1)    Offer a gift. For those customers who forego a plastic bag, they receive a sample of their favorite product or a gift giveaway. Some retailers, like Buffalo Exchange, offer a small donation made to charity for each unused bag.

2)    Discount the purchase. Some retailers, such as those in Washington, DC, are charging consumers five cents for every plastic or paper bag used. But others are using a positive rewards method by offering a five to ten cent discount on the overall purchase price for every bag the customer brings.

3)    Sell reusable bags. The best way to guarantee that customers will bring their own bag is to sell reusable bags. Not only will shoppers no longer use the excuse, “I don’t have a bag to use,” but retailers will be provided with an opportunity to create a little brand awareness and advertising. Intuit columnist, Susan Johnston, emphasizes, “Remember, better bags get used more frequently.”

To read more ways to encourage customers to bring their own bag or forgo plastic bags, click HERE.

What Are They Doing That We Should

Lighting: Staples, Inc., has become known as one of the retail industry’s leading green stars. The company’s commitment to  reducing its impact on the environment has been equally as good for its business. An upgrade from first-generation T8 fluorescent lamps to a high efficiency T8 lamp and ballast system for nearly 700 retail locations has been estimated to save Staples a combined 10,193,770 kilowatt-hours annually. The result is a smaller carbon footprint by 15,647,437 pounds of CO2 emissions annually and fewer maintenance needs. Here’s the real kicker, according to Chain Store Age magazine, “The project resulted in more than a million dollars in annual energy savings.” Staples hasn’t stopped there as it is also replacing the existing 400 watt metal-halide fixtures throughout its parking lots, beginning with its headquarters. A 42 watt modular LED lighting system is expected to use roughly one-tenth the energy of the previous metal-halide lamps.

Metering: Part of joining the Green campaign is managing energy consumption, focusing on energy conservation, generation, and distribution. As Deneice Marshall, director of retail services for Brookshire Brothers Food & Pharmacy, tells Chain Store Age magazine, “You get what you inspect, not what you expect, meaning that energy needs to be monitored.” Utilizing installed sub-meters Brookshire receives detailed data by system such as lighting load, refrigeration load and more. Part of the reporting from the sub-meter data includes an annual consumption comparison per store, “showing how a site is currently performing, and how it stacks up against the previous year,” according to Chain Store Age. Having this type of data allows Brookshire to identify stores operating outside the expected standards, so that they may be brought back into compliance for energy and cost saving purposes.

Building: While some of you may not have the choice in selecting building materials as your storefront is rented space in a plaza, for those of you who are constructing your own shop or are in need for repairs building materials is where the Green movement starts. Blain’s Farm & Fleet stores are well versed in conventional construction versus construction with a metal building system. Simply stated, “Steel, the primary material in a metal building, is the most recycled building material. Plus, the array of available choices for walls and ceilings means that insulating values can soar with a metal building,” according to Chain Store Age.  It’s about thinking outside the box, or in this case the store. Metal building systems can last 60 years or more, cutting on costs on maintenance and structural upkeep.

As Stephen Denny, author of Killing Giants, would undoubtedly support, fight unfairly. Learn how you, the independent retailer, as the underdog can turn the tables on big box retail by implementing the same Green ideas and strategies to gain a competitive edge.

Strategic Thinking and Innovative Investments to be Awarded

Once a growing supermarket chain with its roots in Scarborough, the Proudfoot Group has been reduced to four stores, making it an independent retail grocer facing the same challenges as other independents on High Street. Owners, Ian and Mark Proudfoot, however, are happy to accept the honor of the Grocer Gold Awards 2011 for Independent Retail Chain of the Year, as they know despite economic hardships their investments have paid off. The awards ceremony took place on June 15 at London’s Guildhall. The event recognizes the best of the best in grocery retail for service, initiative and commitment. Among some of the winners of this year’s awards were Morrisons, Tesco, and Coca-Cola Enterprises.

What landed Proudfoot Group the winning spot in the category of Independent Retail Chain of the Year? Simply stated, judges applauded the grocer for its investment in the future. The Grocer reports, “Proudfoot never lost site of its sustainability commitments and continued to make strong progress in reducing its carbon emissions. Its flagship Seamer store was described as ‘world-class’ by the judges, with Proudfoot managing to reduce emissions by 33 percent last year.”

