CompUSA Launches Retail 2.0 Concept Store
CompUSA has launched Retail 2.0 at its Dadeland, Miami, FL-based concept store, which provides customers access to online information to research products: owner’s manuals, reviews, product tutorials, pictures, installation details -- whatever they need to make purchasing decisions. Technology consumers spend hours shopping different stores and online retailers as well as researching online product reviews. Retail 2.0 lets them do it from the CompUSA store as if they were home, eliminating the guess work.
Bringing Internet capabilities to in-store customers is the start of a megatrend. Gilbert Fiorentino, CEO of Systemax Inc.’s Technology Products business, which includes CompUSA, said, “We want to be the most progressive and forward-thinking retailer in the world.”
All desktops, laptops, monitors and televisions are connected to dedicated computers, providing direct, single key access to all information on the item from the Internet.
CVS Enhances Photo Kiosk Experience
CVS/pharmacy has enhanced its KODAK Picture Kiosks as a part of CVS/pharmacy's ongoing commitment to providing customers with the best possible retail photo experience. Customers can, for the first time, create photo gifts using Kodak touch screen Picture Kiosks found at all CVS/pharmacy One Hour Photo Centers.
The expanding portfolio of gifts include one-of-a-kind photo cookies, photo playing cards and photo plates featuring the Disney® High School Musical cast, Barbie® and Hannah Montana®, which put customers’ favorite snapshots on display with their favorite characters.
Kelloggs Tests New Space-Saving Box
Kellogg Co. is testing a more consumer-friendly, space-saving box for its cereal brands. The space-saving box offers the same amount of the foods people love with less packaging. By optimizing the box configuration, Kellogg is able to reduce the package size without decreasing the amount of food. This test marks the most significant innovation in cereal boxes since the 1950's.
Kim Miller, V.P., Morning Foods Marketing, Kellogg Company, said, “The new test boxes will fit more easily into consumers pantries. The new compact packaging also allows for more efficient use of retailer space and enables retailers to offer a wider variety of products.”
The new packaging will preserve natural resources by using eight percent less packaging material per cereal box.
Fetzer Vineyards Converts To Lightweight Glass To Reduce Its Environmental Footprint
Fetzer Vineyards is “lightweighting” its line of wines to reduce its environmental footprint. On an average annual basis, the new bottles reduce glass usage by 16% and supply chain greenhouse gas emissions (or carbon footprint) associated with glass bottles by 14%. The change in Fetzer’s wine bottles will continue with both 750ml and 1.5L sizes and all varietals. More than 23 million bottles will be replaced with the environmentally friendly package.
“Fetzer’s pioneering efforts at being the ‘Earth friendly wine’ is more than just an advertising tagline,” said Dr. Ann Thrupp, Manager, Sustainability, Fetzer Wines. “Lightweighting our bottle is a double-bottom line innovation - good for the environment and for efficient operations.”
Barbie Celebrates Five Decades With Special Retail Displays
Celebrating 50 years in 2009, Barbie® will host its biggest worldwide celebration of the brand ever. Partners include Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Jonathan Adler, Bloomingdale's, and Stila.
A month-long Barbie celebration at Bloomingdale’s, will include traffic-stopping store windows and an unprecedented in-store display of 120 historic Barbie® dolls, and a 242-sq. ft., in-store Barbie™ boutique featuring Barbie™-branded apparel, accessories and dolls.
Barbie has named Stila, the cosmetics company as its Official Prestige Makeup Partner for 2009, with products available at Sephora stores.
Barbie is partnering with Dylan’s Candy Bar to create a sassy all girl candy line, including novelty candy such as a shoebox of “The Perfect Pair of Chocolate Heels.”
ROBOTGALAXY Displayed At Toys 'R' Us Times Square
ROBOTGALAXY, a multifaceted interactive retail and web experience whereby young “explorers” design, assemble and program their own robot, has opened its first New York City Spaceship at Toys "R" Us Times Square. The Galaxy Experience will enable kids to create, program and activate their own robot from over a thousand combinations. The ROBOTGALAXY outpost will be approximately 600 sq. ft. and boast a complete concept store.
ROBOTGALAXY Explorers will be able to plug in their robot to the Web and play games online once they take their robot home. As part of the in-store programming process, Explorers can create a robot avatar modeled after their physical toy. As kids teach their robot to fly and battle other robots online, they earn points that entitle them to new robot downloads, including LED light colors and sound effects.
McDonald's Opens ‘Viva McDonald’s’ On Las Vegas Strip
McDonald's has opened Viva McDonald’s, the company’s new technology-inspired restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip. Viva McDonald’s is a media-rich, technology-driven location that lives up to the Vegas standard of lights and action.
In the interior, along with a cheerful ultra modern decor, guests will find a content rich 14-screen media ring suspended in the two-story, open ceiling dining room. Adding a new element to the customer experience, Viva McDonald’s offers the McDonald’s Channel on its 14-screen media ring, which features content from Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet and Science Channel.
“Viva McDonald’s will provide a unique and fun dining experience at a one-of-a-kind restaurant that can only be found in Las Vegas,” said Brian Unger, Sr. V.P. at McDonald’s USA.
Brinker & Regal Launch ‘Movie And A Meal’ Gift Cards
Brinker International’s portfolio of restaurants and Regal Entertainment Group theatres have teamed up to offer customers a “movie and a meal” gift card duo, available at participating retailers nationwide. The $50 bundle includes a $25 Brinker dining gift card and a $25 Regal movie gift card. Guests may redeem the gift card at any Chili’s, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, On The Border and Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurants. The Regal gift card can be redeemed at Regal Cinemas, United Artists and Edwards Theatres.
“With the new movie and a meal package we are providing an added value to our guests’ busy lives,” said Doug Brooks, CEO, Brinker International. “This package is the only one of its kind currently in the marketplace.”
Chipotle Opens Sustainable Restaurant
Chipotle Mexican Grill has opened a “green” restaurant in Gurnee, IL, with a six-kilowatt wind turbine on-site that will generate a portion of the restaurant’s electrical needs.
“The wind turbine is a symbol of our intent to design and build our restaurants more efficiently and environmentally friendly,” said Steve Ells, Chairman & CEO of Chipotle. "We want to incorporate some elements of sustainable design into all of our new restaurants."
In addition to the wind turbine, the free-standing restaurant will feature: use of recycled drywall, recycled barn metal, and primers and paints that contain fewer chemicals; a variety of energy and water conservation elements inside the restaurant, including LED lighting, highly efficient faucets and toilets, and Energy Star rated kitchen equipment; and a 2,500 gallon underground water cistern that will harvest rainwater to irrigate the landscape.
E-Fuel & Sierra Nevada Brewing Join Forces To Deliver Ethanol Fuel
The E-Fuel Corp. has reached an agreement with the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. to create high-grade ethanol fuel from discarded beer yeast. E-Fuel, will house MicroFuelers at its brewery in Chico, CA, enabling it to manufacture its own ethanol using waste from its brewing process.
“Creating ethanol from discarded organic waste is an excellent example of how the MicroFueler can help eliminate our reliance on the oil industry infrastructure,” said Tom Quinn, E-Fuel CEO. “Using a waste product to fuel your car is friendlier to the environment and lighter on your wallet.”
“We are excited to partner with E-Fuel to develop an efficient way to recover waste ethanol from our spent yeast,” said Ken Grossman, President, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
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