Editorial Blog tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2008://1 2008-03-24T15:35:14Z Commentary on retailing, shopping, consumers and the gifts and tablewares industry today by G&T editor Lori Smith Movable Type 3.35 Weekend Wrap-Up tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2008://1.32 2008-03-24T15:31:26Z 2008-03-24T15:35:14Z A few items in the weekend editions of The Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail caught my eye. In the Globe, Toronto color and design consultant Janice Lindsay extolled the power of grey in her Colour Watch column. She... Lori Smith
A few items in the weekend editions of The Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail caught my eye.
In the Globe, Toronto color and design consultant Janice Lindsay extolled the power of grey in her Colour Watch column. She reports that paint companies across North America and Europe are offering all shades of grey as their new neutral palettes. But these greys are not the cold, institutional shade that is the result of mixing black and white, she writes. Instead, they are complex, "muddy" greys "that mingle and blend well with every color." Lindsay explains that unlike white walls, which "make any color look like a very loud guest," grey "makes all color look beautiful." This interest in grey was something we saw at the CGTA Gift Show and have been seeing a great deal of in fashion. It's definitely a color you should consider incorporating in your store's product mix, and when creating new displays or repainting.
In the Sunday edition of the Toronto Star, writer Leslie Scrivener did a piece titled "Sustainable Design." It showcased the work of five students from the Ontario College of Art and Design and Sheridan College. Challenged to create furniture from recycled materials these designers of the future offered chairs, tables and a lamp, all of which demonstrated how much can be made of reclaimed, recycled items. There's a video of the Sheridan design students at www.thestar.com.
On the economic front, The Star proclaimed on its front page "Five Reasons to Start Worrying Right Now." This article by David Olive explored how the deepening U.S. credit crisis could impact the Canadian economy. His list includes U.S. consumer fatigue (exports and tourism down); corporate expansion stalling (job losses); loss of trust in banking institutions (Bear Stearns); bank paralysis resulting in credit drying up; and tanking commodities as 2008 progresses. It's a sober analysis that gives one lots to think about. But, as always the consumer remains the wild card in the economic game.
 ]]> Failure to Sell tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2008://1.31 2008-03-20T17:28:22Z 2008-03-20T17:29:36Z This morning I picked up my new laptop computer. Last week when I bought it, I asked the salesperson if there was anything else I should get to go with it as I had always had a desktop computer... Lori Smith
This morning I picked up my new laptop computer. Last week when I bought it, I asked the salesperson if there was anything else I should get to go with it as I had always had a desktop computer before. He thought a moment and said, "Maybe a great bag." No, I said, I have a bag. Then he asked, "Well, what else would you like to get?" "Maybe some good headphones," I answered. He produced a great pair and -- well, that was the end of the sale. I didn't come up with anything else and he didn't suggest anything else. The whole episode got me thinking about how little actual selling goes on in much of retail today.
It's becoming an increasingly rare experience to go into a store and have a "salesperson" actually "sell" you something. By this I mean have a salesperson ask about what you want and then progress from there to items that might complement what you want, or be something you might want to buy because it's on sale, or the perfect color for you, or the right cut for you, or just a really great product. Occasionally, in a department store, the cashier will tell me about sales on products as he or she rings up my purchase. But at that point, it's unlikely that I will go find the item and then line-up again to pay for it. The sales pitch is just plain coming too late, if it every comes at all.
Here's the question I think every store owner should ask: Is your staff selling or are they really clerk/cashiers? There's a big difference and it could be having a dramatic effect on your store's bottom line.
]]> Trends Tipped Over? tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2008://1.30 2008-02-19T16:45:52Z 2008-02-19T16:47:04Z The February 2008 edition of Fast Company features an article that presents a rebuttal to Malcolm Gladwell's" best-seller, The Tipping Point. In Is the Tipping Point Toast?" writer Clive Thompson explores the work of Duncan Watts, a network-theory scientist, who... Lori Smith
The February 2008 edition of Fast Company features an article that presents a rebuttal to Malcolm Gladwell's" best-seller, The Tipping Point.
In Is the Tipping Point Toast?" writer Clive Thompson explores the work of Duncan Watts, a network-theory scientist, who conducted "a series of controversial, barn-burning experiments challenging the whole Influentials thesis."
