Business News Roundup, Aug. 23

Facebook

losing teens

Facebook will see a decline among teen users in the U.S. this year, according to a forecast by eMarketer. It’s the first time the research company has predicted a fall in Facebook usage for any age group.

EMarketer predicts that 14.5 million people from the ages of 12 to 17 will use Facebook in 2017, a drop of 3.4 percent from last year. Teens are instead using Snapchat and Instagram, which Facebook owns, the research company said this week.

Facebook has continued to grow around the world, with more than 2 billion users this year, but younger people are finding it less compelling, said Oscar Orozco, a forecasting analyst at eMarketer.

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E-commerce

Amazon adding

Stockton center

Amazon is planning to build a vast warehouse in Stockton and add more than 1,000 jobs in the area, the Stockton Record reported Tuesday.

The facility, which will be more than 600,000 square feet, “will support customer fulfillment,” Amazon told the paper. It did not give an opening date. The Seattle online retailer has recently been on a nationwide hiring spree for warehouse workers.

It has fulfillment centers in Tracy and Patterson. And it plans to open another one this year in Sacramento, with 1,500 new jobs, KCRA reported in July.

Executives

Senior eBay

VP to Macy’s

Macy’s says it has hired an eBay senior vice president as president and is further streamlining its organization to make it more nimble in the face of increased competition.

Hal Lawton will become president of Macy’s on Sept. 8. He will report to Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette, who had previously held that role.

As president, Lawton will be responsible for all aspects of the Macy’s brand, including merchandising, marketing, stores, operations, technology and consumer insights. Lawton was most recently senior vice president of eBay North America.

Macy’s restructuring efforts include the consolidation of three functions — merchandising, planning and private brands — into a single merchandising function. The move will result in the loss of 100 jobs.

Macy’s has been making a number of changes to reverse sluggish sales.

Ex-Uber exec

to H&R Block

H&R Block Inc. has chosen Jeff Jones — a former president of Uber who walked out over the company’s “beliefs and approach to leadership” amid a sexism scandal — as its chief executive officer., replacing Bill Cobb, who announced his retirement in May.

Jones had been at Uber only six months, having left Target.

Since leaving Uber, Jones has declined to speak about it.

H&R Block said Tuesday that Jones will take over the CEO job Oct. 9.

Jones said he plans to move his family to Kansas City, where H&R Block has its headuarters.

Cobb is leaving after six years at the helm.

Wireless

Verizon plan

Verizon is raising the price of its unlimited plan while introducing a slightly cheaper, more limited version.

The unlimited plan had cost $80 for one line. Beginning Wednesday, with HD video — capped at 720p for phones — it will be $85, while plans with DVD-quality streaming will cost $75.

Chronicle News Services