While some may view a history of 17 stores reduced to four as a loss, the Proudfoot Group has strategically sold its branches such as Withernsea and Barton, and by doing so, has gained a stable platform for the future. Four stores still produce profits, and currently the company is trading very well, distributing 28,000 color leaflets every three weeks, promoting in-store offers. Also, according to the Proudfoot Group’s company website, careful management and communication are also important when it comes to economic hardship, noting, “the company has developed its own software, which controls the company from its head office, to the store’s back office, to the laser scanning software the customer sees when purchasing goods.” It’s every store for itself on Main Street USA and the U.K.’s High Street, and sustainability is something earned through strategic thinking and innovative investments.

Paper or Plastic? Paper or Paperless?

According to the Boston Herald, “Major retailers such as Apple, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters and Nordstrom already give customers the option to go digital while the Container Store and Best Buy are participating in a pilot program with Intuit, the software maker of Quick Receipts, and Whole Foods is piloting a paperless option in the mid-Atlantic region that could spread nationwide.” Who says your brick and mortar store can’t be among them? Federal regulations no longer require merchants to ask for a signature on a credit card purchase under $25 or to provide receipts for debit-card buys of $15 or less, making the integration of paperless receipts a strong possibility.

Increasing smartphone purchases, application use, and personal email access has opened numerous channels for your customers to research and buy products. And now, with the cost of receipt paper on an upward trend, “A growing number of merchants are not printing receipts for small transactions, or offering customers ‘paperless receipts,” electronic copies of purchase info, via email or smartphone apps,” mentions NYDailyNews.com in a recent article. Testament to the technologically advanced shopping trends of today, some organizations offer services that not only email receipts, but also electronically track inventory, build catalogues, set prices, and produce robust transaction reporting. Technology and its crucial role in going Green leads Richard Mader, executive director of the National Retail Federation’s Association for Retail Technology Standards, to predict that “In five years, up to 60 percent of America’s retailers will offer paperless receipts.” Will you be among them?

Independent Retailers to Display “Give It Back” Racks

Although green thinking may begin with a single idea, it is teamwork that assists in the successful launch and follow-through of green actions. Take for instance Coca-Cola, whose staff brainstormed around the idea of “Give It Back” Racks. Then, placing the innovative idea into action, Coca-Cola has begun creating recyclable in-store merchandise racks, which with the help of independent retailers will then be recovered, reused and recycled.

Gary Wygant, vice president of Business Development at Coca-Cola Recycling, emphasizes the need for teamwork in the launch of the industry-first closed-loop retail equipment program, “By creating a 100 percent recyclable merchandise display rack, Coca-Cola is asking grocery and convenience stores to join our sustainability efforts by returning or recycling our racks, just like we ask consumers to return or recycle our product packaging.” Coca-Cola is clear in its message that the green effort will not successfully work without the teamwork of its participating independent retailers.

What Is the Goal and Who Else Can Help?

According to Reuters’ columnist, Bart King, “Implementing the closed-loop process and utilizing recyclable materials will improve the chances that Coca-Cola’s displays do not end up in a landfill. Coca-Cola said currently it is diverting, on average, more than 90 percent of its waste at is primary U.S. manufacturing facilities.” Whether it be Coca-Cola or Wal-Mart, looking to implement an environmentally sound supply chain business model, the results need to be measurable. Measurable results can then be presented to consumers, who are increasingly aware of environmental necessities, and in turn who will select the retailer meeting their green expectations.

As mentioned earlier, green work takes teamwork. Independent retailers must embrace this motto, and when adding key players to the team keep in mind organizations like the Environmental Defense Fund and the Carbon Disclosure Project.

Green Earrings

Enter Fair Trade products: items made in developing countries by artisans treated and paid fairly for their work. Think of it as a step above charity. Instead of just giving money to the needy, Fair Trade provides individuals the means to provide for themselves. Fair Trade is a win-win-win. It’s good for the environment, as items produced are typically made using reclaimed, recycled, and sustainable resources. It’s good for the artisans, who might otherwise struggle to provide for themselves and their families in a harsh global economy. And it’s good for retailers and consumers, who receive high quality, handmade goods, free from the stigma of unfair labor practices associated with mass produced or sweatshop made accessories.

My first exposure to Fair Trade products was all indigenous scarves and rough hewn artifacts; not at all something you’d find in a high end boutique catering to the eco and fashion conscious. But many of these artisan co-ops have come a long way, now working with designers and wholesalers to create lines of jewelry and handbags, for instance, that appeal to American consumers, while retaining their uniquely handmade feel. Women who buy Fair Trade jewelry generally want to be stopped on the street for the purpose of compliments, not critiques, and producers are responding with fun and funky pieces that rival the hottest couture designers.

