Independent Retailer 08-14

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August 2014 | IR

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IR | August 2014

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August Augu Au g st 2014 201 014 | IR R

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IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IR | August 2014

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August 2014 | Volume 25 | Number 9

pages 22 & 70

NEWS

GIFTS & SOUVENIRS

14 By the Numbers

MARKETING & MANAGEMENT 16 Above and Beyond with Pinterest 22 3 Hot C-Store Categories Experiencing Growth 26 Shifting Behaviors in Back to School Shopping 32 5 Ways to Turn Excess Inventory Into a Marketing Opportunity

50 Gift Cards Raise Retail Revenue 56 Customized Glitter Tubes From Glitsand® 60 Stockwell Greetings: Cards For Every Occasion

JEWELRY & FASHION ACCESSORIES 62 64 66 68

That’s Perfect Hair Wraps Teeda For Sterling Silver Jewelry 2014 Trend: Statement Necklaces Fall Jewelry & Fashion Trends

FEATURE

WEB PROFITS

70 Convenience: A Look at the C-Store Market

36 Why Retailers Need to Integrate into Mobile 40 Are Social Widgets Negatively Impacting Your Ecommerce Site? 44 Big Email Marketing on a Small Business Budget 46 Plan Ahead: Holiday Ecommerce Strategies 48 Wholesale Supplier Directory

PRODUCT TRENDS 78 The Incredible Sunvisor: Almost 7 Million Sold 80 Cupsy Makes Sofa Spills a Thing of the Past 82 North Woods Animal Treats: Wholesome & Fun

SUPPLIER PROFILES 86 Ultra Hybrid Vaping Accessories & E-cigs 96 Inch of Gold: Custom Gold and Silver Chains

TRADESHOWS INDEPENDENTRETAILER.com Facebook.com/IndependentRetailerMagazine

@indretailer

98 Impulse at NY Now Launches August 2014 100 Asia America Show Attracts Sellers From Around the World 102 August — September 2014 Tradeshow Calendar

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August 2014 | IR

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IR | August 2014

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August 2014 | IR

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

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by the numbers

HALLOWEEN It may sound "scary," but even with your customers buying sunscreen and back-to-school items, it's already time to get your store ready for Halloween.

$7 billion

Annual Halloween consumer spending.

68.5%

73.5%

of consumers plan on celebrating Halloween.

will hand out candy.

$72.00

Average amount spent on Halloween.

49.5%

will decorate their home or yard.

$19.79

Average amount spent on decorations.

$21.05

Average amount spent on candy.

$1 billion

Annual spending on child costumes.

22.9%

of parents will take their kids trick-or-treating.

$26.52

Average amount spent on a costume.

$1.21 billion Annual spending on adult costumes.

43.9%

plan on wearing a costume.

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August 2014 | IR

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

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IR | August 2014

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marketing & Management Above and Beyond with Pinterest YOUR PINTEREST page is filled with full and engaging boards, you have a nice following and you get daily repins. The hardest part for Pinterest beginners is over. But now what? Take your page to the next level with these quick and easy tips.

Create a group board As you know, customer engagement is one of the big keys to success for your business. But coming up with new ways to spark conversation on social media can be tricky. Pinterest’s group board feature will help. A group board is a board that you and others you invite can add Pins to. It helps make your business become more approachable and increases your visibility. Start by creating a group board that is related to your business type. It can be a board of favorite products

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August 2014 | IR

by Kelley Sloyer

purchased at your store, favorite recipes from your cafe, trends for the upcoming season, or even landscaping ideas. The possibilities are endless! Fill in all of the information about your board and start adding Pins. Then tap into your list of followers to find any of your current customers and pinners who have repinned from your boards in the past, and invite them to join your new board. Simply click “Edit” on your board, and type in the name of a person you would like to invite. The person’s name will appear, and you can click on it to automatically send an invitation to their email. If you would like to invite more Pinners, ask your fans on Facebook and Twitter! Post or tweet a message that includes a link to your Pinterest page, and ask continued on page 18

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

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IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IR | August 2014

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marketing & Management Pinterest continued from page 16 your fans to Like or RT your message if they have Pinterest and would like to join your board. Be sure to communicate that they need to follow at least one of your boards first! To give added enticement for them to join the group board, consider holding a contest where the 10th person to add a Pin to the board will receive $5 off their next purchase. Then feature that fan’s Pin on your social networks for even more engagement.

Cater your Pin descriptions for Guided Search Pinterest has more than 750 million boards and 30 billion Pins, so creating a keyword-filled Pin description to help your Pins show up in searches is more important than ever, especially with the introduction of the feature, Guided Search. For now, this feature is mobile-only and appears once a user taps on the magnifying glass on their iPhone or Android to search for Pins. Once the Pinner starts to add in a search term, results automati-

cally start to appear. The Pinner can select an option or continue to type in the search term of choice. Once the Pinner taps “Search,� the results will appear along with a scrollable list of options to help narrow down exactly what they are looking for. If a Pinner is searching for a blue sweater, once they tap search, they will have scrollable results like “Outfit,� “Navy� and “Royal.� So what does this mean for you as a business? Add specific descriptive words to all of your Pin descriptions. For example, if you are ready to add a Pin of a new sweater that just arrived in your store, the important keywords you need to include in your description are the brand name, complete color, material and other important information. When a potential customer is searching for that navy blue sweater by the designer you have pinned, it will have a better chance of appearing in the guided search results.

Utilize new tools to promote your boards Cross-promoting your Pinterest page through continued on page 20

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August 2014 | IR

ASD Las Vegas Aug. 3-6 - Booth #C1943 IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IR | August 2014

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Pinterest continued from page 18

See us at the IGES Pigeon Forge, TN Nov. 3rd-7th Booth #’s 7728 & 7729

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Facebook, Twitter and email is a great way to gain new followers and spread the word about your page. But are you promoting it on your website? Pinterest has made it easy to do so with Widget Builder. With a few clicks you can customize the Pin It button and Follow button for your website, or showcase a Pin with Pin Widget and feature up to 30 pins with Profile Widget and Board Widget. Your customers can easily discover new Pins when they visit your website and Pin them to their boards. SnapRetail designed a Pin it button of their own for subscribers to add to each image they send in an email. From there, customers can click “Pin it” to Pin the picture to their boards. Pinterest is releasing another way to promote your Pins in conjunction with your website with paid ads. This will be a game-changer, because you will only pay when people click through to your ads. Pinterest Ads are only in testing stages right now, so join the waitlist here: ads.pinterest.com. As Pinterest continues to dominate social media, more and more features will be released to help you increase your online footprint, and most of all, your sales. In the meantime, implement these three new tips on your page, and enjoy boosted engagement. ■ Kelley Sloyer is the interactive copywriter for SnapRetail, a ready-to-use online marketing solution that helps independent retailers engage and sell to customers, using email and social media. She has a retail and writing background, earning a bachelor’s degree in communications media and journalism from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit snapretail.com.

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August 2014 | IR

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IR | August 2014

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marketing & Management 3 Hot C-Store Categories Experiencing Growth AS A retailer, it is up to you to find the hottest new products, and provide those products to your customers before anyone else can. Today, there are approximately 150,000 convenience stores in operation. 63 percent of those convenience stores are independently owned, while the remaining are chain store operations. In a recent study, the average age of a c-store customer is falling, and is now below 40. However, the average customer is still male. This means that the customer that you should be catering your new products to are tech-savvy, and constantly on the go. Overall, your customers want the flexibility of purchasing different brands, while recent reports show that they still prefer name brand goods. Convenience stores on the cutting edge are

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August 2014 | IR

by Joel Goldstein

stocking their coolers with healthier alternatives to soft drinks, while expanding their snacking options to include fast and healthy alternatives to salty snacks. Here are the hottest three growth categories in today’s modern c-store.

1. Healthy snack alternatives Research has shown that the most sought-after products are healthy items that are readily available for consumption. Sales of snacks made from nutritionally dense ingredients are on the rise, such as seeds like flax, chia and hemp. Consumers are looking for permissible indulgence. Healthier alternatives to candy bars, potato chips and cookies are continued on page 24

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IR | August 2014

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marketing & Management 3 Hot C-Store Categories Experiencing Growth continued from page 22 taking market share from the popular salty and sweet snacks.

2. Energy Drinks According to IRI, sales of energy drinks in convenience stores topped 6.5 billion dollars in 2013. That is an increase of approximately 6% over 2012’s sales. With Red Bull continuing to dominate the category, more convenience stores are stocking their shelves with healthier beverage alternatives, catering to their new health conscious customer base.

3. Wellness Products With the average age of customers falling, there has been a steady shift towards weight loss products, and “good-for-me” solutions in convenience stores. There are a lot of innovative health products coming onto the

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August 2014 | IR

market that have a large margin and a small footprint. Retail sales are all about the numbers. You must pay attention to sales trends in order to stay ahead of them, and know your best performing products. It is most important to spot what is popular among consumers, first by watching what the younger generation is buying in your store. To better appeal to those who want healthier food and drinks at their fingertips, you as an independent retailer should cater to your customers’ intentions for healthier living. Begin to diversify the products offered in your store, and test how healthier products perform at your checkout counter. You’ll be glad you did! ■ Joel Goldstein is a world-renowned speaker, best-selling author and business consultant. He has been featured as an expert in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, CNBC and ABC News. Goldstein takes products from early stage companies to the next level, with the help of his team at Mr. Checkout Distributors. Always in pursuit of the next “hot” item, Goldstein searches the world for products that are looking to gain traction in Mr. Checkout’s network of 35,000+ independent retail stores.

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IR | August 2014

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marketing & Management Shifting Behaviors in Back to School by John Gregory Shopping RETAILERS ARE in full backto-school mode, and with good reason. More than 50 million students will be going back to school this year, and many will need school supplies, clothes and other items that will be purchased during the summer shopping season. This typically runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, making it the second busiest shopping event of the year. You can expect this season to see a continued shift in consumer behaviors, as the lines between online and traditional in-store activity blur, and consumers shop smarter before opening their wallets. According to the National Retail Federation, consumers spent $72.5 billion on back-to-school purchases

in 2013, down from $83 billion spent in 2012. Online sales are expected to increase 16 percent this season, with back-to-school purchases averaging $50.17, according to eMarketer. It is widely believed that fluctuations in back-to-school spending are attributed to consumers shopping smarter with mobile, looking for the best deals, sometimes “showrooming” in-store, and limiting purchases to necessities. In response to a Google survey, nearly all respondents said a sale or promotion would encourage them to make a purchase. Although consumer confidence is growing along with disposable income, consumers are doing their research before they buy, whether in local establishments or national retail chains.

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August 2014 | IR

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

Who’s doing the shopping? Most BTS shoppers are Moms, but nearly half of Dads responding to an AOL survey mentioned they are primarily responsible for the BTS shopping in their household. Although Dads have a bigger role in back-to-school shopping today than in previous years, Moms still seem to be more efficient, getting all of their shopping done in two and a half stores. Dads typically go to three stores. Regardless of who is doing the shopping, most have a list of planned purchase items. The vast majority, 90 percent, of BTS shopping occurs within a 30-day period

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between July and September. Retailers trying to reach backto-school shoppers need to start advertising early to get on their list. Although the majority of purchases are made in August, nearly onefourth of shoppers participating in an industry survey indicated they begin researching BTS purchases prior to the Fourth of July holiday. “Customers are telling us they want to have an early jump on things,” says Demos Parneros, Staples continued on page 28

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IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IR | August 2014

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marketing & Management Back to School Shopping

Growth of online sales

continued from page 27

While most purchases take place in-store, online BTS sales are growing. In fact, almost half of all electronics purchases and close to one-third of apparel sales are done online, according to an independent study conducted by AOL. Nearly half of consumers agree that advertising helps find relevant products, and about one out of three say online ads help them find their back-toschool items. Consumers will shop online as long as it is convenient, and offers competitive pricing, better service and a wider product selection. Nearly two out of three shoppers will use their smart phones for back-to-school purchases, and the number of consumers planning to use mobile coupons is up 15% from 2012, according to a Deloitte & Touche BTS Survey. In addition, the survey discovered that twothirds of consumers plan to use social media reviews continued on page 30

North American Stores & Online president. Consumer shopping behaviors of high school and college students differ greatly from their parents. Unlike their parents, students are shopping all year long, and are less receptive to back-to-school shopping events as a result. “Shopping is not an event that you do; shopping is something that’s just part of your day,” notes Stephanie Wissink, co-director/Sr. research analyst, Piper Jaffray. Students tend to buy what they need when they need it, especially online, and are more receptive to mobile ads than their parents. According to the survey, “Shoppers for high school students expect to spend $347 on average; people shopping for college expect to spend nearly double that amount, at $614 on average.”

