2019 Holiday Retail Sales Predicted To Increase
(Photo from Pexels.com)The National Retail Federation (NRF)
predicted earlier this year that 2019 retail sales would increase between 3.8% and 4.4%, but that prediction was from February. Have concerns about tariffs and a resulting recession changed that outlook?
Perhaps surprisingly, last month, Kiplinger predicted an increase of 4.5% for the year, thanks to good wage growth and low unemployment. This prediction is lower than the actual increase of 5.4% for 2018 over 2017, but still a healthy increase (source).
Respondents to an Experian survey said they plan to spend an average of $846 this holiday season, a 14% increase over response to the same question last year. When asked when they would do their holiday shopping, 35% said they would begin a few months in advance, 30% said they would wait until closer to the holidays, hoping for last-minute deals, 20% said they would concentrate on Black Friday and 13% specified Cyber Monday.
Quick Industry News
TRADE SHOW NEWS
Sincere Surrounding Launches New Product in the Souvenir Industry
This year, Sincere Surroundings, a leader in personalized American Made home decor with extensive name drop options, just launched a new catalog of products for the Souvenir Industry. Sincere Surroundings is embarking on their 4th year in the gift industry and is excited to debut their products in the Souvenir Market.
You can expect to see Sincere Surroundings at the following shows this season.
SURF EXPO SHOW - September 5-7, Booth #2970
LAS VEGAS SOUVENIR SHOW - October 2-5, Booth #3526
SMOKY MOUNTAIN GIFT SHOW - November 6-9, Booth #223-227
OCEAN CITY RESORT GIFT EXPO - November 17-19, Booth #231
GRAND STRAND GIFT SHOW - December 8-11, Booth #1127
Michelle Leuthold, Owner & Founder of Sincere Surroundings recently spoke on the growth of the company, “For the past several years we’ve seen a growing trend in new accounts opening that are geared towards souvenir and destinations. When we see a need for our customers to set their store a part from others we make it happen. Our new Souvenir catalog is filled with over 750 NEW styles that are geared towards favorite destinations!”
NEW WHOLESALE WEBSITES
Rudolph And Me has a brand new CAMEO EZ© B2B website. The company features a variety of Christmas themed products, including ornaments, plaques, frames, stockings and tabletop.
Whimsy Me has a new CAMEO EZ© website. It is one of the leading wholesale businesses in the Spicewood, Texas, area. We believe in providing only the best in everything we do. Our sassy kitchen tea towels and funny hand-stamped, vintage flatware are of the highest quality and are made with care. We believe that our retailers are a part of out southern family and we are committed to providing the highest level of service and hospitality.
KraftWorks Studio has opened its new B2B wholesale website. The company takes pride in that they design and handcraft their jewelry in the USA and focus on employing and supporting women in their community which is an economically depressed area of rural West Virginia. Founder Susan Kraft says, “Gift shop buyers love our trendy and unique jewelry collections. As a small business we have the flexibility to respond quickly to our customer’s feedback and requests.” They do a lot of custom design work for customers and have created custom jewelry collections and cards for many key accounts such as the Saint Louis Zoo, The Alamo Gift Museum and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
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.
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.
Decorum
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Decorum brings original art, craft, and home decor products designed by original artists to gift shops and home decor 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.
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.
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 18th anniversary in August, 2019. 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.
Fleur de Dat
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Fleur de Dat features original children's books like the "Juju the GOOD voodoo" series, "One Flag, One America" and "Mr. Wacky Mustachey Mustache You a Question." Author Michelle Hirstius of New Orleans also visits schools for readings from her books.
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.
Gracefully Designs
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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!
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 coasters, IcyBags, and Keeping It Positive affirming sheets and pillowcases.
Mister Poop
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Mister Poop turn a traditionally boring bathroom items into a fun, trend forward, impulse buy, with the Poop Emoji Plunger and Toilet brush
Neon Nightlife
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Neon Nightlife's glowing products are the perfect ice breaker for singles or the stuff the younger ones fight over. Regardless of where you are you'll be drawing tons of attention to your group. Our products are eye catchers in bars, clubs, concerts, electric glow runs, LED parties, Halloween and anywhere that crowds congregate. Most products come with a battery pack that controls different strobe modes.
Pireaux
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Pireaux is the new brand of home goods – classic and upscale for all your home, corporate and event needs. From weddings and family dinners to banquets and conferences, all the Pireaux line of dining ware serves to “revolutionize your dining experience.” The company's namesake Pireaux tray is the first-of-its-kind individual flatware cradle for your dining table. This patented product is your silverware tray / serving tray / buffet tray / gourmet butter dish / appetizer tray / shrimp coctail tray -- all in one!
Pure Factory Naturals
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Pure Factory Naturals 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.
Rudolph and Me
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Joe and Sue Brielmann have taken their combined experience of over 28 years in personalized products and design to create one of the fastest growing cart businesses in the country. Their creative ability, attention to detail, and the highest standards for quality and customer support, are among the reasons Rudolph and Me has experienced such huge growth.
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.
Snazzy & Company
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Snazzy and Company's sea-glass jewelry uses mostly recycled glass and the metals the company selects are environmentally friendly. Founder Anna Shaw researches and designs every charm herself and continues to use local help to assemble and create her jewelry. "Because Life is not Black and White."
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
KraftWorks
Whimsy Me 
Wild Hare Designs
