Marketing Tactics

Boston — Three in four (75%) retailers can or intend to identify customers when they walk in the store, including 3% who already do so and 72% who are planning to do so within five years. According to the new 2014 CRM/Unified Commerce Benchmark Survey of top North American retailers from Boston Retail Partners, 95% of respondents indicated customer experience/ customer engagement is one of their top three current initiatives.

Roughly 1,300 American Eagle Outfitters employees are participating this year in the retailer’s second annual AEO Better World Community Day.

The operator of more than 1,000 stores throughout the U.S. and several international markets developed the community involvement initiative last year as a means to unite employees for a common cause to make a difference at the local level. The company designated Tuesday, June 10 as Better World Day.

Jos. A. Bank continued the positive trend of increases in adjusted earnings that it saw in the second half of 2013. Comparable brand sales increased by double digits in the first two months of the first quarter, and despite slowing down after Easter, still resulted in an 8.4% increase.

Loblaw Companies Ltd. and LoyaltyOne's Precima merchandising/marketing solutions provider are renewing and expanding their long-term engagement. Precima has been working with Loblaw for a number of years with a focus on developing and executing customer-centric merchandising and marketing strategies.

Craftsman is looking to make the most of this year’s Father's Day with a "Dad" anthem, bacon-inspired wrapping paper and a "MAKEcation" weekend.

The brand describes a MAKEcation as a vacation where dads get to make things with their hands — and, well, Craftsman power tools. “It's like a fantasy camp for tool enthusiasts, hosted by actor and comedian Rob Riggle, with expert instructors from across the U.S.,” the brand said in a statement.

Houston — Mattress Firm Holding Corp. has completed its acquisition of the mattress specialty retail assets and operations of Mattress Liquidators, Inc., which operates Mattress King retail stores in Colorado and BedMart retail stores in Arizona.

Walmart chairman Rob Walton encouraged employees to “go for it,” and president and CEO Doug McMillon said the company would accelerate the pace of change during the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting June 6 in Fayetteville, Ark.
 

New York — Coach Inc. will reportedly start offering 25% discounts on its luxury handbags at its stores in twice-a-year sales during June and December. According to Bloomberg, Coach will reduce prices on end-of-season and discount merchandise from 30-50%.