George Bush made the right move by canceling his appearance at the Republican National Convention. In fact, I would not be surprised if the convention turned into a fund raiser to help all of the Americans and residents of the Gulf States who are about to have their lives, once again, turned upside down by Hurricane Gustav. It’s times like … read more »
Shoplifting, coupled with employee theft accounts for 30% of all business failures. How do you curb theft in your store? An arresting development: 10 billion is the price tag to retailers each year for people intent on creating their own discounts by shoplifting! That’s according to National Crime Prevention Council, citing that 25% of those caught lifting the merchandise were … read more »
August is winding down, as is BIG show season. This month started with the ASD Show then quickly took us to the Off-Price Trade Show and the ASAP Global Sourcing Show. Let me first say: Who keeps telling us the economy sucks? People, please turn off the evening news, inhale and relax. There is plenty of fact in the saying, … read more »
One barrier to online shopping – not so much for accessories, hats or handbags; but more so with footwear or clothing that requires try-on and fitting – is the Returns Policy. “It looks perfect in the web site photo. But what if I open my online purchased clothing and it’s just not right? Or defective? Or must have been sized … read more »
EBay is a great example of how supply-and-demand works because sales are based almost exclusively on price. The brick-and-mortar retailer can use advertising, customer loyalty promotions, and other inducements to buy – inducements not available to the online seller. The store-based retailer has expenses the eBay seller doesn’t face: advertising, rent, store maintenance, staff’s salaries, etc. The eBay retailer can … read more »
We launched a SpyCam drone to pick up views from the convention floor (and ceiling and exhibits) at the ASD/AMD trade show just wrapping up in Las Vegas. Here are notes from a bot’s-eye-view. · Thinner But Still Huger. The ASD/AMD Trade Show hosts over 3,000 companies in segments that range from variety and gift merchandise to jewelry, outdoor/military and … read more »
There are a lot of benefits to running a small business out of your home. However, if you’re operating as a retailer, there are a few reasons you’ll want to abstract your company from your home. There are obvious safety reasons for which you should limit the number of times you use your home address and and personal phone number … read more »
There are three major reasons to consider adding a blog to your site. Obviously, if you have an employee that would make a fantastic and enthusiastic advocate, their articles could drive new conversions. But even if you have to write the articles yourself, you can see some significant improvements in your organic search placement by simply writing a short article … read more »
If there is one thing successful merchandise wholesalers and resellers know about making connections, finding the right goods and moving it at the right price it’s this: Nobody ever shook hands with an algorithm to close the deal. Our industry – from sourcing products to finding buyers – has always trusted insider networks: Trade Shows and Industry Publications; Verticalized Product … read more »
