Marketing Tactics

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Hispanic shoppers in the United States make more grocery trips and spend more across grocery trip types than total U.S. shoppers, according to AMG Strategic Advisors, the growth strategy consultancy of Acosta Sales & Marketing, a full-service sales and marketing agency in the consumer packaged goods industry. On average, U.S. Hispanic shoppers make 4.1 routine grocery trips per month and spend $110 on each trip, compared to total U.S. shoppers who make 3.8 routine grocery trips per month and spend $95 on each trip.

New York -- Macy's reported a profit for the third quarter that easily exceeded Wall Street, helped by stepped up marketing.

For the quarter ended Nov. 2, Macy's earned $177 million, up from $145 million a year ago.

Revenue rose 3% to $6.28 billion. Same-store sales increased 3.5%, beating the 2.1% rise analysts expected.

Sales trends improved in every region, and both the Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s chains performed well, the retailer said.

Seattle -- PlayNetwork, a leader in branded entertainment media experiences, announced it is providing music programming and installing state-of-the-art media systems for the Levi's brand in 1,500 stores around the globe, including all U.S. locations.

Washington, D.C. – Eight-in-10 (80.6%) shoppers will purchase gift cards this holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation’s Gift Card Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. Holiday shoppers will spend an average of $163.16 on gift cards, up 4.0% over the $156.86 they spent last year and the highest amount in the survey’s 11-year history. Total spending on gift cards will reach $29.8 billion.

By Justin Coward, managing director, mobile retail systems, VeriFone, ASPAC

A tepid economic climate and government shutdown weren’t enough to prevent Macy’s from producing a 3.5% third quarter same store sale increase and better than expected profits which prompted the department store operator to reiterate it full year financial forecast.

Nearly 60% of global respondents said that loyalty programs were available where they shopped, and of those, 84% said they were more likely to visit those retailers, according to a new study by Nielsen.

Eight-in-10 (80.6%) shoppers will purchase gift cards this holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation’s Gift Card Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics.

Holiday shoppers will spend an average of $163.16 on gift cards, up 4.0% over the $156.86 they spent last year and the highest amount in the survey’s 11-year history. Total spending on gift cards will reach $29.8 billion.

Facing an increasingly competitive retail landscape, Canadian retailer Loblaw Cos. posted a slight lift in retail sales but, due to incremental margin investment in the back half of the year, lowered its earnings growth expectations for 2013.

However, company executives are optimistic as the company remains focused on investing in what it refers to as the “customer proposition” and looks forward to its acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart.

Beaverton, Ore. -- Digimarc Corp. announced that SharperImage.com is using the Digimarc Discover platform to make it easy for consumers to simultaneously browse print catalogs, research and buy from their mobile device.