Marketing Tactics

Grapevine, Texas – Gamers whose friends and family mistakenly gave them holiday gift cards for retailers that do not sell video games have a new option. GameStop is now exchanging unwanted gift cards from other retailers for a GameStop gift card online and in select stores.

Upon verifying the information and completing the transaction, a GameStop e-gift card is emailed if completed online or a gift card is given if the transaction is completed in-store. Customers can either use the gift cards at any U.S. GameStop store location or online.

Merrimack, N.H. - Brookstone is unveiling its "I Launched at Brookstone!" marketing campaign to promote new homegrown products, introduce the new tech products from startup companies, and meet startup companies looking for a way to bring their products to market. Brookstone is able to develop and market startup products with in-house design, packaging, marketing, retail, e-commerce and wholesale teams

While Obamacare remains a contentious issue, Sam’s Club has quietly administered free health tests to nearly one million people and plans to continue its ambitious screening program in 2015.

The first of the monthly screening events takes place Jan. 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sam’s Club 598 locations that contain a pharmacy. Ten screening events are planned for the remainder of the year and held on the second Saturday of each month.

Plano, Texas  -- J.C. Penney is reflecting in a post-holiday glow and feeling bullish about its business going forward after reporting a 3.7% increase in same-store sales during the holidays (the nine week period from November through December). The retailer also said that it expects its fourth-quarter comparable sales will be at the top end of its forecast range of a 2% to 4% gain.

An incentive of up to $25 is being offered by Sam’s Club as part of a multifaceted initiative to increase membership, drive sales, promote social media awareness and procure email addresses.

San Francisco, Calif. - Apple accounted for 51% of the new device activations worldwide during the week leading up to and including Christmas Day (Dec. 19 - 25). According to data from mobile analytics provider Flurry, Christmas Day typically sees the highest number of new device activations and app installs each year, with 2014 following the trend.

Last week, I took a look back at three technologies that disrupted retail in 2014. Now that we are kicking off the first work week of the New Year, it’s time to look ahead at three technologies likely to disrupt retail in 2015.

Wearables

As part of its ongoing strategy to drive sustainability innovation, Staples will be giving away $25,000 in new tech products to 10 “eco-focused” schools in Canada in 2015.

Publicly funded schools that are focused on the environment are invited to enter the contest atStaples.ca/PowerEco and share their eco initiatives for a chance to win. The Staples Superpower your School Contest runs through Jan. 31.