Marketing Tactics

State of the Industry Report from WD Partners and Top 100 Retailers list
This special report by WD Partners examines one of the most crucial questions confronting the retail industry: the role of the physical store in a digital age. It provides a call to action for a new retail experience, and offers insights and guidance on how retailers can position themselves for success in this new age.

Click here to download the report.
American Express lost Costco, but it gained its rival
Bentonville, Ark. -- In the latest move in its battle against Costco, Sam's Club is going to start accepting the very form of payment that Costco rebuffed earlier this year.

Starting Oct. 1, all Sam’s Club locations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico will take American Express cards at checkout. Earlier this year Costco ended its 16-year relationship with American in favor of Visa after the two companies could not come to an agreement on new terms.

Report: Kmart makes holiday purchases easier

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – Kmart is making getting an advance jump on holiday purchases a little easier this year.

Company executives told Reuters the retailer started letting customers make no-down-payment layaway purchases for holiday items the week of Aug. 31.
Report: Amazon Prime Day impacts back-to-school

Chicago – The introduction of Amazon Prime Day on July 15 created a new mid-summer e-commerce event that had a profound impact on back-to-school shopping.

According to a new study from Market Track, Prime Day and the resulting widespread competitive response created a brand new shopping event only two weeks before the peak back-to-school shopping period.
Whole Foods shares the love with shoppers

Whole Foods Market is sharing the love with its consumers, across channels.
Amazon Prime Day sets new precedent for back-to-school

The introduction of Amazon Prime Day on July 15 created a new mid-summer e-commerce event that had a profound impact on back-to-school shopping.
Say hello to no-money-down leasing at Kmart

With its same store sales ever on the decline, Kmart is making it even easier for shoppers to afford gifts this holiday season by introducing a new kind of layaway plan.

The retailer announced that No Money Down Layaway is returning for its second year, and for the first time ever, Kmart is introducing No Money Down Leasing.

The National Retail Federation found that more than 40% of Americans begin shopping for the holidays prior to October and of those, 60% shop early in order to spread their budgets.
Team Depot mobilizes for military veterans

The Home Depot's Team Depot is taking on the home lives of U.S. military veterans and their families through a two-month-long campaign called Celebration of Service.
Century 21 making a lasting impression on New York

Shoppers who love a good deal on designer duds have a new reason to shop Century 21 in New York City.

The retailer has partnered once again with famous street artist Mr. Brainwash on a second mural honoring the city and the attacks of Sept. 11. His second interpretation of the events that changed the city and the nation forever are located on a 65-square-foot by 225-square-foot wall of the storefront on Church Street, depicting painted images of iconic NYC sights and sceneries.
Lululemon profits shrink in Q2

Markdowns and the costs of expansion hurt Lululemon profits in the second quarter, but the athleisure retailer did post an impressive jump in same store sales.
These grocery shoppers actually want to pay more

Whole Foods Market is encountering a peculiar wave of opposition as it looks to expand growth opportunities in a new target market in California.

A petition is circulating in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles area to get Whole Foods Market's planned "365" value format converted into a traditional Whole Foods Market store.
Biggest challenge to online retailers this holiday season will be …

Research Triangle, N.C. -- Christmas keeps getting earlier with each passing year, but the main challenge for online merchants stays the same.

Nearly 60% of online retailers plan to start their holiday promotions in September or sooner, and 34% of the retailers said fulfilling orders on time is their biggest challenge during the holidays, followed by adjusting to competitor activity (27%) and converting mobile traffic (19%).