Marketing Tactics

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Regency Centers said Friday it is asking Baltimore residents to suggest stores and restaurants they want to open at their local Parkville Shopping Center through an online crowdsourcing platform called Popularise. 

The leasing recommendations will be considered as part of the grocery-anchored center’s renovation, which has begun construction. 

CINCINNATI — Kroger has released its sixth annual sustainability report.

Wayne, N.J. -- Toys “R” Us said Tuesday that it will waive upfront service fees for its holiday layaway program, kicking off immediately and running through Oct. 31.

The retailer will also remove its minimum purchase requirement, and customers have until Dec. 16 to pick up orders.

Year-round layaway programs will continue, but will have the customary $5 service fee attached.

Angela Myers was named SVP of retail consulting at Spire, a quantitative shopper intelligence firm.

Toys "R"Usenhanced its layaway program by dropping some fees and Walmart quickly responded.

Toys "R" Us dropped the $5 service fee and minimum purchase requirement from its layaway program in a bid to capture sales of those who begin their holiday shopping early.The company said it changed the rules for its layaway program, instituted in 2009, to waive the $5 upfront service fee and eliminate the minimum purchase requirement for all orders created in stores through October 31.

Austin, Texas -- A survey released Friday by coupon site RetailMeNot found that coupon use for back-to-school shopping surged this year, particularly for retailers selling books, school supplies and apparel.

According to RetailMeNot, which measured coupon usage during the July 1 to Aug. 20 selling period, as compared with the prior three months, the average daily coupon clicks increased more than 130% for book retailers, more than 40% for merchants selling back-to-school supplies and more than 30% for stores selling apparel and shoes.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu has launched a new, single-size version of its Java Delight brand of premium coffee.

Philadelphia -- Plymouth Meeting, Pa.-based Fameco Real Estate said that it represented Ulta Beauty in a 13,647-sq.-ft. lease at 1619 Walnut Street, the former Westinghouse studio, developed by Vesper Property Group and located in Center City, Philadelphia.

The lease marks Ulta’s first retail location in Center City. It will open a three-level store much like its other signature urban store in Chicago.