Marketing Tactics

AmEx loses antitrust lawsuit; merchants cheer
Washington, D.C. -- The Merchants Payments Coalition applauded U.S. District Judge Nicolas Garaufis’ ruling on Thursday that American Express credit card rules constitute an unlawful restraint on trade.

The judge found that the credit card giant violated U.S. antitrust laws by barring merchants from encouraging customers to use one credit card over another. In a 150-page opinion, he wrote that such a practice constitutes “an unlawful restraint on trade.”
Build-A-Bear Workshop Q4 profit surges
St. Louis -- Build-A-Bear Workshop reported $11.8 million profit for the fourth quarter, more than double the $5.4 million profit it reported in the year ago period, amid continuing signs of a turnaround. The company’s performance driven by strong sales of licensed characters, including a line of “Frozen” stuffed animals.

Revenue totaled $131.5 million for the quarter, up from $108.1 million last year.

Report: Michael Kors joins Snapchat

London – Specialty luxury retailer Michael Kors Holdings has joined the ranks of Snapchat users. According to DigiDay, Michael Kors debuted on Snapchat earlier this week during New York Fashion Week, launching exclusive photos from Fashion Week on Snapchat.

Michael Kors has had a longtime social media presence, and was the first retailer to buy an ad on Instagram. Other New York Fashion Week social media activities for Michael Kors included live Internet streaming of the show and a live Twitter chat with the hashtag #AllAccessKors.
Report: Topshop teams with Twitter for London Fashion Week

London – U.K.-based fashion retailer Topshop is teaming up with Twitter for an omnichannel promotion tied to London Fashion Week. Starting Friday, Feb. 20, the first day of London Fashion Week, Topshop will be analyzing Twitter trends to determine the real-time buzz around apparel and accessories being displayed on Fashion Week runways.
American Museum of Natural History launches omnichannel partnership with Etsy

New York - The American Museum of Natural History is launching an omnichannel collaboration with online marketplace Etsy. The museum and Etsy have teamed up on products inspired by the natural world and the museum’s collections, which will be sold in a dedicated section of the museum’s gift shop as well as online.
Exclusive: As Leasing Demand Picks Up, the Next Generation of Retail Tenants Takes Hold

By Matthew K. Harding

With demand from national, local and franchise companies across a broad range of categories picking up markedly in the Northeast, this is an opportune time to take a look at the movers and shakers that are defining the next generation of retail tenancy. And interestingly, the most successful concepts are embracing a new reality that leverages technology and creative approaches for reaching consumers.

Categories to watch
Retail sales to reach $4.9 trillion in 2015

New York - Retail sales in the U.S. will reach $4.87 trillion for the full year 2015. According to EMarketer analysis, this represents a 4% increase from 2014.

U.S. retail e-commerce sales will total approximately $350 billion in 2015, up 14% from $305.7 billion the prior year. Despite rapid growth, retail ecommerce will still account for just 7% of total retail sales in the U.S. during the current year, EMarketer estimates.
Kohl's 'gives back' with $18M in community grants

Kohl’s is standing behind its stated mission to “give back” to the communities it serves by announcing that it donated nearly $18 million in 2014.

The community grants benefited more than 8,500 nonprofits across the country in 2014 through Kohl’s best-in-class Associates in Action (AiA) volunteer program.
ShoeBuy finds better fit with new site

The brand rennaissance of apparel e-retailer ShoeBuy is complete: The company has relaunched its e-commerce site after taking cues from customer feedback and consumer research.

The 15-year old retailer founded in Boston aims to deliver a more intuitive website, a refreshed rewards program and a commitment to building an engaging shopping experience. New features added to the ShoeBuy shopping experience include a virtual fitting tool, expert insights and blogs, customer reviews, and online customer service chat.
Hy-Vee does demos with Interactions

Leading regional supermarket operator Hy-Vee is expanding its relationship with Interactions to provide experiential marketing services.

Interactions says it will engage shoppers through experiential marketing events in 50 store locations in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas and Missouri, with plans to expand to more than 145 stores throughout the year. In addition to planned event services, Interactions will also collaborate with Hy-Vee to develop additional experiential marketing activities, such as new store openings, community events and Hy-Vee branded programs.
Rite Aid wants shoppers to be its innovators

Rite Aid is hoping to unleash a torrent of new product innovation by tapping into the minds of the shoppers who walk store aisles wondering, "Wouldn't it be nice if they had ..."

The retailer has announced the launch of its first-ever Innovation Challenge, a nationwide search for original product ideas that will improve the health and well-being of Rite Aid customers.
DirectBuy gets into the sweepstakes game

Merrillville, Ind. - Homeowners looking to upgrade their backyard in time for summer can now enter membership-based buying club DirectBuy’s “Backyard Dream-Over” sweepstakes for a chance to win outdoor furniture, appliances, and more. DirectBuy is utilizing gamification techniques by letting consumers play a game on mobile phone, PC or tablet for a chance to win up to 600 sweepstakes entries while learning about DirectBuy.