June 2021

I’ve been writing about violence at WMT for 25 years. Top officials at WMT offer prayers & sympathy for those killed on its premises—but the

VOTERS IN NORTON, MA GIVE HOME DEPOT A $784,000 TAX BREAK over 10 years to build an AMZN-like 100,000 sf warehouse that will create only

HIGH PRESSURE,HIGH TURNOVER: “Even before the pandemic, AMZN lost about 3% of its hourly associates each week…the turnover…was roughly 150% a year…almost double that of

USED CAR GIANT CARVANA HID ITS IDENTITY from Southwick, MA residents, applied for a 200,000 sf warehouse under code name “Project Bailey.” It looks like

“NO CARVANA” CHANT >100 SOUTHWICK, MA RESIDENTS at rally opposed to used car warehouse the size of 3.5 football fields, paving 66 acres of farmland

“AMAZON HAS BEEN NICKEL & DIMING US SO BAD,” says Last Mile Delivery of Portland, OR.,“that if we don’t make change we can no longer

“CUSTOMERS SPENT OVER $1.9 B on more than 70 M small business products” during Prime Days. AMZN portrays itself as the champion of small biz—while

GROCERY OUTLET DEFIES BRICK & MORTAR SLOW-DOWN, opening 400th below-discount store across 6 states. Local indie-owner/operator model. https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail-financial/grocery-outlet-hits-400-store-mark?NL=SN-02&Issue=SN-02_20210625_SN-02_718&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_3&utm_rid=CPG06000001744798&utm_campaign=46519&utm_medium=email&elq2=a6a662796b984c23b218197ffdedbef4 Read more on Facebook

Dickson City, PA Police Log: “3:26 pm @Home Depot for disorderly people in the lumber aisle having an exorcism for the dead trees. They were

WALMART WAS FAT & HAPPY IN ITS BRICK & MORTAR WORLD. In 2006 AMZN began fulfilling orders, incl. 3rd party sellers, on its online marketplace,

WMT say it’s “stores are now acting not only as a store, but as a fulfillment center in some ways…we’re able to pick orders for

TEAMSTERS launch a nationwide push to unionize Amazon warehouse workers & drivers. The union “recognizes the existential threat of Amazon to our members & commits

SHORT-CHANGING WORKERS: “As many as 30% of employers…have misclassified some workers, affecting millions of workers, disproportionately workers of color…including janitorial services, trucking & transportation, retail,

UBER,LYFT,INSTACART, DOORDASH: “Misclassified workers are deprived of rights and protections under federal & state labor & employment laws, including wage & hour protections, anti-discrimination protections,

SOUTHWICK,MA (pop 9,740) RESIDENTS HIT BRAKES ON CARVANA REPAIR WAREHOUSE. 200,000 sf garage, on 66 acre of prime farmland. 2,600 car trips daily. Size of

AMAZON HURTS ITS WORKERS, warehouse injuries triple the national average. Pop-up protest in Greenfield, MA to mark the “injury crisis” known as Prime Days, when

“WALMART IS NOW SELLING JUNETEENTH T-SHIRTS …when a holiday becomes co-opted like this, those who can gain a sense of self & solidarity from celebrating

“Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg & Big Tech have sent front groups to Congress…leaning on the House Judiciary Committee to change, delay & even stop the

AN APPEALS COURT IN COLORADO HAS DENIED WMT A PROP. TAX BREAK FOR 3 STORES, saying Adams county assessor was right to conclude WMT was

14 YEARS AGO, GOOD JOBS FIRST PUBLISHED A STUDY OF WMT’S ATTEMPTS TO WIN PROPERTY TAX BREAKS at 289 local stores. 100s more have been

BEST BUY GOES OUTDOORS, selling, ovens, travel gear, lighting, heaters & décor. Many retailers switching product lines as a pandemic experiment. https://corporate.bestbuy.com/best-buy-kicks-off-summer-with-expanded-outdoor-living-products-new-lineup-from-tumi/ Read more on

“SENIORS HAVE EYES, EARS AND TEETH. It’s about time Medicare covered them.” Tell Congress to add these benefits & lower the age of Medicare to

THIS PODCAST DETAILS THE 5 BIG TECH ANTI -TRUST BILLS released by Congress. The word “Walmart” isn’t used once in the show. Walmart gets a

