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…

gia Awards

Special Spaces

by Michelle Hespe The 2019 gia Global Honoree Futako Tamagawa Tsutaya Electrics from Japan is part of a new wave of retailers that understand that to survive in this industry, you can no longer simply sell products. This company has further raised the bar, creating an enticing society for its customers. Don’t be fooled by the name of the store – Futako Tamagawa Tsutaya…

Decidedly Danish

by Michelle Hespe When Bahne was established in 1965 in Denmark, they were already ahead of the game and vastly different from other retail outlets. The business was not just focused on offering customers a store filled with products that they could purchase, but rather, on creating an experience for shoppers. This might be a typical approach in retail now, but it certainly…

Sculpting a Community

Above and beyond being a retailer, S-Kultur is a cooking school, a café/bar, an experience, a community and a homey place to indulge in some of the best things in life. by Michelle Hespe German gia winner and 2019 Global Honoree S-Kultur epitomizes the approach to retailing that stores across the world are working hard to achieve in order to retain loyal customers.…

Jumbled Joy

by Michelle Hespe The owner of Australian IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) Global Honoree JUMBLED has always focused on choosing the right products to create sparks of joy in an enchanting place that has a true sense of soul and community. When it came to setting up her now thriving business JUMBLED, Pip Brett listened to some sage advice from her mother, who is also a…

Perfectly Porland

Eight Companies Honored with gia Awards for Booth Excellence

Eight International Home + Housewares Show exhibitors were honored with Global Innovation Awards (gia) for Booth Excellence today 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 2019 International Home + Housewares Show here at McCormick…

2019 gia Global Honorees for Retail Excellence Announced at IH+HS

The International Home + Housewares Show and the International Housewares Association (IHA), the global sponsors and organizers of the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) program, today announced the 2019 gia Global Honorees for Retail Excellence. The Global Honorees are (click photos to enlarge): The global gia jury, consisting of four retail/visual merchandising experts…

13 Companies Honored with gia Awards for Product Design

Thirteen housewares suppliers ranging from well-established brands to first-time exhibitors were honored as Global Honorees of the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) for product design today. The Global Honorees in each of 13 categories were announced during the invitation-only gia dinner on the first evening of the 2019 International Home + Housewares Show, now taking place…

Cultivating Your Concept

We chat with Wolfgang Gruschwitz about how to create a successful concept retail store. by Michelle Hespe “What is your story?” That would be the first question that Wolfgang Gruschwitz would ask if you engaged his team to develop a successful retail store. Wolfgang is a consultant in the field of retail design, as well as juror for the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia), and…

Perfectly Porland

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

Global Retail Intelligence – April

Navigating The Wild West of Ocean Shipping

IHA Plans Sourcing Mission to Vietnam

Guide to Effective Retail Store Design

Special Spaces

Decidedly Danish

Sculpting a Community

Jumbled Joy

Perfectly Porland

Eight Companies Honored with gia Awards for Booth Excellence

2019 gia Global Honorees for Retail Excellence Announced at IH+HS

13 Companies Honored with gia Awards for Product Design

Cultivating Your Concept

Connect With IHA

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