News

New York -- Incidents of smartphone “showrooming”—seeing a product in a store, then buying it online from another retailer using a smartphone—dropped from 37% in the United States last year to 28% in 2014. But “webrooming,” in which consumers buy in a store after researching a purchase online using a smartphone, was reported by an even higher proportion of respondents, 41%.  Those are among the findings of GfK’s 2014 FutureBuy global study of shopping habits and preferences.  

Austin, Texas -- Whole Food Market on Monday launched its first national brand campaign, a multichannel advertising initiative. The effort is spearheaded by seasoned marketing veteran Jeannine D’Addario, Whole Foods’ new global VP of communications.   

Chicago -- More than 80% of shoppers visit three or more channels to carry out CPG shopping, according to IRI’s new Times & Trend report, “Channel Migration: The Road to Growth Has Many Lanes”.   

Amazon is “piloting” holiday pop-up stores this holiday season, with two confirmed locations in San Francisco and Sacramento, along with what may or may not be a permanent space in Manhattan. While theoretically Amazon is going to let the pilots run their course, analyze the results, and then possibly move forward with a rollout of more permanent brick-and-mortar stores, most observers expect the pilot is the first step in an already determined strategy to build a physical presence.  

Veteran Home Deport operations executive Marc Powers has been elevated to the role of EVP of U.S. stores as part of an ongoing leadership transformation.

Few people know Home Depot from the ground up the way Powers does. He began his career with the company in 1986 as an hourly employee and over the course of the past 28 years served as store manager, district manager and regional vice president. He most recently served as SVP of operations for the company’s nearly 2,000 U.S. stores.

Hallmar has partnered with Toys for Tots and pledged to donate $1.5 million in toys and funds to the organization this holiday season.

For 50 years, watching the television classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has been a holiday tradition for millions of families. This holiday season, Hallmark Gold Crown stores will be full of ways to celebrate the generous spirit of Rudolph and give back through a partnership with Toys for Tots.

Richard Phillips is headlining an upcoming supply chain conference organized by several food trade organizations. If his name doesn’t ring a bell, try Captain Phillips, as in the guy Tom Hanks portrayed in the 2013 movie of the same name.

The legendary Beatle Ringo Starr will be bringing his talents and style to SKECHERS where he’s agreed to appear in the footwear company’s global marketing campaign for SKECHERS Relaxed Fit footwear.  The new multimedia campaign featuring Ringo will begin in Spring 2015.   World’s most famous drummer will be a face and voice of the campaign which will kick off with a new television spot that adopts the humorous as a signature of the Relaxed Fit footwear commercials.   

A company called Artec Group has developed 3D software and hardware that creates a potential revenue opportunity for retailers by allowing users to create miniature replicas of themselves.

The company has introduced the Shapify Booth which is capable of creating a full scan of a person or object in 12 seconds and then producing a detailed 3D model called a “Shapie.”

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company has acquired Action Pest Control as it looks to leverage the equity of its Ortho brand and drive growth in the $7 billion pest control industry.