planned under this agreement will be completed by early 2017.” Read more

 

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Kroger Names Joe Grieshaber President of Columbus Division  Read the release

 

Target Caps CEO Personal Jet Travel at $175K by Tom Webb at Twin Cities/Pioneer Press. Read more

 

J.C. Penney’s chief marketing officer steps down by Maria Halkias at Dallas Morning News. “(Debra) Berman’s departure comes just before Penney’s first company-wide leadership meeting in five years. Next week, about 1,000 store managers will be in Dallas for several days of meetings with corporate…Penney president Marvin Ellison, who takes over as CEO in August, is still putting his team together…Berman’s departure was her decision, a Penney spokeswoman said.”  Read more

 

200 laid off Target workers get free head shots at KARE 11 – NBC. “The photographers said one couple came in for head shots were engaged and both were laid off. But they say everyone who came in seemed optimistic.” See the video / Read more

 

Publix is buying up property in Florida by John Hielscher at Herald-Tribune. “Publix Super Markets went on a buying spree over the past year, bagging six shopping centers in Southwest Florida for $86 million. But the state’s largest grocery-store chain is hardly finished — it has earmarked $1.3 billion this year to buy more centers, build new stores and remodel others.” Read more

 

IKEA: No more hide and seek at Dutch stores at Fox News. “The phenomenon has taken off online in the Netherlands where a whopping 19,000 people signed up to a Facebook group promoting a game at Ikea’s Amsterdam branch next month. Another 13,000 signed up for a game in the Ikea store in the city of Utrecht.” Read more

 

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