ON OUR RADAR:

• Positive Economic Indicators. Despite a rough January, steady job growth and rising home prices are on track to boost consumer confidence and retail spending this year, as the National Retail Federation forecasts a 4.1% rise in sales. • Men’s Apparel Sales. They were up 5.3% in 2013, while women’s clothing sales remained flat. Industry observers say men are investing in their personal style more than ever. Time to stock men’s fashion accessories? • Chip-And-Pin Cards. Say goodbye to swipe-and-sign credit card transactions, as Visa and MasterCard commit to new, safer technology by October 2015 (wsj.com).

TOPPING the Charts

MILKHOUSE CANDLE CREAMERY, #7 in Eco-Friendly, is known for its 100% natural soy and pure beeswax candles in reusable glassware. Offered in more than 50 fragrances, candles use all-cotton, lead-free wicks and no dyes. The bestselling half-pint milkbottle candle features 8 ounces of wax, 50 hours of burn time. Cost: $6.25. New this year is the 8-ounce cream jar, $5.50 cost (800) 565-1543, milkhousecandle.com.

March 2014

giftBEAT Tracking the pulse of the gift industry

If You Can’t Beat Amazon, Should You Join It? By Joyce Washnik

A

lthough some may consider it a deal with the devil, the reality is that small retailers who have turned to Amazon’s marketplace are finding much-needed exposure and revenue. The world’s largest online retailer has stepped up its efforts to woo more third-party sellers — with profitable results. According to Internet Retailer, experts estimate that Amazon sold about $140 billion of third-party merchandise on its website in 2013, bringing in $14.1 billion in revenue (based on Amazon taking about a 10% cut of sales). That’s a whopping 53% increase from 2012. An Alabama gift shop owner jumped on the Amazon bandwagon last fall, after another retailer in her town told her she was having success as a thirdparty seller. She tested the waters in September with just a few items she didn’t plan to continue carrying in her store. The experiment worked. “The amount we did on Amazon blew our minds!” she says, with interest in everything from cookie cutters to candles to ornaments. She says it has “saved our hides,” and she credits Amazon with keeping her January sales even with last year,

while the majority of Giftbeat’s reporting retailers (58%) were down. What started as fewer than 100 products has grown to more than 1,100. She adds new items just about every day. “We are clearing out and changing up. Amazon played a big part in that,” she says. Currently, she only lists items already offered by third-party sellers, as she says brand-new listings are much more complicated. When she adds a listing, she looks to see how others price the merchandise. Generally, she keeps her pricing in line, unless she wants to move something quickly. In those cases, she may cut the price $2 or $3 at most. But, she says, it is still better than moving slow sellers at 75% off in the store. This year she plans to continue using Amazon, but also investing in ecommerce sales on her store website. “We’re trying to adapt and adjust,” she says. She offers her peers some advice on Amazon sales: “If nothing else, try lines that you’re not going forward with. It’s an exciting opportunity!” But selling on Amazon isn’t all rosy, as retaildive.com (continued on page 5)

TRENDING UP OR DOWN: p Fashion Accessories:

Business is up for 47% of retailers, even for another 36%. A Minnesota shop owner says “more variety” is helping the category, citing boot toppers from Vintage Home (718) 517-9100 and Notes to Self (913) 730-0037 socks. YI Imports’ (972) 388-1234 scarves are strong for a Texas retailer, while a second Texas respondent says Ah!Dorned (917) 855-4605 has the “best handbags.”

u Personal Accessories: Interest has softened, as 56% report flat sales and 26% find business down. But a Virginia retailer has boosted sales by placing DM’s (800) 548-6784 nail files and manicure sets next to the register. After the holidays, a Minnesota shop owner moved quickly to fill in displays and keep the category fresh, with the help of Hang Accessories’ (619) 544-1780 purse hangers.

u Owl-Themed: Sales are even for half of those polled, while 31% report lower figures. “We did owls BIG in 2011 and even bigger in 2012. This year we scaled back,” says a New York retailer, echoing her peers’ feedback. An Oklahoma respondent says Kikkerland’s (800) 869-1105 new timers and lip gloss have helped, while a Colorado respondent cites Lynn Roberts’ (800) 228-6094 garden stakes.

