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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.

The Tax and Budget World Under Trump

Not since 1986 has the U.S. Tax Code undergone fundamental reform. But now, with Republicans controlling both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, and President Trump anxious for a win on one of his biggest promises from last year’s campaign, major efforts are underway to redefine our nation’s outdated and overly complex tax code to make the United States more…

A Cheat Sheet to Smart Home Platforms

By Michael Wolf and Ashley Daigneault For over two decades, a variety of companies and industry consortiums have worked to create standards and platforms to help devices and services work better together in the connected home. Many of these technologies that are now part of making the smart home work have become household names: from long- established and pervasive…

IHA’s Jeff Murphy Passes Away

Jeff Murphy, 53, vice president, international, at the International Housewares Association, passed away June 7 during a hiking trip to Yellowstone National Park. Jeff’s death was the result of fall near Turkey Pen Peak in Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming, according to National Park Service officials. He went missing on Wednesday and a search began Thursday when his wife notified…

Expert Panel: How are Consumers Behaving Online?

Who is your customer, how do they shop for your products and what path are they taking to purchase, especially in a multi-screen world? Google will provide a high-level view of online consumer behavior with specific focus on the housewares consumer. Gain a better understanding of your customer’s behaviors, how to better target your customer online and how to measure success.…

CHESS 2017 Offers Robust Exploration of Disruption, Evolution in Housewares Marketplace

Wayfair CEO Narij Shah, Futurist David Houle Lead Keynote Sessions The agenda for the 2017 Chief Housewares Executives SuperSession (CHESS) is shaping up as a robust exploration of disruption and evolution in the housewares marketplace, varying consumer lifestyle demographics and the changes suppliers must embrace to grow their business. Recently added to the schedule are…

Consumer Alignment and Embracing Changes for Growth is Focus of CHESS 2017

Marketplace disruption and evolution, a new retail paradigm, channel management challenges, Millennials vs Boomers and lifestyle demographic changes continue to affect the way housewares are marketed and sold. How suppliers can use these challenges to grow their business will be explored in “Consumer Alignment…Embracing Change for Growth” during the 2017 Chief Housewares…

2017 CHESS: Consumer Alignment…Embracing Change for Growth

CHESS—Chief Housewares Executive SuperSession—is IHA’s annual senior-level conference for industry leaders. This strategic education and networking event of the year allows attendees to access high-profile industry experts directly and share information and ideas with other housewares and home goods decision-makers. Held every fall, CHESS attracts more than 150 chief officers…

Alexa, Show Me the Future: The Emerging Interfaces of The Smart Home

By Michael Wolf For most of my adult life, doing things around the home meant pushing buttons and turning dials. In fact, for almost everyone who isn’t a teenager or younger, the process of cooking, making coffee or doing laundry meant using mechanical controls. But that’s beginning to change. Touch screens have become massively popular over the past decade, and more…