If you need further evidence of a market that is promoting successful returns for the ones who are coming up with new answers to the old questions, there’s actually more answers out there than there were just a few months ago. Let’s think about the leading wholesale distributors that are offering big benefits to retailers during these tough economic times. Some national online wholesalers are offering free shipping to all new customers, and helping small businesses that are looking for new and improved ways to dial-in their efficiency and crank up their competitiveness in the market. You might even be surprised to find out that top-quality apparel, handbags, and fashion accessories are being put up against the goods carried by larger department stores, at considerable savings! This new angle on the perceived value of branded goods is creating a huge opportunity for those who want to break into the market.

ASD/AMD Show

Top Ten Wholesale went to ASD/AMD Las Vegas and, maybe, should have launched satellite cameras and Big Picture macro lenses to take in all of the huge ASD/AMD trade show from March 15 to 18. Fortunately, trade show directors (big shout out to Chris, Dell and many others!) streamlined show navigation and traffic, with special market sections across four trade shows at all three venues.

We could focus on person-to-person buyer-seller interactions.

All-Access Passes. Every registrant got an All-Access Pass to Gift, Value, Variety Merchandise, Jewelry and Military-Tactical Outdoor Shows … multiplying access to more exhibitors and more product categories. As we cruised through all the venues, ASD/AMD became all-in-one opportunities for Buyers to add complimentary products to their merchandise mix, compare price points and leverage diverse exhibitors and products.

How To Navigate ASD/AMD

Spotted in Special Show Sections

A SizeUSA Survey of 240 body measurements of 10,000 people in 13 cities across the United States recently came across some new math. SizeUSA results appeared in The New York Times, including the finding that the “average” American woman’s size is now 14, the former size cutoff for what was called Plus-Sized Clothing after World War II, when this type of body survey was last done. Size creep also hit men: the former average size of 40 Regular for men has become 44 lately.Of course, reaction to this new math for “average” apparel sizing all depends on who is asked.

A wholesaler of women’s handbags, one looking to enter the international marketplace, might want to know who imports the largest volume of U.S. handbags. (Japan, followed closely by South Korea) Such an exporter might also want to see breakdowns by materials (beaded, patent leather, leather).A distributor of leather clothing looking to expand export revenues might be very interested to know where the biggest appetite for imported U.S. leather apparel was in 2007. (Belgium. Surprised?)

JP Communications, Inc. and ASAP Show, Inc. today reveal a strategic partnership intended to collectively benefit overseas manufacturers, US wholesalers, and global resellers of clothing and fashion accessories by making it easier for them to connect and source products online. The agreement will unite the web-based network published by JP Communications with the premier sourcing show and one-stop marketplace for sourcing apparel overseas run by the ASAP Show.

The industry is happily welcoming the new partnership. JP Communications is a leading producer of wholesale industry web sites and the ASAP Show is the longest running sourcing show in North America, where US wholesalers go to meet global ready-made garment manufacturers. This alliance will help manufacturers from abroad showcase their products and services to US companies, while giving US wholesalers and resellers many more sourcing options.