DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ A product manager shares the résumé that got him a $300,000 job at Amazon — and 3 regrets about it, including writing that sounds 'very pompous'
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Shubhangi Goel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementSiddharth Kashiramka joined Amazon in 2022 as a product manager for AI projects. He worked as a product manager at Capital One and was previously a consultant at PwC. Show variety: Throughout the résumé, Kashiramka used a range of keywords, including "leveraged," "delivered," "established," and "collaborated." One page résumé: "I think the résumé should be one page," he said about keeping the document short. Kashiramka is a senior product manager at Amazon's office in Crystal City, Virginia.

Persons: Siddharth Kashiramka, Alicia Tillman, Kashiramka Organizations: Amazon, Capital, Big Tech, ATS, Meta, Google, PwC, Business Locations: Virginia, Seattle, Crystal City , Virginia

☆ How JLL improved marketing performance and lowered costs, according to CMO Siddharth Taparia
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-07 | by ( Julia Hood | Will Wei | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Siddharth Taparia: I started at JLL in 2021, so that was, I think technically right in the middle of the pandemic. But at the same time, also introducing the company to new clients that might have never had the opportunity to work with us. Over that period, so since 2022, our pipeline contribution from marketing is up 3x. Our revenue contribution — so that's the conversion of that pipeline — is up 4x. And that gives us very credible ways of being able to go back and compare what revenue we were able to get and what the contribution of marketing was in that process.

Persons: Siddharth Taparia, we've, it's, we're Locations: JLL

☆ AI turned a two-month task into hours, says JLL CMO Siddharth Taparia
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-03 | by ( Julia Hood | Will Wei | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Siddharth Taparia: When it comes to marketing, I think one of the things that is top of mind for everybody is artificial intelligence. Siddharth Taparia, I'm the global chief marketing officer for JLL, which is a Fortune 200 commercial real estate company. So our AI journey really started when Chat GPT was first launched, I believe it was November of 2022. So we started talking and experimenting and playing with all the different tools that were becoming available in the marketplace. The whole process from start to finish would've taken anywhere from four to six weeks.

Persons: Siddharth Taparia, GPT, would've Organizations: Fortune

☆ Netflix removed an Indian film after religious viewers criticized meat-eating characters
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Yoonji Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewNetflix pulled an Indian film from its platform just days after it began streaming after backlash from right-wing Hindu groups, reports say. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. The phrase "love jihad" refers to an Islamaphobic conspiracy theory purporting that Muslim men are seducing Hindu women to convert them to Islam. 'Fanaticism won, creativity lost'It's not the first time Netflix and other streaming platforms have faced pressure from religious Hindu groups. AdvertisementNetflix did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Persons: —, Narendra Modi's, Shri Ram, Annapoorani, — Ramesh Solanki 🇮🇳 ( Organizations: Service, Netflix, Business, Hindu Parishad, Zee Studios Locations: Tamil Nadu

REUTERS/Siddharth Cavale/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDec 1 (Reuters) - Walmart (WMT.N) said on Friday it is not advertising on social media platform X, one of the latest brands to say it has dropped the Elon Musk-owned site. "We aren't advertising on X as we've found other platforms to better reach our customers," a Walmart spokesperson said. X, formerly known as Twitter, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Earlier this month, Musk agreed with an X user who falsely claimed members of the Jewish community were stoking hatred against white people, saying the user was speaking "the actual truth." Reporting by Siddharth Cavale in New York and Sheila Dang in Dallas; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Siddharth Cavale, Musk, Walt Disney, Sheila Dang, Chizu Nomiyama, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Walmart, Elon Musk, Twitter, New York Times, Apple, Warner Bros Discovery, Media, Thomson Locations: Teterboro , New Jersey, U.S, New York, Dallas

This year, 59% retailers offer so-called "returnless" or "keep it" policies for unwanted products whose returns costs exceed their value, according to returns services firm goTRG, which surveyed 500 executives at 21 major retailers, including Walmart (WMT.N) and Amazon.com (AMZN.O). That information is "not something that retailers want out there" due to worries the policies could be abused by shoppers, he said. The firm helps retailers manage returns, which typically rise after pre-Christmas sales like Black Friday and Cyber Monday and continue beyond Christmas. The typical return costs retailers about $30. "You just can't afford to ignore it," she said of returns costs.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, Sender Shamiss, Shamiss, Amena Ali, Ali, Gabrielle Richards, Pamela Peters, Peters, Lisa Baertlein, Arriana McLymore, Siddharth Cavale, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, ANGELES, Black, Walmart, Super Bowl, Reuters, eBay, Appriss Retail, National Retail Federation, Amazon.com, Thomson Locations: Macy’s, Roosevelt, Garden City , New York, U.S, Los Angeles, New York

