Global

HECNA: Australia’s Most Powerful Retailers Revealed

This past fall, Australia trade publication, Inside Retail Magazine, published its list of the most powerful retailers and coming out on top was Grant O’Brien of Woolworths. “This year Woolworths’ Grant O’Brein comes in at number one. O’Brien succeeded Michael Luscombe as MD and CEO of Woolworths in October 2011 after previous roles as COO Australian food and petrol, director…

Innovation Insights: An Interview with Jim Klar, Easy2 Technologies

By Vicki Matranga, Design Programs + Services Learn how to develop and launch the right products for the right customer—with the right methods! The four days of the 2014 International Home + Housewares Show will be packed with events as well as educational sessions. To help you plan your time at the Show, we give you a preview of the presentations that will take place in the…

Retail News from Around the World

Big Lots Plans Canadian Departure As Losses Grow As part of its third quarter earnings announcement, Big Lots revealed that it is pulling out of Canada after two years of effort didn't produce the traction the retailer expected. In its earnings announcement, Big Lots posted a consolidated loss from continuing operations of $9.5 million, or 17 cents per diluted share, versus a…

HECNA: The Two Latin Americas

Companies who sell to Latin America or those who wish to in the future will be interested in David Luhnow’s essay in this weekend’s Wall Street Journal entitled “The Two Latin Americas.” As Luhnow says, “There are two Latin Americas right now. The first is a bloc of countries—including Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela—that faces the Atlantic Ocean, mistrusts globalization and…

Discovering Design: Finum

By Vicki Matranga Design Programs + Services Get to know the people behind the stylish products that will appear at the 2014 International Home + Housewares Show in Discover Design. We’ll be posting conversations with exhibitors to give you a glimpse of the inspirations, influences and ideas that go into creating the exciting products that you’ll see in March at McCormick…

HECNA Global Forum: Rethinking the 4 P’s

In today’s business-to-business environment, sticking to the traditional four P’s of marketing – product, place, price and promotion- has fostered narrow, product-focused strategies. Those strategies lead marketing and sales teams to stress product attributes that are no longer differentiators but are now simply the cost of market entry. Richard Ettenson, using insights from…

Discovering Design: ScanWood

Innovation Insights: An Interview with Rob Wallace, Wallace Church

By Vicki Matranga, Design Programs + Services Learn how to develop and launch the right products for the right customer—with the right methods! The four days of the 2014 International Home + Housewares Show will be packed with events as well as educational sessions. To help you plan your time at the Show, we’re giving you a preview of the presentations that will take place in…

Innovation Insights: An Interview with Howard Lim, HOW Creative

By Vicki Matranga, Design Programs + Services Learn how to develop and launch the right products for the right customer—with the right methods! The four days of the 2014 International Home + Housewares Show will be packed with events as well as educational sessions. To help you plan your time at the Show, we’re giving you a preview of the presentations that will take place…