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Dollar General CFO to retire

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Dive Brief:

  • John Garratt, Dollar General’s president and chief financial officer, plans to retire on June 2 after less than six months in the position. Garratt became president and CFO in September 2022.
  • Garratt has been with the company for nearly a decade. He first served as senior vice president of finance and strategy, then assumed the role of executive vice president and CFO in late 2015. During his time at Dollar General, he oversaw finance, accounting, investor relations and procurement. 
  • In an announcement, the company praised Garratt for his “focus on delivering strong and consistent financial performance.” Dollar General said it’s evaluating options for its next CFO. The company isn’t conducting an external search right now.

Dive Insight:

Garratt has more than 30 years of corporate, retail and financial leadership experience. Before joining Dollar General, Garratt held various roles with Yum Brands, which is the parent company of familiar fast food names like KFC and Pizza Hut. He also held financial management positions at Alcoa and General Electric.

Jeff Owen, Dollar General’s CEO, said Garratt’s “exceptional business and financial acumen coupled with his strategic vision have positioned the company for profitable growth.”

Tennessee-based Dollar General is one of America’s largest retailers. The company had $34.2 billion in retail sales in 2021. This C-suite leadership transition comes as the company celebrates a milestone.

On Saturday, Dollar General commemorated the grand opening of its 19,000th store in Joplin, Missouri, with a community celebration and a $19,000 donation to a local elementary school. Customers received complimentary Dollar General gift cards, tote bags, and product samples.

By the end of 2021, Dollar General said it was one of the largest discount retailers in the United States by store count. At 19,000 stores, it is also one of the fastest-growing retailers. The retailer opened more than 1,000 stores in 2021 and 2022, and is on track to open an estimated 1,048 stores this year, according to a report from Coresight Research. The report also said the retailer accounted for more than 55% of all U.S. discount store openings in 2022.

By comparison, Virginia-based rival Dollar Tree, which also owns Family Dollar, has about 16,000 stores. Walmart has approximately 5,300 locations and Target has nearly 2,000 U.S. stores. 

The company also faces ongoing challenges. In early January, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost asked a state court to issue a temporary restraining order against the company over recurring price discrepancies. 

Dollar General was founded in 1939 by J.L. Turner and his son, Cal Turner Sr. They opened the first Dollar General store in 1955 in Springfield, Kentucky.

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Shopping

Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen launch mobile apps

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Dive Brief:

  • Alongside other retailers launching mobile apps, Pottery Barn Kids and Pottery Barn Teen have introduced shopping apps for iOS, the retailers announced Wednesday. 
  • With the apps, shoppers can create registries, browse products across age groups, view and purchase items from 3D rooms, save their favorite products and make purchases using Apple Pay, according to the announcement. 
  • Shoppers can also schedule appointments to meet with its designers in-store, at home or online.

Dive Insight:

Pottery Barn Kids and Pottery Barn Teen have joined other home goods retailers that have released mobile apps.

“The development of our mobile shopping apps was a coordinated effort focused on delivering a seamless, convenient customer experience. As brands who put digital first, the apps offer a new way to shop, find design inspiration and create and manage a registry on-the-go,” Jennifer Kellor, president of Pottery Barn Kids and Pottery Barn Teen, said in a statement. 

Meanwhile, other retailers have invested in mobile apps, too. In November, True Religion launched its mobile app and expects app to generate 10% of its e-commerce sales this year. In October, At Home debuted its own mobile app and expanded its same-day delivery to all locations. And in August, Bath & Body Works unveiled a mobile app alongside its new loyalty program that lets customers earn rewards points, shop and store their gift cards. Last March, Chico’s FAS debuted mobile apps across all of its portfolio brands.

The 2022 holiday season illustrated how critical it is for retailers to have a digital presence. Research from Adobe found that e-commerce sales rose 3.5% year-over-year between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31 to $211.7 billion. The same report found that nearly half of online sales came from smartphones in the 2022 holiday season. 

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Automotive

Guidelines for a Safe Online Car Sale

If you’re looking to sell your car, many options exist. You can use websites or take it to a dealership. But whatever option you choose, there are a few things to remember for your safety. This article will cover some tips to sell your car online safely.

