Packaging

Queen of mail-order catalogs dies at 88
Lillian Vernon, who grew a home business selling monogrammed pocketbooks and belts, into one of America's best-known mail-order businesses, died on Monday. She was 88.

Vernon and her family came to the United States in 1937 as Jewish immigrants from Germany fleeing Hitler. She was newly married and pregnant with her first child when she started her business in 1951.

The Lillian Vernon Corp. was the first company owned by a woman to be listed on the American Stock Exchange, in 1987, according to the New York Times.
Virtual product labels arriving on store shelves
Consumer packaged goods companies eager to keep pace with shoppers’ desire for product ingredient transparency have embraced a major initiative branded as SmartLabel.

SmartLabel is the name given to an initiative spearheaded by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) that is designed to give consumers easy access to detailed information on ingredients and hundreds of other product attributes, such as whether food items contain ingredients from genetically modified sources.

Founder of Williams-Sonoma dies

The man who built a retail empire by inspiring a generation of shoppers to stock their kitchens with garlic presses and soufflé pans has died.

Charles E. “Chuck” Williams, founder and director emeritus of Williams-Sonoma Inc., died of natural causes over the weekend, the company announced. He was 100 years old.
Retailers go outside the box with videos

Retailers and brands are increasingly going on YouTube and posting “unboxing” videos of happy customers opening products and then examining and celebrating their features and functions for the camera, says the New York Times.

Read more by clicking here.
Report: Retailers go outside the box with videos

Retailers and brands are increasingly going on YouTube and posting “unboxing” videos of happy customers opening products and then examining and celebrating their features and functions for the camera, says the New York Times. [New York Times]
Target aims for shoppers who like surprises

Target is looking to generate excitement online this holiday season with a just-launched promotion aimed at shoppers who love subscription services like Birchbox.

Target has just launched a specially designed collection of boxes called Wonderpacks, which the retailer says are “meant to inspire and capture family fun.”

The kits, available on target.com, are curated and contain a combination of products to create experiences, from a game-packed road trip to sledding after sunset, the retailer says.
Weis Markets seeks to boost marketing, supply chain efficiency

InnerWorkings on Tuesday entered an exclusive partnership to enhance the marketing supply chain of Weis Markets.
Connecting with Customers Through the Power of Scent

Delivering an excellent in-store experience to customers is no easy task for retailers. In addition to ensuring your employees are offering exceptional customer service, you need to consider how shoppers will perceive every aspect of your store environment, including lighting, music, floor plans and merchandise display. But in determining how to create an optimum in-store environment, don’t forget one of the most important factors that can positively influence the customer experience—scent.
Pier I “popping” up—but not with a store

Pier 1 Imports is celebrating the holidays with two unusual pop-up experiences.

The home décor retailer is creating a life-sized, pop-up book installation, open to the public from December 2 – 6, in downtown Manhattan.

It also is sending a limited edition, holiday pop-up catalog, created in collaboration with award-winning paper engineer Bruce Foster, to select customers. To see a video of the pop-up catalog, click here.
Want to sell more expensive items online?

Retailers looking to maximize online revenues should utilize one specific digital promotional solution to create a sense of pleasure.

Queen of mail-order catalogs dies at 88

Virtual product labels arriving on store shelves

Founder of Williams-Sonoma dies

Retailers go outside the box with videos

Report: Retailers go outside the box with videos

Target aims for shoppers who like surprises

Weis Markets seeks to boost marketing, supply chain efficiency

Connecting with Customers Through the Power of Scent

Pier I “popping” up—but not with a store

Want to sell more expensive items online?