GIFT AND HOME RETAILER NEWS

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August 2013

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August 2013
2-5 Kansas City
2-6 Minneapolis
3-5 Orlando
4-6 Edison, NJ
8-12 Atlanta
10-15 New York
11-12 Kissimmee, FL
11-14 Toronto
17-21 New York
17-20 Seattle
18-21 Edmonton
22-27 Denver
24-27 Ft. Lauderdale
25-28 Montreal

September 2013
6-7 Phoenix
17-20 Las Vegas
23-26 New York
29-Oct. 1 Los Angeles

October 2013
Kansas City 4-7
Minneapolis 6-8
Los Angeles 13-17
New York 15-18
Atlanta 17-21
Portland 18-20
High Point 19-24

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Making Your Small Business Succeed Like the Big Guys

95% of retail business have just one location.

That astounding statistic comes from the National Federation of Retailers (NFR).

Of course, 95% is an average that can be further broken down: 93% of pharmacies are single location and, on the high side, 97% of florists are one location, for example. The statistic also included hardware stores (95%), pet stores (95%), jewelry stores (96%) and specialty food stores (96%).

The same study found that 77% of retail companies have fewer than 10 employees.

So if you are one of the retailers with only one location and fewer than 10 employees, you already know that you have challenges not faced by your larger competitors. What do you need to do to ensure your success and longevity?

Bob Susa of WhizBang! Training has identified 10 basic skills that small business owners need to be successful.

"Most people are naturally good at one or two parts of their business. And naturally, that's where they focus most of their time and attention. It's easier and it's more fun to do the things you're good at," Susa says. "To be successful, you HAVE to learn to do all of these things - even the things you don't like to do, find it difficult to do, or don't know how to do now."

Here are his 10 things:
1. Excellent customer service,
2. Intelligent buying and inventory management,
3. Customer focused marketing,
4. Systematic employee management,
5. Efficient store operations,
6. Managing with financial information,
7. Effective staff training,
8. Strategic merchandising and visual display,
9. Long-range planning, and
10. Disciplined, professional leadership.


Featured Vendors

indicates a CAMEO EZ© web site.

All For Giving offers a unique assortment of gifts and accessories for the home, office, and the wine enthusiast. We strive to provide our customers with high quality yet affordable products to make that perfect gift for someone special.

Americana Charm presents a hand crafted heirloom quality collection of life-sized animals, featuring cats, ducks (decoys), lop rabbits, baby bunnies, piglets, dogs, and puppies covered in colorful fabric and glazed with a glass-like finish.

Badash Crystal: Our broad selection of mouth blown tabletop and decorative accessories from around the world will surely meet your needs. Every piece is individually and safely boxed. We offer superb quality and value for all your gift giving, bridal and/or personal pleasure.

Band Angels is a line of adhesive bandages in boys' and girls' colors (blue and pink) decorated with Scripture verses printed on them.

Botskis features wine bottle bow ties, light up wine & cocktail charms with colored LEDs, musical wine and spirits gift boxes and more.

Brownlow Gifts: Brownlow produces a full line of inspirational gifts for every occasion. You will find useful and attractive home decor gifts for the kitchen, bedrooms, study and all other rooms in the house. Brownlow is well known for gourmet products, journals, gifted paper items, photo albums, photo frames, decorative sentiment plaques, a variety of stationery, many different ceramic gifts as well as a large assortment of inspirational gift books. Most products are in coordinating themes that retailers can purchase in eye-catching countertop display collections.

Camille Beckman is known worldwide for the quality of their fine creams and lotions. For the past 18 years, this 'Made in America' product has been rated #1 in the personal care industry and continues to offer formulas based on rich and wholesome ingredients, blending small batches and using hand-crafted, old-fashioned methods that create a difference you can feel! Being that personal care products are an indispensable item for many gift shops, Camille Beckman is a natural choice because of their 27 years of service to the locally owned gift industry.

Coast Lamp Manufacturing was established and incorporated in the state of Florida in 1955. Now, a North Carolina Corporation since 1975, located in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina. We are a family owned and operated company. Our product is UL/ULC listed and approved and made in the USA. Customer satisfaction and a long lasting relationship are our goals. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you.

