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 – October

October 1, 2025

September 30 – Mastercard: Macroeconomic Factors Will Drive Holiday 2025 Spending Larger retailers that purchased and stocked holiday items in advance of tariff changes are likely to have a competitive advantage. From: HomePage News September 30 – Target, Netflix Partner on ‘Stranger Things’ Collection Spanning Halloween to New Year’s The product lineup includes…

The Government Shutdown and Federal Programs

October 1, 2025

by Craig Brightup, The Brightup Group — On Sept. 18, House Republicans passed a “clean” continuing resolution (CR) to keep the federal government funded at Fiscal Year 2025 levels from Sept. 30 – Nov. 21 in order to finish the 12 separate appropriations bills for FY26. On Sept. 19, the CR failed to get the votes needed in the Senate and a competing Democrat bill with some $1.5…

September Tariff Updates

September 4, 2025

by Craig Brightup, The Brightup Group — Tariff updates since IHA’s August Government Affairs blog include a court decision on IEEPA tariffs, more steel and aluminum tariff categories, steeper tariffs for products from India, an extended China tariff deadline, and progress for the U.S.–European Union (EU) trade deal. Legal Challenge to IEEPA Tariffs As explained in the…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – September

September 4, 2025

August 29 – Ollie’s Cites Q2 Housewares Gains as Tariffs Presented Opportunity Buys Year over year, comparable store sales increased 5%, driven by a transactions increase. From: HomePage News August 29 – Burlington Turned in Solid Q2 but Tariffs Weighed on Home Michael O’Sullivan, Burlington CEO, said in a conference call that tariffs impacted the company in the…

The Changing Tide of U.S. Port Fees on Chinese Vessels

September 3, 2025

by Dave Akers, IHSA The U.S. government is implementing new port fees on Chinese-built, owned, and operated vessels, a policy aimed at reducing U.S. reliance on Chinese maritime assets and stimulating the domestic shipbuilding industry. These fees, which are scheduled to begin on October 14, 2025, are creating a significant challenge for the entire supply chain. As a result,…

August Tariff Roundup

August 6, 2025

by Craig Brightup, The Brightup Group — On July 31, President Trump announced new reciprocal tariffs on some 70 countries effective on August 7. The following list (Annex 1) is linked to the Executive Order: The European Union and Vietnam On July 28, President Trump announced a trade deal with the European Union, which agreed to purchase $750 billion in U.S. energy…

Navigating the Tides: Understanding Ocean Container Costs and Future Outlook

August 6, 2025

by Craig Akers, IHSA For businesses reliant on global supply chains, understanding ocean container costs is vital. At International Housewares Shipper's Association (IHSA), we empower our members with insights into the multifaceted factors that drive these dynamic rates. It's far more than a flat fee; it's a blend of core charges and volatile surcharges influenced by global…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – August

August 4, 2025

July 28 – Altuzarra Collection Enlivens West Elm Kids Assortment The collection, part of the West Elm Kids lineup, includes layette and kids’ merchandise featuring Altuzarra’s own hand-drawn botanical illustrations on many items. From: HomePage News July 28 – Walmart Hires Instacart Exec to Drive AI, Tech Innovation Walmart has hired a new executive to help it…

Navigating “China Plus One”

July 9, 2025

The "China Plus One" program is a business strategy, originally adopted by multinational corporations to diversify their supply chains and manufacturing operations beyond China, while still maintaining a presence in the country. It's essentially about not putting all your eggs in one basket, particularly when that basket is China. Where Did It Originate? The concept of…