Watts' experiments disprove Gladwell's assertion that a group of "Super Influentials" are "the spark behind any successful trend." In fact, Watts' work shows that any average Joe or Jill can spark a trend if the conditions are right. Thompson explains Watts' theory of "Accidental Influentials":
Watts's theory says the emergence of a trend depends not on Influentials, but on the susceptibility of the public to the "virus." Social-network effects are so complex, he says, that trends are basically random.
This pitting of "viral marketing" against old-fashioned mass marketing is fascinating. Read it if you have the chance.
 ]]> Does Made in Canada Matter? tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2008://1.29 2008-02-15T22:28:28Z 2008-02-15T22:29:26Z Today a new press release from Unity Marketing came across my desk. For those not familiar with Unity Marketing, it is a boutique market research firm in the US "specializing in consumer insights for marketers and retailers that sell luxury... Lori Smith
Today a new press release from Unity Marketing came across my desk. For those not familiar with Unity Marketing, it is a boutique market research firm in the US "specializing in consumer insights for marketers and retailers that sell luxury goods and experiences to the 'masses as well as the classes.'" The new release revealed that more that two-thirds of luxury consumers surveyed say that the place of manufacture is an important part of their buying decision. "Made In" matters, the company reports.
But does "Made in Canada" matter? It should. This country has excellent manufacturers of nearly all product categories: furniture, accessories, gourmet foods, bath products, and more. The design is excellent. The quality is superb. And, we know that the people producing these goods are receiving a fair wage and working in good conditions. In addition, a shift in consumer thinking is underway. The two largest factors contributing to it are: One, consumer concerns about products made in countries where there is no way of checking whether quality controls are in place or being implemented and two, the increasing consumer awareness of the environmental and human rights impacts of consumerism. Buy local has become a mantra for more consumers, and fair trade is now a consideration in the purchase decision for many people.
But, there's always a gap between what we say we'll do and what we actually do. Are your customers looking for the Made in Canada stamp?
 ]]> Will Quality Make a Comeback tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2008://1.28 2008-02-11T21:03:09Z 2008-02-11T21:40:44Z Is a new breed of consumer coming? The Saturday edition of The Toronto Star featured an article on how consumerism will change as baby boomers retire and the new generation of shoppers comes to the fore. The article, "Splurging could... Lori Smith
Is a new breed of consumer coming? The Saturday edition of The Toronto Star featured an article on how consumerism will change as baby boomers retire and the new generation of shoppers comes to the fore.
The article, "Splurging could be passé" by reporter David Graham, looks at the findings presented in The Leisure Economy: How Changing Demographics, Economics and Generational Attitudes Will Reshape Our Lives and Our Industries by Toronto-based economist Linda Nazareth.
In the article Graham explains Nazareth's central idea: That the next generation of consumers--Slackers, Gen X and Gen Y -- will value free time more than material possessions. As a result, he writes, a new parsimony will be seen in the retail world. He explains that this new frugality will result in a renewed interest in quality goods; that "well-made, reasonably-priced goods will replace merchandise at both ends of the cost spectrum. Quality merchandise will fare better than cheap and disposable. It will also perform better than high-priced, high-fashion luxury goods."
This idea of quality making a comeback was a theme I saw explored at the 2007 edition of Tendence, Messe Frankfurt's autumn consumer goods show. As I wrote in my review of the show (Innovation and Sustainability, September-October 2007) Amsterdam-based designer Satyendra Pakhalé created a Personal Shopper display that celebrated quality and design sustainability over the current "culture of consumption." It'll be interesting to see if this new wave of shoppers really will embrace conservation and put quality ahead of quantity.
 ]]> Croc Attack!!! tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2008://1.27 2008-01-23T22:12:37Z 2008-01-23T22:16:24Z I was enjoying reading Marketing magazine's new "Pop Culture Blow Out" issue until I came across ad guy Scott O'Hara's cry for the demise of Crocs (see page 26 of the January 28, 2008 edition). O'Hara, who is the managing... Lori Smith
I was enjoying reading Marketing magazine's new "Pop Culture Blow Out" issue until I came across ad guy Scott O'Hara's cry for the demise of Crocs (see page 26 of the January 28, 2008 edition). O'Hara, who is the managing director of GMR Marketing in Toronto, completed the sentence "The hot thing in '07 that's now so over is…" with the following:
"I can only hope it's the ugliest shoes I've ever seen, Crocs, and the kings of jock rock, Nickelback."
