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Sales & Marketing

  • Kohl’s ditching in-store cafes

    Many retailers are adding restaurants and even bars to enhance the shopping experience. Going forward, Kohl’s will not be one of them.

    After a seven-month test, the retailer has decided to shutter the cafes it opened in its two of its stores in Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Business Journal reported.

  • 1-800-Flowers.com plants seeds of seamless consistency

    Specialty retailer 1-800-Flowers.com operates across several banners and channels, and is trying to present as unified a customer experience as possible.

    1-800-Flowers has chosen the IBM Commerce on Cloud solution to ease the process of conducting transactions across all its brands, including Harry & David, Wolferman’s and Fannie May. The platform will also help deliver a seamless customer experience across the Web, mobile and call center channels.

  • Consumers prefer traditional payment cards

    Shoppers may be using EMV-compliant, chip-enabled payment cards, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they like them.

    Business research firm Field Agent recently conducted an audit of 100 chip processing systems at leading retailers Costco, CVS Health, Home Depot, Kroger, Lowes, Target, Walgreens and Walmart. It also undertook a survey of 300 consumers who use chip cards. In the survey, only 37% of the respondents reported a preference for EMV cards over the swiping variety; 63% said they would rather swipe a card than insert a chip card.

  • Target takes to the High Line for Marimekko

    Target Corp. is hoping New Yorkers and tourists alike will come out to help it celebrate the launch of its next limited-edition collection — Marimekko for Target.

  • Walmart online marketing head returns to his roots

    Brian Monahan, VP of marketing for Walmart.com, has left the chain (as of April 1) to go back to a startup he helped found in 2012.

    Monahan, who joined Walmart in May 2013, is now serving as chief evangelist of San Francisco-based NewCo Festivals, a media and events platform he co-founded with John Battelle in 2012. NewCo hosts global events it calls “festivals” for start-ups and also publishes editorial content aimed at start-ups. In his new (or old) role, he will oversee brand strategy, sales and marketing, and product development.

  • What customers really think about loyalty programs

    Many retailers’ long-held assumptions about consumer loyalty programs are no longer accurate, according to a new study.

    Maritz Motivation Solutions surveyed more than 2,000 consumers regarding their feelings about brand loyalty and engagement. The data showed that there are at least five myths when it comes to consumers and loyalty programs. “When evaluating your brand, consumers also are evaluating your loyalty program,” said Barry Kirk, VP Customer Loyalty Strategy for Maritz.

    Kirk detailed the myths in a webinar this week:

  • Ethan Allen debuts new ‘Design Center’ store concept

    Design is at the center of Ethan Allen’s new retail format at Garden City Center, Cranston, Rhode Island.

    The 6,000-sq.-ft. store, features an innovative display concept that showcases the company’s new interactive design service.

    The open floor plan has design stations and six large touch-screens that invite customers to work directly on projects with the company’s design professionals in a space outfitted with the latest technology.

  • Sears Holdings obtains $500 million loan — with some help from Eddie Lampert

    Sears Holdings Corp. announced it obtained a 15-month $500 million secured loan facility. ESL Investments, the company controlled by Sears chairman and CEO Edward Lampert, helped provide part of the loan and is entitled to related fees.

    Sears said $250 million of the 15-month loan was funded on Friday with the remainder being accessible in the future.

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