Museum Store Fall 2010

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Product News Now Inside!

FASHION BUYER’S GUIDE S O M E O F T H E H OT T E ST J E W E L RY & A CC E S S O R I E S F O R FA L L

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social networking case studies

Museum Store Association

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the telfair museums

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international vs. local sourcing strategies

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Fall 2010

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Volume 38

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Issue 3

Museum Store helps cultural commerce professionals operate more effectively, find sources of museum-quality products and contribute to the missions of their institutions.

MSA STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Features

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BEVERLY J. BARSOOK DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

2010 Fashion Buyer’s Guide How to sell style in your stores with product ideas and merchandising tips.

TERRI-ANN STOECK LE

PUBLICATIONS STAFF

BY APRIL MILLER

SENIOR MANAGER OF COMMUNICATIONS

STEPHANIE PETERS

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Facing the Future Learn how three museum stores utilize social networking. BY TRACI RYLANDS

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

KATH Y CISAR COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT

SYBI L FAURER

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Tea Time at the Telfair Discover how one museum group merchandises and markets three distinct sites to cultural travelers. BY SHEILA ARMSTRONG. A Tale of Two Product Sourcing Strategies The pros and cons of using international suppliers versus finding goods closer to home. BY KATHY CISAR

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Human Resources Overcoming staffing challenges while maintaining seamless store operations.

MEMBER SERVICES COORDINATOR

CLAIRE LEMASTE R MEMBERSHIP SERVICES ASSISTANT

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ADRIANA HERALD CONFERENCE & EXPO SERVICES COORDINATOR

JENNIFER ANDERSON NETWORK / SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR

KA REN DAVISSON

Departments President’s Message Achieving our strategic planning goals.

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

SKIES AMERICA PUBLISHING COMPANY ART DIRECTOR

JACQUELYN MERRI LL EDITOR

MATT WILL IAMS ADVERTISING

LISA H OU SE PRODUCTION MANAGER

BY ANDREW ANDONIADIS

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CI NDY PIKE

Strategic Management A student-designed museum store renovation earns rave reviews.

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BY MARGE D. HANSEN

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Financial Management Applying UBIT to product development and buying. BY SUSAN DELAND

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Operations The key to retail inventory management is to think in terms of time. BY TED HURLBUT

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New Vendor Showcase

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New Releases

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Advertiser Index

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Product News

HOW TO CONTACT US E-MAIL: speters@museumstoreassociation.org Please provide your full name, location and institution or company name.

MAIL: Museum Store Association 4100 E Mississippi Ave, Ste 800 Denver, CO 80246-3055 www.MuseumStoreAssociation.org Phone: (303) 504-9223 Fax: (303) 504-9585 ADVERTISING: lisah @ skies.com

Phone: (503) 726-4984

Museum Store magazine (ISSN 1040-6999) is published quarterly by the Museum Store Association.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Museum Store Association 4100 E Mississippi Ave, Ste 800 Denver, CO 80246-3055

Get more information on MuseumStoreAssociation.org!

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CIRCULATION

ALLEN NELSON

When you see this icon at the end of an article, you can find related information online at www.MuseumStoreAssociation.org. From the main page, click on the magazine cover and click it again to access the Museum Store online table of contents and links to related articles.

© 2010 Museum Store Association Inc. All rights reserved.

Except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, no part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from MSA. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Museum Store Association. Printed in the USA.

Cover Image: istockphoto.com/©Jaymast

MSA and Museum Store Association are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

MUSEUM STORE | FALL 2010

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| president’s message |

Strategic Planning ACHIEVING OUR GOALS.

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| BY LESLIE A. HARTMAN

he board had a very productive and dynamic meeting this summer in Rosemont, IL. As promised, we focused on updating the strategic plan to the new economic reality we all must adjust to. The plan is the map that will guide MSA over the next three to five years and help us add value to your membership. The board’s goal and responsibility is to build an effective operational action plan that is realistic and within our budget and capabilities. We identified the path that best defines the direction for serving our membership and the industry.

We accomplished several important goals from the 2008 plan and made good starts on others. For example, we convened a work group to study and draft the Knowledge Standards now used as a framework for magazine articles and the educational programming of the annual Conference. We published a series of white papers on a cutting edge issue of interest to the museum field—tourism development. We utilize outside professional assistance to increase membership. However, the economic downturn in 2008-2009 sharply curtailed our progress.

It is the board’s responsibility to identify the issues of strategic importance that represent challenges and opportunities to MSA and its membership. Using this knowledge-based approach to gather insights enables the board to bring focus to MSA’s annual allocation of discretionary resources. Tracking action plans and milestones will be indicators of MSA’s progress toward each goal.

We examined the Association’s core purpose—to advance the success of cultural commerce and of the professionals engaged in it—and determined that it is still our primary purpose.

Our process included a review of the assumptions about the relevant future of MSA. While some assumptions from 2008 remain, others no longer apply and thus we added some new statements. In the review, we looked at and discussed all of the following: demographic trends, social, cultural and consumer trends, legislative/

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regulatory trends, economic trends, industry trends and technology trends.

We also conducted a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) analysis to lend further reality to our planning. For example, one of our outstanding strengths is the loyalty of our members and affiliates to MSA. One of our weaknesses is limited financial resources in the midst of an environment that requires change. One of our opportunities that can be further capitalized on is a better use of technology to enhance member communications. A significant threat that we all face is the very slow and uneven path of the economy and the impact it is having on our association, making funding of new initiatives extremely difficult.

We must make excess revenue to continue to offer existing programs and we need revenue growth to implement anything new.

At the top of our goal list is consistent and ongoing communication and engagement of the entire MSA community. We acknowledged and discussed the issues raised by our membership over the past four months. Despite our limited resources, MSA will send board representatives to each chapter meeting that has 20 or more registered institutions this year. Together we can add to the dialogue about our future.

With input from members, we are changing our website to increase functionality and communication options. MSA has had great success communicating with both members and nonmembers through various social media tools about current issues and trends.

As we continue to work with our consultant to fine tune an action plan, we want to hear about your successes and suggestions. We have an amazing pool of very talented members that are committed to MSA, and we are relying on the interest and commitment of our members for our continued success. We are continually striving to find ways to channel this positive energy toward moving MSA’s strategic plan forward.

Leslie A. Hartman lhartman@saudervillage.org

The core purpose of MSA is to advance the success of cultural commerce and of the professionals engaged in it. An international association, MSA is governed by a seven-member board of directors.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT

LESLI E A . HARTMAN SAUDER VILLAGE ARCHBOLD, OH

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

JANI CE BE RLING GERALD R. FORD MUSEUM GRAND RAPIDS, MI

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT

VALE RIE TROYANSKY THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART NEW YORK, NY

SECRETARY

CHACHO HE RMAN SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF ART SAN DIEGO, CA

TREASURER

TE RRY TARNOW DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER — NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE TRAVERSE CITY, MI

DIRECTORS AT LARGE

JOE SPORCIC THE PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF NEWPORT COUNTY NEWPORT, RI -A ND-

STACEY STACHOW WADSWORTH ATHENEUM MUSEUM OF ART HARTFORD, CT

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HUMAN RESOURCES

Staffing Structures Part II OVERCOMING CHALLENGES WHILE MAINTAINING SEAMLESS STORE OPERATIONS.

Skeleton floor crews

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hat do you do when you find your store shortstaffed? Guidelines in this area depend on whether there will be a skeleton crew for an extended period of time (due to budget constraints) or short-term (e.g., a staff person didn’t show up). In both instances it’s helpful to establish priorities to be used by the staff you do have on duty.

At the top of the priority list is taking care of the customer and doing what needs to be done to operate the store properly.

There may be orders to write and reports to run, but a customer in the store is the top priority. Staff should be instructed to drop whatever they are doing to pro-actively attend to the needs of the customer. This is especially important if the reason for the reduced staffing is budget-oriented and every sale has special importance.

As part of dealing with the customer, do all you can to make the customer’s time in the store a pleasant shopping experience.

Be busy but available, straightening, dusting and generally sprucing up the displays and merchandising.

It’s also important staff know how to spread themselves around by handling more than one customer at a time. The key points to doing this include: • While working with one customer, subtly acknowledge the presence of other customers.

• Flow from one customer to the next,

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suggesting things the first customer can do that will occupy their time while you’ve stepped away.

• Tell the first customer you’ll be back with them in a moment.

• Set a pace that gives adequate and appropriate attention to each customer.

• When returning to a customer, thank them for waiting.

One of the reasons I like having a small work area behind the cash-wrap is so projects, which can be worked on between customers, are easily accessible without leaving the sales floor and cluttering the cashwrap area or the top of jewelry counters.

Also high on the list of priorities is the daily need to open, close and operate the store properly. For example, regardless of staffing levels, the opening till should be

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / © JACOB WACKERHAUSEN

Editor’s Note: This follow-up article addresses skeleton crew staffing levels and the use of volunteers versus paid staff.

| BY ANDREW ANDONIADIS

It’s important staff know how to spread themselves around by handling more than one customer at a time. counted carefully, the ambient music turned on and at the end of the day receipts, bank deposits and the securing of the store must be executed as per procedures.

Providing adequate floor coverage during breaks, lunch and required meetings, and enhanced coverage when the store is busy, are other important priorities. Crosstraining store staff and others in the museum administration, especially those who work close to the store, allows for flex coverage as demanded by circumstances. This incremental staff should know how to basically complete a transaction and should have a friendly demeanor to help mitigate not being as knowledgeable about the

inventory and other aspects of the store as the regular staff.

Special considerations for scheduling volunteers To lessen the number of times an absent volunteer leaves a hole in your coverage, establish the following procedures: • Prepare a contact list of all volunteers qualified to work in the store.

• Distribute the list to all store volunteers.

• Require a volunteer who is going to miss their shift to contact a set number of other volunteers to try to find a replacement before contacting store management.

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HUMAN RESOURCES

When established, these procedures help to assure sufficient floor coverage, reduce management’s need to deal with scheduling issues and build team cooperation through the gentle (and sometimes not-so-gentle) pressure of the volunteers policing each other.

Paid versus volunteer staff duties My core belief is that anything a paid staff person can do the right volunteer can do equally well. However, there are some differences that deserve attention. It may be best to view the difference between paid and volunteer staff as “skilled” versus “differently skilled” with a resulting division of responsibilities.