Make Sure You Have the Right Information at Hand

Several online car-buying websites offer a legitimate way to sell your vehicle for cash. They’ll typically take your information, a description and photos of the vehicle and quote you a price. They’ll then either pick up your car or arrange for someone to meet you to complete the sale. An online car-buying service can be easier than dealing with buyers in person and may help you avoid scams. Another option is to sell your vehicle through an online marketplace. While this can be a good way to reach a wide audience, dealing with unknown people comes with the added risk. To reduce the risk, meet potential buyers in a public place and bring a friend if possible. It would help if you also insisted on receiving payment through a bank transfer or cash rather than personal checks.

If you still need to, ensure your vehicle’s registration and title are up to date. It’s also a good idea to have a copy of your insurance policy available in case any issues arise during the process. Likewise, be prepared to answer any questions a prospective buyer might have about the vehicle’s history. This information can speed up the process and avoid any delays.

Ensure Your Vehicle Is in Good Condition

When I sell my car online Huntsville AL, it can be quicker and easier than visiting multiple dealerships to shop around, but it’s still important to keep certain things top of mind. It will help to ensure that the sale goes smoothly and that I’m not a victim of fraud. Whether selling through an online dealer or a marketplace, it’s worth having the vehicle inspected by a professional before you hand over the keys. It highlights any problems that need addressing to get the best price for your car and ensures you’re not caught out by hidden fees or repairs not included in the purchase.

A reputable vehicle history report is also useful for potential buyers to know the car’s history and any accidents it may have been involved in. Many online sellers will provide this to potential buyers, and it can increase the chances of a quick and smooth sale.

If you’re meeting with a potential buyer to view or test drive the vehicle, getting their name, address and phone number is important to check they’re legitimate. It’s also a good idea to mark out personal information like credit card details on any paperwork given to the buyer to help protect yourself against identity theft.

Meet Your Buyers in a Public Place

Although printing a newspaper ad or posting a “for sale” sign in your yard is more dangerous than selling an automobile online, there are still risks. It’s important to vet buyers carefully and protect yourself from scams. It would help to be careful about sharing personal or financial information online. It is because criminals can easily use this data for identity theft or fraud. To protect yourself, only share this information with trusted friends and family. When you meet potential buyers, always do so in a public place during the day. You should also ask the buyer to show you their driver’s license before you hand over your vehicle. It would be best if you also insisted that they bring their insurance coverage to the test drive. Finally, you should refuse any unusual requests, such as driving the buyer to another location to complete the sale. Often, these requests are framed in terms of getting money or arranging for financing. If you aren’t comfortable meeting potential buyers in person, consider using a service to sell your car online. This company will handle the entire transaction on your behalf, and it’s much safer than meeting a stranger in person. An alternative is to sell your vehicle to a dealer who will buy it from you and resell it to a customer on your behalf.

Be Wary of Scams

There are many options for selling your car online, from websites that will buy your vehicle outright to private sellers. Regardless of which method you choose, there are a few things you should always keep in mind to avoid scams. Be wary of buyers who need to follow up on calls or emails. Is it a common trick scammers use to steal information from potential victims and take advantage of them?

Likewise, be wary of emails that request personal or financial information. These emails are known as phishing scams and should be reported immediately. You should also avoid using escrow services, even those that appear to be from reputable companies. Scammers can use these services to collect payment from the buyer and never deliver the car. When meeting with a buyer for the first time, meet in a public place, like a parking lot at a mall or an office park. It will ensure the person can’t run off with your car and not be caught. Additionally, you should accompany the buyer during the test drive.

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Shopping

Canada Goose, Francesca’s launch resale options

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Dive Brief:

  • Resale platforms Trove and ThredUp added to their rosters this week amid exploding sales in used goods. Canada Goose has partnered with Trove for “Canada Goose Generations,” launching Tuesday in the U.S. and in Canada later this year, according to a company press release.

  • Customers can trade in Canada Goose items, which are then “assessed and authenticated,” and receive a Canada Goose gift card, good at stores and online, if they are accepted. Vintage, preowned and refurbished goods are for sale via the Generations tab on the 65-year-old Canadian outerwear brand’s website. 

  • Mall-based apparel store Francesca’s is the latest retailer to partner with ThredUp for its resale program, “Forever Francesca’s,” also announced Tuesday. Sellers can trade items for shopping credit usable at stores and online, and, for a limited time, will get an extra 15% for them, according to a company press release.

Dive Insight:

Selling secondhand goods is quickly evolving into a requirement for any retailer interested in tapping into consumers’ intense — and growing — interest in them. Shoppers see the option as helping the environment, getting a good deal or both. 

