Marketing

The cross-channel retail industry is at a crossroads. For starters, due to the economic downturn, the past couple of years have been difficult for the retail sector. But that's changing. Retailers are starting to see signs of life and are breathing a sigh of relief. At press time, for example, it was announced that February retail sales increased 0.6 percent over January and 4.2 percent year-over-year, according to the National Retail Federation.

What would you do to get a lifetime discount at your favorite store? Would you, say, get an animal tattoo? That's what Ecko is hoping. The company's new Branded for Life program promises a 20 percent lifetime discount to any customer who gets either the brand's Rhino logo or the Marc Ecko Cut & Sew shears tattooed on their bodies.

After teaming up with Groupon to get daily deals on its websites last summer, McClatchy Co. has decided to get into the business on its own. McClatchy, the third-largest newspaper company, won't be breaking up with Groupon, but will launch its own deals service in April, bringing the two companies head-to-head.

When e-commerce sites offer visitors the opportunity to provide feedback, two things happen: First, retailers get valuable insight into visitors’ experiences. Second, visitors identify themselves as people who feel a connection to that website/brand. That information provides the means for online retailers to generate new leads and retain current customers.

Home Depot has rolled out a nationwide mobile barcode program to influence purchase intent in-store and drive consumers to its locations via digitally-enhanced direct mail pieces and print ads.

Struggling to fend off increasing competition, Sears is borrowing a page from the marketing playbook of products like soft drinks and soup by naming its rivals in aggressive advertising.

Home Depot is getting ready for its own version of Black Friday. For the second year in a row, the DIY heavyweight will roll out regional promotions that include doorbusters, as well as special pricing on lawn and garden, patio furniture, and grills.

Since the recession, cross-channel retailers have come to rely more and more on promotional offers to drive sales. Catalog and internet buyers have come to expect strong promotional offers, seemingly waiting for them before making a purchase.

Online retailing is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Marketers have access to information about every aspect of customer interaction: number of website visits, time spent on the site, email open and clickthrough rates, conversions, and purchases. With today’s sophisticated analytics, marketers can fine-tune their messaging and offers to optimize results and move beyond a simple first-click visit.

For many, it's already too late to change direction on a rudderless ship that has been left in the wake of the rapid decline in hard copy book sales. Barnes & Noble on the other hand, is using a change in strategy to help weather the storm.