MARKETING/SOCIAL MEDIA

Retail marketers take heed: Facebook's appeal is fading among teens even as two other platforms continue to pick up momentum.  

Retailers still have time to capitalize on their second biggest selling season of the year.   Only 45% of households with children in grades K-12 had completed of their shopping as of early August, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. That’s down from 52% at the same time in 2013 and 48% last year.     

Sears Holdings is expanding the distribution of two of its iconic brands.   Cleva North America will manufacture vacuum cleaners and floor cleaning accessories under the Kenmore and Kenmore Elite brands. The company will be able to sell the products to retailers around the world.   

Back-to-school advertising appears to be losing some of its resonance with consumers.    Walmart, Target and Old Navy scored the highest awareness levels among consumers (with children under the age of 18) in a survey of BTS advertising from 30 retailers by YouGov BrandIndex. But many retailers scored less than last year.   

QVC is merging augmented reality technologies, broadcast and mobile to create a more immersive beauty shopping experience.   

When it comes to sticking on budget, millennial parents prefer in-store shopping over digital commerce for back-to-school purchases.   Sixty-five percent of millennial parents believe shopping in-store enables them to more effectively remain within budget goals compared to shopping online, according to a study commissioned by Citi Retail Services. These parents plan to do the majority, 72% on average, of back-to-school shopping in a store rather than online this year.   

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores is changing the way it connects with shoppers.    Coinciding with efforts to “modernize” its brand, the arts and crafts retailer is adopting mobile technology as a means of fostering collaboration and enhancing the shopping experience. Jo-Ann’s new mobile app will enable users to shop for supplies, find project ideas, redeem mobile coupons, and find and share project “How-To’s.”