The market could reach $82 billion within three years, according to research from ThredUp and GlobalData. And the appeal is true not just for apparel but also electronics, furniture and sporting goods, according to a recent report from WD Partners. Retailers and brands from budget to luxury are increasingly moving to take part.

If the resale market is a dream, the logistics involved are something of a nightmare, however, according to Lee Peterson, executive vice president of thought leadership and marketing. So far, the acquisition, inventory management and sale of secondhand items are most efficiently and profitably conducted in stores, he recently told an audience of the National Retail Federation’s annual conference.

Still, most major chains and brands are keeping their resale programs online, operated with the help of third parties like ThredUp and Trove. Wells Fargo analysts see the resale-as-a-service side of ThredUp’s business as potentially more lucrative than its own retail operation, with retailers from J. Crew to Target, and now Francesca’s turning to the company.

“Francesca’s customer demographic is the perfect candidate for resale, as Gen Z and Millennials are the ones largely powering resale’s growth,” ThredUp CEO James Reinhart said in a statement.

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Entertainment

Tuesday Fast Five With Lawrence Saint-Victor

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If you could pick up a new skill in an instant, what would it be? “Singing. I’d love to be able to sing.”

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?“Frog legs. I am not a fan, and it doesn’t taste like chicken. I don’t care what people say, it tastes like something else.”

Who in the cast would you trust to babysit for you? “Obviously, Jacqui [MacInnes Wood, Steffy] but she has enough kids already. I think Annika [Noelle, Hope] would be a great babysitter.”

What song can always get you out on the dance floor? “Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean’. ”

What is your take on clowns? “They are awesome but they get a bad rap. We can’t judge every clown based off what a couple of clowns have done. The clown I like serves me chicken nuggets and french fries.”

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Entertainment

DAYS’s Archey Engaged – Soap Opera Digest

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Lamon Archey (ex-Eli, DAYS) is set to marry Kristen Terry. The actor posted the new on his Instagram page, “Engaged #ComingSoon 💍 #RealLife” To see the post, click here. Lamon’s co-stars offered their congratulations. Robert Scott Wilson (Alex) wrote, “Ayy congrats my guy! 🍺” Greg Vaughan (Eric) posted, “Alright, Alright, ALRIGHT 🙌👏🔥” Brandon Barash (Stefan) wrote, “Congrats, my dude!!! 👏🙌🥃” Lucas Adams (Tripp) posted, “👏👏👏👏 congratulations man!!” Kristian Alfonso (Hope) wrote, “Aww Congratulations Lamon ! 🎉😘” Greg Rikaart (Leo) enthused, “DUDE!!! Huge congrats!!” Victoria Konefal (ex-Ciara) weighed in, “Congrats 😍🎉🍾”




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Birthday Spotlight: Réal Andrews – Soap Opera Digest

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Réal Andrews was born on January 31 and hails from North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

His name (which is pronounced Rey-ahl) is French; his mom was tutoring French students at the time of his birth.

Before booking GH, Andrews played a boxing trainer on SANTA BARBARA in 1992 and a cop on DAYS (in scenes with Kristian Alfonso, Hope) in 1995.

Maurice Benard (Sonny) was the best man at his wedding.

Andrews was a Luke and Laura super-fan back in their early ’80s heyday.

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Home Improvement

A Step-By-Step Guide to Remodeling Your Small Bathroom

If you’re considering a bathroom remodeling project, it’s important to do your research before you dive in. This will help ensure that you’re choosing a style and materials that are both functional and appealing.

Paint is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to refresh your bathroom’s look. If possible, choose paint with a semi-gloss finish so it’s easy to clean and resistant to mold and mildew.

Install a new vanity

A vanity is an important element in any bathroom; it can greatly affect your space’s functions. If you plan to replace an existing one, consider how much storage you need and your preferred style. Visit https://bathroomsbyrupp.com/ to find more ideas for your bathroom vanity.

A freestanding unit can add an air of lightness and elegance to a small bathroom. At the same time, cabinets with drawers are ideal for storing supplies like extra toilet paper, beauty products and towels. If your space is limited, try a pedestal sink that’s less bulky and allows for an open floor space underneath.

Before installing your new vanity, shut off the water supply valves to the existing sink. First, locate the wall studs where you plan to install the cabinet using a stud finder.

Install a new toilet

Make the most of a cramped space with a wall-mounted toilet. It saves floor space and is easy to clean.

Stuff an old rag into the exposed sewer pipe flange to block odors and prevent tools from falling inside. Also, use a putty knife to scrape off the old wax from the bottom of the flange ring.