Wholesale Fair Trade accessories, such as recycled tire coin purses and earrings made from coconut shells, can be readily found online at RevyDirect.com, an American company specializing in El Salvadoran Fair Trade goods. They work directly with their artisan co-ops to design and redesign authentic and fashion forward bags and jewelry.

Getting down to brass tacks, the numbers show that higher income consumers tend to buy more eco-conscious products. For the average retailer, that means higher quality eco-goods, including Fair Trade products that will attract a more affluent set of customers, and of course their pocketbooks.

Also, you don’t have to be a specialty “green” shop to profit from Fair Trade goods, available in a wide variety of products, from coffee to cuff bracelets. Even if you only carry a small selection of Fair Trade products, like a dozen or so different pieces of jewelry, your customers are sure to recognize your eco-IQ, thereby elevating the rest of your merchandise.

For retailers truly committed to cornering the green goods market, Fair Trade merchandise is the Holy Grail of them all, fulfilling the green criteria from start to finish. They are good for the Earth and good for the people of the world. When your customer feels good about a purchase, you can be sure they’ll gladly repeat it.

For more information:
Monica Stein
Revy Fair Trade Products
Tel.: 216-765-8117
Email: Monica@RevyDirect.com
Website: RevyDirect.com
]]> http://independentretailer.com/2010/06/01/fair-trade-is-green/feed/ 0 http://independentretailer.com/2010/03/01/recycled-movie-handbags/ http://independentretailer.com/2010/03/01/recycled-movie-handbags/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:01:17 +0000 Publisher http://Thefirstthingcustomersdowhentheyseerecycledmoviefilmhandbagsissmileandsaysomethinglike,OMG,or,Ican'tbelieveit,or,Wow,Iknowsomeonewhothisbagwouldbeperfectfor!Thentheyspendatleastseveralminutes,andoftenlong The first thing customers do when they see recycled movie film handbags is smile and say something like, “OMG,” or, “I can’t believe it,” or, “Wow, I know someone who this bag would be perfect for!” Then they spend at least several minutes, and often longer, trying to figure out what movies they recognize in the bags. This product is definitely an item that keeps folks in your store, or brings them in to see what films they might recognize. Store owners see the delight in shoppers’ faces when they recognize someone in the movie film, and ultimately they either buy the product for someone they know, “in the industry,” or a friend that is a film buff, because they see how perfect a gift it is for a particular person. They could simply purchase it because it is a unique concept that their, “recycling addict friend,” would love, and surely everyone knows someone who loves movies. According to an MPAA study, 172 million Americans went to the movies in 2009, and the number of movies they saw was 8.5. That translates into more revenue and repeat business from bringing in recycled product to sell.

Most buyers never think about recycling, and what happens to movies when they are no longer shown in theaters. Due to copyright laws, they have to be destroyed, either cut up or burned, which results in additional non-compostable waste to the landfill, or volatile toxic fumes into the atmosphere; neither one being a good ecologically safe alternative. But at a company called Deja, it has been found that there is a way to give those movies another life, either as dashingly handsome fashionable handbags, or a charmingly whimsical unisex belt, while still staying within the realms of what’s lawful and great for the environment.

Hollywood films are made using a polyester resin, and that is far from earth friendly, so the reuse of these films are good for the environment. Each film strip on the bags is backed with a clear polyester film leader. This is the material that goes around the reel before the movie starts and holds the movie onto the reel, so not only are you recycling the movie, but the protective polyester too, while creating extra durability and visibility of the movie frames when you hold it up to the light. With a little research, you can find 100′s of recycled products like these Deja bags to sell in your stores, and stand out above your competitors, while bringing the buyers back.

These film bags have only recently been launched. They could become collector’s items, due to the fact that we are moving toward digital movie making that may someday render 35mm film obsolete. At this point, people would no longer have access to these remains of movie theaters, and the bags could become both unique and valuable collector’s items.

For more information:
Eric Wilder
Eco 1 Network
P.O. Box 807
Seal Beach, CA 90740
Tel.: 800-775-1969
Website: www.eco1network.com

In order to achieve this goal, the company’s suppliers are being asked to rethink the manner in which they source, manufacture, package and transportgoods with the highest embedded carbon. Among these specific product categories would be things like milk, bread, meat and clothing. However, the cost of making these products greener, Wal-Mart makes clear, will fall squarely on the supplier, and not the mega-chain itself.