Hitting Goals: Focus Management Is Key

SPARTINA 449 places in two charts:

Fashion Accessories and Personal Accessories. Its “Yacht Club” wallets feature nautically inspired medallion enclosures (mermaid, crab, sailboat) on the company’s modern Sea La Vie collection of spring fabrics and color combinations, including Strachan, a black and off-white paisley print with pink accents; and Haig Point, a navy and cream geometric with lime green accents. Sugg. retail: $42– $62.50 (843) 681-8860, spartina449.com.

{

By Natalie Hammer Noblitt ince there’s no way to add more hours to your day, the best way to get more done in the time you have is to gain the focus needed to complete important tasks, says Jason Womack, productivity expert and author, who grew up with parents who owned and managed retail and restaurant businesses. He shares concrete advice for minimizing distractions and accomplishing goals so business owners can feel more productive at the end of the day. Q. As a society, have we generally become busier but less productive? A. People now define being productive as “how much they get done,” while being busy

S

Tips To Tackle BIG Projects page 5

means “how long things take” to be completed. So it’s really not a matter of being more busy or less productive. When we want to get more work done in our day, we should be talking about focus management.

I help people direct more of their time and attention to meaningful work. By doing this, business owners can more effectively use their 24 hours, applying their time toward things that will make a significant financial difference to their business. It’s not just about how much they do, but also how they do it. Some of the most productive people I know are the ones who seem to have all kinds of extra (continued on page 5)

}

FAST FACT: While 54% of retailers say customers’ moods are about the same since Jan. 1, 26% have seen improvement.

Joyce Washnik Editor [email protected]

NATIONAL Charts

Connie Moore Circulation Manager [email protected] GIFTBEAT Editorial Advisory Board: Rosanne Brown Venice Stationers, Venice, FL

Valentine’s Day Gifts

Brandy Divin B. Ellen Boutique, Cypress, TX

Jim Sinclair Wooden Key Hallmark, Carmel, IN Melinda Vitale Shaw Melinda’s Fine Gifts, Picayune, MS Lori Webster Webster’s Fine Stationers, Altadena, CA * Please Note: Advisory Board members have no influence over product ratings. GIFTBEAT is published 11 times a year (Dec./Jan. combined). For subscription information or back issues, contact customer service at (800) 358-7177; fax (207) 5472063; or email [email protected]. Direct all editorial inquiries to: Joyce Washnik, Giftbeat, 72 Tappan Rd., Harrington Park, NJ 07640; (201) 768-3890; fax (201) 768-3894; editorial email: [email protected]. Note: GIFTBEAT does not accept any advertising. In addition, GIFTBEAT makes no warranty or guarantee, express or implied, regarding potential sales of any products referred to in GIFTBEAT. © Copyright 2014 GIFTBEAT COPYRIGHT REMINDER: We are flattered that people love to reproduce our content and share it with others. But please remember that GIFTBEAT is copyrighted. Redistribution without prior permission is prohibited. If you would like to reproduce, reprint or reuse any of our content, kindly send your request to: [email protected].

G

#2 • #3 #4 #5 #6 • #7 • #8 • #9 #10

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300 stores. Bullets distinguish those lines that are new or show significant movement from the last time the chart was run.

Last run: March 2013

BRIGHTON: jewelry, various ALEX AND ANI: jewelry VERA BRADLEY: bags, accessories PANDORA: jewelry DEMDACO: Willow Tree, various TWO’S COMPANY: jewelry, various GANZ: plush, various BURTON + BURTON: mugs, plush ABDALLAH CANDIES: candy

Eco-Friendly

#1 ALEX AND ANI: jewelry

• #2 TADGREEN: E-Cloth cleaning cloths #3 TERVIS: tumblers #4 SWAN CREEK: candles #5 CHARLES VIANCIN: silicone lids #6 RECYCLED GREETINGS: cards • #7 MILKHOUSE CANDLE: candles #8 SPOONTIQUES: travel mugs, tumblers • #9 TREE-FREE GREETINGS: cards #10 TYLER CANDLE: candles Honorable mention: Leanin’ Tree, Oatmeal Studios, Archipelago and Blue Q.

p Center Court (888) 905-3935 is #1 (from #3), Alex and

p Rather than compare this chart to the last one (which only

Tabletop/Accessories

Frames

Ani (401) 633-1486 jumps six spots and Ganz (800) 7245902 moves from honorable mention. New: Two’s Company (800) 896-7266 and Burton + Burton (800) 241-2094.

