Marketing

Name of Apple Store Changing
August 22, 2016 at 11:08 am

It's called Apple, not the Apple Store. The Cupertino, California company has decreed that its chain of retail stores will now only be referred to thusly in what seems to be part of an ongoing attempt to rebrand its stores from shopping destinations to community gathering places. Apple's new flagship store in downtown San Francisco…

Ralph Lauren, Macy’s Distance Themselves From Ryan Lochte
August 22, 2016 at 10:22 am

The U.S. Olympic team isn't the only entity feeling the sting of the recent Ryan Lochte controversy. Following news that the Olympic swimmer fabricated a story of getting robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro, images of the athlete have quietly disappeared from the Ralph Lauren Olympic apparel page on its site and allegedly from some Macy’s brick-and-mortar stores. Total Retail's…

Don't Let ‘Weasel Words’ Ruin Your Offers
August 19, 2016 at 10:34 am

Recently while I was in the mall, I saw the sign below in a storefront window. Marketers can drive revenue by making strong offers, either online or in this case at retail. I wouldn't consider this example to be a strong offer. Take a look. Can you tell me why? While the offer, “30% Off…

A Look Inside Garnet Hill's Mobile Boutique
August 18, 2016 at 9:30 am

Garnet Hill, a lifestyle brand selling home and apparel products based in New Hampshire, is shaking up the traditional brick-and-mortar shopping experience. After opening a seasonal shop in the Hamptons last summer, Garnet Hill decided to take its product on the road in a mobile boutique this summer. “It’s a showroom, boutique and marketing platform…

Barnes & Noble CEO Fired After Less Than a Year on the Job
August 17, 2016 at 11:50 am

After being on the job for less than a year, Barnes & Noble CEO Ronald D. Boire has been ousted by the company's board of directors. The bookstore chain’s board said Boire “was not a good fit for the organization,” and will be replaced by Leonard Riggio, the company's executive chairman, until a permanent leader…

The New Tools of the Customer Loyalty Trade
August 17, 2016 at 10:34 am

In an age of instant access, customer loyalty is a rare commodity. The idea of consumers purchasing the same brand that their parents or grandparents did seems quaint in comparison to the seemingly infinite options presented to them today. So, how can retail marketers not only gain new customers, but maintain their loyalty? It comes…

Macy’s Prepares for Digital Shift
August 17, 2016 at 9:54 am

Macy’s announced a major strategy shift last week that will affect a significant number of its brick-and-mortar stores. The department store chain will be closing 100 of its 728 locations next year — approximately 14 percent of its stores. These closures signify Macy’s acceptance of the modern retail landscape laid out by e-commerce giant Amazon.com,…

10 Money-Producing Retail Marketing Hacks
August 16, 2016 at 12:40 pm

It's easy to spend marketing dollars on things you feel will drive more business, but what about all the free (or nearly free) methods to accomplish the same or better results? In this day in age, marketers seem to call these growth hacks. These methods may not apply to all retailers and all situations, but…

Procter & Gamble Cutting Spending on Facebook Ads
August 11, 2016 at 1:31 pm

Procter & Gamble has concluded that using Facebook ads to target specific consumers has limited effectiveness. The biggest advertising spender in the world will now move away from targeted Facebook ads. Facebook has spent years developing its ability to zero in on consumers based on demographics, shopping habits and life milestones, but P&G Chief Marketing Officer…