Marketing Tactics

New York -- Consumers are expected to spend an average of $582 on holiday shopping this season, and 23% plan to spend more than $750, according to a survey by Accenture. And half of consumers (52%) expect to increase their spending by $250 or more.

St. Louis -- Build-A-Bear Workshop reported a net loss of $4.3 million in its third quarter, compared with net income of $0.9 million a year ago, and said it would close 50 to 60 underperforming locations in the next two years in an effort to improve its profitability and reach its “optimal” count of 225 to 250 locations.

San Jose, Calif. -- Facebook brand engagement has risen 896% on a year-over-year basis, according to a new study from Adobe Systems Inc., with mobile users accounting for nearly one-quarter of all engagement.

Engagement on Facebook is expected to surge in the fourth quarter, Adobe's Digital Index for third quarter 2012 points out, as brands continue to invest in social marketing and take advantage of the latest Facebook platform changes (e.g., Timeline) to target consumers.

Washington -- Free shipping offers will abound this holiday season, according to Shop.org’s eHoliday survey conducted by BIGinsight. Nine in 10 (89.7%) retailers plan to offer some form of free shipping for online shoppers. When asked which promotions they will emphasize most heavily during the holiday season, 37.5% plan to offer free standard shipping with conditions (e.g. minimum purchase), and three in 10 (30.0%) will offer free standard shipping without conditions.

MAHWAH, N.J. — The Fred Meyer Jewelers division of Kroger Co. has selected TD Retail Card Services to take over the private label credit card program for its Fred Meyer Jewelers and Littman Jewelers stores.

Under the agreement, the  business unit of TD will direct all facets of the program for the company's 344 fine jewelry stores in 32 states. 
 

New York -- Macerich announced that Eataly, the largest artisanal Italian food and wine emporium in the world, has reached an agreement to open its second U.S. location, at The Shops at North Bridge near Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

The new location, expected to open in September 2013, will be the concept's largest, at 60,000 sq. ft. Eataly opened its first U.S. store, in Manhattan, in 2010.
Eataly is a collaboration among Joe Bastianich, Mario Batali, Lidia Bastianich and Oscar Farinetti, who founded Eataly in Turin, Italy, in 2007.

New York -- Signet Jewelers Ltd. announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ultra Stores, Inc. from Crystal Financial LLC. and its other stockholders for approximately $57 million in cash. Ultra operates stores primarily in outlet centers, as well as licensed jewelry departments.
   
Signet will not assume any debt in connection with the acquisition.
 

PORTLAND, Maine -- The Body Shop launched a new earth-friendly eGift Card service powered by CashStar, a digital gifting and incentives company. Customers can now  purchase and send personalized eGift Cards to family and friends for redemption online or at any of the thousands of The Body Shop stores across the United States and Canada.