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August 2014 | IR

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

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Back to School Shopping continued from page 28 and recommendations before making a buying decision, a nearly onethird increase from 2012. Most consumers want a seamless shopping experience, whether they choose to buy in-store or online. The most popular back-toschool online shopping sites are stores that have both a physical and virtual presence like Sears, Best Buy, Apple and Walmart. AOL’s survey also revealed that 70% of consumers spend $100 or more on back to school apparel. However, more than half of consumers purchase electronic products. This is in addition to school supplies purchases, of course. Nearly half of consumers polled want to purchase products online for pickup at their neighborhood store, according to an online survey conducted by consumer research agency, The Omnibus Company. Smart phones and mobile technology are making it easy for consumers to comparison shop while in-store, and most will browse for BTS products in a local store and purchase them online. The retailers who will win the 2014 back-to-school season will make the shopping experience seamless across digital and brickand-mortar stores, with a focus on value and convenience for busy parents, who will be shopping online early and often. ■ John Gregory is the Category Development Officer for Retail at AOL Advertising, and leverages his 25+ years of retail and brand marketing experience to grow the category. Specifically, he provides category leadership; solidify a defined and differentiated positioning; use the category lens to inform product development, packaging, solutions, and business development, as well as enhance the internal knowledge and understanding of the retail category through thought leadership initiatives. Connect with Gregory on Twitter @SpeakingRetail.

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

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marketing & Management 5 Ways to Turn Excess Inventory Into a Marketing Opportunity EVERY RETAILER has dealt with excess inventory in some capacity. You know, that purchase you were excited about, but your customers didn’t feel was a good deal? The one that has been sitting on the shelf getting price reduction after price reduction, but just isn’t moving? Many retailers walk away from such purchases and consider them a loss, but they don’t have to. The following solutions offer five ways to clear slow moving inventory, while creating marketing opportunities for your business.

Solution 1: Turn them into promotional items Everyone likes to get a freebie or a buy one, get one

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August 2014 | IR

by Nathania Stambouli

free offer. If you’re willing to let excess product go for less than you originally intended, consider giving out gifts with purchase. For example, if someone spends $50, they get a free (insert excess product here). This works by increasing customer loyalty, while helping you upsell. It also gives you an eye-catching message to advertise. You can also have items printed with your company logo, and use them as branded giveaways to further solidify your message.

Solution 2: Sell them through Daily Deal sites. Daily Deal sites have soared in recent years, and sites like Groupon Goods, No More Rack and Daily Steals

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are dedicated to offering popular consumer goods at a discount. They are often looking to source several hundred or thousand units of products for daily deals. If you’re sitting on let’s say, 200 excess pairs of purple sandals that just won’t sell, consign them to a daily deal site. You’ll get money for them, and in some cases a bit of exposure for your business brand. In many cases, deal sites want you to ship the goods to their warehouse so they can ship them out promptly, while others work on a drop-shipping basis.

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Solution 3: List them on eBay Wholesale What happens if you’re stuck with 73 pieces of completely assorted items? It used to be challenging to move mixed items in one small lot, until the arrival of eBay Wholesale. eBay Wholesale is a great platform for listing small or large lots of excess inventory in varying conditions. The buyers on the site are looking for wholesale and closeout deals, and the site is consistently growing in popularity and attracting new buyers. Listing your lot there can also give you an avenue to connect with other wholesalers who might even become future suppliers for your business.

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Solution 4: Create a coupon You can also create coupon codes for your items and submit them to major couponing sites likes RetailMeNot, Wow-Coupons, CouponSherpa and more. There are dozens of these out there, many of which are free. Anytime a prospective customer looks up a discount coupon for your store, your special offer of a discount on your excess inventory item will pop continued on page 34 IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

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marketing & Management continued from page 33 up, and help get that customer into your store where he or she will likely find additional items to purchase.

Solution 5: Liquidate Many retailers don’t have the time to do the research that some of the above solutions suggest. If that’s your case, or if you have a larger quantity of inventory to move, consider partnering with a liquidation company specializing in selling off excess or obsolete goods. Programs like Via Trading’s LiquidateNow, among others, offer several options, including selling the goods to one buyer as one lot, or selling it as multiple lots to multiple buyers to recover a higher return. As you research, pay attention to what liquidators do for the vendors they work with. Programs like LiquidateNow write short case studies for their vendors, giving them added online exposure. In addition to these solutions, retailers can consider donating their excess goods to charities. This usually

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August 2014 | IR

means a tax write-off, and some charities will link to the donor on their website, or otherwise allow the retailer to use the donation as a PR piece. Craigslist can also be a great way to move larger items like furniture, and has the added benefit of being very regionally targeted. Any ads you place on Craigslist for your inventory can include information about your store or website, to help drive additional foot or web traffic to your business. The point is, just because it’s not making you money the way you hoped it would, doesn’t make it an outright bad purchase. You can get creative and recuperate at least part of your investment (if not all), while simultaneously creating opportunities to get your business’s name out into the world. ■ Nathania Stambouli is marketing manager for Via Trading Corp, a Los Angeles based wholesale liquidator. The firm specializes in supplying independent retailers of all types and sizes with cost-effective liquidated merchandise from the nation’s leading department stores and specialty retailers. In addition to providing a reliable stream of profitable inventory, Via Trading offers independent retailers a wide array of resources to assist in growing their businesses. For more information, visit viatrading.com.

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web profits Why Retailers Need to Integrate into Mobile COMSCORE REPORTED in 2012 that the number of mobile users accessing the Internet would surpass traditional desktop users by the end of 2014. In fact, ComScore reports this occurred for the first time in the first month of this year. In January 2014, users accessing the Internet via a mobile device exceeded those who accessed through a desktop computer. Driven by the desire to be more mobile, higher speed wireless networks, and backed by greater confidence, consumer purchases via mobile devices is also soaring. Juniper Research estimated 393 million mobile shoppers in 2012, and says that number will increase to 580 million consumers by the end of 2014. The study suggests

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retailers should consider mobile shopping as a significant revenue channel for future sales, and not just a small extension of their current online efforts. On March 5, 2014, Goldman Sachs released an updated forecast for m-commerce sales, stating that estimated sales of $133 billion occurred in 2013, and will be near $626 billion in 2018. In the US alone, m-commerce will more than triple by 2018, representing $131 billion, or 32% of American e-commerce sales. That’s a lot of opportunity! Hard facts and estimates aside, with the growth of smartphones and tablets it becomes increasingly critical that online retailers need to quickly meet this channel of consumer needs with mobile website compatible

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options or apps. Those that adapt will flourish and reap rewards, and those that take longer to transition will be left behind and miss out on significant sales. This illustrates that everyone will eventually have to offer mobile compatible options, or they can forget about being competitive.

Responsive design vs. mobile site M-commerce is not new, and many retailers have already adapted their current sites to produce a ‘mobile ready version’ that is poised to take advantage of the opportunity. However, until recently the preferred method of tackling this growing trend was to develop a completely separate ‘standalone’ mobile application, hosted using a unique domain url such as mobile.somesite.com. So far this has been an acceptable approach, but with technology seeming to move faster than the speed of light, it is already being rivaled by a new mobile design technique. The new term is ‘responsive design,’ and it has native differences, while (according to Google) even better SEO benefits over its predecessor. With being an emerging and possibly quite costly design technique, the user preference between a mobile app vs. a responsive design has yet to

be determined. However, it’s a safe bet to think that with time, the move to responsive sites will be the status quo.

What is the dierence between a responsive website and a mobile application? The traditional mobile application is a copy of the current website, designed and programmed in a way that optimizes the pages to be delivered on a smaller scale to end users of mobile devices. Quite often, this technology needs to ‘read’ what type of devices are accessing it (iPad, smartphone, etc.), and then determine if the pages it has are in fact ‘optimized’ for that device before serving. This is typically done using a script that checks the browser and operating system before the pages are served, and if it detects a mobile device present, then it serves the mobile version of the site. A standalone mobile application might be a good idea if development costs are limited. On the other hand, a responsive design reacts in real continued on page 38

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web profits Why Retailers Need to Integrate into Mobile continued from page 37 time to optimize everything on the site in relation to the screen orientation (vertical vs. horizontal) and size, regardless of the device accessing it. In addition, a responsive website does not need a separate operating space to reside in, because the responsive design is built into the website itself. Responsive designs are a very flexible solution that should survive changing devices and future technology advances, far longer than the current mobile application options being used, but responsive designs can be costly to implement. It often takes a good reworking of the entire framework and backend programming of the website to achieve it. As a result, the early adopters will likely be larger companies with budgets able to withstand the investment.

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August 2014 | IR

Which design technology wins? While it is tough to say which technology option is going to prevail in the end, it is a good bet that with time the responsive approach will take a strong hold. However, given the nature of the budgets needed to implement that option at the present, it’s also safe to say that traditional mobile only sites will not be fading away anytime soon. In the end, the option that wins is that which works for the individual online retailer involved, and this is going to be different from one brand to the next. Regardless, it will be interesting to see where responsive design ends up by the end of 2014. ■Eric Leuenberger is an ecommerce expert, founder of Ecommerce Amplifier, and owner of Voom Ventures, LLC, whose products and services help store owners and operators increase traffic, maximize ROI, decrease expenses, and increase revenue. He can be contacted online at TheEcommerceExpert.com, or call 866-602-2673.

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IR | August 2014

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web profits Are Social Widgets Negatively Impacting Your Ecommerce Site? WHEN popular social sites like Twitter and Facebook go down or witness a spike in activity, social integration that’s supposed to spur user engagement can backfire. Recently, Facebook went down completely. While it was only for half an hour, the impact was felt across the Internet. The outage dragged down the performance of hundreds of thousands of websites using the Facebook API. Some pages took more than 30 seconds to load completely, just because Facebook wasn’t working.

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August 2014 | IR

by Ariel Weil

Website performance can also be bogged down when popular social sites witness a dramatic spike in user activity. For example, whenever Twitter explodes with activity because of a major event, every website that integrates Twitter’s content or functionality is potentially affected with unusually slow load times. Even just one social icon can drag down a retailer’s website when a social media giant’s servers get overloaded. For retailers looking to keep customers engaged with

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

their brand, social widget challenges can pose a huge dilemma of how to have rich content with plenty of bells and whistles to demand an audience, while keeping sites clear of third-party widgets that could impact performance. Following is a four-step process to ensure your retail website is up to the social widget challenge.

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Services such as Shareaholic and Add This provide at least a starting point for minimizing disruption when a social giant falls. That’s because these services rely on just one call for social media sites within code, rather than a number of calls out to third-party social sites. These consolidating social tools are not a cure-all, but they do offer a way to bundle social sites into one piece of code.

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Do your customers engage on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest? Most likely, your shoppers favor one platform over the other. Do the research and eliminate social widgets that are not effective for your brand and customers. By understanding how social widgets will impact user experience, retailers can make more informed decisions about if, when and where to place those widgets.

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web profits Social Widgets continued from page 41 independently from anything else on your page. When developers separate the execution of a page’s code from scripts that call for Twitter, Facebook and other third-party social sites, they are proactively preventing an outage or heavy usage from bogging down your site. But be careful, as not every application supports asynchronous loading.

