Pricing

Social Couponing Proves Too Successful for Some Retailers
September 22, 2010

Posies Cafe signed up with Groupon several months ago. If Groupon could promise to deliver a certain minimum number of customers, Posies would sell them $13 worth of products for $6. Nearly 1,000 people bought the Groupon in the one day it was advertised, swamping the small coffee shop for three months. Posies' owner said that the volume of sales coupled with the steep discount threatened her business, forcing her to spend $8,000 of her personal savings to pay her employees and the rent.

Wal-Mart Teams With FedEx to Boost Sales in Urban Areas
September 22, 2010

Wal-Mart is experimenting with allowing customers to buy merchandise online and have it delivered free to urban FedEx locations, a bid to boost sales in big cities where the retailer has little to no store presence.

Men's Wearhouse Finds Success With Promotions
September 14, 2010

Men's Wearhouse is getting rid of its well-known branding ad campaign (think grey-bearded chairman George Zimmer extolling the virtues of quality and price, โ€œI guarantee itโ€) in favor of โ€œtime-sensitive price promotionsโ€ to continue increasing market share.

Talbots' Strong 2Q Due in Large Part to Holding Prices Steady
September 10, 2010

Talbots said it returned to profitability in the second quarter, but sales fell because the company kept the line on prices to a large degree. While the recession has made it common to deeply discount, "We did not react to what became a very aggressive promotional environment," Chief Executive Trudy Sullivan said. Instead, Talbots went after margin growth โ€” or getting the most return on the dollars it did take in โ€” and continued to balance cost cutting with rebuilding efforts.

Gap's Nationwide Promotion With Groupon Proves Too Popular
August 23, 2010

What a difference a deal makes. Groupon launched its first nationwide deal, $25 off a $50 purchase at Gap. The promotion, which was available in every city, briefly crashed Grouponโ€™s servers as deal-happy consumers clicked on the 50 percent discount and pinged their friends.

Ann Taylor Creates Fourquare Promotion
July 15, 2010

Womenโ€™s clothing retailer Ann Taylor has just launched its first Foursquare promotion. Shoppers who check in to one of the companyโ€™s eight New York City stores will receive 15 percent off their full-price purchase upon their fifth checkin and Mayors will receive 25 percent off their purchases of non-sale apparel and accessories.

Retailers Step Up Promotions to Entice Reluctant Consumers
July 14, 2010

With unemployment high and consumer confidence low, retailers are getting more creative to lure wary consumers. Grabbing shoppers from rivals is no easy task, but merchants are making a stab at innovative ways, beyond price cuts and low overhead, to lure consumers. Merchants have little choice now but to boost sales to keep profits up.