Marketing Tactics

The TJX Companies CEO Carol Meyrowitz touted the company’s performance in the fourth quarter and fiscal 2014, calling it a successful year despite a competitive retail environment and generally unfavorable weather in many of its regions during the first and fourth quarters.

Chantilly, Va. -- Hispanic consumers are outpacing non-Hispanics in their adoption of mobile, social and online sources for local shopping. According to BIA/Kelsey's Consumer Commerce Monitor study, nearly a quarter (23.6%) of Hispanic consumers reported they use tablets for local shopping, compared with 15.5% of non-Hispanics. And nearly half (48.5%) of Hispanic consumers use mobile devices for local shopping, compared with 32% of non-Hispanics.

Redmond, Wash. -- PlayNetwork, a leading innovator in branded entertainment media experiences, is expanding its global reach with the announcement of its new Hong Kong office.
 
The Hong Kong office joins PlayNetwork locations around the globe, with teams in London, England; Columbus, Ohio; Sherman Oaks, Calif.; New York City; and the company's corporate headquarters in Redmond, Wash.

By Catherine Tabor, CEO, Sparkfly

Beacons provide retailers with an opportunity to increase engagement and help direct the in-store experience, and they indicate a shift in many brands’ digital and in-store marketing and merchandising strategies. However, they need to be connected to other consumer touchpoints to deliver their full potential value to retailers.

Merging the Physical and Digital

Austin, Texas — CBRE has announced three more Austin-area locations for local fast casual restaurant VERTS, bringing its store count to 10. In 2014, VERTS plans to open 13 new locations, including expansions into Dallas and Houston.

The newest locations are in North Austin. Locations in Round Rock and Cedar Park will open in the next two months.

Seattle – Starbucks is expanding its Evolution Fresh cold-pressed juice to more than 360 corporate stores in the Chicago and greater Midwest areas. This brings the total number of Starbucks locations and grocery stores offering Evolution Fresh products to more than 9,000 across the U.S.

Despite an 11% profit increase in the fourth quarter, sales at Macy’s missed forecasts as ongoing winter storms hurt the retailer’s results in January.

Macy’s reported net income of $811 million during the fourth quarter, up 5% from $730 million in the same period a year earlier. Sales dropped 1.6% to $9.2 billion from $9.35 billion. Analysts had expected a more modest decline to about $9.28 billion. Same-store sales grew 1.4% for the quarter, less than the 2.5% projected by Wall Street.

Amazon customers in the U.S., U.K. and Germany can now buy, spend and earn Amazon Coins on their Android phones and tablets. Previously available for use exclusively on Kindle Fire tablets, Amazon Coins can now be used to buy the latest apps, purchase extra lives within Candy Crush or unlock Red’s amazing Super Roaster in Angry Birds GO directly from their Android devices.

Pittsburgh – Dick’s Sporting Goods opens a new store in Panama City Beach, Fla., on March 7. The store will be located at Pier Park North and will be the retailer's 25th store in the state of Florida and its 559th nationwide.

Jersey City, N.J. -- Adam Meshekow, former mobile brand marketing manager for Toys “R” Us Inc., is joining mobile media solutions provider Single Touch Systems Inc. as head of national retail sales. Meshekow will work with management to help architect plans for future client engagement and product development and deployment.