GIFT AND HOME RETAILER NEWS
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Forecasters See "the Good, the Bad and the Ugly" for Retailers in 2017

A wide variety of prognosticators have published their predictions for retail in 2017 and it would seem that this year "the only thing you can count on is change."

A kaleidascope of factors are affecting retail generally. The business cable network CNBC predicts a rash of major chain store location closures this year because 10-year leases are coming up for renewal. (source). Sears and its subsidiary K-Mart are likely for the chopping block, since 80 percent of K-Mart and 50 percent of Sears locations are up for renewal the next few years. Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle are similarly positioned. When leases expire, it is an opportunity to sacrifice poorly performing locations.

Holiday sales for 2016 show some surprises. Of the top 10 online and brick-and-mortar retailers, Amazon.com has the highest percentage of online sales by far - 36.9%. What's surprising is that Amazon's market share fell slightly from 37.2% in 2015 as other retailers make a serious commitment to online selling. No. 2 Best Buy grew from a 3.5% share of online sales in 2015 to 3.6% in 2016 and No. 3 Target also increased it's online business. No. 6 Apple had the largest improvement with a 1.7% share of the online pie in 2015 improving to 2.3%. (data from Slice Intelligence).

Overall spending online was up over 2015, pointing to another trend: "Omnichannel", or the need to be using all means at a retailer's disposal to make the sale. “Media is becoming the store. Retailers will use technology to make every single piece of media — be it social, online, mobile, or conventional — a direct path to purchase." says Doug Stephens, Founder of Retail Prophet, and Author of The Retail Revival. "This means providing exceptional content, decision-making tools and commerce software, so that anyone exposed to that media could confidently buy from you on the spot." (source)

All that doesn't mean that brick and mortar are going away by any means. It does mean that customers' expectations for the in-store experience are changing.

"Undoubtedly, simple product acquisition is best and most efficiently done on the web," according to James Dion, President and Owner of Dionco Inc. However, he continues, "As tech makes so much of our lives less human, consumers will crave more personal interactions. For retailers, this will mean a significant upgrade in staff — both in quality and quantity — if it is really going to work. You cannot fake real."

One big way online has changed the in-store experience is simply the vast amount of information available to the consumer. Many have done their research before they come to the store, and once there, they expect the sales associate to be knowledgeable.

CNBC also wonders about the effect of dual priorities of the incoming Trump administration: tariffs for imported goods, which potentially increases costs for retailers and the lowered business taxes which could at least partially offset the increased costs.

TRADE SHOW NEWS

Calypso Studios to Host Signing Event in Atlanta

Calypso Studios will host Artist Caroline Simas' signing event at the Atlanta Gift Show on Friday, January 13 from 4 to 5 p.m. Simas is the artist behind Calypso Studios' line of Comforting Clay Crosses^™.

The event will be hosted by the Rep Connection Showroom in AmericasMart Building 2, Showroom 1409.

The first 75 people attending the event will receive a signed choker.

NEW WHOLESALE WEBSITES

Ata Boy has a new, refreshed wholesale website look. A long-time OmegaNet client, Ata Boy features licensed products from major entertainment and social media franchises, from WWF to Superman to Grumpy Cat. Product types include buttons, car and photo magnets, enamel pins, key chains, mouse pads, nightlights and stickers.

Dreams After All has opened its new CAMEO EZ^© wholesale website. 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.

Aloha Farms brings the tastes and scents of Hawaii to you through its new wholesale website. The site features Kona Coffee and Kona Green Coffee, Hawaiian honey, Hawaiian Treats like dried fruit, candy and macadamia nuts, plus Coffee scented candles and soap.

My Hawaii Wholesale is a new member of the OmegaNet/CAMEO EZ^© wholesale website family. We represent artists, manufacturers and wholesale suppliers in Hawaii that want to expand their business by providing their products to stores. Each product line will receive their orders in a timely manner and will ship directly to you from their facility. Support these "Made in America" products with Aloha. Currently, the site features Aloha Farms, Karmel Creations, and Mikan Photography.

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