Seasonal

Big Lots creates new national holiday
Retailers employ all manner of promotional tactics to drive holiday sales and this year Big Lots has even created a new national occasion to serve as the basis of a promotion.

The leading closeout retailer has declared Nov. 16-22 as the nation’s first “Decorate Your Home for the Holidays Week,” to provide inspiration and motivation to shoppers to begin decking the halls this holiday season.
Retail circular advertising trends, September 2014
ECRM compared retail circular advertising in September 2013 versus September 2014 and noted trends occurring across top retail chains. In the aftermath of back-to-school season, Walmart and Staples appear to be trying to clear out all remaining school and office supplies. Staples accomplished this by improving its previous offer of $5 off with purchase of $30 to $10 off and also cut backpack prices by 50%. Walmart shifted the focus from school to office, with a “Run Your Business for Less” promotion.

ECRM: Retail circular advertising trends, October 2014

ECRM compared retail circular advertising in October 2013 vs. October 2014 and noted trends occurring across top retail chains. CVS and Walgreens increased the number of circular pages seen in October 2014; up respectively by 18% and 11%. Walgreens added 13% more halloween candy promotions, where as CVS added 9% in October comparable. Walgreens used an attractive “Save on Treats” candy promotional page in each October circular, nicely consolidating candy promotions into concise seasonal sections.
Target opening 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving; reveals extra-early Black Friday deals, extended hours

Minneapolis --The competition for the holiday shopper continues with the news that Target Corp. is kicking off the holiday season extra early this year, with plans to offer early access to Black Friday deals for one-day only on Nov. 10, a pre-sale on Nov. 26, and a 6 p.m. store opening on Thanksgiving evening.
Belk partners with HelloWorld in multichannel holiday promotion

Pleasant Ridge, Mich. -- Belk has teamed with HelloWorld, a provider of rich engagement solutions, to launch Santa Baby Sweepstakes, a holiday-themed multi-channel incentive program accessible across digital and mobile channels.
Alibaba racks up $2 billion in sales in first hour of annual shopping festival

New York -- Chinese E-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holdings sold about $2 billion worth of goods on its websites within approximately the first hour of its annual shopping extravaganza. This is the sixth year Alibaba has celebrated Singles Day, or 11.11 (named after the date, 11/11), a 24-hour deep-discount festival designed to boost sales during an otherwise weak period in China's sales calendar.
Deloitte: Most of holiday shopping to be done in store

New York -- Despite potential seasonal barriers to store trips such as long lines, traffic and limited merchandise selection, consumers anticipate spending the majority of their holiday budget in physical stores this year, according to Deloitte's 29th annual holiday survey.
Barnes & Noble enlists Sigourney Weaver to sell books

At a time when physical books are becoming an alien concept for younger consumer, Barnes & Noble has introduced a new ad campaign that positions books as, “a gift like no other.”
Sport Authority to open on Thanksgiving

For the second year in a row, Sports Authority said most of its stores would open at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.
Early access and 10% off gift cards at Target

Customers at Target are being given expanded opportunities to engage with the retailer this holiday season thanks to extended hours and early access to promotional offers.
RadioShack’s “Weird” holiday ad

New York -- RadioShack has brought on rock parody singer Weird Al Yankovich to star in a holiday ad. Yankovic is appearing in the chain's holiday campaign called "Gift Smart.” In the spot, he sings his own unique take on the holiday song “Toyland.”
Toys ‘R Us details holiday omnichannel moves; to open 5 p.m. Thanksgiving

Wayne, N.J. – Toys ‘R Us Inc. on Friday announced an array of holiday marketing initiatives along with the news that its stores will open at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day Thursday, Nov. 27, the same time as 2013, and will remain open through 11 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28, offering doorbusters and deals.