Digital Marketing

A unique arrangement between Starbucks and ride-sharing service Lyft should serve as a blueprint for the rest of the retail industry when it comes to developing unconventional partnerships that lead to new growth possibilities.

Portland, Ore. – Specialty membership-based outdoor retailer The Clymb targets active consumers with an active, content-driven marketing strategy. The Clymb drives people to its e-commerce site with content such as photos of outdoor activities on social networks like Instagram.

The pervasiveness of smartphones is making this back-to-school season the most technology-influenced ever, and a new study from Synchrony Financial provides fresh insight on the impact digital tools are having.

Beijing, China - Tmall.com, an online shopping platform run by Alibaba Group, is launching same-day grocery delivery services to residents of Beijing. Beijing residents who order from Tmall’s supermarket before 11 a.m. will be eligible for the delivery service, called Tmall Supermarket.

Tmall is partnering with Cainiao, the logistics affiliate of Alibaba Group, to deliver the service, In the future, Tmall Supermarket and Cainiao plan to roll-out same-day delivery services to Shanghai and other Chinese cities.

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores is launching a new collection that targets shoppers with a love of family, faith and tradition.

The retailer has announced an exclusive product line of more than 200 new prints and decor items from renowned American artist Susan Winget. 

San Jose, Calif. – Back-to-school shoppers are doing their homework online before making purchases. According to research from store analytics provider RetailNext, 73% of consumers research online and then buy back-to-school items in the store.

In addition, 32% of college shoppers plan to comparison shop online to make sure they get the best pricing, up from 28% in 2014. More than 31% of K-12 school shoppers will compare prices online, compared with 30% last year.

Other notable findings include:

A Food City supermarket in Bristol, Va., has given new meaning to that old merchandising adage, “stack it high and let it fly,” by creating the world’s largest pineapple display.

Mall operator Simon knows teen girls are a key part of its consumer base, and it is courting them this summer.