We’re a little more than one week away from Christmas, so there’s
still plenty of time to purchase gifts for friends and family, as retailers gear
up for one final holiday season push.
Here’s some of the top recent industry stories as we get
closer to Super Saturday and Christmas week!
18
Retailers Honored With 2015 Customer Engagement Awards: Whether through
the supply chain or the mobile device, retailers have to go above and beyond to
entice the consumer to make a purchase. The Retail
TouchPoints team highlighted 18 retailers that have onboarded successful
customer engagement strategies in 2015 as part of the publication’s fifth
annual Customer Engagement Awards. This year’s winners range from department
stores to apparel and electronics chains to specialized fashion retailers.
The Customer Engagement Awards were presented in five
categories, including digital innovation, mobile strategy, e-Commerce
innovation, cross-channel optimization and social media marketing.
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JCPenney
Introduces Virtual Realty To ‘Santa’s Workshop’: JCPenney is making a
push into virtual reality as part of its holiday marketing initiatives with the
“Twas the Flight Before Christmas” campaign Shoppers entering stores that
showcase the VR experiences will use an Oculus headset to simulate a trip to the
North Pole, where they can interact with reindeer, elves and snowmen.
The program is offered at four malls across the U.S. in Bronx,
N.Y.; Columbus, Ohio; Glendale, Ariz.; and Springfield, Va., and is running
from Dec. 5 through Dec. 24. The retailer is testing numerous concepts to
change consumer expectations and perception, especially as it continues its turnaround
attempt
Amazon,
Overstock Say No To Hoverboards: Amazon and Overstock
have discontinued sales of the self-balancing electric “hoverboards” that were
set to be a hot selling item throughout the holiday season. The stoppage of
sales comes after numerous safety concerns and reports that the hoverboards
have caught fire. With numerous airlines banning the electric scooters, the
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is investigating the official cause
of the fires. The CPSC is advising consumers shopping for a hoverboard to make
sure it has been certified by a national test laboratory first.
Both companies have contacted customers who have purchased a
hoverboard, and have offered the option to return the item for a full refund if
a return is initiated within two weeks of the notice, or product delivery,
whichever date comes first.
Kohl’s
Opens Stores For More Than 170 Straight Hours: Kohl’s is keeping its
doors open from 7 am on Dec. 17, to 6 pm on Christmas Eve as shoppers gear for
last-minute purchases. This isn’t the first time Kohl’s has carried out an around-the-clock
shopping extravaganza. However, the promotion launched Dec. 19 last year, a
whole two days after this years’ launch.
While the move is geared toward making the shopping season
convenient for the consumer, this decision appears to be counterintuitive to
present retail trends, especially as consumers have more options to shop during
late hours.
Have you taken care of
the majority of your holiday shopping yet? While you’re thinking about it,
check out the Retail TouchPoints
web site for additional shopping ideas!
