In-Store Media

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Citing a growing obesity epidemic in the United States, Sports Authority announced that it will no longer sell candy at its 465 stores.

Though it may lose some of the impulse sales generated by offering tempting items near checkout, Sports Authority is hardly a destination for junk food lovers, and that space might be better suited for products geared more toward the retailer's customer base. 

New York City -- Saks Inc.’s Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th announced the addition of five stores for 2012. The new stores will be located in upscale outlet, lifestyle, or strip centers.

The new locations are in Merrimack, N.H., Syracuse, N.Y., Livermore, Calif., Grand Prairie, Texas, and Nashville. The Merrimack store will be the first Off 5th in New Hampshire, and the store in Nashville will be a replacement store for the one lost in the 2010 flood in Tennessee.

New York City -- New Balance has opened its first North American Experience Store, in New York City's Flatiron District. The approximate 4,000-sq.-ft. space is designed to reflect the heritage and spirit of the century-old brand.

NEW YORK  — Classified Cosmetics announced that it has launched a line of aerobrush products at select Walmart stores and Walmart.com.

The Aero Minerale line at Walmart  includes a 5-in-1-makeup primer that preps the brows, lids, lashes, face and lips with a quick 2-second spray. According to the company, the Aero Minerale Hydrating Mineral Primer can also transform any powdered shadow into a dramatic, versatile cream.

Cleveland -- Forest City Commercial Management, in partnership with FaceCake Marketing Technologies, said it is previewing a new technology at three of its California shopping centers that allows mall shoppers to try on a vast inventory of clothing and accessories from multiple stores via the first full-motion, 3D, real-time virtual dressing room.

NEW YORK — Gap’s Old Navy unit rolled out more than 1,000 sports-oriented store-within-stores Tuesday, selling branded goods of more than 70 Division I schools, as well as National Football League teams.

The Super Fan Nation in-store concepts are being launched with a seven-figure marketing campaign that will include advertising at college stadiums and arenas, in-store appearances by college bands, cheerleaders and mascots, and a 10-day national television advertising campaign.

LOS ANGELES — Kroger banners Ralphs and Food 4 Less have both announced fundraising campaigns to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure affiliates in California. 

Customers and associates at both stores can support their local Susan G. Komen for the Cure affiliate by donating their spare change in collection canisters located at the checkstands in their neighborhood Ralphs of Food 4 Less Supermarket.The Komen fundraising camSupaign will run through Nov. 5, 2011.

Reston, Va. -- Survey results released Monday by ComScore showed that approximately 6.2% of 14 million mobile phone users have scanned a quick response or bar code on their mobile device.

Among 14,452 users surveyed in that have scanned a QR or bar code, 58% of them scanned a code at home, while 39.4% and 24.5% of respondents have scanned codes at a retail store or grocery store, respectively. As far as what they scanned, 49.4% said they scanned a QR or bar code found in a newspaper or magazine, while 35.3% scanned product packaging.