• The launch of www.RetailMeansJobs.com, breaking down the retail industry’s economic impact by state and congressional district.

• Advertising in print, radio and online markets.

• Social media campaigning through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

• A viral video campaign to highlight the “Faces of Retail.”

That viral video campaign is now organized to be the result of a nationwide video contest entitled, “This is Retail.” “We’re on a hunt to find the best retail stories in America, from marketing geniuses to customer service superstars to small business owners, who are the fabric of every local community,” says NRF president and CEO, Matthew Shay.

How to Participate

Retail employees or business owners must submit a two-minute video sharing their retail story, which can highlight anything from the positive impact it has on shoppers to how an initiative within the business will help generate new jobs to boost the economy. All video submissions will be accepted during the dates of March 5 to March 16.

Viral Video Payouts

A panel of retail executives will narrow the videos down, featuring finalists on www.RetailMeansJobs.com. Winners will then be chosen based on votes. During NRF’s Washington Leadership Conference in May, a third place winner of $10,000, second place winner of $15,000, and a first place winner of $25,000 will be announced.

For more information visit www.retailmeansjobs.com/contest.

Check out our Industry Headlines for more NRF related news, studies and contests.

Internation Pavillions Showcase a World of Gems and Jewelry

The international pavilions make the JOGS Gem and Jewelry Show a worldwide attraction. “The Amber Pavilion is the biggest in the United States,” Mayzenberg notes. “There are about 30 amber dealers, everything from carvers to stonecutters to jewelry designers. It’s the best selection that anyone will ever see of amber.” Featuring dealers from Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Colombia, and the U.S., the Amber Pavilion is always on the cutting edge in showcasing new products. JOGS also has more than 100 booths dedicated to Native American Jewelry at the Southwestern Pavilion, which features contemporary, antique and reproductions from various tribes such as the Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi. Other popular pavilions include the Nepal Jewelry Pavilion, the Thailand Jewelry and Gem Pavilion, and the International Gem Pavilion.

Allowing attendees to buy directly from the wholesale sources, the event also offers more than 100 jewelry classes and two special exhibits (Unique Stone Carving and Indus Valley Pottery). Held at the Tucson Expo Center, at 3750 East Irvington Road, registration for the JOGS Gem and Jewelry Show is still open, and attendees can register at the show as well.

Retail Trends Revealed on EXPO Floor

Mobile application and mobile retail is a reality. This is something the NRF, IndependentRetailer.com and any good retail industry resource has been pointing out over the past year, and it looks as if 2012 will be no different. As show attendee Andrew Paradise of AisleBuyer LLC reveals in the show summary clip, a survey conducted on site indicated that 14 percent of those retailers surveyed have mobile applications as part of their in-store experience. Of the remainder, 50 percent plan on investing in mobile in 2012.

Retailers are unanimous that the customer is important. Attendees are seeing a large focus on customer experience and customer service. This doesn’t just mean when making a sale, but also includes the overall process from the point of acquiring the customer, getting them in-store, and leaving them with a satisfactory experience.

Retailers want their product in the right place at the right time. Inventory visibility is another hot topic on the EXPO floor, as retailers analyze the best ways to stay on top of the supply chain. This includes understanding and possibly using item level RFID, UPC encoded tags, and other tools and techniques. Retailers are in agreement, however, that inventory visibility means an increase in sales and reduced out-of-stock items.

To hear more about these trends straight from Retail’s BIG Show attendees, see the video below.

For other industry and business updates, click HERE.

Holiday Input Help Forecast 2012 Retail Trends

The frugal mindset of the female consumer, according to multiple studies by NPD, appeared in the early months of 2011 and lasted straight through the holidays. The recent study affirms that women over men openly admitted to spend less on each gift this holiday season, as well as cut back on the number of gifts bought. NPD also reports, “When asked if they bought items on sale, shopped in less expensive stores and bought more practical or thrifty gifts, again a higher percentage of women answered ‘Yes.’” This doesn’t mean, however, that women sold themselves short in the shopping experience. In this post-holiday study 50 percent of women told NPD they bought something for themselves during the course of their holiday shopping. Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst of the NPD Group, Inc., confirms, “Women were the ones that told us they cut back on their spending, cut back on the number of people on their lists and in general were more thrifty in their gift shopping. So, they felt more comfortable about rewarding themselves for being so frugal ad there were a lot of deals that were hard to pass up.”

Another noteworthy trend was the popular topic of smartphones and mobile marketing, as both men and women consumers used their phones as a channel for research and purchasing this holiday season. Women were only slightly more inclined to research a product (13 percent versus 12 percent), as well as follow through with a purchase (5 percent versus 4 percent). Men, however, were more willing to use the phone as a resource while shopping in store, reading product reviews along the way (7 percent versus 5 percent). They were also slightly more inclined to discuss their shopping experience via social networks with other holiday shoppers (4 percent versus 3 percent). “I think it is becoming clear that there is a growing market for this kind of consumer engagement,” said Cohen, “While the 4 percent of consumers that told us they used smart phones to make a purchase doesn’t sound like a lot, remember it was less than a decade ago that only 3 percent of consumers told us they shopped online,” noted Cohen.

