Dollar Tree is considering selling Family Dollar, a move that caught many by surprise since the chain has been struggling with supply chain issues, poor store locations, and fierce competition. Analysts were skeptical about finding a buyer, but it seems Dollar Tree might have pulled a rabbit out of the hat. The sale could bring in about $804 million, but the new owners will have their work cut out for them to revive the brand. Meanwhile, former COO Duncan MacNaughton is set to return as board chairman.
In the wild world of retail, AI is like the superhero cape that helps retailers tackle supply chain chaos with style. Predictive analytics lets them peek into the future, using historical data and market trends to dodge disruptions and keep things running smoothly. Machine learning models are like the crystal ball for spotting risks and running 'what if' scenarios, so retailers can plan ahead and avoid last-minute panic. Plus, AI is the eco-friendly sidekick, helping brands make sustainable choices and evaluate supply chain partners with ease. As tariffs and trade talks heat up, AI is the go-to tool for staying ahead of the game and making smarter decisions.
California employers, it's time to dust off those workplace violence prevention plans and get ready for the annual review and retraining party, thanks to SB 553. This law, effective from July 1, 2024, requires you to check your plan's effectiveness and train your staff on how to handle workplace violence like a pro. Don't forget, any training you did last year needs a repeat performance, and Cal/OSHA might just add some new moves by the end of 2025.
It seems like some diners are taking the phrase "getting your money's worth" a bit too literally by swiping everything from cheese graters to cutlery from restaurants. This cheeky trend has gone viral, with people proudly showing off their loot online, turning theft into a bizarre form of bragging rights. While some restaurants are playing along with the joke by labeling items as "stolen," others, like creator YoungKaren, are calling it out as "normalized theft" that hurts small businesses. So, next time you're tempted to pocket that cute little saltshaker, remember: it's not just a souvenir, it's someone else's tab.
Georgia's premises liability law is making businesses responsible for crimes near their properties, causing insurance costs to skyrocket and businesses to flee. Despite hefty security investments, companies like Columbia Residential can't keep up with the legal and financial burdens. High-profile cases, like CVS's $43 million verdict, highlight the law's impact. The result? Higher costs for consumers and fewer businesses in high-crime areas.
6 Questions to Ask Before Deploying AI-Powered Video Analytics
Brent Boekestein
VP of Enterprise Accounts
OpenEye
During an AI-powered analytics webinar, I conducted a survey, posing a straightforward question about attendees' future technology adoption plans.
The results indicated that 50 percent of nearly 100 participants are either currently in a pilot phase or have intentions to initiate a pilot for AI deployment in their video infrastructure within the next 12 months.
This figure harmonizes closely with my market observations, highlighting a substantial interest and eagerness to embrace AI technology at this juncture.
I've witnessed firsthand the interest in AI adoption, and clearly that interest is only growing.
Over the course of my career, I've orchestrated effective deployments of AI-powered video analytics for numerous F10 corporations, major critical infrastructure providers, and federal government agencies.
While each business has its own distinct technical requirements and needs, I have noticed a consistent pattern in the decision-making criteria they follow.
Below, I’ll explore the six most common and pressing questions that businesses ask before incorporating AI into their video security.
More than half of store associates have dealt with abusive customers
More than half of frontline workers, 53%, have encountered customers who are verbally abusive, threatening or unruly.
Retail workers are the most likely to encounter unruly customers, with 61% having dealt with a recent incident. More than a third have been required to stay in a situation with a customer where they felt physically unsafe. As a result, 81% feel burned out and 40% say their manager rarely or never checks in on their stress or emotional health.
Those are top findings from Perceptyx's report, "The Forgotten Frontline: Closing the Gap in Engagement and Support."
Tariff Turmoil: How Retailers Adapt To Shifting Trade Policies
The retail industry is facing yet another wave of supply chain challenges as shifting trade policies and new tariffs threaten to disrupt operations. What makes this situation different from previous disruptions is how technology is enabling retailers to respond with unprecedented speed and precision.
The Data-Driven Supply Chain Revolution
Modern retailers aren't just reacting to tariff changes—they're anticipating them through advanced analytics. As Peter Tardelli from Palantir notes, today's supply chain solutions integrate data across:
ERP systems
Warehouse management
HR platforms
Delivery networks
This holistic view enables retailers to identify high-risk SKUs before tariffs hit, allowing for proactive strategy adjustments.
AG Sunday’s Organized Retail Theft Unit Nabs Man Using Stolen Credit Cards for $100K in Purchases at Lowe’s Stores Across Pa.
HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that a Lehigh County man has been charged with numerous crimes for using stolen credit cards to purchase about $100,000 in merchandise from Lowe’s stores in over a dozen Pennsylvania counties.
Alex Jose Rulan, 33, of Allentown, is charged with corrupt organizations, organized retail theft, criminal conspiracy, identity theft, and related offenses.
Rulan is at Montgomery County Jail on previously-filed charges.
“This defendant systematically targeted consumers and stores across the Commonwealth to steal high-dollar goods,” Attorney General Sunday said. “The diligent work of our Organized Retail Crime Unit has stopped another criminal enterprise from inflicting further harm on hard-working Pennsylvanians.”
Abandoned shopping carts aren’t just an eyesore—they’re an environmental liability. Stray carts lead to increased waste, retrieval emissions, and unnecessary replacements, all of which undermine sustainability efforts. Gatekeeper Systems' CartControl® solution helps retailers contain shopping carts, reduce carbon footprints, and lower costs. By keeping shopping carts where they belong, retailers can enhance efficiency while making a positive environmental impact. Every shopping cart kept in place is a step toward a more sustainable future.
Man charged in attempted kidnapping at Acworth Walmart
Police say 56-year-old Mahendra Patel approached the child and her mother and asked about Tylenol.
Amazon (AMZN) has been on a mission over the past few months to revamp significant elements of its work culture, which has garnered sharp criticism.
Earlier this year, Amazon began requiring corporate employees to work in the office five days a week after allowing them to only do so three days a week under the previous in-office mandate.
Art Nergaryan’s specialty wine and cheese shops in Massachusetts had thrived for years. But when he introduced hemp-derived THC-infused beverages, something unexpected happened: his business boomed.
“I turned half of the store into THC products,” says Nergaryan, whose Art’s Specialties has four locations across the state. “My business jumped by 25 to 35 percent.” His customers, delighted by the convenience, started buying THC-infused drinks alongside their usual purchases. “Those customers started coming in more frequently, not just for the beverages, but for everything else, too.”
Nergaryan’s success seemed like a harbinger. “Once liquor stores opened for business, everything exploded,” says Adam Terry, the cofounder and CEO of Cantrip, a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of THC drinks. Indeed, the THC-infused beverage market saw sales rise from $102 million in 2023 to $382 million in 2024, according to Brightfield Group.
Overland Park police search for shoplifting suspects who also rammed patrol car
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KCTV) - Police are looking for two people accused of shoplifting from a Johnson County store.
An Overland Park police officer responded to a call at a store near 97th Street and Quivira Road on March 16. Someone at the store said two people left without paying for merchandise.
The officer noticed two people matching the description of the suspects get into a Dodge Journey parked outside the store.
Investigators said the driver deliberately hit the driver’s side of the officer’s patrol car. The driver the took off and left the parking lot.
Overland Park police ask anyone who can identify the people in the pictures to call the department, or the TIPS Hotline 816-474-TIPS with the names of the suspects.
The officer was not injured in the hit-and-run crash.
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