By Chris Albrecht Amazon’s Alexa plays a central role in my family’s morning routine: she tells us the weather, plays the radio and sets timers so we can catch the bus. Alexa is great for simple tasks, but she and other smart speakers stumble when it comes to more complicated requests. That’s just a limitation of having only a voice and speaker interface. But the way we…
CONTINUE READINGArchives for March 2018
Lifestyle Guru Tom Mirabile Shares Insights for Thriving in Today’s Retail Renaissance
“We succeed by embracing change” is his theme at 2018 International Home + Housewares Show It’s no secret the marketplace is experiencing unprecedented and rapid changes in how consumers gather information, shop and buy products. But these changes represent tremendous opportunities for the housewares industry, said Tom Mirabile, consumer trend forecaster for the International…
CONTINUE READINGHousewares Charity Foundation Raises $1.8 Million at 21st Annual Gala
The housewares industry came together to “Unite, Celebrate, Support” and raised $1.8 million during the Housewares Charity Foundation’s (HCF) 21st annual gala on Monday, March 12. Proceeds from the event, held at Chicago’s Navy Pier, benefited the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), the HCF’s legacy charity. Since the first gala in 1998, HCF has raised more than $50…
CONTINUE READINGEight Companies Honored with Global Innovation Awards for Booth Excellence
Eight International Home + Housewares Show exhibitors were honored with Global Innovation Awards (gia) for Booth Excellence on Monday, March 12, with two companies named Global Honoree. Two finalists were selected in each Show expo, one each for large and small booths. The winners were announced during special presentations at the 2018 International Home + Housewares Show at…
CONTINUE READINGExport 101: Understanding Export Compliance
Product Testing and Compliance When selling products to international markets, some certifications and compliance testing is likely required before your product can be shipped. The type of product you sell will determine which testing protocol and certifications are required. Certification proves a minimum level of credibility to the market. Consumers in global markets…
CONTINUE READINGCanadian Tire: Key Canadian Retailer Update
As a preview to the presentation during the upcoming IBC Global Forum, the following is a brief on Canadian retailer, Canadian Tire. As of September 20, the speaker for the Canadian Tire presentation will be Doug Young, replacing Oliver Horton. Canadian Tire has a network of more than 1700 stores (to view, click the "View Map" button under the "Locations" section) spread…
CONTINUE READINGMarch Currency Outlook
In their March 2018 Currency Outlook report, Tempus, an exchange rate and global payments company, provides a detailed report including the following topics and sections: In Brief The USD recovered by 1.5% according to the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index Among the G-10, the Canadian Dollar fell the most, 4.6% The Japanese Yen gained 2.5%, reaching its highest level…
CONTINUE READINGHousewares Are Becoming Connected. Is Your Company Ready?
By Michael Wolf The housewares industry is changing, but I wouldn’t blame you for missing it. That’s because industry evolutions happen subtly and slowly and, as a result, it’s often easy to miss the big shifts. Most of us, after all, are busy doing our job. But the old adage “the days are long but the years are short” applies just as much to market evolutions as well as…
CONTINUE READINGSold-Out 2018 International Home + Housewares Show Brims with Innovation, Vibrant Buzz on Show Floor
The just-concluded 2018 International Home + Housewares Show is garnering rave reviews from the industry with an overall sentiment that the quality of top-to-top buyer and seller attendees was the strongest in years. The Show was sold-out with 2,244 exhibitors from 47 countries and featured a focus on the smart home and connected products. “Even with the impact of the East…
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