AMAZON “SIDEWALK” is “a sophisticated net for the collection of data. This data is then used to target users with an array of Amazon endorsed

IS PANDEMIC RELIEF SPENDING CAUSING INFLATION? “There’s a lot of pent-up demand…the Fed’s approach to this, has been the right approach. It’s put money in

INDIAN GOVT. RESTARTS ANTITRUST INVESTIGATION OF AMZN AND WMT, charging they “gave preferential treatment to a small group of sellers on its Indian platform,” &

THESE ARE TYPICAL HEADLINES EVERYDAY AT WALMART—the most dangerous place in America to shop. Read more on Facebook

RETAIL CONSULTANT’S 5 TIPS FOR POST-PANDEMIC: Online shopping is permanent. Shoppers trust natural products. Regional & Indie grocers in demand. Sustainability isn’t a trend. On-the-go

“AMZN ENCOURAGED EMPLOYEE TURNOVER. After 3 years on the job, hourly workers no longer received automatic raises, & the company offered bonuses to people who

“EACH YEAR WORKPLACE INJURIES AT AMZN spike during Prime Days.” Workers aren’t allowed to take Prime Days of June 21,22 off, but here’s how you

BIG TECH LOBBYING GROUPS SPEAK OUT AGAINST ANTITRUST BILLS, say consumers will lose many “conveniences” that consumers want. “AMZN would be effectively banned from offering

ENDING PLATFORM MONOPOLIES: bill makes it illegal for a platform with >50 M monthly users & a market cap > $600 B to operate a

HERE ARE THE 5 NEW HOUSE ANTI-TRUST SUBCOMMITTEE BILLS that make it harder for online platforms to merge & prohibits them from owning biz that

AMZN’S GIFT TO ITSELF: “Prime members can get a $10 credit to spend on Prime Day when they spend $10 on items sold by select

IT WILL HAPPEN IN 2022: “Amazon could surpass Walmart to become the largest U.S. retailer in 2022,” controlling 39% of online sales…”a sprawling logistics operation.”

HOME IMPROVEMENT SALES IN THE U.S. ARE A $767 B market. Home Depot has a 17% share of that market, Lowe’s 12%. That’s $222 B

BECAUSE OF AMZN, grocery chains like WMT & Kroger are building huge “consumer fulfillment centers.” Kroger has built a 375,000 sf warehouse, with plans for

PILL WARS: “Walmart+ Rx for less,” a new discount drug membership program, competes with Amazon Prime, which now offers members a 6-month supply Rx meds

SBA IS OPENING ITS DISASTER GRANT PROGRAM “to millions more small businesses in the coming days…(grants)were by invitation only & open only to small businesses

“AMERICA’S BILLIONAIRES avail themselves of tax-avoidance strategies beyond the reach of ordinary people…the skyrocketing value of their assets, like stock & property…are not defined by

SINCE HE WAS A KID, JEFF BEZOS WANTED TO TRAVEL TO MARS. Even though it’s known as “the red planet,” Bezos is pretty sure there

WALMART IS NOT BUILDING NEW STORES. They should “reduce investment in its store base…it has shown little appetite for reducing the size of its supercenters…focus

WALMART IS NOT BUILDING NEW STORES. They should “reduce investment in its store base…it has shown little appetite for reducing the size of its supercenters…focus

WALMART BUYS 740,000 ANDROID PHONES FOR ITS WORKERS, “to help employees locate merchandise, answer customer questions & view store metrics…view their schedules…clock in as soon

JEFF BEZOS & HIS BROTHER MARK WILL BE LAUNCHED INTO SUBORBITAL SPACE for an 11 minute flight 43 days from now, 52 years after NASA

HOUSE FOR RENT? Family with two kids, moving to Franklin county, looking for a home to rent for 3 months—or longer. If you have any

25 Y.O. FL. MAN HITS WMT CUSTOMER IN FACE WITH SHOVEL. “This is why I never shop at WMT,” says one reader. The most dangerous

PA. MAN TAKES LAWNMOWER FROM HOME DEPOT WITHOUT PAYING, “when workers tried to stop him, he pulled a gun on them.” HD has a big