Marketing Tactics

Online fashion retailer files Chapter 11
Competition is fierce in the apparel business — even for online players with a devoted following. Los Angeles-based women’s apparel retailer Nasty Gal has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Deloitte: Consumers expect more from 'fast shipping'
As Amazon continues to up the ante on convenient, fast shipping options, shoppers expect their favorite brands to follow suit. Specifically, 42% of shoppers surveyed consider three- or four-day shipping "fast" – a significant drop from the 63% who said so last year. Instead, the majority (83%) of shoppers consider fast shipping to mean delivery within two days or less, according to the “2016 Deloitte Holiday Study,” a report based on responses from 5,038 consumers in the United States.

Wayfair expands virtual reality app portfolio

Wayfair is so bullish on virtual reality that it launched its second app — a solution designed to guide shoppers through virtual showrooms. Available on Daydream, Google’s mobile VR platform, Wayfair’s IdeaSpace app enables consumers to explore a variety of uniquely designed spaces, and shop their favorite finds in an interactive setting. IdeaSpace was built by Wayfair Next, the company’s internal research and development team, using Google’s virtual reality technology.
Starbucks goes for safety in numbers with its annual holiday cup

Starbucks Corp. stirred up a controversy last year when people complained that its all-red holiday cups were too plain. It’s unlikely there will be any complaints this go around. This year, for the first time ever, Starbucks has 13 different holiday cups, all of them red but each with its own distinct design. And in another twist, the designs were created by customers.
Lower costs helps Kohl’s beat Street in Q3

Kohl’s Corp. reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit amid expense controls that helped make up for lower sales. The chain reaffirmed its full-year profit forecast. Kohl’s net income rose 21.7% to $146 million, or 83 cents per share, in the third quarter ended Oct. 29. Excluding items, Kohl's earned 80 cents per share. Sales decreased 2.3% to $4.33 billion from $4.3 billion in the year-ago period. Same-store sales fell 1.7% during the quarter.
Macy’s Q3 profit misses, but retailer sees improving trends

Macy’s third quarter profit fell short of analysts’ expectations, but the retailer raised its annual sales outlook based on improving trends in its business. The retailer also announced an agreement with Brookfield Asset Management to monetize the value of its massive real estate portfolio.
Home décor chain to open in-store cafe

Bed Bath & Beyond is going local in Brooklyn, New York. The home décor chain’s upcoming store in the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn will include a cafe that will feature local items, brooklynpaper.com reported, along with a coffee bar. The 120,000-sq.-ft. store will also offer cooking classes. Other features will include a “Born in Brooklyn” department spotlighting items made in the borough as a means of supporting local manufacturers, according to the report.
How a big data firm may have helped Trump win the election

The Trump campaign hired a British data firm that collects data gleamed from such sources retailers’ loyalty cards to help target potential voters.
Pinterest works to drive ad effectiveness

Pinterest is launching a new program designed to help brand partners present more relevant advertising messages to Pinners. Through a partnership with Neustar, Pinterest’s marketing partners now have a solution that leverages the social media platform’s customer-specific information as well as Neustar’s proprietary audiences. The combination of data gives advertisers a standardized view of customer across every marketing channel, and an unprecedented reach among customers.
Zappos ups the ante on holiday shopping with price matching

Eager to keep early omnichannel holiday shoppers from “shopping around, Zappos.com unveiled introduced its “price promise” program. The program, which launched on Oct. 31 and runs through Nov. 20, uses software to automatically price match the site’s most popular products with those found on qualifying online competitors’ sites.
Pokemon GO went, but not its legal implications

In the summer of 2016, Pokémon Go was everywhere. And as players traversed the globe in search of the game’s titular critters, they were also wandering into new legal territory. Although the craze now appears to have subsided, the game’s sudden popularity raised intriguing legal questions that will inevitably affect the future of mobile applications and their relationship to retail businesses.
eBay launches holiday campaign

eBay is the latest retailer to get into the holiday spirit with a campaign that transcends television, online and its mobile app.