Marketing Tactics

Shoppers at select Nordstrom locations can design their own shoes at the retailer’s in-store Shoes of Prey design studio.

The shops, which are located within Nordstrom’s shoe department, include a wall display that showcases the different styles available for customizing. Using mounted touch-screen tablets with 3D software, shoppers design their own shoes, selecting the style, color, material, heel height and embellishments.

What real estate stories interested you the most in 2015? Following is a round-up of OnSite's 10 most clicked-on stories this year.

In the coming year, seamless technologies that blend physical and digital channels will have a major impact on e-commerce.

According to Pitney Bowes, five key developments will primarily drive e-commerce in 2016. These are:

1. Internet of Things (IoT) technologies will drive better business outcomes

Last week, I looked at the top three trends that disrupted how retailers engage their customers during 2015. This week, I predict the top three trends that will set the course for customer engagement in 2016.

As Seen on TV

When it came to clicking online coupons in 2015, consumers had clear preferences about what they wanted discounts for.

Online deal and discount platform RetailMeNot.com released a list of the 10 most popular coupons among its users in 2015. Some offers received close to 1.5 million clicks. In order, consumers clicked:

• 20% off one item at Tillys
• $5 off an online order of $15 or more at Ulta
• Up to 35% off a car rental at Budget

The three-day Christmas weekend (Dec. 25 - Dec. 27) showed strong consumer interest in online shopping during and immediately after the holiday.

According to Verizon Retail Index, broadband traffic attributed to e-commerce shopping activity increased dramatically starting on Christmas Day to 26% above average daily levels, posting a seasonal high of 30% above normal levels by Sunday, Dec. 27.

Staples Inc. is turning to Twitter to provide extra assistance for its small business customers.

Staples is preparing the launch of the #MoreSmallBiz Squad, a group of experts who will directly interact with small business customers through use of the #MoreSmallBiz hashtag. The experts will offer blog posts and other content, and also directly interact with small businesses who post questions on Twitter using the hashtag.

When it comes to reaching today’s consumers, Richardson, Texas-based vertical specialty apparel/accessories retailer Fossil Group Inc. is not living in the past.

“We are focusing on image creation for our social promotions,” said Jencey Keeton, marketing manager, digital branding and global marketing for Fossil, during an interview with Chain Store Age. “Images are now the way consumers are speaking. To be relevant, social platforms must include images.”

Teen retailer rue21 is collaborating with a youth nonprofit to make a positive impact on the lives of its customers.

The company announced it is partnering with Together We Rise, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming the way youth navigate through the foster care system in America. The collaboration is a new addition to rue21’s philanthropy initiative, rueGIVESback.

The holiday season got off to a horrible start at Bed Bath & Beyond and things went downhill from there, judging from the industry leader's uncharacteristic and concerning profit warning.