Marketing Tactics

Five Below plans to open eight locations in and around Houston Friday, June 6, marking the specialty value retailer’s first foray into that city. The company already has 15 stores in the Dallas and Austin markets.

The store openings are part of the company’s aggressive growth strategy. Last year, the Philadelphia-based retailer opened 60 new stores, and it plans to match that number this year. With the Houston openings, there will be 338 Five Below stores in 20 states throughout the country.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Sam's Club announced it will launch a new credit card using EMV chip-enabled technology on June 23, beating Target as the first mass retailer to move to the new technology. The new card — co-branded with MasterCard Inc. and issued by GE Capital Retail Bank — has an embedded chip that makes the card more difficult to duplicate, which provides enhanced security from fraudulent activity, according to Sam’s Club.

New York -- Walmart plans to expand its online price comparison tool, Savings Catcher, that compares prices on select products with those of some of its competitors to cities nationwide over the next few months, the Associated Press said. The retailer is also adding more products to the tool, which will now be available on Walmart's mobile app.

Oak Brook, Ill. -- The J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Home Improvement Retailer Store Satisfaction Study has ranked Ace Hardware “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Home Improvement Retail Stores” for the eighth year in a row. Ace has captured this ranking ever since the organization began this study eight years ago.

New York -- Global brand agency CBX will help Friendly Express update the design and branding of its 42-store network of community-focused convenience stores in southeast Georgia.

Under the assignment, the firm will update the chain’s logo and redesign the interiors and exteriors of its convenience stores, which range in size from 2,000 sq. ft. to 3,500 sq. ft. Friendly Express stores, which also offer gasoline, are located in several different southeast Georgia communities, including Waycross, Jesup, Folkston, Brunswick, and St. Simons Island.

Undeterred by bad weather and competitive pressures that took a toll on its first quarter performance, Dollar General is pressing ahead with plans for 700 new stores, recently opened its 12th distribution center and believes its full year profit forecast is attainable.

Freeport, Maine -- L.L. Bean announced it will open its first store in the state of Vermont, at Burlington Town Center.

The two-level, 18,290-sq.-ft. store is scheduled to open in October. It will feature an assortment of active and casual apparel and footwear, outdoor gear including hiking, fly-fishing, kayaking and camping products. It will L.L. Bean's 20th retail store outside of Maine.

Father’s Day is already the smallest of gift-giving holidays and this year Americans are expected to spend even less, according to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) 2014 Father’s Day Spending Survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics.

The survey found that the average person will spend $113.80 on neckties, tools, electronics and other special gifts for dad, slightly down from $119.84 last year. Total spending for the holiday is expected to reach $12.5 billion.