Implement application sequencing Application sequencing is a new approach to optimizing websites for better user engagement. It uses contextual information about a site visitor to determine the order and timing of displaying elements on a page. This kind of sequencing takes into consideration device type, connection speed and location to determine the best

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August 2014 | IR

means and timing for providing content to the user. Shoe merchant, Clarks, used application sequencing and realized a 13 percent increase in conversion rates; near-instant page rendering kept customers on the website and more engaged. And because social media widgets displayed last, Clarks was not susceptible to shut downs or spikes in social activity. Social media is a must for the modern retailer. But social media, like any other marketing effort, must be incorporated with care. Working closely with IT and following the steps outlined above will help retailers from choosing between rich content and performance. â– Ari Weil is VP of Products at Yottaa, a cloud-based acceleration platform that drives user engagement to increase business impact across online and mobile channels. For more information, visit www.yottaa.com.

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web profits Big Email Marketing on a Small Business Budget SMALL AND medium-sized firms understand the importance of marketing in helping to grow their businesses. Catering to today’s tech-savvy consumer requires small merchants to respond to this need with technology. Fortunately, today’s POS systems have built-in features that simplify marketing efforts, and minimize the need for exhaustive research and third party tools. In recent years, larger companies have turned to geo-fencing and geo-targeting to send relevant messages and promotions to potential customers based on their exact locations. Some, especially larger electronic manufacturers, are spending thousands of dollars to research how to reach prospects at the “Zero Moment of Truth� – the point at which consumers start to research their future purchases. Unfortunately, small businesses do not have the luxury, time or the budget to spend on elaborate research and technology.

by Justin Hotard

Email marketing strategy built into POS However, the good news is that small businesses often do not need to spend marketing dollars on such enterprise-like efforts. Rather than spending large amounts of money to determine the optimal time to reach prospects, small businesses can build customer engagement with an effective email marketing strategy, often built right into their POS. With email marketing, small businesses can reach customers via their preferred communications channel. According to CRM agency, The Merkle Group, 74 percent of consumers prefer to receive commercial communications via email. Remember to do so consistently, by sending new customers a welcome email and checking in with less frequent customers by sending them a miss-you email. When incorporating email receipts into this process, businesses can reach out to customers immediately

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after the sale to thank them for their business, and provide valuable promotional information. This post-sale strategy may seem counterintuitive, but the focus on nurturing customers who already know and support your business is a wise and economical one. By some reports, it can cost 10 times more to acquire new customers than to retain old ones. Therefore, a post-sale marketing component is a surefire way to reduce marketing costs and reach a more likely buyer.

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Make powerful customer connections at checkout Using a mobile POS, users can quickly customize email receipts by including an image such as a business’ logo at the top, while adding in important store details at the bottom, like the return policy. Email receipts also can include discounts and offers for future purchases, which can help drive repeat business. Additionally, including a “thank you” is a simple gesture that can go a long way in demonstrating appreciation and building customer loyalty. Connecting with existing customers via email marketing is just one approach that doesn’t require research and focus groups. With a little planning and customization, it can be a subtle, yet effective means to thank customers, and more importantly, give them a reason to come back again. ■

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Justin Hotard is vp and general manager at NCR Silver and NCR Small Business. He has spent over a decade building high-growth businesses in the technology, telecom, and media industries through organizational development, nurturing partnerships, and identifying strategic acquisitions. He can be reached at Justin. hotard@ncr.com or 678-808-7723. For more information, visit www.ncrsilver.com. IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IR | August 2014

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web profits Plan Ahead: Holiday Ecommerce Strategies WHILE SUNSCREEN and sand are at top of mind for most folks this time of year, online business owners should already be thinking of the holiday shopping season. Creating promotions and programs that increase a few key metrics for your business are important to consider now for a successful holiday shopping season. To achieve super holiday sales, following are several ecommerce elements to consider.

• Conversion rate increase for first time visitors/buyers – this may not seem like a holiday promotion or an action that can impact holiday shopping, however with an increase in conversion rates now you have a larger pool of customers to market/ remarket to during the holiday shopping season.

• Increase in organic and paid website traffic – more visitors now should continue to translate into increased site traffic during peak shopping season of November and December.

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August 2014 | IR

by Mike Auger

• Order total increase – again, not a clear connection to holiday promotions, though consider this: an increase in order totals now gives you a larger revenue stream to work with during the peak holiday season allowing you to provide deeper discounts on pricing or invest additional revenue into marketing programs.

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

• Gift certificate/card program focus – creating a strong gift certificate/card program now gives your customers a reason to come back and spend those certificates on your site during holiday shopping. Turning our attention to specific action items related to promotions to work on now, the short list should include: • Creating marketing/email content – getting messaging done now gives you time to focus on the logistics of increased orders, phone calls, and emails during peak shopping season. Using a professional email marketing program (like Mail Chimp) that is integrated with your ecommerce solution makes content creation a snap allowing for emails to be scheduled for delivery in the future. • Planning out promotions/discounts calendar – knowing what promotions you plan to do at what time of the holiday shopping season will allow you to plan inventory levels appropriately.

• Tidy up customer data – bad/incomplete data will make holiday promotions difficult or impossible to deliver. • Social/mobile – if you aren’t utilizing social media and mobile versions of your site, you are missing out on revenue. Be sure your social accounts are connected to your ecommerce platform now in order to use these channels for promotions during the holiday season. If you already have social and mobile set up and running well then now is the time to start testing some promotions in these channels. As online retail buying continues to grow year over year, in particular during holiday months, planning your holiday profitability programs and promotions should be a focus starting now. These will be a breeze to execute in November and December with some thought dedicated to the topic now. ■ Mike Auger is chairman of the board and chief strategy officer of Pinnacle Cart, a hosted shopping cart and ecommerce software application that allows you to create, manage and effectively market your business. For more information, visit pinnaclecart.com.

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DOBA www.doba.com

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APPARELCANDY.COM www.puzzlesent.com

TK CLOTHING INC chicstylewholesale.com

412-257-5020

800-243-4131

DP & COMPANY INC www.dropforyou.com

800-421-9755

APPARELSHOWROOM.COM www.apparelshowroom.com

WESTERN EXPRESS www.wexpress.com

323-982-8807

718-378-1188

NATIONAL DROPSHIPPERS www.nationaldropshippers.com

603-486-7960

BEVERLY HILLS UNIFORMS bhuniforms.com

WHOLESALE CLOTHING wholesaleclothingfactory.com

978-499-8203

BH WHOLESALE INC www.bhwholesale.com

347-394-5559

PLUM ISLAND SILVER www.plumislandsilver.com

BIKE SHOP SUPPLY www.bikeshopsupply.biz

205-255-3525

CRESWELL SOCK MILLS www.sockmills.com

256-657-3213

DAISY’S SWIMWEAR 213-746-9939 www.dippindaisysswimwear.com EFASHION WHOLESALE www.efashionwholesale.com

732-866-9976

EROS HOSIERY CO www.eroswholesale.com

215-342-2121

FASHION CONNECT www.fashionconnect.com

310-464-7578

GET DRESSED www.buygetdressed.com

770-932-1590

HEART & HIPS www.heartandhips.com

323-584-5900

ISLAND WHOLESALER www.islandwholesaler.com

786-269-0629

KAVIO www.kavio.com

888-586-9989

KAY BOUTIQUE littlegirlmart.kay-boutique.com

406-222-4853

KIDSBLANKS BY ZOEY www.kidsblanks.com

714-966-2396

LASHOWROOM.COM www.lashowroom.com

213-627-0339

WHOLESALE FASHION SQ. 323-583-2875 www.wholesalefashionsquare.com WHOLESALIA.COM www.wholesalia.com

201-297-7640

F E AT U R E D S E L L E R

BABY ITEMS ETRONITY, INC 800-707-9692 www.wholesaleblankclothes.com

BUSINESS SERVICES ALLIANCE ONE LLC www.allianceonellc.com

631-435-1000

M & M GIFT www.iges.us

800-430-7608

ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES GOLDEN FOX TECH 86-0135376927 www.goldenfoxtechnology.com

573-729-7280

PRICEMASTER www.PriceMaster.com

800-538-3873

INNEX INC www.innexinc.com

VK WHOLESALE www.vkwholesale.com

773-853-0734

PROMIER PRODUCTS 815-830-2802 www.wholesalecentral.com/promier

OCCASION PRINTS www.occasionprints.com

862-823-2576

ORANGESHINE www.orangeshine.com

213-745-3001

770-582-6688

COLLECTIBLES F E AT U R E D S E L L E R IRWIN SALES 281-424-7651 www.irwinembroiderypatches.com Baytown, Texas United States #1 Source of Military and biker PATCHES & PINS!! Over 2,000 designs - Military, NRA, Patriotic, American Flag, Religious, Motorcycle and More! Great Novelty Item. Call us today at (281) 424-7651.

LA WHOLESALE ROUTE 213-891-0104 www.wholesalecentral.com/lawhol0005 LANCY ONLINE www.LancyNY.com

718-821-8168

LOVE ME FASHION lotusfashionaccessories.com

323-531-1454

MICHELLE AND SCOTT’S www.wholesaleimport.com

901-767-0838

MY WHOLESALE ROUTE www.mywholesaleroute.com

201-567-2827

ROCKEY TRADING CO www.rockeytrading.com

813-888-9400

UR ETERNITY www.ureternity.com

718-639-3588

VERA HANDBAG www.verahandbag.com

320-282-1039

WONA TRADING www.wonatrading.com

212-725-3616

FOOD & GROCERY ROYAL ENTERPRISES www.royalwholesalecandy.com

888-261-8277

UA GLOBAL INC uaglobalinc.com

201-773-6985

GENERAL MERCHANDISE F E AT U R E D S E L L E R BARGAIN OUTLET WHOLESALE 217-826-6230 wholesalecentral.com/thebar0001 Gifts, Figurines, Christmas, Collectibles, Wall Plaques, Home Decor, Fireworks, Hats, Gags-Jokes, Jewelry, Knives, New-Years Supplies, Novelties, Plush, Latest Fad Items, Light-Up & Glow-In-The-Dark Items, General Merchandise, Party Goods, Pencils, Toys, Inflatables, WeddingAccessories, Sunglasses. 99 CENT MAX www.99centmax.com

JMW I LLC jmw.net/Wholesale

ETS DESIGN www.etsdesign.com

August 2014 | IR

INETVIDEO.COM 514-956-7482 wholesalecentral.com/inetvi0001/wholesale-form.html

DSD EXPRESS 419-367-7685 www.wholesalecentral.com/dsdexpress

618-660-4005

48

303-881-6146

C-STORE ITEMS

LIQUIDATION GENERAL www.liquidationgeneral.com

213-687-4100

MOUNTAIN VIEW MOVIES 607-278-5401 www.mountainviewmovies.com Authentic brand new DVD movies, Blu-ray discs & video games at the lowest wholesale prices. Major Studio DVDs UNDER $4. Stock changes weekly. Low $50 minimum purchase. Free UPS Ship over $300. DVD RELOAD www.dvdreload.com

KAY BOUTIQUE 406-222-4853 wholesalegirls.kay-boutique.com

DAKOTA VALLEY PRODUCTS 605-530-8461 www.wholesalecentral.com/dakotavalley

DVDS & VIDEOS

CANDLES, INCENSE, POTPOURRI

PRIMETIME CLOTHING www.primetimeclothing.com

760-233-9800

919-878-6782

LEMON TREE TRADING 213-747-3410 www.wholesalefashionplace.com

ORIENTAL APPAREL INC 386-383-2618 wholesalecentral.com/orientalapparel/store.cfm

SUNRISE WHOLESALE 877-250-5045 sunrisewholesalemerchandise.com WMS WHOLESALE www.wmsclothing.com

ART & SUPPLIES ASW WHOLESALE CLUB www.aswexpress.com

DROPSHIPPERS

256-355-8844

ELECTRONICS 909-839-6091

360-734-0704

DEALS 2 SELL 845-537-9680 www.wholesalecentral.com/deals2sellonline/ wholesale.html DOLLARDAYS www.dollardays.com

877-837-9569

FOUR SEASONS GENERAL www.4sgm.com

323-826-1199

WHOLESALE FASHION INC 800-913-3274 www.wholesalefashioninc.com Your fashion accessory source. We have jewelry, hair accessories, scarves, hats, religious jewelry, keychains, handbags and more.

