Promoting your store: The press release Susan Dickenson, Retail Editor - 06/01/2009
A couple of years ago, January 2007, to be exact, my Retail Update column was about hosting and promoting in-store events to benefit local charities. Included in the text was a link to a simple generic template for writing a press release. I'm providing the link again in this month's column because whenever I hear retailers discuss press coverage, this is a topic that always seems to come up.
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Video on the Web Penny Schneck - 05/01/2009
It's no surprise that the consumption of online video is growing dramatically. According to COM score, frequent viewers now consume more than 4.5 hours of online video per month. The 18–24 year old market spends more time watching video online vs. TV! But how does online video impact retailers? COM score also reports that the number of online shoppers who watch retail videos grew 40% in t...
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New York gift fair offering exhibitor training sessions 04/03/2009
The New York International Gift Fair and Right Angle Strategies will provide exhibitors with strategies to best prepare for the Fair, maximize on-site sales, and follow-up after market. Two exhibitor training Webinars will be conducted before the Summer 2009 market, with onsite sessions including free one-to-one business consultations and one educational seminar.
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'Free' opportunities for retailers in blogs, tweets and links Susan Dickenson, Retail Editor - 03/01/2009
Following a panel discussion last month at the Las Vegas Market, a retailer in the audience asked a Lloyd Princeton-moderated group of industry thought leaders, “With the market being as tight as it is, what would be the one thing you would recommend to me right now to get my company out there and in front of as many people as I possibly can?” Los Angeles designer Mark Cutler's answ...
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Guest column: Forget the fees By Christi Tullis - 03/01/2009
OMG (Oh, my goodness) is the best way I know to describe my initial thought when my company's accounting department called seeking approval to pay credit card fees when paying a vendor's invoice. I honestly couldn't believe it. Vendors actually wanted my company to pay “a service charge”— their way to cover their costs of taking a credit card.
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Vendors increasingly look to Internet to do business By Jenny Heinzen York - 02/01/2009
The Internet continues to be a growing force in the home accents industry, as more retailers are getting on board and learning the benefits of being able to do business with their vendors online. Mark Moussa, president of Arteriors Home, said his company has invested heavily in its Web presence because it makes things easier for its customers.
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Turn Web visitors into paying customers Penny Schneck - 02/01/2009
So you have a Web site. Now what? In these economic times, don't underutilize an existing channel that can generate sales and build customer loyalty. An important key to an effective Web site is its usability. Web site usability is defined as the ease with which customers are able to use a Web site. Not only should your Web site be good-looking, it should be easy for your customers to navigate ...
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Business Mem: Create your own economy by Melissa Galt Melissa Galt - 01/01/2009
I'm in the know — I stay in touch and abreast with the daily news, the markets and more. And I've noticed that during this alleged and perceived downturn, there is a much more significant resistance to the bad news amongst peers, business associates and fellow entrepreneurs. We aren't participating in the bad news; we are creating our own economies.
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PALU STYLE 12/04/2008
The Soho Collection debuts, a line of accent furniture made of remnant, cast-off cuttings of plantation-grown teak and assembled with a finger-joined method of construction from Palu.
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CBK introduces consumer drop ship program 12/01/2008
CBK has launched CBKwik Ship, a new consumer drop ship program to provide stronger support to retailer e-commerce initiatives. Designed to be a complete and flexible tool for retailers with and without brick and mortar stores, CBK is leveraging its centrally located stocked warehouse inventory to provide rapid and accurate shipping support.
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Big Cartel offers stores a DIY, inexpensive e-commerce option Susan Dickenson, Retail Editor - 12/01/2008
While interviewing a retailer for the current issue of our Garden Decor supplement, I learned about a relatively easy and inexpensive do-it-yourself way to set up an online store. Called Big Cartel, it's perfect if you want to test the e-commerce waters without investing a lot of time or money. It's also a good way to go if you only want to sell a few products (up to 100) and can't justify the...
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E-mail marketing tops for ROI Penny Schneck - 11/01/2008
What direct response marketing tactic will get you the best return on investment (ROI)? The answer is easy — e-mail! There are literally dozens of independent industry reports that cite e-mail as the most efficient direct response tactic you can employ. Consider the following “E-mail's ROI index is 70% higher than any other direct-response marketing vehicle” — Direct Mar...
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How to leverage the Web during a slow economy Penny Schneck - 08/01/2008
If you have a Web presence, you are already able to leverage a marketing channel that has one of the best returns on investment of any advertising tactic. If you are yet not on the Web, it's time to get on board! In today's economy, marketers are seeking to better quantify the ROI of their marketing investments.
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Internet offers host of opportunities for vendors By Jenny Heinzen York - 03/01/2008
The Internet is a powerful force in the world and, increasingly, in this industry. Though different companies approach the issue in different ways, nearly everyone agrees that e-commerce and online business are valuable tools and evidently the wave of the future. According to Home Accents Today's Internet Survey 2007, 90% of vendors have a Web site.
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Taking stock of shrinkage Susan Dickenson, Retail Editor - 02/01/2008
For Atlanta retailers Deirdre Staab and Shelly Dozier-McKee, February is inventory month. One Saturday night after closing, a team of about 10 people from Regis Inventory Specialists will arrive at their store, the Scarlet Tassel, where they'll scan, count and enter data along with six store employees.
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Schneck joins Reed Business 01/14/2008
Home Accents Today parent company Reed Business Information has hired Penny Schneck for the new position of electronic sales manager for publications in its Home Furnishings Division here and in New York. She reports to Kevin Castellani, vice president and publishing director.
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