Marketing Tactics

New York -- Baccarat is set to unveil their newest flagship store in New York City in May 2013 ahead of the iconic brand's upcoming 250th anniversary.

Located at 635 Madison Avenue at 60th Street, the 2,800-sq.-ft. store -- designed by Rafael de Cardenas -- will be a new global retail model for the brand, showcasing tableware, lighting, decorative objects and jewelry to reflect the richness of the Baccarat lifestyle and the brand's commitment to innovation and excellence.

EMERYVILLE, Calif. — The LeapPad2 has received 20 awards from U.S. organizations that include Dr. Toy, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Parents' Choice Foundation and Time to Play, as well as key awards in the U.K. and Canada, according to LeapFrog Enterprises. It has been selected as a top toy by more children, parenting and industry experts and retailers than any other kid’s tablet, rendering it the most recognized kid's tablet of the year leading into the holiday season.

Westlake Village, Calif. -- LLBean.com ranks highest among online apparel retailers with a score of 830 (on a 1,000-point scale), followed by LandsEnd.com (829) and Forever21.com (824), according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Online Apparel Retailer Satisfaction Report. The study finds that satisfaction with online apparel retailers is significantly lower among online shoppers between the ages of 18 and 24 than among those 55 years of age and older.

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys“R”Us may be in the throes of an intensely competitive holiday season but several recently announced initiatives are designed to position the company for success beyond Christmas 2012. Expanding its presence in global e-commerce, as well as Asia, the company is launching a dedicated web store, Toysrus.com.cn, in China.

New York -- The National Labor Relations Board Federal was not expected to decide before Thursday on whether to seek an injunction on behalf of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to stop a union-backed group from encouraging employee walk-outs that are expected to culminate Friday and include protests and rallies outside its stores.

MT. ARLINGTON, N.J. — Looking to capitalize on the trend of personalization in time for the holiday season, M&M’s is offering customers who personalize their M&M’s new packaging options and product formats that they can order online.

Customers can go to Mymms.com, and get creative with their personalized chocolate gift-giving by choosing from iconic "m" acrylic containers, re-sealable stand-up bags with keepsake scoops, holiday stockings, teddy bear gift sets and an upscale gift box with a magnetic closure.

Any trickle-down of an improving economy hasn't trickled down to Fred's consumer base, Bruce Efird, Fred's CEO, told analysts Tuesday morning in discussing the discounter's third-quarter results. "During the third quarter we continue to see generally weak economic conditions throughout the Southeast which are clearly weighing heavily on our customers and influencing how they shop for their basic needs," he said. "It's more evident that things are not getting better for our core customers."

NEW YORK — Victoria’s Secret returned to Manhattan in a big way this week with the reopening of a flagship store in Herald Square that was expanded to 8,000-sq.-ft.

The opening comes just in time to allow Victoria’s secret to capitalize on holiday sales in New York as local demand tends to be complemented by an influx of foreign tourists. On hand for the reopening of the newly expanded and now largest flagship store in the world were Victoria's Secret Angels Adriana Lima, Miranda Kerr, Candice Swanepoel and Lily Aldridge.