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5/15/23

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ISCPO Appoints Three Members to its Board of Directors

Dallas, TX (May 15, 2023) – The International Supply Chain Protection Organization (ISCPO.org) announced today three new additions to its Board of Directors: Dr. Alex del Carmen – Founder & CEO of Del Carmen Consulting, Tracy Nini – President of WRC INC. and Paul Ganz – Senior Director of Asset Protection for The Home Depot.

“As we continue to expand our footprint into different business verticals, the three industry professionals are going to be a great compliment to the current board of directors”, states Glenn Master, ISCPO President and Chairman. “Paul will be leading our networking initiatives that connect current members to our preferred vendor partners. In addition, his experience in retail, supply chain loss prevention, will naturally assist in further connecting retail supply chain loss prevention with the ISCPO. Like Paul, Tracy Nini has an extensive network within retail loss prevention and will be leading the effort on membership, recruitment and veteran involvement with the organization. Lastly, the onboarding of Dr. Alex del Carmen is going

to add an entirely new benefit related to educational research and more specific to criminal justice trends that have an everyday impact on supply chain security and loss prevention”. Master concluded by stating “Our goal at the ISCPO is create a networking environment for both private and public sectors worldwide that are looking for a platform, where they can easily connect with peers who have direct involvement in the global supply chain”.

Read full press release here

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The U.S. Crime Surge
The Retail Impact

Crime the Top Reason for Big City Store Closures
But remote work and a glut of stores are also to blame

The real reasons stores are closing in San Francisco and other big cities

To reinvent downtown retail, drastic changes may be required.

Nordstrom. Walmart. Whole Foods. Starbucks. CVS. These big chains and others have closed stores in major US cities recently, raising alarm about the future of retail in some the country’s most prominent downtowns and business districts.

Several forces are pushing chains out of some city centers: a glut of stores, people working from home, online shopping, exorbitant rents, crime and public safety concerns, and difficulty hiring workers. To reinvent downtown retail, drastic changes may be required.

That means denser neighborhoods with a broader mix of affordable housing, experiential retail, restaurants, entertainment, parks and other amenities, which won’t happen overnight.

“Once [these cities] become true urban neighborhoods, then you will find retailing start to come back in different ways and forms,” said Terry Shook, a founding partner at consulting firm Shook Kelly.

Some of those policymakers, including both Republican and Democratic leaders, have pointed to crime as a chief reason for the closures, following videos of brazen shoplifting incidents.

But the impact of shoplifting may have been overstated in some cases. Walgreens said it saw a spike in losses, known as shrink, during the pandemic and cited organized retail crime in its decision to close five San Francisco stores in 2021. But it recently backtracked.

And instead of a strong correlation with crime rates, the closures aren’t also a recent phenomenon. San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, New York City, Seattle, Miami and Chicago lost retail stores from the beginning of 2017 to the end of 2021, according to research from the JPMorgan Chase Institute, a think tank.

What’s more, experts agree, the closures aren’t just about crime. Several trends have converged to put these stores at risk. Perhaps most key is the glut of stores in America. One major factor here is the pandemic-fueled shift to remote work. sbsun.com

Smash-and-Grab Gangs Targeting CVS Stores
Organized retail crime keeps increasing despite end of pandemic

Attacks on CVS stores in D.C. and Maryland are the latest example of what retailers call an "infuriating crime trend."

Gangs of grab-and-go thieves continue to strike the region's CVS stores as the retail industry battles a skyrocketing epidemic of what experts call "Organized Retail Crime" (ORC).

The crime trend, which gained momentum during the pandemic, according to corporate loss experts, has not slowed down. According to the most recent National Retail Federation Retail Security Survey the incidents were up 26.5% in the previous year according to merchants who answered the survey questions.

But a CVS executive recently told AXIOS that his chain has suffered a 300% increase in the aggressive form of shoplifting since the beginning of the pandemic.

"Members of store management are no longer allowed to attempt to recover product from customers who are shoplifting," read a screen grab of an email a person claiming to be an employee says was distributed by company managers. "Nor are they allowed to attempt to detain and/or apprehend customers that are shoplifting."

CVS says it will not comment on the post or the recent incidents in the D.C. area. But a person claiming to be a retail employee chimed in on Reddit: “The reason we don’t have security is that it increases the amount of 'aggressive' shoplifting -- i.e. they’re more likely to use their weapons," the poster wrote.

