Macy's unveils Black Friday deals online

Macy's is counting on both the power of online and SpongeBob to make its registers ring for Black Friday.

The retailer, which has a store at The Mall at University Town Center, unveiled Thursday its Black Friday doorbuster deals at macys.com/blackfriday. Deals range from 60 percent off men's outerwear , kitchen appliances $8 to $10 after rebate and up to $150 off Dyson vacuums.

Macy's will open starting at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving. and door busters will last through 1 p.m. Black Friday then another set of specials Saturday, Nov. 29 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The big holiday item Macy's is pushing is SpongeBob SquarePants and a holiday plush that can be had with Patrick and Plankton finger puppets, at macys.com/squarepants. In-store, customers can scan special hang tags to unlock SpongeBob content.

“This year, we’re adding another level of entertainment to our highly anticipated Black Friday doorbusters and specials,” said Martine Reardon, chief marketing officer at Macy’s. “As customers navigate their shopping route throughout the store, they will be able to score digital gift codes offering instant wins via Macy’s mobile app. This element of surprise along with a playful new commercial featuring our official holiday ambassador, SpongeBob SquarePants, is certain to add a new element of fun to our customers’ shopping experience on Black Friday this year.”

Macy's is also giving away instant win prizes by using the store's mobile app. Customers can scan QR codes in-store to enter the instant win experience during doorbuster hours and customers will see if they have won a digital gift code worth $10, $25, $50 or $250.

At the end of each hour, a new pool of prizes becomes available and customers can play again. See rules and alternate method of entry at macys.com/million. Customers can text “APP” to 62297 to download Macy’s mobile app.

Taubman's technology allows Mall at UTC to be a 'smart mall'

Macy's at the Mall at University Town Center

When Taubman Centers opens the Mall at University Town Center, technology will be at the forefront of the shopping and business experience.

The company's chief technology officer Michael Osment shared in a column for research company Realcomm Conference Group that the Mall at UTC will be one of the company's "smart malls."

Shoppers will have touchscreen directories in the mall that give GPS-like directions on how to get to a store from your current location in the mall, Osment wrote:

"The value of this approach has already been demonstrated as we prepare to open the new Mall at University Town Center in Sarasota, Fla. A big advantage is the ability to postpone technology decisions until late in the development cycle. This allowed time to make a firm decision for the digital directory approach until the technology matured; we will be able to incorporate state of the art touchscreen directories with built in way-finding for shoppers rather than settling for what was available when the development began almost three years ago. Think of this as being like your GPS: you put in your destination and it shows you the route from your location on a map. Having the Smart Mall infrastructure already in the plans made postponement of the technology decision possible without adding risk to the overall project."

The mall, which opens Oct. 16, will also provide free basic Internet for tenants, free WiFi for customers and Taubman officials previously announced that they were working on a way for customers to call ahead or maybe even use an app to have their valet car ready before customers head to the exit.

Osment also added that Taubman is testing more ways to use location-based technology along with low energy Bluetooth, or Bluetooth LE and Bluetooth Smart, to add to the shopping experience.

Computer manufacturer Dell wrote about what Bluetooth LE could mean for retail in a post earlier this year, saying that the technology could alert shoppers of a sale on umbrellas if it's raining outside, or pull up your order or request as soon as you approach the store. Companies like American Eagle Outfitters and Macy's -- both which will be in the new mall -- are rolling out Bluetooth Smart beacons in stores, Dell's Nick Clunn added.

Whether shoppers will use and trust the technology and security remains to be seen.

DeSoto Square Macy's moving sale starts with up to 50 percent off

Macy's is closing at the DeSoto Square mall.
File Photo by Grant Jefferies

The DeSoto Square Macy's started its moving sale Monday with some good deals.

The store is trying to sell off as much merchandise as possible before the new Macy's opens at the Mall at University Town Center on Oct. 16. Macy's expects the DeSoto store to close sometime in late September, but the closing date could reach into early October.

During a visit to the store Tuesday, items ranged from 30 to 50 percent off the lowest ticketed price. That means if shoppers rummage through the existing clearance racks, they will find a great deal. But there are no red flags directing shoppers to the old clearance racks, so good luck finding the clearance racks.

Most items were marked for 30 percent off the lowest ticketed price including clothing, cosmetics, handbags and small appliances.

Mattresses and down comforters were marked 50 percent off. The bedding area is a little tricky because the cotton comforters are 40 percent off and bedding is 40 percent off while those other categories had higher markdowns.

China, flatware, luggage and table linens were some of the other items marked 40 percent off.

Expect merchandise to move quick regardless of the markdown. Employees were already packing up the sunglasses and the sunglass case Tuesday afternoon, to ship out all the shades.

Signs also told shoppers that all sales are final and if items were purchased before the sale began Monday, they can be returned at any Macy's until Sept. 6.

Mall at University Town Center Macy's Now Hiring

Macy's, one of the anchor stores at the new Mall at University Town Center,
is now hiring. FILE PHOTO

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2014/07/03/5238146/hm-other-stores-begin-hiring-for.html#storylink=cpy

The Macy's inside the Mall at University Town Center is now hiring,in preparation for the mall's Oct. 16 opening.

The first batch of jobs posted over the weekend include 22 positions. More are expected to be posted soon.

Macy's anticipates having a career fair for hiring, likely making an announcement in the coming weeks.

To apply at Macy's, visit macysjobs.com/featuredstores/University-Town-Center.

Positions posted so far include evening stockers, retail commission associates, an on-call retail support associate, team leads and jobs in jewelry, bedding, women's shoes, cosmetics and loss prevention.

H&M, Saks Fifth Avenue and other stores are hiring as well, the Herald previously reported. A sample of  those job openings can be found on Bradenton.com. CareerSource Suncoast, the region's jobs agency, is also working on a Web page to act as a one-stop place to find available jobs at the mall. About 2,000 full- and part-time jobs are expected to be created from the mall.

The 880,000-square-foot mall includes anchors Dillard's, Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue plus Apple, Crate & Barrel along with more than 100 restaurants and stores.