Digital Marketing

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Sears, a name that comes to mind when thinking of places to fix the car or shop for tools, will soon be associated with travel thanks to a new partnership with International Cruise & Excursions Inc. 

Redwood Shores, Calif. -- Cross-channel shopping is the new norm: Fifty-four percent of consumers regularly employ two or more channels before they make a purchase, according to a new study by Oracle.
 
The report, “Cross-Channel Commerce: The Consumer View,” reveals that consumers expect a consistent experience across all channels. Nearly 20% expect to redeem the same coupons and promotions in stores and online.

Boston -- Zmags, a provider of rich media mobile and social merchandising, announced that Kenneth Cole has chosen Zmags CommercePro to create integrated web, mobile/tablet and Facebook-commerce brand experiences that drive product discovery and inspire purchase.

Kenneth Cole’s first commerce-enabled catalog launched in November, providing a dynamic and engaging experience to help its customers discover and buy the perfect gift.

Bentonville, Ark. -- On Tuesday, the second day of its "12 Days of Giving" Facebook campaign, Walmart is awarding $125,000 to 17 nonprofits that are dedicated to building a brighter future for children across the country.

Over 12 consecutive days, the company will award a total of $1.5 million to 145 organizations in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

The Holiday Shopping Season got off to a fast start with sales numbers increasing by 6.6% compared with last year, according to Shopper Trak. Promotional activity started earlier than usual and helped shoppers stay in the know as to where they could find the best deals. Leading up to Black Friday, increases were seen in print for both page counts and circular drops in many instances. In digital there were increases in volume and frequency of online, email and social promotions.  

RESTON, Va. — The holiday season-to-date has garnered $24.6 billion in online sales, a 15% increase above corresponding days last year, ComScore reported.

In addition to the 15% increase in spending recorded for the first 39 days of the holiday season, ComScore also noted that the most recent week (week ended Dec. 9) reached $5.9 billion in spending, an increase of 15% versus the corresponding week last year.

Reston, Va. -- E-commerce spending for November-December holiday season to date totaled $24.6 billion, 15% up over the year-ago period, according to comScore. The most recent week (week ending Dec. 9) reached $5.9 billion in spending, an increase of 15% versus the corresponding week last year, with three days surpassing $1 billion.
 

A few days and about 15 meetings later, I am brimming with updates and stories from the annual International Council of Shopping Centers’ New York Deal-Making Convention in New York City.

Interestingly, my very first face-to-face sitdown at the Dec. 5-6 show delivered the biggest innovation of the two-day event.

I met with Marty Richmond, VP of marketing and corporate communications for Beachwood, Ohio-based DDR, who introduced me to the company’s newly unveiled ValuText program, a location-based mobile marketing service.

Los Angeles -- Survey data from PriceGrabber, an Experian company, said that many consumers will continue to hit the stores through the final days leading up to Christmas.

Results from PriceGrabber's fourth winter holiday shopping survey found that 41% of consumers plan to shop between Dec. 21 and Dec. 24 for holiday gifts.

NEW YORK — Saks Fifth Avenue has taken its brand beyond fashion retail with the launch of its redesigned SaksPOV website. Designed to offer a point of view from Fifth Avenue, the company said, the new site will feature multimedia content, designer features, Saks brand coverage and compelling lifestyle pieces. SaksPOV launched initially in December 2010.