Coupons/ Rebates/ Pricing

St. Louis and Columbus, Ohio, are ground zero for a new initiative from News America Marketing that blends e-commerce with the traditional free-standing insert.

Clearwater, Fla. – Multichannel retailer/product marketer As Seen On TV is taking advantage of the burgeoning crowd-funding trend to let its customers help decide what new products will be available for sale. Partnering with crowd-funding software provider Launcht Inc., As Seen On TV will allow inventors to upload video, images, design specifications and marketing strategies relating to their product ideas onto its e-commerce site. Customers will then be able to comment on, review and make prepurchases of products.

New York -- Starbucks Coffee Company is raising prices on some of its beverages starting on Tuesday. Prices will rise an average of 1% starting June 25, but will vary slightly in different regions.
   
"Less than a third of beverages will see a small increase in most stores," said Lisa Passe, a Starbucks spokeswoman, in an Associated Press report.

Austin, Texas – Slightly more than half of consumers (51%) said they would be more likely to buy something in-store if they received a coupon on their mobile device for that store while nearby, according to a recent mobile commerce survey from RetailMeNot and The Omnibus Company. The survey of 1,067 U.S. residents age 18 and older conducted in April 2013 also revealed:

New York -- A report released Thursday by Bloomberg said that consumer sentiment climbed during the week ended June 16 to minus 29.4, compared with minus 31.3 a week earlier and representing a lift after a two-month low. In fact, according to the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index, Americans’ views on the economy were the least pessimistic in five years.

The monthly Bloomberg consumer economic expectations gauge for June held at minus 1, matching May’s reading as the best this year.

CINCINNATI — Procter & Gamble is launching its latest ad campaign in the Big Apple. Called the Everyday Effect, the campaign is the largest consumer event in the company's 175 year history and will involve P&G representatives showing New Yorkers why they should consume P&G products.

The company will demonstrate how its brands make “everyday life better” and broadcast results of these demos through on-the-ground reports, social media updates and content featured across the company’s website and social media pages. 

Marlborough, Mass. – According to the latest edition of the seasonal “The Why Behind the Buy” report from Acosta Sales & Marketing, consumers are increasing their usage of every digital tool except for email in their shopping activities. Concurrently, consumers are using traditional tools such as coupons and store flyers less frequently.

Specific results include:

San Francisco -- A new U.S. study conducted online by Harris Interactive and commissioned by Placecast showed that fathers use their mobile phones to save money.

The Wave IV poll in the Alert Shopper series of research revealed that 58% of American dads with smartphones said they had taken action on a promotion or coupon received on their phones, outpacing moms and those without kids.
 

New York – Initial Bloomberg estimates indicate US retail sales edged up 0.4% last month, with growth in the job market spurring increased consumer willingness to spend money. The projected increase is the largest in three months and follows smaller increases of 0.1% in April.

New York -- Ann Inc., which runs the Ann Taylor and Loft,  reported that its fiscal first-quarter net income dropped 27%, as unseasonably cold weather held back sales of spring and summer clothing and led to discounts. The retailer also cut its revenue outlook for the year.