Marketing Tactics

MINNEAPOLIS — Lowe's has teamed up with Valspar to launch an expanded paint program to serve the  needs of the professional painter. The program includes a comprehensive lineup of Valspar-branded professional grade products in multiple formulations and finishes that simplifies paint selection while delivering on the durability and performance requirements of professional painters.

WEST CHESTER, Pa. — QVC and the Fashion Footwear Association of New York have announced a $140,000 grant to fund research at The Wistar Institute on a specific and deadly form of breast cancer called triple negative.

The Home Depot is bringing back its Spring Black Friday event, which it describes as a weekend of regional savings on hundreds.

The sales begin April 4.           

"We see increased traffic in our stores during the spring season as customers kick-off their home improvement projects," said Craig Menear, executive VP merchandising. "In a recovering housing market, we know our consumers are continuing to look for ways to affordably improve their homes.”

RICHARDSON, Texas — Best Buy has partnered with Samsung Electronics to install Samsung Experience Shops in more than 1,400 Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile specialty stores across the United States beginning this month. By early May, 900 Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile specialty stores will feature the Samsung Experience Shop, with the remainder launching by early summer.

TULSA, Okla. — Real estate auction company AmeriBid LLC announced that John Pellow, previously chief marketing officer, has been promoted to VP. 

"We are thrilled to have John's expertise and commitment to client service on the sales team at AmeriBid," comments Stan Schreyer, Chief Executive Officer. "There is no doubt that he will continue to drive success within the company and achieve significant goals in the process."

Food Network personality Paula Deen may not have a reputation for healthy cooking, but that’s not stopping her from traveling to Walmart’s hometown this weekend to participate in American Heart Association activities and receive a key to the city.

Deen and her husband Michael Groover will accept the key to Bentonville from Mayor Bob McCaslin on Friday afternoon and later in the evening Deen will guest at a kick-off event and reception supporting the American Heart Association’s Southwest Chapter.

New York -- Best Buy Co. Inc. and Target Corp. ended a partnership that positioned Geek Squad agents in Target stores in Denver and Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

The six-month pilot allowed Geek Squad personnel to offer services such as installation and repair to electronics customers at 29 Target stores. The program covered a wide range of consumer electronics products, according to the report.

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens reported Wednesday that sales for the month of March increased 2.3% to $6.2 billion.

Total front-end sales increased 5.4% compared with the same month in fiscal 2012, while same-store front-end sales increased 4.2%. Front-end sales will have benefited from a March 31 Easter — last year Easter sales fell in April. As a result Walgreens said it will report combined comps for March and April with its April sales results.
 

Los Angeles -- Survey results released Wednesday by PriceGrabber found that 54% of consumers expect to receive a tax refund this year. And, the majority plans to use the money for purchases.

According to PriceGrabber’s poll of 5,655 U.S. online shopping consumers, 24% anticipate a bigger refund than last year and 26% expect about the same amount. Thirty-two percent anticipate receiving less compared to 2012, and 18% aren't sure how much money they will receive.

Boulder, Colo. -- In survey results released Wednesday by Market Force Information, DSW was named America’s No. 1 shoe retailer by more than 4,000 consumers polled.

Nordstrom, Nike, Shoe Carnival and Famous Footwear rounded out the top five.