GENCO MARKETPLACE www.gencomarketplace.com

800-224-3141

INTERTRADE CORP www.intertradecorp.com

301-595-8999

BUCKWHOLESALE.COM www.buckwholesale.com

866-408-2825

R&M WHOLESALE 330-479-9950 www.wholesalecentral.com/ywengwholesale

D & D FLORIDA www.ddflimport.com

786-472-1888

RITE WAY WHOLESALE www.riteway888.com

718-326-8882

FASHION UNIC www.fashionunic.com

908-660-0985

UNITED JERSEY www.ujwholesale.com

732-287-7925

FASHION ACCESSORIES F E AT U R E D S E L L E R

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

wholesalecentral.com

SUPPLIER PREVIEW

Suppliers, to list your company here and reach 600,000 retailers monthly, call 1-800-999-8281 ext. 126. SIGN OF THE www.sottproducts.com

GIFTS DWK CORPORATION www.dwkcorp.com

909-923-1880

GLOBAL CRAFTS www.globalcraftsb2b.com

386-424-1662

HENRY BRANDT www.HENRYBRANDT.COM

417-334-0988

PET ROCK CITY www.petrockcity.net

786-235-8642

TALON STAR DBA www.visolproducts.com

972-422-5999

HANDBAGS & LUGGAGE

562-787-6938

HOOVER’S MANUF. www.hmchonors.com

JEWELRY

800-223-1159

ALAMODEONLINE.COM www.alamodeonline.com

714-636-4237

NOVELTIES

ART BOX www.artboxjewel.com

213-243-0730

ERAZOR BITS www.erazorbits.com

AZUR GLOBAL IMPORTS www.azur1.com

303-980-1218

NOVELTEES WHOLESALE 801-484-6769 www.wholesalecentral.com/NovelteesWholesale

BEADS CORNER www.wholesalebeaded.com

888-278-3889

CERIJEWELRY.COM www.cerijewelry.com

626-810-3283

CREATIVE GEMS, LLC www.bikerjewelryshop.com

888-969-7464

H&R FASHION www.hnrfashionjewelry.com

213-749-6967 410-799-7602

CHOICEHANDBAGS www.choicehandbag.com

213-745-3065

FASHION WORLD www.handbagfashion.com

213-747-7145

HANDBAGSHOPPING.COM www.handbagshopping.com

972-243-2475

KLASSY BAGS www.klassybags.com

562-735-3292

HANA WHOLESALE ilovehana.com

MEZON HANDBAGS www.fashionemall.com

213-748-9228

HIPHOPJEWELRY 410-493-2269 www.hiphopjewelrywholesale.com

MEZON HANDBAGS www.mezonhandbags.com

213-748-9228

INTERNATIONAL JEWELRY ijdi.net

MOLLY MCMORGAN 877-828-1577 www.wholesalewalletsdirect.com

MILITARY GOODS

MEIYI JEWELRY CO www.meiyijewelry.com

954-577-9099 5919766552

ON SALE HANDBAG www.onsalehandbag.com

213-745-6811

MONSTER TRENDZ, INC www.monstertrendz.com

603-617-2845

PRINCESS PURSE www.princesspurse.com

213-746-9933

NES JEWELRY www.nesnyc.com

SHOPFORBAGS.COM www.shopforbags.com

214-637-5300

PALOMAR FASHION palomarfashion.com

YH WHOLESALE www.yhwholesale.com

323-859-9017

PAMPERED PRINCESS 585-266-7040 www.shoppamperedprincess.com

800-506-2747

ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES www.wholesalevapor.com

800-332-0916

FLAME INDUSTRIES www.flameindustries.com

310-494-1581

GREEN SMOKE wholesale.greensmoke.com

305-290-3669

HABIB IMPORTS INC 916-739-8488 www.wholesalecentral.com/habib HOOKAHZZ 800-823-2804 www.hookahzz.com/distribution-wholesale IBUYUS LLC 626-921-2637 www.wholesalecentral.com/usdeal0001/store.cfm

PARTY SUPPLIES & GREETING CARDS SAV-ON www.sav-on-closeouts.com

906-346-7065

SENSATIONS 662-279-8876 www.wholesalecentral.com/sensations

STOCKWELL GREETINGS www.stockwellgreetings.com

877-906-2211

SILVERLINE WHOLESALE www.silverlinewholesale.com

815-372-9270

US GLOBAL IMPORTS www.usglobalimports.com

213-626-6005

PERFUME A.A. IRIE PERFUME www.aairieperfume.com

954-587-0875

UVAPER 253-236-5251 www.wholesalecentral.com/uvaper

FRAGRANCE HOUSE INC www.iperfumenetwork.com

323-271-1000

WORLD TRADING GROUP www.blisecig.com

FRAGRANCENET.COM www.fragrancenet.com

631-940-6827

SPORTING GOODS

FRAGRANCEX.COM INC www.fragrancex.com

718-482-6970

ALANIC www.alanic.com

313-790-0356

855-525-2642

LUXURY PERFUME 213-688-9600 luxuryperfume.com/wholesale-landing-page.html

MAJESTIC SPORTS 215-331-4010 www.licensedwholesalesportsgifts.com

212-502-0025

PERFUME CENTER OF www.perfume-center.com

516-348-1124

THE EXTRA MILE www.thextramile.com

956-462-7022

PERFUME MARKET www.perfumemarket.net

305-593-9017

518-383-9084

STORE / DEALER SUPPLIES

SELF-DEFENSE, SECURITY

GLOBAL CHOICES www.globalchoicesinc.com

312-882-0487

PHILLIPS INTERNATIONAL www.cooljewels.com

800-432-3636

SAFETY TECHNOLOGY www.safetytechnology.com/wh

904-720-2183

UNIQUE MARKETING www.uniquemkt.com

973-884-0230

PLANET SILVER www.silver-jewelry-planet.com

941-460-4001

SHARP IMPORT www.sharpimport.com

856-382-0631

SALES ONE LLC www.bodyvibe.com

203-356-9077

DISCOUNT WHOLESALERS 610-458-1131 www.discountwholesalersinc.com

SAM’S ONE www.samsoneinc.com

213-622-6661

DOWA COSMETICS www.dowacosmetics.com

SORA IMPORTS www.soraimports.com

646-454-9143

DRUGSTORE PRODUCTS 732-606-4242 www.wholesalecentral.com/dspsales

THE WELMAN GROUP www.wholesalesterling.com

301-907-7916

ECOZONE LLC 517-483-3973 www.wholesalecentral.com/ecozonellc

VIVIDOVE www.vividove.com

678-889-4400

MERCHANDIZE LIQUID. 754-204-0740 www.merchandizeliquidators.com

ZENZII, INC zenzii.com

770-685-1170

HEALTH & BEAUTY BANSI USA 714-467-6815 www.wholesalecentral.com/bansiusa BII WHOLESALE 732-337-7111 wholesalecentral.com/cosmetixplus/Store.cfm

213-892-1098

MVP TRADING CO www.mvptrading.com

240-235-5029

ONE TREE LLC www.onetreebrands.com

913-402-0322

RSVP SKIN CARE www.rsvpmen.com

417-773-0548

KNIVES & SWORDS

SISQUOC HEALTHCARE 888-909-9910 sisquochealthcare.com/wholesale.html SLADOYA LLC www.sladoya.com

718-690-3813

STEALTH INTERNATIONAL www.stealth-international.com

516-248-4090

HOME DÉCOR / HOUSEWARES

COMPASS INDUSTRIES, INC 800-221-9904 www.compassindustries.com EDGEWORK IMPORTS INC www.edgeimport.com

800-799-6955

MASTER CUTLERY INC mastercutlery.com

201-271-7600

PANTHER TRADING CO www.pantherwholesale.com

410-644-0134

SHARP IMPORT www.cutlerywholesaler.com

856-382-0631

ALLTEX IMPORTS INC 630-628-2277 www.wholesalecentral.com/alltex0001/store.cfm COUNTRY CLUB USA www.countryclubproducts.com

908-352-5400

LEATHER

DUKE IMPORTS www.dukeimports.com

260-665-1100

JAFRUM INTERNATIONAL www.jafrum.com

SHOES & FOOTWEAR

CTS WHOLESALE LLC 800-796-3486 www.ctswholesalesunglasses.com

24/7 WHOLESALE 877-247-9465 www.wholesalecentral.com/247wholesale/ store.cfm

JAY-Y ENTERPRISES www.gotshades.com

909-469-4898

24/7 WHOLESALE www.premierwholesaler.com

877-247-9465

PACIFIC LINK WHOLESALE www.sunglassespacificlink.com

706-275-0079

247 FASHION STORE www.247fashionstore.com

909-839-0186

PR SUNGLASSES www.prsunglasses.com

800-777-7656

AEROSOFT FOOTWEAR USA 800-318-0129 www.wholesalecentral.com/aeroso0001

RUBY IMPORTS www.rubyimports.net

901-375-4377

BELLA SHOES IMPORT 626-374-2324 www.wholesalecentral.com/bellashoes/store.cfm

SOLAR SUNGLASSES www.solarsunglasses.net

856-589-0616

RAKEL SHOES www.rakelsshoes.com

213-742-0434

ST LOUIS WHOLESALE stlouiswholesale.com

800-340-7642

S & S SPORTS www.sports456.com

313-444-0277

TOPPER INTERNATIONAL www.topperliquidators.com

800-867-7371

WEPRIX www.weprix.com

626-810-4848

TOOLS & HARDWARE

SMOKING PRODUCTS

TURKEY CREEK TRADING 410-368-8307 wholesalecentral.com/turkeycreekco/Store.cfm WHOLESALE BLADES www.wholesaleblades.com

SUNGLASSES & EYEWEAR

215-550-5636

AA GLOBAL IMPORTS www.marijuanapackaging.com

323-767-5980

ACHARYA INTERNATIONAL www.rrrwholesale.com

408-736-7988

BI-WIN NOVELTY 713-278-7677 www.wholesalecentral.com/unishow/Store.cfm BNB WHOLESALE www.bnbwholesale.com

562-321-7296

E HOOKAH LLC 410-356-5361 www.wholesale.ehookahbrand.com 704-494-4313

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

E-GAINS DISTRIBUTING www.egains.net

949-307-9012

HENSSGEN HARDWARE www.henssgenhardware.com

518-793-3593

QC AUSTIN www.qcaustin.com

512-266-8880

TOYS & HOBBIES ARTOY TRADING LLC www.artoytrading.com

323-266-8881

ESCO IMPORTS TOY www.escoimports.com

800-445-3836

PUZZLED INC www.puzzledinc.com

888-789-3533

IR | August 2014 WHOLESALECENTRAL.com

3 49

gifts & souvenirs Gift Cards Raise Retail Revenue AMERICANS LOVE giving and receiving gift cards. They are always in demand, and present retailers with significant incremental sales opportunities, as consumers report spending more when both purchasing and redeeming gift cards. According to a biannual consumer survey of 1,100 US consumers by the Retail Gift Card Association (RGCA), convenience and choice make gift cards extremely popular among consumers. Although mobile and electronic gift cards are not yet widely used by consumers, the adoption of these technologies is expected to continue to rise. The Association surveyed consumers on their use of gift cards, preferences for giving and spending the

by Mary Donovan

cards, and willingness to embrace new gifting options like e-codes, which are digital gift cards that can be purchased online or through a mobile app. Key findings include: • Significant benefit to retailers. Gift cards get shoppers in the door to purchase more; 72 percent do some shopping for themselves when going to a store or website to purchase a gift card. Gift cards also increase sales during redemption; 45 percent of shoppers will spend more than the value of the gift card when they redeem.

continued on page 52

Look what Wholesale Gem and Jewelry Trade Shows are coming up!

2014 Dates

glwshows.com TUCSON, AZ Sept. 4, 5, 6 & 7 2014 Holiday Inn/ Holidome 4550 South Palo Verde Rd Tucson, AZ 85714-1943

MINNEAPOLIS, MN Sept. 28 & 29 2014 Ramada Mall of America 2300 E American Blvd Bloomington, MN 55425

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50

August 2014 | INDEPENDENT RETAILER

Asheville, NC ............ ......................January 7-8 Orlando, FL....................... .......January 10-11-12 Tucson, AZ .............. .....................February 1-14 Minneapolis, MN ............................March 30-31 Livonia (Detroit), MI...........................April 4-5-6 Chicago, IL......................................April 9-10-11 West Springfield, MA ........................April 25-26 Orlando, FL.........................................May 2-3-4 Franklin, NC.......................................May 9-10-11 Livonia (Detroit), MI.........................July 18-19-20 Franklin, NC................................July 24-25-26-27 Spruce Pine, NC......................... July 31-Aug. 1-2-3 Tucson, AZ ....................... .......September 4-5-6-7 Minneapolis, MN ...................... September 28-29 Livonia (Detroit), MI........................October 3-4-5 West Springfield, MA .................. ...October 10-11 Asheville, NC .................... .............October 21-22 Orlando, FL................................October 24-25-26 ***Dates are Subject to Change***

L & V CREATIONS

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We Sell Fragrance Oils By The Pound!

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We guarantee that our oils will out sell any other oils on the market. Our fragrance oils are great for Potpourri, Sachets, Auto, Lamp Rings, Oil Burners, etc.

Special $20.00 Fragrance Display when you purchase 24 dz. different fragrance oils. ($65 value/limit 1 display per new customer)

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PERFUME OILS

L&V Creations is the ORIGINAL DESIGNER of the already famous plug in aroma lamps. We guarantee the highest quality product with the highest quality materials.

ELECTRIC OIL BURNERS!

Bottles are 1/3 oz. and each come with a roll on applicator. You will not be disappointed! Our body oils are 100% alcohol free unlike the designer perfumes bought in stores. Guaranteed to last longer as well!

7t DECORATIVE

NIGHT LIGHTS

24k Gold Plating Or Chrome, Along With Austrian Crystals!

Finely crafted using 24k gold plating or chrome, along with austrian crystals, these night lights will light up any room with their brilliance.

EL-69370

EL-67010

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INCENSE We Guarantee Your Customer Will Love This Quality, Which Will Help You Develop A Great Customer Base!! UÊ- > i`Ê Ê Vi ÌÀ>Ìi`Ê ÊÊÊ" Ê ÀÊÓ{Ê ÕÀà UÊ V Ê Àii UÊ ÕÀ }Ê/ iÊ ««À Ý°ÊÇxÊ ÕÌià UÊ- i vÊ viÊÓÊ9i>ÀÃÊ"ÀÊ Ài UÊ >ÌÕÀ> Ê ÀÊf£°ÇxÊ Õ ` iÊ Ê ««À Ý°Ê£ääÊ*Vð UÊ Ãà ÀÌi`Ê ÀÃÊf£° xÊ Õ ` iÊ Ê ««À Ý°Ê£ääÊ*Vð

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I NDEPENDENT R ETAILER.com August 2014 51 VISIT WWW.SCENTED.COM TO VIEW CATALOG AND SEE UPCOMING NEW ITEMS AND OUR |MONTHLY SPECIALS!

gifts & souvenirs Gift Cards Raise Retail Revenue continued from page 50 • Gift cards are extremely popular. 77 percent of consumers have given a gift card in the past year, and 90 percent have received at least one in the past year. • Gift cards are always in demand. Most consumers don’t require a sale or promotion to purchase a gift card. • Consumers value choice. The number one reason shoppers like to give or receive gift cards is that they allow the end users to purchase what they want. • Gift cards are great for group gifts. 65 percent of consumers prefer the convenience of gift cards when giving a gift from a group.

• Shoppers are savvy when redeeming gift cards. 74 percent of shoppers will wait for a sale or promotion before redeeming their cards. • Mobile and e-code gifts are still emerging. 54 percent of consumers have not heard of mobile gift cards or e-codes, and only 17 percent of shoppers are “very comfortable” using them. However, 62 percent of the respondents who choose mobile/e-code gift cards do so when they need to get it there right away.

www.RubyWholesale.com

213-891-0194 cs@rubywholesale.com

Wholesale Fashion Accessories & More

While gift cards provide valuable choice for consumers, the retailer benefits of selling the cards are equally positive. With the increasing popularity of gift cards, and expected growth of mobile and e-code gifts in the future, retailers should be ramping up their card program marketing. This will be especially important leading up to the 2014 holiday season, when gift cards will be a go-to option for millions of shoppers across the country. ■ Mary Donovan is the Executive Director of the Retail Gift Card Association (RGCA), a trade association of diverse, closed-loop gift card retailers committed to promoting and protecting the use of gift cards. RGCA members follow a code of principles that promote best-practice standards to help the industry grow in ways that benefit retailers and consumers. Donovan has been involved in association management for several years, working with a variety of sectors. For more information, visit www. theRGCA.org.

52

August 2014 | IR

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

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Your Wholesale Source! 1819 Firman Dr #101, Richardson, TX 75081

Dealer Only Website: www.selfdefensesupply.com

Lower Prices Than Factory Direct!

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'*3TU PSEFS .JOJNVN 0SEFS ...and Many More!

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IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

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gifts & souvenirs Customized Glitter Tubes From Glitsand® GLITSA N D ® by Kristash® Bijoux is a unique collection of clear acrylic tubes containing a mixture of glitter and sand. The line includes pendants worn on chains or bracelets, and earrings. Made in the USA, the tubes are available in sterling silver and pewter. The interior mixture is made in all 12 birthstone colors, and can be customized by combining any two colors. In addition, Kristash Bijoux will be creating, “Colors you love cheering for,” says founder and designer, Robin Wilson. Stainless steel tubes retail for $40, sterling silver tubes sell for $50, and

the sterling silver toggle tube is $60. Wholesale is around half of retail, and all tubes come with the hook and can be attached to any chain.

Stainless steel & sterling silver chains Kristash Bijoux has a variety of chains available, including a 16-inch black cord chain, 16-inch stainless steel chain, sterling silver toggle bracelet and necklace, and sterling silver and stainless steel lariat style chains. The chains are designed to hold one or several tubes. “I have tags continued on page 58

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• Pet • Kitchen • Pre-Loaded Merchandise Strips • Floor/Counter Displays • Seasonal Categories • Stationery/Books www.regentproducts.com 8999 Palmer Street • River Grove, IL 60171 • Health & Beauty • Party Supplies 708-583-1000 • Fax: 708-583-1400

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gifts & souvenirs Customized Glitter Tubes From Glitsand® continued from page 56 for the chains that are engraved with Glitsand by Kristash,” Wilson adds. “I also have blank tags, so I can custom engrave them with any city or state, or a person’s name.” The dangle earrings are available in stainless steel with an ear wire, and sterling silver with an ear post. Wilson has been in the jewelry business for 30 years. “Over the years I saw that most companies carry the same look when it comes to birthstone and mothers’ jewelry collections, and I felt the need

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to create a more elegant design.” Wilson designed Glitsand and launched the product in May 2013. “The response has been good. Glitsand was very popular for Mother’s Day and the holiday season. The south is huge on college sports, and that is another focus right now. I am working on getting the licenses which would allow me to create a line featuring the colors for Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Georgia, Alabama, Nebraska, and other schools.”

Custom displays “Once I have secured the licenses, if they are in University of Texas or Texas A&M territory, for example, I will design a sample display with those colors in them,” she continues. Based on their location and

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

desires, Wilson creates a custom display for each of her customers. In addition to the sample products, retailers also purchase an assortment of tubes, birthstone colors and chains, if desired, so they can create the final products on the spot. Retailers are given pamphlets that showcase the pre-made color mixes, and have a special order form. For custom color orders, the turnaround time is about a week. There is no minimum order, and Kristash Bijoux offers a selection of four free displays. Three clear cast acrylic locking counter cases are available: the 18-inch model spins and has angled shelves on both sides for tubes and chains; the 16-inch display has a shelf on one side with a flat back, and the smallest case has two angled shelves. The company also has a non-locking display to hang tubes. ■

Kristash® Bijoux Tel.: 720-542-3114 • Website: kristash.com

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gifts & souvenirs Stockwell Greetings: Cards For Every Occasion STOCKWELL GREETINGS wants to make it easy to run a comprehensive, profitable greeting card department. The company has spent 20 years perfecting its support for retailers of all sizes, to help them design their greeting card section, maintain inventory, and choose cards that match their demographics. “The ideal retailer for Stockwell’s card programs is any retail venue or organization that would like to offer greeting cards as either a valued social expression for its customers, or as an alternative to a gift,” says Howard Goldsmith, Director of Business Development. “By

offering greeting cards, the retailer provides a convenience and added value for its customers.” Stockwell’s lines includes cards for every occasion: birthdays, holidays, major life events like graduation and weddings, humorous cards, religious cards, and even blank cards. Despite the large selection of categories and designs, Stockwell can assist any retailer with setting up a profitable card department of any size. Retailers with very small spaces can set up a simple countertop spinning display, or a 4-foot wooden rack. Larger stores can have complete card departments of up to 28 feet. “Stockwell provides full support to the retailer,

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beginning with displays, if needed, and a complete electronic pocket control setup, which can be modified for location and demographics,” Goldsmith advises. “The setups allow for easy inventory management and reordering, and include detailed setup instructions.” For whatever size retailer, Goldsmith recommends carrying birthday and seasonal cards, since birthdays especially are the “musthave” cards that sell all year long.

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Ordering and pricing Stockwell has no minimum order and no contractual requirements. All cards are sold in units of six cards and six envelopes per unit. The smaller unit size makes it easier for retailers to stock a wider selection of cards, and to purchase only what they can easily stock and sell. Stockwell can also custom design and print cards upon request, or modify existing cards to meet specific requests, including cultural or religious preferences (minimum requirements apply to custom work). All Stockwell Greetings’ cards are designed and manufactured in the United States. For companies that order their own inventory, www.stockwellgreetings.com is a complete ecommerce website that is updated daily. Wholesale pricing ranges as low as 18 to 25 cents per card, ($1.08 to $1.50 per pack of six). Cards come with a pre-printed suggested retail price of $2.50 and $2.75, so customers will have flexibility in their pricing and discounts. ■

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jewelry & FASHION accessories That’s Perfect Hair Wraps THAT’S PERFECT hair wraps have a slogan for almost every occasion, including, “So Easy A Daddy Can Do It,” and, “Look Like A Braid, Wear Like A Barrette.” CEO, Ron Alsup, says they are the perfect hair wrap. That’s Perfect introduced its line of reusable hair wraps in various sizes and colors in 2007. They come in 45 colors, and are made from a special type of colored polymer clay that is stiff enough to hold its shape, yet coiled and flexible enough to look just like an expensive braid. The concept isn’t new, but That’s Perfect does it differently from any other product on the market. “At Renaissance festivals, you’ll see women wearing

metal coils in their hair to hold it in place,” Alsup reports. “The concept of hair wraps has been around since the 1970s, but I took it one step further. I work in polymer clay instead, and make the coils from the clay.” One of the key selling points of That’s Perfect is their variability. They can be combined in different color patterns, so it’s easy to show off school colors or hop on hot color trends. “Our biggest seller is the rainbow wrap,” Alsup advises. They can also be made in two-color combinations, and come in two sizes: a 5” and 9” version. The 5” has a single set of decorative beads at the end, while the 9” has a double set of beads. Alsup notes that the hair wraps sell well in boutiques

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and salons, as well as mall kiosks, shows, and flea markets. One of the keys to selling them successfully is to demonstrate the product. “I sell them at shows myself, and it’s great to demonstrate it,” Alsup says. “We have a mannequin up front with wraps in her hair, and no one passes by that table without saying something.” That’s Perfect also offers packaging and displays for retailers who are interested in carrying a more complete line, and the product can be ordered in individual cellophane packages with a UPC symbol.

