Marketing Tactics

Staples is looking to connect with a key customer segment and improve the productivity of its selling space with a new pilot program involving shared workspace provider Workbar.

For many business owners, the ongoing feud for control of the Republican Party has largely come, unfortunately, at their expense.

Over the last 10 years or so we have witnessed the balance of power within the party shift from economic conservatives and the business community - to social conservatives and the interest groups that serve them. I have labeled this fight as one between the "suits" and the "boots." Over the last two election cycles, the boots have clearly demonstrated that they are in charge.

Sleek. Minimalist. Innovative. Modern.

Those were among the words used most often by mystery shoppers to describe Apple’s next-generation store, located at Shops of Saddle Creek South in Germantown, Tennessee, a suburb of Memphis.

The shoppers are part of Field Agent, which provides on-location auditing and research via a network of 650,000 “agents” who collect data that can be monitored in real time by its clients. The company deployed several agents to visit and then review the store. The majority of the comments were glowing:

H-E-B is planning to build a two-story grocery store in Bellaire, Texas, featuring the latest in food market retailing to open in the fall of 2017, Fox 7 reported Wednesday.

"We have enjoyed our Bellaire neighbors for the past 22 years and look forward to bringing them a store tailored to their needs filled with stellar features and products that will enhance their shopping experience for years to come," Scott McClelland, H-E-B Houston president, told Fox 7.

American Eagle Outfitters is launching another viral marketing campaign, this time with a funny focus on the fight against the body shaming of men.

The retailer is kicking off its #AerieMAN campaign, featuring a mix of quirky male characters of different sizes and personalities sharing "real life" stories in their skivvies. American Eagle's Skinny Skinny Jean and American Beagle Outfitters campaigns were huge successes in 2013 and 2014. Now the brand is focused on raising awareness around body diversity.

No, Trader Joe’s is not closing, and GrubHub is not launching a new ride share service called “Gruber.”

These are just two of the many fake news announcements circulating this April 1, a day traditionally dedicated to pranks and jokes. The retail-related April Fools hoax that by far has gotten the most attention, a false report that organic grocer Trader Joe’s would shutter all stores and discontinue all branded products by 2017, was actually released March 31.

Amazon Prime will now be available as a bundled monthly service for Sprint mobile subscribers, but they will pay for the convenience. According to Re/Code, Sprint users will be able to have the cost of Amazon Prime membership included in their bill. They will also be able to subscribe to the two-day delivery service on a month-to-month basis, at a cost of $10.99 per month. During the course of a year, that equals about 33% more than the normal $99 annual rate. [Re/Code]