Others claim stores are simply “waving the white flag of surrender." A Walmart executive told MSNBC that theft is leading to rising prices and some store closures. He called on prosecutors to get aggressive on organized shoplifting cases. The losses are nearing $100 billion per year in the U.S., according to the National Retail Federation. wusa9.com

New Retail Theft Bill With Tough Shoplifting Punishments & Jail Time
(Update) Shoplifting in Alabama could land people in prison under ‘retail theft’ bill
The Alabama Senate Thursday approved a bill that creates harsher punishments for people convicted of stealing from retailers. SB 206, sponsored by Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, creates a new crime of “retail theft” and makes some thefts felonies punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Chambliss said on the floor of the Senate Thursday that the state does not currently have a section dealing with shoplifting. “Those crimes are prosecuted under the theft statute, and it doesn’t exactly fit,” he said. “This would create a section dealing specifically with shoplifting.”

A similar bill stalled in the House amid concern from House Judiciary Committee members that the punishments were draconian and could send mothers to prison for taking baby formula.

The bill creates a new set of offenses. First degree retail theft, when a person steals a firearm from a store; steals more than $2,500 worth of items or takes items worth more than $1,000 from a store over a six-month period $1,000 is a class B felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Retail theft in the second degree, involving theft of an item between $500 and $2,500, would be a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Retail theft in the third degree, covering theft of items under $500 is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $6,000 fine.

A fourth or subsequent conviction for retail theft would be a Class C felony, punishable up to 10 years of prison.

The bill also creates a crime of organized retail theft, involving two or more people conspiring to commit retail theft or shoplifting, or receiving stolen property. The bill would make that a Class B felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. al.com

NY Retailers Urge Lawmakers to Pass New Retail Theft Bills
Op-Ed: Save bodega workers! Albany must crack down on retail theft
Shoplifting with impunity is killing the city’s bodegas, drugstores, and other small shops (except the illegal pot shops, sigh), and plaguing higher-end biz as well. It’s also endangering the people who earn their living in retail.

Perps regularly threaten workers who move to stop them, pulling knives and clubs and beating up cashiers and clerks.

Weeks ago, state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-SI) and Assemblyman Manny De Los Santos (D-Inwood) introduced a bill to make assaulting retail workers a felony, bail-eligible offense — giving them the same protection as transit employees, EMTs, cops, firefighters, and other “frontline” workers.

Another bill, intro’d Feb. 8 by state Sen. Kevin Thomas (D-LI) and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bx), would elevate petit larceny from a misdemeanor to a felony if committed within two years of a prior conviction.

Pushing both measures is Collective Action to Protect Our Stores, which issued fresh alarms last week after the Legislature declined to pass either along with the new budget.

Its chief, Nelson Eusebio, begged last week, “Our stores cannot continue like this. We are part of your community. We need you to support us. Albany please wake up!”

The plague they face is only getting worse, as retail theft continues to rise. This, though “shoplifting is vastly underreported” since “merchants have made approximately 63,000 complaints — most going unresolved.”

CAPOS is also hoping that DAs make greater use of the “Harm on Harm” tool to get tougher on serial offenders, since “327 offenders accounted for 30% of New York City’s 22,000 retail theft arrests in 2022,” while “recidivists were arrested almost 6,600 times, for an average of 20 times each.” nypost.com

Downtown St. Paul expands Street Team patrols into West 7th Street neighborhood

Commercial properties in the downtown improvement district pay assessments for cleaning and safety services.

Unleashing a group of cleaning, graffiti-erasing and hospitality ambassadors into a popular stretch known for its restaurants, small businesses, hockey fans and bar hopping.

The privately funded and operated improvement district provides special services — including Street Team patrols and a safety communications center — in exchange for annual assessments. Downtown businesses banded together to create the district to respond to needs in St. Paul's urban core that fell outside of government purview, or that weren't being addressed quickly and regularly.

The district contracts the Downtown Alliance to manage operations like the safety center, where a dispatcher helps coordinate communications between private security teams, police and social service agencies. With a camera-sharing program and live communication channel, officials in the center are able to see and spread real-time safety information throughout the downtown network. startribune.com

Why Are Retail Stores Locking Up Basic Necessities?