The one area where the line seems to be most frequently and clearly drawn is the handling of cash. If the division of responsibility is because of the misperception that a

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volunteer can’t count or separate cash from checks as well as a paid staff person, the division seems misguided. However, there are chains of responsibility and legal ramifications that often make it necessary to have a paid person handle cash. The extreme end of this policy restricts volunteers from even operating the POS system while more reasonable restrictions generally apply to opening and closing cash-handling routines.

It’s also important to make sure paid employees don’t feel their jobs are in jeopardy of being taken over by unpaid volunteers. Ideally, the volunteer should be presented and perceived as complementing, not challenging, the paid worker.

Building a cohesive mixed team also requires taking volunteers and their suggestions seriously. In this area it can be argued that volunteer opinions, provided without fear of losing their job, are more unvarnished.

If the purpose of volunteers is to increase effectiveness, enhance visitor satisfaction and, in turn, grow revenue and profitability, one role may be of particular value. This role

is that of a sales ambassador on the floor answering questions and helping to find products for visitors.

Volunteers with long associations with the museum often bring special warmth to the process that is usually welcomed by the customer. This connection can be enhanced by having the volunteer wear a nametag that includes language like, “Associated with the Museum Since (Year).” This simple statement often triggers a “people buy people” relationship. If the volunteer has been with the museum a long time, the conversation frequently includes shared “remember when” moments.

Andrew Andoniadis is the principal in Andoniadis Retail Services, a consulting firm that has specialized in revenue-generating strategies for museum stores for 18 years. He can be reached at (503) 629-9279, Andrew@MuseumStoreConsult.com or w w w. Mu s e u m St o re C o n s u l t . c o m .

Andoniadis Retail Services is a Champion Level Sponsor of the 2009 MSA Retail Industry Report.

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STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

The New York Transit Museum Store STUDENT-DESIGNED RENOVATION EARNS RAVE REVIEWS

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ike its landmark location, the newly renovated New York Transit Museum Store at Grand Central Terminal in midtown Manhattan pulses with energy.

The redesign of the Grand Central retail location is the result of an enterprising collaboration between the museum and New York City’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). The museum store transformation became a project of the FIT graduate study exhibition design program back in 2007. (An overview of the project was presented in “New Route to Redesign,” which appeared in the winter 2008 issue of Museum Store.)

The winning student proposal was customized under the supervision of Metro North architects, and renovation work began in earnest in January of this year.

| BY MARGE D. HANSEN

Liz Claiborne, Henri Bendel and Filene’s, Goldberg’s insight into what sells and how to show off a product to its best advantage has been a notable contribution to the success of the museum’s retail operations.

The look The placement of the white, free-standing display cases and the curve of the suspended ceiling convey an appropriate sense of movement within the space. Back and track lighting highlight the store’s distinctive, transportation-centric merchandise. The sparkling central island invites attention.

“The new register/jewelry island presents the jewelry and other accessories in a way that better reflects their quality and makes the items much easier to see,” she says. “Jewelry has averaged a 50 percent increase over last year and attracted a whole new customer.”

Sales of some items have more than doubled, with the average dollar sales per month about 25 percent higher than last year.

Followed by a soft opening, the grand reopening of the store took place just two months later in March 2010.

“We wanted a better lit, clean design that reflected the museum’s connection with public transportation and showcased the merchandise well. These expectations have been met,” notes Gail Goldberg, retail and product development manager for the Transit Museum. Honing her trend-spotting and merchandising capabilities as an executive at Using the talents of a student designer kept the costs of revamping the New York Transit Museum Store down, while still providing for a well-lit, clean design that has lead to increased sales.

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Rather than placing additional fixtures on top of the counter, open bins were placed at the corners by the registers to sustain the uncluttered aesthetic. The convenient bins are stocked with well-priced pick-up items.

According to Goldberg, sales of these items have increased substantially.

Bold colors and the entire inventory can be seen through the glass store front—the whole and its parts an eye-catching visual display in itself. A recent line-up of teddy bears and rubber rain boots dotted with New York subway route icons encouraged customers to march right in and take a look around. “Our window displays are generating more interest and sales,” Goldberg confirms.

Real world design There is no doubt about it. Every redesign, from the smallest shop to the grandest layout, has its challenges.

Incorporating the talents of a student designer into the overall cost of renovating a store is a boon to the budget. However, Goldberg suggests a watchful eye with

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regard to the following key considerations: • Pay attention to detail.

• Follow through on all requests.

• Make certain that all selected materials will stand up to constant, daily use.

• Ensure that the participating students are both qualified and available to continue as the architects for the complete job.

“None of our design/architect partners and contributors had retail experience, so we became the experts in details that we would normally have taken for granted, some of which had to be corrected after installation,” explains Goldberg.

Meeting objectives To achieve a more spacious look and provide better flow and easier navigation through the store, the new plan called for fewer floor fixtures. The staff is still “tweaking and experimenting with types of fixturing and ways of presenting merchandise to maximize sales,” as well as editing the product assortment.

While visitation remains about the same as in 2009, it appears customers certainly like what they see. “We have received many positive comments from our regular customers,” says Goldberg.

Sales of some items have more than doubled, with the average dollar sales per month about 25 percent higher than last year. Combining imaginative product development, clever merchandising, a knowledgeable staff and a resourceful approach to a much-needed yet budgetconscious renovation, the New York Transit Museum’s Store at Grand Central provides a fascinating shopping experience and a significant contribution to the museum’s revenue stream.

Marge D. Hansen is a freelance writer based in Lafayette, CO, who regularly contributes to Museum Store. She recently wrote the “Selling Museum Publications to Bookstores” article in the summer 2010 issue.

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FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Unrelated Business Income Tax APPLYING UBIT TO PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND BUYING.

Editor’s Note: The following information should not be considered legal advice, but merely an introduction to the many facets of UBIT. Institutions should consult their legal counsel for their own specific circumstances.

U ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / © ELENA ELISSEEVA

nrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) is not an exact science. It is a federal tax paid by your institution on revenues generated by activities not related to your mission or collections. The IRS has set up a somewhat murky system for assisting us in avoiding

| BY SUSAN DELAND

Colleagues frequently ask whether particular kinds of items are related or not. I wish I could give everyone a list that clearly identified what is and what is not related, but it’s not that simple. As any lawyer will tell you, “it depends.” It depends on: • who you are (your institution’s purpose) • what you are selling (item by item) • how you sell it (with or without educational materials attached that make the connection to your collections)

1) Mission/purpose A key part is determining what income is related and unrelated to your institution’s mission. If you are not already familiar with your mission statement, find it and read it carefully.

Many cultural commerce stores write a mission statement for their enterprises.

This should be closely aligned with the institution’s statement of purpose. It should mirror and support that.

Cultural leadership has varying degrees of tolerance for interpreting IRS rulings and their mission. Discuss this with your senior management and establish an

The tricky part of determining what sales meet the IRS criteria is that we have to somewhat suspend common sense to decide what is related and what is not. paying this tax. More sales not subject to this tax improve our profit margin, which pours more funding back into our institutions. The tricky part of determining what sales meet the IRS criteria is that we have to somewhat suspend common sense to decide what is related and what is not.

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understanding of where your institution is comfortable drawing the line.

2) Related/unrelated It’s alright to have limited unrelated sales.

To strike a healthy balance, listen to your mission and listen to your visitors. There is no set

percentage that rules this balance. While unrelated business activity may become so great a part of an otherwise exempt entity’s activities that it endangers tax-exempt status, this is unlikely to be a problem that many of us face. Having some income on which you might have to pay taxes is generally better than not having the income at all.

Understanding and tracking unrelated sales is very important for other reasons: • Not paying income tax improves your net profit.

• Satisfies IRS requirements.

• May avoid negative rulings and/or steep fines if your institution is audited.

3) Searching for the “relatedness” formula The IRS has issued a lot of guidance in the form of Technical Advice Memorandums (TAMs) and Private Letter Rulings that address individual items sold by individual stores as they relate to that institution’s charitable purposes. These memoranda provide useful guidance, but the IRS cautions us that we cannot directly rely on them unless they concern our own stores. For example, an item deemed related for an art museum may not be related at a science museum.

Susan Roth and Charles Barrett, authors of “UBIT: Current Developments,” write that in applying the “primary purpose” test, the IRS looks to the nature, scope and motivation for the primary sales activities.

The degree of connection between the item and the museum’s collection and the extent to which the item relates to the form and design of the original item are considered.

Size, location, accuracy of the representation as well as the overall impression conveyed by

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FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

the article is to be considered.

Connections can be strengthened for both customers and the IRS by utilizing hangtags, labels and package inserts that have descriptive text on them. Language that facilitates the connection to your collection is very important. A didactic hangtag alone will not make a product related, but a product without one is on thinner ice.

Meet with your institution’s legal counsel, if they are available to you, and familiarize yourself with the TAMs and Rulings and interpret them for your own institution. Set a criteria for declaring a product related or not. Analyze the connection between each object and your institutional purpose.

4) Guiding principles To assist you in doing this, follow these guiding principles: • Have a good faith basis for each decision:

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you have investigated the law and the rulings and you have made your best judgment. If an item is questioned or deemed unrelated, documentation of a sincere judgment gives your museum a better chance to simply pay the owed tax instead of incurring penalties.

• Provide educational materials for each product such as hangtags or labels that tie the item to a piece of art in your collection or similar collection.

• Work with your institution to establish definitions of tax status categories based on interpretation of the IRS rulings. Develop categories of items, decide if they are related or not, and write a justification and definition for your own purposes.

• Have a system for recording related and unrelated sales that can be compiled at the end of each month. This can be done either with a computerized inventory control system or manually.

Computerized systems usually have some unused reportable field or ques-

tion box that can be converted to record this information.

To develop these guidelines, you must go to your institution’s mission statement and apply its purpose to the way that you represent it through product choices.

Remember to stay flexible: The rulings change over the years and what was unrelated a few years ago, may be acceptable to the IRS now.

Susan DeLand is the head of retail and merchandise development for The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA. This information was excerpted from the 2010 MSA Conference session that DeLand presented along with Paula Cozzi Goedert of Barnes & Thornburg LLP, and Valerie Troyansky and Rebecca Gideon of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. For more information, refer to MSA’s new publication, “Numbers by the Book.” You can also download the UBIT Analysis Guide from the MSA website to test your own products.

Go to www.MuseumStoreAssociation.org, For Members, Retail Tips/Help and search for articles by DeLand.

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OPERATIONS

Retail Inventory Management THE KEY IS TO THINK IN TERMS OF TIME.

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hat’s the value of your inventory on hand?” This is one of the first questions that I ask a prospective client during our initial conversation. And they can almost always give me a straight-forward answer.

