Marketing Tactics

Nashville, Tenn. -- Kirkland's said Friday that its first-quarter net income fell 51% stung by higher expenses, increasing freight costs and competition over price. Its results, however, exceeded Wall Street's expectations.

The company earned $3.2 million for the period ended April 30, down from $6.5 million, a year earlier.

Total operating expenses rose to $29.7 million from $26.7 million.

Eden, Minn. -- Young America, an engagement marketing, loyalty and incentive firm, and 3Seventy, a mobile engagement solutions company, have formed a strategic alliance to jointly develop new mobile marketing capabilities and enhance delivery of mobile-based engagement marketing and loyalty services to their client base.

So maybe the Walmart U.S. isn’t lighting things up on the same-store sales front just yet; the division did manage to grow total sales by 0.6% to $62.7 billion and increase operating profits by 0.8% to $4.65 billion. This despite the fact that division president and CEO Bill Simon noted the paycheck cycle remains pronounced, and higher year-over-year gas prices are eating into the disposable income of the company’s core shoppers who are consolidating trips.

SAN FRANCISCO  — Premier Retail Networks, a global leader in digital place-based media services, has announced that Jon Landa has been promoted to SVP sales for PRN’s West & Central regions. 

As PRN’s VP sales since June 2007, Landa has been responsible for direct clients and agencies on the West Coast. Before joining PRN, he served as VP national accounts at ReelzChannel. 

New York City -- Borders Group on Thursday said it planned to end its relationship with Seattle's Best Coffee and begin operating its own in-store cafes. 

The move will allow Borders to reduce licensing fees as it works toward emerging from bankruptcy, a spokeswoman said on Thursday, and also to tailor its menus to customer needs.

The company said in a filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan that it will seek the court's approval of the move to reject its leases with Seattle's Best.
 

At Promenade Shops at Centerra, in Loveland, Colo., dog owners will attend the sixth annual Paws on the Promenade outdoor dog expo on May 21. Held in the Main Plaza of the shopping center, the event features dog-related vendors, contests, giveaways, entertainment and refreshments.

Colorado has long been known as a dog-friendly state, and the Promenade has leveraged the focus on dogs to forge a relationship with its customers and their pets.

Check out recently posted Guest Commentary: "Gaining return on returns: A retail imperative;" "Is your checkout designed to sell?;" and "Balancing clutter, esthetics and customer flow."

Columbia, S.C. -- Edens & Avant announced Wednesday the hiring of Kerry Cavanaugh as its new VP marketing.

With over a decade in global brand and product innovation management at Procter & Gamble, Cavanaugh will lead Edens & Avant in a new strategic marketing direction focused on brand building and consumer innovation in retail.

At Edens & Avant, Cavanaugh will oversee the corporate and center specific marketing of 124 retail properties located in urban markets up and down the east coast.

Seattle --Nordstrom announced it will open a 42,222-sq.-ft. Nordstrom Rack at Westfield Plaza Bonita shopping center in National City, Calif. The new store will open on Oct. 27.

The new Nordstrom Rack will be the company's third Rack store in the greater San Diego area, joining Westfield Mission Valley in San Diego and Grand Plaza in San Marcos.
 

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation Wednesday launched a major nationwide 60-day lobbying, grassroots and media campaign aimed at ensuring that a new federal law saving retailers and their customers more than $1 billion a month by lowering “swipe” fees banks charge to process debit-card transactions takes effect in late July as scheduled.