Marketing Tactics

Whole Foods and fighting poverty are not words normally associated with one another, but a unique initiative underway with a breakfast supplier has the potential to do exactly that.

COMMERCE, Calif. — 99 Cents Only Stores has revamped its website to better showcase a range of new capabilities, including bulk purchases and in-store pickup of online orders.

Warburg Pincus has acquired a majority ownership stake in Crossmark, a leading provider of sales and marketing services to retailers and suppliers.

The companies said they entered into a definitive merger agreement whereby Warburg Pincus will make a majority investment of an undisclosed amount in Crossmark that allows for the management owners of the company to maintain a significant equity position and continue to actively lead the company after the transaction closes.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Global work wear brand Dickies has signed a new licensing agreement with R & S Sales Company, a leading developer and marketer of slippers and flip-flops in the U.S.

BEAVERTON, Ore. — Nike has named Roger Wyett as its new VP of Action Sports. Wyett will oversee Nike brand’s skateboarding and snow businesses, as well as Hurley International LLC.

Sandy Bodecker, the current VP of Action Sports at Nike, will now work on special projects involving long-term product innovation. Additionally, Jim Calhoun, CEO of Converse, will report directly to Mark Parker, president and CEO of Nike.

New York -- Dick's Sporting Goods said it has removed all guns from its store nearest to Newtown, Conn., and is suspending the sale of certain kinds of semi-automatic rifles from its chains nationwide.

In a statement, the retailer said the move was made out of respect for the victims and families of last week's Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

TORONTO — Sears held a National Great Day event Saturday, December 15, at stores across Canada to help generate customer traffic and reward shoppers.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Target is teaming up with the United Way for the 22nd consecutive year to bring families in need some holiday cheer.

Target stores across the country will donate more than $200,000 worth of holiday trees to the charitable organization, as part of the Target Share-a-Tree Program. The United Way and its volunteers will distribute the trees to families in need, shelters, community centers and childcare programs.

ATLANTA — Dollar General is teaming up with InComm, a prepaid product and transaction services provider, to make life easier for online gamers.

Dollar General will offer Microsoft Xbox LIVE via PIN-on-receipt delivery across its network of more than 10,000 stores, making it easier for consumers to purchase Xbox LIVE points and Xbox LIVE Gold Memberships directly at the register, through InComm's recently launched Digital Delivery Application.

Anxiety over Amazon.com is at an all time high this holiday season and a top executive at Nordstrom shared insights recently on competing successfully.