Then I ask, “How many weeks of supply is that?”

Silence.

For many small retailers I speak with, thinking of inventory in terms of weeks of supply is a new concept. They can easily talk about inventory in terms of quantity, units, cases or casepacks, as well as how much inventory they need to build an effective display. They may have heard of terms like “inventory turnover” or “open-to-buy” without fully understanding what they mean.

They understand return on investment, but in managing the day-to-day urgencies of their business they are much more focused on sales, believing that maximizing sales will lead to positive cash flow.

This perspective on cash flow is ironic because almost every small retailer I speak with, who can’t answer my weeks-of-supply question, also experiences recurring cash flow problems. Let me explain why.

Thinking about inventory in terms of time is the essential starting point in effectively managing inventory. Stated in simple terms, the goal of effective inventory management is to have on-hand at any given time only enough inventory to support planned sales until the next delivery arrives, plus a safety stock to cover any short-term sales spikes and the possibility of a late vendor delivery. This quantity can be stated at any point in time as “forward weeks of supply”; that is, the number of weeks of planned

MUSEUM STORE | FALL 2010

sales going forward that the current inventory represents. When thinking in terms of weeks of supply, the focus is on maximizing the return on the inventory investment by linking inventory levels directly to planned sales.

However, many small retailers instinctively focus on how much they might be able to sell if they had the stock on-hand, rather than the amount of cash they are committing to inventory. Their focus is on having the stock to be able to capture the last sale. The problem with trying to capture that last sale, however, is that it’s not possible to know exactly which sale is the “last” sale, resulting in inflated inventory levels. And unless they can quantify the

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / © REBECCA ELLIS

“

| BY TED HURLBUT

The goal is to have on-hand at any given time only enough inventory to support planned sales until the next delivery arrives. number of weeks of supply they have onhand, and the number of additional weeks of supply they are purchasing, they have no way of projecting when they can expect to sell that inventory and convert it into cash.

Clearly, a critical component of forward weeks of supply is planned sales. For small retailers of non-seasonal items, these sales plans can be arrived at quickly by taking the current weekly rate of sale and applying a factor for the current sales trend. For seasonal items, a quick sales plan can be developed by taking the prior years sales for the same period and applying the sales trend factor.

For larger retailers, more elaborate demand forecasting software applications are frequently utilized. The point of this discussion is not to review various forecasting methods, but to emphasize the importance of a well-thought-out sales plan arrived at

through careful analysis of past sales volume and patterns and current trends.

To become a truly powerful inventory management tool, forward weeks of supply should be calculated continually by category or item. For categories of fashion merchandise, for instance, where specific items are constantly changing as assortments, forward weeks of supply should be calculated by category. For staple replenishment items, forward weeks of supply should be calculated by item. And just as on-hand inventories should be thought of in terms of forward weeks of supply, purchase quantities should also be evaluated for the number of additional weeks of supply that they represent. Every purchase order should be accompanied by the following question: “How many weeks am I buying?”

Finally, after I’ve taken a moment to

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explain the concept of weeks of supply to a prospective client, they invariably ask what the weeks of supply should be for their business. And just like they started the conversation by not knowing what their weeks of supply was, I end it by not being able to tell them what their weeks of supply should be.

Every retailer has a different optimal weeks of supply, due to their unique mix of product offerings, which have unique selling characteristics, customer expectations and supply chains. And for most retailers, especially those whose product offerings are highly seasonal, the optimal weeks of supply may vary significantly throughout the year.

The point is not necessarily to identify what the optimal weeks of supply is, but to continually challenge the current forward weeks of supply to identify opportunities for eliminating unnecessary inventory and to free up cash for other urgent needs. As every retailer understands, there’s no such thing as standing still; if you’re not going forward, you can be almost certain that you’re going backwards.

Small retailers who think of their inventory in terms of weeks of supply almost always experience fewer markdowns and fewer build-ups of dead inventory, faster inventory turnover and healthier cash flows. With healthier cash flows and a keen eye on weeks of supply, a small retailer will always have the ability to be a true merchant, to make that advantageous purchase, chase a key item or capitalize on the latest emerging trend. And those are the true keys to generating consistent sales increase and profitability.

Article Source: www.ArticlesBase.com.

Ted Hurlbut is the Principal of Hurlbut & Associates, a retail consulting and business advisory firm based in Foxboro, MA. He is focused on helping his clients increase sales, margins, profitability and cash flow, and is particularly attuned to the challenges facing smaller, independent, entrepreneurial retailers.

You can learn more about Ted, and Hurlbut & Associates, at www.hurlbutassociates.com.

FALL 2010 | MUSEUM STORE

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2010 FASHION BUYER’S GUIDE

SELLING STYLE

By April Miller Photography by Renata Kosina

tatement pieces with a story behind them top the trends vendors note when it comes to fashion, particularly jewelry and accessories. Offering those interesting pieces at price points where shoppers feel they are getting a good value—and a quality item—is also key to increasing fashion sales.

“I think affordable luxury is a good approach,” says Nancy Giere of Williamsburg, VA-based NGlassworks. “It doesn’t take a lot of money to add interesting accessories to your wardrobe.”

Heather Michaels of Pink House Imports, Orange, CA, agrees that what’s really holding true for shoppers is value. “Women want to look pretty,” she adds, “and if they are able to do so at a price point that doesn’t break them, then they will.”

Ruth Tamaroff, owner of the Tamohara Collection in Hudson, NY, says she’s been selling more sets: pins, pendants and earrings, rather than large necklaces which tend to be higher priced than sets. She also explains that she’s seeing more interest in color, such as jade pieces dyed pink or orange combined with sterling silver.

Vibrant colors—turquoise, dark shades of blues and greens, and deep red with mostly floral motifs and some abstract—are in at Nina J. Design Studios in Winchester, VA, says creative director and co-owner Neena Jhaveri.

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SELLING STYLE 1928 Jewelry Company’s Director of Marketing, Bev Carpenter, says the hot colors are rich purple, bright red, pale blue, shades of olive and camel. She also sees consumer interest in filigree, mixed metals and 1950s revisited, such as pearls and button earrings.

“Customers will be looking for modern twists to classic styles and innovative uses of color and shapes,” adds Carpenter. 1928 Jewelry Company operates in Burbank, CA. Jan Diers of Mata Ortiz to You, Marana, AZ, says there’s a renewed interest in ancient fabric-dye techniques and ethnic patterns. “Ikat, tie-dye, batik and patterns are all over the runway,” Diers explains.

“Why not translate this to jewelry?” Also popular are animals, insects and other nature-inspired pieces, such as butterflies, dragonflies and leaves.

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No matter the accessories you choose to stock, vendors share their advice to help sales sparkle.

BE A MODEL. “Always wear what you sell,” suggests Jhaveri. Ask vendors for samples that employees can wear during work hours. And if it’s a versatile item, such as the company’s scarves, educate guests on how it can be used. When a customer is interested, be proactive. “When you educate people on how to wear the product, they are likely to buy, use or give as a gift,” she adds.

“Product knowledge makes them feel good that they are getting good value on the money spent, especially now.”

CONVEY THE MEANING. With interest in pieces that have a social statement or story attached, it’s important to make sure that message is being shared with shoppers either through associates or signage. As Carpenter says: “Share the story or history behind the pieces. The more knowledge shared, the more power [and] comfort the customer feels when making the purchase.” Artists and vendors are usually happy to provide information on their

pieces that can be used to train staff, which, when shared with shoppers, gives them more reason to make the purchase.

CREATE EYE-CATCHING DISPLAYS. Clean, organized and uncluttered merchandising is important, as is lighting. Take full advantage of existing lighting and natural light and you may even want to consider installing additional lighting. “Jewelry should be well lit as this brings out the colors,” explains Giere. “Displays should appear full but not overwhelming.”

Many cultural commerce retailers stocking ReFashioned’s (located in Beaconsville, Quebec, Canada) recycled products have drawn attention and made a colorful statement by filling tall glass vases with crushed soda cans, explains Hope Milner, owner and president.

KEEP IT FRESH. Tamaroff says it doesn’t take lots of new inventory to keep pieces looking current, but by simply moving merchandise around, it will appear new to visitors. “If it’s a pendant, you can change the necklace it was hanging on to make it fresh and exciting,” she says.

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Diers suggests cross-merchandising to increase sales: “Mix apparel with accessories so those who cannot envision it for themselves get a little help.”

Michaels agrees that the best way to merchandise is to show an entire ensemble by picking coordinating pieces and showing them all together. “Necklace, bracelet, earrings, and don’t stop there, add belts, bags and rings to the mix and you have a winning display,” she says. “It’s hard for the consumer to choose just one piece when they see the whole story together.”

CROSS-PROMOTE. Create a special such as purchase a scarf and receive a percentage off a necklace. “Combo deals are always a good idea,” Michaels says. “Take rings for example; one for $10 or two for $15.” Employ all of your tried-and-true marketing efforts to get the word out about promotions: ads, direct mail, e-mail blasts and in-store events.

If you haven’t yet ventured into social networking, give that a try as well.

Consider the following items as you plan your fashion mix.

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2

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Clear Solutions® displays make stock and custom displays for many different products. They help increase sales by eliminating visual barriers between your customers and your stock and come with Clear Solutions’ legendary quality and service. New to the line are CARB2 compliant wood displays.

Attractive, effective, priced right and green.

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1

Designed to make a colorful and vibrant statement, Nina J. Design Studios’ limited-edition silk scarves are available in different sizes on 100% sateen silk. The wearable and functional pieces appeal to a variety of age groups and fit nicely with botanical and aquatic museum stores or any cultural commerce retailers that carry fashion accessories.

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2

1928 Jewelry Company’s Royal Bee Tigers Eye Crystals and Gold Tone Pin represents the oldest symbol of the sovereigns of France, symbolizing immortality and resurrection, which was made popular during the reign of Napoleon.

Part of the company’s Antiquities Couture Collection, designers study slides, books and historical documents to create the reproductions. The pin is polished-finished and measures 1 1/2" x 1 1/2".

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SELLING STYLE 3

Tamohara Collection’s Sterling Silver and Tumbaga Triangles Earrings and Pendant are handmade in Mexico and are perfect for women of all ages who enjoy the classic look of silver. Shown with a sterling silver oval collar, the set can also be worn with a leather necklace for a more casual look. Many other sets are also available.