To be sure, China is still Walmart's biggest country for importing goods. "We want the best prices," Andrea Albright, Walmart's executive vice president of sourcing said in an interview. Walmart has been accelerating growth in India since 2018, when it bought a 77% stake in Indian e-commerce firm Flipkart. Its rapidly growing workforce and technological advancement were a draw for Walmart, Albright said. The rising cost of shipping goods from China has also contributed to the switch to India, supply chain experts say.

Persons: Eduardo Munoz, Andrea Albright, we're, Albright, Doug McMillon, Narendra Modi, Modi, McMillon, Rajesh Kharabanda, Chris Rogers, Shekhar Gupta, Devgiri, Richa Naidu, Siddharth Cavale, Casey Hall, Manoj Kumar, Matthew Scuffham, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Walmart, REUTERS, Companies Walmart, Reuters, Flipkart, Walmart Global Tech India, Indian, Amazon, Freewill, P, Thomson Locations: Teterboro , New Jersey, U.S, India, China, United States, Washington, Beijing, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangalore, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mundra Port, Gujarat

Nov 28 (Reuters) - Spending online on Cyber Monday is set to exceed $12 billion, a record, as bargain hunters snap up deals on items including Barbie dolls, Lego sets, headphones and smart watches, according to preliminary estimates from Adobe Digital Insights. The estimate projects U.S. shoppers will spend $12 billion-$12.4 billion on Cyber Monday, the biggest U.S. online shopping day. At the top end, this would represent an 9.7% increase compared to the $11.3 billion spent on Cyber Monday last year. Walmart, eager to capture market share, slashed prices on Sunday night, joining the trend of retailers' early discounts on major shopping days. On Monday, Walmart stepped up discounts on some clothing to 60%, up from the 50% it offered on Black Friday.

Persons: Barbie, Nancy Tengler, Eduardo Munoz, Matthew Katz, Charles Sizemore, Sizemore, Siddharth Cavale, Deborah Sophia, Aishwarya Venogupal, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, David Gregorio, Nick Zieminski, Matthew Lewis, Lincoln Organizations: Adobe Digital, Retailers, Adobe Analytics, Investments, Shoppers, Workers, REUTERS, SSA & Company, Walmart, Sizemore Capital Management, Target, Graphics, Insider Intelligence, Thomson Locations: Scottsdale , Arizona, United States, Robbinsville Township, New Jersey, U.S, New York, Bengaluru

Spending online on Cyber Monday is set to reach as much as $12.4 billion, according to Adobe Digital Insights, which tracks data through Adobe's Experience Cloud service for e-commerce platforms. Last-minute shoppers on Monday could spend $4 billion between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. EST alone, it said. Other firms use different measurements to gauge purchases on Cyber Monday, the biggest online shopping day of the year in the United States. Salesforce, which tracks data flowing through its Commerce Cloud e-commerce service, said online sales on Cyber Monday were up by 4% by 4 p.m. EST, hitting $7 billion by late afternoon. Walmart, eager to capture market share, slashed prices on Sunday night, joining the trend of retailers' early discounts on major shopping days.

Persons: Salesforce, Eduardo Munoz, Brian Yacktman, Charles Sizemore, Sizemore, Siddharth Cavale, Deborah Sophia, Aishwarya Venogupal, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, David Gregorio, Nick Zieminski, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Adobe Digital, Adobe, Commerce, Shoppers, Workers, REUTERS, YCG Investments, Nike, Black, Sizemore Capital Management, Walmart, Amazon, Graphics, Insider Intelligence, Thomson Locations: United States, Robbinsville Township, New Jersey, U.S, New York, Bengaluru

Toys, games and hobby gear are on track to be less expensive this holiday season for the first time since 2020, while sporting goods prices are down this holiday for the first time since 2018, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)showed. To be sure, prices overall are higher in 2023 despite slowed price growth, with October's consumer price index climbing to 3.2% year-over-year. The figure remained flat on a month-over-month basis, signaling some holiday item prices may be slow to come down. Despite a dip in sporting goods prices, they continue to pace above 2019 levels. Walmart WMT.N said prices of general merchandise - clothing, electronics, furniture - had declined by low to mid-single-digit percentages versus last year, enabling the retailer to cut prices this holiday season.