Shrewsbury, MO police combat retail theft

Texas Mall Massacre Fallout Continues Nationwide

200 Rallies Held Nationwide in Response to Texas Mall Shooting
Gun Violence Rally Held One Week After Deadly Mass Shooting in Allen

The rally was one of about 200 rallies nationwide Saturday organized by Moms Demand Action

Hundreds gathered in Allen demanding changes in gun laws one week after a gunman killed eight people and injured seven others at a mall.

The rally Saturday by Greek Park in Allen was organized by Moms Demand Action, which planned to hold rallies in about 200 cities this weekend. In light of the shooting at Allen Premium Outlets, Moms Demand Action volunteer Alyssa Wallace said their message was more important now than ever.

“Mothers Day of Action was planned to encourage and demand that Congress reinstate the assault weapons ban. It was in place previously. We’re calling on Congress to act,” Wallace said.

The discussion of gun reform was brought up this week in Austin, with a gun bill hitting a House wall. House Bill 2744 would raise the minimum age to buy semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21. While it passed a House committee on Monday, it was not scheduled for a House vote Thursday.

State Rep. Jeff Leach ( R-Plano), whose district includes Allen, said he is an unwavering supporter of the second amendment. At the same time, he said he was open to meaningful discussions on possible policies to prevent tragedies like the shooting in Allen.

Asked whether he would have supported House Bill 2744, Rep. Leach said he would not. Advocates of gun reform said Saturday, their work is not done. nbcdfw.com

The Business & Mental Health Impact of Texas Mall Shooting
The popular outlet mall will remain closed until all the victims' funerals take place

Allen outlet mall store employee talks about hiding from gunman, how it's impacted her and others
Mental health is often a frequent topic of conversation following a tragedy, such as the one that happened at the Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday. Business owners in a nearby shopping told WFAA that some employees decided not to return to work.

Stacy Holwerda is the general manager of Liberty Burger, located on the 800 block of West Stacy Road. She says things have been slow at the eatery since last weekend.

“We don’t know how long it’s going to be different…do we shut down for a day? Do we shut down for a week for a month? Who knows? You don’t know how long this is going to affect everybody,” said Holwerda.

The restaurant remains open, but Holwerda says one employee has already quit.

“He messaged us and was talking to his family, and they thought it was best for him to not stay employed and not come back effective immediately. That’s the last I’ve heard from him unfortunately," Holwerda says.

Holwerda understands that some of her employees are struggling and checks in with them to make sure they are okay. Meanwhile, those who worked at the outlet mall still don’t know when they will return to work.

Property owners say the Allen Premium Outlets will remain closed until all the funerals of those who lost their lives have taken place. wfaa.com

Lawmakers Take Action to Tighten Gun Laws
Public safety bill brings gun reform to Minnesota at last

Red flag law and expanded background checks will make the state safer.

As it struggles to continue turning the corner on crime, Minnesota desperately needs a substantial infusion to its public safety efforts on all fronts, from crime prevention to enforcement of laws to the judiciary and corrections.

This year's public safety bill answers many of those needs. Well-balanced among prevention, enforcement and accountability, it features, most notably, sensible gun reforms that focus on expanding background checks — critical to determining those who should not have access to firearms — and a red-flag law that would give hope at last to those who want to keep firearms out of the hands of loved ones struggling with mental illness. startribune.com

Funeral services begin for Allen mall shooting victims
Funerals have begun for the eight victims of the mass shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets. And mall management told WFAA that the stores there will remain closed, at the very least, until all of the funerals are over.

Buffalo holds remembrance on anniversary of grocery store mass shooting

New York sues gun component maker for alleged aiding illegal possession of assault weapons, including by Buffalo grocery store mass shooter

Safety Violations Continue to Plague Dollar General Stores
Workers say their hours have been cut, creating a mess of merchandise at stores.

Dollar General's troubles have snowballed into cluttered aisles and stores forced to close by fire marshals

A shortage of person power makes it tough to unpack new merchandise and update inventory.

Current and former employees who spoke to Insider say clutter at Dollar General stores has gotten worse over the last few years. They've said staffing issues, including cut hours and poor wages, are at least partially to blame because employees must choose between helping customers and stocking shelves.

At locations from Louisiana to Maine, stacks of unpacked candy, toilet paper, barbeque sauce, and pet food have attracted attention from local fire marshals, who have ordered some stores to close when the clutter blocks exits or access to fire extinguishers, Insider previously reported.

The clutter is one of the reasons that the Department of Labor labeled Dollar General a "severe violator" in March. The chain has racked up more than $15 million in fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and is in early talks with the federal government over a settlement, The New York Times reported in March.