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Woven recycled aluminum can jewelry and bags from ReFashioned are handmade by a Fair Trade co-op in Indonesia by women who have come inland from Tsunamiaffected regions. The jewelry and purses are made from actual strips of soda cans that have been cut and woven together. Intricate and eco-friendly, each piece entails hours of work.

4

Hand-beaded coin purses from Pink House Imports are available in many different colors and styles. The versatile pieces—they can be used for money, ID cards, digital camera cases or as cell phone totes— are the company’s best seller and are great to keep or give as gifts. Made in Indonesia, the beading evokes many different origins, such as African, Central American and Native American.

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Butterfly pins from BeadArt from the Heart include swallowtails, monarchs, blue morphos and green birdwings and are perfect additions for botanical gardens, nature and art museums. Made by hand in the homes of Thai artisans, each beaded piece takes about four hours to create.

Paid by the piece, with no quotas, the beaders’ compensation is almost twice the minimum wage.

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Nahui Ollin specializes in handmade and fun pieces and was named the 2010 MSA Buyer’s Choice Awards Winner in the Eco-Friendly category. The company’s handbags and accessories are made from candy wrappers, gum wrappers and soft drink labels (unused but factory rejects destined for landfills).

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All pieces from Mata Ortiz to You are a bridge between indigenous art and contemporary design.

For the piece shown, a Nahuatl Indian hand forms casings to fit broken pottery shards and also incorporates .950 silver to create one-of-a-kind pieces.

The company uses fine art from two small Mexican villages: Mata Ortiz for its pottery and Taxco for its silver.

8 7

The Clear Quartz Nugget and Black Onyx bracelet with Lobster Clasp is a new addition and part of DONALEE DESIGNS’ Shimmer and Shine Collection, which also includes earrings and necklaces. Each hand-crafted piece is made with tender loving care in the company’s Northern Wisconsin studio, located on the south shore of Lake Superior. Custom pieces—using various gems and minerals—are also available.

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NGlassworks’ dichroic glass pendants, earrings and bracelets are contemporary abstract patterns created by stacking colored and patterned glass—up to six layers—one upon another. Due to the way light fractures off its surface, each piece has at least three colors, adding an enticing dimension.

Designer Nancy Giere’s award-winning works are featured in the 2010 “Best of America Glass Artists” book.

10

April Miller is a Cleveland-based freelance writer and editor. A regular contributor to Museum Store, she last wrote the “2010 Holiday Gifts and Buyer’s Guide” in the summer 2010 issue.

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SELLING STYLE

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FASHION BUYER’S GUIDE • 1928 JEWELRY COMPANY www.1928.com (800) 227-1928 • BEADART FROM THE HEART www.beadartfromtheheart.com [user name/password = beads] (505) 984-5037 • DONALEE DESIGNS www.donaleedesigns.com (715) 779-3374 • MATA ORTIZ TO YOU www.mataortiztoyou.com (520) 744-0639 • NAHUI OLLIN www.nahuiollin.com (732) 460-1900

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• NGLASSWORKS LLC nglassworks.com (757) 250-3337 • NINA J. DESIGN STUDIOS LLC www.ninastudios.com (540) 539-8072 • PINK HOUSE IMPORTS www.pinkhouseimports.com (888) 355-6907 • REFASHIONED INC. www.refashioned.com (514) 426-3481 • TAMOHARA COLLECTION www.tamohara.com [password = tamocoll] (877) 896-1136 • CLEAR SOLUTIONS www.cleardisplays.com (800) 257-4550 FALL 2010 | MUSEUM STORE

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COMMUNICATIONS

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Social Networking and Museum Stores: Three Case Studies B Y

T R A C I

RY L A N D S

U

sing the Internet to increase sales and improve communication is now familiar territory for museum store managers. Stores without a website are more the exception than the rule.

With the boom of social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and blogs, even more doors are opening. How can museum store managers use them to their advantage? Is it worth the time and effort? Or is it just a fad that won’t last?

While it’s too soon to tell how much museum stores are benefitting from creating social networking sites, some wisdom can be gained from museum stores that have taken this step.

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JefferSoN NaTioNal ParkS aSSoCiaTioN (JNPa), SaiNT loUiS, Mo Using Social Networking as a Communications Tool NPA’s plunge into social networking officially began in February 2009 after the launch of their Twitter site and in June 2009 with a new Facebook page. But the homework began a year before, when Director of Programs/Chief Operating Officer Kimberlee Riley created her own personal accounts on MySpace, Twitter and Facebook to get a feel for how they worked.

“When the executive director [David Grove] and I first talked, we didn’t have a plan,” she says. “He gave me his blessing to create my own accounts and that was the best investment of my time.”

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In addition to attending webinars and doing research, Riley gained invaluable insights from online contacts she made. While MySpace didn’t seem like the right fit, Twitter and Facebook did.

“On Twitter, I followed any nonprofit and any ‘good customer service’ for-profit (Zappos, Southwest Airlines, etc.) I could find, as well as individuals interested in the same things I was. On Facebook, I did the same. Over time I took note of what worked and didn’t work for others. I had industry experts in social media I was

following or befriending and asked questions along the way. No money was spent out of the budget for any of this. Only time.”

After Riley and Grove reviewed her findings, they mapped out a business plan for what they hoped to achieve through Twitter and Facebook. One major goal was to increase search engine optimization (SEO).

JNPA plunged into social networking with Twitter and Facebook in 2009.

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“We also wanted to engage with people interested in parks and public lands, what they were interested in, what products they like,” she says.

Another decision was to make the museum stores part of the overall JNPA Twitter and Facebook sites, not separate ones. JNPA encompasses several national parks and historic places, such as the Gateway Arch and the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site.

JNPA currently operates 16 brick-and-mortar stores, along with an e-commerce site.

“I recommend that organizations and institutions create social media accounts representative of the whole as opposed to ‘parcels’,” Riley advises. “This gives the social media followers more diverse content.

It heightens awareness of the depth of the organization, and the opportunities of how to get engaged or connected to it.”

Riley also stresses that to maximize the benefits of social networking sites, museum store managers should commit to allocating enough time to maintaining and refreshing content.

“Consider the time you think you will need to manage the account. Typically, the average for nonprofits is 10 hours a week. However, I think between two to five hours a week you can adequately manage an active account.”

Currently, JNPA’s Twitter site has nearly 500 followers while their Facebook page has almost 400 “likers” (formerly known as “fans”). While translating those numbers into success is not an easy task, Riley feels that using Twitter and Facebook is not strictly about increasing sales or store traffic.“Social media isn’t a retail or earned revenue program,” Riley says. “It’s a marketing and communications tool. Our focus is connecting with those who are interested in what we do and cultivating a relationship with them, rather than just running up numbers.”

making social networking sites work for her museum store. She had already helped the museum get its Facebook page up and running before creating one for the store.

“Our Store and Visitor Services Manager, Tom Findlay, thought it was important to utilize social media and thought Facebook was the right place to start,” Kelly explains. “Facebook is free, so the only costs incurred are those you choose; if you want to advertise, offer coupons, etc. Our Facebook page points back to our website, and we try to use it as a

tool to encourage more web traffic.”

Kelly and Findlay agreed that creating a Facebook page separate from the museum’s site would be the best plan for their store.

“We already had a separate website for the store,” she says. “We like to consider ourselves to be a destination apart from the museum.

It was important that we stand on our own.”

Because Kelly alerted readers of the store’s e-newsletter, inStore, before their Facebook page debuted in May 2010, the first 50 “likers” came quickly.

MUSeUM of GlaSS, TaCoMa, Wa Adding a Tool to the Advertising Arsenal ompared to JNPA, the Museum of Glass is a much smaller operation consisting of one museum and one store. However, Assistant Manager of Retail Operations Traci Kelly puts just as much effort into

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Social Networking

TERMS & TOOLS C

reated in 2004, Facebook

currently has more than 500

million active users while Twitter (started in 2006) claims to have around 190 million users. According to a study by Pingdom, the average Facebook user is 38 while the average Twitter user is 39.

Here are some terms and tools commonly used among these sites: • Tweet: Text-based Twitter posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author’s profile page.

• Follower: Someone who subscribes to someone’s Twitter page and receives updated tweets.

• Liker: Formerly known as “fans” on Facebook, “likers” subscribe to and receive updates of a specific Facebook page.

• Bit.ly: A free Web service that shortens lengthy web links, used frequently on Twitter.

Also helps track how many users are clicking on those links.

• Google Analytics: A free tool that helps users analyze social networking traffic data.

• Cotweet.com: Free platform that assists users in managing multiple Twitter sites and scheduling future tweets.

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“Since we started at the beginning of our busy season, it has been challenging to measure the success of the Facebook page,” Kelly admits. “But we feel it’s something that will only build with time. We’ve uploaded pictures of merchandise and events, now we’re trying coupons and considering the idea of ‘employees’ favorites.’”

Kelly checks the store’s Facebook page daily and posts new content about once a week.

While she does coordinate with the museum’s public relations department, Kelly is largely responsible for the content. Currently, the store does not have a Twitter page, but the museum does and Kelly is researching the idea.

“We have no strong master plan at the moment, just goals to get more people interested in our products and events, plus get them shopping online,” she says. “I consider our success through fans gained, Facebook ‘Insights’ which include post quality/interactions and word-of-mouth. Our new coupon requests that people mention Facebook to get half off a popular item.”

Kelly encourages museum store managers who are considering entering the social networking world to be mindful of what is required in making a Facebook page appealing to visitors and keeps them coming back.

“Remember that Facebook is visual, that many people use it as a photo-sharing tool,” she says. “Your page should have lots of colorful pictures, so the more you can get other people to upload, the better. Also, remember to post often enough that people remember they are a fan, but not so often they feel that you are saturating their wall. I think a post every three to five days is optimal. It gives people some time to look at what you are doing, but they don’t forget about you in that time.”

MUSeUM of NeW MexiCo foUNdaTioN ShoPS, SaNTa fe, NM Providing a Forum for Artists’ Stories

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ounded in 1965, the Museum of New Mexico Foundation (MNMF) Shops operates as the retail arm of the Museum of New Mexico. It includes four museum stores in six museums, including the New Mexico History Museum and the Palace of the Governors.

MNMF Shops is partnered with New Mexico Creates, a venue through which more than 1,200 New Mexico artists create and sell their work. This rich resource is something Director of Retail Operations Jim Stafford wants to share with more visitors.

“Our websites are artist-driven,” he says.

“We want to expand on those artists’ stories, to make the point that by purchasing through us you are not only supporting museums but the artists as well.”

MNMF Shops just launched their Facebook page in May 2010, so results are difficult to determine. But adding social networking to their plans was a step Stafford knew must take place.