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Ordering and pricing That’s Perfect hair wraps may be ordered via phone or on the company’s website, and wholesale pricing is available to qualified businesses. A lot of twelve 5” wraps wholesales for $24 ($2 each), and four 9” wraps wholesale for $14 ($3.50 each). The suggested retail price is $7 for a 5” wrap, or $24 for four 5” wraps. For 9” wraps, the suggested retail is $13 each, or $24 for two wraps. All wraps are made in USA. ■

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jewelry & FASHION accessories Teeda For Sterling Silver Jewelry NOW IS a great time to get into silver, according to Teeda Wholesale. The company sells sterling silver jewelry in 50 states and 40 countries around the world, offering a comprehensive line that includes rings, earrings, chains, bracelets, charms and more. Teeda is a leading wholesaler of sterling silver jewelry, says manager Jack Tejavanija. “We seek to add value to our customers’ businesses by being a supplier that helps achieve the right combination of quality, price, and service,” he notes. “We always provide high quality, low pricing, and outstanding service.” Because silver is a commodity market, it’s very sensitive to global silver prices. A few short years ago,

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Tejavanija explains, historically high silver prices made it hard for small jewelers to sell sterling silver jewelry. Today, however, things have changed. “We’re back to the good times,” he points out. “Once again, it makes sense for retailers to carry a wide selection of silver. Because silver is a precious metal, older buyers won’t shy away from it, and it’s at a price point that younger buyers can afford.” Although Teeda carries a wide selection of pieces, the most popular lines include stud earrings with cubic zirconia, a large selection of Italian chains and necklaces, and toe rings. “People sell our jewelry everywhere, including mall kiosks and beach shops, where toe rings are very popular in

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

the summer,” Tejavanija advises. “The cubic zirconia and rhodium plated pieces are also very popular. The rhodium plating gives it a platinum finish, so it looks like a really expensive piece of platinum jewelry, at a fraction of the price.” The key to a successful silver program, according to Tejavanija, is to take care with displays. This is true for both online and physical retailers. Over the decades that Teeda has been in business, the firm has observed retailers who know how to put together a good display. “Customers that are successful usually have a large selection,” Tejavanija states. “If they’re selling online, they’ll take care to photograph and display the product to present it in a way that makes customers want to buy. If they’re in a physical store, having adequate display supplies and lighting is super

important. You want strong, bright lights, to really show off the pieces.”

Ordering and pricing Ordering jewelry from Teeda is easily accomplished through its website. Although Teeda is a wholesaler, the company doesn’t pre-qualify buyers. The minimum order is $100, with greater discounts for volume purchasing. Most retailers sell the pieces with the traditional jewelry industry triple keystone markup, but Tejavanija says a few of his customers price lower, and instead count on high volume to make healthy profits. ■

Teeda Wholesaler 1107 Fair Oaks Ave. #75, South Pasadena, CA 91030 Toll Free: 877-622-3522 Website: www.teeda.com

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jewelry & FASHION accessories 2014 Trend: Statement Necklaces ON TOP of the fashion food chain this year are bright, chunky statement necklaces. If you don’t believe it, walk into any store at the mall and take a look around. It is guaranteed you will see at least one section overf lowing with these vibrant necklaces. Why is this trend so “in� right now? It’s a quick way to turn ordinary outfits into freshly chic, and convenience and comfortably stylish are the keys to fashion trends. That’s why there are crazy, bold necklaces in

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Statement necklaces are the most versatile and affordable fashion accessories of the year. Fashion aside, they are real money savers. There are those days when you feel the need to rummage through your closet and debate whether or not to get rid of those plain t-shirts that aren’t getting much use. Simple shirts can be paired with a crystal embellished necklace, to give a complete look without putting a hole in your wallet. If you don’t have these bold necklaces in your store, they are a must-have purchase to increase profits. There are hundreds of styles to choose from, including pearls, rhinestones, crystals, and polished metals, for every woman of any age. Find styles that fit the atmosphere in your store, and place them in the front or by your check out station for impulse purchasing. It’s a brilliant way to sell and keep this

fashion trend alive. The exhibitors at the OFFPRICE show have statement necklaces at reasonable prices, so it’s worth a visit. ■ Katy Albrecht is the Buyer Relations Coordinator at OFFPRICE. She received her BS degree in Communications Technologies, with an emphasis in Public Relations. OFFPRICE is an apparel industry trade show, featuring products typically available for up to 70 percent below wholesale prices. The show takes place in Las Vegas every February and August. For more information, visit www.offpriceshow.com.

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jewelry & FASHION accessories Fall Jewelry & Fashion Trends AS WE look forward to the Fall/ Winter shopping season, independent retailers are getting ready to update their inventories with the latest trends in jewelry and fashion accessories. Many retailers are wondering what the new hot trends will be, and it is impossible to choose just one single trend in jewelry and accessories. There will be multiple conflicting trends this season, like big and bold pieces, colors and textures, plus complex, simple and elegant designs. The versatility of jewelry and accessories can change the statement of any outfit, and specifically reflect the wearer’s individual personality or mood, and that’s always in style. During the “bundling” season, jewelry and accessories do not need to take a back seat. Look for creative

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by Brett Kolinek

zones for display, like wearing collar necklaces over turtlenecks, bracelets over long sleeves, and broaches on bulky sweaters and winter coats. This season is also the time for earrings to shine.

Suppliers forecast trends As a leading trade show owner and producer for over 65 years, we think a few of our leading suppliers can provide the best advice to buyers about trending items they should be looking for, and what to add to their stock for the Fall/ Winter season and into 2015. According to What’s Hot in Fashion Jewelry, this company sees upcoming trends as items with long tassels, fringed necklaces and earrings, the wrap-around, and layering of bracelets. At the same time, their vintage collection continues to grow.

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feature Convenience: A Look at the C-Store Market AS COMPETITION in retail intensifies, the future of the convenience store bottom line is coming into focus: food. Experts and industry advocates say that after decades of selling packaged foods, candy, and maybe the occasional roller hot dog or nacho tray, convenience stores are rapidly breaking new ground in the food service business. They are adding deli counters, salad bars, and even haute cuisine. The only common element uniting the new push for food is the same thing consumers have always relied on convenience stores to provide: speed and

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are a great place to get lunch or grab dinner on the way home.” Although it might take a little getting used to, there are very good reasons for store owners to move in this direction, according to Lenard. Convenience stores have to deal with high labor costs and low margins for most traditional products. The three main product categories for many convenience stories—beer, cigarettes, and fuel—are all fairly low margin products. The average retail margin on a gallon of gas, for example, is about three cents. Even lottery tickets, another staple product, only have a five or six percent margin.

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This doesn’t mean, however, that it’s easy to get into fresh food service. Convenience stores that move into prepared foods must, “act like restaurants,” Lenard recommends. One good way to move up the learning curve is to partner with a local fast-service restaurant chain, or even hire a local chef who has an interest in the challenge of creating a novel and interesting dining experience. “You can even poach a local sous chef,” Lenard says. After all, in a world gone crazy for food trucks, who says a food counter at a convenience store can’t take some culinary risks?

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feature A Look at the C-Store Market continued from page 71

Dollar store eect While there’s little doubt that we’ll be seeing more convenience stores move into food service in a big way, there’s also significant growth on the lower end of the spectrum. Convenience stores are increasingly competing with dollar stores, and expanding their product lines into areas more generally thought of as discount store lines. Wholesalers like International Wholesale and Nubani Distributors have responded by introducing low-cost product lines specifically aimed at the dollar store shopper. International Wholesale is launching a whole line

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of inexpensive electronics to complement its standard product lineup of candies and packaged foods. The new products will include cell phone chargers, headphones and tablet accessories, all offered under the Home Smart label. “We’re also doing a whole line of value-priced tools,” says Mike Sheena, operations manager at International Wholesale. “Convenience stores have to compete with the Dollar Store and Dollar Tree, so we’re seeing a lot of them bringing in dollar lines.” The thinking is similar at Nubani, where company controller Christian Zevallos says his firm is looking forward to introducing a line of household goods and cleaning products. continued on page 74

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feature A Look at the C-Store Market

Generating trac

continued from page 72

In fact, the pace and quantity of traffic is the central challenge and opportunity for convenience stores. In today’s retail environment, storeowners and franchisees are looking to “keep” as many shoppers as possible. So if it’s possible to satisfy the shopper who wants fuel, a gallon of milk, some cleaning supplies, and perhaps a quick meal, then that’s the winning strategy. But, Lenard cautions, there is the risk of forgetting your roots. Convenience stores above all are about speed and making it easy. Some of the newer convenience stores are 5,000 or 6,000 square foot stores offering a little bit of everything. In this case, Lenard notes, owners must resist the urge to “pack the store” with new continued on page 76

“Especially in the dollar store business, we’re seeing independent retailers flourish,” Zevallos advises. “It used to be you could go to the store to get your dollar items, but now you can get them at the convenience store.” This makes sense when you consider the built-in advantages of convenience stores. They are fixtures of daily life for many people, and the average convenience store is positioned in a high-traffic area and gets about 1,100 people a day, according to Lenard.

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IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

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feature A Look at the C-Store Market continued from page 74 products. In fact, it’s a better idea to keep it open and clear, with wide aisles and discrete “islands” throughout the store. This might include a prepared food section, an automotive products section, a deli counter, and perhaps a home goods section. The area near the register is particularly important, because that’s where consumers who come in (as opposed to those who pay by the pumps) are likely to make impulse purchases. Newer technologies such as open-faced coolers that make it easy to grab frozen and cold products without opening a door are designed to remove any potential obstacles to a purchase. “Even doors can be an obstacle,” Lenard points out. Ryan

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August 2014 | IR

recommends using counter space to display items that will instantly interest shoppers as they exit the store. Good examples include stalwart products like gum and lottery tickets, as well as gifts and novelties. Another opportunity is to create a specialized shopping experience. This is easier in smaller markets, which are less likely to have a vibrant competitive landscape, but it can be done even in large urban markets. Convenience store owners who follow this model devote floor space to unlikely products such as smoking and vaping accessories, and handmade crafts. Lenard fondly recalls a famous convenience store in Miami that has, “wonderful tapas and a great wine selection.” The key to designing a winning convenience store is to know your location, Ryan advises. “It’s all about location.” ■

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product trends The Incredible Sunvisor: Almost 7 Million Sold BRUCE PA LMER can remember the exact moment when he knew he had a winning product with his unique sunvisors. “It was 1997, and I had just introduced my sunvisors at a street fair,” Palmer remembers. “The thing that grabbed me was when I looked up and had women five-deep in front of my tent, actually elbowing each other to get to the last few that were left. I had a regular job at the time, but I quit it and jumped into sunvisors with both feet.”

No headache sun visor Almost 7 million sunvisors later, the “Incredible Sunvisor” is still just as popular with consumers as it was years ago. The secret, says company owner Palmer, is surprisingly simple. “This is a noheadache sunvisor,” he says. “When most people wear the regular styles that you slide on from the front, the pressure from the side bands causes a headache after a while. Ours have no pressure, so no headache.”

Durable design Made from a durable EVA foam rubber, it also helps that the visors are lightweight, dishwasher safe, have a fully adjustable band, and come in more than 600 designs. Palmer credits his wife with giving him the original concept. According to Palmer, the sunvisors are the perfect product wherever people spend time outside in the sun. “Anywhere there’s a beach or resort area is perfect,” he advises. “We even sell to zoos, because we have a lot of animal prints.”

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Palmer notes that the backbone of his company are the mom ‘n’ pop shops and independent retailers who have enthusiastically backed the product since its early days. “They built us,” he explains, “and they sell a lot. One of the great things about this product is the loyalty. Most people who order once will reorder two, three, five, or six times every season.” It’s also fun for Palmer to keep introducing new designs and patterns to see what buyers will respond to, because, “everybody is different.”

Ordering and pricing Wholesale ordering is available through the company’s website, by email, or by phone. The minimum order is 36, but Palmer strongly recommends aiming for multiple sales. He offers a display for 36 visors, and a larger 5’ floor display that holds 144 visors. The suggested retail pricing is $5 per unit, or three for $12. In Florida and Arizona, the recommended pricing is three for $10. Palmer suggests it’s best to have a wide selection of available colors and patterns. Up to a quarter of buyers will purchase in multiples, so retailers should aim to capture as much of that business as possible. ■

The Incredible Sunvisor, Inc. 1109 Diplomat Dr. #J-104 Debary, Florida 32713 Toll Free: 866-644-6044 Email: visor1@earthlink.net Website: theincrediblesunvisorinc.com

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

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product trends Cupsy Makes Sofa Spills a Thing of the Past CUPSY IS one of those brilliant ideas that makes people say: “I should have thought of that!” This portable cup holder can be used on the couch, in bed, even in the pool. It resembles a car cup holder, but with one big difference—the material, the same high quality polypropylene that the military uses in cases to protect their equipment. It’s so tough and durable that it comes with a lifetime guarantee.

he could hear it buried somewhere in the couch but couldn’t find it.

