Coupons/ Rebates/ Pricing

Staying true to the adage, “timing is everything,” retailers must be mindful that the best days for email-driven engagement don’t necessarily translate into same-day conversions, according to a new report from Yes Lifecycle Marketing.  

Back to school sales appear to be rebounding this year after experiencing sluggish growth over the past three years (2013-2015).   That’s according to First Data’s Back-to-school SpendTrend report, which is based on aggregate same store sales activity in the First Data point-of-sale network.   Some of the most significant findings include:  

Three-quarters of Hispanic shoppers in the U.S. will make back-to-school purchase in stores, but which ones will be strongly influenced by their mobile marketing offers.   A survey of 500 Hispanic consumers conducted by mobile ad platform Retale found nine out of 10 saying they’d be using their smartphones to shop and that their dollars would be put toward the best deals.  

Urban Outfitter Inc. turned in a better-than-expected performance in the second quarter amid increased sales and fewer promotions and markdowns.   “Urban has now regained its position as the brand leader for young people,” said Urban Outfitters CEO Richard A. Haynes during the chain’s quarterly conference call.  

Consumers cooled their spending in July.    Retail sales were flat in July, in line with a revised 0.8% gain in June, according to figures released Friday by the Commerce Department. The report ended three straight months of monthly gains.     Sales in July rose 2.3% from a year ago. Excluding automobiles and parts sales, sales fell 0.3% in July — the weakest reading since January, after a 0.9% gain in the prior month.     

Weis Markets on Thursday announced it has upgraded its Weis Reward Points Program to include the option of a 5% discount when customers use their Weis Preferred Shopper Club card and make a qualifying $100 purchase in a Weis Markets store. The discount can be redeemed on a customer’s future order.  

Meijer is kicking off the fall campaign of its signature hunger relief program, Simply Give, across its six-state footprint in an effort to help local food pantry partners restock their shelves.

Papa John’s is the most recognized brand among fans of the National Football League and the chain intends to keep it that way, announcing it had renewed its multiyear deal as the official pizza sponsor of the NFL and the Super Bowl.   In that regard, Papa John’s is permitted to use NFL logos in its advertising and conduct integrated marketing campaigns involving the NFL Kickoff event and the Pro Bowl in addition to the Super Bowl.