I don't have an opinion either way on Nickelback but with regard to the "ugliest shoes" he's ever seen I'd have to say, don't knock'em until you've walked a show or ten in them. For a long time, like O'Hara I was deterred from donning Crocs because of their less than lovely appearance. But, after watching retailers and suppliers comfortably walking the halls of gift shows in them for a couple of years, I finally gave in and bought a pair myself. They are show-shoe heaven. I don't care what they look like. This summer I walked the Toronto shows and then some of the European shows in them. Not a peep from my feet. No tired legs. Crocs are a fashion sacrifice worth making.
So, far from being a trend that should end, I hope Crocs are here to stay. I've been walking gift shows for a long time and my feet have never been happier.
 ]]> Entering the (Inflated) Expectation Economy tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2008://1.26 2008-01-21T21:26:23Z 2008-01-21T21:30:44Z Trendwatching.com's latest newsletter hit my desktop today. It delivered the news that we are now entering what its authors call the "Expectation Economy," a consumer mindset that they're seeing in "mature (and rapidly maturing) consumer societies." Here's how they define... Lori Smith
Trendwatching.com's latest newsletter hit my desktop today. It delivered the news that we are now entering what its authors call the "Expectation Economy," a consumer mindset that they're seeing in "mature (and rapidly maturing) consumer societies." Here's how they define it:
The EXPECTATION ECONOMY is an economy inhabited by experienced, well-informed consumers from Canada to South Korea who have a long list of high expectations that they apply to each and every good, service and experience on offer.
"Their expectations are based on years of self-training in hyperconsumerism, and on the biblical flood of new-style, readily available information sources, curators and BS filters. Which all help them track down and expect not just basic standards of quality, but the 'best of the best'."
Reading the report, I wondered how people knew something was the "best of the best." Yes, word-of-mouth is effective and influential. I do recognize that. But if you haven't actually experienced (or purchased) something yourself, all you're doing is taking someone's word that a product or brand encompasses everything that would make something the best of the best to you. It seems to me to be a mindset at odds with customization and individuality.
Then there's the fact that expectations have always been part of human behavior. The change is that we are now in what I would call an Inflated Expectation Economy. People expect great products at low, low prices and then are upset when they fall apart. Everyone thinks that they should have big salaries, corner offices and lots of holidays. Marketers make grandiose claims for products (anti-aging? age-defying?) that we buy in to continuously with the expectation that they will work. We expect to have great social services and tax cuts!! Expectation inflation is rampant. If you don't believe me, just try getting through the day without having one big expectation of another person, or a product, or whatever. It's pretty difficult.
What would actually be new would be a shift to a "Realistic Expectation Economy." But, I doubt that will happen any time soon.
]]> Not all Jobs are Created Equal tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2008://1.25 2008-01-11T21:10:12Z 2008-01-11T21:12:28Z Just before Christmas, my colleague Elena Opasini, the editor of Hardware and Home Centre Magazine, interviewed Will Dunning, chief economist to the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals. In the interview, Dunning explained that jobs, affordability and consumer confidence were... Lori Smith
Just before Christmas, my colleague Elena Opasini, the editor of Hardware and Home Centre Magazine, interviewed Will Dunning, chief economist to the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals. In the interview, Dunning explained that jobs, affordability and consumer confidence were the cornerstones of a solid housing market and currently, Canada had all three. Elena took him to task on the "jobs" issue, a part of the good-economy discussion that I'm also having trouble with.
Today's newspapers are all carrying the results of Statistics Canada's latest data on jobs. The agency reports that in December the economy lost 19,000 jobs following seven months of gains. It is the largest monthly loss in three years. Here are some other figures from the report:
* The manufacturing sector has dropped 33,000 jobs.
* 10,700 public sector jobs were created
* 21,900 were added to the ranks of the self-employed.
