OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Amazon’s new acquisition becomes data breach target
Cyber-thieves have found their way into Whole Foods Markets’ payment network. The natural foods grocer, which Amazon purchased for $13.7 billion in August, learned that payment card information processed at certain venues within some of its stores, such as taprooms and full table-service restaurants, has been breached. These venues use a different point-of-sale system than the company’s primary checkout systems.
Study: Cash is still king for U.S. consumers
Despite the rise of electronic, mobile and contactless payments, physical currency remains a favored choice for consumers in the United States. This was according to “In Cash Consumers Trust. But How Do Retailers Make it Pay?,” a report from cash technology solutions provider Glory. The study is based on responses from 1,500 consumers in the U.S., U.K. and Australia.

Party goods retailer bolsters store fleet with Halloween pop-up shops

Party City is getting ready for the Halloween rush. The party goods retailer plans to open up more than 270 Halloween City pop-up stores during its make-or-break season. These locations will bring the company’s store fleet up to more than 1,200 Party City and Halloween City retail outlets.
Discount giant steps up hurricane relief efforts — again

Walmart is allocating more funds to hurricane relief. The discount giant announced that it will donate another $5 million in support of Hurricane Maria relief. This is in addition to its previous commitment of $35 million in response to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
Online giant bulks up its fulfillment network in Ohio

Amazon is building another fulfillment center in the Buckeye State. The online giant will open a new 650,000-sq.-ft. warehouse in Euclid, Ohio — its fifth in the state. The company recently announced upcoming fulfillment centers in the cities of Monroe and North Randall, and it currently operates warehouses in Etna and Obetz.
Report: Restaurant chain is latest data breach victim

Sonic has been targeted in a cyber-attack. The restaurant chain, which is known for drive-up ordering kiosks and roller skating waitresses, has confirmed it has suffered a data security breach. Specifically, the incident has jeopardized the security of credit cards from up to 5 million customers, according to KrebsOnSecurity, which first broke the news.
Report: Department store retailer keeps holiday hiring plans under wraps

Don’t expect to hear specifics about Kohl’s holiday workforce any time soon. Unlike other chains, including Target and Macy’s, that have announced their plans to hire thousands of temporary workers during the holiday season, Kohl’s is not discussing the number of seasonal hires its will make, according to CNBC.
Accenture joins Target and P&G as keynote speaker at cybersecurity summit

Accenture has signed on as the title sponsor for the Retail Cyber Intelligence Summit, which will be held in Chicago, October 3 - 4, 2017. The event is sponsored by the Retail Cyber Intelligence Sharing Center (R-CISC).
Target ups minimum wage—with even bigger hike planned by 2020

Target Corp. is raising the stakes in the battle for retail store talent — and giving its employees a holiday surprise in the process. The discounter on Monday announced plans to raise its minimum hourly wage for all associates to $11 in October. It also pledged to increase the rate to $15 by the end of 2020. The retailer said the move will help it better recruit and retain top-quality staff and provide a better shopping experience for customers.
Study: Fraud losses, management eat up more than one-fifth of retailer revenue

Merchants’ fraud costs are a growing expense — and the pace shows no sign of slowing. Fraud losses and management eat 8% of the average e-commerce retailer’s revenue, up from 7.6% in 2016, according to “2017 Financial Impact of Fraud Study: Exploring the Financial Impact of Fraud in a Digital World.” The report is from Vesta Corp. and Javelin Strategy & Research.