Wearing waterproof gloves, loosen and remove the toilet tank bolts with an adjustable wrench. Then, lift the tank off and rest it on a garbage bag or old towel. Position the bowl and affix the new wax ring to the flange ring. Insert the plastic disks and caps over the floor bolts; tighten them by hand to avoid cracking the toilet base.

Install a new sink

If your bathroom sink is old and outdated, it’s time to replace it. Choose a sink that’s the right size for your space. Also, consider installing a new faucet and water supply lines to match the new sink.

Before you install a new sink:

  1. Remove the existing one.
  2. Using channel lock pliers, disconnect the sink tailpiece and drain supply line.
  3. Use a bucket to catch any water that drains out.
  4. Remove the nut from the P-trap section.

Ensure your new sink is at the proper height for people of all abilities. Grab bars should be secured to block between wall studs and placed 33 to 36 inches off the ground.

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Install new lighting

That lighting fixture poking from the middle of your bathroom ceiling no longer satisfies today’s standards for sufficient general or ambient light. Consider recessed lighting that bounces off the walls or ceiling instead.

Use sconces to illuminate artwork, mirrors, or decor tucked in alcoves. Choose ones that have sleek designs to complement the room’s overall style. Accent lights should be bright, but their light shouldn’t spill over into other areas.

Ample natural light makes a small bathroom feel large and inviting. Keep windows free of blinds to let in more daylight.

Install a new shower/tub

Reinstalling a new tub and shower can give your bathroom a luxurious feel that visually makes the room feel larger. Using white is a great way to visually expand a space and create tile patterns that blend seamlessly between the walls and ceiling.

Before the demo begins, locate the water shutoffs and turn them off. If the existing valve and tub spout are intact, remove an access panel in an adjacent room to get at the piping .

Set the new surround on the tub flange and nail above it. Use a level to ensure it’s plumb; if not, chisel away or add a shim as needed.

Paint the walls

Painting the walls is one of the easiest ways to give your bathroom a new look. Look for a paint formulated for toilets to be moisture-resistant and mold-free.

Light colors make rooms feel larger when choosing a color, but that doesn’t mean your bathroom renovations need the same shade. A dark accent wall can add depth and interest to your space while still looking cohesive with the rest of the room. Just be sure to tape around anything you don’t want to get paint on, including any trim, such as baseboards or chair rails, wall tile and bath fixtures.

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Technology

The Download: hope for renewables, and AI’s role in journalism

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This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

We have enough materials to power the world with renewable energy

The news: Powering the world with renewable energy will take a lot of raw materials. The good news is, when it comes to aluminum, steel, and rare-earth metals, there’s plenty to go around, according to a new analysis.

Greater pay off: Although emissions are an unavoidable side effect of extracting the materials, over the next 30 years they add up to less than a year’s worth of global emissions from fossil fuels. Experts are confident the up-front emissions cost will be more than offset by savings from clean energy technologies replacing fossil fuels.

But there’s a catch: While we technically have enough of the materials we need to build renewable energy infrastructure, actually mining and processing them can be a challenge. If we don’t do it responsibly, getting those materials into usable form could lead to environmental harm or human rights violations. Read the full story.

—Casey Crownhart

Could ChatGPT do my job?

—Melissa Heikkilä, senior AI reporter 

There’s been a lot of talk lately about whether journalists or copywriters could or should be replaced by AI. So far, newsrooms have pursued very different approaches to integrating the buzziest new tool, ChatGPT, into their work: tech news site CNET secretly used it to write articles, while BuzzFeed (more transparently) announced plans to use it to generate quiz answers.

But here’s the dirty secret of journalism: a surprisingly large amount of it could be automated. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if we can outsource some of the boring and repetitive parts of the job to AI. The real problems arise when you give AI too much control. Read the full story.

Melissa’s story is from The Checkup, her weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things AI. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Monday.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 Elon Musk wants to turn Twitter into a fintech platform
It’s all part of his plan to look beyond advertising to make money. (FT $)+ Ex-Twitter staff don’t know what to do with their old laptops. (Wired $)
+ The company has made its first interest payment on its massive debt. (Bloomberg $)

2 Inside FTX’s shadowy PR influence campaigns
A new filing reveals an undisclosed network of powerful political figures. (The Intercept)
+ Things are getting even messier for the collapsed crypto exchange. (NY Mag $) 
+ FTX’s victims are still furious. (The Atlantic $) 

3 The US has stopped allowing companies to export to Huawei
It’s just the latest in a series of China-related sanctions. (BBC)

