Marketing Tactics

Wet Seal plunges into strategic review
Wet Seal has hired an investment banker and a senior adviser to analyze potential financial alternatives for the struggling retailer.

The company said it has hired investment bank Houlihan Lokey and former Tilly's Inc. executive William Langsdorf to aid in a strategic review. Wet Seal said it has not set a deadline for completion of the process and that “there can be no assurance that the exploration of the potential alternatives will result in a transaction.”
Macy’s to parade Facebook ads on Thanksgiving
When Macy's kicks off the holiday shopping season with its traditional parade on Thanksgiving Day, the retailer will also be deploying social media to complement its holiday push.

The company earlier this year was one of the first retailers to launch Facebook video ads. On Thursday evening, Macy’s will roll out its next round of video ads, this time to coincide with its Black Friday weekend campaign.

Food Lion selling canned wine

Wine with screw top lids was bad enough for purists, now retailers are filling their shelves with wine-based products package in cans.
Mattel and Walmart toy with airport shoppers

Shopping is going to get a little bit easier for travelers rushing through the Toronto airport this holiday season thanks to Mattel and Walmart Canada.

The retailer and the toy supplier have teamed up to install a Virtual Toy Store at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

The installation features three LCD screens that consumers can personalize and control via a mobile device to browse and shop brands such as Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, Thomas & Friends, Mega Bloks, and Monster High.
Books-A-Million reports higher Q3 sales

Despite continuing to lose money, Books-A-Million announced higher same store sales for the third quarter.
Fitch sees holiday sales up 3% to 4%; gross margins flat; promotions intense

NEW YORK - Fitch expects U.S. sales growth to modestly improve in the coming holiday season, with retail sales (excluding auto) expected to grow at 3%-4% in November/December versus 2.8% year to date. Fitch expects online sales will grow in the 12%-14% range during the fourth quarter, in line with year to date levels.
Office Depot using new location-based marketing app Shazam In-Store

AUSTIN, Texas - Office Depot is currently utilizing a new location-based mobile marketing app, Shazom In-Store, in all of its Office Depot and OfficeMax retail store locations throughout the country. The solution combines Shazam, one of the world’s most popular apps, with proprietary technology from Mood Media.
Longtime Container Store employees get married at headquarters—with co-founder officating

DALLAS - The Container Store has long been lauded as one of the places to work—and now it looks like it’s also a great place to get married. The chain on Saturday celebrated the wedding of two 25+ year tenured employees—Greg Arechar and Lety Covarrubias—from its distribution Center, at its headquarters. Co-founder and chairman emeritus Garrett Boone, an ordained officiant, led the ceremony.
Gift cards not boring at Applebee’s

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Starting this month, social media users and others can send each other beers, cocktails and food items as gifts via a growing number of gift card options and features from Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar. The chain has re-designed its gift card experience for both senders and receivers of gift cards that are redeemable at nearly 2,000 Applebee’s locations across the country.
Best Buy in $20 million update of its Chicago area retail stores

CHICAGO - Best Buy’s 43 Chicagoland stores are sporting a fresher look and assortment upgrades after the retailer’s $20 million overhaul earlier this year.

The stores’ face-lifts cover multiple areas, from new fixtures, carpeting, lighting and paint, to new customer experiences and shopping areas in stores.

Store enhancements include:
Staples to showcase in-store 3D printing kiosks

MakerBot and Staples announced today that MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers and MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanners are now available in 50 select Staples retail stores across 18 states. MakerBot is Staples’ exclusive provider in-store of 3D printing hardware, with premium in-store experiences to showcase the entire MakerBot 3D Ecosystem. This partnership makes Staples the exclusive office supply company to offer MakerBot 3D printing and scanning products in the store.
Saks’ NYC flagship valued at $3.7 billion—more than Hudson’s paid for entire company

New York - It appears that Hudson’s Bay Co. got itself quite a deal when it purchased Saks Fifth Avenue in 2013 for the sum of $2.9 billion, including debt. Saks’s signature Fifth Avenue flagship has recently been appraised at an whopping $3.65 billion—significantly more than Hudson’s Bay paid for the entire chain. As much as anything, however, the appraisal reflects the strength of Manhattan’s retail real estate market.