A spokesperson for Dollar General said: "Our goal is to provide stores with the resources they need, including the appropriate labor budgets, to support our expectations of a clean, well-stocked shopping environment as well as excellent customer service."

An employee in Michigan said the hour cuts started about a year ago. Another in the Midwest said their store cut their hours, along with others' at their store and in their district, at the start of 2023.

Some stores have a single employee on duty for several hours at a time, according to three of the employees who spoke to Insider.

The risks of being the only employee on duty extend beyond fire hazards. The stores are frequent targets for robberies, some of which have been deadly, CNN and ProPublica reported in 2020. In January, a Dollar General clerk was charged with manslaughter after police said he shot and killed an armed robber. The clerk said it was the sixth attempted armed robbery at that store since August. businessinsider.com

Retail Hit Hard By the Pandemic in NYC
The industry impacts are still being felt across the city

NYC jobs recovering from pandemic, but uneven growth could deepen inequality
Jobs in NYC have come almost all the way back since the pandemic – but the recovery has been uneven. Industries long-considered the working-class lifeblood of the city – tourism, retail and restaurants – have been hit harder than others, threatening to deepen economic inequalities in the city.

Thousands of jobs still haven’t been recovered in restaurants, delis, department stores, Broadway musicals and sports, according to data from the state comptroller’s office.

“We need these sectors, which employ hundreds of thousands of workers, to also regain their full pre-pandemic strength to ensure the city’s economic recovery is more robust and inclusive of all New Yorkers,” DiNapoli said in a statement.

A large portion of the job losses are mostly in the service industry, with low barriers to entry. They employ immigrants and people without college degrees. Job recovery, skewed towards high-paying jobs, potentially keeping lower-income workers down as they struggle to come back from the impact of the pandemic.

Retail, too, took a hit it hasn’t yet rebounded from, recovering about 87% of jobs it lost since the pandemic. According to the comptroller’s numbers, it’s not projected to recover until 2027.

The restaurant sector is faring slightly better, recovering around 95% of pre-pandemic jobs, despite the state recovering 97% of jobs and the nation recovering all of them and adding more. nydailynews.com

The COVID Emergency Is Over - But City Centers Are Forever Changed
Shifting to life post-Covid: How remote work transformed this city in the Midwest

It’s been more than three years since the global pandemic sent workers accustomed to five-day, in-person work weeks away from offices.

It’s been more than three years since the global pandemic sent workers accustomed to five-day, in-person work weeks away from offices. Many desk workers are still working from home for at least some of the week. That’s because remote and hybrid work models originally adopted as a short-term solution have shown staying power, even with the global public health emergency officially declared over.

The trend has, in turn, changed the aesthetic and culture of downtown centers across the country that could once rely on an influx of commuters. In Lansing, that change is seen in different work hours, more housing and new event spaces as community and business leaders try to reimagine what and who the downtown caters to. It’s all being done in a bid to attract people to live or visit as reality sets in that Lansing and other cities can no longer thrive on office-centric economies.

Workers across the country have pushed to keep remote privileges even as executives at giant companies such as Disney to Tesla try to get their employees back into the office at least part time. cnbc.com

The Downtown & Mall Exodus
Retailers Moving to the Burbs
Department stores, apparel brands, restaurants and other specialty retailers want to be closer to supermarkets and other essential tenants that generate regular visits from work-from-home consumers. Thus, many are closing low-traffic locations in malls and downtown areas in favor of suburban neighborhood centers. icsi.com

Foot Locker closing 400 underperforming mall stores by 2026 & open approx. 300 in streetfronts & open-air centers

Carter’s has 50 store openings scheduled for 2023, plans to add 1,000+ by 2027

Jenny Craig shutting the doors of most of its 500 North American weight loss centers

Scotch & Soda closes several US stores

Quarterly Results

Prada Q1 retail sales up 23%, Miu Miu sales up 42%, Prada Brand sales up 21%, Group sales up 22%

Richemont FY Group retail up 22%, online up 12%, wholesale up 14%, total sales up 19%

Last week's #1 article --

Mall Shooter Was Reportedly a Security Guard
Allen outlet shooting suspect identified as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia
The gunman who carried out the deadly shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets Saturday afternoon has been identified as Mauricio Garcia, multiple sources told CBS News Texas.

