Sales & Marketing

Target is prepping for another program aimed at start-ups, specifically those focused on health and wellness.   The new program, called “Target Takeoff,” supports health- and wellness-related start-ups through a “mini-accelerator” effort that will help young companies develop and connect with the major retailers in town.  

Whole Foods Market, which is known for its premier shopping experience and customer service, wants to up the ante — especially among loyal shoppers.    By partnering with global customer science company dunnhumby, the natural foods grocer will use customer data and insights to evolve its category management and merchandising efforts. Specifically, the chain will apply customer data models, science, and industry-leading processes to make store-level merchandising decisions based on specific customer needs.  

The Iowa-based Von Maur department store chain will be installing a 90,000-sq.-ft. location at PREIT’s Woodland Mall in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in a space to be vacated by Sears. A 2019 opening is planned.   A 145-year-old, family-owned chain of 31 stores in 14 states, Von Maur’s offerings aspired to the high end with brands like Eileen Fisher, Coach, and Tommy Bahama.  

Cosabella has found a way to future-proof its business, and simultaneously drive sales.   The luxury lingerie brand had no trouble attracting shoppers. But to ensure longevity, brands must convert contacts into loyal customers if they want to grow their market share. Cosabella took a proactive step in this process by adopting an artificial intelligence (AI) platform from Emarsys, to revolutionize the role of its marketers.  

Buying merchandise on Pinterest just got even easier.   On Wednesday, Feb. 8, the social media site rolled out a new service called “Shop the Look.” An extension of the company’s Buyable Pins program which enables “pinners” to buy a specific item directly on Pinterest, Shop the Look users can “click on and even buy products they find inside fashion and home decor Pins,” Tim Kendall, Pinterest’s president, explained in the company’s business blog.  

The person charged with leading Walgreens Boots Alliance’s digital transformation, is leaving the company in March.   Abhi Dhar, who has essentially served as chief digital officer and CIO of the drugstore giant since 2015, is stepping down from the company to launch an online marketing startup for the retail sector, reported CIO.com. He will serve as CEO of the start-up.  

"It makes me feel really, really sad. I hate to even go up that way. Sometimes I go up that way because I go to the movie theater and I got to ride by it, and it's just heartbreaking, and to see the mall gone,” Owings Mills, Maryland resident Glenn Watlingon told WMAR-TV about the demolition of the Owings Mills Mall.   

Women’s plus-size retailer Torrid will open locations in five Cafaro Malls: Eastwood Mall (Niles, Ohio); Governor’s Square Mall (Clarksville, Tennessee); Huntington Mall (Barboursville, West Virginia), Millcreek Mall (Erie, Pennsylvania); and Spotsylvania Towne Centre (Fredericksburg, Virginia).     The 3,500-sq.-ft. stores are all expected to be up and running by June. Torrid, founded in 2001, operates more than 400 locations across 36 states.