In this episode of Better Merch…Better Marketing, Kirby and Jade compare two Black Friday promotions and explain why Lowe’s delivered real value while TARGET missed the mark. They dig into the growing use of QR codes and why most businesses still are not using them effectively, emphasizing that calls to action should appear just as often on merch as they do in advertising. Jade also shares why now is the right time to begin planning for 2026, using seasonal strategy and regional insights to guide year-round marketing decisions. The Product of the Week is the Sonosphere, a wireless speaker and award with a one piece minimum, and the shout out goes to Peoples Bank and the Peoples Bank Foundation for their significant holiday giving and community volunteer efforts.