Back to the future
Posted on Jul 29, 2009
Too often after hearing that sales are slow in a particular shop, I'll get a curious answer when I ask what new tactics the shop owner plans to employ: "None." Um, excuse me. Let me get this straight, the result of conducting business as usual has been declining sales and the plan is to...
wait it out? Well, maybe these retailers are finding it difficult to come up with new ideas for driving traffic and sales. But what about some old ideas? Recently I conducted a phone consultation for a retailer who has seen her traffic dwindle and was looking for some help..
Stella's vlog: Right Bank Babies edition
Posted on Jul 17, 2009
This is officially too funny.Our ad manager, Rita O'Brien, clearly takes her work home with her. First, her kids always want to know if her mood has anything to do with the number of ads she managed to sell that day.
Second, her daughter Stella has started speaking in fashion tongues. Just watch this video where she advises a young fan on where to get the best clothes.
Is wearing Right Bank Babies while touting Right Bank Babies a conflict of interest? No matter.. .
I O U
Posted on Jul 16, 2009
The recession has spawned many dicey situations—between coworkers, friends and family members. Thanks to the lack of cashflow, the relationships between retailers and wholesalers (not to mention reps) could be quite frayed at this point.
I heard one manufacturer say that she has 150 accounts that owe her money. Ouch.
While it's a given that if product doesn't sell, stores are cash poor, I wonder how these sticky situations are being handled—professionally or unprofessionally.. .
Gifted
Posted on Jul 9, 2009
Do yourself a favor and give the gift of gifts! I can pretty much write the script when I'm talking to retailers about what's selling these days. For most, sportswear is as slow as molasses, imports are risky business and even tween items aren't the sure things they used to be.
What almost everyone can agree on though is that gifts practically pay the rent. That's good news because as our vp of sales always says, almost anything can be considered a gift.. .
CPSIA Update
Posted on Jul 2, 2009
Given the direction business has been heading, it’s become harder and harder for designers to launch lines in this market. The pressure right out of the gate is to have reliable, inexpensive factories, making the started-out-of-my-garage success stories an endangered species.
Then came the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. And a difficult task became nearly impossible..
Season's Greetings
Posted on Jul 1, 2009
The sun is shining, kids are out of school and pools and beaches are crowded so naturally retailers across the country are unpacking deliveries of… winter coats. Just as swimwear landed in stores in February when bone-chilling temps made donning a skimpy bikini the least appealing idea ever, outerwear is taking up space (and open to buy) when even the thought of bundling up could lead to heat stroke.
Every season the question emerges, why is the product cycle so off? And the query gains more relevance given that shoppers are more buy-now/wear-now oriented than ever.. .