Last run: September 2013

#1 MUD PIE: serveware, boards, various

featured 6 vendors), we will note some of the newer lines to our polling: Tadgreen (800) 677-4354, Milkhouse Candle (800) 565-1543 and Tree-Free Greetings (866) 873-3373.

Last run: September 2013

#1 MALDEN: baby, various

#2 NORA FLEMING: platters/minis #3 CHARLES VIANCIN: silicone lids • #4 PARK DESIGNS: linens, various • #5 SANTA BARBARA DESIGN: Lolita #6 GRASSLANDS RD/AMSCAN: tabletop • #7 TERVIS: tumblers #8 C&F ENTERPRISES: linens, various #9 TAG: tabletop, glassware #10 MARIPOSA: serveware

#2 • #3 #4 #5 #6 • #7 • #8 • #9

Honorable mention: Beatriz Ball, Arthur Court, Certified International, DII, Ganz and Heritage Lace.

Honorable mention: Demdaco, Two’s Company and Roman.

p Park Designs (800) 326-3382 jumps four places, while

p Prinz (800) 323-8360 shifts five spots and Glory Haus (866)

Tervis (866) 392-1964 moves from honorable mention. New: Santa Barbara Design (800) 933-2529.

Jacobs’ speech and listen to him share how his company was transformed by choosing an attitude of gratitude. This month, we’re excited to announce several new additions to Giftbeat’s Editorial Advisory Board. We’d like to thank outgoing members Diann Fischer of Diann’s Gifts & Collectibles, Jody Fiscus of The Oak Tree and Jennie Preston of Rabbit Hutch Gift Shop for their help and guidance over the years. Our new board members are: • Brandy Divin, B. Ellen Boutique (Texas). With a passion for retail and a focus on selling fashion, Brandy knows how to deliver what women want. She is our expert fashionista! • Lori LaDue, Beautiful Things Interiors & Gifts (Connecticut). Can you say smart? Lori’s

MARCH 2014

GRASSLANDS RD/AMSCAN: various PRINZ: metal, various GANZ: Danielson Designs, various J. DEVLIN: glass MUD PIE: baby, various P. GRAHAM DUNN: Puzzle Pieces, various GLORY HAUS: wood K&K INTERIORS: various

953-1762 moves from honorable mention. New: P. Graham Dunn (800) 828-5260 and K&K Interiors (877) 647-0111.

How To “Get To” Gratitude

G I F T B E AT

Last run: August 2012

Honorable mention: Chamilia, Trollbeads, Magnet Works, Sweet Shop and Russell Stover.

ratitude is a superpower. That’s how Bert Jacobs, co-founder of Life is Good, approaches life — and business. Wearing a “Champions of Optimism” T-shirt, Jacobs delivered a keynote speech at the National Retail Federation’s BIG Show in January. He shared how his company culture changed when they started to receive letters from customers. Some of those notes came from children with debilitating injuries or diseases, who found strength in the shirts’ positive messages. Those letters inspired the company to adopt a “get to” mentality. No longer do employees say they “have to” do something. Now they “get to” have a meeting, they “get to” work on a project, they “get to” go to the store. If you want a dose of inspiration, google 2

• Please Note: Polling data based on the responses of more than

• #1 CENTER COURT: DaVinci, Forever Heart

Lori LaDue Beautiful Things Interiors/Gifts, Somers, CT

FROM the EDITOR

l *

TRENDING NOW: The Eco-Friendly chart returns after a long absence, as more of our reporting retailers offer jewelry, gifts, candles and cards with a sustainable or “green” focus.

An attitude of gratitude. Do you have one? extensive finance and accounting background has come in handy: She has created a beautiful, warm, inviting — and successful — shop. • Melinda Vitale Shaw, Melinda’s Fine Gifts (Mississippi). If variety is the spice of life, Melinda has it covered! She focuses on selection and service at her two shops, and her 6,300-plus Facebook followers are a testament to her success. We are honored that these savvy retailers agreed to serve as board members, helping guide Giftbeat over the next few years. And the best part? We get to work with all of them.☺

www.giftbeat.com

Owl-Themed

Personal Accessories

Last run: September 2013

#1 NATURAL LIFE: mugs, wristlets, various

#2 TRANSPAC: metal owls, various #3 GANZ: plush, various #4 TWO’S COMPANY: jewelry, various #5 GRASSLANDS RD/AMSCAN: various • #6 REGAL ART & GIFT: metal owls, various • #7 KIKKERLAND: lip gloss, various #8 HANNA’S HANDIWORKS: metal owls #9 SPOONTIQUES: stepping stones, various • #10 CUSTOM DECOR: flags Honorable mention: Lazy One and Silver Forest.

