Coupons/ Rebates/ Pricing

CVS wants customers to fill their bags, so the drugstore chain is kicking off a "Fill Your Bag" promotional event in all of its 7,800 stores.

To participate, members of the ExtraCare program can scan their cards at the ExtraCare Coupon Center from April 26 to May 23 to receive a 30% off coupon each week, with a limit of one coupon per week. Customers who participate in store will receive a reusable shopping bag that is free with purchase.

Sportsman's Warehouse is resorting to a cash giveaway to ensure a strong crowd at its newest store as it expands in Oregon. 

To celebrate the grand opening, the first 200 families through the door will receive a free Sportsman's Warehouse $20 gift card and Sportsman's Warehouse hat. When the doors open at the Sportsman’s Warehouse in Klamath Falls, Ore., the store will be the retailer’s sixth location in the state of Oregon.

New York – Digital purchasing has not displaced paper money, and digital discounts have apparently not yet displaced paper coupons. Seventy percent of consumer packaged goods coupon users still use print-based coupons such as those in free standing inserts (FSI), according to a study from GfK Custom Research and News America Marketing. 

Portland, Ore. – Opt-in rates among consumers for push notifications from retail apps are on the decline. A new study from Urban Airship shows that average opt-in rates for retail apps fell to 37% in 2014, compared to 46% in 2013.

In 2014, retail apps doubled their notification send volume on the key shopping days of Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and consumer response rates also doubled, despite the majority of those notifications being general sales promotions sent to all users.

H&M gave new meaning to the phrase “pop-up store” with a merchandising initiative at its Times Square location focused on conscious commerce.

The retailer, which operates 3,100 stores worldwide, chose the New York flagship location as the launch point for its H&M Conscious Exclusive Collection and the opening of its Conscious Pop-Up Store. On hand for the opening were actress Olivia Wilde and Barbara Burchfield of Conscious Commerce.

Meijer is incenting customers to make generous donations to hunger relief organizations by offering to double their contributions.

As part of the retailer’s Simply Give hunger relief program, plans call for Meijer to contribute $20 every time a customer donates $10 resulting in a combined $30 donation to local food pantries. The company conducts its Simply Given campaign three times a year. The Spring effort runs through May 7 but the generous matching offer is good April 17-18.

In a column I wrote between Black Friday and Christmas last year, I talked about how “apparel sales have been languishing”, and I mentioned that the “industry buzz is all about the struggles in apparel, where retailers just can’t seem to discount clothing enough to get things to pick up.”

Walmart is looking to increase its support of community food programs with a new "Fight Hunger. Spark Change." campaign this spring.

The national initiative will invite the public to take action in the fight against hunger. Working with some of the nation’s leading food companies –- Campbell’s, ConAgra Foods, General Mills, Kellogg Company, Kraft, and Unilever–- Walmart is offering the 140 million customers that shop at its stores each week three easy ways to help families in need in their local communities.

Leslie’s Poolmart Inc. plans to make a splash in select cities this month as it opens 15 new retail locations throughout the United States on April 9.

During the store grand openings between April 9 and April 13, customers will receive 20% off most everything in the store. Each store's grand opening will also be celebrated with a ribbon cutting and other events.

99 Cents Only Stores is accelerating its expansion plan with several new stores planned for 2015.

The retailer just opened nearly 10 new stores this week in California, and plans to open more later this year.

The company says it will celebrate its store openings this week in California by selling flat screen LCD TVs for only 99 cents to the first nine customers in line on Grand Opening Day. The next 99 customers in line on opening day may purchase an iron for only 99 cents. Other 99 cent deals will follow for additional customers.