Marketing Tactics

December 2013 is projected to be the fifth coldest in more than 22 years and the coldest in three years for the U.S. as a whole. Temperatures will be much colder for the eastern half of the U.S. with below-normal cold expected in the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Northeast. The start of the month is expected to be cold and stormy while the week after Christmas looks milder and drier in the East. A stormy pattern during the first three weeks of the month promises to also be snowy with above average snowfall across the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, South Central states and the Northwest.

Retailers were effective at getting a record number of Americans to visit stores and Web sites over the weekend, but persuading them to spend money was a different story, according to data released by the National Retail Federation Sunday afternoon.

Even before its final round of deals kicked in at Walmart on Friday morning the retailer announced that sales had exceeded last year’s record-breaking results with 10 million transactions completed between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

Washington, D.C. -- More consumers plan to spend more than last year, and fewer consumers less than last year, according to the 14th annual holiday spending survey conducted by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and the Credit Union National Association (CUNA).  

Irving, Texas -- Zale Corp. narrowed its first-quarter loss slightly and reported its 12th consecutive quarterly sales increase.

Zale reported a net loss of $27. 3 million in the quarter ended Oct. 31, compared to $28.3 million, a year ago. The prior year included a gain of $1.9 million from a settlement.

First-quarter sales increased 1.4% to $363 million, in line with expectations.

Same-store sales rose 4.4%. Zales Jewelers and Zales Outlet stores posted a same-store sales increase of 7.5%.

Charmin toilet paper delivered relief to tailgaters in Dallas Thanksgiving Day, when the Dallas Cowboys hosted the Oakland Raiders. As part of the Charmin Relief Project, the brand took state-of-the-art restrooms to the stadium.

The restrooms, which featured bathroom attendants, were touted as “an upscale bathroom experience.”

Ethos Contemporary Art is joining Amazon Art, a new online fine art sales channel for the world’s largest e-retailer. Ethos will be offering original fine art from artists such as Pierre Henri Matisse, Georgeana Ireland, Lisa Palombo and Dick Marconi ahead of Cyber Monday.
 

The Woodlands, Texas -- Conn’s has opened two new HomePlus stores in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Laredo, Texas. The new Conn’s HomePlus store format showcases furniture and mattresses in addition to consumer electronics and home appliances.

Conn’s currently operates more than 70 retail locations in Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, Oklahoma and New Mexico.