Coupons/ Rebates/ Pricing

Synchrony Financial will continue to offer consumer financing to Pandora Jewelry customers.

The two companies have announced a multi-year extension of their consumer financing program agreement. The program, which began in 2011, will continue to provide Pandora shoppers with access to a range of payment options through the Pandora Preferred card program. Special financing will be available at select concept stores nationwide.

Ahold USA first quarter sales were up 4% to $8.2 billion. Excluding gas, sales increased 4.1% at constant exchange rates. The addition of 25 A&P stores in the New York Metro market in fourth quarter 2015 was the main contributor to the overall sales growth and resulted in an overall market share improvement in both dollars and volume, Ahold reported.

Call it a spring retail funk. The day after Macy’s posted disappointing results for its first quarter, Kohl’s Corp. upped the ante, reporting an 87% drop in net income amid heavy one-time costs. Kohl’s net income for the three months that ended April 30, was $17 million, down 87% from the $127 million Kohl's earned in the year-ago period. Excluding impairments, store closings and one-time costs, net income was $58 million, down 55%.

It may seem a little premature given that school is still in session, but the first back-to-school study has been released.

About 62% of households plan to reduce back-to- school spending compared to 2015, according to a survey by Bizrate Insights, a division of Connexity. Average spend will be $606, or $1,086 for households with college-age children.

Consumers are taking stock of their financial health and how it will affect their decisions to make CPG purchases in the coming months.

According to the new first quarter 2016 IRI Consumer Connect survey, 67% of respondents feel their financial health will improve in the next six months. As a result, CPG spending will generally improve, but shoppers have some specific needs and wants to fulfill.

Market Track compared retail circular advertising in March 2016 vs. March 2015 and noted trends occurring across top retail chains.

Lowe’s Home Improvement had denser March print circulars with twice the ads per page and nearly 80 additional ads per drop. Lowe’s shifted the Spring Black Friday sale to the 3/31 drop; up from first week of May 2015.

Home depot did not counter this shift through print, but promoted Spring Black Friday on their website.

Many retailers’ long-held assumptions about consumer loyalty programs are no longer accurate, according to a new study.

Maritz Motivation Solutions surveyed more than 2,000 consumers regarding their feelings about brand loyalty and engagement. The data showed that there are at least five myths when it comes to consumers and loyalty programs. “When evaluating your brand, consumers also are evaluating your loyalty program,” said Barry Kirk, VP Customer Loyalty Strategy for Maritz.

Kirk detailed the myths in a webinar this week:

In what has been described as an historic rate reduction, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will roll back postage rates on April 10.

The reduction – the first stamp prices have fallen since 1919 – is prompted by the removal of the 4.3% exigent surcharge. It will apply to several mail classifications, including letters, large envelopes, flats, and postcards.

A new study of 2,600 consumers by Blackhawk Engagement Solutions, titled "Where It's At: a Connected Shopper Study,” shows that across retail categories, shoppers would prefer a higher value rebate versus some lower value offers. Additionally, 68% of shoppers said rebates are an attractive offer in-store and 65% said rebates are an attractive offer when shopping online.

Consumers who rely on mobile coupons when food shopping are much more likely to experiment with new brands.

According to the latest edition of GfK MRI’s “The Survey of the American Consumer,” one in three (33%) U.S. adults agrees completely or somewhat with the statement, “I rely on mobile coupons while food shopping.” And almost half (44%) of these mobile coupon users say they like to “change brands often for the sake of variety and novelty,” compared to just 30% of the general population.