• #1 DM: readers, wallets, various #2 VERA BRADLEY: wallets, zip IDs, various • #3 ICU EYEWEAR: readers • #4 BRIGHTON: wallets, various #5 ALEXX: Finders Key Purse • #6 PEEPERS: readers #7 WELLSPRING: Flip Notes, various #8 SPARTINA: wallets, various #9 FIG DESIGN GROUP: Armor Wallets • #10 POUCHEE: purse organizers

Regal Art & Gift’s (#6) Spring Buddies line includes jiggly owl decor. Tap the top of this whimsical owl’s head and watch him bounce up and down. Cost: $15 (800) 681-3040, regalgift.com.

Honorable mention: Manual Woodworkers, Natural Life, Boutique to U and Pictura.

p Custom Decor (800) 441-8818 jumps from honorable mention. New: Regal Art & Gift (800) 681-3040 and Kikkerland (800) 869-1105.

Fashion Accessories

Humorous Cards

Last run: December 2013

#1 VERA BRADLEY: bags, accessories

p DM (800) 548-6784 is #1 (from #2), ICU (800) 435-5747 and Brighton (800) 235-8748 jump four places, and Peepers (800) 348-2508 moves four spots. New: Pouchee (864) 335-0580.

Last run: March 2013

#1 LEANIN’ TREE: Times Remembered, var.

#2 NOELLE: scarves, wraps, bags, various • #3 SNOOZIES: slippers #4 HOWARD’S JEWELRY: scarves #5 GIFTCRAFT: Charlie Paige #6 DM: scarves • #7 BRIGHTON: bags, various #8 BAGGALLINI: bags • #9 MAD STYLE: scarves, various #10 SPARTINA: bags, scarves

#2 AVANTI: animal themes, various #3 PICTURA: Dolly Mamas, Eric Decetis, various #4 RECYCLED PAPER: general line #5 BLUE MOUNTAIN: Suzy Toronto #6 SHADE TREE GREETINGS: Actual Pictures #7 OATMEAL STUDIOS: various #8 MARIAN HEATH: various • #9 COMPENDIUM: Frank & Funny #10 DESIGN DESIGN: various

Honorable mention: Tickled Pink, Two’s Company, Lava Enterprises and Ganz.

Honorable mention: MikWright, Palm Press, Primitives by Kathy and Calypso Cards.

p Three companies jump from honorable mention: Snoozies (252) 991-3373, Brighton (800) 235-8748 and Mad Style (877) 623-2247.

p Compendium (800) 914-3327 moves from honorable mention.

• Please Note: Regionally,

GIFTBEAT’s reporting stores break down as follows: 29% Midwest, 25% South (including Texas and Virginia), 24% West and 22% Northeast.

METHODOLOGY: The data for GIFTBEAT are calculated each month according to a point system. A nationwide network of reporting store owners fill out a monthly questionnaire that asks them to rate their three top-selling items in each of the product categories. Items ranked first are assigned 5 points; items ranked second are given 3 points; those ranked third are given 1 point. Point values are totaled and ranked in descending order to come up with the top-selling items. Data are supplied by card/ gift, boutique/specialty, collectible/gift and gift/home decor stores that represent every region of the country. Although members of some buying groups participate in GIFTBEAT’s monthly surveys, no more than 10% of a particular group is used. In addition, none of the retailers who participate are affiliated with any vendor. Unless otherwise specified, all data are based on sales (dollars) within the past month. Tabulations are conducted by Suburban Associates, a New Jersey-based market research firm.

Last run: November 2013

Shade Tree Greetings’ (#6) Actual Pictures cards are a top seller. The inside of this birthday design reads: “It was one less thing to remember.” (800) 836-4206, shadetreegreetings.com.

