How Christina Zhu turned Sam’s Club into Walmart’s unlikely growth engine in China at Fortune. “As a child, she watched her parents wake up at 4:30 a.m. on Sundays to go to the wet market. “They had to haggle, and high-quality produce wasn’t always guaranteed,” Zhu, born in 1973, recalled…Today, Chinese shoppers are “probably the group with the most choices [in the world],” and they have become “the most demanding customers,” she said.” Fortune subs.

 

ACSI: C-Store Satisfaction Slides “Meijer rises 5% to 82, the study’s largest improvement, claiming sole possession of first place. Kwik Trip drops 6% to 79 after leading the industry last year. QuikTrip (unchanged), Sheetz (down 2%), and Wawa (down 2%) form a three-way tie for second at 80.” Press release

 

TikTok rolls out an AI shopping assistant that lets customers buy directly from brands at TechCrunch. “…new features are being built in partnership with commerce platforms and payment providers including Salesforce, Shopify, Shoplazza, and Stripe, among others.” Read more

 

California Prepares to Ban Quartz Countertop Production at NY Times. “California is set to become the first state to ban the production or installation of man-made quartz, amid mounting cases of a lethal lung disease…is expected to pass in October.” NY Times subs.

 

Walmart and Wing expand drone deliveries to Denver and Seattle at NBC 9 News. “Walmart said the expansion grows its drone delivery towards 270+ stores in the United States.” Read more

 

Reese’s found the country’s top 150 streets for trick-or-treating at Fast Company. “The top street is set to be announced on October 21 by the Halloween Council. In addition to bragging rights, the chosen street will receive a block party…” Fast Company (subs.) | List

 

Mattel faces investor pressure to consider a sale amid stagnating growth at CNBC

 

Dillard’s ends Wall Street residency, decamps to Texas Stock Exchange at Arkansas Democrat Gazette

 

Pinterest Appoints James Dibbo CFO “Dibbo joins Pinterest from Amazon, where he most recently served as VP and CFO for Global Entertainment, Advertising and Corporate Development.” Press release

 

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