Content about General Merchandise

By the time it had unveiled the latest evolution of its hot, new Wellness store concept this fall in Lemoyne, Pa., Rite Aid was coming off seven consecutive quarters of Adjusted EBITDA and same-store prescription count growth — the strongest growth period for the company in several years.

BOSTON — Bettie Page has come to Boston. Tatyana Designs, a Las Vegas-based retailer specializing in contemporary designs inspired by the iconic Bettie Page, opened in late October its Boston boutique — marking its tenth U.S. location. Nestled at 32 Newbury St., in the heart of the shopping jewel of Boston, the store’s neighbors include Burberry, Chanel and Cartier.


Drug stores, especially chain drug stores, brand themselves differently. But once customers step through the doors, they tend to only see slight variations of the same thing: the same shelves, too tall for mere humans to reach the top without a ladder; the same product categories every other drug store carries; the same pharmacy counter in the back of the store; and the same cash registers in the front. Some stores have carpets, others have tile floors.


The economy continues to be the single largest influencer in the growth of the health, beauty and wellness industry. The annual inflation rate has averaged just more than 2% during the past five years. More than ever, consumers are focused on living well with less and are making every effort to save money. Manufacturers are struggling to manage the ever-increasing cost of goods sold, and retailers are under tremendous pressure to increase profits in a very competitive environment.


MINNEAPOLIS — Novelty gift company 30 Watt introduced its latest prank gift for the outlet-challenged. Billed as a “solution” for hard-to-reach electrical devices, Connect-A-Cord is actually 50 1-ft. sections of extension cord.


The gag gift’s packaging boasts that it “comes with an optional contractor case for tangle-free storage,” but when the recipient opens up the Prank Pack, they will discover the bright yellow flaps inside reading “Prank You!” 


The entirety of Rite Aid’s marketing message can really be broken down to just two simple, yet powerful words: 
wellness empowerment. 


It is those two words that have helped inform Rite Aid’s entire wellness platform, from the introduction of its wellness+ loyalty card program in 2010 to the rollout of its new Wellness stores, beginning in 2011. It is those two words that have helped reinvigorate Rite Aid’s business — from how the store is formatted and how it looks, to the energy that pops among Rite Aid’s Wellness Ambassadors. 


DAYTONA BEACH, Fl. — NASCAR will honor Mars this year with the annual Marketing Achievement Award at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards, at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas on Thursday, Nov. 29. Mars and NASCAR represent one of the longest-standing partnerships within the sport with their 23-year relationship.

Spanning multiple activations, Mars has directly engaged race fans, customers and associates through an integrated marketing strategy, including intellectual property, promotions, public relations, B2B, online, broadcast, event marketing and retail.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target will unveil an exclusive collection of shoes made by Sam and Libby starting in May 2013, the mass merchandise retailer said Monday.

Target said the partnership with the shoe brand would be ongoing and feature 20 styles of women's footwear with an expanded assortment of colors starting at $24.99.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens and Redbox on Tuesday announced that the first 250 customers to make a purchase at each of the more than 8,000 Walgreens locations nationwide on Thanksgiving Day will get a free one-night Redbox DVD rental. The rental will be valid from Thanksgiving Day through Nov. 29, 2012, at any Walgreens offering Redbox rentals.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens will be making a multichannel play for Black Friday customers through a mystery mobile coupon, the retailer announced Tuesday. 

Made in America. To suggest that this marketing message doesn’t resonate with today’s American consumer may come off as sacrilege, especially considering how job creation was a central issue in this month’s presidential election.

But there are two questions marketers of “Made in America” have to ask. First, does this marketing message have staying power?  And second, where does it rank in a consumer’s purchasing decision tree?

DENVER — Ibotta on Friday officially launched its free mobile application for iPhone users that gives consumers a new way to earn as much as $40 in cash each time they shop. With Ibotta, consumers earn cash rewards for answering a trivia question, watching videos and/or providing feedback on their favorite products, then buying the products in major national retailers, such as Walmart, Target and Walgreens.