Walmart mulling plan to price-match online competitors

Walmart is looking to knock Jeff Bezos down a peg.

The discounter is weighing a plan to match the prices at big online competitors, including Bezos' Amazon.

Walmart has long had a policy of letting store managers match prices of local brick-and-mortar competitors, company spokesman John Forrest Ales noted.

This summer, Walmart rolled out its "Savings Catcher" app, which automates the process for shoppers, allowing them to scan their receipts to find lower advertised prices nearby.

This holiday season, those programs may begin taking prices at online retailers into account as well, according to people close to the situation.

"We're listening to our customers, and they can count on us to remain the everyday low price leader," Ales told The Post.

Such a move would follow similar strategies already in place at Target and Best Buy, which have looked to block the practice of "showrooming," in which shoppers inspect merchandise at stores, only to head online to buy it at a lower price.

Indeed, some reports raised worries that matching Amazon's prices could cut into margins this holiday season, which analysts expect will be brutally competitive.

Nevertheless, that worry may be overblown, according to Kantar Retail.

An August survey by the research firm found that Amazon's prices were 12 percent higher than those at a Walmart Supercenter, and 17 percent higher than Walmart.com.

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Gyllenhaal stuns as a sociopathic TV cameraman in ‘Nightcrawler’

If Sidney Lumet's "Network" and Billy Wilder' s "Ace in the Hole'' had a mutant baby, it would probably look like Dan Gilroy's "Nightcrawler," a pitch-black satire of local TV news in Los Angeles with an eye-popping performance by Jake Gyllenhaal as the paparazzo from Hell.

Kirk Douglas' ruthless "Ace'' reporter — exploiting a man trapped in a collapsed mine for all it's worth — is a model of ethics compared with Gyllenhaal's Lou Bloom.

In his own twisted way, Lou is just as much a bloodsucker as Dracula, in a horror story that this tabloid veteran can attest is not as far removed from reality as you might assume.

Jake Gyllenhaal in "Nightcrawler."Photo: Open Road Films

A flat-out sociopath who makes Robert De Niro's loner in "Taxi Driver'' seem positively social, Lou shoves his way into the news business as a freelance cameraman simply because it's potentially more profitable than swiping and reselling fencing from construction sites or fancy bikes at Venice Beach.

Gyllenhaal's cameraman receives valuable mentoring from Nina (Rene Russo) — a seen-it-all, bargain-basement variation on Faye Dunaway's "Network'' character. She'll show practically any kind of outrageous audience-bait on the 6 a.m. news to secure her tenuous hold on her job as news director on the vampire shift.

"Think of our newscast as a screaming woman running down the street with her throat cut,'' is Nina's updated version of the old adage, "If it bleeds, it leads.''

Lou, who has a great eye for images, is tutored by Nina that suburban crime with white victims and "urban'' perps is a sure ratings-getter.

He quickly learns how to race veteran rival cameraman Bill Paxton to breaking crime scenes with the help of his mercilessly bullied, barely paid — and often terrified — "intern'' driver (British actor Ahmed Riz, who is simply terrific).

It's a bravura, career-changing tour-de-force from a newly gaunt Gyllenhaal, who reportedly lost 30 pounds for the role. His eyes pop out of his head as he spouts a nonstop stream of managerial jargon picked up from the Internet to rationalize his stunningly insensitive behavior.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Rene Russo in "Nightcrawler."Photo: Open Road Films

Lou's blood-spattered crime-scene-gets are extremely compelling — he isn't above rearranging personal belongings or even bodies for effect. Even a hard case like Nina is forced to accede to her protégé's escalating demands for more money, more credit and maybe even some nookie from Nina, who's twice as old as Lou.

"Nightcrawler" climaxes with our sleazy hero illegally withholding evidence from the cops in a major crime to milk the story for all it's worth. What he finally ends up capturing on tape is truly jaw dropping — and utterly appalling.

It's not easy to make a journalism movie even more cynical than 1951's "Ace in the Hole,'' which has only been seriously challenged by the super-prescient "Network" (which predicted the horrors of reality TV), from 1976.

Making a stunning directing debut, Dan Gilroy (who also wrote the take-no-prisoners script and is married to Renee Russo) basically turns the audience into rubberneckers at an automobile accident — you want to look away, but it's very tough.

Part of the fascination is wondering just how far down the sewer Gilroy will let his feral antihero descend in "Nightcrawler.'' And will the cameraman will be punished for it? The answer is exhilarating, at least if you have the stomach for it.

