Marketing Tactics

The recent announcement that Amazon intends to purchase Whole Foods Market has the retail and grocery store industry reeling as traditional grocers assess the near and long-term impact that the online giant’s much larger position in the marketplace may have. And with good reason. Amazon is the classic “disruptor” and has changed the face of every industry it touches. But aside from the competitive aspects, this move potentially has significant political and policy impacts as well.   

As a number of traditional chains across the industry continue to struggle, TJX Cos. is being called one of the country’s fastest growing retailers.   Traditional retailers industry-wide are blaming shifting consumer tastes, digital options and new competitors for not only stealing their wallet share, but for declining foot traffic and related sales. However, this could not be farther from the truth for TJX Cos.  

eBay is stepping up its game in the online price war competition, and taking aim at low-cost rivals Walmart and Amazon, among others.   Starting Tuesday, eBay launched its Price Match Guarantee on more than 50,000 deals in the United States. As the name suggests, the program promises that an eligible deal will be the best price available online, or eBay will match the lower price found on a competitor’s website.   

Will public spaces be the new anchor tenants in the shopping centers and mixed-use facilities of the 21st Century?   That’s the opinion of J. Wickham Zimmerman, whose construction company Outside the Lines is unveiling a Bellagio-esque fountain that will present choreographed water shows at Legacy West in Plano, Texas.   “Retailers recognize the importance of integrating thoughtfully designed gathering spaces and artful show fountains to drive foot traffic,” Zimmerman said.

Physical stores still have some key benefits over online retail.  

Consumer reliance on mobility throughout their shopping journey presents a huge opportunity for retailers to engage shoppers.    This is according to “Mobile Shopping: User Acquisition Trends and Benchmarks 2017,” a report from mobile app marketing provider Liftoff. The study analyzed 26.9 billion ad impressions across 4.8 million app installs between April 2016 and April 2017.