Marketing Tactics

Report: A majority of shoppers use social media throughout their path to purchase
Social media is increasingly influencing the shopper’s entire path-to-purchase.
Report: Digital and human interactions key to brick-and-mortar success
The more help a consumer receives—digital and human—the more he or she is willing to spend while in the store. Consumers spend twice as much in-store when they receive assistance from a store associate, according to a new study by InMoment, and 2.2 times more when they surf the brand’s web site while in the store. What’s more, a consumer’s average single-trip spend increases nearly four times when engaged by both in-store staff and the brand’s web site.

This retailer will close all its stores on Election Day

One of the retail industry’s most environmentally-activist brands is shutting down operations for Election Day. Patagonia will close its 30 U.S stores and headquarters in Ventura, Calif., on Election Day, Nov. 8, in an effort to encourage customers, employees and citizens to head to the polls. The company, which is giving its employees a paid holiday for the day, will also shutter its distribution and customer service center in Reno, Nevada.
Sporting goods retailer revs up expansion

Modell’s Sporting Goods is opening a flagship on the site of a former rival. Modell’s will open a two-level, 20,000-sq.-ft. store on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, in a site formerly occupied by Sports Authority. The opening is slated for mid-November. The store will become Modell’s flagship store in Manhattan, said William Rudin, CEO of property manager Rudin Management Company, in a release.
Trending Stores: REI, Washington, D.C.

REI has opened it largest location on the East Coast, a 51,000-sq.ft. flagship in Washington, D.C. The store is designed to offer members of the outdoor community a place to meet and plan adventures — and shop for outdoor gear. It includes such features as a 1,052-sq.-ft. cafe, outdoor courtyard with a fire pit and tables, and a community space that offers a robust schedule of free and low-cost classes in-store classes for cycling, paddling, fitness, hiking and camping, climbing, snow sports, photography and wilderness medicine.
Canadian outerwear brand opens pop up

Canadian retailer Arc'teryx has opened a stylish pop-up dedicated to its Veilance outerwear menswear collection. Arc'teryx partnered with New York-based design firm Snarkitecture on the temporary store, located in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood, which will be open until January 8, 2017.
Office Depot launches early Black Friday deals

Office Depot is giving holiday shoppers almost a month-long head start on the season. The office supplies company is kicking off Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on Oct. 30 — a move that it anticipates will save its loyal shoppers time and money this holiday season. Deals will be available at stores, as well as on the Office Depot’s website.
Adobe: Holiday online sales could hit record-breaking $91 billion

An extended holiday season could translate into an 11% increase in online sales with mobile devices leading the charge. Adobe’s “2016 Digital Insights Shopping Predictions” report predicts that 53 consecutive days (57 calendar days in total) will exceed $1 billion in online sales, compared to 31 consecutive days last year — a 71% year-over-year (YoY) increase.
Report: Holiday shoppers waiting until post-election

The upcoming United States presidential election is so tumultuous that it’s influencing shoppers to pull back holiday shopping plans. With the election falling in the middle of holiday shopping, many U.S. consumers said they will have a more conservative holiday spending budget this year, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual consumer spending survey, a report that tapped 7,733 consumers about holiday shopping plans.
Boot Barn Q2 earnings meet the Street

Boot Barn’s second quarter performance rose slightly, meeting Wall Street estimates. The western-influenced specialty retailer reported $134 million in revenue for the second quarter ending Sept. 24, 2016, a 3.3% increase from $129.7 million in the prior-year period. This jump also exceeded Wall Street’s estimate of $131.61 million. Boot Barn credited the increase to 13 new stores opened over the past 12 months, and a 1.8% increase in same-store sales. Two of those stores opened the chain during the second quarter.
Walmart’s holiday ‘service’ strategy: In-store pickups, low prices, ‘holiday helpers’

Knowing frazzled customers are in search of overall value, Walmart is emphasizing customer service this holiday season.
Report: 2016 Black Friday weekend deals will be biggest ever

Regardless of when retailers start their sales, Black Friday weekend is shaping up to feature the biggest deals yet. According to BlackFriday.fm, a website that tracks the best Black Friday deals, news, and ad scans, “the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales are going to be bigger than ever this year, “ said Rene Kirschbaum, director of BlackFriday.fm. Among the retailers to watch include: