Posts Tagged ‘retail trends’
Hot Trends: MAGIC Clothing and Apparel Show
Monday, September 8th, 2008
Las Vegas was recently host to one of the largest trade shows in the wholesale industry. The MAGIC Marketplace is full of the latest clothing and apparel from top designers and brand names. Fashion shows, booths and exhibits are in rich supply and it’s the perfect place to source products for either a brick and mortar or online retail store.
While all the booths received some attention, it was clear that there were a few that everyone clamored to get a glimpse of. Street and urban wear were the belles (okay, booths) of the ball and the following list highlights some of the most highly sought after suppliers of the August 2008 show:
1. Air Walk - This brand has been a staple in the surf/skate/snow scene for many years now. It remains true to its original vision but keeps it’s designs fresh season after season.
2. Raw Blue - This company, based out of Germany, boasts a line of hip hop inspired street wear. The website is still under construction but you can get a feel for the clothing from their interactive Polaroids.
3. Trinity Products - These shirts have everything from a flying snowboarder to a train wreck on them. They also feature a group of shirts inspired by pop culture.
4. Bullseye Brand - Hoodies, shirts, backpacks, hats, belts, shoes…the list goes on! Bullseye’s distintive designs feature skulls, tigers and even dragons.
5. Dyseone - Boasting "redefined" and "real" streetwear, Dyseone is your one stop shop representing the West Coast street wear.
6. Dickiesgirl - Dickies brand has been an industry standard for quality work wear, but throughout the years it has become more than just functional clothing-it has become a style and fashion trend! So much so that it has expanded it’s line into a whole other realm…the land of women’s wear!
7. Ed Hardy - Like color? You’ll like Ed Hardy. Clothing for men, women and kids, as well as shoes and accessories this brand does not do anything conservatively! Bright, bold color and cartoonish designs dominate and are taking the urban fashion world by storm!
8. LA Ink - Kat Von D of the hit show "LA Ink" has started a killer tattoo shop and inspired her own fashion trends along the way. Loyal fans and newbies alike want to dress like Kat and now they can.
9. TAPOUT - Get ready for a wild ride as TapouT takes you into American counterculture with their "flash, attitude and strength" all the while supporting and promoting Mixed Martial Arts (they even sell MMA training gear). Their apparel is some of the most sought-after in underground culture.
10. Bang-on T-shirts - If you’re looking for pop culture t-shirts, this is the place to go. Everything from Black Sabboth to Seasame Street this t-shirt company covers it.
You can attend then next MAGIC show in Las Vegas this coming February 17-19, 2009.
Tags: air walk, ASD, bang-on t-shirts, bullseye brand, dickiesgirl, dyseone, ed hardy, goWholesale, Hot Trends, la ink, MAGIC Show, Product Sourcing, product trends, raw blue, Rebecca Button, retail trends, source, tap out, trinity products
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Mob Shopping: Is America Ready?
Tuesday, February 19th, 2008
Are you?
Mob shopping, also known as team buying, is a consumer buying tactic originating in China, that involves gathering a group of people together in-store to drive a bargain with the seller. There are many websites and forums (TeamBuy.com.cn ) that facilitate the time and place. The popularity of these events is mostly due to the cultural ideology that no price is set in stone and that bargaining is a way of life in China. And consumers are seeing results. While many sellers do not particularly like this new tactic, some are embracing it and even setting up events themselves so that the teams who are willing to buy right away will get a discount.
The internet is a large part of the success as the instant communication is vital to organizing these sometimes spur of the moment events. Also, the with internet’s world wide reach more and more people are becoming exposed to the idea… and it’s catching on.
So what do you think? Will this shopping craze work in America? As a store owner, would you be willing to bargain with these groups of people in order to move more product?
Tags: E-Commerce and E-Business, Generating More Sales, Marketing Your Business, mob shopping, Rebecca Button, retail trends, shopping trends
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Anti-Valentine’s Day - Trend Alert
Wednesday, February 13th, 2008
There’s a tradition in my family that for any occasion that warrants a card, especially birthdays, the meaner the card is the better. We often try to out do the other contenders and the result is often big laughs. The more insulting the card, the more you’re loved–we have an understanding.
We’re not the only people who share this fun, albeit unusual, tradition and with Valentine’s Day upon us, it appears that businesses are beginning to cash in on this quirky trend. For example, American Greetings Corp. has an entire category of "Anti-Valentine’s Day" cards.
And they’re not the only ones capitalizing on the anti-Valentine’s Day theme. Other businesses are coming up with unique ways to promote their businesses such as a bowling alley in Cleveland hosting a "Love…Spare Me!" event and clothing and merchandise stores selling t-shirts and stickers promoting "single awareness."
So the next time a popular holiday rolls around, try a variation on the theme…you might even start a new trend!
Tags: Generating More Sales, holiday shopping, Marketing Your Business, Rebecca Button, retail trends, seasonal, trends, valentine's day
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Product Life Cycles: How to Keep Picking the Winners
Tuesday, December 4th, 2007
You have your business concept, the product you are selling, suppliers are lined up and you know how you are heading to market. All you have to do now is sell right? While this is the approach of many small and large companies this vision can be a bit short sighted and lead to difficult times down the road. To be competitive and ensure your company is well positioned in the market, you have to know what products your customers want and how that demand changes.
Without ongoing market research and product sourcing, your business will begin to decline. No matter how hot a product is at a given time, it still has a limited life span. Video games are an excellent example of this - what sells at a premium today, may not be worth hardly anything tomorrow. That’s why you need to continually analyze your products and where they are at in their life cycles.
Track how products are performing
In the beginning phases of a product’s life, demand is through the roof while supply is low, so prices are high. It will be difficult for you to get these products in this phase as this is the competition phase where most sellers make their money. Once the competition begins and the supply rises, usually the demand stays the same and prices begin to wane slightly. As demand begins to fade, the prices will fall and the product is in a declining stage. The steepness of the declining stage depends mostly on the product. Demand can rise and fall off for many reasons - a product may be going out of style or out of season, or the competition may overproduce the product and flood the market, driving prices down so low that you can’t compete without a loss. When you observe products moving into the declining stage, you know it’s time to close out with that product and offer something else.
Keep both eyes on the data
Controlling your product offering begins with market research. If you are going to provide a product or service to people or businesses, you have to know what they want. We have all heard the saying about selling freezers to Eskimos and while that is a great story about sales, but what does it say about the market research of the company he or she sold freezers for? What does it say about the business that sent a freezer salesman to the frozen tundra?
Monitor product demand
To understand a product’s demand, you need to analyze the number of people searching for that product, the number of sales it have in a given period of time, and how much it is selling for. In other words, find out the average selling price. Research resources like Hammertap, KeywordDiscovery, Google’s Keyword Tool, or eBay’s Pulse and Marketplace Research can help you find the data you’re looking for and help you evaluate just what all the different numbers mean.
Determine where the demand direction is heading
Understanding the direction a product’s demand is going will enable you to identify where it is in its life cycle. It is critical you stay ahead of this part of the game. You don’t want to be sourcing inventory on a product that is seeing demand and pricing drop off. Make sure you are watching your numbers over time, longer than a month. Track the trend data as long as you can and for products you have seen through a life cycle, then study the life cycle post mortem and utilize the data on similar products you are currently offering. While they may not behave exactly the same, at least you will have some sort of a benchmark to base your offering and your sourcing strategy.
Keeping a close eye or two on your product life cycle and understanding where each product is at on that life line will help you keep your business profitable. While you may be selling so well you could move freezers in the frozen tundra, even that market will change over time. Staying ahead of the market, or at least current with the market, is the key to profitability and success.
Tags: Generating More Sales, larry Slusser, product life cycles, Product Sourcing, retail trends, Sales, shopping trends, source, trends
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More Retailing Tidbits - August 2007
Tuesday, August 7th, 2007
Social Retailing
Here’s a new term that retailers will soon learn! Bloomingdale’s is trying to reach out to teens and young adults, so in its flagship store in New York City, it offered an interactive sales-floor mirror that let shoppers view themselves in outfits as well as comments - and images of alternate garments - sent to the mirror by their online friends!
If the shopper liked the look of the dress suggested by a friend, she can touch the mirror to make the image of the dress appear life-size, and then stand in front of it which will allow her to "try it on" in virtual reality. This is now social retailing…web-based social networking in a traditional retail environment.
The product is called the "Magic Mirror" produced by IconNicholson and is expected to be rolled out to several retail stores later this year.
Web and Traditionals Not Connecting
A recent study of 100 of the fast-growing publicly held retailers in the United States shows that less than 25% consider seamless web-integration as a top priority. Of the retailers that were operating websites, over 40% didn’t have any integration between store and website and only two-thirds gave customers the ability to purchase a product on the site.
Many retailers have made some multi-channel progress including integrated return policies, gift card policies, pricing and promotions. It does appear that many of the retailers efforts to use internet marketing is disjointed from their brick and mortar stores.
This recent survey explains that in order to meet customer expectations, your channels and your brand must all work together seamlessly to afford the customers a rewarding shopping experience. This is something that is not being accomplished by most major retailers.
Retailing Tidbits
PERSONALLY I never liked Starbucks coffee, but I was surprised, considering their popularity, that blue ribbon for best coffee went to McDonald’s (which was also the cheapest). Perhaps this is why Starbucks has started selling CD’s and other merchandise.
…WAL-MART’s campaign to sell energy efficient light bulbs is to be applauded. However, typical of the giant, they formed a power company called Texas Retail Energy to supply electric to their stores. Perhaps they’ll start retailing it also - kilowatts in aisle seven!
…SMALL retailers take note: Skateboarding is STILL big! Kohl’s is planning a line of
clothing and JC Penney is teaming with Tony Hawk for a footwear line that they say will be the biggest brand launch ever. Follow the leaders!
…QVC officially shipped its 1 billionth package in the United States. They ship 12,000 packages an hour and 3.4 packages every second in the U.S.! Wow!!
Tags: Product Sourcing, retail, retail business, retail trends, shopping trends, source, tips, trends
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The New Age of Retail
Sunday, August 5th, 2007
As a long time retailer I have watched the big-box, category killer retailers grow by leaps and bounds to dominate all markets. They have experienced double digit sales increases year over year and crushed their weaker competition through efficient marketing and distribution systems. In doing this they have validated the capitalist system of market efficiency. With their success came a reduction in the choice of products available as they gave you the best price, on a particular function, while deserting the entire fringe product. Thus they were able to gain great return per square foot of selling area. In the early eighties we saw the emergence of Home Depot, Best Buy and other category killers who took advantage of the lack of choice at the discount and department stores to offer expanded products in categories. Then they drove manufacturers and suppliers off shore in an effort to ratchet down prices while reducing the assortment. Since the smaller competition was eliminated, they could do as they pleased. As they continued to grow unchecked, problems began to appear. Consumers began to notice the lack of selection, poor service, and the destructive impacts big box retailers have on local communities. For the first time this past December both Wal-Mart and Home Depot suffered comparable store decreases in sales. And this, I say, poses a tremendous opportunity for all of us.
I like to occasionally recommend books and articles that I feel are important, and one that I would like to recommend is "The Long Tail", written by Chris Anderson, editor of Wired Magazine. It tells why the future of retailing is selling less of more. This book is an absolute must-read for any retailer.
At one time every town had, at its core, doctors, lawyers, engineers and Main Street merchants. Main Street is now littered with "For Lease" signs in deserted storefronts where beloved independent merchants once thrived. Wal-Mart and Home Depot have brought you an array of disposable, import product at low prices, but at what cost?
Join us as we usher in a new Age of Retail, and I sincerely wish you success in all of your endeavors.
Tags: advice, article, Product Sourcing, retail, retail trends, retailers, sean lee, source, trends, valuesetters
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Retailing Tidbits - June 2007
Tuesday, June 5th, 2007
Pacific Rim Liquidated
THE thirty-year-old gift and home decor company Pacific Rim which went into bankruptcy earlier this year completed the last step of their sad tale, complete liquidation. This once extremely popular gift company succumbed to the pressures of the changing marketplace and unable to sustain, filed for bankruptcy protection with the hopes of finding an adventurous suitor to continue its legacy.
UNFORTUNATELY there was no knight in shining armor and early last month the company went into liquidation mode. Handled by the national liquidation company, Great American Group, lots both large and small hit the auction block in Seattle and there was rapid fire bidding to liquidate over $18 million worth of product and assets. Auctions were held both on-site and on-line as the rich history of one of our industry�s leading suppliers made the pages of businesses of the past. Buyers will notice the empty showrooms during market week as well as no new lines from this once brilliant supplier.
Vegas Has High Demand For Retail
NOT everything revolves around cards and dice in Las Vegas! The city has shown a high demand for retailing which has sparked development which have sent retail vacancy rates plunging and rental prices to all-time highs.
WITH a near 300% increase in population over the last two decades, Las Vegas ranks among the nation’s fastest growing cities. The retail market in Vegas ranks number four in the United States and has been enjoying an annual growth rate of 7%, well above the national average. In fact demand is so great that vacancy rates have dipped to 4.2% last year and new retail properties are sprouting everwhere you turn.
THE only downturn for retailers is that the higher rental prices have created lower yields for store operators and real estate investors. Fueling the retail market 39 million visitors to the city last year doesn’t hurt sales and this number is expected to climb this year.
Bling Blink
A new agreement between eyewear maker Kuxottica and Tiffany will bring eye
bling to the masses. This agreement marks the renowned jeweler’s entrance into the lucrative eyewear market. The offerings will include sunglasses as well as prescriptives and hit the stores early next year.
WAL-MART wants to own it all!
They have filed an application with the Patent office that would secure the exclusive use of "EDLP" (Every Day Low Prices) and "Rollback". Supervalu and the National Grocer’s Association among others is challenging the application claiming the terms are generic and descriptive and used widely throughout the retail industry.
Money Matters
The treasury Department spent over $4 billion changing our money and is now being challenged by the Council for the Blind saying it is too difficult to distinguish the bills.
Tags: Product Sourcing, retail, retail trends, shopping trends, source, trends
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