Garcia, 33, had been living at a motel and did not have any felonies, J.D. Miles reported. He was reportedly working as a security guard.

Miles added that Garcia's younger brother, Christian-who has a lengthy criminal record-has been inaccurately accused of being the gunman. President Biden has since responded to the shooting, even stating that Garcia used an AR-15 style assault weapon to carry out the massacre.

According to the Mass Shooting Tracker, Allen marked the 242nd mass shooting in the United States this year. cbsnews.com

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As retail makes its comeback, it is more important than ever to conserve resources. This is especially important for reducing unnecessary and unexpected spending. Finding ways to reduce costs can be challenging, especially if your team has done a good job of doing more with less. We recommend looking to your foundational LP/AP programs to see if there are opportunities for tighter cost controls - like your key control program.

Locks and keys should be doing more to support the profitability of your organization. Swapping out basic brass locks and keys for a managed Key Control Program can make a big difference, even if you are already using interchangeable cores.

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Restricted, serialized keys (keys that cannot be duplicated) put tighter controls on key holder compliance. When keys cannot be duplicated, you can always know what keys are in circulation and who has them.
When keys go missing, our user-rekeyable key cores can be rekeyed (without locksmith service) up to nine times before a core needs to be replaced.
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When you partner with InstaKey, you get a dedicated team of Key Control experts as an extension of your in-house team. We support your Key Control Program to provide materials and best practices to keep a tight control on keyed security and costs.

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Uber's CISO Case Precedent - Employment Agreements Need to Protect CISOs
A CISO Employment Contract May Mean the Difference Between Success and Jail
On May 4, 2023, U.S. District Judge William Orrick sentenced former Uber CISO and former DOJ cybercrime prosecutor Joe Sullivan to three years of probation and 200 hours of community service for his role in concealing a massive data breach at Uber from the public and from the FTC.

While the court rejected the government’s request for 15 months of jail for the former prosecutor, the court also did not accept Sullivan’s assertions that his activities were simply “normal” activities for a CISO in response to a data breach.

The prosecution noted that the many letters of support he received from members of the cybersecurity community did not understand the nature and facts of the Uber case and that fears expressed by CISOs that they could face criminal prosecution for simply doing their jobs reflected the fact that these CISOs “don’t have a clear picture of what happened” in the Sullivan case.

The judge also emphasized the fact that Uber, in general, and Sullivan, in particular, failed in their obligations to protect the public from the breach and obstructed the FTC investigation and response to a previous data breach.

While Sullivan was able to avoid a prison sentence, the case raises serious questions about how CISOs can ensure that they have a successful tenure with an organization, that they can ensure that their voice is heard and responded to and how they can ensure that they do not end up left hanging by their employer. Of course, there is no substitute for competence and hard work, but any CISO can expect data breaches, incidents and crises. That is the nature of the profession. There are a few things a CISO can do to protect themselves and their role within an organization from the outset.

Clear Understanding of Roles, Responsibilities and Reporting - Clear visibility to the CEO, president and the board of directors

Written Plans - The CISO, the President and the Board - Protecting the CISO - Exit Strategy - Invent and Create - Outside Work/Research/Board Memberships - Training and Education - Metrics and Measurements

Conclusion

The role of the CISO has become increasingly important in today’s digital landscape. However, as the case of Joe Sullivan has shown, the responsibilities of this role can also come with significant risks. CISOs should ensure that their employment contracts and agreements with their employers include provisions that protect them from legal and financial liabilities to help them do their job effectively and with greater peace of mind. securityboulevard.com

U.S. Leads in Breach Concealment - 70.7% Told to Keep Quiet
70% of US IT Leaders Told Not to Disclose Data Breaches
Not all cybersecurity breaches get reported. A new report from Bitdefender found that although IT leaders have an obligation to report attacks, over 42% of them have been told to keep quiet when a breach should have been reported. Shockingly, in the U.S., this number rises to 70.7%.

IT leaders may have reasons to keep attacks confidential, but the high rate of silence is alarming since it could further enable attackers and limit knowledge sharing about public vulnerabilities. Retaining confidentiality of data breaches may also go against new data breach laws in the U.S. and EU. But this is only one of many concerns around cybersecurity in 2023. IT professionals report grappling with rising threats, economic headwinds, and a shrinking staff lacking the proper security skills.