REGIONAL Charts

PERSONAL ACCESSORIES NORTHEAST

1. Vera Bradley: wallets, IDs 2. DM: readers, wallets, various 3. Brighton: wallets, various 4. Spartina: wallets, various 5. ICU Eyewear: readers

SOUTH 1. DM: readers, wallets, var. 2. Vera Bradley: wallets, IDs, various 3. Alexx: Finders Key Purse 4. Pouchee: purse organizers 5. Boutique To U: portable chargers

MIDWEST 1. DM: readers, wallets, var. 2. Vera Bradley: wallets, IDs 3. Peepers: readers 4. Alexx: Finders Key Purse 5. Brighton: wallets, various

WEST

1. DM: readers, wallets, var. 2. ICU Eyewear: readers 3. Wellspring: Flip Notes, various 4. Peepers: readers 5. Manual Woodworkers: manicure sets

FASHION ACCESSORIES

HUMOROUS CARDS

1. Vera Bradley: bags, access. 2. Snoozies: slippers 3. Howard’s Jewelry: scarves 4. Noelle: scarves, wraps, various 5. Baggallini: bags

1. Pictura: Dolly Mamas, var. 2. Oatmeal Studios: various 3. Leanin’ Tree: Times Remembered 4. Recycled Paper: general line 5. Calypso Cards: various

SOUTH

SOUTH

NORTHEAST

1. Noelle: scarves, various 2. Vera Bradley: bags, accessories 3. Snoozies: slippers 4. Giftcraft: Charlie Paige 5. Two’s Company: scarves

MIDWEST 1. Vera Bradley: bags, access. 2. DM: scarves 3. Snoozies: slippers 4. Howard’s Jewelry: scarves 5. Noelle: scarves, wraps, bags

WEST

1. Noelle: scarves, various 2. Snoozies: slippers 3. Giftcraft: Charlie Paige 4. Vera Bradley: bags, accessories 5. Lava Enterprises: scarves

MARCH 2014

NORTHEAST

1. Avanti: animal themes, var. 2. Blue Mountain: Suzy Toronto 3. Leanin’ Tree: Times Remembered 4. Recycled Paper: general line 5. Shade Tree: Actual Pictures

MIDWEST 1. Leanin’ Tree: various 2. Avanti: animal themes, various 3. Blue Mountain: Suzy Toronto 4. Shade Tree: Actual Pictures 5. Pictura: Dolly Mamas, various

WEST

1. Leanin’ Tree: various 2. Avanti: animal themes, various 3. Compendium: Frank & Funny 4. Pictura: Dolly Mamas, Decetis, var. 5. Oatmeal Studios: various

G I F T B E AT

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3

retailBEAT Ideas and inspiration

I

f you didn’t know about the polar vortex before January, you probably do now! Weather reared its ugly head during the month, with record-low temperatures, ice storms and significant snowfall in most parts of the country. It was a recipe for retail disaster, JAN. 2014 SALES as some were forced to close (vs. Jan. 2013) multiple days. One South Carolina retailer summed up the sentiment Up 10% or more… 15% of her Southern peers: “We don’t Up 5-9%... 12% do winter.” Up 1-4%... 7% The result was a down month for Even… 8% 58% of our reporting retailers. Only Down 1-4%... 15% one-third reported higher sales. “The weather really hit us hard Down 5-9%... 16% this January,” says a Mississippi shop Down 10% or more… 27% owner. “Worst we have seen here in Note: The majority of reporting retailers many years. The economy has got (58%) experienced sales losses in January, as weather played a major role. Only 34% to turn around soon!” reported higher numbers. On the other hand, Westerners cite the drought and its impact on the local economy, especially farming. “Here in California, we are all very worried about the water shortage. If the farmers can’t plant their crops, they aren’t shopping either,” says one retailer. Those seeing higher sales point to new products and promotions, like this idea from a South Carolina retailer: “We reward customers through our POS system, with a $10 gift certificate for every $100 purchased of non-sale merchandise. They have an expiration date we can designate when printing. We chose dates to help with January numbers, and other dates to get customers back in for Valentine’s Day. They’ll generally wait until the last minute to shop using them.” Here are other ways retailers moved goods during the month: 1. Quickie Sale. An Alabama shop owner decided to run a five-hour, 75%-off sale on remaining Christmas items. After that, the items went back to 50% off. She advertised through email and Facebook. “It worked great because it was targeted to our customers who follow us and want to stay connected,” she says. “Of course, offering major discounts didn’t hurt!” 2. Out With The Old, In With The New. A Florida retailer who doesn’t have many sales decided to surprise her customers when she returned from Atlanta. “I sent an email announcing a HUGE sale (50% off popular lines), to make room for all the new merchandise. Our customers came in, excited to see what was leaving, and more importantly, wanted to see what was coming. It’s a great tease for them.” 3. Facebook Ads. A second Florida retailer took a picture of new Lilly Pulitzer totes and put them on Facebook with the caption, “Lilly is going fast!” She paid $10 to boost the post — and sold out. She has done several ads since then: “It was easy, and you can set your budget. Keep the ad simple, target your clientele and don’t go over $30 per ad. I have noticed I get more likes and more views since the ads.”

