Marketing Tactics

Boot Barn’s second quarter performance rose slightly, meeting Wall Street estimates.    The western-influenced specialty retailer reported $134 million in revenue for the second quarter ending Sept. 24, 2016, a 3.3% increase from $129.7 million in the prior-year period. This jump also exceeded Wall Street’s estimate of $131.61 million. Boot Barn credited the increase to 13 new stores opened over the past 12 months, and a 1.8% increase in same-store sales. Two of those stores opened the chain during the second quarter.

Office Depot is giving holiday shoppers almost a month-long head start on the season.    The office supplies company is kicking off Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on Oct. 30 — a move that it anticipates will save its loyal shoppers time and money this holiday season. Deals will be available at stores, as well as on the Office Depot’s website.  

Amazon is poised to become the biggest clothing retailer in the United States in 2017.   That’s according to a report by Cowen & Co., which sees the Internet giant’s clothing/accessories sales increasing some 30% next year to $28 billion, Geekwire.com reported, and to $62 billion in 2021.   Click here to read more.

Starting Nov. 1, more than 5 million Sears MasterCard holders whose cards are linked to the Shop Your Way program will earn more Shop Your Way points at Kmart and many of their favorite retailers.   These Sears MasterCard holders will automatically earn more Shop Your Way points on a complimentary basis through December 31, 2017, including:

• 5% back in points on eligible purchases made at gas stations;
• 3% back in points on eligible purchases at grocery stores and restaurants

A rough summer season, and an adjusted fiscal year end, took a toll on Gymboree’s third quarter earnings.   The retailer’s net sales for the three months ended July 30, 2016, were $250.3 million, a decrease of 4% compared to $261.8 million for the three months ended August 1, 2015.   

Chain Store Age is sponsoring a webinar that will reveal new market research from the International Institute for Analytics. Learn about IIA’s retail industry analytics maturity index and the characteristics of the highest-performers—and see how your company measures up.     “Competing on analytics” is no longer a mystery. Find out how your company can get with the program.  

Value and promotions will take center stage in Target Corp.’s holiday plans, along with a televised “musical” starring a 10-time Grammy-winning recording artist.   In addition to new and exclusive merchandise in every product category, Target is offering an array of holiday deals, including the return — and extension by one week — of free shipping for all online orders from Oct. 25 through Jan. 1, 2017.    

Starbucks Corp. has unveiled a new store environment for its Teavana division.    In the new store design, tea is not hidden in tins. Instead, loose-leaf teas are boldly displayed in large glass cylinders for customers to see and smell as employees help them create custom blends.