Marketing Tactics

Woodland Hills, Calif. -- Casual Male Retail Group is taking a new approach with merchandising and store set-ups for the nationwide roll-out of its DestinationXL (DXL) format, which brings together its value, mid-range and luxury men's apparel under one roof. The chain has outsourced the store set-up function to Great American Group, Woodland Hills, Calif.

A new, kids-only sports store in Manhattan, Rookie USA, is utilizing the latest in innovative HD projection and audio-visual technology to engage and inform shoppers.

The technology, the Tensator Virtual Assistant, projects an image of New York Knicks’ player Carmelo Anthony that, at nearly 7 ft., captivates shoppers with its 3D look and feel. The image provides store and branding information, and even shares basketball tips.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Office Depot will auction off items worn by NASCAR driver Tony Stewart to raise money for the Office Depot's National Backpack Program.

Through Sept. 14, fans can bid on an autographed firesuit and helmet worn by Stewart, driver of the No. 14I Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The auction is accessible via www.OfficeDepotRacing.com.

MALLE, Belgium — Belgium-based cleaning brand Ecover, said it has created the world's argest green cleaning product company with the acquisition of San Francisco-based Method.

The acquisition will expand Ecover's distribution network across Europe, the United States, Asia and Australia. Collectively delivering sales of $200 million and employing around 300 staff, Ecover and Method will continue as separate brands with a shared ambition to bring as many new consumers as possible into the green cleaning and personal care market, the company said.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. said Friday that both its Sears and Kmart banners would waive layaway fees for the holidays, allowing shoppers to open interest-free pay-over-time programs at both stores and online with no customary initial fees. Kmart’s program will run through Nov. 17, but Sears Holdings had yet to set a timeframe for its namesake stores.

In the past, Kmart and Sears have charged $5 for an eight-week layaway contract and $10 for the 12-week program.

Walmart U.S. president and CEO Bill Simon was feeling pretty good earlier this week as he reeled off accomplishments and emerging opportunities during a presentation at a Goldman Sachs retail conference.

Simon appeared at the same conference two years earlier when Walmart was in a very different place in terms of its financial performance and its share price. His presentation this year was markedly different given all that has occurred under his leadership.

New York -- Fashion and technology combine to surprise customers and engage them in new ways at Bloomingdale’s flagship in New York City and other locations across the country.  The department store retailer had deployed a 3D virtual dressing room, called Swivel, which is supported by Microsoft Corp.’s Kinect for Windows motion sensing technology. With Swivel, customers can “try on” clothes without having to go through the actual physical process.

Football fans and chocolate aficionados can satisfy both cravings this season at Walmart thanks to an initiative with Mars Chocolate North America.

The candy company teamed up with Walmart to offer a 40 ounce bag of Snickers limited edition NFL Minis in which product wrappers feature logos of all 32 NFL teams.