Persons: Theresa Forsberg, Jill Lizzo, Barbie, Walmart WMT.N, it's, ”, Christina Hennington, Vincent Alban, Jessica Ramirez, Jane Hali, Jeffrey Roach, Macy's, Kevin Simpson, Simpson, Siddharth Cavale, Amina Niasse, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Walmart, Reuters Graphics Reuters, REUTERS, Associates, LPL, Dick's Sporting, Reuters, Wealth, Target, Home Depot, Wayback Machine, Thomson Locations: New Milford , Connecticut, New York's Harlem, Chicago , Illinois, U.S, New York

[1/6] People load up their newly purchased items from Best Buy on Black Friday in Wheaton-Glenmont, Maryland, U.S., November 24, 2023. A record 130.7 million people are expected to shop in stores and online in the U.S. on Black Friday this year, the National Retail Federation (NRF) estimates. But at 6 a.m. on Friday at a Walmart in New Milford, Connecticut, the parking lot was only half full. "It's a lot quieter this year, a lot quieter," said shopper Theresa Forsberg, who visits the same five stores with her family at dawn every Black Friday. And the rise of online shopping has reduced the importance of Black Friday as a single-day event.

Persons: Leah Millis, Cowen, David Klink, Theresa Forsberg, Michael Brown, Kearney, Jeff Gennette, Jimmy Lee, there's, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, Oscar de, Carlos Araejo, Ruiz, It’s, ”, Paul Aheren, Puma, Siddharth Cavale, Helen Reid, Arriana McLymore, Katherine Masters, Andrew Hay, Bianca Flowers, Danielle Broadway, James Davey, Deborah Sophia, Miral Fahmy, Nick Zieminski, Frances Kerry Organizations: REUTERS, Shoppers, Huntington Private Bank, Walmart, Target, National Retail Federation, Garden, Insider Intelligence, Macy's, Adobe Analytics, Wealth Consulting, Amazon, Adobe, Nordstrom, “, Saks, Puma, Israel Football Association, IFA, Thomson Locations: Wheaton, Glenmont , Maryland, U.S, RALEIGH, N.C, New Milford , Connecticut, Paramus , New Jersey, Indianapolis, Israel, Palestine, United States, Dallas, Raleigh, Crabtree, Boston

Brokerage TD Cowen lowered its U.S. holiday spending estimate to 2% to 3% growth, from 4% to 5%, as it forecast flat Black Friday traffic. With many consumers squeezed by persistent inflation and high interest rates, U.S. holiday spending is expected to rise at the slowest pace in five years. A record 130.7 million people are expected to shop in stores and online in the U.S. on Black Friday this year, the National Retail Federation (NRF) estimates. In France, Italy, and Spain, most shoppers planned to buy clothing on Black Friday, with electronic goods coming second, according to a PwC survey. Thanksgiving Day discounts online peaked at about 28% for toys, while electronics had discounts as steep as 27%, Adobe said.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, Cowen, Theresa Forsberg, “ It’s, ”, Jill Lizzo, she’s, “, I’m, Lizzo, PwC, hasn’t, Naomi Ojomo, Jeff Gennette, Barbie, John Roberts, Apple AirPods, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, Oscar de, Katherine Masters, Arriana McLymore, Helen Reid, Mimosa Spencer, Corina Pons, James Davey, Siddharth Cavale, Arriana, Deboarh Sophia, David Gaffen, Miral Fahmy, Nick Zieminski, Frances Kerry Organizations: Black, REUTERS, Shoppers, National Retail Federation, Insider Intelligence, Barclays, Macy's, Adobe Analytics, Adobe, Walmart, Argos, PlayStation, Apple, Thomson Locations: Westbury , New York, U.S, RALEIGH, N.C, New Milford , Connecticut, . U.S, Harlem, Manhattan, France, Italy, Spain, Zara, Canary Wharf, London, British, Paris, Madrid, New York, Raleigh , North Carolina, Bengaluru

A child looks at toys in a Target store ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday and traditional Black Friday sales in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. November 21, 2023. Toys, games and hobby gear are on track to be less expensive this holiday season for the first time since 2020, while sporting goods prices are down this holiday for the first time since 2018, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)showed. Walmart WMT.N said prices of general merchandise - clothing, electronics, furniture - had declined by low to mid-single-digit percentages versus last year, enabling the retailer to cut prices this holiday season. Black Friday discounts are 30% to 50% at major retailers and could go deeper later in the season. "You're going to see margin compression and potentially lower sales," said Simpson, whose firm holds shares in Walmart and Home Depot.

