Marketing Tactics

Purchases from mobile devices continue to rise and upping ad spend is driving results for retailers.

According to data from Rakuten Marketing., purchases from smartphones that originated from a display ad on a computer increased by 52% between the third and fourth quarter of 2015. During that time tablet purchases that resulted from a display ad on a computer grew by 125%.

Retailers’ margins could be under pressure during the first quarter as a new index tracking promotional selling shows full price sales have declined and promotional activity has increased.

Retailers are relying heavily on discounts and promotions so for this year, continuing the trend from the 2015 holiday season of pulling the promotional lever far too often, according an analysis of $5 billion in consumer transactions from January through March conducted by DynamicAction.

The newest concept in beauty retail is called The Glossary and it is arriving on more college campuses courtesy of Barnes & Noble College.

The Glossary concept was piloted at the Barnes & Noble Emory University and Southern Methodist University bookstores and more recently expanded to the campuses of Tulane University and the College of William & Mary. The newest location set to open in August will be on the campus of the University of California at Riverside.

American Girl, an early pioneer of experiential retailing, is set to shake things up again, this time with a digital twist. The company, a division of Mattel, will move its Manhattan flagship from Fifth Avenue to Rockefeller Center, where it will open a totally revamped store concept, reported Racked New York. Created by FRCH Design Worldwide and digital agency MJD Interactive, the store will emphasize customization and personalization.

For vertical medical accessory retailer Cielo Pill Holders, simply getting its products in front of potential customers is a key business challenge. To meet this challenge and also obtain third-party fulfillment support, North Bend, Washington-based Cielo has been leveraging the Amazon Exclusives program of the Amazon Marketplace platform since summer 2015. The Exclusives Program, which provides extra benefits in exchange for agreement not to sell items on any other third-party retail platform.

Walmart offered its own version of the Amazon Prime Day online sales event last summer, and now is directly taking on Amazon Prime. The discount giant is piloting a two-day version of its paid ShippingPass unlimited online delivery program. Normally, customers pay $50 per year for the ability to obtain three-day delivery of more than 1 million items Walmart.com with no additional fees.

Furniture manufacturer Herman Miller will continue its transformation from a maker of modern office furniture to a lifestyle brand with the opening of its first retail store. The store, opening in late 2016, will be located in the company’s recently opened flagship in Manhattan’s Gramercy neighborhood. The non-retail components of the flagship—the Herman Miller and Geiger showrooms—are already open, by appointment.

Call it a spring retail funk. The day after Macy’s posted disappointing results for its first quarter, Kohl’s Corp. upped the ante, reporting an 87% drop in net income amid heavy one-time costs. Kohl’s net income for the three months that ended April 30, was $17 million, down 87% from the $127 million Kohl's earned in the year-ago period. Excluding impairments, store closings and one-time costs, net income was $58 million, down 55%.

Target Corp. has lined up Greek yogurt giant Chobani to open an café in its upcoming store in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood. The 45,000-sq.-ft. store, opening this October, will feature a Chobani Café. The cafe will have a natural theme, offering items made with Chobani’s signature Greek yogurt and hand-selected, artisanal ingredients. Also on the menu: sandwiches, soups, coffee and desserts, all made with only natural ingredients.

Macy’s on Wednesday reported its fifth consecutive decline in same-store sales, and announced plans to improve its performance, from new product launches to more off-price shops. The nation’s largest department retailer also reduced its sales and earnings guidance for the year. Similar to many retailers, Macy’s is challenged by an overall retail environment marked by sluggish traffic, increased competition and cautious consumers.