US Retail Sales Were Up in March
Economists report a one percent increase in retail sales for March compared with February and a 0.8 percent rise compared with the same period last year. The three-month retail sales average for the quarter was up 2.6% over the same period in 2018.
National Retail Federation Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said, “March’s numbers are very encouraging and set the stage for improved expectations for the economy in the coming months, especially since the first quarter is typically weak.” (source)
However, Kleinhenz made the statement before the first quarter GDP report showed a surprising 3.2 percent improvement.
“It is clear that underlying consumer fundamentals including job and wage growth and healthy household balance sheets continue to support spending,” Kleinhenz continued. CNBC echoed NRF's analysis, saying "It’s a sign that the healthy job market has likely made consumers more eager to spend in ways that boost overall economic growth." (source)
The National Retail Federation's numbers did not include automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants. Sporting goods stores posted the only reduction in both year-over-year and month-over-month comparisons. Online sales posted the highest increase year-over-year, but clothing and accessory stores posted the highest gain month over month.
Quick Industry News
NEW WHOLESALE WEBSITES
Gracefully Designs has a brand new CAMEO EZ© wholesale website. Valerie Bailey (Val Bailey Designs) designs creative and colorful Bible tabs to enhance Bible journaling. These colorful Bible tabs make it easy to locate the books of the Bible so you can spend more time reading and journaling and less time searching!
Decorum has opened its new B2B wholesale website. Decorum brings original art, craft, and home décor products designed by original artists to gift shops and home décor boutiques. The company's current product line focuses on alphabet letter art. Additional products are on the way. When you shop with Decorum you will find unique items inspired by original artists at a price point that is attractive to a wide audience.
Boutross has made its OmegaNet CAMEO EZ© B2B website “mobile-friendly.” That means it adjusts to the type of screen you view the site on, such as phones and tablets as well as desktop and laptop computers. Boutross has a wide variety of textile products from Aprons to Bedding to Doilies to Tabletop.
Featured Vendors
indicates a CAMEO EZ© web site.
Ala Carte Alice
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Ala Carte Alice‘s mission is simple: to provide the best products and service to their customers and use the freshest ingredients that they can find. Alice Wooten takes great pride in her company, their commitment to customer service and in the products they sell. Ala Carte Alice’s products include savory sauces, red dog rubs, glazes, relishes and jams. Black and Blue Bacon, Creme Brulee and Sante Fe are just some of the yummy cheese balls Alice offers. In addition, there are mouth watering desserts, party dips and awesome entrees. You have go to try Ala Carte Alice for an excellent cullinary experience!
Barrel Aged Creations
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From sourcing maple sap to delivering a finished product, all these artisanal items are from US based, family businesses. The company's maple is sourced from a 3rd generation family farm in the deep, dark woods of Pennsylvania. Our criteria for sap to syrup must fall in the Grade A, Dark Amber category. For maple aficionados this was once referred to as Grade B or the late harvest.
Candles and Quotes
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Candles and Quotes' 100% All Natural All Soy Candles are made by "The Soy Sisters". They pour each and every candle by hand and use only Essential Oils to fragrance their candles, which are candles are 100% Eco-Friendly. Each candle comes with a beautiful quote, that is either meaningful, funny or down right crazy. If you don't see what you like ask "The Soy Sisters" and they will make it for you. They personalize all of our candles so your own uniqueness and quirky personality can be put on a candle. So watch what you say because it may wind up on a candle!
cinda b®
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cinda b® was created by Altlant designer Cinda Boomershine. Cinda's love for color and a passion for design, inspired her to launch her own back and accessory line. cinda b® tastefully blends solid colors with modern prints. Poly/nylon fabrics make cindab bags uniquely lightweight yet durable, water and stain resistant, and machine washable.
Deep Fork Foods
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Gourmet foods and snacks from the heart of Oklahoma! Including Kettle Crunch in Pecan, Jalapeno, Cowboy and Almond flavors, Spice Blends in Jamaican, Cowboy and Pepper flavors, Nut Gift Sets and more.
Dreams After All
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Artist Renee Rubach creates beautiful greeting cards and gift enclosure cards for all occassions. Early on, she became interested in creating greeting cards, both the designs and message. She absolutely loves creating products that people can enjoy and use.
Drew DeRose
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Drew DeRose's lines run from tabletop to decorative figurines and include candle holders, cannisters and cookie jars. All products are colorful and original. The company has a creative staff that designs merchandise for Drew DeRose Designs.
Fancy That Gift & Décor
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Fancy That Gift & Decor, Inc. celebrated its 17th anniversary in August, 2018. Owners, Steve and Carmen Mendelson, have used their experience in gift and home decor to build a company that takes pride in providing quality Coastal Decor products and service with the highest levels of integrity always at the forefront.
Freeheart
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Founded in 2011, Freeheart is based in Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida. Freeheart is committed to delivering the absolute best quality and innovation on the market. Freeheart thermal insulated drinkware is Made in the USA and keeps drinks cold & hot, has reduced sweating, and is dishwasher safe.
Get Sassys
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GetSassys has fun, colorful, cool, hip gifts that are sure to bring a smile to everyones face! From flour sack towels to baby and toddler t-shirts, koozies, wooden memo holders and linens, Get Sassys designs make shopping fun!
Gina B. Designs
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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.
Green Rhino
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Miko is recognized as on of the world's leading manufacturers of sentimental gifts. Whether it is for Mom, Sister, A Loved One, Your Aunt, Your Guardian Angel or whomever, there tasteful gifts send beautiful messages to beautiful people. Economically priced with great retail appeal they are just the thing for special occassions or just to say I'm thinking of you.
