Marketing Tactics

Solid Gold pet food is partnering with Petco to donate an estimated $500,000 of premium pet food to selected pet charities nationwide.

The program kicked off earlier this month at more than 1,300 Petco locations across the U.S. finalize the placement of Solid Gold's new package design.

Belmont, Mass. – To ensure coupon redemption, retailers may want to take a mobile approach. A recent study of retailers using CodeBroker mobile marketing solutions showed CodeBroker mobile coupons, ranging from in-app to on-demand offers, resulted in redemption rates as high as 50%.

The study also showed that multi-channel promotions are highly effective in increasing redemption rates, while on-demand offers, in which consumers request a coupon, have the highest average rate. Other key findings include:

Holiday discounts helped Bon-Ton Stores post a robust increase in same-store sales.

The company said same-store sales for the nine-week holiday period ended Jan. 3 increased 5.3%. Total sales for the combined months of November and December were up 3.8%, the company said.

Kathryn Bufano, president and CEO, said the company was “pleased” with the numbers, but that a “highly promotional sales environment” tempered the impact of those improved sales on Bon-Ton’s profits.

Walmart is hoping to increase the cash in in-store shoppers’ wallets this year by offering a new tax refund service.

Direct2Cash is a way for customers to collect their tax refunds in cash at stores this tax season. The service is an alternative for taxpayers who otherwise might get refunds via check or direct deposit.

Toronto – Sears Canada is reaching out to Target’s Canadian employees. The retailer is encouraging the 17,600 workers who will likely lose their jobs when Target exits the Canadian market later this year to apply for jobs online.

Sears Canada also plans to host job fairs for soon-to-be-laid-off Target employees across Canada, and will host a meet-and-greet for Target Canada head office employees with senior executives and HR experts at its corporate headquarters on Wednesday, Jan. 21.

Conn’s is launching a new philanthropic program to help improve the communities it serves by empowering children.

Conn’s Cares is the company’s first program to will galvanize every employee around a single cause at all Conn’s locations, the company said.

“Our vision is that Conn’s Cares will become an enduring investment in the children of the communities we serve,” said Theodore Wright, Conn’s chairman and CEO. “We are committed to the idea that every child should have an opportunity to succeed.”

Burlington, Mass. -- Talbots will open a new store on Jan. 30 at Wayside, in Burlington, Massachusetts, according to Wayside’s management and leasing firm The Wilder Companies.

The opening of the 9,300-sq.-ft. Talbots, which features all three of the brand’s concepts -- Talbots, Talbots Petites, and the first Talbot Woman in the market -- is part of a multi-phase revitalization that is nearing completion at the open-air retail center.

Sportsman’s Warehouse will honor those serving in the U.S. military and public safety occupations with a special promotion.

On Military and Public Safety Appreciation Day, Jan. 24, 2015, the stores will offer discounts of up to 20%. Firearms, ammunition, optics and electronics will be offered with a 10% discount.