
Marketing

Thriving in a niche market may appear challenging on the surface, but when you really dig into marketing strategies, it becomes clear that maybe niche is better for your brand. Ever hear of the "1,000 true fans” concept by Kevin Kelly? It runs along niche marketing lines. The crux of Kelly's argument is this: all…
In episode 198 of Total Retail Talks, Executive Editor Joe Keenan speaks with Ken Wincko, vice president of marketing at Barnes & Noble College, a national college and university bookstore operator with over 1,400 physical and virtual stores. They discuss how Barnes & Noble College's mobile app is helping to improve its Gen Z customers’…
There's pressure for brands to compete on customer experience (CX) in nearly every industry. Retail marketers, in particular, are pressured to meet growing expectations from today’s empowered customer for an experience tailored to their preferences at every stage of their specific journey. For retailers, this change may seem daunting, as companies must update their business…
The continued year-over-year growth of global e-commerce sales has led many brands and retailers to re-examine their business models.
On Tuesday, Nordstrom cut its forecast for full-year sales and profit after reporting weaker-than-expected first-quarter results that were hurt, in part, by stopping its use of direct mail to promote its new loyalty program. According to Yahoo Finance, co-president Erik Nordstrom said on a post-earnings conference call that the company stopped sending rewards "notes" to its…
Truthinadvertising.org (TINA.org) filed a complaint Tuesday to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against Williams-Sonoma Inc. over deceptive Made in USA marketing statements, according to a press release. The complaint alleges that hundreds of statements found in Williams-Sonoma brands’ marketing materials are deceptive in nature, claiming products are made or crafted in the USA "despite the…
The retail landscape is becoming more and more competitive, and shoppers’ inboxes are becoming spammier and spammier. Despite all the noise, however, we’re finding a handful of brands that are successfully rising above the marketing fray. As masters of digital, direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands are defying the status quo and creating a new retail world order.…
Amazon.com is crowded. Most Americans skip Google and go straight to Amazon when they shop online, and as a result it has become one of the key product marketing battlegrounds. Today, improving visibility, keyword dominance and digital shelf space on Amazon requires an increasingly high level of active, real-time campaign management, putting a lot of…
In episode 195 of Total Retail Talks, Joe Keenan interviews Chris Fitzpatrick, vice president of business analytics and strategy at Vineyard Vines, a clothing and accessories retailer founded in Massachusetts. Listen in as they discuss how Vineyard Vines’ use of an analytics tool has enabled the brand to obtain a single view of its customer across…
Sears unveiled a new logo earlier this month on its social media channels, and it's generating mixed reviews from consumers. In addition to the logo, Sears debuted a new slogan as well: "making moments matter." The new slogan was featured in a video the company published on Facebook in late April. Sears said the new logo was…