Marketing Tactics

Omnichannel investments are driving solid top line growth at Pier 1 Imports but having the opposite effect on profits as the company transitions to an integrated digital business model.

Family Dollar is staying focused on making a difference in communities where it operates even as it remains the target of takeover battle between Dollar General and Dollar Tree.

The company has made a $458,000 donation to Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger relief charity. The amount includes donations from Family Dollar and customers at more than 8,200 Family Dollar stores during the retailer’s ‘Feeding Families, Fueling Hope’ campaign. The donation translates to more than 4.5 million meals for children and families in need.

Canada’s leading food and drug retailer Loblaw Companies is highly regarded for its private label prowess and now its President’s Choice brand is the focus of the most ambitious marketing initiative ever.

Kroger plans to open three new fuel center locations this week — in Abingdon, Virginia; Decatur, Georgia; and Louisville, Kentucky — that bring the company's fuel center locations total to 2,000.  

Kroger operates 1,275 supermarket fuel centers and 725 convenience stores with fuel. Combined, the company sells fuel in 37 states and is the third-largest owner-operator of fuel centers in the United States.

Fort Worth, Texas -- Pier I on Wednesday reported income and sales that missed Wall Street forecasts. The retailer also detailed its online growth and omnichannel investments.
 
Pier I posted net income of $9.2 million for the second quarter ended August 30, 2014, down $17.8 million from the year ago period, amid continued investments in omnichannel growth and increased fulfillment costs.

Plug and Play, a business accelerator that specializes in tech startups, is holding its quarterly pitch competition event on its campus in Sunnyvale, California, on Thursday, September 18, from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. PDT. The Plug and Play Fall Expo 2014 will feature 40-plus startup pitches, panel discussions and corporate networking. Chain Store Age will be in attendance — watch for a recap in the next edition of Customer Disruption!

By David Ashen, dash design

Lately you can't turn on the television or pick up the newspaper without seeing a story about Millennials, also known as Generation Y. People are endlessly fascinated by their traits, values, work habits and shopping patterns. Why all of this focus on the group of people born between the early 1980's and 2000's?

Brooklyn, N.Y. -- Home furnishings retailer West Elm will make its Michigan debut when it opens a store in downtown Birmingham, on Oct. 2.

The 15,000-sq.-ft. plus store will feature a curated selection of products made in Michigan, part of West Elm’s Local initiative. The initiative, launched this year, taps into local entrepreneurship by empowering the teams in West Elm stores to find area makers and designers, building and nurturing a creative network that celebrates craftspeople and differentiates the brand with regional assortments.  

Wayne, N.J. -- Toys “R” Us and specialty retailer Claire’s have entered into a global partnership to open nearly 100 Claire’s in-store shops in Toys “R” Us locations across Europe, along with 12 U.S. locations, by year-end. The shops will feature an assortment of jewelry, headbands, hair and fashion accessories, jewelry holders, legwear, seasonal items and more. The rollout follows a successful pilot program in Europe.  

Shopko plans to unveil the results of a partial store remodeling project in all of its 133 Shopko stores Sept. 18.

The remodel includes the removal of the stores' large glass jewelry cabinets to make shopping in the jewelry department more convenient and accessible to consumers. Customers will no longer have to wait for a store associate to unlock and remove jewelry items, but will be able to easily see, touch and try on jewelry pieces.