Loyalty Marketing

Framingham, Mass. – Staples has launched an online ink and toner recycling program. The online program is an expansion of the existing, in-store Staples Rewards ink and toner recycling program.

The online program enables Staples Rewards members to recycle empty ink and toner cartridges by printing a pre-paid shipping label to send their cartridges in for recycling and receive $2 back in Staples Rewards for each one

Kirkland’s plans to continue investing in its e-commerce business and anticipates executing a more aggressive approach to store growth, following strong third-quarter results.

The company reported net sales for the third quarter ended Nov. 2 of $106.1 million, a 9.8% increase from $96.7 million for the year-ago quarter. Comparable-store sales, including e-commerce sales, for the quarter increased 4.9% compared with a decrease of 4.7% in the year-ago quarter.

Bucking a retail industry trend this year, Sam’s Club won’t be open on Thanksgiving Day and on Black Friday it won’t open until 7 a.m. Instead, Sam’s is throwing some new promotional wrinkles at members and non-members including, “Sam’s Sunday,” event to drive sales.

Walgreens has named Sona Chawla, currently president of e-commerce, as president of digital and chief marketing officer. In this new role, Chawla will lead a newly created digital and marketing division, establishing an integrated digital, enterprise-wide marketing and customer loyalty and insights group to advance Walgreens “Well Experience” strategy.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings widened its loss in the third quarter as sales decreased at both its Sears and Kmart units.

For the three months ended Nov. 2, Sears lost $534 million, down from a loss of $498 million a year earlier.

Revenue fell 7% to $8.27 billion from $8.86 billion mostly because it had fewer Sears and Kmart stores operating.

Same-store sales dropped 3.1%, and were down 4% at Sears' stores and declined 2.1% at Kmart stores.

Add Target to the list of retailers whose weak third quarter sales performance highlighted troubling spending behaviors that threaten to undermine its holiday sales performance.

The company reported disappointing third quarter sales and profits Thursday morning and then stated the obvious that shoppers will price sensitive during an intensely competitive holiday season. The company said same store sales increased 0.9%, slightly less than the company’s forecast provided on August 21 which called for an increase of 1% to 2%.

Oklahoma City -- Seventy-four percent of shoppers plan to give one or more gift cards this holiday season, and nearly 30%  planned on giving five or more gift cards, according to a study by the Retail Gift Card Association (RGCA). The results show that gift cards drive store traffic, with 78% of consumers planning to spend their cards at the retailer's brick-and-mortar location

The Holiday Gift Card Trend Tracker Survey finds that the number of gift cards consumers plan to purchase as gifts this year increased by 71%.

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens on Thursday announced the appointment of Sona Chawla, president of e-commerce, as president of digital and chief marketing officer. In this new role, Chawla will lead a newly created digital and marketing division, establishing a unified and integrated digital, enterprise-wide marketing, and customer loyalty and insights group to advance Walgreens “Well Experience” strategy and vision to be the first choice in health and daily living in America and beyond, Walgreens stated.