Statistics Canada says that job growth for the year is 2.2 percent (370,000 jobs). In 2006, job growth was 2.1 percent. What the facts don't reveal is information on the quality of jobs being created versus the quality of the jobs lost. When a plant closes down are its employees finding work with comparable compensation and benefits? Or, are they moving to lower-paying employment in the service sector or "self-employed" sector (What are they self-employed at?)? Not all jobs are created equal and that impacts a family's income and what they spend in your store.
Here's a link to the video of Elena's interview with Dunning. The job question aside, he thinks it will be another good year for housing resells and renovations--and we hope, redecoration.
 ]]> It's the Thought that Counts… No Really, It is tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2008://1.24 2008-01-10T19:55:31Z 2008-01-11T21:13:04Z My inbox filled up with all kinds of interesting items on retailing while I was on my Christmas and New Year's holidays. The first piece that caught my eye was an article called "Re-Gifting to Re-Homing," which came my way... Lori Smith
My inbox filled up with all kinds of interesting items on retailing while I was on my Christmas and New Year's holidays. The first piece that caught my eye was an article called "Re-Gifting to Re-Homing," which came my way via the very good email newsletter from www.retailwire.com. Written by Bernice Hurst, managing director of the Fine Food Network, the article described how close to a million items were listed on eBay between December 26th and 30th. Here's part of what she wrote:
New listings rose by about a third after the company [eBay] introduced a discounted rate in the UK of 10p, giving the original recipient not only a chance to make someone happy but also the wherewithal to purchase something they themselves wanted.
An estimated £1.2bn was spent on unwanted gifts in Britain this Christmas with hundreds appearing for sale on the Internet within 24 hours. The average cost of the "turkeys under the tree," as The Guardian said they have been dubbed, is £20 a person, according to a survey by YouGov for eBay, the auction site.
Richard Kanareck, spokesman for eBay.co.uk, was quoted as saying, "Whether it's the wrong size, you have it already or it's just not for you, re-homing a present means it will find a new owner who will really appreciate it."
Some unopened gifts were hyped with assertions that the givers were likely to have spent generously, according to The Times. As one seller said, "this is a pot luck lucky dip. I do not have poor friends so the gifts should be good." Another rejected something from his father, saying that knowing him, "it will not have been cheap." Yet another seller said an easy-to-knit scarf kit was "a lovely idea [but] I cannot knit and really don't have time to learn." And a father was selling a mobile telephone given to his son that was just "too complicated."?
Re-homing means that unwanted, unloved gifts become wanted and appreciated. Friends and relatives can stop dreading re-gifts and both original and new recipients can enjoy the gift giver's largesse. Happy ending or what?
The article is followed by a discussion of how the opportunity to re-gift online changes the holiday for consumers and retailers, and whether the number of returns to retailers have been reduced. What's your experience this holiday season? Are returns up or down?
]]> Do Trends Matter? tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2007://1.23 2007-12-14T19:39:27Z 2008-01-10T20:08:40Z The most recent issue of Canadian House & Home arrived on my desk today. Its cover story is the "Top 10 Trends of '08." These are: Forest, Jewel Box, Casino, Granny Chic, Modern Baby, Fair Trade, Neo Classical Now, Root... Lori Smith
The most recent issue of Canadian House & Home arrived on my desk today. Its cover story is the "Top 10 Trends of '08." These are: Forest, Jewel Box, Casino, Granny Chic, Modern Baby, Fair Trade, Neo Classical Now, Root Vegetable, Global Textiles, and Hot & Cold. As I leafed through the pages, I got to wondering how much trends matter. There's no doubt that people love articles on trends. And magazines--Gifts and Tablewares included--love to do stories on trends. They're entertaining and they lend themselves to great graphics. But, how much to they really influence the buying decisions of suppliers, retailers and consumers?
I have to be honest, trends don't really influence my buying decisions. I buy things I like. It doesn't really matter to me whether they are "in." But, if I were buying for a store, would color and design trends influence what I bought at shows? What do you think? How much do they matter to you?
One last note: I was delighted to see a special section of yesterday's edition of The Toronto Star devoted to gifts offered by independent retailers. The "Last Minute Gift Guide" looked at independents in Toronto, Pickering, Belfountain, Oakville, Port Credit, Streetsville, and other communities in the GTA and southern Ontario. It was great.