Persons: Vincent Alban, Barbie, Walmart WMT.N, it's, ”, Christina Hennington, Jessica Ramirez, Jane Hali, Jeffrey Roach, Kevin Simpson, Simpson, Siddharth Cavale, Amina Niasse, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Walmart, Associates, LPL, Wayback Machine, Dick's Sporting, Reuters, Wealth, Target, Home Depot, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Macy's, New York

Brokerage TD Cowen lowered its U.S. holiday spending estimate to 2% to 3% growth, from 4% to 5%, as it forecast flat Black Friday traffic. With many consumers squeezed by persistent inflation and high interest rates, U.S. holiday spending is expected to rise at the slowest pace in five years. But at 6 a.m. on Friday at a Walmart in New Milford, Connecticut, the parking lot was only half full. "It's a lot quieter this year, a lot quieter," said shopper Theresa Forsberg, who visits the same five stores with her family at dawn every Black Friday. The rise of online shopping has reduced the importance of Black Friday as a single-day event.

Persons: Cowen, David Klink, ”, Barbara Kahn, Theresa Forsberg, Michael Brown, Kearney, Jimmy Lee, Leah Millis, there's, Jeff Gennette, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, Oscar de, Carlos Araejo, Ruiz, It’s, Paul Aheren, Puma, Siddharth Cavale, Helen Reid, Arriana McLymore, Katherine Masters, Andrew Hay, Bianca Flowers, Danielle Broadway, James Davey, Deborah Sophia, Miral Fahmy, Nick Zieminski, Frances Kerry, Leslie Adler Organizations: Shoppers, Huntington Private Bank, Walmart, Target, Ross Stores, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, “, National Retail Federation, Garden, Insider Intelligence, Adobe Analytics, Adobe, Wealth Consulting, Amazon, REUTERS, Nordstrom, Saks, Protesters, Puma, Israel Football Association, Thomson Locations: RALEIGH, N.C, U.S, New Milford , Connecticut, Paramus , New Jersey, Wheaton, Glenmont , Maryland, Indianapolis, Israel, Palestine, United States, Dallas, Raleigh, Crabtree, Boston

☆ Walmart lifts targets as shoppers pick low-priced groceries for the holiday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Siddharth Cavale/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 16 (Reuters) - Walmart (WMT.N) raised its annual sales and profit forecast on Thursday for the second straight quarter, signaling a strong start to the holiday season. The strong demand for low-priced products from groceries to clothing and gifts, coupled with better in-stock levels, has helped Walmart take more market share from other retailers - including dollar stores - in recent months. Walmart now expects fiscal 2024 earnings per share of between $6.40 and $6.48, up from its prior forecast of $6.36 to $6.46. Walmart is also doubling down on holiday merchandise across a wide range of price points to attract inflation-hit customers looking to make Christmas purchases on a budget. Walmart shares, which have gained nearly 20% this year, were down 1% in premarket trading.

Persons: Siddharth Cavale, Doug McMillon, Deborah Sophia, Susan Fenton Organizations: REUTERS, Walmart, Target, Walmart U.S, Walmart's, Thomson Locations: Teterboro , New Jersey, U.S, New York, Bengaluru

The big-box retailer's stock has lost a quarter of its value in a turbulent year marked by elevated inflation. Shoppers have focused on food and essentials purchases while spending less on home goods, electronics, toys and apparel. Target sales declined by an average 7% in August and September alongside declines in transaction count and value, TD Cowen said in a note ahead of its earnings. On Wednesday, Target forecast adjusted earnings to land between $1.90 and $2.60 per share in the fourth quarter. It also expects holiday-quarter comparable sales to decline in the mid-single-digit percentage range, compared with expectations of a 3.97% drop.

Persons: Brian Cornell, Cornell, TD Cowen, Kendra Scott, Lucy Nicholson, Brian Mulberry, Price, Dave Wagner, Siddharth Cavale, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, Matthew Lewis, Chizu Nomiyama, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Target, Shoppers, Schwarz, Azusa , California U.S, REUTERS, Zacks Investment Management, Walmart, Consumer, Retail's, . Commerce Department, Aptus Capital Advisors, Thomson Locations: Azusa , California, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland , Oregon, Bengaluru

Target, like other U.S. retailers, has been struggling with slowing sales as consumers show more caution in the face of steep inflation. This profit performance benefited from ... efficiency and disciplined inventory management," Target CEO Brian Cornell said in a statement. In August, the retailer cut its full-year sales and profit expectations to reflect the impact of slowing consumer demand. Target said on Wednesday it expects holiday-quarter comparable sales to decline in the mid-single-digit percentage range, compared with expectations of a 3.97% drop. Target shares have lost 25.7% of their value this year, in contrast to rival Walmart's (WMT.N) 18.2% rise.

Persons: Lucy Nicholson, Brian Cornell, Cornell, Walmart's, Siddharth Cavale, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Azusa , California U.S, REUTERS, Walmart, Thomson Locations: Azusa , California, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland , Oregon, Bengaluru

Regulators have so far not mandated any minimum net worth or investor qualifications for those trading stock options, and the stock markets almost always rise each year - both recipes for higher risk-taking and complacency. The "stark" increase in daily options trading turnover raises issues of investor protection, said Ajay Tyagi, former SEBI chief. The platform has seen an uptick in futures and options trading activity, Zerodha said in response to Reuters queries. Siddharth Joshi, a 36-year old from Surat in western India, said he lost 200,000 rupees trading options on Adani Enterprises (ADEL.NS) shares in January. "In options trading, I know my loss is capped but there is an opportunity to make maximum profit," he said.

Persons: Francis Mascarenhas, Mihir Vora, SEBI, Ashish Chauhan, Ajay Tyagi, Kailash, Bhavesh Shah, Shah, Zerodha, Siddharth Joshi, he's, Ira Dugal, Vidya Ranganathan, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Bombay Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Rights, Securities, Exchange Board of India, Trust Mutual Fund, National Stock Exchange of India Ltd, BSE Ltd, Reuters, Axis Mutual Fund, National Stock Exchange, Adani Enterprises, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, Rights MUMBAI, South Korea, Bhavesh, Ahmedabad, Surat

LSEG Workspace, a financial news and data platform, calculated inventory turnover ratios of 30 major U.S. retailers for Reuters. "I am relatively pessimistic about the holiday season," said Gerald Storch, retail consultant and former Target vice chairman and ex-CEO of Hudson's Bay. Department stores' holiday season is "likely not going to be that strong," said David Swartz, a Morningstar analyst. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsTo be sure, inventory turnover is not the only metric Wall Street investors use to judge retailers' inventory levels. Some are already slashing prices and dangling discounts to clear excess inventory before Black Friday, the start of holiday shopping season.

Persons: King, King of Prussia, Sarah Silbiger, Gerald Storch, Jeff Bornino, David Swartz, Ulta, pare, Jason Benowitz, Joseph Feldman, Jane Hali, Nordstrom, Brian Mulberry, Savyata Mishra, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, Richa Naidu, Siddharth Cavale, Aishwarya Venugopal, Rod Nickel Organizations: REUTERS, Dollar, Walmart, Reuters, North America, Kroger, Department, Morningstar, TJX Companies, Dick's Sporting, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Roosevelt, Telsey Advisory, Research, Associates, Nordstrom, Zacks Investment Management, Thomson Locations: King of, King, King of Prussia , Pennsylvania, U.S, Hudson's, North

☆ Walmart, Target earnings to offer clues on crucial holiday season
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Siddharth Cavale | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

But rising credit card debt, depleted pandemic-era savings, and higher interest rates are giving investors pause, betting that retail bellwethers like Walmart and Target will have too much merchandise and be forced to discount during the holiday season. Walmart's decision so far to not hire seasonal holiday workers is a telling sign, Walmart investor Sizemore Capital Management told Reuters. The National Retail Federation predicts U.S. holiday sales in 2023 to rise at the slowest pace in five years. But Walmart and Target began offering some holiday discounts as early as October. "I don't see" food price inflation crowding out sales of more discretionary goods as "as big of an issue this holiday season as last holiday season," D.A.

Persons: they're, Charles Sizemore, Brian Cornell, " Sizemore, TD Cowen, D.A, Davidson, Rubbermaid, Helen of Troy, Target, Scott, Michael Baker, Siddharth Cavale, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Walmart, Target, U.S, Capital Management, Reuters, National Retail Federation, Newell Brands, Hydro, Thomson Locations: New York

REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) punished its own sellers to limit Walmart's reach as Walmart got into e-commerce, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Like Amazon, Walmart operates a third-party online marketplace, with merchandise from thousands of independent sellers. This, Amazon realized, could result in sellers passing on those savings to customers, the FTC said. To hamstring Jet.com, Amazon removed some third-party sellers' offers from its Buy Box. Amazon spokesperson Tim Doyle said the FTC "grossly mischaracterizes" the pricing tool and the company stopped using it several years ago.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, it's, Burt Flickinger, Jet.com, Tim Doyle, Siddharth Cavale, Vanessa O'Connell, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Amazon.com Inc, Walmart, Federal Trade Commission, Jet.com, Amazon, FTC, Jet, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, New York

