All Posts

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

April Currency Outlook

In their April 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 fell by more than half of a percentage The Fed raised interest rate to 1.75%, signaling confidence The European Central Bank changed policy language, removing allowance for…

Technological Advancements in IoT Transforming the Way Consumers Interact With Their Products

By Dina Abdelrazik Dina Abdelrazik, research analyst at Parks Associates, recently sat down with Research and Markets to discuss technological advancements in the Internet of Things (IoT) and how they’re transforming the way consumers interact with their products. The Connected Lifestyle How have technological advancements affected the adoption, usage and retention of the…

Speak, Swipe, Smile: How Virtual Assistants Are No Longer Just About Voice

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…

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…

Housewares 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…

Eight 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…

Export 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…

Canadian 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…

March 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…