by Michelle Hespe We catch up with Shelley Young, Founder and CEO of one of the five 2018 gia Global Honorees, The Chopping Block of the USA. There are three major components to The Chopping Block, and although they sit under the same umbrella, they are like three separate businesses. There’s…
CONTINUE READINGINTERNATIONAL HOME + HOUSEWARES SHOW
2018 gia Global Honoree – Manufactum
by Michelle Hespe At the 2018 IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) in Chicago, German retailer Manufactum was announced as one of the top five most innovative stores in the world. Here we take a look at what makes this retail store so great, and so grounded. In today’s technology-driven world,…
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2018 gia Global Honoree – Pollmann sinds 1890
by Michelle Hespe The 128-year-old Dutch retail store, Pollmann sinds 1890, has always had family, personal service and cooking at its heart. Nick and Anke Pollmann, the fourth-generation owners of Pollmann sinds 1890, raised a glass to Nick’s great grandfather, Bernhard Pollmann, at the IHA…
CONTINUE READINGExecutive Networking
Internet Profits: How to Benefit from New Opportunities with Digital Marketing and More
Today, traditional marketing is not the only way to reach consumers and retailers. How can you take advantage of digital marketing, social media, influencers and bloggers? How do decision makers successfully navigate all the opportunities available online? Which strategies work and what's just a…
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Trends Shaping the Future of the U.S. Retail Landscape
Don Unser’s retail expertise, coupled with NPD’s unique data on industry trends across $1.8 trillion of U.S. consumer spending, will provide attendees with insights into the hottest retail trends, including best-in-class innovations, disruptive commerce trends and shifts in consumer behavior. In…
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Building Your Talent Bench for the Future
How is your team performing today? How are you grooming them to lead your company’s growth in the future? Jacquie Fazekas believes that developing future talent today is one of the most critical strategic initiatives a housewares company should have. In this session, she will offer leadership…
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Let’s Go – Let’s Grow: Reaching Success Factors for Global Growth
As a preview into the upcoming IBC Global Forum, to follow is additional information on the Executive Education Session presented by Dr. Richard Ettenson, Professor of Global Marketing and Brand Strategy of Thunderbird School of Global Management. Dr. Ettenson is an entrepreneur who has founded…
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Global Retail Intelligence – May
To follow is a brief review of retail news from around the world: May 14 – Poland’s Eurocash Group’s Sales Rise in Wholesale Divisions Eurocash Group has reported a 7.5 percent increase in sales in the first quarter of 2018, to €1.17 BN. The company sighted that the increase was seen in both…
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May Currency Outlook
In their May 2018 Currency Outlook report, Tempus, an exchange rate and global payments company, provides a detailed report including the following topics and sections: In Brief First quarter U.S. GDP showed higher level of growth than anticipated The USD appreciated 2.4% in April GBP…
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Why is the USPS Charging You 5x What They Charge Chinese Shippers?
By Jayme Smaldone Below is an elongated version of an OpEd I wrote for The Wall Street Journal, published on February 6, 2018. Please share with anyone that warehouses goods in the US. President Trump recently tweeted about mounting problems with the U.S. Postal Service. Specifically, he noted…
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Truck Capacity Creating Challenges for Importers
The shipping industry has been anything but normal the last five years. During this time period, U.S. importers have dealt with gridlock at the ports, bankrupt carriers, ransomware attacks, customer service failures and severe space shortages. The newest problem looming over the shipping industry is…
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Ocean Contract Negotiations
Ocean contract negotiations covering cargo moving from Asia to the United States are nearing completion. The negotiation process has become very cumbersome for shippers due to the lack of communication provided by the carriers. A large part of the lack of communication can be blamed on the recent…
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Why is the USPS Charging You 5x What They Charge Chinese Shippers?
By Jayme Smaldone Below is an elongated version of an OpEd I wrote for The Wall Street Journal, published on February 6, 2018. Please share with anyone that warehouses goods in the US. President Trump recently tweeted about mounting problems with the U.S. Postal Service. Specifically, he noted…
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Trends: Consumer Daily Coffee Drinking on the Rise
There is a reason coffee bean sales are solid for many specialty retailers in the U.S.: the number of consumers getting in at least one cup of Joe has reached the highest level in the past six years. And home brewing remained the method of choice for most Americans, over even gourmet coffee shops…
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Desperately Chasing Social Media
A long, long time ago in a retail universe far, far away, independent retailers bought newspaper ads to promote their businesses. Then came the internet and social media and a lot of confusion about which social platform would be the best way to reach consumers. There is now a clear winner:…
CONTINUE READINGInspiration Magazine
Home Smart Home
By Michelle Hespe Carley Knobloch knows a thing or two about smart homes: She’s consulted with HGTV on their annual HGTV Smart Home build for years, and is a regular tech contributor on the Today Show. Her home, a blend of California cool and high tech, was just featured in Good Housekeeping. To…
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Guide to Effective Retail Store Design
by Martin M. Pegler If RETAILING is your chosen path of livelihood, here are some simple guidelines you might like to consider when planning your retail store. 1. Let There Be Light! Without the proper light the merchandise cannot be seen or judged, colors cannot be appreciated, coordinates…
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Inspiring the Industry: Katrina Markoff
by Michelle Hespe Katrina Markoff is a highly-creative chocolatier and the founder of Vosges Haut-Chocolat, a Chicago-based chocolate maker that inspires people to open their minds and travel the world through chocolate. As is the case with most successful business ventures, there was a…
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