Marketing Tactics

West Elm is expanding into the hotel business. And most everything in the guest rooms will be for sale.   The retailer, a division of Williams-Sonoma, is partnering with hospitality management and development company DDK to launch a chain of boutique hotels.    

Mark your calendars. Free Shipping Day, the one-day online event featuring free shipping with no minimum order requirement and delivery by Christmas Eve, is scheduled this year for Friday, Dec. 16.

"While we try to schedule the event one week before Christmas Eve, the calendar doesn't always accomodate," said Luke Knowles, founder of Free Shipping Day.  "What sets Free Shipping Day apart from other shopping holidays is small business participation.”

Target Corp. is putting the kibosh on what probably sounded like a good idea, but turned into what some shoppers called a nightmare.   In a pilot program that started in August, the discounter rolled out mini-shopping carts for kids in approximately 70 stores. But some kids apparently went wild with the little red carts, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported, crashing them into other shoppers, dumping merchandise into them and bruising their ankles and shins. Complaints about the kiddie carts went viral.  

A “Rally at the Rack” party is planned for Oct. 6 in downtown New Orleans for the opening of Nordstrom Rack’s store at The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk.   Nordstrom Rack will anchor the south side of the center, which owner Howard Hughes Corporation bills as the nation’s first downtown outlet location. Among the 75-or-so retail brands already doing business there are Guess Factory Store, Kay Jewelers Outlet, Neiman Marcus Last Call Studio, Reebok Outlet Store, and Wilson’s Leather.  

E-commerce may lose some appeal among shoppers this holiday season.   While some industry analysts are predicting more than 15% increases in e-commerce growth during the 2016 shopping season, NetElixir’s “2016 Holiday Outlook” report predicts that e-commerce growth may only hit 11%. This conservative gain is being blamed on earlier-than-usual promotions and purchasing of holiday gifts; retailers’ use of online marketplaces rather than exclusively selling directly on their sites, and the uncertain political environment.

It’s no trick: Halloween spending is at an all-time high.   As Americans continue to splurge on their favorite candy and costumes in preparation for the upcoming Halloween season, the National Retail Federation’s annual survey reported that spending is expected to reach $8.4 billion — the highest level in the study’s history.  

Macy's is revving up its beauty offerings with at-home beauty and treatment services.   The department store retailer is partnering with beGlammed, an on-demand beauty service that delivers hair and makeup to the customer’s front door. The deal will utilize beGlammed’s network of more than 1,200 stylists in 22 U.S. markets. Customers will be able to book a variety of beGlammed services, from a touch-up to bridal makeup, on macys.com/beglammed.com.  Prices will range from $25.00 to $185.00.