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Kohl’s to open 6 pm on Thanksgiving Day

Another retailer is hoping shoppers will be more tempted to gobble up savings instead of turkey this Thanksgiving.

Kohl's on Thursday said it would join Macy's and other stores in opening their doors at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day — two hours earlier than last year.

Retailers have been opening their doors earlier each year on to cash in on the Black Friday shopping hysteria.

Kohl's, in its quest to tempt more customers, is also testing Google Express, the internet-search giant's fast-delivery service, in select delivery areas. It will stay open until midnight on Black Friday.

Amazon.com is also geting a head start on the action by starting its Black Friday sales Nov. 1, instead of Nov. 28, the actual Black Friday.

Kohl's shares closed Thursday at $54.80, up 0.7 percent.

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Pyott’s torpedo misses Valeant

Video clips of Allergan CEO David Pyott, played in a California court this week, show him admitting he tried to torpedo the stock of his spurned merger partner Valeant Pharmaceuticals.

Pyott's admission, made in a deposition as part of Allergan's insider trading case against Bill Ackman and Valeant, was in stark contrast to what one of Allergan's top independent directors said in a separate deposition.

"I don't think it would be appropriate for Allergan to take affirmative steps to drive down Valeant's stock price," said director Timothy Proctor, a former executive of spirits maker Diego.

The clips were shown in a hearing on Allergan's motion for a preliminary injunction to throw out Ackman's votes at an upcoming shareholder meeting.

Ackman, who owns 9.7 percent of Allergan, is working with Valeant in a $55 billion takeover of the botox maker. The activist investor corralled other shareholders to call a special meeting to unseat Allergan directors in hopes a new board will negotiate with Valeant.

In August, Allergan sued Ackman and Valeant, alleging they engaged in insider trading. The duo denied the charge and countersued, contending that Allergan has led a smear campaign against Valeant.

Judge David Carter's ruling is expected this week.

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Winston, Florida State rebound from slow start to top Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jameis Winston threw three touchdowns to offset a three-interception start and Dalvin Cook had two long scoring runs to help second-ranked Florida State rally for a 42-31 victory over Louisville on Thursday night.

Florida State overcame a 21-0 deficit for its 24th straight victory, with Cook giving the Seminoles the lead with a 38-yard run with 3:46 remaining.

Out of sorts and on the verge of having its College Football Playoff prospects damaged, the Seminoles (8-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 2 CFP) recovered behind their Heisman Trophy quarterback and Cook, who had a 40-yard touchdown run in the third quarterback.

All of Winston's TD passes were big. He hit Travis Rudolph for 68 yards, Ermon Lane for 47, and Freddie Stevenson for the 35-yard clincher with 26 seconds.

Winston was 25-of-48 for 401 yards to beat Louisville (6-3, 4-3, No. 25 CFP).

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Man found dead in hotel developer’s home

A 23-year-old man was found dead in the bathtub of the Central Park South home of a trendy hotel developer, sources said.

The man had an apparent drug overdose at the home of Ian Reisner, who is known for developing the Out NYC hotel in Hell's Kitchen, according to law enforcement sources.

He was taken to St.Luke's hospital, where he died.

Police do not believe any criminality was involved.

Reisner was arrested in East Hampton in May for allegedly fleeing the scene of an accident while on Ambien, sources said.

He was charged with DWAI for that incident and released on $500 bail.

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Bumgarner’s heroics lift Giants to World Series title

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Giants have Madison Bumgarner to thank for their third World Series title in five years and being identified as baseball's latest dynasty.

With a pair of Series victories and working on two days' rest, the lefty entered Wednesday night's Game 7 against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium to start the fifth inning holding a one-run lead.

The skinny advantage was enough for Bumgarner to protect as the Giants beat the Royals, 3-2, in front of 40,535 fans at Kauffman Stadium who waited since 1985 for their beloved team to reach another World Series.

In a Series that had just one close game in the first six, Game 7 was a classic with each manager removing his starter early to make sure the game didn't get away from them.

That might have happened if Bumgarner showed he was not only the best starter in the Series but a very qualified reliever and a deserving MVP.

Pablo Sandoval throws up his arms after catching the final out to seal the Giants' title.Photo: AP

After giving up a leadoff single to Omar Infante in the fifth, Bumgarner retired the next 14 Royals before a single and fielding error by center fielder Gregor Blanco allowed Alex Gordon to reach third with two outs in the ninth.

Blanco let Gordon's single to get by him and roll all the way to the wall. Bumgarner responded by getting Salvador Perez on a foul pop to Pablo Sandoval to seal the victory and start a celebration as the crowd watched in silence.

