Marketing Tactics

Target is enlisting Jonna Mendez, a former CIA officer, who will serve as a “Kids’ Gift Detective.” Inspired by her years of CIA experience, Mendez will offer online tips and techniques via a video series at ABullseyeView.com where she works with popular mom bloggers.
 
In addition, Target will offer a dedicated kids’ gifts page on its website and will launch a digital gift catalog in early November.
 

Sports Authority is trying out a new store format in its first-ever store in Puerto Rico. The 35,000-sq.-ft. location in Ponce opened its doors Saturday, Oct. 19.

The company describes the new format as an intuitive one that allows consumers to easily find exactly what they need. Featuring specialty sport shops and a spacious layout, the store has been designed specifically to enhance the shopping experience.

Amazon.com has announced that this holiday season, thousands of third-party sellers will have the opportunity to participate in its holiday deals promotion program.

Third-party sellers on Amazon will be allowed to offer holiday deals that will be featured on the Amazon holiday deal pages, including its Today’s Deals page. Holiday deals from sellers will appear on high customer traffic merchandising pages which highlight limited-time discounts on holiday items exclusively from sellers.

Sequential Brands Group has entered into five new license agreements to expand the Caribbean Joe brand and has extended the terms of its agreements with three current partners. With five new partnerships, this brings the total list of Caribbean Joe licensees to 25.
 

Hasbro’s brand initiatives for the 2013 holiday shopping season are resonating with consumers and retailers globally as the company saw revenues and earnings grow in the third quarter.

The company’s net revenues for the third quarter increased 2% to $1.37 billion, compared to $1.35 billion in 2012. Adjusted to exclude pre-tax restructuring and other charges, net earnings for the quarter increased 5% to $172.5 million, or $1.31 per diluted share, versus $164.9 million, or $1.24 per diluted share, in 2012.

Chicago -- Although the first government shutdown in 17 years lasted 16 days, it left an impact on more than just the workers sent home after lawmakers failed to arrive at a deal to end the spending and debt stalemate. Total retail store shopper traffic during the week of Sept. 29 to Oct. 5 decreased 7.5% compared to the same time period last year, according to ShopperTrak, a leading provider of shopper analytics.

The Washington, D.C. area saw an even greater decrease, with an 11.4% decline in year-over-year shopper traffic the week of Oct. 6-12.

Minneapolis – Target Corp. is reportedly testing a “hands-on” electronics department with a minimalist format that harkens back to Apple stores and brightly lit displays that encourage shoppers to try out sample consumer electronics products. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Target is testing the concept at stores in Brooklyn Park, Mankato, Ridgedale and the Quarry location in Minneapolis, as well as outside Minnesota.

Montreal - Canadian jewelry retailer Maison Birks is opening its first store in China, located at Xanadu Plaza in the Central Business District of Beijing, in early 2014.

New York -- With a late Thanksgiving and the shortest holiday shopping season in years, consumers report they are starting their holiday shopping sooner and spending more this year, according to the latest American Express Spending & Saving Tracker research. The report is more optimistic than some other holiday forecasts.

Sunrise, Fla. — So far this year, 30 new retailers have signed into Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, Fla.

The Colonnade Outlets at Sawgrass Mills, the open-air promenade part of the property recently added a number of new-to-South Florida retailers, including Diane von Furstenberg, Gucci, Versace, Robert Graham, Ippolita, Wolford, Jimmy Choo, Frette, Roberto Cavalli and others.