This is my last post for 2007. I'll be back in the blogosphere on January 7th, 2008. Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for a Healthy, Joyful, Successful New Year!
 ]]> Selling Off Canada: Complete Survey Results tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2007://1.22 2007-12-13T19:49:42Z 2007-12-13T19:58:41Z Last October G&T's sister publication, Hardware and Home Centre Magazine, ran an article on foreign ownership of Canadian companies. "The Great Canadian Sell-Off" by writer Sophie Kneisel looked at the extent of foreign ownership in this country and its... Lori Smith
Last October G&T's sister publication, Hardware and Home Centre Magazine, ran an article on foreign ownership of Canadian companies. "The Great Canadian Sell-Off" by writer Sophie Kneisel looked at the extent of foreign ownership in this country and its impact on our economy. A great deal of big retail in this country is owned by foreign companies (Home Depot, The Bay, Wal-Mart, Home Sense, Zara, H&M, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, etc.) and there are more coming this year (Lowe's has just opened, Crate & Barrel, etc.). In mid-October, I read that independent retailers in India were demonstrating and lobbying against foreign-owned retailers being allowed to come into their country, and calling for legislation to protect their businesses. Within a day or two, The Bangkok Post ("Cabinet nods for retail business bill", October 16, 2007) reported that Thailand's Cabinet had green lighted a draft bill on retail business that would "require hypermarket operators to seek permission from the authority before opening new branches." (See my earlier blog, Retailers Rise Up for more on these stories.) With these two cases in mind, I thought it was time to see where members of the Canadian gift and tableware sector stood on this complex issue. Had we already given away too much of Canada's retail landscape?
In my opinion, we have. I think the rise of big box stores and power centers have impoverished the retail scene and ruined Main Streets in many places in this country. We have experienced a loss of independents and independence. Is this what consumers want? Do they want the Canadian retail environment to consist of the same products in the same stores in the same formats across the country? Is there a way to take the customer service perks of the power centers, i.e. lots of free parking, and incorporate them into Main Street settings? For example, should local governments be more interested in creating eco-friendly, pedestrian malls rather than signing off on yet another Wal-Mart? And what about prices? Will we see quality becoming a larger part of the buying decision for more consumers?
Of course, the selling off of Canada reaches far, far beyond retail. In response to the question about whether it matters who owns Canada's resources, someone wrote "Duh." I agree it's a no-brainer. Of course, we should own our resources. But here's the thing: We've all sat back and watched governments of all political stripes give them away. What were we thinking?
Well, to find out what you're thinking now, a survey was sent to the magazine's email database in late October. Results and a small selection of the comments are presented in the January 2008 issue. For those of you who are interested, the results and all the survey comments are available in the PDF attached here. If you didn't participate in the survey and would like to share your thoughts on the subject, just click on the Comments button below.
 Selling Off Canada - Complete Survey Results ]]> Shopping on Mars and Venus tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2007://1.21 2007-12-10T19:12:01Z 2007-12-10T19:17:24Z I've come across a study on the differences between male and female shoppers, which was conducted by the Jay H. Baker Retail Initiative at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the Verde Group, and WomenCertified. While the results... Lori Smith
I've come across a study on the differences between male and female shoppers, which was conducted by the Jay H. Baker Retail Initiative at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the Verde Group, and WomenCertified. While the results are interesting, what caught my attention were the descriptions of the Verde Group and WomenCertified. The Verde Group is a "leading customer dissatisfaction consulting firm" and WomenCertified is a "consumer advocacy resource that empowers women to make better buying decisions."
It was the Verde Group's use of a negative--i.e. dissatisfaction--that caught my eye. It makes absolute sense to study customer dissatisfaction. I've just gotten used to "positive language"--every message that a business sends out spun into a glowing affirmation of what they do (or produce, or sell). And, I was surprised by the WomenCertified description because I didn't realize that I needed to be empowered to make better buying decisions. My days are full of buying decisions. Hmmm, I thought when I read the press release, maybe I'm not shopping as well as I should be. Well, it turns out that there's some truth in that feeling. The study revealed that as a woman over the age of 40, I'm more likely to experience problems shopping than a man in the same age category. However, men are "nearly 20% less likely to recommend a store where they experienced problems than women." A difference that is "even more pronounced among men under the age of 40."
