Marketing Tactics

Research Triangle Park, N.C. -- Forty-one percent of online retailers plan to offer free shipping and returns as a strategy to increase holiday sales this year, according to a new survey by Channel Advisors, and free shipping also ranked as the most successful service feature for generating a higher level of customer satisfaction. The Multichannel E-Commerce Study also reveals that 86% of surveyed retailers expect to increase their year-over-year online holiday sales in 2014.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart on Thursday said it plans to hire 60,000 temporary workers for the holiday season, an increase of nearly 10% from last year.

The discounter also said that current workers who want more hours during the holidays will receive priority.

The opportunity to be discovered and appear in a national TV ad later this year are being used to entice Kohl’s shoppers to submit videos singing the hit song “Let it Go” from the Disney movie Frozen.

Kohl’s and Disney created the digital campaign called Sing Your Heart Out and are giving fans of the movie Frozen until September 29 to submit videos of themselves singing the song Let it Go for a chance to be included in a Kohls holiday commercial that will air during the 2014 American Music Awards.

Trendy teen retailer Hot Topic is banking on the popularity of the upcoming animated movie The Book of Life to drive sales of an exclusive merchandise offering inspired by the 20th Century Fox and Reel FX Animation Studios film.

The movie arrives in theaters October 17 and Hot Topic in partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products has introduced a graphically-stunning limited-edition collection of fashion apparel inspired by the fantasy-adventure film.

By David Ashen, dash design

Lately you can't turn on the television or pick up the newspaper without seeing a story about Millennials, also known as Generation Y. People are endlessly fascinated by their traits, values, work habits and shopping patterns. Why all of this focus on the group of people born between the early 1980's and 2000's?

The worldwide introduction of 250 new items in the couldn’t help General Mills overcome other challenges that caused sales and profits to decline during the company’s first quarter.

Total company sales during the quarter ended August 24 declined 2% to $4.27 billion and earnings per share fell to 55 cents from 70 cents last year with the U.S. retail climate causing much of the company’s difficulties.

As more retail promotions migrate online, RetailMeNot has introduced two new products poised to disrupt the traditional print circular.

The new offerings are branded as RetailMeNot Circulars and RetailMeNot Showcase and are part of the company’s portfolio of solutions designed to help retailers and brands increase sales and grow awareness.

Leading accessories retailer Claire’s plans to open 100 of its distinctive branded shops with thousands of products within Toys “R” Us stores worldwide by year end and alluded to the possibility of more locations to come.