What a difference $13.7 billion makes. Last week, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey had some choice words for investors who were urging him to sell the company, calling them “greedy bastards.” But after Amazon has announced it’s buying the grocery chain for a tidy sum, Mackey is whistling quite a different tune. [More]
Retail Services
Fresh Beef At McDonald’s Means Longer Waits, Impatient Customers
By 6.20.17
McDonald’s is slowly rolling out fresh beef patties as it tries to win back customers who want better-tasting burgers, but will this switch slow down the kitchen and cause McD’s to lose some loyal customers who think fast food should be fast? [More]
Craft Brewers Want Off Beer Review Site After Learning AB InBev Is An Owner
By 6.19.17
Many craft brewers rely on word of mouth and good, honest reviews to reach new customers, but some beer makers are questioning whether an independent beer review website can remain untainted even after the world’s largest beer company buys an ownership stake. [More]
As America’s Malls Wither, Medical Facilities Move In
By 6.19.17
If you’re looking to open a new medical facility — not just a couple of exam rooms and a reception area, but a proper clinic — you want something affordable, spacious, brightly lit, with good parking, and a central, convenient location. Thanks to the ongoing retail apocalypse, there are dead or dying malls around the country that fit this bill. [More]
Your Holiday Shopping Could Get More Expensive, Thanks To UPS
By 6.19.17
If you were planning to do your holiday shopping from the comfort of home, scooping up bargains with a click, you should know that you may have to pay a little more this year since UPS is tacking on a holiday delivery surcharge during the busiest weeks of the year. [More]
Could GrubHub Be Amazon’s Next Big Purchase?
By 6.19.17
On Friday, Amazon announced that it would be acquiring Whole Foods, an upscale grocery chain with stores across the country. Once that deal is complete and the companies have settled into their new relationship, what might Amazon want to acquire next? One investment analyst suggests that maybe what the Everything Store needs next is some food delivery. [More]
Should Pre-Teens Be Allowed To Own Smartphones?
By 6.19.17
From their earliest moments, some children are constantly connected to a screen. By the time many kids hit middle school, they already have their own smartphone. However, some parents not only want to limit their kids’ use of these devices, they want the state to ban sales of smartphones to kids under 13. [More]
Petco, Walmart Products Included In Recall Of Potentially Tainted Rawhide Dog Chews
By 6.19.17
The recent recall of potentially contaminated rawhide dog chews has been expanded to now include products sold by Petco, Walmart, and others. [More]
What Will Whole Foods Be Like After Amazon Takes Over?
By 6.19.17
Now that Jeff Bezos has ordered himself a few billion dollars’ worth of groceries with the purchase of Whole Foods, everyone is wondering what Amazon will do with the 465 stores it will soon own. [More]
Clothing Retailer Buckle Had A 6-Month Malware Infection
By 6.19.17
Buckle is a denim-centric clothing store that sells “medium to better–priced” clothes for men and women. It may not be a household name, but there’s probably a store near you, with around 450 locations in 44 states. The chain admitted over the weekend that its payment systems were infected with malware from Oct. 2016 to April 2017, potentially compromising customers’ payment card data. [More]
If You Want Chick-Fil-A’s New Gluten-Free Bun, You’ll Have To Assemble Sandwich Yourself
By 6.19.17
Trying to eat at a fast food restaurant can be difficult for customers who suffer from different food allergies. But those who are allergic to gluten will have another option at Chick-fil-A: The company has introduced a gluten-free bun for its famous chicken sandwiches… but it will cost you more, and some assembly is required. [More]
JCPenney CEO: Postal Service Is Really Online Retailers’ Biggest Problem
By 6.16.17
As bricks-and-mortar retailers attempt to attract more customers and make more sales, they are increasingly courting online shoppers. But all of those two-day shipping services and other free shipping guarantees are putting pressure on delivery companies, and that could be a big problem, according to the top executive at JCPenney. [More]
Feeling Unappreciated By Amazon, Some Sellers Are Defecting To Walmart.com
By 6.16.17
The recent flood of third-party sellers offering items for sale on Amazon has left some the e-tailer’s older marketplace merchants feeling left behind and unappreciated. So they’re taking their wares and going over to Walmart’s website, where they have fewer competitors and pay smaller commissions. [More]
City Leaders Call “Shenanigans” In Battle Between Pot Store & Dubious Arcade
By 6.16.17
As more states legalize recreational marijuana, regulators face a steep learning curve when it comes to rules on when and where pot retailers can set up shop. For example, it might make sense to restrict marijuana sellers from operating near places where you’ll find lots of kids, but could that same rule be gamed just to prevent a retailer from opening a legal business? [More]
Walmart Adds Men’s Clothing Retailer Bonobos To Its Collection Of Online Businesses
By 6.16.17
When someone says “retailers of upscale men’s fashion,” you probably don’t picture Walmart. Yet the mega-retailer is adding menswear company Bonobos, which started online and now has boutiques in cities and in Nordstrom stores, to its collection of online brands. [More]
Amazon Buying Whole Foods For $13.7 Billion
By 6.16.17
Amazon really, really wants to sell you groceries. But starting a new grocery service — especially online — from scratch is hard. It seems, however, Amazon has found a solution: Just buy a well-known chain that already operates nationwide, instead. [More]
Kroger Slashing Prices On Milk, Eggs To Keep Up In Heated Grocery War
By 6.15.17
With foreign newcomers like Lidl and Aldi landing on our shores, and online services like Amazon creeping onto an already crowded grocery battlefield, traditional grocers are willing to do whatever they can to keep customers coming back. At Kroger, that means slashing prices on popular staples like milk and eggs, in an effort to signal to customers that their stores have the best deals on the everyday items they need. [More]
Nike Cutting Jobs, Reducing Production Of Some Products
By 6.15.17
There might be fewer styles of sneakers, sweatpants, and other Nike apparel to choose from next time you go shopping, as the athletic company makes plans to cut back on its workforce and product lines. [More]