Cupsy nation That A-ha moment led to Leuker, an engineer, to start thinking about ways he could combine these two needs into one couch organizer. Soon enough, he was trying out prototypes, then creating a video to show his friends—and Cupsy Nation (the Cupsy’s fan club) was born. Now all Cupsy users are invited to enter their photos and videos, join in contests, and receive special discounts.

Flexible beverage containers Features of the Cupsy include flexible beverage containers that can fit everything from glasses to to-go cups; a special attached arm that holds stemware; and a deep center console for everything people need close by like cellphones, glasses, remotes and snacks. In fact, the Cupsy can hold a wine glass, a pint glass, a coffee cup, a brandy snifter, a cell phone, and a TV remote—all at the same time! The history of this couch cup holder with detachable legs began, of course, on the couch. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon and Mark Leuker was trying to relax and watch a movie, but had nowhere to put his cup. Then the phone rang, and 80

August 2014 | IR

Buying details The Cupsy is available in key lime, coffee, beach sand, hot sauce, woodland camo and cobalt and typically retails for $19.99. Standard wholesale is $11.50 with volume discounts available. The minimum order is 12 units. Options include floatsy legs for using the Cupsy in a lake or pool; a ground spike for taking it to the beach or park; and a special extension piece for deep couches. There is free shipping on orders over $35. ■

Cupsy Me 217 Racquette Drive #3, Fort Collins, CO 80524 Tel: 844-287-7963 • Email: info@cupsyme.com Website: cupsyme.com

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

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product trends North Woods Animal Treats: Wholesome and Fun WHEN JEAN McCarthy started her company, North Woods Animal Treats, in 1996, her mission was clear: to provide the best possible, all-natural products that enhance the lives of both pets and their owners. She also wanted to make the experience positive and fun.

Baked by hand The large dog cookies measure 5 inches, weigh 2 ounces and come in all the shapes of the North Woods: trout, pine trees, bears, moose. Not only are they fun and cute, they are baked by hand in small batches with “human-grade” ingredients sourced in North America, including whole wheat flour, wheat bran, canola oil, peanut butter, cranberries, flax, and honey. They come in a handmade rustic pine crate that can be re-used for years as a display case. The company also bakes hypoallergenic small dog treats, called Nibbles. For horses, there are Nickers horse treats, flavored with real maple syrup, which can also be ordered as a private label for corporate gifts.

foot leash with the collar attached; Soothing Paws, a natural paw balm for dogs’ paw pads, nose, and elbows; and a canine collar bell that looks like something Santa’s reindeer would wear. There’s also the Nip n’ Toy for cats, which is made of real sheep’s wool felted around a bell, as well as a premium catnip. Next up is a dog bowl map created by a Pennsylvania floorcloth artist.

Buying details North Woods’ products are primarily impulse buys, and an ideal fit for gift shops and natural food markets. The company exhibits at various wholesale gift shows, including the International Gift Exposition in Pigeon Forge, and at natural food shows such as Natural Expo East. Retail customers can order directly off the web site, wholesale buyers must call for a password first. The minimum wholesale order is one display crate of 24 cookies, for $27 ($1 per cookie plus $3 for the crate) wholesale, and the cookies can retail for $2 to $3 each. ■

Wholesome and simple treats McCarthy, who is the proud owner of a golden retriever, two cats, and two horses, has spent her entire career in the pet and horse industry. Years ago, she saw a need for treats that were wholesome and simple. But mostly, she admits, she loves the fun part of it. “Training might be frustrating,” she says, “but buying a treat is a happy experience.” In addition to the treats, the company is also expanding its non-consumable offering with U.S. made products including the Extra Leash, a five82

August 2014 | IR

North Woods Animal Treats 63 Emerald St. #428, Keene, NH 03431 Tel: 877.692.6928 • Fax: 877.592.6928 Website: www.northwoodsanimaltreats.com

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Email: ywengwholesale1@yahoo.com IR | August 2014

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supplier profile Ultra Hybrid Vaping Accessories & E-cigs WITH NO signs of slowing down, the vaping market is continuing to boom, and Ultra Hybrid has some good advice for retailers looking to establish a profitable e-cigarette business. “In this industry, repeat business is everything,” says Sam Martinez, a manager with Ultra. “You’ve got to create customer loyalty and get repeat business. Once you get loyal customers, they’ll stop by every few days or every day.” In fact, the biggest mistake Martinez says most vaping shops make is a lack of focus on customer service and education. Because vaping is still relatively new, many consumers don’t understand the technology involved, or the many ways e-cigarettes can be configured. It is up to the

retailer to provide adequate consumer education, and prevent product returns and lower margins. “There’s a lot to learn in this industry,” Martinez advises. “A lot of shops don’t have a true understanding of working with one specific customer, and don’t have that level of customer service.”

Industry leading components & designs Ultra specializes in highend vaping accessories and e-cigarettes, with a complete line that includes industry leading components and designs. The company also has hard-to-find European and Asian mods, or modified battery units, and products that make it possible continued on page 88

7HOLESALE $ISTRIBUTORS OF 2ECLOSEABLE 0OLY "AGS Clear 2 mil

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4 x 4...... 4 x 5...... 4 x 6...... 4 x 8...... 4 x 10 .... 4 x 12 .... 5 x 5...... 5 x 7...... 5 x 8...... 5 x 10 .... 6 x 4...... 6 x 6...... 6 x 8......

$8.00 $8.00 $10.00 $11.00 $14.00 $12.00 $9.00 $12.00 $14.00 $18.00 $10.00 $16.00 $16.00

6 x 9...... $18.00 6 x 10 .... $20.00 6 x 12 .... $24.00 8 x 8...... $25.00 8 x 10 .... $26.00 8 x 12 .... $28.00 9 x 12 .... $30.00 10 x 10... $28.00 10 x 12... $35.00 12 x 12... $40.00 12 x 15... $45.00 13 x 15... $50.00 13 x 18... $60.00 15 X 15... $60.00

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Personal Vaporizers the finest e-cigs on the market

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Ultra Hybrid Vaping Accessories & E-cigs continued from page 86 for retailers to stand out from the crowd. “You need a good variety,� Martinez notes. “You’ve got to have something that nobody else has, like a few extra mods, or a nicer display case.� According to Martinez, e-cigarette marketing is continuing to evolve quickly, as vaping technology improves. Hot products currently include mods, and in the quest for longer battery life and more control over their vaping experience, consumers are snapping up newer 650 mods, copper mods, and box mods. Some of the higher-end mods include controls like wattage control and LED displays, and can even be hooked to a computer to keep statistics. The higher end of the e-cigarette market is also continuing to improve. According to Martinez, higher end e-cigarettes are made from better materials, provide more control to users, and feature more intricate and attractive machining on components.

Ordering & pricing Retailers can order a complete line of e-cigarettes and accessories from Ultra on the company’s website, or by telephone. US-based retailers have to provide a business license to qualify for wholesale pricing. Although it varies, the average product markup is 20% to 40% on high-end e-cigarettes and accessories. â–

Ultra Mist 351 N. Azusa Avenue, West Covina, CA 91791 Tel.: 626-859-3400 Website: ultravaping.com

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rk LanMa

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Importer & Distributor Tactical Gear Wholesale

CLOSEOUT DEALS! YOUR SOURCE FOR PALLETS AND LARGE VOLUME ORDERS!

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Tactical Vests MOLLE Gear Belt Holsters Leg Holsters Shoulder Holsters Helmets Concealment Holsters Knee/Elbow Pads Rifle Bags & Rifle Slings Pouches Duty Belts & More...

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IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

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& MANY MORE!

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supplier profile Inch of Gold: Custom Gold and Silver Chains ACCORDING TO Inch of Gold, retail success can measured by the inch. Based in West Palm Beach, Fla., Inch of Gold has been a leading wholesaler of fashion gold and silver wholesale jewelry chain since 1982. The company’s niche is do-ityourself custom gold and silver chains. The products are offered on spools that consumers can touch and feel for themselves, then have measured and cut to their own specifications. According to Vice President Bill Kretschmar, Inch of Gold chains are popular everywhere from

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gift shops to jewelry stores, theme parks, and even cruise ships. “Our concept is the chain is on a spool and the retailer cuts the chain so the fit is perfect,” he says.

Inch of Silver The company’s biggest seller, the gold chain, is 18 karat layered gold on a base metal. There are many varieties of chain, from a delicate spun gold to heavier chains. The company also offers a separate line of silver called Inch of Silver, as well as a line of crystal chains that features crystals embedded

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

into the chain for a sparkling effect. The complete product line-up includes a selection of clasps and pendants to complete the chains.

made into fashion jewelry within a few seconds, Kretschmar notes.

Lifetime guarantee

It’s easy to launch an Inch of Gold program at almost any sized retailer. For new customers, the company provides everything needed to begin selling chains at no cost. The spool displays are also small and “earn the real estate” with a small footprint and high margin. The company’s standard recommended mark-up on all chains is 5x, so chains that wholesale for 20 cents per inch retail for $1 an inch. ■

Inch of Gold makes it easy for retailers to set up and start selling its products. The company supplies the display, tools, training materials, and even limited marketing materials to all qualified retailers at no charge. Additionally, there are no contracts, no franchise fees, and all Inch of Gold chains carry a lifetime guarantee that the company will replace any chain for lifetime. “The key to selling these successfully is to put them in a high-traffic area,” Kretschmar advises. “Don’t put the spools behind a case. You want people to be able to touch the chains and get involved. It’s very interactive, and it’ll draw a crowd when you’re actually making the chain.” Making the chains is also very easy. Inch of Gold has perfected the process of cutting chains and attaching clasps, so any of the 150 styles of chains can be

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

Ordering and pricing

Inch of Gold 3975 Investment Lane, West Palm Beach, FL 33404 Tel.: 800-854-3434 • Website: www.inchofgold.com

IR | August 2014

97

tradeshows Impulse at NY NOW Launches August 2014 INDEPENDENT RETAILER recently spoke with Brady Kimball, marketing & special events manager at Emerald Expositions about the launch of Impulse at NY NOW. The show will be held Saturday, August 16 through Tuesday, August 19 at the Passenger Ship Terminal’s Pier 94 in New York City. This trade event will allow buyers exclusive access to countless suppliers of impulse and point-of-purchase gifts and accessories. IR: How do you define Impulse at NY NOW in relationship with ASD? Kimball: Impulse is a finely curated selection of gift, toy, novelty, fashion accessories, fashion apparel and on trend jewelry exhibitors that we feel would be very complimentary to the NY NOW exhibitor base. Since NY NOW is a sister show to us we are trying to find some synergy between ASD and the New York event. With ASD being twice a year in Las Vegas and NY NOW in January and August it’s nice for us to introduce the exhibitors that are used to our Las Vegas show to a whole new set of buyers that attend NY NOW. 96 percent of those buyers do not come to our Vegas show so its an awesome opportunity for our exhibitors who are used to doing business with us out on the West coast to meet that East coast or higher end buyer that they are not necessarily seeing at ASD. IR: Will many of these exhibitors also be exhibiting in Las Vegas August 3-6? Kimball: Yes, many will. The main goal in choosing exhibitors, is that they have nice merchandise, as in it is good quality and appearance, but the price point is more affordable than one might think. This allows the retailers to stock these types of items so they are able to make a higher margin on them. IR: What is your definition of Impulse’s affordable price points? Kimball: The main purpose in calling this Impulse is that we are going for that impulse buy or that point of sale, point of purchase item that you see at the cash 98

August 2014 | INDEPENDENT RETAILER

by Brady Kimball

register that is an add on and you weren’t exactly going to the store to buy but it is complimentary to the rest of the merchandise in a store. That’s why it’s a perfect fit for a show like NY NOW that is 100 percent focused on the gift industry. At ASD you can shop several hundreds of product categories across seven different main verticals. Our buyers tell us they shop ASD for its value, variety and convenience. They can accomplish more in 4 days under one roof than they can by attending multiple markets over several months. So, for the buyer attending NY NOW, this is the opportunity to introduce them to a wider variety of merchandise at a more affordable price point. We say that ASD can be like a treasure hunt so we’re bringing some of those treasures and neat little items over to this crowd. IR: Was this a market you don’t think was being served previously at NY NOW? Kimball: From what we can tell there is not a lot of crossover with the ASD Las Vegas and NY NOW exhibitors. NY NOW is known for being one of the premier launching pads for major brands like Jonathan Adler and other high-end home goods and tabletop types of companies. With Impulse, we want to introduce a company that maybe isn’t a well-known brand but is supplying to private label to this audience. The products are still on trend but aren’t necessarily competing with NY NOW. IR: What are you doing to get foot traffic at the pier? Kimball: We have a wonderful giveaway that we are very excited about. We are giving away a limited edition Gucci Fiat. The drawing will be during the buyer happy hour over at the pier on Monday, August 18 at 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.nynow.com/ impulseatnynow.aspx

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99

tradeshows Asia America Show Attracts Sellers From Around the World NOW IN its fifth year, the Asia America Wholesale Show has hit on the perfect formula for a regional trade show. According to Asia America President, Michael Finocchiaro, the show specializes in bringing diverse sellers from around the world together with buyers from South Florida, Central and South America, and the Caribbean, featuring a complete range of high-quality merchandise at good prices. “We are a multiproduct show,” he says. “Our buyers are coming from all over, and want a one-stop shop. We have everything from apparel and toys to souvenirs, fashions, gifts and housewares.”

