International Housewares Association

Perfectly Porland

Porland of Turkey, one of the five gia Global Honorees this year, has a long, rich and colorful history. We look into what makes this manufacturer and retailer of porcelain stand out from the rest. by Michelle Hespe Porland’s logo features a ballerina executing a perfect pirouette. This elegant symbol conveys both beauty and strength, reflecting the grounding philosophy of this manufacturer and retailer of porcelain. The word…

CHESS 2019 – Retail’s Seismic Shift: Understanding the Forces Changing Housewares Consumers

Presented by: Michael Dart, Partner, Consumer/Retail Practice, A.T. Kearney Retail specialist and visionary, Michael Dart advises retail and consumer companies on how best to navigate retail’s seismic shifts. He combines his economics and finance training from Oxford University and the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, with more than 25 years of experience consulting with A.T. Kearney and Bain & Co. to provide a unique…

Global Retail Intelligence – April

April 14 – JD.com Creates Offline Catering Supply Chain SolutionJD.com with Juqi, a dinning chain in Beijing, announced a supply chain cooperation, positioning JD.com as the first platform in China capable of providing a one-stop supply chain solution covering both the full category of food and materials supply, and integrated warehousing and distribution services. Through the cooperation, JD will also provide intelligent inventory…

Navigating The Wild West of Ocean Shipping

by Dave Akers, IHSA "Good Judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment." — Will Rogers Here is how the modern shipping business mirrors the Wild West: 1. The “Gold Rush” Boom and Bust Cycles The Old West was defined by the gold rush with sudden, explosive wealth that created overnight millionaires, followed by devastating busts that left ghost towns behind. Shipping operates on the exact same…

IHA Plans Sourcing Mission to Vietnam

To help members investigate alternatives to sourcing from China, the International Housewares Association will hold a sourcing mission to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, next year. The 2020 Vietnam Sourcing Mission will be offered in two sessions: April 20-22 or April 23-25. Each session is limited to just six companies to provide a high level of service and allow for private meetings and factory tours. The dates were chosen to allow…

Guide to Effective Retail Store Design

by Martin M. Pegler If RETAILING is your chosen path of livelihood, here are some simple guidelines you might like to consider when planning your retail store. 1. Let There Be Light! Without the proper light the merchandise cannot be seen or judged, colors cannot be appreciated, coordinates cannot be assembled, nor buying decisions made. Let your light be the best you can afford to install and use—or, if necessary, skimp on…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – November

November 30, 2022

November 29 – Retailers Enjoy Better Black Friday, Cyber Monday but Discounting Deepens Preliminary data released by business services provider Sensormatic Solutions, indicated a 2.9% increase in retail foot traffic on Black Friday, November 25, compared to 2021, while Adobe Analytics reported that online sales at $9.12 billion gained from $8.92 billion a year ago, good but…

Will the Carriers Avoid a Rate War?

November 30, 2022

Container freight rates from Asia to the U.S. continue to decline. Rates have fallen to levels that seemed unimaginable only a year ago. The average spot rate to move a container from China to Los Angeles in December 2021 was $15,000. The cost to move that same container today is $1,500. The carriers, who declared that rate wars were a thing of the past, seem powerless to stop…

U.S. Imports from Asia Continue to Nosedive

November 2, 2022

U.S. imports from Asia have plummeted over the last few months. The month of September alone declined 10.4% versus August. Forecasters do not see any improvement for imports when October imports are finalized. Industry experts are now projecting that imports will continue to decline through the end of the year. It’s hard to comprehend how quickly the Asia-to-U.S. market has…

Labor Relations Regulatory Update

November 2, 2022

The Biden Administration’s regulatory agenda will face Republican scrutiny in the next Congress by way of oversight hearings and a stream of information requests to agency heads between hearings from committee chairs. Administration proposals concerning labor (employee) relations will be one of the more controversial areas based on Republican concerns that they will create more…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – October

November 1, 2022

October 31 – Ross Stores Open 40 Stores The new outposts complete Ross’ growth plans for fiscal 2022, which called for the addition of 99 new stores. From: Chain Store Age October 28 – Target to Carry Marks & Spencer Holiday Items The limited-time partnership offers highly giftable, on-trend products at value prices. From: Progressive Grocer October 28 – Wegmans…

Connect Fall, IHA’s Virtual Industry Event, Features Sessions on Shifting Lifestyle Trends, Critical Business Developments

October 5, 2022

ROSEMONT, IL (Oct. 5, 2022) – Connect FALL, an IHA virtual event, is set for Oct. 11-13 with exclusive, in-depth content designed to bring the housewares industry together around critical industry education. Session topics include opportunities in inflationary times; consumer lifestyle trends; an update on PFAS chemicals regulations and housewares; trends influencing…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – September

October 5, 2022

September 30 – Walmart Insists Distribution Can Handle the Holidays The Walmart supply chain has been challenged, the company admitted in a blog post, but the company has been able to deal with congestion and inflation so that it is ready for the holiday season. From: HomePage News September 30 – Qurate Names Veteran Supply Chain Exec Barnhart COO\ Qurate Retail Group…

Tariff Update

October 3, 2022

In early September, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced it had received comments from a number of entities supporting a continuation of the Section 301 tariffs on products produced in China. This culminates the first phase of USTR’s statutorily mandated “review of necessity” for Sec. 301 tariffs before they expire after four years. However, by September’s end, USTR…

Ocean Rates Reflecting Weak Demand