Name-Dropped and Custom Products

manager and buyer at the Society gift shop. They’re a universal gift for everyone, and, as the Society is a travel destination, guests also favor these items because they’re non-breakable items that can easily be slipped into a suitcase. The Society’s apparel features manatees (alongside slogans like “life in the slow lane,” to capture the laid back nature of the manatee), spoonbills, pelicans and alligators, just to name a few.

Wildman thought she might be taking a chance when she brought in a face mask embroidered with their logo and spoon bills. They were sold at $25 each, and they couldn’t keep them in stock. Wildman procured a local artist and materials to make additional masks. Now, they sell masks that feature other animals, such as a manatee, and holiday-themed masks as well.

“They fly out the door,” Wildman said.

Wildman said no name-dropped items have sold particularly poorly at the Society shop. She tries to circumvent any issues by ordering new products in small quantities, without name-drops at first, to assess the quality of the items. She may also put these items out on the floor to see if people like them before name-dropping a product and buying it in larger quantities. She has also noticed that some clothing sizes are not great sellers – such as men’s size smalls. She’ll include any unsold merchandise in sales throughout the year.

At the Catalina Island Conservancy, Denise Morris , manager and buyer for the gift shop says prickly pear items, backpacks, T-shirts, Catalina Island fox plush, stickers and hats are all top sellers in her store. Customers buy these items because they are interesting goods that they won’t find elsewhere, Morris said. “They want something with the Conservancy name and logo that they can