Sacrifice flies by Michael Morse and Brandon Crawford in the second inning staked Giants starter Tim Hudson to a 2-0 lead, but the Royals tied the score in the home half when Giants manager Bruce Bochy replaced Hudson with Jeremy Affeldt.

The move was a good one. Affeldt provided 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and was in the game when Morse drove home Sandoval with a run in the fourth that put the Giants ahead 3-2.

"He is available, he's set to go, he feels great,'' Bochy said before Game 7 of Bumgarner, who threw a complete-game shutout Sunday in Game 5. "I don't how much we will use him. I think we have to read him and see how he is doing out there. But he should be good for 50 to 60 pitches at least.''

Bumgarner needed 15 pitches to get through the fifth when Infante, the No. 9 batter, opened with a single, was bunted to second but never got further. Eleven pitches was all he needed for a perfect sixth and he required 10 to get three outs in the seventh. Then it was 16 pitches for three straight outs in the eighth.

When Bumgarner started the ninth he was at 52 pitches and there was no action in the Giants' bullpen.

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Midtown coffee shop rips B grade for open door

They've got a latte nerve!

The owner of Manhattan Espresso, a tiny Midtown coffee shop, says he got a "B" grade from inspectors because his front door was open on a busy summer day.

"In July, I want the door closed, because I don't want to air-condition 49th Street," a frustrated Brad Bonewell told The Post. "But they [customers] can't form a line when the door is closed."

When fruit flies snuck in the open door and hovered over bananas on the counter, Bonewell was cited for conditions "conducive to pest life."

He also was cited for the fruit flies and for his server's failure to use "effective hair restraint" — all adding up to the "B" grade.

In August, Bonewell told a hearing officer his shop door has a self-closing hinge, but was being held open by customers. When the officer sustained the "B," Bonewell appealed and lost again last week.

"That's ludicrous," said customer Lea Gross, 29, of Murray Hill. "Every store on the block has their door open . . . they were looking for problems that aren't there."

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De Blasio says coaching Little League helped him prep for mayorship

Before he had to contend with the City Council, Mayor de Blasio had extensive training in how to deal with people who can be stubborn and difficult: his three-year stint as a Little League baseball coach.

The mayor said calling the shots for son Dante's team of 8-year-olds was solid preparation for running the city.

"It was a real leadership and management lesson that I still think about," the mayor in an interview with The Associated Press that focused on baseball.

"Trying to get a bunch of 8-year-olds to do something is an amazing challenge."

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K-9 cop helps track down suspect in rape case

A heroic K-9 cop tracked down an accused rapist on the run upstate, helping sheriff's deputies make the collar.

Nass, a lion-hearted pure-bred black lab, was dispatched Tuesday night after suspect Gregory Lewis drove a Jeep Cherokee into the Hudson River in Fort Edward Village north of Albany as he fled from cops, police said.

Lewis escaped the sinking Jeep and ran into nearby woods, where Nass tracked him down.

Lewis, of Southbridge, Mass., had been arraigned in August in the statutory rape of a teen girl.

He posted $1,000 bail and was at home under house arrest wearing a GPS ankle bracelet when he removed it and fled on Sept. 16.

He returned to his parents' home 10 days later, assaulting a relative and fleeing with a gun and the Cherokee.

After Lewis allegedly drove across the country and back committing further sexual assaults, a New York state trooper Tuesday night saw a Jeep with no front license plate and tried to pull over the driver, who sped off.

Soon after the cop radioed in the encounter, someone called 911 reporting that a vehicle had gone into the Hudson.

"[Lewis] actually drove to the end of a dead-end street and didn't realize it was a dead end and drove down an embankment and into the water," Fort Edward Police Chief Justin Durway told WBZ Radio in Boston.

People dining at a nearby restaurant heard the splash and witnessed a man exiting the sinking Jeep with a gun.

Cue the top county sheriff's crime dog, Nass. The pooch, a K-9 cop for more than five years, tracked down Lewis with no shots fired.

"The canine members of the Washington County Sheriff's Office always get the last bark apprehending criminals," spokesman Nick Spiezio told The Post.

"I would imagine once he got home in the morning, he got some good treats," Spiezio said, adding that Nass' handler, Sheriff's Deputy Scott Stark, was proud of his crime-fighting partner.

Lewis now faces charges for suspected sexual assaults and other crimes in Massachusetts, Ohio, North Carolina, Colorado and Oregon.

He also faced fugitive charges in New York Wednesday.

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