Cross-Merchandising

With traditional anchors closing shop, malls nationwide are struggling to make themselves part of the entertainment business. None, however, are likely to do it as literally as Westfield’s Century City.  

Disney's marketing firepower will be on full display starting at  12:01 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 1, when it launches a global merchandise promotion — complete with augmented reality — of toys and products inspired by its upcoming film, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."  

Uber riders nationwide can now earn credits for shopping and dining under a rewards program with Visa.   The program, Visa Local Offers with Uber, launched last year in the San Francisco and Los Angeles markets. It has been relaunched to be made available to Uber riders across the country. The program is open to Uber riders with an eligible U.S.-issued Visa card on file in the Uber app.  

Understanding in-store shopper behavior is key to designing environments that promote product purchase. But retailers must overcome numerous hurdles to get shoppers to notice a product, let alone buy it.    Toward that goal, we recently conducted research in six stores nationwide to identify shopper behavior patterns and generate insights into the retail experience. Mobile eye tracking headsets were employed to observe actual shopper behavior and to measure key levels of engagement at three stages:  

The third annual Amazon Prime Day attracted more shoppers than ever, with many attracted by personalized marketing efforts.    Thirty-six percent of respondents confirmed they made a purchase on Amazon Prime Day in a survey from Periscope by McKinsey, which conducted online research with U.S. shoppers to explore their attitudes and actions regarding the online giant's mega-sale. This was a substantial increase on the 22% who said they had actively shopped for Prime Day deals in 2016.   

Back to school is the retail year’s second most critical season. It’s thought of as that make-or-break stretch that provides momentum into the holiday season. For several years, retailers have seen changes in the way the back-to-school season behaves. This year will be no exception as e-commerce and convenience plays continue to devour consumer attention and wallet share.   

The next generation of Nike's sneaker-focused boutique concept has opened in Tokyo.  

Target is getting more pet-friendly as it extends its partnering initiatives with popular online retail brands.   The discounter announced it will sell toys and treats from Bark, the company that operates subscription-based online pet supplies retailer BarkBox. It's the first time Bark products will be available in retail stores.    Based in New York City, Bark launched in 2012 and now counts over 500,000 subscribers. It is known for its fun and quirky toy and natural treat lines.

Timberland has opened a new concept store that will be completely transformed with a new theme and products every six weeks.  

Saks Fifth Avenue is partnering with Disney to celebrate the holidays.   Saks' annual holiday window display at its New York City flagship on Fifth Avenue will be devoted to "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." The collaboration with Disney also includes special Disney-inspired fashion, accessories and giftable items created by premier designers and available across Saks' 41 stores in the U.S. and Canada, and Saks.com.