Promotional Strategy

5 Steps to a Successful Sampling Campaign
July 15, 2015 at 3:48 pm

Traditional sampling strategy has always prioritized quantity over quality. With this approach, marketers are left questioning if the end result will justify the cost of giving free product away. Despite popular belief, it's through targeted sampling strategies that brands can experience the best results. When executed correctly, sampling is extremely effective and has the abilityโ€ฆ

Amazon Prime Day: The Logic Behind A Retailer's Made-Up Holiday
July 15, 2015 at 3:20 pm

Amazon.com is taking an interesting approach to its birthday this year. The company is throwing itself a party where all its Prime customers get the gifts. Amazon Prime Day is slated for July 15, โ€œa one-day shopping event with more deals than Black Friday,โ€ held ostensibly to celebrate the companyโ€™s success over its 20-year existence.โ€ฆ

How Amazon Sellers Can Capitalize on Prime Day
July 14, 2015 at 2:44 pm

Amazon.comโ€™s Prime Day is tomorrow, and retailers will need to be prepared for the tidal wave of purchasing activity on Amazon. In honor of the e-commerce behemothโ€™s 20th birthday, Amazon plans to host a day of crazy sales and giveaways, with sales forecast to be greater than on Black Friday. Third-party Amazon sellers stand toโ€ฆ

Wal-Mart Launches Rival Sale to Amazon's Prime Day
July 14, 2015 at 2:04 pm

The Wal-Mart vs. Amazon.com fight for retail domination just escalated. Not one to let Amazon steal the sales spotlight, Wal-Mart will launch a rival sale Wednesday to Amazon's recently announced Prime Day, including more than 2,000 online exclusive "rollbacks," Wal-Mart's word for discounts. The lower prices on items in categories including electronics, home, baby andโ€ฆ

Amazon Launches โ€˜Prime Day,โ€™ its Answer to Black Friday
July 6, 2015 at 2:16 pm

Black Friday, the annual shopping extravaganza which brought in more than $1.5 billion in online sales alone last November, is arguably the single most important day for retailers in the U.S. Now Amazon.com wants to steal its thunder with Prime Day. The e-commerce giant announced that it will mark its 20th anniversary on July 15โ€ฆ

eBay Tries to Placate Shoppers After Coupon Bungle
June 29, 2015 at 2:09 pm

A marketing campaign designed to get eBay customers re-engaged went terribly wrong recently, and shoppers are underwhelmed by eBay's attempt to placate them after it reneged on the offer. eBay UK had sent shoppers coupons for 20 percent off a purchase of 20 pounds or more, with a maximum coupon value of 50 pounds. However,โ€ฆ

Kohl's is the Latest Retailer to Go Outlet Crazy
May 21, 2015 at 3:41 pm

Kohlโ€™s is about to try its hand at โ€œoff priceโ€ retail, becoming the latest retail chain to open an outlet store to lift sales and profits. The department store will open a single 30,000 square-foot store in Cherry Hill, N.J., near Philadelphia, in June that will be stocked with โ€œlike newโ€ clothes, accessories and homeโ€ฆ

Macy's Launches Discount Concept
May 5, 2015

Macyโ€™s is launching Macyโ€™s Backstage to help it spur growth. The outlets will offer clearance goods from Macyโ€™s stores as well as brand

Apple Watch Shopping to be Reservation Only
March 31, 2015

Those of you eyeing the new Apple Watch will need a reservation to buy one. Consumers who simply walk into an Apple Store expecting to purchase the new watch on the spot will apparently be out of luck, according to leaked Apple training documents obtained by MacRumors. Instead, buyers will have to reserve a specific model ahead of time via an online "product reservation" system. This tidbit itself isn't new, however. In its March 9 press release, Apple said that Apple Watch sales would start April 24 online or by reservation in its stores.

The Golden Days of โ€˜40% Offโ€™ Sales Are Over
March 25, 2015

If you're an avid shopper, there's a good chance you've asked yourself some variation of these questions lately: Wasn't that store offering a "40 percent off your purchase" promotion the last time I came to the mall? And maybe the time before that? Indeed, such promotions have become a mainstay at major e-commerce sites and brick-and-mortar stores since the economic downturn, when deep discounts seemed to be the only way to get anxious consumers to make a purchase. But now, as the economic recovery strengthens, some retailers are trying to put the brakes on their years-long promotional ride.