Toys, Gifts & Novelties Forecast

Conventional wisdom dictates that during sluggish economic times, the less necessary an item is, the more likely consumers are to eliminate it from their budgets. It would be understandable, therefore, if you assumed that it has been a somewhat bumpy ride for those in the business of selling toys, gifts and novelties. But while it certainly has been no walk in the park, and the effects of belt tightening have certainly been felt, it has not been all gloom and doom. Wholesalers have found ways to keep their products moving, and retailers have continued... 

Closeouts Jump Start Retail Profits

There’s one product segment that’s offering store owners hope in a sluggish retail environment, and it’s a segment that independent retailers are uniquely positioned to put to good use: closeouts. While big box retailers can’t fit small quantities of extremely discounted items into a multi-store strategy, single unit sellers have the flexibility and responsiveness to make closeout products an effective part of their retail strategy. Just ask Danny Kole, owner of Kole Imports. He used this recession to add closeouts to his... 

Immigration Compliance: A Roadmap for the Savvy Retailer

With summer upon us and the marketplace flooded with jobseekers, many retail employers find themselves in the enviable position of having a large pool of potential workers from which to hire. But before you utter the words, “You’re hired,” you need to be sure you are prepared to navigate the potential pitfalls of immigration compliance. Although employers have long been required to check the employment eligibility of all new employees, in the last several years the government has begun vigorously enforcing this obligation and... 

Wholesalers Meet Challenges Online

How’s the economy treating you? The conventional wisdom is that a sluggish economy is not good for business, but when you narrow down, especially to wholesalers who target discount stores and other independent retailers, many companies are finding strategies to grow and even thrive. It’s been a banner year for Conklin Fashions, for example, a wholesaler offering tens of thousands of jewelry and accessories items, primarily to dollar stores. “Right now it looks like this will be our best year in 24 years,” says company president,... 

Four Tips to Boost Profits

Retailing is a challenging business, and for the independent store owner wanting to boost sales and profits, it typically comes down to spending more money on advertising and promotion to get more people into the store, in hopes they will buy more. But sales growth expert, Bob Janet, suggests another way. He thinks that the independent retailer should put away that high cost thinking and concentrate instead on four time tested, inexpensive ways to increase sales and profits. And Janet should know. Besides being a sales trainer par excellence, he... 

Fashion Accessories Forecast

Consumers are looking carefully at every dollar they spend, and while many are foregoing complete new spring and summer wardrobe purchases, they still plan to spruce up last year’s outfits with new handbags, scarves, belts, shoes, wallets, jewelry, and a host of other fashion accessories. In a recent survey of fashion accessory suppliers, there really did not appear to be one or two categories more popular than others. In fact, the suppliers explain that the most important criteria for selling merchandise seems to be a combination of good... 

Apparel Trends and Bargains

Hot fashion trends, designer names and designer logos may capture the heart of the fashion conscious buyer in 2010, but an equally strong pull will continue to be the tug of tight purse strings, as unemployment lingers uneasily at over 10 percent nationwide and family budgets stay tight. But what seems to be boding well for the independent retailer in the apparel category is that everyone needs to buy clothes, and even for those shoppers who do not intend to replace their entire 2009 wardrobe with new items, they will need to supplement and spruce... 

Total Display Resource

A critical question for many small business people with big dreams is: how do you take a bright idea that may start off in a garage or other less than ideal location, and grow it into a multi-million dollar company? For Michael Fried, founder of M. Fried Store Fixtures in Brooklyn, NY, who started a shelving company in his basement in 1991, the critical keys to success were quality products, a passion for customer service, and competitive pricing, says Michael Lebor, director of sales and marketing for the firm. “When you furnish great customer... 

Building Profits with Sunglasses

Sunglasses rank among the highest profit retail categories, and they are way less seasonal purchases than in years past. But they won’t sell themselves without a little help. Unless you offer a mix of popular styles, colors and price points, and prominently display them, you could be leaving sales and profits on the table. Unless retailers are seasoned veterans of this market, sunglass wholesalers can help determine the best mix. Many sunglasses suppliers are well positioned today to assist in capturing the fashion conscious buyer, the budget... 

2010 Business Leaders Forecast

The global recession that officially began late in 2007, the worst since the Great Depression, is finally loosening its ugly grip on the economy. In recent interviews with key wholesalers, the overwhelming verdict was that 2010 looks strong for independent retailers, wholesalers, distributors and closeout buyers. Although most of those interviewed were uncertain if Washington, D.C. policymakers had the wherewithal to fix the wounded economy, what they were absolutely certain of was the direction of their own companies and the outlook for their... 

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