☆ Walmart pledges $1 million aid for Israel victims
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Siddharth Cavale | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Walmart Foundation, the philanthropy arm of the U.S. retailer, has pledged $1 million to an Israeli disaster relief and emergency medical service organization. UBS , Goldman Sachs (GS.N) and Jefferies are among companies to have pledged aid to Israel. As the Israel-Hamas conflict intensifies, others, including billionaire Elon Musk, are providing aid in the Middle East in other ways. Walmart does not operate stores in Israel, but employs 171 people in the country who work for its tech arm Walmart Global Tech, its Walmart U.S. operations and its Flipkart business in India. Walmart said its donation follows a $1 million grant the Walmart Foundation pledged to the U.S.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Jefferies, Magen David Adom, Ofer Saban, Elon Musk, SpaceX's, Saban, Siddharth Cavale Organizations: Walmart Foundation, UBS, Walmart, Walmart Global Tech, Walmart U.S, . Holocaust Museum, Thomson Locations: U.S, Jerusalem, Israel, Gaza, India, New York

☆ Walmart to upgrade 1,400 stores with $9 billion investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Siddharth Cavale | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

On Friday, 117 stores in 30 states will be re-launched showcasing the enhancements, representing investments of more than $500 million, Walmart said in a statement. In total, it plans to modernize more than 1,400 of its 4,717 Walmart stores across the country. As part of those efforts, the company tested some remodeled concept stores called "Stores of the Future" at a few Walmart Supercenters, including Teterboro in New Jersey, earlier this year. Monday's investments mark the national rollout of that concept, a Walmart spokesperson said. The enhanced stores will have refreshed interiors and exteriors, with new paint, updated flooring, modernized restrooms, LED-lighting and new signage for brighter and easier navigation through the stores, the company said.

Persons: John Furner, Siddharth Cavale, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Investment, Walmart, Sam's, Thomson Locations: Bentonville , Arkansas, New Jersey, New York

He said creating different ads for various audiences can be expensive and expects Amazon's AI tools to save money for advertisers. Brendan Witcher, a principal analyst at Forrester, said that Amazon's generative AI ad tool will be "good for attracting and keeping a segment of third-party sellers and brands advertising on Amazon." Other companies including Ascendly Marketing are using generative AI imaging tools that combine pictures of public figures with products. His clients are seeing a bump in sales and Google click-through rates, a trend that Amazon wants to see for its own generative AI ad tools during the holiday season. Analysts expect Amazon's advertising business to earn $14.2 billion during the holiday quarter, up from $11.56 billion a year earlier, according to LSEG estimates.

Persons: Soren Larson, Andy Jassy, Jassy, Andy Friedland, Brendan Witcher, Forrester, Elvis Presley, Marshal Davis, Friedland, Witcher, Ascendly's Davis, Davis, Arriana McLymore, Siddharth Cavale, Rod Nickel Organizations: REUTERS, Black, Amazon, Ascendly, Google, Amazon's, Thomson Locations: Melville , New York, U.S, New York City

☆ Walmart staffed up for holidays; US retailers cautious about economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Siddharth Cavale | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"We're staffed and ready to serve the customers this holiday season," Maren Dollwet Wagonner, senior vice-president of people, said in a LinkedIn postlast week. Walmart, like other retail chains, has been cautious in its holiday season outlook, saying customers are stressed by high food prices, depleted savings and higher interest rates. The statement from America's largest private employer with 1.7 million employees offered analysts insight into possible holiday shopping results. Except for Amazon, which plans to hire 250,000 holiday season workers, several other U.S. chains including Macy's have issued muted hiring plans for the period. While U.S. retail job applications are up 46%, job openings are down 25% and actual retail hiring is down by 12% in the year through September, according to talent acquisition company iCIMS.

Persons: Kamil Krzaczynski, sprees, We're, Maren Dollwet Wagonner, Andrew Challenger, Neil Costa, Walmart's, Spencer, Siddharth Cavale, Mark Porter, Richard Chang Organizations: Walmart, REUTERS, Challenger, U.S, Walmart's LinkedIn, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Britain, New York

Search resuls for: "Siddharth"

25 mentions found