100

August 2014 | INDEPENDENT RETAILER

A lthough it’s called the Asia A mer ica show, sellers come from all over the world, including Europe, Asia, and North America. The main draw, Finocchiaro says, are new products, but there are also closeouts, liquidations, and clearance vendors. This is the right time for a trade show focused on this area, since South America recently surpassed China as the world’s fastest growing region, with 12% annual GDP growth last year. A frequent traveler to Central and South America, Finocchiaro reports seeing new cars and construction everywhere. Even the relatively small islands of the Caribbean are a $900

million market. “There is a new kind of entrepreneur from these places,” Finocchiaro notes. “They are young men and women who want to develop their countries, and are looking for all kinds of products to take home and sell. Things are changing.”

Asia America hosts two shows per year at the Miami Beach Convention Center, making access easy from the Americas and Caribbean. The upcoming show runs September 8–10, with a Spring show April 21–23. The typical Asia America show boasts about 280 exhibitors, and is currently in its fi fth year of steady growth.

Ordering and pricing The Asia America Wholesale Show is only open to wholesale buyers. Attendees must prove they are a wholesaler, retailer, or distributor, or that they have traveled from overseas to gain entry. Early signups receive free entry to the show, and tickets are available during show hours for $20 each. ■

Asia America Wholesale Show Miami Beach Convention Center 1901 Convention Center Drive, Hall A Miami Beach, FL Toll Free: 305-262-3200 Email: info@acsshow.org Website: www.acsshow.org

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101

tradeshow calendar AUG 2-4

AUG 8-10

AUG 16-19

Biloxi Mississippi Wholesale Gift Show

ACC Craft Fair - San Francisco

The Off-Price Specialist Show

Fort Mason Center San Francisco, CA

Sands Expo & Convention Center, Halls A & B Las Vegas, NV

612-206-3100 www.craftcouncil.org

262-782-1600 www.offpriceshow.com

AUG 8-10

AUG 16-20

Great American Gem Show - InterGem

NY NOW

Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Chicago, IL

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Pier 94 New York, NY

301-294-1640 www.intergem.net

800-272-SHOW; 212-204-1060 www.nynow.com

AUG 8-10

AUG 18-20 Accessories The Show

San Francisco International Gift Fair

North Georgia Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show

The Moscone Convention Center San Francisco, CA

Northwest Georgia Trade & Convention Center Dalton, GA

678-285-3976 www.sďŹ gf.com

540-384-6047 www.toteshows.com

AUG 3-5

AUG 9-11

FAME

Atlanta Jewelry Show

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York, NY

Cobb Galleria Atlanta, GA

866-696-6020, 212-710-7439 www.fameshows.com

800-241-0399, 404-634-3434 www.atlantajewelryshow.com

AUG 3-5

AUG 10-11

MODA Manhattan

St. Louis Gift Show

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center New York, NY

St. Charles Convention Center St. Charles, MO

866-696-6020, 212-710-7441 www.modamanhattan.com

513-861-1139 www.stlouisgiftshow.com

AUG 3-6

AUG 13-16

ASD Las Vegas

Dallas Apparel & Accessories

Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV

Dallas Market Center Dallas, TX

1-800-748-5058, 323-817-1993 www.asdonline.com

214-655-6183, 800-325-6587 www.dallasmarketcenter.com

AUG 3-6

AUG 15-15

Los Angeles Footwear & Accessories Show

The Heritage Cash & Carry Wholesale Market

California Market Center Los Angeles, CA

The Aladdin Shrine Complex Columbus, OH

800-541-8171, 630-241-9865 ext. 22 www.helenbrett.com

800-cal-mart (225-6278), 213-630-3737 www.californiamarketcenter.com

717-249-9404 www.heritagemarkets.com

AUG 23-26

AUG 8-9

AUG 16-19

Arkansas Jewelers Association Annual Convention

Seattle Gift Show

Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum Biloxi, MS

800-951-1994, 405-373-2020 www.wmigiftshows.com

AUG 2-4 GTS Greensboro Expo Greensboro Coliseum Complex Greensboro, NC

770-410-9771 www.gtshows.com

AUG 2-5

Doubletree Hotel Little Rock, AR

972-743-5406 www.arkansasjewelers.com 102

Washington State Convention Center Seattle, WA

The Venetian Hotel Las Vegas, NV

866-696-6020, 212-710-7412 www.accessoriestheshow.com

AUG 18-20 MAGICWWD Las Vegas Convention Center - Central Hall Las Vegas, NV

877-554-4834, 218-740-7092 www.magiconline.com

AUG 18-20 MODA Las Vegas The Venetian Hotel Las Vegas, NV

866-696-6020, 212-710-7441 www.modalasvegas.com

AUG 19-20 PGA Fall Expo The Venetian Hotel Las Vegas, NV

800-840-5628, 203-840-5628 www.pgaexpo.com

AUG 22-24 Memphis Gift & Jewelry Show - Fall Memphis Cook Convention Center Memphis, TN

Fort Lauderdale Gift Show Broward County Conv. Ctr. Ft. Lauderdale, FL

678-285-3976, 678-370-0340 www.ftlauderdalegiftshow.com

678-285-3976 www.seattlegiftshow.com

August 2014 | INDEPENDENT RETAILER

continued on page 104

I NDEPENDENT R ETAILER.com | August 2014

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tradeshow calendar continued from page 102

SUMNERCOMMUNICATIONS www.sumnercom.com

SEP 5-7

SEP 12-14

Great American Gem Show InterGem

Great American Gem Show InterGem

Hyatt Regency - 1300 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis, MN

San Mateo County Event Center San Mateo, CA

Maryland State Fairgrounds Timonium, MD

763-546-8717 www.northstarfashion.com

301-294-1640 www.intergem.net

301-294-1640 www.intergem.net

PUBLISHER

AUG 29-31

SEP 6-8

SEP 15-16

Gatlinburg Apparel & Jewelry Market

Midwest Market Days Chicago

Bill McNulty billm@sumnercom.com 1-800-999-8281 ext. 111 @BMcNultyCT

AUG 24-26 Northstar Fashion Exhibitors

Great American Gem Show InterGem Lester E. Palmer Events Center Austin , TX

301-294-1640 www.intergem.net

AUG 29-31 Great American Gem Show InterGem Los Angeles Convention Center Los Angeles, CA

301-294-1640 www.intergem.net

SEP 4-6 Surf Expo Orlando Convention Center Orlando, FL

678-781-7900 www.dmgworldmedia.com, www. surfexpo.com

SEP 4-7 JOGS Gem & Jewelry Show

Gatlinburg Convention Center Gatlinburg, TN

865-436-6151 www.nortonshows.com

SEP 6-8 Norton’s Gatlinburg Gift & Variety Show Gatlinburg Convention Center Gatlinburg, TN

865-436-6151 www.nortonshows.com

SEP 7-9 Miami International Mart Show Miami International Mart Miami Gardens, FL

305-624-6623 www.martofmiami.com/show_info. html

SEP 8-10

Tucson Expo Center Tucson, AZ

Asia America Trade Show Miami

877-GEM-SHOW; 877-436-7469; 213-629-3030 www.jogsshow.com

305-262-3200 www.acsshow.org

SEP 5-6 OASIS Gift Show

Miami Beach Convention Center Miami, FL

SEP 10-12 Interbike Expo

Phoenix Convention Center Phoenix, AZ

Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas, NV

602-952-2050, 800-424-9519 www.oasis.org

949-226-5754 www.interbike.com

Regent Showroom, 8999 Palmer St. River Grove, IL

916-376-9437 www.midwestmarketdays.com

SEP 15-17 September Buyer Fly-In Show™ TransWorld Merchandise Center Des Plaines, IL

312-201-3800 www.twmerchcenter.com

SEP 17-20 International Vision Expo West The Sand Expo & Convention Center Las Vegas, NV

800-811-7151, 203-840-5610 www.visionexpowest.com

SEP 17-20 Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV

678-285-3976 ext. 334, 678-3700034 www.urban-expo.com

INDEPENDENT

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#WIWUV r 8QN r 0Q

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Ronald A. Fisher raf@sumnercom.com 1-800-999-8281 ext. 107

EDITORS Corryn Henry corrynh@sumnercom.com Barbara ScoďŹ dio barbaras@sumnercom.com Jon VanZile jonv@sumnercom.com

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CIRCULATION Lisa Evans lisae@sumnercom.com Virginia Ramirez virginia@sumnercom.com

COMPTROLLER Kate Kulenski katek@sumnercom.com

PUBLISHING OFFICES Sumner Communications, Inc. 24 Stony Hill Road Bethel, CT 06801-1166 Phone: (203) 748-2050 FA X: (203) 748-5932 IndependentRetailer.com

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

SEP 19-21 Great American Gem Show InterGem Greater Philadelphia Expo at Oaks Philadelphia, PA

301-294-1640 www.intergem.net

SEP 19-21

SEP 5-7

SEP 11-14

Gem, Jewelry & Lapidary Trade Show

Great American Gem Show InterGem

San Antonio Wholesale Jewelry, Gift & Accessory Show

Holiday Inn Palo Verde/Holidome Tucson, AZ

Denver Merchandise Mart Denver , CO

San Antonio Event Center San Antonio, TX

601-879-8832 www.glwshows.com

301-294-1640 www.intergem.net

512-261-4223 www.parkertradeshow.com

r 24 per year; 50 for 1st cl. r 48 for 2 years; 95 for 1st cl. r Canadian subscriptions 40. U.S. funds (Canadian 1st cl. 60) r 2NGCUG CNNQY FC[U HQT É›TUV issue. For current issue Yith subscription add 7.00. r Individual Copies 7.00 ea. Email: lisae@sumnercom.com Phone: (203) 748-2050 ext. 127 Independent Retailer is published monthly by Sumner Communications, Inc., 24 Stony Hill Road, Bethel, CT 06801, telephone (203) 748-2050. Send all inquiries, letters, and submissions to above address. Entire contents are copyright 2014 by Sumner Communications, Inc. Printed in the United States of America. Independent Retailer (USPS 011-867) Periodicals Postage paid at Bethel, CT and at additional mailing ofďŹ ces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Independent Retailer, 24 Stony Hill Road, Bethel, CT 06801. Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising, editorial or manuscripts that publisher deems inappropriate.

Š 2014 SUMNERCOMMUNICATIONS

www.sumnercom.com

104

August 2014

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IGES Int’l Gift Expo in the Smokies | Nov. 2-7, 2014 www.iges.us

IR | August 2014

105

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IR | August 2014

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POSTMASTER: Please Send Address Changes to:

Independent Retailer 24 Stony Hill Road Bethel, CT 06801-1166 08-14

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