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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.

CHESS 2017 Recap: Generational Family Feud

Moderators: Warren Shoulberg, Publisher/Editorial Director, Home & Textiles Today, Editorial Director, HFN and Gifts & Decorative Accessories... Maureen Azzato, Publisher/Editorial Director, HFN... Taking a cue from a popular TV show, Warren Shoulberg and Maureen Azzato created a fun and interactive presentation to highlight some differences and similarities…

Benefits of Booking in the Block

There are several benefits when booking at an official hotel property: Low Rates & Cost Savings Flexible Terms Best Rate Pledge Convenience Hotel Incentives Customer Service Support the Show Networking Group Bookings Book Before Poachers Hit Low Rates & Cost Savings IHA negotiates the lowest available rates with our hotel…

CHESS 2017 Recap: Influencer Marketing

What is an “Influencer”? And how can your brand benefit from influencing them? Melissa Maker and Chad Reynolds, the creators of Clean My Space, and Gemma Stafford and Kevin Kurtz, the creators of Bigger Bolder Baking, outlined for CHESS attendees how social media celebrities can assist housewares marketers in reaching key audiences to help build their brands. Melissa Maker…

Selling From the Sidewalk

Just as consumers throw yard sales to rid their homes of unwanted clutter, so retailers throw sidewalk sales to rid their stores of merchandise that, for various reasons, is cluttering up shelves. It is an annual process especially embraced by independent retailers who don’t have to deal with corporate policies regarding pricing and discounting. Which is good, because most…

CHESS 2017 Recap: The Future is So Bright

Marshal Cohen, Chief Industry Analyst for the NPD Group, addressed current events in business and how the consumer has changed dramatically. We’ve allowed our businesses to become stagnant and boring, and the housewares categories must learn how to drive their exciting products out into the market. If the Apple phone is the most exciting product in the marketplace, we have a…

CHESS 2017 Recap: Housewares Hot Seat

CHESS 2017 opened with the annual favorite conversation-starter—the Housewares Hot Seat panel, moderated by Peter Giannetti, Editor-in-Chief, HomeWorld Business. Changing Channels, the sixth in the series of Hot Seat panel discussions, joined panelists Bruce Kaminstein, Executive Chairman, Casabella Holdings LLC; Michael Stoll, President, UT Brands, and Neal Asbury, CEO, Legacy…

IHA Trade Mission Explores Southeast Asia Markets

Western-branded products continue to increase in popularity with consumers in Indonesia and the Philippines as people continue to be more cognizant of western cooking styles, lifestyles and home décor. Housewares suppliers interested in the home and housewares markets in Southeast Asia can meet with key retailers and learn more about the business climate during a trade mission…

Retail Profile: Cooks’Wares

It’s a family affair over at Cooks’Wares, in Cincinnati. Founded by Paul Fricke and his wife, Mary, in 1992, and now run by Mary, along with their son Steve and daughter Sharon, the store has been the go-to place for cooking classes in northern Cincinnati since the day it opened 25 years ago. Steve Fricke, the store’s current buyer, says his late dad (Paul Fricke died in…

Stats: Back-to-School All Year Long

Every day is back-to-school shopping day. Almost. Back to school shopping, (which includes household items like kitchenware, tableware and home decor among those college-aged folks) has become hard to pin down, according to a new study from The NPD Group. While U.S. students usually go back to school around Labor Day and traditional back-to-school shopping also had a…