Social Media

Everyone’s trying to figure out what drives consumers to purchase. But to understand how they shop, you need to know what makes them tick.   Alliance Data’s Analytics and Insights Institute conducted a study with more than 2,400 respondents to better understand consumer buying habits and expectations. These insights, cross-referenced with results from our "Understanding Customer Loyalty" study, confirmed that consumer buying habits track closely with life stage and each generation’s cultural identity.

Empire Outlets, the outlet center taking shape on the Staten Island side of the Staten Island Ferry, has turned to Manhattan and Holly Nichols to help promote the center.   Nichols’s illustrations have guided campaigns for Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman-Marcus, not to mention New York and Boston Fashion Weeks. Her work has 600,000 followers on Instagram, and originals sell to collectors on Etsy.  

J.C. Penney has entered into an ambitious partnership with a Lifetime reality fashion show.    The department giant has launched the first-ever "Project Runway" brand, with the collection inspired by the popular show and its design contestants. Currently available in over 500 Penney stores and online, the line made its debut with a summer preview collection featuring designs inspired by season 15 winner Erin Robertson, with the full assortment planned for Sept. 8.     

A jump in mobile ads and daily users contributed to another strong quarter for Facebook — one that also beat analyst expectations. For the second quarter ended June 30, total revenue rose 45% to $9.32 billion. This is a significant jump from $6.436 billion for the same period in 2016. Revenues for the quarter also beat analyst forecasts of $9.20 billion, according to Thomson Reuters. This is the ninth straight quarter that Facebook has exceeded analyst expectations.

Parents are pulling back on their back-to-school spending, and making “essential” school supplies their top priorities.    This was according to a new survey from Ebates and global internet services company Rakuten. The study, which was conducted online by Propeller Insights in June 2017, tapped 1,001 adults and 500 teens.  

The recipe for success in food retail is changing at breakneck speed. Economic drivers, such as commodity deflation, make revenue growth difficult. At the same time, demographic trends – including the rise of both millennials and centennials – undermine tried-and-tested business models. And now they are faced with the game changing move by Amazon with its planned acquisition of Whole Foods.  

Nordstrom is putting a modern spin on a 50-year-old tradition.   The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale — an event that launched in the 1960s — is stepping up its digital game this year. To drive customer engagement throughout the two-week event which kicks off on July 21, the department store giant teamed up with Snapchat to create a custom lens that features accessories that will be highlighted during the Anniversary Sale.   

For all the buzz about interactive digital marketing options, the track record of email keep it at the top of marketers’ holiday wish lists.    This was according to the “2017 Christmas in July Survey,” a study from j2 Global. The study tapped 564 members of its customer base and 100 retailers.  

Digitally-savvy customers will be contributing to a high volume of holiday traffic — and they have high expectations for retailers.    Seventy-six percent of U.S. consumers expect their interactions with a brand to be easy, according to “The Holiday in July 2017 Holiday Retail Outlook” report from Alliance Data  This will be a mantra this holiday season, regardless of the channel shoppers use to connect with their favorite retailers.