GIFT AND HOME RETAILER NEWS
A Service of GiftsWholesale.Com & OmegaNet Inc.

April 2019

 

Store Displays That Sell

Is your retail space doing all it can do to help your bottom line? The way your store displays are arranged and executed can make a big difference in the sales your store enjoys. Here are a few hints gleaned from a variety of sources.

US vs. China

Designing your store layout and displays is part art, part science, since an aesthetic sense is required but there's also been a lot of research done that is helpful.

Begin with your target customer. It will help tremendously if you know your target customer inside and out. You cannot be all things to all people unless you are Walmart and even they skew to the low income side of the ledger. So who is your target customer? What is the predominant age group? What is their education level? What is there income? What is their lifestyle? What are their tastes? If their tastes are upscale, your displays shouldn't be rustic and "down-home." If you are unsure, you may be able to use the reporting from your point-of-sale system to help you create a profile.

Use All Five Senses. Sight, Sound, Touch, Smell and Taste can all be used to one degree or another to enhance the customer experience. And EXPERIENCE is, more and more, what brick-and-mortar retail is about and its major advantage over online retail.

  • SIGHT: Light, color symmetry and focus are all elements of visual merchandising that should be considered. Where do you want your customers to look? How do you want them to feel because of what they see?
  • SOUND: You may be playing music in your store. Musical taste is very subjective. It may just be background, but it may also be a subconscious irritant if your music is of a style that doesn't fit your customer profile. Also, mellow music will slow people down, causing them to browse and perhaps buy more.
  • TOUCH: Here is where your brick-and-mortar store naturally shines. You have an advantage the Amazon's of the world don't have: your customers can handle the merchandise! If your products come hermetically sealed, open one for display so your customers can get up close and personal.
  • SMELL: There's actually a science called "Scent Marketing" which analyzes customers' reactions to the scents while shopping. They may be less aware of the smells around them than they are of the music, but there's a reason why real estate agents bake cookies in a house before an Open House; people associate smells with emotions and memories, both important factors behind brand choice.
  • TASTE: This one may only be relevant if you're selling food and drink, but letting the customers sample the merchandise is as important as letting them try on clothes if that's your product.

Grouping to Multiply Sales. There's a reason why grocery stores put the jelly with the peanut butter and the dip on the chips aisle: people think in terms of products that go together and how they will use them. Think also of the many online retailers with the people-who-bought-this-also-bought" feature. How can you use this to your advantage with your products?

Use Lighting to Establish Mood and Focus. Do your products call for a bright, airy environment or are they better suited to a more dramatic atmosphere? Is your lighting harsh and hard or have you thought about where light should be directed to guide the customer to what you want them to seeand whether it is warm and inviting or cold and subconsciously off-putting?

Vary Your Emphasis. Changing the contents of your window displays and main product displays often also helps your customers feel like something is happening and they can't ignore you quite so easily. It also allows you to test differing approaches and see how your customers respond.

Resources:

Quick Industry News

NEW WHOLESALE WEBSITES

Sweetsmith Candy Company Home Page


Sweetsmith Candy Company
has a brand new CAMEO EZ© wholesale website. 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.

 
Great Stuff Novelties Logo

NMR Distribution has added a new section to its OmegaNet CAMEO EZ© B2B website. “Great Stuff Novelties” features buttons and flat magnets with fun licensed designs from Adventure Time to Bigfoot to Bob Ross and from David Bowie to Dinosaurs and from Unicorns to WWE. The Great Stuff Novelties line has a minimum order of $150 and the other NMR lines have a minimum order of $200. NMR Distribution describes itself as “Purveyors of Pop Culture via exciting and fun licensed products; specifically Barware, Lunch Boxes, Mugs, Playing Cards, Puzzles, Games, Tees, Magnets, Posters & Calendars.”

 
 

EZ Ribbon indicates a CAMEO EZ© web site.

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!
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' 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® 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.

Beautifully designed cards, calendars, wall prints and childrens's cards.

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.

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'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 & 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.

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.

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 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.

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' 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 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 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 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.

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. 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 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 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 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! 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 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 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. 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".

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 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.
The Original Mermaid Co - Shimmers like a mermaid tail!

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.

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 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.

Wild Hare Designs features an assortment of whimsical, humorous sayings available on kitchen, bar & tea towels, as well aprons.

 

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.