August 16, 2010
Few people in the industry have a better view of what appeals to consumers that Michelle Lamb of The Trend Curve. She’s spent years researching how consumers behave.
In the challenging economic times of today, she says consumers are looking for fresh colors and designs.
“The best defense against slow sales,” she says, “is innovative designs.” And, as news reports are saying, consumers at all income levels are being cautious and looking for good quality at a good value.
Both are proving to be the drawing cards at the summer markets as retailers shop IMAX for fresh designs and good pricing.
IMAX Vice President of Sales Rex Yoakley said IMAX customers are buying broad, especially in the new Parisienne and Elements Collections. The more contemporary Honeybee Collection sold well in Atlanta and Dallas, and he expects it to be even stronger with buyers in Las Vegas.
Take a look at some of the products retailers are choosing in IMAX showrooms this summer:
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June 3, 2010
How much of your time at work is focused on employees? In fact, often only one or two employees.
The answer probably is too much. We all have one of those people for whom nothing is ever quite good enough. We listen, we support, we negotiate, we compromise – whatever we do, we can’t make that person happy.
Well, a smart retailer in Chicago named Jay Goltz has one answer, maybe the best one. He shared his thoughts in an op-ed piece in The New York Times recently and I liked what he said.
His solution: fire the unhappy ones.
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May 24, 2010
No name more quickly conjures up images of luxury and high style than Donald Trump.
Now Trump makes a fashion statement with The Trump Home™ Room Décor Collection, exclusive to IMAX and coming on strong for the summer markets.
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May 12, 2010
Wight’s Home and Garden just outside Seattle has been attracting customers from miles away for most of its 47 years of business. Its vastness in size – 23,000 square feet inside and another 45,000 square feet in outside nursery – and in product mix lures customers all year long.
According to Maria Fox, general manager of Wight’s, the store moved into home décor sales about 12 years ago and began its relationship with IMAX not long after.
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April 27, 2010
I have long been convinced that the best ideas to improve your retail business come from other independent retailers. They’re out there in the trenches just like you are and most of them are bright and clever people.
A couple of months ago, a group of home accent retailers got together at the Atlanta market, shut the door and talked candidly about their business. Accessories Resource Team (ART) Executive Director Sharon Davis moderated and Home Accents Today magazine wrote about the meeting.
As I said, these are bright folks.
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March 31, 2010
Does your store need a face lift but you don’t have the budget? No problem. With a few quick solutions, you can transform your store environment from shabby to chic in just one day.
There are ten key elements to consider when doing a one day makeover.
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March 19, 2010
Recently, I was told that merchandising and display are frivolous extra expenses for the small business owner who is just starting up. The implication was that expenses such as marketing, rent, inventory, utilities, staffing, etc. are ‘serious’ expenses, while merchandising and display are ‘frills’.
I couldn’t disagree more. Merchandising and display are an important part of the marketing plan, and should have a reasonable budget allocated – even for a retailer operating on a shoestring.
In today’s competitive retail environment a retailer cannot afford to consider merchandising as a ‘frill’. Everyone is competing for the customers’ dollar. There are more choices out there for consumers than ever before.
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March 10, 2010
As we began the new year, I found myself thinking back on all the conversations I’ve had last year with manufacturers and retailers about the things that caused them the most lost sleep.
Without question, the conversation almost always quickly turned to inventory issues.
Whether you are a retailer or a manufacturer, virtually nothing can get you in trouble quicker than inventory. So, let’s spend a few minutes thinking about how to lower our risk. First and foremost, 2010 will be the year of price to value ratio if turns are important to you.
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March 1, 2010
Q: Every November we hold a holiday open house for our best customers. But we don’t have anything planned for January. Should we lay low while business is slow?
A: Good for you for doing a big event during the holiday season. As the old advertising adage goes, “you should sell peanuts while the circus is in town.” But that doesn’t mean that you should not have something special happening in your store during the slower months as well.
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February 19, 2010
At the Winter shows just completed, IMAX introduced the largest collection of products in the company’s history. Retailers in showrooms across the country enthusiastically embraced the new collections, both for their design and their value pricing.
Americans are being more careful about how they spend their money and IMAX responded to that challenge. You’ll see many value-priced items that combine utility and good looks. No longer is just a pretty face enough. Equally important is the emphasis on simple, but sophisticated looks that suit the traditional as well as transitional home.
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