Marketing Tactics

Parrot heads will flock to this new Mall of America tropical oasis
Come this winter, shoppers in frigid Minnesota will be able to escape to a tropical paradise without leaving the state.

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville restaurant will open a location at Mall of American, Bloomington, Minn., on Sept. 20. The 315-seat restaurant and bar will be Margaritaville’s first in the state of Minnesota.
2016 Holiday Preview: Calendar shifts could benefit retailers
It’s no secret that online shopping and changing consumer preferences continue to impact physical retail traffic. Despite the shifting landscape, retail sales remain largely intact and, more importantly, are expected to increase year-over-year this holiday season.

November and December (NRF weeks 40 – 48) are known as primetime for physical retailers. Sales generated during this period immediately impact a brands’ bottom line, and they set the stage for either success or struggle in the first quarter of the following year.

Report: Digital-influenced in-store spending keeps rising

Despite an increase in digitally-influenced retail spending, a gap still remains between retailers and digital shoppers.

Digital interactions influence 56 cents of every dollar spent in retail stores, totaling $2.1 trillion by the end of the year – up from 14 cents of every dollar in 2013, according to Deloitte's new study, “The New Digital Divide: The Future of Digital Influence in Retail.”
Holiday forecast: Higher sales, more online shopping

The holiday shopping frenzy has begun, and it is shaping up to be more digital than ever.

Summer has barely said goodbye, but consumers nationwide have already turned their attention to the holidays. In fact, nearly one third of consumers, and nearly half of parents, began holiday shopping before Labor Day.
‘Workbars:’ The new gym membership?

The mobile workforce is changing the face of the workplace, and Staples wants to lead the next phase of this change.
CSA to select ‘Top Redevelopers’ for 12th-annual listing

Chain Store Age magazine is accepting nominations for its 12th annual “Top Redevelopers” listing, which recognizes shopping center owners and developers’ retail redevelopment efforts over the last 12 months. Selections will be based on square footage redeveloped between June 30, 2015 and June 30, 2016, financial investment, and project significance.
Mass merchandiser giant launches ‘perks’ program

Target shoppers will be doing real cartwheels next time they launch their discount app.

The mass merchandiser quietly launched an experimental customer loyalty program that allows shoppers to rack up points during store visits. Called “redperks” on the company’s Website, the program rewards Target shoppers with 10 points for every dollar spent in stores. Once shoppers hit 5,000 points, they can choose their reward.
Report: Amazon claims top spot in social ranking

The real retailer winners are those that truly “listen” to their customers, and then use learned details to motivate consumers to shop. By perfecting this practice, Amazon.com has earned the highest amount of mentions and awareness across social networks, and Tiffany & Co. was the most passionately and positively discussed brand.
Nickelodeon to headline theme park at American Dream

Triple Five’s American Dream project in the New Jersey Meadowlands got closer to the finish line today with the announcement that Nickelodeon would be attaching its name and entertainment brands to the retail-entertainment center’s theme park. To be called Nickelodeon Universe, the 8.5-acre indoor amusement park — reputed by Triple Five to be the Western Hemisphere’s largest — will feature rides themed by Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob SquarePants, Blaze, and the Monster Machines.
Study: Delivery time impacts online shoppers’ purchase decisions

Tom Cruise isn’t the only one with “a need for speed.” Now it is also a business imperative for online shoppers.
New Lululemon store is a one-of-a-kind for retailer

Lululemon has opened a new concept store in Toronto that’s unlike anything the retailer has done to date. The 10,000-sq.-ft. store is part retail, part health food café, part gallery — and part practice studio, according to a report by torontolife.com. It even boasts a trailer. For more, and photos, click here.
Report: Whole Foods demonstrates advantages of rapid solar rollouts

A new report makes the case for taking a standardized approach to rapidly rollout of solar rooftop installations may An analysis by the Retail Industry Leaders Association and The Solar Foundation found that Whole Foods Market’s approach to rooftop solar installations in multiple facilities could be a valuable model for other retailers to consider.