Sales & Marketing

New York – Digital purchasing has not displaced paper money, and digital discounts have apparently not yet displaced paper coupons. Seventy percent of consumer packaged goods coupon users still use print-based coupons such as those in free standing inserts (FSI), according to a study from GfK Custom Research and News America Marketing. 

The 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards show is April 19 and video and e-commerce retailer QVC has aligned itself with the event through a range of merchandising and live broadcast initiatives.

Portland, Ore. – Opt-in rates among consumers for push notifications from retail apps are on the decline. A new study from Urban Airship shows that average opt-in rates for retail apps fell to 37% in 2014, compared to 46% in 2013.

In 2014, retail apps doubled their notification send volume on the key shopping days of Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and consumer response rates also doubled, despite the majority of those notifications being general sales promotions sent to all users.

New York -- Teens directly command a whopping $75 billion of discretionary spending, but their wallets continue to shift from fashion and other “possession-based” categories to “shareworthy” experiences such as events and dining out. Those are among the findings of a study conducted by investment bank and asset management firm Piper Jaffrey.

Evine Live, the digital commerce company formerly known as ShopHQ, named Penny Burnett senior vice president and chief merchandising officer.

In her new role, Burnett will report to Mark Bozek, CEO of Evine live, a digital commerce company that offers customers multiple ways to shop and interact via television, online and on mobile devices in merchandise categories such as home, beauty, health and fitness, fashion and accessories, jewelry and watches and consumer electronics.

Chain Store Age editors conducted video interviews with key industry suppliers at SPECS 2015 in Las Vegas. Get updated on the latest trends and happenings in store design/planning, construction and facilities solutions and materials by clicking here.

Walmart’s share price will be under pressure in the coming years as a holding company created decades ago by the Walton family to control their ownership of the company prepares to unload as much as 6% of Walmart’s outstanding shares.

Houston – Mattress Firm is partnering with cloud-based customer experience optimization platform InMoment to operate its customer satisfaction program. Mattress Firm will utilize the InMoment Experience Hub to capture customers’ first-hand experiences with the brand.