Personnel

Carl Icahn, eBay Trade Accusations
February 25, 2014

Billionaire investor Carl Icahn and eBay are engaging in a public war of words that was ignited by an open letter Icahn sent to eBay shareholders yesterday. In the letter, Icahn accused eBay CEO John Donahoe of ignoring conflicts of interest on its board and called for the company to spin off PayPal. Icahn also disclosed he now owns 2.15 percent of eBay's stock. The letter specifically alleged that board member Marc Andreesseen has personally gained by purchasing large stakes in former eBay subsidiaries and advised and invested in direct eBay competitors Boku, Coinbase, Dwolla, Jumio and Fab.

Wal-Mart and The Container Store Have Something Surprising in Common
February 24, 2014

The Container Store started a fund for employees in need and got a lot of pats on the back. A Wal-Mart store took up donations for employees in need during the holidays, and was pilloried for the effort. Two companies with two identical goals have two very different outcomes. What gives?

Under Armour Founder Says it's Not the Suit
February 21, 2014

The much-maligned suit worn by the U.S. speedskating team should never have been victimized, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank says in an exclusive interview. "It was a bit of a witch hunt that began to build," he says, in his first extensive interview since the Under Armour suit became a scapegoat for the failure of U.S. speedskaters to win Olympic medals. "The suit became the witch." Plank is so certain that the "Mach 39" suit is a winner that Under Armour will continue to invest in it and tweak it until the 2018 Olympic Games in South Korea. 

Gap to Raise Minimum Hourly Pay
February 20, 2014

In a surprising move, Gap informed its employees on Wednesday that it would set $9 as the minimum hourly rate for its U.S. workforce this year and then establish a minimum of $10 next year. Gap said this move would ultimately raise pay for 65,000 of its 90,000 American employees, including those at Banana Republic, Old Navy and other stores. Gap is making this move as many states consider raising their minimum wage, and as Republicans and Democrats debate a bill that includes a proposed increase in the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by 2016. 

Lowe's to Hire 25,000 Seasonal Workers for Spring
February 20, 2014

Lowe's said Wednesday it plans to hire about 25,000 seasonal employees at its U.S. stores during its spring busy season, down from 45,000 workers last year. Lowe's and peer Home Depot have been rare bright spots in the retail sector as they continue to benefit from the U.S. housing recovery. Rising home prices and improvements in home construction and new home sales have led homeowners to open their wallets for remodeling projects or big-ticket items. Last week, Home Depot said it will hire 80,000 workers in the U.S. in preparation for spring, matching last year's hiring level.

1-800-Flowers.com Botches Valentine's Day … and Apology, Too
February 19, 2014

Three days after Valentine's Day, 1-800-Flowers.com is still apologizing to customers whose flowers and candy never showed up. 1-800-Flowers.com sent nearly 1,000 individual apologies on Twitter, plus more on Facebook, but many customers still weren't satisfied. It wasn't the only flower delivery service with upset customers, though the number of 1-800-Flowers.com complaints appeared to outpace those for FTD Flowers and ProFlowers. Some frustrated customers complained that the phone lines for 1-800-Flowers.com were jammed over the weekend. They also sent emails and filled out online forms, only to receive automated replies. 

Richard Cabela, Co-Founder of Cabela's, Dies at 77
February 18, 2014

Richard Cabela, co-founder of the Cabela's retail chain that caters to outdoor enthusiasts and a prominent supporter of the National Rifle Association, has died. He was 77. Cabela started the company in 1961 as a catalog business with his wife, Mary, at their kitchen table in Chappell, Neb. His brother, James Cabela, soon joined the company and together they developed large stores in the U.S. and Canada featuring elaborate taxidermy displays of animals. Through its stores and eventually the internet, Cabela's became one of the nation's major gun retailers.

Bee Activists Swarm Home Depot and Lowe's
February 18, 2014

Home Depot and Lowe's are under fire for selling pesticides that some believe are partly to blame for killing billions of the nation's honeybees. Petitions with thousands of signatures are being delivered to the home-improvement retailers demanding they stop selling the pesticides along with any plants that have been treated with them. "There's a growing body of science indicating that the pesticides are a key factor in recent global bee deaths," said Lisa Archer, director of the food and technology program at the environmental group Friends of the Earth.

Video: The Poor Should Stop Whining, Vents Nicole Miller CEO
February 13, 2014

Bud Konheim has a message for all of the 99 percenters: You're luckier than you think. Konheim, CEO and co-founder of luxury-fashion company Nicole Miller, said on CNBC's " Squawk Box " on Wednesday that Americans not in the top 1 percent would be considered wealthy in most of the world. He said the

Employee Goes on Anti-Wal-Mart Tirade in FAQ Form
February 12, 2014

In light of the leaked internal strategy for squashing unions at Wal-Mart as well as other firsthand accounts of shady management policies, an unidentified Wal-Mart employee of five years emailed Gawker this week with a list of answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). He or she seeks to explain why the big-box store's customer service is abominable. It's really thorough, so we've snagged a few choice quotes.