Marketing Tactics

6pm.com, the sister site of Zappos.com, which is owned by Amazon, is launching its first-ever live streaming fashion show and inviting the public to share via social media outfits inspired by the brand's top six summer trends: seaside sorbet, nautical by nature, athletic luxe, neutral notes, feminine flair and metallic madness.

The top 10 submitted looks will be featured in the Style by 6pm.com Summer Fashion Show, with winners receiving a $250 6pm.com e-gift card.

New York -- Smoking Vapor.Phoenix, which manufactures and sells electronic cigarettes, has opened a store in Phoenix, and plans to open four more locations in the coming months, according to a report by Phoenix Business Journal.

The 1,200-sq.-ft. store sells e-cigarettes, e-cigars and related products. Smoking Vapor operates a handful of kiosks in Phoenix-area malls. The kiosks will close as retail locations open.

The e-cigarette industry has grown into a $1.7 billion market, according to Wells Fargo.

Tractor Supply is scheduled to provide complete second-quarter results in just under two weeks. But the first half of the quarter was affected by bad weather, which caused softness in sales, particularly in seasonal merchandise, prompting the company to lower its full-year guidance.

New York -- Coupon website RetailMeNot plans to make deals more personalized for users. The website and app offers coupons and deals to customers based on their location and stores and restaurants that they’ve favorited. Now, with more than 18 million downloads of the mobile app and a June launch of a tablet app, RetailMeNot is planning to expand its capabilities to allow retailers to use the app as a tool for reaching new customers.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Olive Garden has begun the the roll out of a new restaurant remodel design and logo. The company, a division of Darden Restaurants Inc., is also launching an updated web experience and an online to-go platform for desktop and mobile computer users at all its U.S. restaurants.

Fresh & Easy is bringing back its Shop for Schools fundraising program with some notable improvements. Powered by the national fundraising program eScrip, it will kick off in time for the start of the 2014/2015 school year.

Warby Parker, the hip online eyewear retailer, has opened its sixth retail location, a 1,050-sq.-ft. store in Dallas.  

Retail sales generally improved in June, helped by good weather and big discounts as retailers look to clear inventory for the back-to-school season.
 
Costco Wholesale Corp. reported a 6% increase in June same-store sales, helped by higher fuel prices. Its results topped Wall Street estimates.

Excluding the impact of foreign exchange rates and gasoline prices, Costco’s same-store sales increased 6% for the five-week period ended July 6. The metric rose 5% in the United States and 7% overseas.