“It’s a way to promote the websites,” he notes. “And we already send out an e-mail newsletter twice a month to about 14,000 subscribers. But we want to try to widen our message to different audiences by presenting what’s going on in the shops and the museums to Facebook users.”

Because Stafford and his staff are so new to social networking sites, they contracted with a local marketing firm to help refine and expand MNMF’s Facebook site, improve their websites and develop a blog.

“They’re doing some things with our web provider like putting widgets on the Facebook site, working on our product presentation and optimizing search engine potential,” he says. “They’re helping us with some training, too.”

While Stafford admits that maintaining the Facebook site takes time, he is optimistic the benefits will be worth it.

“A year ago, we spent money on banner ads on websites like Smithsonian.com and such. We think this will be just as productive but with no cost involved.”

Traci Rylands lives in Atlanta, GA, and recently wrote about changing consumer attitudes in shopping in the spring 2010 issue of Museum Store magazine.

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STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

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Telfair tea time at the

Merchandising and Marketing Three Distinct Sites to Cultural Travelers

By Sheila Armstrong hat do you do when you have three wonderful art museums that are each very unique, yet under one brand?

I recently had the opportunity to ask that question and to share tea with Kristin Boylston, director of marketing & PR of the Telfair Museums, and the Telfair Museums’ Director of Retail Operations, Lisa Ocampo, in Savannah, GA. The Telfair Museums are a collection of three very different, yet complementary cultural destinations— the Telfair Academy, the Owens-Thomas House and the Jepson Center.

Now, by mentioning that we were enjoying tea, you may envisage that we were partaking of a “proper English tea” with crisp, white linen napkins and a sterling silver teapot.

W

This would be a logical conclusion, since we just toured the special exhibit, “The Story of Silver in Savannah: Creating and Collecting Since the 18th Century” in all three of the museums. But we were partaking of a Southern staple, “sweet tea”—sipping this cooling nectar in tall glasses rattling with ice to give us some respite from the heat and humidity of the South in the summertime.

This relaxing ritual gave me the opportunity to chat with Kristin and Lisa and to learn answers to the many questions I had about how the three unique museums under the Telfair brand are marketed and how they merchandise the three very different destinations in their museum stores. I especially wanted to know more about how they marketed the silver exhibit to visitors.

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My first question was to Kristin: “How do you market these very individual and unique museums as one?”

“This has been a challenge for some time but we recently rebranded our three museums under the Telfair,” she said. “We now are selling one ticket that allows entrance to all three sites. We made the decision to do this to encourage our visitors to experience all three museums. Their ticket is for the week versus the day, thus allowing them to experience each of these unique destinations at a more leisurely pace.”

Each of these museums has their own museum shop, so I asked Lisa to tell me how she merchandises each of them and how she addressed merchandising for the silver exhibit at the three museum stores.

While not all of the Telfair special exhibits

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include all three of these museums, the silver exhibit is an example of showcasing segments of the exhibit most representative of the style of each museum to encourage visitors to explore all three destinations. Lisa explained her merchandising strategy: “With the Jepson Center hosting the largest museum store, this store understandably has a more extensive array of products. However, each of the three destinations sells merchandise most reflective of their collection and most of the products are only available at that store. That said, for the silver exhibit, the commemorative exhibit book written by the curator, Tania June Sammons, was available at all three locations.

“It was important that we merchandised the silver exhibit with three different themes, reflecting the silver that was on exhibit at each museum and each team does a remarkable job of collecting and merchandising for their specific location,” she continued.

“With the Telfair Academy showcasing the most extensive silver collection in the show, we wanted to ensure that we had a broad array of silver pieces from serving pieces to

Each store merchandised products using three different themes, complementing the silver that was on exhibit at each Telfair museum.

jewelry to complement the exhibit and the era it showcased. Books, videos and home accessories were also featured as many who visited this exhibit had a keen interest to learn more about this collection.

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“Merchandising the shop at the OwensThomas House offered the manager of the store an opportunity to create a display highlighting many of the silver items that are normally featured in this shop, because it is so reflective of the era of this house. She staged a beautiful Regency style table brimming with this merchandise—giving it a fresh, new look.

Then, for the contemporary exhibit at the Jepson, I worked with the team to bring in more contemporary silver items, especially jewelry and home accessories. I am fortunate to have such great teams. They are creative, knowledgeable and very tuned in to the needs and wants of our customers,” said Lisa with sincere appreciation.

Since I am involved in marketing U.S. cultural and heritage tourism, I wanted to learn how the Telfair markets these three destinations—and particularly the silver exhibit—to visitors. “Along with the beautiful book filled with photographs of the collection that you published, how else did you market the silver show to encourage visitors?”

Kristin replied by outlining the very comprehensive strategy that was mounted: “First of all, we work very closely with our partners at the Savannah Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and rely on them heavily to help us market to the visitor. We give them a long lead time so they can promote us on their website when they go to travel tradeshows and in working with tour operators planning to bring groups to Savannah. We also are very cognizant of the importance of our local tour operators and concierge in bringing us visitors. We invite them to event openings so they can personally experience the show. I also regularly speak at the meetings of tourism-related organizations such as the Savannah Area Tourism Leadership Council and the National Concierge Association. In addition, I work one-on-one with many of our tour operators and I often take information about the event, along with doughnuts, to the early morning meetings of their dispatcher. To promote the silver exhibit, I took cookies with silver sprinkles instead.

“Many of our visitors discover us once they’ve arrived,” said Kristin. “For the silver exhibit, we placed themed banners down our FALL 2010 | MUSEUM STORE

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Telfair tea time at the

main street which is only one block from us and, of course, we had rack cards throughout the city. In addition, Savannah has new touch screen kiosks throughout the city so visitors can quickly find what they are looking for or discover things to do that they were not aware of otherwise. We made it a point to feature the silver show on these. We also

“It was important that we merchandised the silver exhibit with three different themes.

Each team does a remarkable job of merchandising for their specific location.”

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had an extensive media/PR campaign which has netted us a great deal of coverage both locally and nationally, including the appropriate museum-related publications.

“Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t note the importance of our members and the museum’s friends and supporters who contribute so much to helping us create the events and encourage their friends and families to visit the Telfair,” continued Kristin. “We know these folks help us generate the visitors we get.

While many of our visitors are from the East Coast, we have visitors from not only the entire United States but the entire world!”

As I left the Telfair that summer afternoon, I couldn’t help but reflect on how many wonderful and magnificent cultural destinations there are for us to enjoy and how many dedicated people strive to ensure that they remain vibrant and welcoming to all.

Sheila Armstrong is the executive director of the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council and the director of cultural affairs and public relations for Shop America Alliance. The U.S. Cultural &

Heritage Tourism Marketing Council (USCHT) markets cultural and heritage travel packages on behalf of its partners.

The Telfair is featured in a package on www.TheCulturalTraveler.com called “Arts & Entertainment” showcasing Savannah’s cultural and heritage offerings on behalf of the Savannah Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Partnering with the Museum Store Association are Shop America Alliance (www.shopamericatours.com) and the USCHT (www.TheCulturalTraveler.com and www.uscht.com). This joint affiliation is an example of the many benefits that can result from the synergy of partnerships.

The three organizations partner together on many initiatives including writing tourism marketing white papers and magazine articles, packaging tours that include museum stores, attending travel/trades-hows, etc. The three organizations co-produce an annual publication, The Cultural Traveler, an exclusive guide to cultural shopping and travel featuring the leading museum stores of North America.

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A TALE OF TWOPRODUCT SOURCING STRATEGIES USING INTERNATIONAL SUPPLIERS VS. FINDING GOODS CLOSER TO HOME BY KATHY CISAR

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STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

© NOEL MOUNT

Y

ou’ve heard the phrase that there are always two sides to every story. Well, the same can be said about sourcing products. Attendees of the 2010 MSA Conference & Expo in Austin, TX, this past April, got the chance to hear arguments for two very different buying strategies.

Laura Murphy, special projects consultant at The Preservation Society of Newport County, Newport, RI, offered tips on finding products from around the world with “International Sourcing Without International Travel.”

Presenting the flip side of the coin, Lynn Thompson, special projects consultant of the Maine Crafts Association, Dover Foxcroft, ME, discussed sourcing and selling goods made locally in “Why Buying Local Pays Off.” Each method has its pros and cons. Read on to determine which approach will work best for your store and bring in the customers—you might just discover that it can be a combination of both.

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A TALE OF TWOPRODUCT SOURCING STRATEGIES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE

L

ooking for a great strategy to increase revenue? If you ever get a chance to sit down and talk with Laura Murphy, she’ll expound on the virtues of international product sourcing. “It’s a fabulous way to source new and different products, expand your current product lines, stay on top of trends and keep your museum stores unique,” explains Murphy.

In three years, the retail operations at The Preservation Society of Newport County tripled their overseas buying and Murphy says that she hopes to double it again in the next year. Why? With international sourcing, her turn rate has gone from 1.25 to 4.75 and her profit margin increased three percent.

“We have turned into a global society,” says Murphy, “so it only makes sense that we start looking across the globe for products. Plus, the price points can really save you money.”

In the recent economic climate, many museum stores are seeing an alarming pattern: sales and visitor numbers are down, while at the same time staff have been cut and product costs are up. One of Murphy’s strategies for these problems is to decrease the cost of goods sold and increase margins by, you guessed it, sourcing products globally.

“Take a risk,” says Murphy. “I haven’t been burned yet.” She advises to start off small and then push your limits a bit.

“When you get a ‘no’ from U.S. vendors, try going international,” she says. “Be adventurous. You might make mistakes, but take a risk and make sure to focus on planning and timing, because you may need to allow three to six months for delivery of product in some cases.”

But before you can take that first step, Murphy believes it is crucial to know your 44

MUSEUM STORE | FALL 2010

business. “Take a look at your open-tobuy—what you are selling in each category—and break it down financially by category, dollars and percentage,” explains Murphy. “Your POS system is your friend.

You need to understand what is selling for you. Know your top sellers and know your product. Analyze your current sales history, your inventory turn and be aware of your storage/warehousing capacity.”

Murphy is the first to admit that sourcing products internationally does have its own set of challenges. You’ll have to deal with shipping and customs issues, exchange rates, quality control issues, etc. But, she’s discovered the perfect partner: “If you work

International product sourcing can be a great way to expand product lines, stay on top of trends and keep museum stores unique.

with an overseas agent, they do all the work for you,” she explains. “Your agent can help make sure you get what you expect. They can help you find a product that already exists or help with product development. A good agent will assume liability and take care of customs, licensing and bonds.

