Talk about one of the little guys (and I don’t mean by volume) hitting a payday…. The venerable giant, Amazon, just ponied up 10 million shares worth $880 million to buy shoes.
Make that a lot of shoes. [click here to continue…]
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July 2009
It doesn’t take much time on The 3/50 Project’s Facebook page to find a series of comments asking where I’m going to be speaking next, and if there’s a way to get me to someone’s area. Well folks, here’s the scoop:
Upcoming appearances
There are two places you can find this info; on the Events tab of our Facebook page and on my business website, AlwaysUpward.com (click on the See Cinda link). So that you don’t need to scurry off in either direction this moment, here’s my calender for the next few engagements…. [click here to continue…]
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Gather around, boys and girls, as I tell you a story from a mystical place where a wonderful retailer named Candace lives. Nestled in this mystical village is her lovely store, where she sells garden and gifts items that delight customers, bringing joy to their lives.
Candace is a special kind of person, in that she doesn’t just think of herself, but thinks of others around her, wanting everyone to be happy and prosper. Sure, she could just focus on me-me-me, toiling toward being the sole success in town, but that’s not who she is.
Candace, you see, is really a superhero in mere mortal clothing. [click here to continue…]
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The trend continues as we watch behemoth vendors file bankruptcy in the gift industry. While in Chicago, I heard about Lang filing; I see now the press has the story, which you can read here.
Like others, I feel we’re at the start of the curve here-—not the end-—but my take is that most of the filings yet to come will be from vendors who also operate corporate stores (think: Department 56, Smith and Hawken, Crabtree & Evelyn). In most cases, bankruptcy is the only “out” on their often bloated leases, which allows then to step away from their mall commitments to reorganize internally. The company survives, but the landlords lose out. Big. [click here to continue…]
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A few weeks ago, when it became apparent many retailers were scaling back on big market trips to opt for shows closer to home, I suspected Chicago might be one of the winners. Sure enough, instincts were correct.
There were buyers in the aisles, ready to do business, with positive attitudes and determination to survive the frustrations of 2009 (sound familiar? much like what I saw in Atlanta). Those who I spoke with had a plan…a budget…and an appreciation for vendors who wanted to work with them.
Thankfully, the vendors I spoke to echoed that appreciation for buyers who attended. Everyone recognized the head count was down, but were just as quick to note the missing bodies represented the “lookie loos” and less viable buyers. The quantity may have gone down, but the quality of buyers was most definitely up.
Which brings me to a pet peeve that began gnawing at me in Atlanta, then switched to full blown frustration in Chicago. [click here to continue…]
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Planning to attend the Chicago Gift Show? Got plans for lunch on Saturday? If not, be sure to sign up for my seminar on The 3/50 Project and Social Media Marketing. We’ll be covering both topics, at a pretty brisk pace, so be sure to bring your pen and paper. It’s gonna be fun…and you’re going to be fed. Not a bad one/two deal, huh?
To register, visit the Chicago Market site, asap.
Since a lot of you are emailing to ask…I don’t know if I’ll be speaking at the New York show in August or not. Promise to let you know the moment I do. In the meantime, check The 3/50 Project Facebook page, clicking on the Events tab, to check on speaking dates coming up or visit the See Cinda page on the Always Upward website.
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”So…what do you think about the show?” was the question most frequently asked by exhibitors as I strolled the aisles of Atlanta Gift the past several days. In a nutshell? I thought it was a good show, living up to the high expectations folks have for AmericasMart. Here’s what I saw: [click here to continue…]
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Our fine friends in the Texas panhandle are fighting the same uphill battle as we “city folks,” working to remind consumers of the value their local brick and mortar businesses bring to the community. As a farm kid whose roots are in the plains of Nebraska, I remember the days when Third Street was lined with family owned businesses like Meyer’s Jewelry, Lumbard’s, and The Candy Kitchen. Today, much of that street looks like a ghost town, thanks to the big boxes lining Highway 281. [click here to continue…]
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