The move will most likely result in higher profits for Wal-Mart, driving down the costs of the supply process. These savings could, in theory, be passed along to the consumer. Wal-Mart indicated that it is only interested in working with suppliers who share their philosophy on this issue, however they also stated that participation in this effort would not be mandatory.

“You can’t argue with asking companies to reduce packaging,” said Stacy Mitchell of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in an interview with the New York Times. “But if durability is not part of what matters in retailing anymore–and Wal-Mart arguably has been the leader in making that the case–that’s something we have to grapple with.”

Organizations like the Environmental Defense Fund, the Carbon Disclosure Project, ClearCarbon and PricewaterhouseCoopers will be advising and assisting Wal-Mart and its suppliers in this new initiative.

This reaction is a great conversation starter and quickly builds a strong rapport with a customer. More often than not, the discussion leads to a sale, and if there are other customers in the vicinity, a buying frenzy can occur. What does it smell like? Hemp, of course, and nothing else smells like it. If you have never smelled it, now is the time. It looks great and feels even better. Hemp is a plant that is great for sales both ecologically and financially, it requires zero pesticides to grow and there is little impact in processing its fabric. Current demand and improvements in manufacturing have made hemp a hot commodity for stores.

This coming May will mark the 20th year that Hempstar has been manufacturing and selling accessories and clothing made from hemp. We have sold thousands of pounds of hemp products all over the world. Entrepreneurs and environmentalists believe hemp is a dream substance, because it is the best and most environmentally safe fabric for sale in recent years.

One of Hempstar’s more popular hemp products, the tri-fold wallet, is made with an 18 to 20 oz. canvas that is four times stronger than cotton and has a much better feel than nylon or leather. The amazing strength and durability of hemp handbags and wallets is why customers are willing to pay a higher price.

Engaging your customers with some knowledge of hemp can be fun and profitable. Here are a few hemp trivia tidbits that often engender potential customers towards purchasing the Earth’s #1 environmental product:

• The word canvas comes from the Dutch pronunciation of the Greek word “Kannabis.”
• Hemp is the oldest known woven fabric, as it began to be worked in the eighth millennium (8,000-7,000 B.C.). According to The Columbia History of the World.
• The long strands of the hemp are what makes it ultra strong when woven together.
• Hemp contains natural disulfides, which help to eliminate odor and keep it from rotting. Hemp socks are the best for your feet!
• Ninety percent of ship sails were once made from Hemp: Levi Strauss used hemp cloth, strengthened with rivets, to make his famous jeans, which did not rip when the pockets were filled with gold and sediment by 49′ers panning for gold.
• Hemp needs no chemicals and has few weed or insect enemies.
• Hemp fabric is more environmentally friendly than cotton.

Sales of hemp continue to increase across the country as the demand for high quality, eco friendly products increase. Small items like wallets, bags, hats and twine are produced affordably and with a nice profit margin for retailers. These items check through the cash register at a nice pace, with or without a mini hemp education dialogue. If a customer does not know what it is made of and you as a retailer explain it to them for the first time, see what their reaction is. I bet they smell it!

For more information:
Dave Martyn
Exodus Sales / Hempstar.com
1835 Newport Blvd., A109-127
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Toll Free: 877-436-7786
Tel.: 949-246-4067
Fax: 949-645-0052
Email: dave@hempstar.com
Website: www.hempstar.com

“Starting 2010 at 100 percent green power helps reduce our carbon footprint and brings us another step closer to achieving our goal of reaching net zero greenhouse emissions by the end of the year,” said Ken Bonning, Kohl’s Executive VP of Store Planning & Logistics.

Kohl’s has purchased nearly 1.4 billion kilowatt-hours of green energy, which, it is believed, will cover the company’s purchased electricity requirements for the entirety of 2010. This raises Kohl’s to a number-two overall ranking by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for top green power purchasers—in addition to it’s number-one ranking amongst retailers.

Kohl’s utilizes a combination of renewable energy certificates (RECs) and utility green power products from a variety of sources. The company generates solar power at nearly 80 of its stores, accounting for anywhere from 20 to 50 percent of each location’s energy. Kohl’s has built many of its stores in such a way that up to 35 percent of that 100 percent green energy comes from landfill gas. Kohl’s also buys power from “wind farms” in Texas and the Dakotas.