Holiday Fried Pecans
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Holiday Fried Pecans' rise in popularity can be attributed to its first treat a salty, sweet 100% certified Louisiana fried pecan that is guaranteed to satisfy the most demanding of cravings. These great tasting pecans that have less fat & calories than raw pecans are a perfect addition to any store. Lightly sweet, Lightly salty and great on Salads, Sweet Potatoes, Ice Cream, Cheese Cake or as a snack. Holiday Fried Pecans...a curious and delicious flashed-fried Louisiana Pecan that's great for corporate gifts givers, retail locations, cooking, baking or solo-snacking!
Huggy Box
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Huggy Box is a great alternative when greeting cards just don't say enough. Sending virtual hugs allows everyone to stay connected. Huggy Box is a Proud Partner of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. A portion of each HuggyBox sold goes to the foundation to find families for children in foster care.
JTP Wholesale
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JTP Wholesale is a wholesale website offering monogrammed bathroom tissue, coasters and a line of t-shirts for the young and old: Future Jock t-shirts and onesies and X-Jock adult t-shirts.
Northridge Gardens
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Northridge Gardens makes a variety of skin-care products in the U.S.A., including Lotion Bars, Supple Skin (Skin Repair), Luscious Lips (Lip Balm), Perfume Wands and Passion Candles.
Pure Factory Naturals
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collections, including Flip Flop Foot Repair,Splash. The collection includes lip balm, foot repair, body lotion, hand cream, solid lotion bar, salt glow, skin repair.
Red Carpet Studios, Ltd.
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Red Carpet Studios, Ltd. features All Jazzed Up™ Fashion Accessories for Fall & Spring. A wide range of Giftware for the Home & Garden. Visit our website for New Products & Specials.
Sanis Enterprises
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Sanis Enterprises offers a large selection of elegant and stylish, quality desk clocks, the latest styles in fashion watches, executive gifts, credit card cases and multi tools, just to name a few. Gifts that celebrate life’s special moments.
Sincere Surroundings
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Sincere Surroundings offers home decor and gifts that can be personalized with different colors, sizes, names, dates, locations, anniversaries and more. If your customers are constantly on the look-out for that one piece they just have to have, it can be found here – inside Sincere Surroundings.
Smile Drinkware
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Smile Drinkware provides custom tumblers to major brand manufacturers and also provides hundreds of unique exclusive tumbler designs to retailers and consumers. Provides high-end, top-quality insulated tumblers.
snoozies!®
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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.
SOi Essentials
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SOi Essentials is a Northern California based company that offers an array of richly scented candles to enhance your overall wellness. SOi Candles are hand-poured in the USA using 100% All Natural Food Grade Kosher Soy Oil, that burns cleaner and up to 40% longer than paraffin based, wax or soy blend candles. The company's candles are made with 100% cotton lead free wicks, are soot-free and do not emit harmful toxins (such as Benzene) into your home or the environment.
Star Home
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Star Home features tabletop and home decor for specialty retailer, catalog and online marketers, the hospitality trade and more. Star Home's designers look to all corners of the world to gather inspiration for this ever-growing market. This inspiration is then turned into real-life, high-quality products by artisan craftsmen.
Stephers Inc.
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Stephers Inc. greeting cards featuring 100% Dead Sea Bath salts, funny sea characters, and a little 'BE HAPPY' meditation to lift your spirits ~ LIFE CHANGING SEA SALTS right in your very own tub! SPA CARDS. "TRANSFORMING HUMANITY ONE BATH AT A TIME".
Studio B Inc.
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Your Place for 1,000’s of Unique Licensed Posters, Art, Stickers & Collector Pins. An industry leader for over 30 years with the best collection of Music, Movies, Nostalgia, Comics, Art, Anime, Blacklight, Landscapes, etc… Products are available for Resale in Stores, Online, Colleges, Conventions & Anywhere you exhibit!
Sunset Vista Designs
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Sunset Vista Designs offers you extra margin opportunities, and sells thru at retail. They offer innovative designs, in proven products, with space saving merchandising solutions, and attractive package deals that all add value to the quality products we offer. Many say this is the "best ever" line of innovative gift, garden, and home decor.
Sweetsmith Candy Company
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The Alberta, Canada company was founded by Dannah Davies in the summer of 2012, recognizing the need for allergen friendly, delicious treats; she decided to take the opportunity to both pursue her passion for experimental cooking, and provide the much-needed reprieve from the uninspiring sweets available to those with wheat, soy, dairy and egg sensitivities.
Tizo Design
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Lines include Tizo and Siena frames in a variety of styles and colors plus elegant candleholders from tea lights to pillar candles. The site also features boxes and trays in a variety of materials.
Vintage Girl:
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Inspirational stationery and home decor, featuring the work of owner-artist Michelle DeFillipo. Michelle uses her love of inspirational words, vintage paper, architecture and color to inspire and uplift. Her artwork expresses a range of sentiments from the sincere appreciation of a true friend to self motivation for each day.
White Mountain Puzzles
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White Mountain is ahead of the pack when it comes to puzzles with educational content. Why not learn something while doing a puzzle? If you love to travel, why not put together an entertaining birds eye view of KEY WEST, MARTHA'S VINEYARD, BOSTON or NEW ENGLAND? Or work on a puzzle of states like MICHIGAN, ILLINOIS, OHIO, VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA or GEORGIA? Or learn something about PRESIDENTIAL HISTORY or THE CIVIL WAR? These challenging projects take artists like DAVID HARRISON WRIGHT, DEB MARCONI, GARY TORISSI, and MAUREEN RUPPRECHT months to create.
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, www.toyswholesale.com and www.usmadewholesale.com. A complete list of sites is available in the "Directory" on www.CAMEOEZ.com.
Cleerely Stated
Wild Hare Designs
