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IHA’s blog features informative posts written to keep the housewares industry educated and informed about key strategic issues and IHA member services.

2014 CHESS Conference Highlights: AJ Khubani, Brian Melzer, Jay Zilinskas, Peter Giannetti, and Richard Boynton

Chief Housewares Executives Gather at Annual Strategic Senior-Level Conference Tuesday, October 7, 2014 By Vicki Matranga, Design Programs Coordinator Chief housewares executives eager to hear the latest from the front lines of the industry learned from experts who addressed IHA’s annual CHESS conference October 7 and 8. The two-day conference, held at the Loews Chicago…

CHESS 2014 Examines the “Consumer Path to Purchase”

The consumer’s path to purchase has grown from simply shopping at brick and mortar stores to surfing online retailers, buying direct from manufacturer websites or visiting a store to see a product then finding the best deal online. Industry experts and senior housewares executives will explore what navigating this omni-channel retailing means to housewares suppliers during the…

Brazil’s Booming Internet Retailing

by Vicki Matranga, Design Programs Coordinator Digital businesses are investing in Latin America’s rapidly evolving B2C retailing, according to the September 2014 issue of Internet Retailer, published by Chicago-based Vertical Web Media, LLC. The magazine maps internet retail’s growth in Latin America and describes how web merchants spend heavily and think creatively to…

Industry Update from the Japan DIY Industry Association

Information provided by the Japan DIY Industry Association shows remarkable development in the sales and number of DIY stores/home centers in Japan since the first DIY store was opened in the country over 40 years ago. There are now over 4,500 DIY stores/home centers in Japan, the annual general proceeds reaching 3.97 trillion yen. Home centers have expanded throughout Japan…

Housewares Exports to the UK Market

Report and analysis by: Laura Spingola, Trade Resources Ltd. The United Kingdom represents a special market for U.S. housewares exporters. Ranking third among global markets for U.S. housewares exporters, many IHA members are active in the UK, yet many more new-to-export and experienced exporters should make “go/no-go” decisions about this important and inviting single market…

Global Retail News: Costco, Sainsbury, Walmart, Auchan, Carrefour

Costco hits the spot in Seville Last month, US-based Costco opened its first unit on continental Europe in Seville, Spain. The warehouse club retailer has proven sufficiently adventurous to venture into the country at a time when Spain is experiencing the nascent twitches of recovery following six years of the worst economic crisis in decades. Source: Planet…

CE Mark Workshop for Illinois Companies

The Illinois SBDC International Trade Center at the Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago (ICNC) is pleased to partner with the Center for International Regulatory Assistance (CITRA) at Duquesne University to present a day-long workshop at ICNC. Facilitated by CITRA experts and the Illinois SBDC International Trade Center at ICNC, the workshop will cover information on the…

IHA’s New Inspired Home Website Announces Editorial Calendar

Features on Halloween and fall-themed entertaining, food preparation and storage; personal care and grooming; home organization; closet and clothes care; garage organization and pet care will launch the new Inspired Home website created by the International Housewares Association. The website, www.IHAInspiredHome.org, is part of IHA’s consumer-focused initiative that will…

gia Global Innovation Awards 2014 – Retailers on Top of the World

Every year, the International Housewares Association (IHA) welcomes retailers deemed the best in their home country to Chicago, where they compete on a global stage in the IHA Global Innovation Awards 2014 (gia) program. This year, there were 23 national gia winners from 22 countries, all representing the very top of home and housewares retailing. The gia Global Innovation…