Use Social Media to your advantage at this year's Housewares Show!

Perfectly Porland

Porland of Turkey, one of the five gia Global Honorees this year, has a long, rich and colorful history. We look into what makes this manufacturer and retailer of porcelain stand out from the rest. by Michelle Hespe Porland’s logo features a ballerina executing a perfect pirouette. This elegant symbol conveys both beauty and strength, reflecting the grounding philosophy of this manufacturer and retailer of porcelain. The word…

CHESS 2019 – Retail’s Seismic Shift: Understanding the Forces Changing Housewares Consumers

Presented by: Michael Dart, Partner, Consumer/Retail Practice, A.T. Kearney Retail specialist and visionary, Michael Dart advises retail and consumer companies on how best to navigate retail’s seismic shifts. He combines his economics and finance training from Oxford University and the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, with more than 25 years of experience consulting with A.T. Kearney and Bain & Co. to provide a unique…

Global Retail Intelligence – April

April 14 – JD.com Creates Offline Catering Supply Chain SolutionJD.com with Juqi, a dinning chain in Beijing, announced a supply chain cooperation, positioning JD.com as the first platform in China capable of providing a one-stop supply chain solution covering both the full category of food and materials supply, and integrated warehousing and distribution services. Through the cooperation, JD will also provide intelligent inventory…

Navigating The Wild West of Ocean Shipping

by Dave Akers, IHSA "Good Judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment." — Will Rogers Here is how the modern shipping business mirrors the Wild West: 1. The “Gold Rush” Boom and Bust Cycles The Old West was defined by the gold rush with sudden, explosive wealth that created overnight millionaires, followed by devastating busts that left ghost towns behind. Shipping operates on the exact same…

IHA Plans Sourcing Mission to Vietnam

To help members investigate alternatives to sourcing from China, the International Housewares Association will hold a sourcing mission to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, next year. The 2020 Vietnam Sourcing Mission will be offered in two sessions: April 20-22 or April 23-25. Each session is limited to just six companies to provide a high level of service and allow for private meetings and factory tours. The dates were chosen to allow…

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 cannot be assembled, nor buying decisions made. Let your light be the best you can afford to install and use—or, if necessary, skimp on…

Twitter @ the #housewares Show

By Adrian Schaal, E-Power Marketing

The 2011 International Home + Housewares Show is almost here! Get your Twitter accounts ready so that you can stay connected to the Housewares Twitter account, @HousewaresShow, and other Show attendees and exhibitors in real time! Did you know that you don’t have to be a Twitter pro to keep an eye on what’s going on at the Show? With the Housewares Twitter Wall, you’ll be able to see what’s being said about the Show without even having a Twitter account! Twitter is a great networking tool with marketing abilities, if you’re not already using it for your brand, now is a great time to start! You may want to set up a Twitter account before you get to Chicago in order to utilize the Twitter Wall. The International Housewares Association has put together some great tips for Using Twitter to Bring Traffic to Your Tradeshow Booth.

At last year’s Show, we implemented the Twitter Wall, which allowed attendees and exhibitors to watch what was being said about the Home + Housewares Show. We connected thousands with the use of hashtags and we’re doing it again at the 2011 International Home + Housewares Show! Let’s take a look at last year’s Twitter Wall in action:

At the 2011 International Home + Housewares Show, we’ll be utilizing the Twitter Wall to track the #housewares hashtag once again! The technology we use to create our Twitter Wall also allows us to make sure that the Tweets published to the Wall are relevant, and allows us control over Spam messages. We are providing the Twitter Wall in order to keep everyone connected and we look forward to everyone using the technology responsibly.

Both attendees and exhibitors have the opportunity to use the Twitter Wall as a marketing tool to create and promote Tweetups! A Tweetup is an organized Twitter Meetup. As an exhibitor, you can plan and advertise a Tweetup by using the #housewares hashtag. Invite Twitter users to visit your booth at a certain time for an educational session on your industry or brand. Organize an impromptu interview session for bloggers. Plan a giveaway! Figure out some way to set yourself apart from the competition, and invite the Twitter Universe to come check it out! For more information on planning a successful Tweetup, check out this article:
• HOW TO: Organize a Successful Tweetup

You can use Twitter year round to engage with potential customers, other industry resources and the media. At the 2011 International Home + Housewares Show those in attendance will be able to view the Twitter Wall to see what everyone is saying about the Show and with one simple hashtag, they can be a part of the action! We invite you to use the Twitter Wall to enhance your experience at the Show and to connect with fellow home and housewares industry exhibitors and Show attendees. Make the most of your time with us in Chicago by utilizing all the tools and technology we’re making available to you!