Desden offers the most unique wholesale collegiate licensed gifts! Shop the company's totes, aprons, iphone cases and accessories. Choose from the collection of Made in the USA items, Chevron patterns, or blank totes for monograming!

Divinity Boutique is a gift company that is focused on trendy and fun gifts that feature inspirational verse and themes.

Elegant Baby Elegant Baby® understands that babies deserve style just as fresh as they are! Our marvelous collection of baby products is full of bold colors and spectacular designs. From traditional to contemporary, today's baby gift is sure to become tomorrow's treasure. Products ranging from My First Rubber Ducky to My First Baby Bible, My First Baby Blankie, My First Baby Jeans to the iconic silver spoon, Elegant Baby is where style meets tradition.

Europa Home decorincluding glass, candleholders and candles for garden, lodge, awards, gourmet food, sale items and more.

Flair Hair: Need a spikey flair to your day? Flair Hair is the answer! You can wear Flair Hair Visors anywhere. The comfortable adjustable bandanas and visors with hair are great for golfing, fishing, riding your motorcycle, hiking in the mountains and anything else you can think of. No matter where you go, our hats with hair ensure you will be the life of the party. Whether you want to sport the blonde colored hair you grew up with, or throw in a change-up with brown, black, or gray; people will notice!

Fortune Keeper: Have you ever opened a fortune cookie, had a powerful connection to the message inside, and wanted to hold on to it for inspiration? Do you have other inspirational messages or pictures that you would love to wear? Welcome to FortuneKeeper - Beautifully designed necklaces, keychains and bracelets to safely store your prized fortunes, quotes, mantras, prayers, pictures or affirmations.

Gina B. Designs is an award-winning greeting card, gift and stationery products company featuring exceptional art and design. With an array of styles, variety of products and outstanding customer service, Gina B. Designs has "something for everyone."  All products are proudly made in the U.S.A.

Halle Joy is a different type of company, committed not only to designing beautiful products, but to bringing joy to people throughout the world. A portion of the proceeds from every piece we sell goes to support worthy causes around the world.

Highland Graphics: a leader in functional gift with decorative items for gift giving and kitchen. From our topselling Absorbastone coasters, to our decorative bamboo cutting boards, everything we manufacture is made in the USA. Our high quality plus competitive pricing lets our customers make higher margins. We feature licensed art, official collegiate products and have a full range of custom capabilities with low minimums.

InDesign, Home of The Sophie Collection, one of America's leading fashion accessory wholesalers! All products designed by Anna Larsson Daley using only the finest textiles and materials available. We provide retailers with unique, high quality fashion accessories including the # 1 selling jewel embellished scarf at retail.

JTP Wholesale: Monogrammed toilet paper and coasters - The perfect gift for the person who has everything.

Julia Knight: Designer Julia Knight creates bowls and trays, glassware and serving pieces with meticulous patterns and shapes, color and hue.

Lily For Hangables is your source for household and celebration needs. The company has more than 75 shapes and products with over 175 prints and colors with more to come. Lily for Hangables carefully hand forms each product, showing the greatest care; making each piece unique. All products are proudly made in the United States.

Leslie Handpainted Glass: Leslie Hand Painted Glass is Proudly Painting in Portland Oregon USA Specializing in Custom & Regionally Specific Designs - Personalized Wedding & Bridal Parties - Corporate Gifts & Events.

Luvali Convertibles features "all things reversible or convertible", including women's and children's clothing, hats, handbags, handheld electronics cases and more.

Malibu Creations collection of affordably chic home décor will turn your decorating daydreams into reality with fun and stylish designs inspired by the warm colors of sun-kissed beaches, the refreshing comforts of mountainside resorts, and the vibrance of today's active lifestyle. Malibu Creations believes you should be able to decorate and redecorate your home as inspiration strikes, and with the company's smart prices, you don't have to miss out on a single design trend you love. Live your life in affordable luxury as you spend time with family and friends in your beautifully decorated home, enjoying an evening of dining on the patio or just relaxing in a cozy, sunny nook in the living room.

Nicole Brayden Gifts: a bright and trendy collection of stationary and home decorproducts. Lots of fun colors and designs offered. Introducing new and exciting "Purse Pad" stationary assortments as well as the trendy Cheeky Chic collection.

O3 USA: Founded on principles of creativity, functionality and a funky spirit, O3 USA strives strive to offer products that are unique, stylish, and, most importantly, cool. From kids' backpacks and luggage with integrated coolers, to fun accessories for the family, we hope you find what you are looking for with us here at O3!

Red Carpet Studios, Ltd.: All Jazzed Up Fashion Accessories for Fall & Spring. A wide range of Giftware for the Home & Garden. Visit our website for New Products & Specials.

snoozies!® are not socks and they're not slippers - sort of a crossover between the two and that's why we call them "foot coverings"! snoozies!® are made with a brushed fleece exterior in colorful & fun printed patterns and then lined with a soft Sherpa fleece inside.

Shade Tree Greetings' "Actual Pictures" are recognized as one of the best-selling greeting card lines in the industry. Nostalgic photographs and clever, funny verses make these cards a success. Go to our website to browse over 300 styles. GREAT introductory programs and free fixtures.

Stupell Industries: one of America's premier suppliers of handcrafted decorative accessories for upscale homes and offices. In business for over 30 years, our line includes a wide variety of baby products, kitchen and bathroom plaques, wall hangings, faux windows, picture frames, and other unique decorative objects. We are constantly enlarging and updating our product offering to keep abreast of the latest trends and styles in the fast-paced home decorative market.

Sunbelt Marketing Group, Inc. Licensed functional and decorative giftware for the home and tailored for the men's market, i.e. (clocks, signs, coat/key racks, salt and pepper shakers, bottle openers, shelves, picture frames, games key chains and more). Licenses include Coca-Cola, General Motors, Pepsi-Cola, Farmall Tractors, Shelby and the Shelby Ford Mustang and Dodge. Product mediums include wood, polyresin, and glass and mixed mediums.

Sunday Greetings is a greeting card company that started when Brenda Kellman made a homemade birthday card for her husband Alan. Brenda's photography is on the cover of the company's greeting cards for every occasion.

Tripar International Inc.: Tripar International is your source for both displays and decorative accessories. Our extensive product line includes a wide assortment of easels, risers, ornament stands, plate racks, mirrors, jewelry displays, and unique display pieces. We are also an excellent source for wine accessories, wall decor, inspirational signs, and cookbook stands. We offer quality with style, low minimums and fast shipping.

Wellspring makes functional products with fresh designs for companies that sell gifts. Great fun and cute personal accessories designed for the purse, stationery designed for organization and Flip Notes- the best-selling slim notepad consistently ranked by retailers as a top 10 in sell through. Perfect 4th quarter pick up gifts at under $10 retail- a sweet spot with today's consumer. Now with collegiate logos! www.WellspringGift.com.

Zingz And Thingz : Located in Santa Monica, California, Zingz & Thingz proudly offers more than 700 products to retailers. The company's merchandise strengths are in our wide selection of affordable and fun Garden Decor items and our continually expanding Lighting collection. Discover Zingz And Thingz' extensive collection of fun and functional products today and put a little zing in your life.


Why Being a Retailer Is So Amazing

Dear Friends,

Retailing is hard work. It’s competitive. It’s unpredictable. Yet, it can also be a sense of great joy and accomplishment. In case you need to be reminded, here’s just a few reasons why it can be a blast:

~ You get to buy all sorts of really cool and amazing products then before you have timeto tire of it all, someone else actually PAYS you for the goods--which means you have the space and the money to replace it all with even more cool and amazing stuff.

~ How else would you meet so many vibrant and interesting people?

~ Think of the stories you’ve heard and the lessons learned along the way. And what about the insights you’ve shared and the people you’ve inspired? Wow!

~ When you use your store to make the world and your community a better place to live, it feels good. If you’re not already doing it, think of a creative event or promotion to raise funds for big-hearted giving. Believe me. You’ll be on the receiving end.

~ Think of the freedom you have. Freedom of creative expression. Freedom to choose your vacations and your days off. Freedom to be YOU!

~ One of the most unexpected gifts of running a retail store can be the life-affirming friendships you make along the way. It seems like whenever we host a party, our home is filled with friends we met at the store throughout the past 20 years. I call them my “gifts of the store.” And they are, simply put, irreplaceable.

You are the Cheers of your mall or your Main Street. You are a gift concierge, a psychologist, a friend, a coach, an interior designer, a creative wizard, and a heartsoother. Who would have ever thought being a retailer would allow you to have so many extraordinary experiences? Stand tall. Wear all your talents and gifts proudly.

People are in awe of you. I’m one of them.

Wishing you peas and plenty of joy,

Cheryl Karpen

As a speaker, author and product developer, Cheryl Karpen thrives on telling stories that inspire the heart and mind. With nearly a million gift books sold, her self-publishing company, Gently Spoken, is best known for the Eat Your Peas Collection (www.gentlyspoken.com). Cheryl can be reached at 877-224-7886 or at cherylkarpen@aol.com.


Quick Industry News

PRODUCT NEWS
New "Got To Have It" Products From Calypso Studios

New Chevron totes and bags from Calypso Studios are now available. The Chevron Tote Bag (Item #037C), is a hip new tote in trendy chevron printed cotton fabrics. This fashionable yet practical carryall is the perfect bag to use year-round as a diaper bag, overnight bag, or work bag, since it fits most laptops and includes a handy zipper pocket for cell phone, iPod, etc.

There's also a Chevron Sling Bag, crafted from a fashionable chevron printed fabric, which makes the perfect casual but fun on-the-go purse. The Chevron I.D. Wallet Keychain is a compact cotton case with a front ID window and copper-colored signature key ring. A Chevron Clay Copper Friendship Bracelet rounds out the line. Adjustable, and adorned with a clay and copper handcrafted cross.

Other new items from Calypso include Rhinestone Bead Collection Friendship Bracelets, Spike Collection Friendship Bracelets, Ella Collection Necklace, Charming Hair Ties, Glitz Hair Ties with Rhinestone Bead, and Light up Holiday Hair Flair, available in Pumpkins and Holiday Lights.


New Wholesale Websites

These CAMEO EZ© websites are new (or have a new look) for July. Check them out!

Julia Knight Home Page Julia Knight has added a CAMEO EZ© B2B ordering site! Julia Knight's driving ambition is to create designs that insist on attracting the eye with their unexpected beauty - a beauty that transforms even the everyday into something simply and completely wonderful. Products include bowls and trays, glassware and serving pieces.

Muddy Waters Home PageMuddy Waters, a premier manufacturer and distributor of giftware items, has refreshed their wholesale website's look. The company's medium is primarily custom designed ceramics, earthenware, stoneware and pottery with an emphasis on unique, yet functional works. This currently includes the "Original" Word Jars & Word Mugs of all types, as well as a variety of Decorative Art Work on Tiles.

Zingz And Thingz has a brand new OmegaNet wholesale website. Zingz & Thingz specializes in giftware and more, which means you'll find more of what you want and more of what you'll love, all in one place. Discover our extensive collection of fun and functional products today and put a little zing in your life. Located in Santa Monica, California, Zingz & Thingz proudly offers more than 700 products to retailers. Their merchandise strengths are in the company's wide selection of affordable and fun Garden Decor items and continually expanding Lighting collection.

Little River Gift's renewed CAMEO EZ© wholesale site features artisans' offerings. Little River has branched into multiple giftware categories to offer customers a full line of on trend, beautiful giftware and home decor. The company has announced American Print, which was birthed from the desire to create and print a full line of giftware and home decor in the United States and put more Americans to work.

For Art's Sake USA is a new OmegaNet / CAMEO EZ© client Originally founded in Sydney, Australia, but with USA offices in Georgia. Products include greeting cards for every occasion, stationery, gift books, plush and more.

Wild Habitat opened their OmegaNet / CAMEO EZ© wholesale site recently. The Lin family has been designing and engineering hosiery knitting machines for decades, so making socks came naturally. Honesty and integrity are values the company holds on to. Wild Habitat uses high quality yarns and their designers, engineers, and technicians are all highly educated in the sock making process. Besides socks the company makes arm sleeves, baby booties, wristbands and plush hats.


CAMEO EZ© is the B2B e-commerce system developed by OmegaNet Inc., publisher of this newsletter, for use by retailers in ordering inventory for their stores. A partial list of CAMEO EZ sites can be found at the company's portals such as www.giftswholesale.com, www.accessorieswholesale.com, www.apparelwholesale.biz, www.decorwholesale.com, www.usmadewholesale.com, and www.toyswholesale.com. A complete list of sites is available in the "Directory" on www.CAMEOEZ.com.