Marketing Tactics

This summer, Mall of America will buy into the escape fantasy craze with the addition of The Escape Game, an hour-long experience that the Nashville-based provider of the technology says presents sophisticated content designed to challenge even the most ardent gamers.   In the group experience, players can choose adventures that include a Mars mission, a covert mission to intervene with terrorists, a prison break, and a museum heist. The 3,300-sq.-ft. space will be located on level 3 of the huge mall in Bloomington, Minnesota, near Sears.

Mass promotions don’t cater to customer demand — or drive sales.   By adding a new platform that streamlines the entire promotional planning process, Toys “R” Us Canada is leaving behind vague promotions in favor of more targeted communications based on shopping behavior, store traffic, inventory and customer service.  

To tap growing global demand among shoppers in Australia and New Zealand, Alibaba opened its new international office in Melbourne.   On Saturday, Feb. 4, the e-commerce giant opened its new headquarters as a means of extending its reach — and product availability — to shoppers across the two countries, Reuters reported.   

Dick’s Sporting Goods will be relocating one of its stores in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, metro to space formerly inhabited by Sears at PREIT’s Capital City Mall.  

Apple is going really big in Manhattan.   The retailer is expanding its flagship at the General Motors building on Fifth Avenue from its current 32,000-sq.-ft. to over 77,000 sq. ft. The Apple space is renowned for the glass cube located on the street level.    While the store is undergoing the expansion, Apple has temporarily moved into a space in the building that was formerly occupied by FAO Schwarz.     

H&M is saying yes to what is being described as a “data dress.”   The fast-fashion retailer is teaming up with Google to create and sell frocks based on customer-specific data tracked by an Android app, reported The Verge.   

On the heels of disappointing financial results, Tiffany & Co. said that Frederic Cumenal has stepped down as CEO, effective immediately.    Cumenal, who had run the company since April 2015, is being succeeded on an interim basis by chairman and former CEO Michael Kowalski, while the company searches for a permanent replacement.    

For the first time in more than 15 years, Abercrombie & Fitch is launching a new store format for its namesake banner.