Loyalty Marketing

Teen specialty retailer Rue21 has launched a new juniors plus size division called Rue+ the company said its customers have been asking for.

The Rue+ division is intended to serve as a destination for trendy yet affordable plus size apparel and accessories that will inspire and empower plus sized girls to feel confident in how they look, according to the company. The product offering will be available at Rue21.com and in 22 of the company’s 1,100 stores nationwide.

Austin, Texas -- Gen Y consumers, whose annual spending power is estimated at $200 billion, prefer to shop at retailers that offer financing options, according to a new study.   An eNation study of more than 2,000 consumers, commissioned by financial technology company NewComLink, found that 59% of shoppers between the ages of 18 and 34 say their choice of retailer is impacted by whether that retailer offers financing options.  

Dollar General will honor veterans and their families with a special 11% discount on all qualifying purchases, in-store and online, on Tuesday, November 11, 2014.

New website BeautyKind.us will enable consumers to give back just by making purchases.  Whether it’s shopping for makeup, skincare, fragrances, hair or nail products, 5% of the purchase price of every product will be donated to the charity of the consumer's choice. The unique shopping platform “We-Commerce” was created to integrate cause within commerce and bring the beauty community together for the greater good.

Cute cat videos and funny dog tricks are everywhere on the Internet so it only stands to reason that Petco would unleash customers’ creativity with an Instagram contest as part of a larger holiday initiative.

Petco is encouraging shoppers to enter its holiday photo contest from Nov. 23 to Dec. 18 by submitting photos of their pets showing holiday spirit by following @petco and posting photos with #JoyLovePetsContest on Instagram. A winner will be selected every Friday and will receive a $1,000 Petco gift card.

Austin, Texas -- Whole Foods Market reported that its net income rose a better-than-expected 5.8% to $128 million in its fiscal fourth quarter, ended Sept. 28, 2014, from $121 million in the year-ago period.  The company also said it plans to open 38 to 42 stores, including five to six relocations, in fiscal 2015. 

Sam’s Club has joined the ranks of other retailers this holiday season with a pre-Black Friday-themed promotion occurring mid-month.

On Saturday, Nov. 15, Sam’s Club will host a one-day-only Holiday Savings Celebration featuring Black Friday pricing on featured technology, toys, apparel, jewelry and home goods items. Starting at 7 a.m. and exclusive to Sam’s Club members, families can fill their baskets in-club or online with top holiday picks while getting ahead of the typical Black Friday frenzy, according to Sam’s Club.

Jeffersonville, Ind. --  A majority of consumers (88%) say free shipping makes them more likely to shop online, while 30% shop online to find the best deal possible and 20% to avoid holiday crowds, according to a new survey from omnichannel customer engagement technology vendor Accent.   Other notable findings include: