Marketing Tactics

J.C. Penney is testing a category more typically associated with Home Depot or Lowe’s than a department store: heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.    According to a report by Dallas Morning News, the test is being done in partnership with Trane, an HVAC company, and includes a display of the HVAC service near the major appliances at a few locations.

Lifescapes International, an architectural landscape company that’s responsible for outdoor displays such as the Rockefeller Center Promenade and the Bellagio water show, is testing the boundaries of indoor greenery in the Philippines.  

Christmas Eve may only be a mere three days away, however 20% of adults plan to shop for holiday gifts or holiday-related items that day.   That’s according to “The 2016 ICSC Super Saturday study,” which was conducted by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) from December 8-11, 2016. The survey comprises responses from 1,025 adults of 18 years of age and older.  

Ikea stores are so inviting that some teens want to spend the night.   Ten of the Swedish home furnishing giant’s stores across the world have been the location of illegal sleepovers, BBC News reported.   

The Container Store and Southwest Airlines are teaming up to surprise harried holiday travelers passing through airports across the nation.   Starting Thursday, Dec. 22, the partners are easing holiday stress for travelers by offering complimentary gift wrapping. The service is available between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the following 10 airports:   • Chicago (Midway) International Airport • Dallas (Love Field)  • Denver International Airport 

Across the United States, cities have been experiencing a development resurgence. Legions of Americans are departing suburbia and returning to urban environments, with millennials leading the migration. Young adults are abandoning the suburban subdivisions they grew up in for denser, more vibrant urban settings. Consequently, once-empty lots, city blocks, and otherwise underutilized properties are being replaced with multi-use buildings that can accommodate new residences, office space, and retail.  

Dollar sales for holiday 2016 are trending lower than last year — with some exceptions — and retailers are partially to blame.   According to The NPD Group’s weekly point-of-sale results for key general merchandise categories across in-store and online channels, dollar sales in the sixth week of the 2016 holiday shopping season  were 5% lower than the same week in 2015. Cumulatively, dollar sales in the first six weeks of the 2016 holiday shopping season were 4% behind the first six weeks of the 2015 holiday season.

For more than half a century, Chain Store Age’s annual SPECS conference has delivered one of the retail industry’s most important and impactful events.        The 2017 event, to be held March 12-14 at the Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee, Florida, will cover a wide range of emerging and evolving issues, focusing on must-see innovations and essential information about trends, topics and technologies that will be impacting the industry for many years to come.