Marketing

Hingham, Mass. -- Talbots Inc. reported Thursday a loss of $22 million for the third quarter, compared with a profit of $17 million in the year-ago period. It was the apparel retailer’s third loss in four quarters. Talbots has posted an annual loss in three of the last four years.

Columbus, Ohio -- Express Inc. reported Thursday that profit for the quarter ended Oct. 29 climbed 24% to $32.7 million, from $26.3 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue increased 8% to $486.8 million, just missing Wall Street’s expected $488.2 million, and same-store sales increase 5%.

Online sales surged 41%.
 

A tacky holiday sweater – and most of us have one – can make for an innovative mall marketing campaign.

Inland US Management, Inland Southwest Management and Inland Pacific Property Services, subsidiaries of Inland Western Retail Real Estate Trust, have kicked off an ugly sweater contest on its holiday website, HolidayFunForAll.com, developed in partnership with Studio 318 out of San Diego. Contest participants are asked to answer a few basic questions and upload a photo of their worst “knitmare” to the website.

By Bill Dundas, International Sign Association

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears announced that it is offering free delivery of fresh cut Christmas trees to customers when they order them via Sears.com. Through Dec. 15, customers can go to Sears.com to order their own Fraser fir from the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains and have it delivered for free directly to their home, apartment or office. 

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Staples has launched a new iPhone app that allows customers to access the best of what the company has to offer, whether in store or online.

According to the company, customers can use the app to access product information and reviews while in store, locate a store that has a product they need, and receive special deals via its check-in feature.

NEW YORK  — Republican and Democrat retail executives both have something to look forward to in 2012 as former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are scheduled to speak at major industry events.

Clinton is first up at the National Retail Federation annual convention in New York on Jan.16, while Bush will serve as the keynote speaker at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla. April 21 to 24. 

Chicago -- Despite all of the hype surrounding mobile commerce, just 36% of chief marketing officers at retail companies have included mobile in their holiday marketing strategies this year, according to a recent BDO USA survey. And of the CMOs incorporating mobile, 84% say it accounts for less than 10% of their holiday marketing efforts. The findings are from the most recent edition of the BDO Retail Compass Survey of CMOs, which examined the opinions of 100 chief marketing officers at leading retailers located throughout the country.

New York City -- Modell’s Sporting Goods announced it will open a 16,460 sq. ft. store in Oceanside, N.Y., on Dec. 2. It will be the retailer’s 61st location in New York.

Modell’s operates 148 stores located in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
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Lewisville, Texas -- Parago, a leading provider of consumer and corporate incentives, announced the launch of a promotional fulfillment service offering designed to reward and communicate to clients’ Spanish-speaking customers in their language of preference.