Marketing

It may be an exaggeration that the Gap has had no outstanding marketing since the 1990s. The company has been struggling for years to figure out how to attract younger consumers as well as win back those who have stopped shopping there.

Overstock.com has long opposed state laws designed to force out-of-state retailers to collect sales tax merely for using in-state ad services. The company has mounted court challenges, citing Supreme Court decisions rendering these laws unconstitutional. It also has cut ties with local advertisers in all four states passing these laws.

Coupons, deals, discounts — however you say it, bargain shopping remains a hot topic. Even with an economy that’s showing signs of recovery, consumers are just too savvy and technologically connected to pay retail prices.

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.

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.