The Bitdefender 2023 Cybersecurity Assessment analyzed some of the top cybersecurity challenges organizations face in 2023. Below, we’ll examine the findings from the report and consider why a culture of silence exists around data breaches. We’ll look at the pressing cybersecurity threats across organizations and consider what solutions organizations need to evolve.

New Data on Concealing Breaches

Companies are likely worried about financial and reputational damage due to a data breach. Yet, if new regulations that require increased cybersecurity reporting are unmet, it could result in high legal repercussions and fines. As a result, 54.3% said they were worried about their company facing legal action due to a security breach being mismanaged. Again, in the U.S., where breach concealment is highest, 78.7% worried about facing legal action due to mishandling data breaches.

Conducted by Censuswide, the Bitdefender 2023 Cybersecurity Assessment surveyed 400 IT professionals working in organizations with over 1,000 employees in the U.S., Italy, UK, Germany, France and Spain. For further insights, you can pick up a copy of the report behind an email gate here. securityboulevard.com

Attackers Continue to Adapt
Cybercriminals have adapted since Microsoft’s decision to block macros

Microsoft's decision to disable macros by default last year has forced hacking crews to find new, and sometimes old, ways to get a foothold.

Microsoft’s decision to disable macros by default has resulted in “vastly different … attack chains” from cybercriminals and a “new normal of threat activity,” researchers with the cybersecurity firm Proofpoint said Friday.

Macros — which enable certain automation in particular file types — were long a favorite way for hackers to lace documents with malicious scripts to download malware onto targeted systems during email phishing campaigns, the researchers said in a new report. But after Microsoft’s February 2022 decision, which the company fully implemented by July, attacks enabled through macros have dropped off precipitously, the researchers said in a report published Friday ahead of a talk at the Sluethcon cybercrime conference in Arlington, Virginia.

The analysis based off data gathered and analyzed between January 2021 through March 2023 notes that phishing campaigns relying on macros dropped nearly 66%, “and so far in 2023, macros have barely made an appearance in campaign data.”

A class of cybercriminal known as initial access brokers for their role in gaining access to victim assets and then selling it to others have nevertheless adapted. Proofpoint said its telemetry allows for analyzing billions of messages per day, revealing “widespread threat actor experimentation in malware payload delivery, using old filetypes, unexpected attack chains, and a variety of techniques that result in malware infections, including ransomware.” cyberscoop.com

Microsoft 365 Phishing
New Phishing-as-a-Service Platform Lets Cybercriminals Generate Convincing Phishing Pages
A new phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS or PaaS) platform named Greatness has been leveraged by cybercriminals to target business users of the Microsoft 365 cloud service since at least mid-2022, effectively lowering the bar to entry for phishing attacks.

"Greatness, for now, is only focused on Microsoft 365 phishing pages, providing its affiliates with an attachment and link builder that creates highly convincing decoy and login pages," Cisco Talos researcher Tiago Pereira said.

"It contains features such as having the victim's email address pre-filled and displaying their appropriate company logo and background image, extracted from the target organization's real Microsoft 365 login page." thehackernews.com

Fed takedowns continue to frustrate cybercriminals
Botnet takedowns take the fight to the enemy and use the hacker’s own tools against them

WordPress Plugin Used in 1M+ Websites Patched to Close Critical Bug

Top 3 trends shaping the future of cybersecurity and IAM

Amazon's Massive Shipping Overhaul
Amazon Overhauls Delivery Network to Dispatch Packages Faster, More Cheaply

Company seeks to trim package travel time, though some sellers still cite delays

Amazon.com has upended its vast logistics network to reduce how far packages travel across the U.S. in an effort to get products to customers faster and improve profitability.

The company’s overhaul has cut delivery times, transformed inventory management and altered the search results customers see on its flagship e-commerce website, according to executives, analysts and sellers who list their items on Amazon. The move also appears to be improving the company’s bottom line.

The changes that have been rolled out in recent months represent one of the biggest shifts to Amazon’s system of shipping goods around the world.

That network swelled during the pandemic as Amazon added warehouses, trucks and staff to keep pace with surging demand that threw the company’s delivery operation into turbulence. Amazon hired at a breakneck pace and roughly doubled its U.S. warehouse space in two years. Amazon operates more than 1,000 facilities throughout the U.S., according to the logistics consultant MWPVL International.

Now, Amazon is trying to reduce spending by cutting back on some excess. It is reacting, in part, to slowing growth across several of its businesses, including in its North America unit that includes e-commerce sales. Revamping the delivery network became a priority after the pandemic’s rapid expansion, executives said.

