News and Analysis
June Retail Sales See Moderate Growth Amid Solid Economy
Retail sales in June demonstrated moderate growth, reflecting the stability of the current economy and near-zero inflation for retail goods, according to the latest CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions. This report, by the National Retail Federation (NRF), provides a detailed overview of retail sales trends and consumer spending behaviors. Economic Overview Despite facing […]
“Coupon Clippers” are Now “Coupon Clickers and Viewers”
The concept of discount coupons for grocery items originated in the 1800’s. After all, who doesn’t want a deal? But we’ve come a long way from paper envelopes filled with individual pieces of paper. Although local “circulars” still fill our mailboxes, automation and precise consumer targeting have taken the concept to a whole new level. […]
Big MULO Moments: Amazon Day 2024 Recap & Insights
Amazon Prime Day has passed. In the MULO (multi-location) retail and restaurant worlds, analysts and the media use certain major moments to” temperature-check” consumer spending behavior, marketing tactics, and economic trends. Super Bowl Christmas Back-to-School (which we’ll soon be covering) Valentine’s Day Mother’s and Father’s Days Wedding season (which seems to be year-round these days) […]
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Mailchimp Launches GenAI-Powered Marketing Assistant for SMBs
The email marketing and newsletter giant Mailchimp is at it again. Earlier this week, the company launched its latest game-changing solution for SMBs — a marketing assistant powered by generative AI. Intuit Assist for Mailchimp is expected to help businesses generate content, personalize their marketing, and learn faster from their marketing mistakes. Rather than being […]
Head of the Class — Back-to-School Marketing Language Trends
Very few seasons connote change the way the back-to-school season does. Even for those of us who are no longer in school, the shorter days and cooler mornings mean that a new school year (and, by default, autumn, if you live somewhere lucky enough to experience it) is soon upon us. And every time summer […]
Brand Halloween Holiday Creep 2023
Before you could even put away your beach chair and utter “Pumpkin Spice,” Halloween accessories, boxes of tinsel, faux trees, and December lights began thier holiday creep and began to appear on store shelves. MULO (multi-location) retailers have changed the traditional sales cycle and accelerated the holiday shopping schedule. Halloween 2023 began in July, as […]
Grocers Navigate the Shift from E-commerce to In-Store
More than half of e-commerce grocery customers have left the channel since last year. Where have they gone, and what can grocers do to bring them back? That’s the question many supermarket chains and retail marketers are trying to answer. According to new data from SymphonyAI Retail CPG, 52% of e-commerce grocery customers have left […]
BUST: The Wrong Time for Rite Aid
Bankruptcies and store closings have hit the retail world hard this year. Bed Bath & Beyond was the most notable, and Christmas Tree Shops and Jenny Craig are among the other retail brands that closed doors in 2023. Rite Aid is the latest MULO (multi-location) brand to suffer the impact of retail shrinkage. Although the […]
7 Ways to Use AI Responsibly for Multi-Location Marketing
AI is no longer a thing of the future. It’s something that’s here—and it’s here to stay. In fact, more than 80% of marketers are currently using AI tools. But what are some practical applications of AI for multi-location marketing and how can you use it to streamline processes and improve campaigns? We’re sharing seven […]
Labor Day Retail Trend: In-Store Shoppers Search for ‘Seasonal Delights’
As Labor Day weekend approaches, consumers across the United States are gearing up for a unique shopping experience. While online shopping has become a significant part of daily life for most Americans, the holiday weekend is expected to witness a surge in in-store shopping. A recent survey of Labor Day shopping preferences conducted by Vibenomics, […]
AdTech Leaders Navigate Ethical Frontiers for Generative AI
Generative AI has had a breakout year in 2023, but as more adtech companies adopt the technology to optimize campaigns, analyze behavior, and personalize both online and offline experiences, consumers are pushing back. According to a survey by Salesforce, there’s a growing distrust of AI and companies that use it. The race to build out […]
New Partnership Seeks to Address CTV Advertising Gaps
Let’s hear it for the lower funnel: that could be the rallying cry of QSR and financial-services clients this fourth quarter. Amid possible economic softening, the lower funnel is a tried and true performance-marketing path for all kinds of KPI’s from engagement to sales. To more effectively measure sales outcomes from lower-funnel marketing, Attain, a permissioned-commerce […]
Rowan: The Innovative Brand Piercing a Market Need
Piercings (ear, nose, tongue, and other unmentionable body parts) have existed for centuries. In fact, some of the earliest evidence of body piercing dates back 5300 years! You can be pretty sure that when the mummy had their ears pierced, the conditions were less-than-sterile. Ear- and body-piercing studios are commonplace these days, as body modification […]
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