In-Store Media

Whiting, Ind. -- Survey results released Wednesday by CouponCabin found that nearly a third (31%) of U.S. consumers feel that holiday shopping is starting too soon, with many stores opening their doors to shoppers Thursday, and in some cases, even Wednesday, night.

Stress is a factor, as many respondents reported that a variety of factors make Black Friday a nerve-wracking holiday. When asked which of the following stressed them out about Black Friday, U.S. adults said the following:

Vince Bove was named SVP and chief marketing officer at Reflect, a Dallas-based provider of software for digital signage networks at some of the nation’s leading retailers.

In his role as SVP, Bove will be responsible for business development and sales in the central and western United States.　In his capacity as chief marketing officer, he will assist Reflect clients with insightful shopper engagement strategies for their brand at the point-of-sale, and help them utilize the capabilities of the Reflect product line.

New York -- Survey results released Tuesday by Accenture found that half of U.S. consumers are likely to make a small luxury purchase in the next six months, including 53% who are likely to purchase specialty food or drinks, 48% to purchase luxury clothing and 48% to purchase luxury personal care products.

Atlanta -- Jones Lang LaSalle released a forecast suggesting that shopping centers will be pulling out all the digital stops this holiday season to engage and interact with consumers to influence purchasing decisions.

Dallas -- J.C. Penney announced it will celebrate Black Friday with its only sale of the year. The retailer said more than 1,100 J.C. Penney stores will open their doors at 6 a.m. on Black Friday to offer low prices on gifts for the entire family — with no coupons or rebates required. Associates throughout the store will be equipped with mobile checkout devices.

New York -- Marimekko will open a flagship in the heart of Beverly Hills, Calif., on Nov. 15. The 5,000 -sq.-ft. store will feature the entire range of Marimekko products, from signature fashions to home furnishings and textiles, as well as a showroom to support further business development of the brand in the area.

The Finnish textile and clothing design company, renowned for its original prints and colors, opened a store in Palo in the Stanford Shopping Center, on Oct. 25.

Black Friday can be so limiting which is why OfficeMax is expanding a program it offered last year involving special deal pricing every Friday until mid December.

Dallas -- J.C. Penney Co. Inc. on Friday reported a 26.1% decline in third-quarter same-store sales, more than the 17.9% that Wall Street analysts were expecting.

Overall sales fell 26.6% to $2.93 billion. Internet sales fell 37.3% to $214 million.

The company said that its net loss narrowed to $123 million in the third quarter ended Oct. 27, from $143 million a year earlier. The loss was wider than analysts had expected.