Sales & Marketing

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores thinks it has found a way to make each mobile shopper’s store visit unique.   The crafting retailer is targeting mobile shoppers that “opt-in” to use its new in-store Wi-Fi network with unique coupons, according to Ad Age.    

Toy Kingdom, a specialty toy store concept from Shinsegae, the largest retailer in South Korea, boasts a store environment that is larger than life and highly experiential.  

Amazon is making it a lot easier for customers to speak with its voice assistant.     The online giant on Thursday started integrating Alex into its main shopping app on the iPhone, with a full rollout expected by the end of next week.     Users will be able to ask Alexa for help with shopping, and also to stream books from their Kindle library, play media and request information such as news, weather or sports scores.    

The Kroger Co. is testing a solution to solve “the last mile” of omnichannel retail — the post-purchase operations focused on getting merchandise into shoppers’ hands quickly and efficiently.   

The increasingly digital customer is impacting the evolution of new, distinct store formats.   As stores transition to new concepts by 2020 and beyond, so will the roles of store associates, according to new research from Avanade and EKN Research. Avanade surveyed 161 global retail executives across various retail segments to understand the driving factors of digital and workforce transformation in the industry.  

Apple will be busy on March 25.    The company will open three new stores on that day,  including a flagship at Brickell City Center, a new mixed-use development  in downtown Miami.  It will be Apple’s fifth location in the Miami area.    The new Miami store will have  13-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, and a forum space with an oversized video display, according to TechCrunch.  

New Jersey’s answer to Chipotle has signed a lease for another location in that state.   Bubbako’s Burritos, a made-to-order chain that got its start in the popular Jersey shore town of Point Pleasant, has signed a lease for a 1,900-sq.-ft. restaurant at Aldrich Plaza in Howell. Other tenants there include Bed, Bath & Beyond, Retro Fitness, and Boston Market.  

A strong performance in Asia helped Tiffany & Co. beat fourth quarter expectations even as sales as its U.S. stores sagged.   The luxury jeweler reported net income of $157.8 million, or $1.26 per share, for the quarter ended Jan. 31, compared with $163.2 million, or $1.28 per share, in the year-ago period. Adjusted for asset impairment costs, per-share earnings were $1.45, beating the per-share earnings of $1.37 that industry analysts had expected.