Wholesale novelties are a mainstay in the industry, and there are always a variety of manufacturers and distributors that can get the goods you want, at a price you feel good about. Of course, the burning question remains about which novelties and gifts are the ones to look out for… and more importantly, who will you connect with to find them?

In an ever-widening scope of manufacturers and sellers who are looking for someone to help them make their numbers for the year, unprecedented opportunities are coming out of the woodwork… and you should be looking for them. I’m going to show you a couple of ideas that have recently come to the fore, and I would be interested to know what you think of them, so please send us your comments!

Take a minute to visit the ASI Show website, for a look at how one particular company is collecting and offering the information you need to get the job done. There’s a lot of news being generated here, and it looks like the buzz is not only about the shows in the past, but the shows in the near – and distant – future! I see some good things on the horizon, because it’s becoming quite clear that the people in the wholesale and retail industries have a huge chance to become the kings of the hill, as this age of financial hardship dawns upon us. Grim news for the luxury brands market spells a windfall for the ones who bring discounted and off-price goods to the consumer, at the prices and choices that they want.

Another interesting one to visit is the Seoul Gift Show 2009 site, with its awesome collection of:

• Gifts, Premiums & Souvenirs

• Handicrafts & Decorative Products

• Kitchen & Tableware

• Fashion Jewellery & Accessories

• Toy & Stationery

• Beauty Supplies

• General Merchandise

Korea has been in the game for some time, and with a company like this one stretching back since 1983, there’s a lot of collective knowledge that can come in handy for the buyer who wants to take a bit of risk out of finding the items that will move this season.

According to the news feeds, even UMB Bank of Oklahoma has seen the power of giveaways and gifts, as blue penlights were passed around a recent conference… it should come as little surprise that heart-shaped pill boxes – color-coordinated with the blue colors used for UMB’s goodies – were handed out by a local health-care provider as well. Pretty crafty, eh? It should go without saying that this made a big impression on the attendees! Reports from the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) support such a strategy, as recent findings (along with comparative data from Nielsen Media) have turned up stats showing the average cost of an advertising specialty item to be $0.004, making it the cheapest form of promotional media, per impression, today.

Stop in and check out Toptenwholesale.com for leads as well. You’ll probably want to spend some time researching the sites now, and you might even want to make some travel plans that include South Korea… just don’t forget to stop over here in China while you’re at it!