Marketing Tactics

CHICAGO - In time for the holiday rush, General Growth Properties has introduced several new customer initiatives, including an arrangment with Uber to provide free trips (up to $60) to participating malls for all riders and free return trips for new Uber riders or those who spend more than $150 during their visit.   The shopping center developer is providing omni-channel initiatives like same day delivery; enhanced guest experience services; and one-of-a-kind holiday attractions.  

Fort Worth, Texas - There’s no quick turnaround in sight for RadioShack. On Thursday the struggling chain reported a wider-than-expected third-quarter loss and detailed cost costs that include staff reductions and more store closings to boost earnings by some $400 million annually.  

Los Angeles - CBRE Group, Inc. has launched a new global brand positioning along with a platform to express the positioning inside and outside the company, Build on Advantage.   “With our new positioning, we have created an organizing principle for the brand that supports our core strategy of producing distinct advantages for all of our stakeholders, and have united our professionals around this aspiration,” said Bob Sulentic, CBRE’s president and CEO.  

Houston –  Francesca’s Holding Corp. reported that its net income dropped 19% to $7.3 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2014 from $8.7 million the same period the prior year. Increases in cost of goods sold and selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses drove the decline in profit.  The specialty retailer also lowered its earnings outlook for the year.   Francesca’s plans to open one new store in the fourth quarter, bringing total new stores opened in the fiscal year to 88.

Gap Inc., is the only retailer to appear on a flawed list called The Civic50 that presumes to recognize the nation’s most community-minded companies.

Now in its third year, the lack of retail representation on The Civic50 is highly curious considering retailers enjoy a high level of visibility within the communities where they operate and are typically quite generous in supporting local charities and national causes. The consumer packaged goods was also under-represented on The Civic50 although companies such as ConAgra, General Mills and Hershey were included.

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Polaroid Fotobar is opening two of its smaller-format “micro-store”  locations in the San Jose, California, area, with the first opening on Wednesday, at Westfield Oakridge. The second location, at Westfield Valley Fair, will open in mid-December.  

New York - The cost of healthcare, the ability to maintain margins
 and the ability to continue to grow revenue are the top business challenges in the retail sector. That’s according to GE Capital’s new national survey of c-suite executives at middle-market companies (ranging from $10 million - <$1 billion in sales).  

Lands' End sales fell in its October quarter as its store base dwindled, though an improved merchandise assortment and a more-targeted promotional strategy helped drive a 26% increase in profits.

For the third quarter ended Oct. 31, Lands' End posted a profit of $18 million, or 56 cents a share, up from a profit of $14.3 million, or 45 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue, meanwhile, fell 2.8% to $373.1 million as same-store sales fell 3.1%.