Amazon sees a connection between delivery speeds and company growth.

“When we offer faster speeds, customers are more likely to buy something,” said Udit Madan, Amazon’s vice president of transportation. “They come back more often to shop with us.”

With the shake-up, Amazon has altered how it has done things for years. The company traditionally operated its domestic shipping on a national model, transporting products desired by customers across the country—even if that cost more. In the past year, Amazon created eight regions that are designed to work self-sufficiently. The arrangement means Amazon doesn’t move items outside of each region unless it has to, Mr. Madan said. Items commonly bought are now increasingly placed throughout the country to be closer to customers, he said. wsj.com

'Live Shopping': The Next Big Move in E-Commerce?
The Companies Trying to Make Live Shopping a Thing in the U.S.

The market for selling goods in real time online is relatively small, but a number of start-ups and big tech names are betting American consumers will catch on.

Poshmark is one of many companies racing to break into the United States’ nascent live shopping market, which is estimated to bring in $32 billion in sales this year, according to the retail consulting firm Coresight Research. Eying the live shopping market in China, which, by comparison, is projected to bring in $647 billion this year, American companies have for years poured money into the medium, where people buy and sell products in real time over video. But American consumers have yet to take to live shopping in the same way.

In 2016, the e-commerce giant Alibaba launched Taobao Live, popularizing live shopping in China. The livestream landscape is much more fragmented in the United States, but even as shoppers return to stores, retailers and large tech firms are betting that consumers will continue searching for, and purchasing, items on their phones. For platforms, live shopping promises more engagement, with consumers sometimes spending hours watching hosts sell items. For retailers, it’s another channel to sell their goods.

Alongside Poshmark, QVC’s parent company Qurate recently started Sune, a live shopping app targeting Gen Z. Last year, Walmart, YouTube and eBay added or expanded their live shopping features. For Prime Day, Amazon recruited celebrities like Kevin Hart to promote its Amazon Live platform. Shein was an early adopter when it began Shein Live in 2016 for U.S. shoppers. It started with just a few hundred viewers per episode and now averages “hundreds of thousands of viewers per episode,” said George Chiao, Shein’s U.S. president, in a statement. nytimes.com

Amazon & Canon USA sue 29 Marketplace sellers for selling fake Canon batteries & Chargers

Bill requiring labels for online shopping introduced by Wisconsin Senator

Walmart thieves are charged after sneaky self-checkout ‘skimmer’ trick sees them pocket thousands from 11 customers
FOUR suspects have been charged after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from 11 unsuspecting Walmart customers. Police said three men placed credit card skimmers on self-checkout machines. The suspects have been identified as Alin Velcu, Ion Velcu, Catalin Velcu, and Madalina Iordache Ciuciu. Police said 11 victims’ card details were used in Maryland, Florida, Arizona, Texas, and Virginia. the-sun.com

Southaven, MS: Smash-and-grab thieves load up on guns and jewelry; 5 Suspects wanted
There’s an urgent search to get stolen guns off the streets. Thieves broke into a Mississippi gun shop, getting their hands on loads of firearms. It was all done in less than 3-minutes early Wednesday morning on May 10. When FOX13 crews went inside the store several glass casings remained empty, a few shards of glass still on the floor as owners contemplated what to do next Surveillance video shows five burglary assailants crow-bar their way into Guns and Fine Jewelry located on Goodman Road. They took off with dozens of guns and an unknown amount of jewelry. fox13memphis.com

Simi Valley, CA: 2 men suspected in beauty store heist in Simi Valley caught
Two men were caught and arrested Saturday after allegedly stealing $2,000 worth of fragrances from a beauty supply store in Simi Valley. The suspects fled in a sedan with covered license plates after the theft reported around 9 p.m. from the Ulta store at 1555 Simi Valley Town Center Way, according to the Simi Valley Police Department. The agency said an officer spotted the suspects' vehicle traveling east on Highway 118 and followed it to North Hollywood, where the men were taken into custody and booked into the main jail in Ventura. vcstar.com

Cumberland County, PA: Suspect steals $2,000 gaming system from Sam’s Club

Arnold, MO: Police seek Imperial man for allegedly stealing nearly $1,800 in items

