Marketing Tactics

Seattle – Lovers of the great outdoors in the Cleveland and Philadelphia areas have something else to celebrate as Independence Day approaches.

Outdoor gear and apparel retailer announced it will open new stores in fall 2016 in Cleveland and in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Pinterest is rolling out its “Buyable Pins” feature, which allow consumers to purchase items directly from Pinterest visual displays, to users of its iPhone and iPad apps. This gives retailers a new avenue to engage digital consumers, while e-commerce platforms like Amazon, eBay, Google and even Wal-Mart Marketplace have a new competitor.

Staples is coming to the rescue of consumers with long school supply lists by creating an inventive new way to attract these shoppers.

The retailer has created a panel of experts called the Back to School Council to offer advice to teachers, parents and students on how to get prepared for the next school year.

From the latest products and technology to cost-saving deals and easy ways to get ready for the school year, the council will offer up advice through their blogs and social media channels.

The experts are:

PetSmart is launching a promotion to bring panting pups and their owners into the store for heat relief this summer.

Middleton, Wis. - American Girl is expanding south of the boarder.

The brand will make its debut in Mexico, opening in-store boutiques in department store El Palacio de Hierro’s locations in Interlomas and Perisur. The in-store shops, ranging in size from 1,500 sq. ft. to 2,000 sq. ft., open July 4.

Mexico marks the second international retail presence for American Girl, which opened its first Canadian store in October 2013.

Dublin, Calif. -- Ross Dress for Less will open a new store in Montrose, Colorado, on July 18, as well as a new store in Phoenix on the same day, adding to its western U.S. store counts.

The 27,000-sq.-ft. Montrose, Colorado, store is located in the River Landing shopping center at US Highway 550 and Rio Grande Avenue, 60 miles southeast of Grand Junction.  

New York -- The top executives at Whole Foods Market have issued a mea culpa via social media in regards to an investigation that found instances of incorrectly priced products at their stores in New York City.

After initially quibbling with an investigation that found instances of incorrectly priced products at stores in New York, Whole Foods co-CEOs, Walter Robb and John Mackey offered a mea culpa in a YouTube video.

The nearly two minute video appeared on Whole Foods YouTube channel on July 1, eight days after the New York Daily News first published an article based on an investigation by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA).