Games/ Contests/ Sweepstakes

New York & Company has devised an interesting sweepstakes-based approach to ensure customers are lined up when its stores open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.

The operator of more than 500 stores said the first 200 shoppers to enter its stores beginning at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving will be entered to win $100,000 in the company’s first ever Win Big in New York sweepstakes. In addition to the $100,000 grand prize winner, each store will also have one $500 prize winner.

SearsRugs.com is the name of a new online marketplace that promises to make shopping for high end affordable rugs easy and fun.

The site launched recently and promises access to tens of thousands of the best handmade and machine-made rugs from around the world. SearsRugs.com, a licensee of Sears Holdings, said it is working with the retailer to provide an easy and fun shopping experience and indicated the relationship would give SearsRugs.com a substantial position in the online rug market.

Los Angeles -- Lifestyle brand Paul Frank is launching a pop-up shop at the Paramount Hotel in New York City, now through Jan. 30, 2015, with omnichannel features. Customers can participate in two digital activations featuring the face of Paul Frank, Julius the monkey.

General Mills has partnered  with GRAMMY Award-winning group Camila for the company's 2014-2015 Musica y Sabor campaign focused on connecting with customers in the Hispanic markets.

Seattle –- Amazon.com will start offering daily Black Friday deals on Saturday, Nov. 1. Amazon will also start offering two Deals of the Day every day through Monday, Dec. 22.  

Portland will be the proving ground this fall for a new mobile commerce initiative from Starbucks called Mobile Order and Pay that is part of the company’s broader effort to radically transform the retail experience.

Columbus, Ohio -– DSW Inc. is running a one-day promotion called “National Shoe Lover Day” on Saturday, Oct. 25. Each of the 428 DSW stores, plus dsw.com, will participate.   

The holidays will be a little more joyous this year for some of the 14.7 million U.S. children living in poverty.