Marketing Tactics

Parents are increasing their back-to-school budgets, although overall spending is stagnant compared to recent years.   According to a new survey of 1,830 U.S. parents of elementary through college students by Mintel, 52% of respondents plan to spend more on back-to-school (BTS) shopping than in 2015. Only 4% plan to spend less, with 44% planning to spend the same. However, overall planned BTS spending dropped to $68 billion in 2015 after ranging from $73 - $76 billion annually from 2010-2014.  

Home décor retailer Pier 1 Imports swung to a loss in its first quarter amid heavy promotions caused by weak sales.   The chain reported a loss of $6 million for the quarter ended May 28, compared to net income of $6.9 million in the year-ago period.   Revenue fell 4.2% to $418.4 million in the quarter, also less than expected. Same-store sales were down 2.5%.  

Everyone knew Amazon Prime Day was coming, now we know when and how.   Amazon will host its second annual summer sales blitz, known as Prime Day, on July 12. The online giant created the mega-shopping event, aimed at members of its Prime loyalty program, last year. It was held on July 15 and marked the retailer's 20th anniversary. Amazon said the event broke sales records that it previously set during Black Friday 2014.  

Kellogg’s is in a New York state of mind. Times Square to be more specific.    On July 4, Kellogg's will open Kellogg's NYC, its first-ever permanent café, at 1600 Broadway.    

The world's largest retailer is throwing a counterpunch to Amazon's Prime service.    Walmart is offering a free 30-day trial of its ShippingPass program, which offers consumers  unlimited, two-day free shipping for a year.  Normally, the service costs $49 per year.   (So as not to feel left out, existing ShippingPass members will receive a free month of the service).  

Belkin, which sells accessories for smartphones and tablets, has entered the brick-and-mortar space.   The company has opened a store newly renovated Terminal 6 at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) with the Hudson Group.   The store, which features a charging station, sells a variety of accessories, including chargers, cables, and screen protectors. It carries about 100 skus.  

A coordinated rebranding effort has resulted in a new name for retail associations POPAI and A.R.E, which merged last October.   The new, combined group has changed its name to Shop!, a trade association focused on enhancing retail environments and experiences. The name is designed to represent the 2,000-plus global member companies and align with the full industry community they support.  

You only get one chance to make a first impression, and retailers are applying this truism to their email marketing efforts.   According to a survey of 150 retail clients by email marketing technology provider Campaigner, 39% of respondents say that the first email content new subscribers see from their brand is a thank-you-for-subscribing message. This approach seems to be working, as almost 50% of respondents report that 21% or more of new subscribers engage with such welcome emails.  

Whole Foods Market, Inc. is teaming up with a well-known analytics provider to obtain a deeper understanding of its assortment and customer base.   The specialty grocery chain has selected Nielsen as its primary U.S. analytics provider for POS data, consumer insights and industry metrics. Nielsen is working with the company to collaboratively create a customized natural and organic product hierarchy that will provide a comprehensive view of Whole Foods Market's product categories, including ingredient-level attributes.

Photo: Jeff Rubin, Founder, CEO, It’Sugar (Credit: Patrick Gray, Kabik Photo Group)   Jeff Rubin, founder and CEO of It’Sugar, has always had a sweet tooth — and a passion for retail. His father owned a chain of toy stores in the Midwest. After leaving the toy business, he went on to open a chain of bulk candy stores.