Sicap’s Sinus Buster

With all the emphasis these days on healthy and natural ingredients, it makes sense that Sicap’s Sinus Buster spray is a big seller in high demand. The product was founded by someone who needed nasal relief, but didn’t like most of the commercial products available. “Sicap was started around 2004 by Wayne Perry, who developed the product himself,” says Scott Latella, now sales manager of natural channels for the company. “Wayne suffered from sinus problems, migraine clusters and so forth, and developed the product emphasizing the ‘buster’... 

Indie City Index

A groundbreaking new study, the Indie City Index, ranks all 363 metropolitan areas in the U.S. according to the vitality of their independent retail sectors. Produced by Civic Economics, the index analyzes the share of retail sales captured by independent retailers and assigns a score to each metropolitan area. In regions that score above 100, independent retailers capture a larger than average share of spending, while chains are more dominant in those metros that score less than 100. Topping the list are Ocean City, NJ; Bellingham, WA; Medford,... 

Nubani Thrives On Honesty & Value

Sam Nubani talks about how his father, Fouad, started candy wholesaler, Nubani Trading Company, 26 years ago, and it’s a great life lesson in how to succeed in business. “My dad started the company in 1985 with $1,500 and a station wagon,” Nubani says. “He started out small, wholesaling candy, and little by little started adding bigger name companies to his roster; names like Kraft, Hershey, Mars, Cadbury and Adams,” he explains. Fouad Nubani moved up to a van in 1987, and went from keeping his stock in one public storage rental space,... 

Medi-Ring

It can sometimes be hard to tell different medicines apart for those who take numerous prescription medications, especially if they all come from the same pharmacy and in the same color bottles. That’s what led Fred Hirth to start his company, Medi-Ring. “I’ve been a licensed pharmacist for 25 years,” Hirth says, “and many customers want me to write on the medicine bottle what it’s for, but legally we can’t do that.” Hirth also notes that some of the vial caps have the product name on them, but what if they get switched with the... 

Bow Wow Popcorn

For pet lovers and retailers who sell to them, it’s smart to get to know Steve Cantin and his full line of products made especially for pets. Cantin, CEO of parent company, SCI Inc., already had a line of Cat Sitter and Dog Sitter DVDs, when he realized dogs might like their own version of popcorn as well. “I created the roast chicken, roast beef and bacon popcorn for dogs, to go along with our Dog Sitter DVDs,” he says. “It’s now available in hundreds of independently owned gift shops and pet stores. Many stores have bought it, and it... 

Celebrating Local Biz

National Independent Retailers Week, scheduled this year for July 17-23, celebrates the uniqueness that a locally owned business brings to a community. Independent retailers know that money spent in a locally owned business stays in the community much longer, because the local business owner purchases more supplies, equipment, and inventory from other area businesses. As compared to a mass merchant, shoppers are apt to find that the manager, assistant manager, and staff of a locally owned business are all longtime residents of a community; that’s... 

Slinky Scarfs New Kiosk Craze?

Everyone remembers the big Snuggie craze that began in late 2008, which became a full blown phenomenon by 2009. The Snuggie eventually went on to sell millions, and it’s now the hope of, Eli Cohen, president of Slinky Scarf, that his new kiosk offering will become the Snuggie of 2011. “I first saw the Slinky Scarf in China, and was intrigued by it,” Cohen says. “Here was a fashion product for women that could be worn a number of ways, yet was light and portable enough to be carried in a purse. It was genius,” he says. Cohen purchased one... 

Personal Touch Discounts

Although in-store retail spending jumped significantly this past holiday season over last year, rising a healthy 5.5 percent according to MasterCard, that number was overshadowed by a 15.4 percent increase in online spending. It was the first time that online spending accounted for more than 10 percent of all gift purchases. Even before the holidays, brick and mortar retailers were suffering. When Best Buy reported disappointing third quarter results in early December, analysts attributed the poor numbers to increased competition from online retailers,... 

Wireless Luggage Finder

For anyone who has ever checked their bags when flying, they well know the annoyance of waiting among hundreds of other passengers at the baggage carousel. A new product available from Naftali Inc. can notify a traveler electronically when their bag is coming through from the back of the baggage area. The Easy2Pick Wireless Luggage Finder uses today’s technology to let travelers know when it’s time to step up and claim their bag. “It was developed by an Israeli Army Colonel,” says Arieh Torcos, VP of sales at Naftali. “The tag hangs on... 

Retail Marketing Predictions

Media Logic, a nationally recognized agency specializing in marketing for a social world, has published its predictions for retail marketing in 2011, in a short video and white paper, which offer marketing recommendations aimed at retailers, as well as general projections for the social media landscape in the new year. The studies are based on an ongoing audit and analysis of the social marketing strategies of 100 U.S. based retailers. Media Logic’s retail marketing predictions center around an increase in retailers’ social media marketing,... 

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