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Shootings & Deaths

Brooklyn Park, MN: Suspect arrested after teen fatally shot outside market
Brooklyn Park police said they arrested an 18-year-old suspect on Saturday after a 16-year-old was shot and killed outside a market late Friday night. In a press release, officers said they were called to the Quick African Market at 5700 Brookdale Drive just before 11 p.m. Friday. Officers said they found a 16-year-old male who had been shot multiple times. Police said they tried to help the victim, and he was rushed to a nearby hospital by ambulance. Despite their efforts, the teen died at the hospital. Officials have not released his name or any other identifying information about the victim. On Saturday night, officials said they had arrested an 18-year-old male from Columbia Heights in relation to this shooting. kare11.com

South Charleston, WV: Woman charged in connection with shooting outside Kroger
A woman is facing charges in connection with a shooting incident that took place in a South Charleston grocery store Sunday morning. Investigators said a victim was injured after getting shot in the back following an altercation inside the Riverwalk Plaza Kroger. Lydia Spencer,32, has been charged with attempted murder and wanton endangerment involving a firearm, according to court records. Witnesses to the incident said three women in a physical fight were separated when Spencer pulled out a revolver. wsaz.com

DeKalb County, GA: Police find 2 men shot inside vehicle after liquor store theft
Two men who police believe may have been involved in a liquor store theft were shot Sunday evening in DeKalb County. At 6:43 p.m. officers responded to the 3800 block of Flat Shoals Parkway in reference to a vehicle accident and a person shot. Officers located a single-vehicle accident with two men inside, both suffering from gunshot wounds. They were both taken to area hospitals in serious condition. A third man inside the vehicle was detained by police. wsbtv.com

Robberies, Incidents & Thefts

Washington DC: Flash Mob hits 7-Eleven stealing over $1000 in 30 seconds
D.C. Police are investigating a flash mob-style robbery at a 7-Eleven store in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood, that according to employees resulted in the theft of $1,000 in merchandise. The incident happened Sunday at around 3:17 p.m. on the 900 block of New Hampshire Avenue Northwest according to the Metropolitan Police Department. Surveillance video obtained by photographer Anthony Peltier from inside the convenience store shows a group of more than 40 people entering the business. It should be noted, we are not clear if everyone in the video participated in the taking of store merchandise. wusa9.com

Chicago, IL: Group responsible for 10 armed robberies within 30 minutes
Chicago police are searching for four armed men responsible for 10 robberies that happened within 30 minutes on the Northwest Side. Police said the robberies happened between 7:20 a.m. and 7:50 a.m. on Sunday in the Logan Square and Hermosa neighborhoods. In each of the attacks, police said the suspects got out of their grey Hyundai Elantra with guns drawn at their victims as they were on the sidewalk or parking their vehicles. abc7chicago.com

Multiple Portland businesses hit during string of burglaries
A Portland small business is cautioning others following a string of early morning burglaries Thursday off NE Sandy Boulevard. Portland police say it appears three businesses were victimized, including Airlink, an electronics store. Minh Le, who owns the store, says thieves seem to be all over the place. Surveillance video captures two people browsing his shelves with flashlights. Le says he became aware of the burglary when he showed up for work and learned from the neighboring Pho restaurant that they’d been hit first. Le says this is the eighth time that he’s been a victim of theft since opening. However, he calls this time one of the worst. He says at first glance, he estimates $10,000 worth of uninsured merchandise was stolen, but “not because I didn’t want to buy insurance.” kptv.com

Gainesville, FL: Woman on probation arrested with juvenile following 3-hour business burglary spree

Escambia County, FL: Retail worker facing grand theft, false robbery report charges; Deposit Theft

Massachusetts man sentenced to 2 years for stealing guns from New Hampshire stores

Fire/Arson

Columbia, SC: $500,000 in merchandise destroyed in fire at Walmart, now arrest is made
The Columbia Police Department said it arrested a 37-year-old man Thursday for intentionally setting a fire at a Walmart Supercenter. Laurence Blocker was charged with second-degree arson, police said after releasing surveillance photos of the Columbia resident hours after Thursday’s fire. Both the store and $500,000 of merchandise were damaged in the fire, Columbia officials said. It was about 10:15 a.m. when firefighters responded to the store on Garners Ferry Road, the Columbia Fire Department said. That’s in an area densely packed with retail businesses, hotels and restaurants near Exit 9 on Interstate 77. Firefighters found smoke throughout the main area of the store, the fire department said. The fire was quickly brought under control, according to the fire department. Information about where in the store the fire was primarily located was not available. thestate.com

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