Get In The Holiday Spirit –
and Do It Now!
By Becky Boswell Smith

Remember the sign that used to show up on office bulletin boards. Plan ahead, it said, with the final D dropping off the page.

That’s a potential pitfall retailers face in fourth quarter, especially this year when the late Thanksgiving holiday shortens the Christmas shopping season to four weeks. You must plan ahead. Smart retailers have to rush the season, promote early and often and take control of fourth-quarter sales.



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Merchandise, Markdowns
and Moveouts
By Cinda Baxter

Given how soft the consumer market is these days, there's never been a more critical time for merciless re-examination of the lines you carry and the products you have. Every item that moves slowly is essentially holding your money hostage. Something tells me there are non-performers languishing on your shelves, costing you money. Everyone's got them.

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Hope is Not a Plan
By Eric Dean

When the business landscape changes, businesses must change their game plan.

“What are you going to do now?!” My Army days are long gone, but I still vividly recall the question being shouted repeatedly during training exercises. The military has always focused on training, and one of the most persistent lessons is the need to always have a plan.

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Employee Spotlight

Mary Walker
Assistant Buyer

Mary Walker is an assistant buyer at IMAX, working as the primary contact for more than 50 international vendors. She focuses on controlling stock levels, allocating merchandise for special customers, analyzing sales and selecting items for discontinuation.

Mary’s favorite part of her job is the daily communication with overseas vendors and she is proud of the rapport she has built with her vendors. Mary also appreciates the cultural experience of interacting with IMAX’s global partners.

Mary and her husband, Nate, who also works at IMAX, enjoy spending free time with Domino and Jax, two mixed breed rescue dogs that have stolen her heart.