The study highlighted some other "fundamental shopping differences between genders." Here are a selection of its findings:
* Customer service was a prevailing theme in the survey, particularly with women shoppers
* Among the top problems that female shoppers experience, "lack of help, when needed" is the number one problem (29%) and is more likely to lead to lost business
* About 6% of all female shoppers are likely lost as a result of this problem
* Men's priorities are different: "difficulty in finding parking close to the store's entrance" was the number one problem for men (also at 29%)
* The problem that is most likely to lead to lost business for men is when a product is out of stock (5% of all male shoppers are likely lost as a result of this problem
* The problem that is most likely to lead to lost business for men is when a product is out of stock (5% of all male shoppers are likely lost as a result of this problem)
* Men and women are most satisfied with the sales associate's willingness to let them shop or browse at their own pace: at least 77% report being very satisfied with this attribute
* For men, a key loyalty builder is the sales associate's interest in helping them find the item they were looking for, followed by the sales associate's effort in getting them through check-out quickly
* For women, loyalty builders are more closely related to the sales associate's familiarity with the products and determining what products best suit them
* Women shoppers also value sales associates who make them feel important
* Almost half (47%) of women shoppers say they will not return to a store because, "store employees acted like shoppers were intruding on their time or their own conversations
* Only 22% of men agreed, and the difference is even more pronounced when comparing women over the age of 40 with men over the age of 40
* At least 50% of shoppers report having had a "wow" shopping experience at some point in their life that is one that is considered great
* More women than men report having had a "wow" shopping experience, but men and women alike are just over four times more likely to tell people about their positive "wow" experience than their negative shopping experience
* "Wow" experiences occur far less often than problem experiences, regardless of gender
It's interesting that the word price never comes up. The study is called "Men Buy, Women Shop." Click here to read more about it.
 ]]> The Price of Mis(sed)perceptions tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2007://1.20 2007-12-06T22:14:23Z 2007-12-07T15:41:22Z It's December and, like pretty much everyone else in the world celebrating the holiday, I find myself shopping in stores that I have no cause to go near the rest of the year in order to secure gifts for family... Lori Smith
It's December and, like pretty much everyone else in the world celebrating the holiday, I find myself shopping in stores that I have no cause to go near the rest of the year in order to secure gifts for family and friends. I am not the typical customer for these stores and they feel like alien environments to me. But, I'm potentially a really good customer. And you have to make sure that your staff understands that. In retail, misperceptions plus assumptions equal lost sales.
David Carr and Donald Cooper have made this exact point in articles that have run in this magazine. In the September/October 2006 issue, Donald contributed an article called The Christmas Tree Man. In it he told the story of a scruffy-looking man who popped into his store nearly every day over a three-week period one holiday season. By Christmas Eve, the gentleman had bought almost $3,000 worth of merchandise. The lesson Cooper learned, which he now shares with retail clients, is that it's dangerous to judge a customer by how they're dressed or by their general appearance.
In a similar vein, David Carr contributed an article called Losing Assumptions to the July/August 2007 issue. In it he explained that there's only one way to know what your customers want and need, and that is to ask them. But, he said, many sales people think they can "read" their customers. He wrote:
Time and time again when I observe retail sales associates appearing to ignore or to avoid a customer or otherwise behaving in a less than productive manner, I ask them about their motives. Almost without exception, they explain that they "knew" that the customer did not want to be approached and so they left them alone "to browse." Of course, it is not possible to know what anyone wants or needs until we ask. When we make these decisions…we run a very high risk of missing sales. When we miss sales, it is inevitable that someone else will get them. A customer who enters our store needing and wanting something and who leaves without it will certainly take the need with them and go to another store.
Everyone who enters a store is a potential buyer and more than 40 percent of those who do are likely to leave without making a purchase if they are not addressed and assisted proactively by a skilled, motivated sales professional who is willing to objectively determine their wants and needs without making any prejudgments.
