Retail Stores

Less than three months after JC Penney named former Kraft Foods exec Debra Berman to lead the retailer's marketing strategy, she's brought in a whole new agency team, including Doner, EVB and Victors & Spoils, to step up the company's advertising. Their first order of business? A holiday campaign. Ms. Berman, senior VP-marketing, said she determined in September that the

J.C. Penney is reverting to its classic logo in a move to appeal to loyal — and likely lapsed – customers. Under former CEO Ron Johnson, the logo and company name was updated to simply jcp. That logo, introduced to much fanfare in early 2012, featured a square red frame, with "jcp" in a blue box in the top, left-hand corner — reminiscent of an American flag. The frame was used throughout J.C. Penney's stores and marketing. Scrapping the logo is just the latest attempt to roll back the former CEO's initiatives. 

Fossil hopes to beef up its in-store technology within the next two years, offering customers a number of ways to access, browse and purchase products. "It's really important for our target customers," said Andrew Hess, Fossil's vice president of IT, adding that the brand's target customers are typically well-connected shoppers in their 20s or early 30s. "We're trying to meet some of their expectations."

Looking to purchase an eBay gift card at your local grocer or office-supply store? Sorry, you're out of luck. Searching among the Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Facebook, Toys"R"Us and restaurant cards hanging on the pegs of your local retailer's gift card racks, you'll no longer be able to find eBay cards. eBay Spokesperson Ryan Moore said it was a business decision to stop offering the cards in retail locations. You can still purchase eBay gift cards on eBay.com, however.

Beauty retailer Sephora has launched Sephora University Beauty Classes, a new program designed to help beauty lovers of all ages and abilities master everything from building a skin care routine to creating the perfect smoky eye. Now available in more than 60 stores throughout the United States, these complimentary classes are the newest way in which Sephora is striving to further enhance the client experience.

PayPal is teaming up with a handful of retailers, including Levi's, Aéropostale and maurices, with a time-sensitive offer for free shipping, highlighting the importance of incentivizing consumers with mobile and web offers to beat showrooming this holiday season. PayPal is offering consumers who shop on retailers’ mobile sites, applications and websites free two-day shipping through Nov. 1. In addition to educating consumers about alternative payment types, the marketing move will also help PayPal form closer relationships with retailers as the company makes a bigger play to capture real-world transactions.

There's a sense of alternate reality built in to each of URBN Inc.'s (owner of Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, BDLHN and Terrain) stores. Now URBN is taking this experience to the next level by building a branded village where ladies (and men) can live its ethereal lifestyle and buy it, too. Our sister site Racked Philly reports that the company purchased 6.5 acres in Devon, Pa. (about 30 minutes outside the heart of Philadelphia as the Google Maps flies) onto which they plan to erect a Terrain garden center, an Anthropologie, a boutique hotel, a couple farm-to-table restaurants, and more.

Japanese retailer Uniqlo will open 10 new U.S. stores over the next two months in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Northern California, and wants to expand with 20 more in 2014. But first, it needs to figure out Los Angeles. "Southern California is a very important market to us, and it's a priority market to us," said the company's COO. "We will think through the specific strategy for L.A., but right now, we're studying it. Do we open multiple stores right away versus have a flagship and wait a year to open up the suburban areas?"

Few retailers have a robust plan ready for the "shortest runway to Christmas since 2002.″ I've had hour-long meetings with nine retailers in the last 20 hours at the Shop.org Annual Summit. One thing that strikes me as surprising as well as concerning is the lack of preparedness for a very short holiday season — only three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Most retailers that I met with are still unable to fully fathom the impact of one less week (25 percent less time) on online demand. 

J.C. Penney is launching a Disney shop inside 565 stores on Oct. 4 after launching the shop online Sept. 6. The stores will carry toys, collectibles and children's apparel for ages two to 10 that showcase Disney characters. Prices will range from $7 for a plush toy to $90 for a keepsake collection of Disney princess dolls. "The addition of Disney Shops to J.C. Penney will be a major draw in our kids department," Betsy Schumacher, senior vice president and general merchandise manager for children's, said in a release.