"Pack a Lunch-Save a Bunch"

Wednesday September 1, 2004

Sears Roebuck and Co. and Dominicks Fresh Stores have combined promotional forces by offering coupons to Dominck Value Card grocery shoppers for apparel purchases at Sears.

The promotion named "Pack a Lunch-Save a Bunch" combines shopping for kids back-to-school clothes with shopping for their back-to-school lunches.

The promotion awards Domincks shoppers a $5 off $15 apparel purchase award good at any Sears within the U.S., every time they accumulate $25 in purchases of eligible products with their Values Card. The promotion runs from 8/24/04 through 10/02/04. The certificates expire on 10/23/04. The promotion states that it is available while supplies last.

Sears is aggressively changing some of their apparel and merchandising strategies after suffering a blow with poor sales performance over the first six months of this year.

One visual technique they are using for fall is to color code their children's department so shoppers can quickly find what they are looking for. Girls' clothes will be supported by pink signs, blue for the boys and yellow for babies as well as new directional signs throughout the departments.
Early promotional price adjustments and shipping rebates are also being offered on their website for select back-to-school uniforms for kids.

Representatives for both Dominick and Sears are optimistic about customer response to the cross-promotion."It's being innovative and timely," said Laura McKeough, corporate brands manager for Dominick's to Chicago Sun-Times reporter Sandra Guy.

If the promotion works as expected, maybe more grocery store chains across the country will follow suit and team up with non-competing retailers to motivate specific item or seasonal purchases.

For complete details for the "Pack a Lunch-Save a Bunch" promotion, look for the bright "blue jean" signs at Dominick's. Eligible products will also be identified with signs throughout the store.

Qualifying products include: