Sales & Marketing

Austin, Texas – Whole Foods Market is sharing the love with its consumers, across channels.

From Sept. 9 to Nov. 3, the Whole Foods Love Fest will offer special deals and events including surprises on its local and national social media channels.

Other features will include weekly $500 giveaways in stores, weekly product offers, and customized events and giveaways.

Issaquah, Wash. – Costco Wholesale Corp. is finally getting its online photo center partially up and running following a July 2015 data breach at the third-party hosting provider.

Returning users will have to create a new password before re-entering the site.

All photo center products except the mobile app, framed prints and mail order products are once again fully available. Costco expects to have the mobile app and mail order option available by the end of September, and framed prints available by mid-October.

On a day when his company reported its fifth straight quarter of sales declines, the CEO of Barnes & Noble sounded a positive note, telling the Wall Street Journal that the retailer is looking at a new store prototype.

Wayne, N.J. – The days of kids using pencils to write holiday wish lists in poor handwriting may be over.

Toys “R” Us is offering the #TRUHotToyList, an omnichannel listing of the holiday season’s hottest toys.

American Girl is targeting tween girls and their parents via a new partnership with a bestselling author and pediatrician.

The retailer is teaming up once again with Dr. Cara Natterson on a new go-to guide for moms and daughters. The new three-book set, "The Care & Keeping of Us: A Sharing Collection for Girls and Their Moms," according to American Girl, provides the tools to get the conversation going on topics most top-of-mind for growing girls: from body basics, hygiene and healthy habits to friends, social media, clothing and more.

Seattle – Amazon is priming the appetites of customers in Seattle with a new feature of its Prime Now one-hour delivery service.

Members of the Amazon Prime paid loyalty program in Seattle can order delivery from participating local restaurants using the Prime Now mobile app.

Prime members can view participating restaurants, browse menus, place orders and track the status of their delivery in real time. Once an order is placed, Amazon delivery drivers pick up and deliver the food within an hour or less.

Menomonee Falls, Wis. – Kohl’s Department Stores is helping consumers have a very omnichannel holiday season.

The retailer will provide the option to buy items online and pick up in store at all stores nationwide with premier, designated parking for customers picking up their purchases.

In the name of optimizing its omnichannel approach, Macy's said it plans to close between 35 and 40 department stores at undisclosed locations in early 2016 while moving ahead with expansion of its off price format.