To read other details of The NPD Group’s holiday sales and trends study, click HERE.

To read other industry news and analysis, check out IndependentRetailer.com’s Industry Headlines section.

What Proposals Will Make a Difference?

Among the proposals is the Marketplace Equity Act, introduced in October, which seeks to provide a framework for states to collect sales taxes from out-of-state online retailers who sell products to their residents. Recently introduced was the Marketplace Fairness Act, the third and final major sales tax measure introduced at the end of 2011. “It’s not just about retail. Fair sales tax laws are needed so budget cuts don’t force layoffs for essential workers like police, firefighters and school teachers,” notes Shay. Shay isn’t alone in his view of the overall picture. Results from a poll conducted by Purple Strategies for the NRF found:

1) 83 percent agree that “we need a clearer approach that will simplify how sales tax is collected.”

2) 70 percent agree that “the current law hurts businesses and consumers by setting two different standards for collecting sales tax.”

3) 61 percent agree that “the current sales tax rules deny states critical revenue they need to pay for schools, police and firefighters.”

With federal legislation that ensures simpler, more uniform collection of sales tax, $24 billion in additional revenue will be available to state and local governments. “In a 21st Century retail industry, we ought to have a 21st Century system to ensure uniform collection of sales tax. A modern approach to this issue would provide states with additional revenue in order to protect jobs that are badly needed to support American families and keep our communities economically healthy,” adds Shay.

To read more on the polling data about sales tax fairness, click HERE.

As the event website boasts, “Anyone who is in retail has a home at Retail’s BIG Show,” from the C-Level and Senior Execs who make up 39 percent of the BIG Show audience to the regional managers and the single store operators. All in all, this year’s event is expecting in attendance 22,000 industry professionals, 500 plus exhibitors, 175 plus speakers, with 82 countries and 45 international delegations represented.

Promoting Indie Business at the Retail’s BIG Show

From the kick-off opening night reception and EXPO Hall happy hours to the more intimate working breakfasts and lunches, the Convention offers numerous networking opportunities for attendees. That includes the highlighted, Independents’ Day, sponsored by Dell, to be held during the event on Jan. 16. Independents’ Day provides a full day of programming specifically for those independent retailers attending the Convention and Expo. More than 95 percent of retailers in the U.S. operate just one location, and the NRF is proud to say that these retailers have a place at Retail’s BIG Show, and best of all can attend for free. “A mistake many small businesspeople make is that we think the NRF show is just for the big boys, but the NRF does a really good job of having stuff for us,” says Dave Ratner, a returning Independents’ Day retailer. “Last year, I went to different sessions and learned how to fine tune some ideas, and I got a couple of new ideas for how to market my business. And, not only that, but walking the show floor is great. For a little guy, you would think it would be intimidating because you have all the big vendors, but we found some management tools that work with small businesses as well.”

Independents’ Day programming is designed especially for small-to medium-sized companies. The day’s programs include sessions presented by retailers such as Ratner, Linda Hundt of Sweetie-licious Bakery Café, Sarah Endline of Sweetriot, and Allan Reagan of Flix Brewhouse. Other speakers include professionals from KAB Marketing and the Montana, Louisiana and Massachusetts retail associations. Many of Independents’ Day sessions fall into the following educational tracks: Online Retailing; Marketing and Brand Management; Merchandising; and Store Operations.

For more information about Retail’s BIG Show and Independents’ Day, visit www.nrf.com/annual12.

For more industry and tradeshow news, click HERE.

OASIS Provides Plenty of Products and Opportunity

Besides the exhibition of apparel, aromatherapy products, books, home décor, and jewelry, the OASIS Gift Show also offers the largest selection of Southwest and Native American merchandise available. Both exhibitors and attendees can expect widespread benefits during their attendance. OASIS exhibitors will discover a marketplace to meet with buyers face to face, allowing them to generate leads, launch new products, and educate and reconnect with buyers. “And for OASIS attendees, our show is a great opportunity to discover new products and merchandising ideas,” adds McNeil. The event offers buyers the ability to nurture relationships with vendors, spot upcoming trends, and share business experiences and successes with other buyers.

