Loyalty Marketing

Food Lion is stepping up its digital engagement game.   A banner under Delhaize America, Food Lion launched a mobile app. Available to customers across its 10-state footprint, the app streamlines and personalizes the shopping experience.  

The most digitally savvy generation to date has a soft side for physical stores.    Despite being digital natives, 57% of Generation Z say they prefer to shop in-store rather than online, according to a report from CrowdTwist, a provider of multichannel loyalty and engagement solutions.   

While many other retailers are bumping along the bottom in terms of growth, Amazon increased its sales line (in its second quarter) by almost a quarter.  In real terms, this means the online behemoth took some $7.5 billion more in revenue this quarter than during the same period last year. By any standards, this is an impressive performance -- but it is doubly so for a company of the size and scale of Amazon.  

Multi-brand and vertically integrated beauty stores are shaking up the beauty industry — and growing at a rapid rate.    With hundreds of new doors opening in various formats, cosmetics specialty and vertically integrated stores, such as Ulta, Sephora, Bluemercury, NYX, Kiko Milano, and e.l.f., have grown at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 19% over the past five years, according to a report by research and consulting firm Kline. Such stores now account for an estimated 20% of total beauty market sales. 

When it comes to brands that stand out in online apparel shopping segment, subscription services are leading the pack.   Apparel subscription services, like Stitch Fix and Trunk Club, and introduction of Amazon’s Prime Wardrobe are disrupting the apparel segment. While the subscription method of shopping for apparel is still in its infancy, consumer reach — and interest — is growing, according to research from The NDP Group.   

Not all department store retailers are closing stores.   Charlotte, North Carolina-based Belk said it plans to open three new stores, part of a nearly $40 million investment in store remodels, capital improvements and new store openings in 2017.  

Amazon’s Prime Day may have boosted the company’s second quarter sales, but the event wasn’t enough to keep its earnings on track.   The online giant’s net income for the second quarter, ended June 30, was $197 million, or $0.40 per diluted share, compared with net income of $857 million, or $1.78 per diluted share, in second quarter 2016. Earnings also drastically missed analyst expectations of $1.42 per share, according to consensus estimates from Thomson Reuters.