With the recent acquisition drama behind it, Kohl’s is launching what it characterizes as a new store experience; rolling out a major back-to-school effort; and running a broad but largely unheralded mid-summer sales event.
Unlike some retailers who have been touting major promotions this week to counter Amazon’s annual Prime Day event, Kohl’s relied on its own online marketing, including a July 12 email blast and Instagram postings to let consumers know about the sale, dubbed Summer Cyber Deals, which continues through July 13. Deals go across merchandise categories and include free shipping on all purchases. Bargains posted on the Kohl’s landing change include a Ninja Foodi NeverStick 4-quart PossiblePan or 7-quart PossiblePot for $99.99, down from $179.99 and a previous sales price of $129.99, Kohl’s pointed out in the product’s accompanying promotional copy. Also included were a Magic Bullet single-serve blender for $29.99, down from $59.99; a PowerXL Smokeless Grill for $89.99, down from $159.99; and a Ninja programmable XL 14-cup coffeemaker Pro for $99.99, down from $114.99. Clicking on the Summer Cyber Deals Kitchen & Dinning button leads to more discounts, including 50% off home products from Kohl’s exclusive Food Network collection and discounts on products under the Calphalon, Cuisinart, Dog Dash, KitchenAid, Keurig, Black + Decker and Kalorik brands.
For the back-to-school period, Kohl’s announced that it had established features on its website, such as a customized back-to-school page that offers curated assortments across main product categories, as well as a downloadable back-to-school checklist.
In addition, the company is introducing Discover @ Kohl’s, which includes collections of curated new and seasonally relevant brands throughout the store. The first Discover @ Kohl’s merchandising features a designated back-to-school area that highlights brands offering fun and unique products and supplies for the school year, and also a giveback element, the retailer reported.
Discover @ Kohl’s will provide consumer inspiration to store trips and online visits, the company stated. It will continually evolve going forward and throw a spotlight on emerging, established and diverse-owned brands that are new to Kohl’s via seasonal presentations at 600 locations and on Kohls.com. From July through October, Discover @ Kohl’s presentations will include Back to School, Get Outside, Fall Family Fun and For Women By Women, a collection from female-founded activewear producers.
The retailer is positioning Discover @ Kohl’s presentations throughout the store, and it will also maintain a consistent presence near Kohl’s Amazon Returns counters. That presentation will feature a rotating assortment of gifts that give back, such as Our Gorongosa Coffee, a coffee program that donates 100% of its profits from every purchase to the Gorongosa Project in Mozambique, helping to create sustainable programs that benefit communities, the environment and the economy.
Among the apparel promotions and introductions for back-to-school, Kohl’s is expanding its assortment of adaptive apparel for kids that offer thoughtfully designed features like abdominal access and sensory-friendly and wheelchair-friendly options. It also is launching a new partnership with Billy Footwear in time for the school year. Billy Footwear offers mainstream shoes that are functional, fashionable and inclusive. Products incorporate zippers that go along the side of the shoes and around the toe so the upper of each shoe can open and fold over completely. As such, a foot slips into the shoe footbed unobstructed and a zipper-pull closes and secures the foot, making the footwear easy to wear even for people who have mobility issues.
Kohl’s also is debuting new styles of gender-neutral kids apparel through its private-label brands Jumping Beans, Sonoma Goods for Life and Tek Gear; and it will continue to introduce new gender-neutral styles through Little Co. by Lauren Conrad.
“The back-to-school period is always an exciting time for our customers and our company,” said Christie Raymond, Kohl’s interim chief marketing officer. “This year, we know that value is more important than ever, and Kohl’s is prepared to be the go-to back-to-school destination with our unique mix of national and private brands that offer style-forward options at every price, as well as our industry-leading value differentiators like Kohl’s Cash and Kohl’s Rewards. We’re also especially excited to offer our customers an enhanced shopping experience full of new brand discovery that will leave our customers feeling inspired and like they found something truly unique at Kohl’s.”
Ron Murray, Kohl’s interim chief merchandising officer, added, “We couldn’t be more excited to introduce customers to Discover @ Kohl’s this back-to-school season. The experience is not only designed to inspire, intrigue and bring a new sense of exploration to Kohl’s, but it also contributes to our overarching efforts to modernize, transform and elevate our store and online experience for our customers. Discover @ Kohl’s has also given us the opportunity to partner with truly unique and emerging brands that are hard to find anywhere else, and brands customers will feel good about purchasing from. In fact, Discover @ Kohl’s has paved the way for us to introduce over 30 new diverse and women-owned brands just this year.”
