Author: Perry Reynolds, IHA VP of Marketing & Trade Development
Are you looking for a single resource to learn more about the housewares industry? Your first stop should be The Knowledge Center tab on IHA website at www.housewares.org.
There you will find five separate areas of learning: IHA University, Data and Information, TrendWatch, IHA Gourmet Home and Latest New Products.
IHA University offers in-depth learning on many hot topics. The newest addition to the University is a series of tools to help companies assess their sustainability readiness. Sponsored by NextLife/MVA, this section answers your fears about eco being ugly, what’s green washing and how to become more sustainable. You can even ask an expert your nagging questions about the green revolution and your company’s part in it.
At IHA U you can also download podcasts of all 2010 International Home + Housewares Show speakers and learn as you work out or travel. Hear Lee Eiseman reveal the color palette for 2011 or The Container Store’s Kip Tindell discuss how to build a world class retailer. Learn from the experts who spoke in the Housewares Design Center on topics including sustainability, consumer behavior, social media, retail store design and new product development.
Data and Information is just that, links to as much publicly available data on the housewares industry as we can find along with an opportunity to purchase IHA’s proprietary State of the Industry Report and reports from Research.com. Find meaningful links to industry resources, free downloads of IHA’s own Housewares MarketWatch and subscriptions to free daily newsfeeds.
TrendWatch keeps you plugged in to a host of housewares experts on topics as diverse as color, design and emerging trends.
IHA Gourmet Home offers a window into the fast-growing gourmet segment of the housewares world. This section offers independent retailers, and the suppliers and manufacturers’ reps that support them, tools for increasing the profitability of their business. The latest addition is a white paper that outlines the mutual responsibilities of retailers, reps and suppliers based on the direct input of best-in-class representations of each of these disciplines.
For buyers looking to find real examples of what’s new in the housewares industry, the last area in The Knowledge Center may be the most valuable. Visitors to this area can research the entire catalog of the most recent International Home and Housewares Show New Product Showcase. In addition, three times a year IHA members can display their latest offerings to the national news media in private events held in June, October and January in New York. And here in the Knowledge Center buyers can see these new products, too. Check back regularly to get this insider’s look at what’s ahead.
The Knowledge Center content is regularly updated, so check back often for the latest. You might even earn a graduate degree.
Got anything else you want us to explore in The Knowledge Center? Let us know.
