Marketing Tactics

1. Holiday spending: Is the glass half full or half empty?
Consumers are cautiously optimistic this holiday season with 53% indicating they will likely spend about the same as last year and 32% indicating they will likely spend more than last year.

Of all age groups, young millennials – aged 18 to 24 – indicated they are the most optimistic.

2. Income levels drive survivalists and selectionists

A.R.E. (Association for Retail Environments) and POPAI (Point of Purchase Advertising International) have merged. The new association, which will be renamed in the coming months, creates one industry association representing all of the companies that provide end –‐to –‐end products and services for retail store environments and customer experiences.

Every year, it seems, summer and the “back to school” shopping season go by in a flash. Suddenly, as the leaves change color, retailers find themselves looking ahead to what they hope will be a successful holiday shopping season.

By now, you’ve probably heard that Facebook will be testing a “dislike” button. Unconfirmed reports say the button will be designed to let users express empathy for posts about negative events, such as the death of a loved one.

Assuming Facebook does introduce a dislike button, retailers will need to decide whether to enable it on their Facebook pages. Here are two pros and one con a dislike button would pose to retailers.

Pro #1: Instant Sentiment

Target is showing off an updated look at its redone store in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

The remodeled SuperTarget is serving as a testing ground such overall store updates as bolder, more playful signage, and new displays and for new concepts in the grocery area.

The chain is also putting the spotlight on its “Made to Matter — Handpicked by Target” collection of healthy-living brands, with more prominent signs on the ends of aisles.

Target is showing off an updated look at its redone store in Minnetonka, Minn.

The remodeled SuperTarget is serving as a testing ground overall for store updates with bolder, more playful signage, new displays and various new concepts in the grocery area.

The chain is also putting the spotlight on its “Made to Matter—Handpicked by Target” collection of healthy-living brands,  with more prominent signs on the ends of aisles.

The National Retail Federation has formed a new entity to enhance the strategic value of NRF and the e-commerce, mobile and innovative initiatives that exist within the retail industry.

The members-only Digital Council, powered by NRF’s Shop.org digital division, will support and promote collaboration on digital retail trends and strategies, the development of original research, and educational events and advocacy opportunities in Washington, D.C.

The Container Store attracts a lot of loyal customers, and soon those shoppers will have another reason to buy more closet organizers and kitchen jars, thanks to a partnership with Synchrony Financial.

The retailer announced a new, multi-year agreement with Synchrony Financial to offer a private label credit card program for customers. The card will be available for use in the retailer’s stores and online and is scheduled to launch in the spring of 2016.

Welcome to Connected Retail a new newsletter from Chain Store Age covering the intersection of customer and channel connectivity.

Another day, another social network makes it easier for consumers to purchase goods without leaving a retailer’s social page.

Pinterest is adding three major new e-commerce platforms and a whole bunch of retailers to its existing “Buyable Pins” feature.