“The average agent commission is seven percent—but, like most things, this can be negotiated because they want to do business with you. Just put the agent costs and other fees towards the cost of the product. You’ll still be saving money and this could be spent on bringing back a part-time employee.”

How do you find an agent? “Talk to vendors or other institutions who have products you like,” says Murphy. “You can use three to four different agents based on geography or you can also have more than one in the same area, depending on your product needs.

Some agents cover multiple countries. Find an agent someone has worked with before.

Research your agents—don’t just pick anyone off the street—and ask the right questions so that you can trust them.”

Since it’s not always possible to travel to international tradeshows, Murphy advises to locate some overseas companies, then visit their websites and get their catalogs, then go back to the agent to place the order.

“Send the agent a photo and description of what you want—they’ll do the work for you. You don’t have to travel to get or search for the products,” says Murphy.

If you have concerns about Fair Trade, child labor or product safety, Murphy says

STEPS TO SOURCING PRODUCTS INTERNATIONALLY • Determine the product you want.

• Create a purchase order.

• Find sources for the product.

• Deposit by wire transfer.

• Get samples or images of product from the vendor.

• Determine the best way to ship.

• Negotiate terms—talk about minimums, down payments, shipping, packaging, etc.

• Have the product delivered to your doorstep.

• Determine when you need the product (allow for at least three months lead time).

• Do quality control.

MSAFall10_SourcingStrategies_MSAFall10_pg 9/2/10 10:50 AM Page 45

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rest assured, this is another challenge that your agent can tackle. “You can product source with women’s cooperatives and most agents follow protocol to make sure products are not produced by child labor or slave labor; they check out the vendors beforehand,” says Murphy. “You do need to make sure the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act certification is there but your agent can make sure that the vendor has the appropriate certificate. The vendor can’t ship otherwise.”

International sourcing can be a challenge for small- or medium-sized museums, but according to Murphy, it’s not a huge problem: “You don’t have to be a big guy to buy overseas. It’s possible to do small quantities—there are opportunities to piggy-back orders with other institutions.”

Most importantly, Murphy’s international orders are not affecting how she uses her favorite MSA vendors in the United States. “There’s definitely room in the market for both,” she concludes.

JOIN THE BUY LOCAL MOVEMENT

L

ynn Thompson is passionate about sourcing and selling locally made goods—she believes that it’s good for your store’s image as well as the bottom line. “Buy Local is a movement that’s about 10 years old,” she says. “But it’s

According to some sources, stores that participated in Buy Local campaigns saw an increase in sales over the previous year.

more than a local business campaign; it’s a value statement.”

Many cities and regions have created Buy Local business campaigns in the past few years. These marketing programs consist of two basic steps. First, they educate consumers about the value of independent businesses in the community. Second, they jointly promote shopping at those businesses through advertising, coupon books, shop-local weeks and other efforts.

Thompson cites that the overall results and benefits are clear: “Overall, retail sales have been down the past couple of years, but according to some sources, stores that participated in Buy Local campaigns saw an increase of 2.2 percent over the previous year.”

Currently, Thompson feels that general, for-profit retailers are doing more with the Buy Local movement than museum stores, but she thinks it is about time that museums start catching up with the rest of the industry. “There are benefits to having a unified voice, including getting your CVB or chamber of commerce involved,” she says.

For example, the Jan. 14, 2010, Business Week article, “Buy-Local Campaigns Deliver Above-Average Holiday Sales,” stated

NUMBERS

BY THE BOOK A Financial Guide for the Cultural Commerce & Specialty Retail Manager Your store’s finances are arguably the most important part of your job. This new book will help you: • Create budgets, project sales and analyze cash flow • Establish accounting procedures and maintain records • Develop a merchandise buying plan and set prices • Manage inventory and open-to-buy • Measure store performance • Leverage point-of-sale systems • Implement internal controls PLUS, each book includes a CD with several forms to help in your planning and record keeping.

FALL 2010 | MUSEUM STORE

45

A TALE OF TWOPRODUCT SOURCING STRATEGIES that a survey by the Institute for Local SelfReliance found that independent retailers in more than 100 cities with active Buy Local campaigns reported stronger holiday sales than those in cities without such campaigns: “Independent retailers in these cities reported an average increase in holiday sales of 3 percent, compared to 1 percent for those in cities without such an initiative.”

Thompson has first-hand experience with the Buy Local movement. All work for sale in the Center for Maine Craft store is hand-crafted by Maine artisans and includes everything from pottery and jewelry to basketry and glassware to books and food.

In addition, Thompson has proof that the Buy Local movement is alive and well.

The Center’s store is one year old and she’s been tracking customers from the begin-

EDUCATE THE LOCALS:

WHY SUPPORT LOCALLYOWNED BUSINESSES

• Keep dollars in local economy • Embrace what makes your place unique • Foster local job creation • Help the environment • Nurture community • Conserve tax dollars • Have more choices • Benefit from local owners’ expertise • Preserve entrepreneurship • Ensure your city stands out from the crowd

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MUSEUM STORE | FALL 2010

ning. Thompson found that 35 percent of sales (the largest chunk) come from local, return purchasers. When asking visitors where they live, Thompson discovered that the top five ZIP codes all come from Maine.

“Buy Local is a value statement,” says Thompson. “Buy Local can mean many things to different people: Fair Trade, handmade, green, safe, sustainable, eco-friendly, contributing to the community, etc.”

Thompson recommends focusing on these wider benefits and to broaden your definition of what Buy Local means so you can reach these potential customers.

“Market the authenticity of your products to both tourists and locals,” adds Thompson. “The authenticity/handmade angle is very important. And you also need experienced staff to talk about the local products. Your staff should let customers know that your products are made locally and are of extremely high quality.”

Thompson also stresses the need to tell the product’s story. “Offer one-of-a-kind products, then make sure they have a story that goes along with them,” she says. “Appeal to the customer’s social consciousness or highlight the artistic quality of a piece.

Handmade is good. Handmade with a story is even better.”

There are different ways to tell the story, Thompson says. She uses artist brochures, hang tags, press releases, story cards, product graphics, maker’s demonstrations and utilizes her knowledgeable staff.

“And don’t forget to market to your own vendors,” she adds. “Family and friends of artists like to purchase their works. Not only do people like to buy locally made products, they like to purchase the work of people and companies they know.

“At the Center, more than 25 percent of our sales are to artists, purchasing the work of other artists and friends of artists purchasing their work,” Thompson remarks.

“One such customer told me that she liked to buy local. She had just purchased an oldtime music CD for her fiddle-playing husband and she related that she liked to connect with what she’s buying and to know there’s a face behind it.”

© NOEL MOUNT

MSAFall10_SourcingStrategies_MSAFall10_pg 9/2/10 10:50 AM Page 46

Thompson stresses the need to offer one-of-a-kind products, then make sure they have a story that goes along with them.

Thompson addresses some of the challenges store managers face when trying to stock their shelves with more local products: • Negotiating with artisans. “Negotiate carefully,” she says. “A typical consignment split is 60/40. Set terms of 90 days in which either party can terminate the agreement.”

• Choosing products. Thompson says, “Look at the jury standards set by craft shows as an example. You may get inundated, but it helps if you set parameters—the process will start to snowball after you start.”

• Pricing challenges. “It is possible to find low price points,” Thompson shares, “even items under $10 or $5.

There are more lower-priced items than you think.”

• Finding artisans. “I send out press releases with the time/date of my selection process,” says Thompson. “Plus, use word of mouth, look in directories for your local, regional and state art agencies, and check out www.etsy.com.”

“Don’t be afraid to overlap marketing your store with programming,” concludes Thompson. “Hold studio days, demonstrations, tastings, readings, makers’ markets, etc. Provide a service and you’ll see fresh faces in your store.”

MGIMailingListAd_Layout 1 9/1/10 4:34 PM Page 47

GET YOUR DIRECT MAIL PIECE DELIVERED TO THE TOP MUSEUM STORES DO YOU HAVE … > new product lines? > changes to existing products? > special discounts or bulk offers? > limited-time promotions?

The right mailing list is critical to a direct mail capaign’s success, and smart companies know that in-the-mail promotions for products and services continue to generate strong, measurable sales during every economic cycle.

MSA’s museum members want and need to know about your products and services so they can offer them in their stores.

Tell your customers all about it with a targeted direct mail piece.

(800) 899-4420 | (703) 706-0383 | Fax: (703) 549-0697 | www.MGILists.com MGI List Division of Marketing General Inc., 209 Madison Street, Third Floor, Alexandria VA 22314 customerservice@MGILists.com

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / © SKIP ODONNELL

Contact MGI Lists, MSA’s partner in mailing list processing, to get the information you need to make a direct connection with the exclusive museum store audience.

MSAFall10_NewVendorShowcase_MSAFall10_pg 9/2/10 10:54 AM Page 48

| new vendor showcase |

A

s a member of MSA, you have access to some of the best product vendors. When you purchase from them, you are supporting your membership community. The following are some of MSA’s newest members, all of whom are vendors waiting to help you stock merchandise that will coincide with your museum’s mission.

SUNSET HILL STONEWARE ‡ Neenah, WI | (800) 509-4662 www.shstoneware.com Sunset Hill Stoneware is a pottery company nestled in the countryside of Wisconsin's Fox River Valley. We offer an exclusive line of hand-thrown stoneware that can be customized for your museum. Our mission is simple: to produce the highest quality handthrown stoneware featuring customized artwork crested in clay. All SHS products are 100% lead-free, oven-, microwave- and dishwasher-safe and made in the United States. Our commitment to our customers is to provide the best service possible. Nowhere else can you find the quality and uniqueness that SHS has to offer your business, resort, museum, gift shop or organization. After all, it's your identity set in stone!

REACH CULTURAL TRAVELERS. BUILD ATTENDANCE. INCREASE STORE SALES. $9.95

Minne Museusota History m Stor Center e ifts conn

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Museum-Store.travel TheCulturalTraveler.com

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and cultu made gifts Center’s re two mus performer by regio eum store await you at the nal artis s, and ts and craft a broad s. You’ll Browse selection find hand speople, nort of book music by landmark hwoods-inspired s on state Minneso s by Mar pottery and regio ta k

by Fron and by nal histo t Jana Mats Herman; jewe lry by Tess Avenue; print ry. on, who there are s of Min oro, mad works with retro and nesota e with recy vintage Museum Min books and cled item Store featu nesota-theme s, prints. For d toys and history res exhi research children, bit- and games. , and the museum The Hist Press and ory Cen -related full cata Borealis ter gifts, book log of the Books. s on Minneso The Sigh ts of Min ta Historica family nesota l Society Store pres ents gifts books and related to state wide historic sites, cluding in piec and Ojib es by Dakota we artis ans. For more infor mation, please visit the online store at shop.mnh s.org or call 651-259 -3010.

