Dunkin’ Donuts recently dropped the “Donuts” from one of its California stores, and now it’s dropping a lot of donuts from its menus at stores around the country. [More]
Retail Services
Amazon Acquires 3D Body Modeling Company That Could Be Useful For Fashion, Gaming
By 10.4.17
Wouldn’t it be useful to have a three-dimensional avatar that’s shaped like you that you could use for online clothes shopping or for video games? We don’t know what Amazon had in mind when it acquired a company that creates 3D models of human bodies for a variety of applications, but it probably involves the mega-retailer’s fashion ambitions. [More]
Here’s Where To Score Free Tacos & Other Deals For National Taco Day
By 10.4.17
If you forgot to scarf down a taco for Taco Tuesday yesterday, have no fear: Today is National Taco Day. Yes, there really is a “day” for everything, but that’s okay, as there are freebies and discounts up for grabs. [More]
Snap Has Sold Around 150K Pairs Of Video-Taking Sunglasses
By 10.4.17 — Updated: 10.23.17
Last year, Snap, parent company of the app Snapchat, introduced a whimsical single-purpose product. Its Spectacles, originally available only from vending machines in a few major cities, cost $130 and record 10-second video clips to be posted on Snapchat. That’s it. Somehow, the company claims to have sold 150,000 of these devices. [More]
Whole Foods Poaching New Customers From Trader Joe’s, Costco, Walmart
By 10.3.17
We know that more people visited upscale grocery chain Whole Foods in the weeks after it became part of Amazon’s growing online and offline retail empire, but where did those people come from? Customer data shows that new visitors to Whole Foods stores were likely to be the wealthiest customers from competitors like Walmart, Costco, and Trader Joe’s. [More]
Target Now Offering Curbside Pickup At Some Stores — Yes, Again
By 10.3.17
Three months after Target once again began testing curbside pickup with employees in the Minneapolis area, the perpetually-playing catchup retailer has expanded the program to actual customers. [More]
Get Ready For More Sketchy Seasonal Stores As Retail Vacancies Rise
By 10.3.17
If you’re a fan of those stores that come out of nowhere to sell a lot of Halloween costumes and Christmas ornaments only to be gone without a trace once a holiday passes, we’ve got great news for you! A decade-high level of retail bankruptcies and store closures means there’s still plenty of spaces at your local shopping centers for all manner of seasonal pop-up stores. [More]
Walmart Accidentally Posts Google’s New Mini Speaker, Takes Down Listing
By 10.3.17
Any hope that Google might have had for keeping the design of its newest web-connected speaker a secret was blown out of the water today by the good folks at Walmart who inadvertently posted the device on Walmart.com for all the world to see, a day in advance of Google’s press event. [More]
Walmart Ramps Up Amazon Rivalry With Purchase Of Same-Day Delivery Company
By 10.3.17
Amazon is making bricks-and-mortar stores increasingly irrelevant in some markets by offering same-day delivery. So what’s a company like Walmart to do but try to beat Amazon at its own game. [More]
McDonald’s Bringing Back “Really Limited” Quantity Of Szechuan Sauce For One Day
By 10.2.17
McDonald’s Szechuan sauce may be long forgotten by many folks, and others never noticed its brief existence in the first place, but among its fans, Szechuan sauce has taken on near-mythical status, stoked by the cartoon exploits of an ornery mad scientist. [More]
Apple Investigating Reports That Some iPhone 8 Plus Displays Detach
By 10.2.17
Apple’s iPhone 8 has only been on the market for a short time, but some customers have already claimed their devices experienced a potential battery issue, prompting the tech company to open an investigation. [More]
Birchbox Says It Will No Longer Share Gift Recipients’ Addresses
By 10.2.17
Days after Consumerist highlighted privacy concerns related to Birchbox sharing the personal addresses of gift recipients with the person who sent the gift, the company says it has changed its practices. [More]
Ad Watchdog: T-Mobile Can’t Support Claims It Has “Fastest” Network
By 10.2.17
An independent ad-industry watchdog is recommending that T-Mobile stop making claims that its 4G LTE network is the fastest, or that its network is “newer” than Verizon. [More]
Couple Illegally Used Amazon Replacement Policy To Get $1.2M Worth Of Electronics For Free
By 10.2.17
An Indiana couple pleaded guilty recently to their part in defrauding Amazon of more than $1.2 million in electronic devices by taking advantage of the e-commerce giant’s replacement policy. [More]
Toys ‘R’ Us Hopes Playrooms & Augmented Reality Stations Will Bring Customers Back
By 10.2.17
If Toys ‘R’ Us is going to survive its recent bankruptcy filing and prevent a domino effect of debt throughout the toy industry, the retailer will need to get shoppers into stores and buying things. The company is hoping that making its stores more interactive for customers — including try-before-you-buy playrooms — will help put it back on the path to solvency. [More]
Jet.com Launching “Uniquely J” House Brand Targeting Millennials
By 9.29.17
Walmart already has a slew of house brands that it sells in stores and on Walmart.com, but rather than try to sell brands like Great Value or Sam’s Choice through its recently acquired Jet.com, the company is coming up with new house brands specifically for Jet that it hopes will appeal to a younger buyer. [More]
Toymakers Owed Millions Brace For Hit After Toys ‘R’ Us Bankruptcy
By 9.29.17
Many toymakers say they won’t let Toys ‘R’ Us die after filing for bankruptcy, noting that doing so would be bad for their own businesses. After all, the chain is typically their biggest client. However, it appears there’s more at stake, namely, the millions of dollars the manufacturers are owed. [More]
Whole Foods Investigating Credit Card Breach At Some Stores
By 9.29.17
Have you eaten at or enjoyed an adult beverage at Whole Foods this year? If you paid with a credit card, your information might have been leaked. Whole Foods is investigating a possible credit card breach at some of its stores. [More]
