August 2010 Issue

Merchandising is the key ingredient in a recipe for success as an independent specialty retailer. Inherently keeping the merchandis- ing fresh, seasonally appropriate and visually stimulating is all part of the challenge. We have dedicated our publication to continually bring you information on the latest prod- ucts and trends throughout the year to help you meet this challenge.

I was introduced to the housewares industry more than 20 years ago while working as a sales associate for Bloomingdales in the housewares department. I was able to expe- rience through first hand observation the power of merchandising. Bloomingdales put a lot of effort into their visual merchandising, changing it multiple times throughout the year. It was surprising to me that we often saw the same customers multiple times during a given week, but since the merchandising was kept so fresh, they would still discover new items to purchase.

Whether you’re a kitchenware store, specialty food store or gift store, your average sale will increase if you spend some time looking for products that complement or relate to the core products you sell. If you have any doubt this strategy pays off, I urge you to stop in to your local Williams Sonoma store as a case in point. Williams Sonoma surprised analysts last week with better than expected second quarter earnings, which were partly attributed, in their CEO’s words, to “a positive consumer response to our merchandising and marketing strategies, including our recently introduced fall assortments.” This is great news for our industry because it strengthens our feeling that business has improved significantly in the last six months. It also speaks to the value of superior merchandising and having the right product mix.

I encourage you to be creative, experiment with new items, continually improve your product mix and never forget the value of smart merchandising.