To learn about other Minneso Historic ta al Soci ety mus ums, sites eand store mnhs.org s, visit .

ABO UT Overlook ing St. Paul’s dow skyline, the Minn ntown esota Histo Center features ry an inter museum, active touring exhibits, films, perfo lectures, for all ages rmances and activities .

Minnesota It is also hom e to the Historical archives Socie and libra ty, its ry.

DIN ING Café Minn esota is serve resta a casual selfurant focu Minnesota sing on specials, fare. It offers daily grill and desserts, deli selec entrée coffees, tions, wine and Guests have acce beer. ss to free internet service. wireless Call 651for hour s.

259-3000 The Minne Historical sota History Cente Society r and Minne around the world Library draw sota visitors . from

, MIN N S T. P AUL

LOCATIO N 345 Kello gg Boul evard West St. Paul, Minnesota 651-25955102 3000 • 888mnhs.org /historycen 727-8386 ter ADM ISSIO $10 adul N ts, $8 senio rs and students, colle $5 child Special ren 6-17 ge fees may . apply for programs and exhib its.

HOU RS OF OPE RATI ON Tuesday 10 Wednesd AM – 8 PM ay-Saturda Sunday y 10 AM Noon – – 5 PM 5 PM Open Mon day and Holidays 10 AM – 5 PM

ESOT

A

YOUR GUIDE TO CULTURAL & HERITAGE TRAVEL AND THE LEADING MUSEUM STORES

S

hopping is the #1 activity of all travelers, according to data tracked

by the U.S. Department of Commerce/ Office of Travel & Tourism Industries and the Travel Industry Association.

MSA and The Cultural Traveler can help you market your store to these lucrative shoppers.

The Cultu ral

Traveler

2010

| 27

Be a part of this high-end cultural tourism guidebook with a full-color page highlighting your museum store!

To view the current edition and for complete details about how to participate in an upcoming edition of The Cultural Traveler, visit www.Museum-Store.travel.

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MUSEUM STORE | FALL 2010

PINK HOUSE IMPORTS LLC ‚ Orange, CA | (888) 355-6907 www.pinkhouseimports.com Beautiful women have adorned themselves with glass beads for thousands of years.

Pink House Imports plays a vital role in keeping this tradition alive. We are an importer and design house of fashion glass, beaded and gemstone jewelry and accessories based on a woman’s love of color. Our goal is to give women affordable options to enhance their favorite colors and, in doing so, we have created a line that is compelling, versatile and very profitable. We understand that you, the museum retailer, want to be successful, so we strive to offer you speedy service, great prices and a helpful approach to make our retail partnership more profitable.

MSAFall10_NewVendorShowcase_MSAFall10_pg 9/2/10 10:54 AM Page 49

RECENT TOYS  Austin, TX | (512) 879-7256 www.recenttoysusa.com Recent Toys offers fresh new brainteasers that are innovative and challenging. Each one is unique in concept so there is something for everyone. The small size makes them great for travel and the cool designs look great on the coffee table or desk. Give one of these clever puzzles to the brainiac on your list and watch them noodle away!

DONALEE DESIGNS ‚ Bayfield, WI | (715) 779-3374 www.donaleedesigns.com Donalee is proud to offer her diverse jewelry collections. Each piece is handmade with unsurpassed quality using natural organic materials and sterling silver. Inspired by nature, they add touches of the unexpected and arrive at a piece customers will want to wear for decades… but fit into current fashion trends. Shown here: bracelet from the Links Collection, $75. Donalee and her team offer world class customer service, custom designs and very reasonable pricing.

REACH BUYERS Advertise in ...

Product News Now Inside!

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HOLIDAY BUYER’S GIFTS GUIDE

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THE CARE AND FEEDI NG OF YOUR STORE

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FALL 2010 | MUSEUM STORE

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| new releases |

A

s a cultural commerce buyer, you have the unique opportunity of extending and enhancing your visitors’ experiences with educational and unusual merchandise. Here’s a sampling of the new products submitted to MSA for review in the past 90 days. (All review copies will be donated to qualified charitable organizations.)

| ad index |

1928 Jewelry Co. ............................................ 32 2011 MSA Conference & Expo........................ 55 Advanced Retail Management Systems – Counterpoint............................................... 35 American Heritage Chocolate........................ 56 Artwear LLC.................................................... 25 A.T. Storrs ......................................................... 7

BOOKS & RELATED “A Space for Faith: The Colonial Meetinghouses of New England” Enfield Publishing & Distribution Co. Enfield, NH (603) 632-7377 | www.enfieldbooks.com Wholesale: Call for prices | Retail: $35 Both a history and a fine-art book, “A Space for Faith” uses elegant black and white photographs to explore the buildings that served as the social, municipal and religious center of New England’s earliest towns and cities. Built by a society that originally did not distinguish between church and state, New England’s meetinghouses met the needs of both, and provided the setting for the birth of town-hall democracy. Hardcover; 128 pages; 77 duotone images.

BeadArt from The Heart LLC ......................... 21 Bruce McGaw Graphics Inc. ............................ 9 ChemArt Co. .........................................................15 Clear Solutions Inc. ....................................... 25 The Cultural Traveler ...................................... 48 DONALEE DESIGNS ....................................... 35 EDC Publishing............................................... 38 Eye Think Inc. ....................................................... 21 Fame U.S.A. Products Inc. ................................. 10 Folkmanis Inc. ................................................. 5 Fractiles .......................................................... 29 Galison/Mudpuppy.......................................... 14 Getty Publications................................................ 19 Glass Eye Studio/ Global Village Glass Studio ........................ 49 Historical Folk Toys LLC................................. 39 Image 3D......................................................... 49

GAMES & TOYS Andy Warhol Flowers Puzzle Galison/Mudpuppy New York, NY (800) 670-7441 | www.galison.com Wholesale: Call for prices | Retail: $16 The Andy Warhol Flowers 1000 Piece Puzzle features images of six screenprints on paper in which Andy Warhol used vibrant colors to depict flowers in a fresh way. Each puzzle comes in an easy-to-giftwrap sturdy rectangular box and includes a sheet with information about the artist and with information on the image itself.

Finished puzzle measures 20" x 27".

Jet Creations................................................... 29 Knowledge Standards Self-assessments CD... 54 Messe Frankfurt ............................................. 17 MGI Lists ......................................................... 47 Michael Sack................................................... 29 Mondaine Watch Ltd....................................... 40 MSA Membership ........................................... 41 MSA Retail Industry Report.............................. 54 Museum Store magazine ................................ 49 NGlassworks LLC........................................... 14 Nahui Ollin–Candy Wrapper Hand Bags ......... 3 Numbers by the Book ...................................... 45 Pink House Imports.......................................... 2 Portland Press................................................ 13 Pretty Ugly LLC ............................................... 14 Recent Toys..................................................... 34

HOME & GARDEN Le Chat Noir Tea Accessories The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, NY (212) 570-3723 | http://store.metmuseum.org Wholesale: Call for prices | Retail: Call for prices Few artists have been more passionate about or more associated with cats than Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen. The charming antics of the cats of Paris are immortalized in his famous book “Des Chats” (ca.

1898), a copy of which is in the Museum’s collection.

The enchanting images on these tea accessories are based on a sequence of eight drawings from this book. Porcelain items are dishwasher and microwave safe. Includes a decorative box for each of the listed items. Contact wholesale@metmuseum.org for more details.

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MUSEUM STORE | FALL 2010

Schleich North America Inc. .............................. 24 Scratch Art Co. Inc. ....................................... 33 Sunset Hill Stonewear.................................... 35 Tamohara Collection ...................................... 48 Thames & Hudson............................................... 11 Thinking Outside The Square ......................... 18 Wholesalecrafts.com Inc................................ 39

For detailed contact information about any Museum Store advertiser, please visit www.MuseumStoreAssociation.org and log in to the Member Directory.

Thank you for supporting our advertisers!

MSA10_ProductNews_MSAFall10_pg 9/2/10 10:59 AM Page 51

FALL 2010

MSA’s Showcase of Specialty Store Merchandise APPAREL / ACCESSORIES Retail $16.99 each

ROLLOVER EYEWEAR CASES They're fun! Open a rollover case and watch as it magically rolls around itself. These cleverly designed cases are intriguing yet practical gift ideas for all ages.

Great stocking stuffers!

A NOVEL DESIGN Phone: (201) 265-4435 Fax: (201) 265-4435 jijinan aol.com

Retail $12

Wholesale $8.50 each Print and Online Catalog

Advice from a Dragonfly Earth Sun Moon’s Advice from NatureTM line of t-shirts, sweatshirts and hats are top sellers for museums, zoos and thousands of specialty gift shops around the country. XXl t-shirts/$9.50.

Wholesale $4.95

Print Catalog

EARTH SUN MOON TRADING CO. Phone: (888) 458-1687 Fax: (724) 458-4920 info@earthsunmoon.com www.esmtees.com

Retail $52–$100

Retail $40–$75

Retail $26–$52

Wholesale $26–$50

Wholesale $19–$37.50

Wholesale $13–$26

Print and Online Catalog

Print Catalog

Online Catalog

Handbags From Japanese Kimonos Vintage Japanese kimonos redesigned into handbags, totes, scarves, hats and neckties. A great recycled product. Made

by Theresa Gallup, an artist in Springfield, MO.

Silk Scarves Limited Edition Scarf on 100% sateen silk designed by the artist to make a colorful and vibrant statement–“Walk With Art.” Visit us on the website.

Step into our Pretty Palazzo The swooping architecture along the Grand Canal inspired this colorful wool gauze scarf. It’s a little Venice, a little Morocco and another Zazou original.

