Merchandising

A warning for bargain shoppers: Is your favorite retailer misleading you with those big sales? We've reported on this before, and now we're back with a new development. We all love a good sale, and when you see that sign — 20 percent off, 30 percent off, 50 percent off — you assume you're getting a deal. But we found that sale price may not be a deal at all.

Sears is trying to grab consumers’ attention by selling $33,000 Rolex watches and other designer goods. This according to Dana Mattioli and Suzanne Kapner at The Wall Street Journal, who wrote that the "Marketplace" section of the retailer's website contains luxury items from brands like Chanel, Balenciaga and Zac Posen. Sears Chairman and CEO Eddie Lampert is pushing employees to secure the items because he hopes desirable goods will make Sears more relevant, WSJ reports.

Nike's attempt to show the Carolina Panthers some love with a home-state T-shirt backfired when the marketer confused North Carolina with its southern counterpart. Late last week, an astute fan alerted Charlotte Observer sports columnist Scott Fowler to the availability of a geographically challenged T-shirt in Nike's online store. The shirt depicted the Panthers logo with the initials "NC" superimposed over a graphic of South Carolina.

San Francisco-based e-tailer ModCloth is a brand that you can be friends with. And, as they can tell you, friends come in all different shapes and sizes. The vintage-inspired retailer is making a point to pay attention to what's commonly referred to as "plus-size fashion," a side of the industry that's often overlooked. Though the average American woman buys a size 12, many high-fashion designers top out at size eight. American mass-market retailers like Ann Taylor and Banana Republic are more democratic, but only slightly so.

"Project Runway" is about to experience some culture shock: The show has announced that Southern department store Belk will replace Lord & Taylor as the sponsor for its 12th season. "As the authority on lifestyle and fashion in the South," Belk President and Chief Merchandising Officer Kathryn Bufano said, "we are looking forward to adding our perspective to the show."

Abercrombie & Fitch has woken a who-knows-how-many strong group of angry Taylor Swift fans thanks to a T-shirt that reads "# more boyfriends than t.s." One fan quickly erected a Change.org petition and then made a YouTube video, in which she called fellow fans to contact Abercrombie's public relations department.

When flash-sale sites initially launched in the late 2000s, many used limited inventory, narrow purchase windows and final sales to create a sense of urgency among consumers. The most loyal shoppers might sit glued to their computer or iPhone when sales start to ensure the best selection of designer goods. But as these sites have evolved and sought to attract sales from less die-hard consumers, many now allow returns on items not marked final sale.

Bowing to pressure from the Partnership at Drugfree.org, fashion retailer Urban Outfitters has agreed to pull merchandise made to look like prescription pill bottles, including prescription label flasks and pint and shot glasses, from its shelves.Urban Outfitters issued a statement to CNN late last week confirming that it was discontinuing the sale of products made to look like prescription drug paraphernalia.

In its first partnership with a major motion picture, Warby Parker — the online marketer of trendy eyeglasses — has teamed with Warner Bros. for a promotional tie-in to the upcoming reboot of the "Superman" movie franchise, "Man of Steel." The movie begins its run in theaters on June 14. The deal, which was in the works for more than a year, was orchestrated by Omnicom Media Group's Ignition Factory. OMG is Warner Bros.' media agency.
Under the agreement, Warby Parker created two

While Father's Day never packs the sentimental (or spending) punch of mom's big day, forecasts call for slightly more spending this year. The National Retail Federation predicts the average person will spend $119.84, compared with $117.14 last year, with total spending expected to rise to $13.3 billion. And IBISWorld, a market research company, forecasts a slightly smaller gain of 2.1 percent, with spending expected to total $13.2 billion.