Marketing Tactics

As the holiday begins to creep closer, GameStop is looking to generate store traffic by unveiling a series of new loyalty incentives during October for PowerUp Rewards program members. The specialty retailer is also offering special financing for new PowerUp Rewards credit cardholders.

In addition to accruing points for purchases and early access to exclusives, PowerUp Rewards Pro shoppers will be able to maximize their loyalty earnings during the month of October, the company said.

Christopher & Banks is preparing to roll out its new missy-petite-women (MPW) store concept at 37 stores, after successfully testing the retail strategy at 20 locations across the US last year. The retailer plans to convert a total of 190 stores by the end of this year.

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- Shoppers are planning to spend less money and purchase gifts for fewer people this holiday season compared to last year, while also maximizing their budgets through Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and online cost comparison, according to the CFI Group 2014 Holiday Retail Spending Report: Black Friday is Back.  

New York -- Authentic Brands Group, a global brand development and licensing company, announced an agreement with Reliance Brands Limited (Reliance) to bring casual luxury lifestyle brand Juicy Couture to India in fall 2015.

Phoenix -- Molly Busch has joined the Capital Markets group of commercial real estate firm CBRE Group Inc. in Phoenix. A senior associate, Busch will partner with VP Andrew Fosberg.

The duo focuses on investment sales with an emphasis in retail properties. Busch comes to CBRE from Grand Canyon University, where she was the director of marketing for athletics and fan development.

Austin, Texas - Based on previous savings experienced during the holiday season in 2013 and projected industry growth in 2014, U.S. shoppers have the opportunity to save more than $5 billion dollars by using deal and offer websites during the upcoming holiday season. According to a new study from RetailMeNot and Dr. Jason Abrevaya, Ph.D., economics department chair at the University of Texas at Austin, consumers have the potential to save more than $200 an hour while using RetailMeNot.com, or $34 in 10 minutes.

New Orleans - Smoothie King Franchises Inc. has signed a five-store development agreement for Missouri with new franchisee Jackie Floyd. The smoothie chain currently has 21 locations in the state, including more than a dozen in the St. Louis area, with three additional stores planned to open in the market in 2014.

Seattle - Starbucks Corp. opens its first community store in Korea, located in the Daehakro neighborhood of Seoul, on Oct. 1. Thirty cents from every purchase at this store will go to Green Umbrella ChildFund Korea (GUCFK) to directly support lifelong skills development for youth through the Starbucks Comprehensive Youth Leadership Program.

Spartanburg, S.C. - Denny’s and Stoopid Buddy Stoodios have partnered to create a new animated Web series, “The Grand Slams.” Starring a cast of characters, Egg, Pancake, Sausage and Bacon, based on the brand’s dish, The Grand Slam, the series launches an exclusive online trailer Oct. 1 and debuts its first episode Oct. 15.