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, attendees will be able to browse the show floor, which is separated into three areas: order writing, an artisans’ showcase, and Gifts 2 Go. “The show floor is not categorized. Attendees are encourage to walk the entire floor, and use the New Product Showcases and Seasonal Impressions to help source trends and new product,” says McNeil. She adds that OASIS Gift Show is also offering the following promotions during the event:

• OA$I$ BUCK$: The first 500 attendees to enter the show each day receive a “Welcome” Envelope, some of which contain OA$I$ BUCK$ vouchers.  These vouchers come in $10 increments, and spend like cash on the show floor with participating exhibitors.  Over $10,000 will be given away, at no cost to exhibitors or buyers!
• Gift Giveaways: Some of the “Welcome” Envelopes will contain vouchers for a free prize from one of our exhibitors.  Attendees will take their voucher to the participating exhibitor (noted on the voucher) to receive their gift.
• Prize Giveaways: Participating exhibitors will donate a prize valued at $25, $50, or $100 wholesale, and attendees can enter to win the drawing for each prize.  Winning buyers will take a certificate to the exhibitor’s booth to claim their prize.

Exhibitors and buyers can visit the event website at www.oasis.org, and click on the logo that says “OGS” to sign up for the show.  “They can also contact us directly by emailing information@oasis.org or calling,” notes McNeil. “In addition to the OASIS Gift Shows, we manage the OASIS Albuquerque Gift Show and the Phoenix Jewelry & Accessory Show. Exhibitors and buyers can visit our website for more information regarding those shows as well.”

For more information:
KKT Event Management, LLC
OASIS Gift Shows
Tel.: 602-952-2050 ext 206
Toll Free: 800-424-9519
Fax: 602-391-2100
Email: information@oasis.org
Website: www.oasis.org

Mobile Purchases You Should Stock Your Shelves With

Here’s the top 10 most popular mobile purchases:

• Event tickets and daily deals: 38 percent of mobile device owners have made these purchases (tie)
• Apparel or accessories: 36 percent
• Travel; physical copies of books, video games or movies: 33 percent (tie)
• Consumer electronics (TVs, etc., but excluding mobile phones): 32 percent
• Flowers and gifts; toys: 30 percent (tie)
• General services (photo printing, shipping services, etc.): 26 percent
• Consumer packaged goods; sports and fitness: 25 percent (tie)

To read more about Jumptap’s study, click HERE.

To break it down, shoppers will spend an average of $43.23 per card, up from $41.48 last year. Men, in particular, will spend significantly more on gift cards than women this year, shelling out an average of $164.24 versus women’s $147.06. When it comes to which gift cards people will buy this holiday season, most shoppers say they will give their friends or family members a gift card to a department store (38.7 percent), restaurant (33.8 percent) or an entertainment venue such as a night at the movies or music event (18.2 percent.) Others will buy gift cards to bookstores (19.8 percent), coffee shops (15.9 percent) and discount stores (13.0 percent). “When it comes to gift cards, holiday shoppers have the added advantage of convenience and creativity on their side this year,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.

Creativity? More Than Plastic Cards or Paper Certificates

As more families connect via digital means such as email and social networks, the traditional plastic card, or paper gift certificate, becomes more difficult to give. It doesn’t fit into their daily digital communication. However, even if you, the retailer, don’t have a digital gift card offering, there are a lot of things you can do to add a digital layer to your gift cards and certificates, and offer something special and creative to shoppers who need a good gift idea. For instance, even if you don’t have a way to personalize the card or certificate itself, you can provide an online forum for the giver to create a personalized environment for the recipient. Personalized environments include everything from personalizing an email sent by the retailer to the recipient, to creating a personal landing page and sending an email announcing the gift with a link to the personalized page. You don’t have to deliver the card or certificate online, but if you make announcing the gift a special occasion, it makes the gift itself feel more special, both for the giver and the recipient.

This piece has been adapted from an original article on NRF.com.

House Votes on Bills

In a recent bi-partisan vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed both bills. “Bringing more accountability to the federal rulemaking process is a top priority for small businesses, and passing the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act is central to that effort,” said NFIB President and CEO, Dan Danner. Bruce Josten, executive vice president for Government Affairs at the U.S. Chamber agrees that the passage of bills like The Regulatory Accountability Act are to be applauded, saying, “The principles in this legislation make the regulatory process more transparent, agencies more accountable, and regulations more cost-effective, and it is our hope that the Senate will soon follow suit.” These bills will help in the enhancement of the regulatory process in the following ways:

1) Increase public participation in shaping the most costly regulations before they are proposed;

2) Require that agencies must choose the least costly option unless they can demonstrate a need to protect public health, safety, or welfare;

3) Give interested parties the opportunity to hold agencies accountable for their compliance with the Information Quality Act;

4) Provide for on-the-record administrative hearings for the most costly regulations to insure that agency data is well tested and reviewed;

5) Restrict agencies’ use of interim final regulations where no comments are taken before a regulation takes effect and providing for expedited judicial review of whether that approach is justified; and

6) Provide for a more rigorous test in legal challenges for those regulations that would have the most impact.