Here we go…the start of the Chicago show, with two (jam packed) speaking gigs tomorrow and my mom by my side. It’s Liz’s first time to the Mart here, as well as her first stay on Michigan Avenue. Should be a fun weekend.
The market season‘s officially into high gear. Today, one of my consulting clients asked how best navigate all the show specials popping up as vendors find themselves carrying the weight of excess inventory. Here’s my advice:
1. If an opening order is more than you need/want, it’s not a good deal. Walk away.
2. If a show special requires more product than you need, it’s not a good deal. Walk away.
3. If bumping a bunch of addition product into an order for the sake of getting free freight, do the math. If the additional product costs more than the freight would have, it’s not a good deal. Walk away (or simply lower your order).
4. If you’re required to buy really deep instead of really wide-—when the price tag would be the same-—explain to the vendor, the more shelf frontage they have, the more customers they’ll snag. If they still insist you order deep, walk away.
This year, it’s more critical than ever that you buy smart. There are a lot of offers and programs out there, many of which look great on the surface but may end up robbing you blind in the end. In the next couple of months, you’ll see me address several of the dealer programs in my Gifts and Dec column, “Retail Enabler.”
It’s a complicated market season, folks. There’s old math…new math…and retail math. Time to brush up on the latter.
Just got an email from Sara at the Chicago Mart-—if you’re thinking about attending either the Power Lunch session or the Trolley Tour, better sign up soon. The head count’s getting up there fast on my noon session, and we’re already up to four trolley cars for the tour.
Both promise to be big fun. If you’re on my trolley car, be sure to say hi-—looks like I’m playing Hostess with the Mostest on one of them.
Of course, I have to behave, since my mom will be along too.
Wink, wink.
Gotta tell you, I’m really looking forward to the upcoming Chicago gift show. This time, I’m speaking at two sessions-—first, the Power Lunch on Sunday, then later that afternoon as one of three presenters at the GHTA Forum and Trolley Tour.
The two sessions couldn’t be more different. The Power Lunch is titled “Speed Networking for Retailers,” as I wear my RetailSpeaks hat, focusing on fast paced, out of the box thinking with a roomful of peers. Don’t get nervous-—it ought to be fun, and will send you home with the creative juices flowing.
The forum is a bit more on the serious side, titled “Strategies for Challenging Times.” Tom Ungrodt, Carol Schroeder, and I will frame an attack plan for squeezing more cash out of your stores in this upside down economy. Immediately after the forum, we’ll set off on a Trolley Tour of cool stores in the Chicago area, complete with a yummy boxed dinners and drinks.
For descriptions of the sessions (as well as others), visit the Chicago Market Living and Giving website-—or just click here.
To sign up for the Power Lunch or Trolley Tour, rsvp before July 7th (by clicking here). The Power Lunch is free; since the Trolley Tour includes drinks, that one’s a nominal $24.99 per person (and is worth it; we really had fun last year).
To attend the forum, just show up. No rsvp or charge involved.
Hope to see you there; be sure to come up and say hello.
Here we go…the start of the Chicago show, with two (jam packed) speaking gigs tomorrow and my mom by my side. It’s Liz’s first time to the Mart here, as well as her first stay on Michigan Avenue. Should be a fun weekend.