4 The race for AI supremacy is heating up
But whether American or Chinese labs will come out on top is anyone’s guess. (Economist $)
+ Generative AI is changing everything. But what’s left when the hype is gone? (MIT Technology Review)

5 You don’t necessarily need a headset to enter the metaverse 
Our everyday reality is edging closer to dystopia each day. (The Atlantic $)
+ Kpop could help to improve the metaverse’s image. (NYT $)

6 Celebrity voice deepfakes have been co opted to spew racist hate 
This sadly felt inevitable. (Motherboard)
+ AI voice actors sound more human than ever. (MIT Technology Review)

7 Boeing has made its last ever 747
Once a symbol of accessible travel, it’s likely to end up carrying cargo. (NYT $)
+ Hydrogen-powered planes take off with a startup’s test flight. (MIT Technology Review)

8 Social media has a dark obsession with being #kind
Is it really a good deed if you’re filming it for clickbait? (The Guardian)

9 Spanish-speaking livestreamers are seriously hot right now
Twitch is booming across Latin America, creating new opportunities for gamers. (Bloomberg $)

10 Dogs love gobbling AirTags 🐶
Tracking your furry friend isn’t without its hazards. (WSJ $)

Quote of the day

“I could press the red button, close my laptop and get under my blankets for a couple hours.” 

—Phoebe Gavin, a former executive director of talent and development at news site Vox, reflects on the upsides of being laid off over video call rather than in person to the Wall Street Journal.

The big story

A private security group regularly sent Minnesota police misinformation about protestors

July 2022 

When US marshals shot and killed a 32-year-old Black man named Winston Boogie Smith Jr. in a parking garage in Minneapolis on June 3, 2021, the city was already in a full-blown policing crisis. George Floyd had been murdered by a member of the police force the previous May. As protests reignited all over the city, the cops couldn’t keep up.

Into the void stepped private security groups, hired primarily to prevent damage to properties. But the organizations often ended up managing protest activity—a task usually reserved for police, and one for which most private security guards are not trained.

One company, Conflict Resolution Group (CRG), regularly provided Minneapolis police with information about activists that was at times untrue and deeply politicized. Read the full story.

—Tate Ryan-Mosley & Sam Richards

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction in these weird times. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)

+ This one-page calendar is seriously blowing my mind.
+ I love that actors are rehearsing Shakespeare inside dystopian video game Fallout (thanks Will!)
+ Quick—I need an emergency photo of a bear, stat!
+ Can you believe these impressive plants are carved from wood?
+ Ambient tunes are massive right now, and I can see why.



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Technology

Yes, we have enough materials to power the world with renewable energy

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This study only focused on technologies that generate electricity. It didn’t include all the materials that would be needed to store and use that electricity, like the batteries in electric vehicles or grid storage. 

Demand for battery materials is expected to explode between now and 2050. Annual production of graphite, lithium, and cobalt will all need to be ramped up by more than 450% from 2018 levels to meet expected demand for electric cars and grid storage, according to a 2020 study from the World Bank.

Even considering battery materials, the basic takeaway is the same, Wang says: the world’s reserves of the materials needed for clean energy infrastructure are sufficient for even the highest-demand scenarios.

Getting them out of the ground will be the tricky part. Increasing production of some materials, especially those needed for batteries, will present social and environmental challenges.

Silvery rock against a black background
Silicon is used in semiconductor chips as well as solar panels.

“There is an underappreciation about what needs to happen in mining,” says Demetrios Papathanasiou, global director for energy and extractives at the World Bank.

Take copper, for example: the world has mined about 700 million tons of copper since we started mining thousands of years ago. We’ll need to mine another 700 million tons just in the next three decades, Papathanasiou says, in order to meet climate targets. It’s not an issue of reserves: the minerals are there.

The problem is that mining, whether for fossil fuels or for renewable energy, can cause significant environmental harm. In the western US, for example, proposed mines for materials like copper and lithium could force Indigenous people from their lands and cause pollution.

Then there’s the labor issue. In some cases, materials today are mined by workers in unfair or exploitative working conditions. Despite efforts to ban child labor, it is still prevalent in cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Polysilicon processing in China has been linked with forced labor.

Figuring out how to get the materials we need to build a cleaner future without destroying people or environments in the process should be a major focus of the renewable energy transition moving forward, Papathanasiou says. “We really need to come up with solutions that get us the material that we need sustainably, and time is very short.”

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