Packaging

South Korean beauty fave TonyMoly is laying down U.S. roots. With one store in New York City’s Chinatown, limited product distribution in Urban Outfitters and Sephora and a new website, the brand has opened its second Big Apple location.

Minneapolis – Target Corp. is getting some social media heat about the message on a controversial T-shirt it is selling, and says no offense was ever intended. According to the Associated Press, in a written statement Target said the black women’s shirt with the word “Trophy” written across the front in bold lettering is not meant to demean women.

The quest for innovation in the retail industry often requires unconventional partnerships, as Williams Sonoma has proven with its new Harvard smoker.

The retailer tasked one of Harvard University's engineering classes to come up with a better way to barbecue and smoke meats. In the end, a team of students invented a smoker that can eliminate hot spots and keep a constant and precise low temperature both in the smoker and the meat itself. The retailer is now is in the process of developing and producing the unit, which could retail for under $1,000. 

Austin, Texas – Parents are always telling their school-aged children that character is key, and they also apply a version of that maxim to back-to-school shopping. According to a recent survey by RetailMeNot, parents say their kids want school supplies featuring popular characters from films and TV shows.

Respondents indicated their children want "Minions"-themed school supplies the most (33%) followed by "Jurassic World" (31%), "SpongeBob" (24%) and "Star Wars" (22%).

Beijing – Pop star Taylor Swift has selected a Chinese e-commerce partner – and it isn’t Alibaba. Chinese e-commerce platform JD.com will be the first authorized seller of Taylor Swift merchandise in China.

The new JD.com store will be the official online source of Taylor Swift items, including a new fashion line the music superstar designed specifically for the Chinese market.

Minneapolis – Target Corp. is presenting itself as “Tahget” to Boston-area shoppers. The Boston Globe reports that Target is offering an assortment of “Local Pride” T-shirts with stereotypically Boston phrases and slang, such as “Wicked Smaht,” in its store located in Somerville, Massachusetts, a small city bordering Boston.

The localized assortment will also be featured in Target’s new CityTarget location scheduled to open in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston on Wednesday, July 22.

Office Depot Inc. is focusing on attracting de-cluttering consumers as the retailer awaits regulatory approval of its merger with Staples.

Office Depot announced it is launching Perch by Urbio, a new line of organization products for the home or office, available now in both Office Depot and OfficeMax retail locations and online at officedepot.com.

Skechers is teaming up with a U.S. toymaker to execute an omnichannel launch of a new line of dolls based on the retailer's most popular character.

The initial launch of the Twinkle Toes line includes four unique dolls that stand 6.5-inches in height dressed in colorful, fashion-forward outfits and light-up Skechers Twinkle Toes shoes that complement their bright personalities.

Seattle — Ever wondered what a 15-story-tall Instagram post would look like? Well, thanks to Nordstrom, the wait is over.

It’s no secret that in order to create great customer experiences and maximize sales, it’s imperative to have a deep understanding of the motivations that drive your customers’ buying behaviors and preferences. This is true across the entire path to purchase — from advertising to point of sale and beyond. So far, this is “motherhood and apple pie” to any marketer.