So, why not try to change your mindset to ensure that you remain neutral with customers? Why not treat all of them as though they were warm, sincere, receptive people with needs that they will share with you and allow you to address and satisfy if you evaluate them skillfully and thoroughly.
To do otherwise is to risk paying the price of misperception.
 ]]> 8 to watch in '08 tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2007://1.19 2007-11-27T22:33:42Z 2007-11-27T22:35:33Z Today trendwatching.com released its list of the "8 trends to capitalize on in 2008." Based in Amsterdam, trendwatching.com watches consumers around the world and builds its forecasts on reports from 8,000+ spotters in 70 countries. Here are its 8 to... Lori Smith
Today trendwatching.com released its list of the "8 trends to capitalize on in 2008." Based in Amsterdam, trendwatching.com watches consumers around the world and builds its forecasts on reports from 8,000+ spotters in 70 countries. Here are its 8 to watch in the coming year.
1. Status Spheres - "A variety of lifestyles, activities and persuasions, which can be mixed and matched by consumers looking for recognition from various crowds and scenes." Two examples: Online Sphere and Eco Sphere.
2. Premiumization of "everything and anything."
3. Snack Culture - This trend "embodies the phenomenon of products, services and experiences becoming more temporary and transient; products that are being deconstructed in easier to digest, easier to afford bits, making it possible to collect even more experiences…in an even shorter timeframe."
4. Online Oxygen- The company identifies this "connecting sphere" as a mega-trend. In 2008, the phone will introduce even more people to the online world.
5. Eco-Iconic "Eco-friendly goods and services sporting bold, iconic design and markers, that help their eco-conscious owners to visibly tout their eco-credentials to peers."
6. Brand Butlers- This trend embraces the idea of assisting your potential customers "in smart, relevant ways, making the most of your products and whatever it is your brand stands for."
7. MIY: Make It Yourself - The "participation sphere": digital creation - movies, blogs, music.
8. Crowd Mining - This is how the company sees "crowd-based business concepts evolving in 2008."
For complete explanations and examples of these trends visit www.trendwatching.com/briefing/. These trends may not apply to your business but it never hurts to look at consumers and the market in new ways.
]]> Cyber Shopping: The Next Generation tag:bloggt.gifts-and-tablewares.com,2007://1.18 2007-11-26T22:44:51Z 2007-11-27T16:42:01Z Today is Cyber Monday, "the official start of the online holiday shopping season." As a result, my inbox has been flooded with articles about online shopping from a variety of news sources. They haven't contained any surprises: Canadians are buying... Lori Smith
Today is Cyber Monday, "the official start of the online holiday shopping season." As a result, my inbox has been flooded with articles about online shopping from a variety of news sources. They haven't contained any surprises: Canadians are buying more online from U.S. retailers; eBay sales to Canadians are up; online sales are still a small percentage of overall retail sales (in Canada they account for 3 percent, says Jim Okamura, a senior partner in the Chicago office of the J.C. Williams Group, a Toronto-based retail consulting group, in an article in today's edition of The Toronto Star See "Virtual cross-border shopping" by Dana Flavelle); etc.
However, my interest in online shopping was piqued a few weeks ago by an article that appeared in the November 5th, 2007 edition of Canadian Business. It was called "As Seen on TV." In it, writer Zena Olijnyk reported on the growth of web sites that offer consumers the clothes, accessories, even household furnishings that appear on television shows such as Gossip Girl, Brothers & Sisters, The L Word, America's Next Top Model, Desperate Housewives, and more. She writes that these websites (.starbrand.tv, seenON.com and starstyle.com) "are developing a more subtle way for manufacturers and merchandisers to get their advertising message out." She also points out that there are "thousands upon thousands of products embedded in shows like Gossip Girl and America's Next Top Model." What really fascinated me was Olijnyk's description of two 15-year-old girls in Toronto watching an episode of Gossip Girl, using Facebook to discuss the fashions on the show, and then being able to click on a site and order the same ballet flats that one of the characters wore in that episode. Amazing. It's a perfect storm of celebrity obsession and consuming.
These kids are the computer generation. I have nieces and nephews who range in age from 17 to 6. The six-year-old's favorite subject in school is "computer." And for the others, communicating using MSN and Facebook and text messaging is as normal as breathing--and shopping.
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