KIMONO DESIGNS BY THERESA INC. Phone: (417) 823-8886 kimonodesigns sbcglobal.net www.kimonodesigns.com

NINA J. DESIGN STUDIOS LLC Phone: (540) 539-8072 jhaverineena@yahoo.com www.ninastudios.com

ZAZOU Phone: (800) 274-1868 Fax: (510) 848-6135 info zazou.com www.zazou.com

CONTENTS 51 APPAREL / ACCESSORIES 52 BOOKS 52 FOOD

www.MuseumStoreAssociation.org

52 CUSTOM PRODUCTS 52 HOME & GARDEN 52 GAMES & TOYS

53 JEWELRY 53 PAPER PRODUCTS 53 RECYCLED

53 SOUVENIR/PROMO 53 REPRODUCTIONS

FALL 2010 | MUSEUM STORE

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BOOKS

FOOD Retail $34.99

Retail $10

Retail $1.50–$20/unit

Wholesale $15.45

Wholesale $5.40–$6

Wholesale $.80–$10.64/unit

Online Catalog

Online Catalog

Print and Online Catalog

“Discovering New York Artist De La Vega” A collection of all things James De La Vega, known as a “sidewalk philosopher” who inspires onlookers and listeners to “become one’s dream.” This book is fun for any art fan.

Six Imaginative Books Books include easy-to-follow projects with accompanying photographs. Titles include “Eco Crafts,” “Making Masks,” “Making Mosaics,” “Making Puppets,” “Origami” and “Papier-Mache.”

Colonial Chocolate from Historic Division of MARS, Inc. Made from ingredients and spices available during colonial times, American Heritage Chocolate keeps history alive … in the most delicious way possible.

DOTTY ROSE PUBLICATIONS Phone: (305) 409-5785 info dottyrose.com www.delavegabook.com

THE ROSEN PUBLISHING GROUP INC. Phone: (646) 205-7477 Fax: (212) 614-7385 triciab@rosenpub.com www.rosenpublishing.com

AMERICAN HERITAGE CHOCOLATE sales americanheritagechocolate.com www.americanheritagechocolate.com

CUSTOM PRODUCTS

HOME & GARDEN Retail $17.90

Retail Call for quote

Retail $60–$205

Wholesale $8.95

Wholesale Call for quote

Wholesale $30–$103

Print and Online Catalog

Print and Online Catalog

Print and Online Catalog

Photo Etched With Decal Ornament DesignMaster’s custom quality is now accessible through our Q3 Program™. Order select products (quantities of 144 and 288) using your image.

Custom Design Pop-up Greeting Cards Historic treasure or cutting edge icon–I can design a 3-D greeting card of your museum home. Custom pricing upon request.

Marsh–2010 Tile Collection Hand-crafted gift tiles are created by Ann Arbor artisans in the Arts and Crafts tradition. Marsh tile in dark oak, shown here framed, is 6''x 6''. Also available in Dark Blue.

DESIGN MASTER ASSOCIATES INC. Phone: (800) 322-7583 Fax: (757) 566-8400 sales@designmasters.com www.designmasters.com

LIVE YOUR DREAM DESIGNS Phone: (323) 226-0274 Fax: (323) 226-0274 www.liveyourdreamdesigns.com

MOTAWI TILEWORKS Phone: (734) 213-0017 Fax: (734) 213-2569 motawi@motawi.com www.motawi.com

GAMES & TOYS

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Retail $30

Retail N/A

Retail $13

Wholesale $15

Wholesale $9.50

Wholesale $6.50

Print and Online Catalog

Print and Online Catalog

Print and Online Catalog

Score Big With Y-Ball 30 magnetic double-Y pieces click together to form a fun soccer-ball shape. A creativity guidebook offers lots of ideas to kick off your imagination.

Replica Toy Nine Pins Faithfully reproduced from an 18th-century plantation’s collection. Hardwood pins are 4 1/4” tall with 1 1/2” ball.

Includes quality drawstring muslin bag, history and game rules.

Hiker's Companion Playing Cards Fifty-two wild animals to identify while hiking a trail, or in your own backyard. This waterproof deck comes with a carabiner clip and silicone band.

CREATIVE WHACK CO. Phone: (877) 423-7984 Fax: (203) 504-6257 www.creativewhack.com

HISTORICAL FOLK TOYS LLC Phone: (800) 871-1984 Fax: (800) 871-1899 info historicalfolktoys.com www.HistoricalFolkToys.com

INKSTONE DESIGN INC. Phone: (406) 542-0270 Fax: (406) 542-0256 gofish inkstone.net www.inkstone.net

MUSEUM STORE | FALL 2010

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GAMES & TOYS

PAPER PRODUCTS Retail $20

Retail $8.99

Retail $15

Wholesale $10

Wholesale $4.50

Wholesale $7.50

Print and Online Catalog

Print and Online Catalog

Print Catalog

Uglydoll® UGLYBOT™ Uglybot is here to serve you, and will never turn his back on you. While he may blink 12:00 from time to time, you’ll never need to upgrade his love.

Safari® Dinos Rhamphorhynchus Safari Ltd features a fascinating flying dino called the Rhamphorhynchus, which is painted by hand and is phthalate and lead free. Ages 3+. View all at www.safariltd.com.

Ask The Queens Advice Card Deck Royal advice dispensed with scintillating wit and wisdom.

To consult their majesties, simply choose a card to reveal your special message. Forty oversized cards in a gift box.

PRETTY UGLY LLC Phone: (908) 620-0931 Fax: (908) 620-0914 pretty@uglydolls.com www.uglydolls.com

SAFARI LTD. Phone: (800) 554-5414 Fax: (800) 766-7841 sales@safariltd.com www.safariltd.com

U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS INC. Phone: (800) 544-2637 Fax: (203) 353-8431 sales usgamesinc.com www.usgamesinc.com

JEWELRY Retail $50–$500

Retail $14.99–$34.99

Retail $25

Wholesale $25–$250

Wholesale $5.50–$14

Wholesale $12

Print and Online Catalog

Print and Online Catalog

Online Catalog

Mata Ortiz Pottery Shard & SilverJewelry Make a connection with natural materials from the earth, with artists who handform with the past and the present.

It’s not just art; it's a story!

Pink House Imports’ Hand-Beaded Purses Available in many different colors and styles, these irresistible bags make excellent gifts. Pink House hand-beaded bags are a best-selling gotta have item!

Halo Earrings Q3 Art makes fashionable, fun and affordable hand-dyed anodized aluminum jewelry, mobiles and clocks. To access website below, enter artist #20169, then enter the password: tra3q.

MATA ORTIZ TO YOU Phone: (520) 744-0639 Fax: (520) 744-0639 jandiers@msn.com www.mataortiztoyou.com

PINK HOUSE IMPORTS Phone: (888) 355-6907 sales@pinkhouseimports.com www.pinkhouseimports.com

Q3 ART INC. Phone: (877) 929-4258 Fax: (773) 929-4258 info@q3art.com www.wholesalecrafts.com/visitor

SOUVENIR & PROMOTIONAL

REPRODUCTIONS

RECYCLED Retail $30

Retail $27–$110

Retail $159

Wholesale $15

Wholesale $12–$52

Wholesale $125

Print Catalog

Print Catalog

Recycled Bombshell Jewelry Offer the gift of peace this holiday season! Spectacular jewelry handmade from disarmed bombshells by a Fair Trade co-op in Cambodia.

Floral Frame Tiles Artistic floral frame tiles are available in four styles: goldenrod, baby’s breath, goat’s beard or statis, in either celadonblue or tan background, and can be customized.

I-STAND: Roll-Up Banner Stand This stand by Jet Creations is the perfect display solution.

The stand has a large 33.5'' x 79'' viewable area and comes with a durable carry bag. Free full-color imprint.

REFASHIONED INC. Phone: (514) 426-3481 Fax: (514) 426-1553 info refashioned.com www.refashioned.com

DAVID CHANGAR CERAMIC DESIGNS Phone: (718) 842-6362 Fax: (718) 842-6965 dchangar@nyc.rr.com

JET CREATIONS INC. Phone: (888) 823-1388 Fax: (703) 823-6730 service@jetcreations.com www.jetinflate.com

Print and Online Catalog

FALL 2010 | MUSEUM STORE

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Get 43 MSA Knowledge Standards Self-assessment Tools on 1 CD!

ONLY $19.95

L

ooking to develop a training and education plan for your retail staff? Want to build your own cultural commerce skills to the highest level?

Use this handy CD to rate your professional skills and measure personnel proficiency. At a glance you’ll be able to evaluate the areas within each of the eight Knowledge Standards where you can improve and identify future learning opportunities.

TO ORDER, CALL MSA AT (303) 504-9223 OR GO TO WWW.MUSEUMSTOREASSOCIATION.ORG.

YOU ASKED FOR IT, AND MSA DELIVERED! THE MSA RETAIL INDUSTRY REPORT.

F I N A N C I A L ,

Comprehensive financial, salary and operations data – plus best practices for marketing and merchandising.

O P E R A T I O N S

A N D

S A L A R Y

D A T A

www.MuseumStoreAssociation.org MUSEUM STORE ASSOCIATION

$349.00 USD

This unparalleled study includes data from hundreds of specialty retail stores associated with museums, historic houses, art galleries, zoos/aquariums and other cultural institutions.

Get the sound business intelligence you need to make smart operations, staffing and marketing decisions in the 2009 MSA Retail Industry Report. To order, call MSA at (303) 504-9223 or go to www.MuseumStoreAssociation.org.

Discover overall trends affecting the industry and evaluate your store’s performance against similar organizations, based on store size, annual visitation, geography and other data points.

THE 2009 MSA RETAIL INDUSTRY REPORT WAS BROUGHT TO YOU IN PART BY THE FOLLOWING INDUSTRY SUPPORTERS:

CHAMPION LEVEL 54

MUSEUM STORE | FALL 2010

SUPPORTER LEVEL

and

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MUSEUM VISITS Come in early and spend Friday in Chicago visiting area museums and stores along with other store managers.

MORE NETWORKING From a Sam Greenberg Scholarship breakfast fundraiser to cocktails in the exhibit hall, you’ll have lots

2011 MSA RETAIL CONFERENCE & EXPO Chicago/Rosemont, IL | April 30–May 2, 2011

TAKE CHARGE: DEFINE THE FUTURE

T

he 2011 MSA Retail Conference & Expo promises to be another great event for museum store professionals. Dynamic member speakers will provide resources in the Knowledge Standards areas of

Customer Relations, Financial Management, Merchandise Planning and Strategic Management. Plan now to be a part of this exceptional shared learning and networking opportunity.

more time in 2011 to catch up with colleagues.

CLOSING KEYNOTE by BRAD KAUFFMAN, THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART’S VP AND GM OF MERCHANDISE AND RETAIL Capitalize on Brad’s extensive retail background and learn how to channel entrepreneurial drive into your museum’s culture!

Go to www.MSAmeeting.org for important Conference news and updates.

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