Keep It Personal On Facebook

K

athy Madan of High Country Gifts & Engraving (Montana) has found the secret to connecting with customers on Facebook: Use faces they know. • Background: Kathy had brought in Sweet Feet Spray (877) 815-8529 last fall, but had little customer reaction to the product. That all changed when she took to Facebook, creating humorous photos featuring her and her shoes. “I tried the product in my very own, very smelly shoes, and was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked,” Kathy says. “We then did the photo shoot and posted it on Facebook.” She also printed the photos out as a personalized header for the display, which is a simple cardboard box. • Response: Once the photos hit Facebook, customer interest was immediate. “Facebook gave it a boost, people started talking about it, and then came in to try some,” she says. The product was a hit for Christmas.

{

“I was one of those store owners who hesitated having sales. But I have found that getting rid of merchandise and recouping my costs allows me to buy merchandise that turns faster and therefore is much more beneficial to our bottom line.” — New York retailer JEWELRY TIP

If you can get a customer to try on a bracelet or necklace, you have a much better chance of her buying it. “We offer to actually put a bracelet on the customer,” says a Washington retailer. “It helps to create a feeling of ownership.” Most customers, she adds, are happy to be helped. “Some bracelets with clasps are very difficult to do alone. Necklaces, too. We often suggest they try on a piece, even if it is a gift for someone else. Just like clothing, jewelry looks better on the body. And the customer gets an idea of how it looks or feels (equally important).”

HOT DISCUSSIONS ON giftbeat.com/subscribers

1.

WATCH YOUR CREDIT CARDS (Operations forum). An Alabama retailer shared the story of a rep who emailed a confirmation of the retailer’s order, with credit card details, including expiration date and CVV code. She was not happy about it, and called her bank to cancel the card. Others chimed in, sharing stories of compromised credit cards, including an Indiana retailer whose cards were stolen four times in 12 months. He now brings three Visa cards to the shows, leaving one personal card and one business card in the hotel safe (plus a copy of his driver’s license, just in case his wallet is stolen). Several retailers say they no longer give out payment information at shows, asking vendors to call them instead. “It used to be that [vendors] were somewhat reluctant and didn’t want to spend the time. But now, they seem perfectly willing to do so,” says a North Carolina shop owner.

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G I F T B E AT

MARCH 2014

2.

• Advice: If you carry Poo-Pourri spray, Sweet Feet is a perfect complement. Kathy displayed the two lines next to each other, and talked up both to customers. She also says recognizable faces sell product. “I fully believe that Facebook works best when I use store staff in the photos. First, family and friends comment on the funny pictures, which spreads the reach. And customers love seeing our faces and relating to us,” she adds.

HATEFUL REMARK (Internet forum). A Texas retailer was dismayed when an angry customer retaliated with a hateful remark on the store’s Facebook page. Rather than get into a public squabble, the retailer deleted the customer’s post, then banned her. A South Carolina respondent shared her own Facebook complaint story, when a customer tried to return a scarf past the store’s allotted time (30 days). When they offered store credit, she went on their Facebook page to complain about the store being closed the day after Christmas, plus shorter postholiday hours. In the end, the retailer says she chose to ignore the remarks: “If I post something, that will give her a forum to rant and rave more about how she perceives we did her wrong. She admitted in her post that she was late in returning the item…we are a small shop and can’t wait forever for someone to make a return.”

}

How To Evaluate Teamwork Skills

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iving details of very specific situations forces job applicants to paint an accurate picture of their teamwork skills. Ask them questions such as these:

• “Tell me about the last time you became upset while dealing with coworkers. What tried your patience or caused your anger?” • “Have you ever had to stand up for yourself in a confrontation with a peer or a customer? What happened?” • “Tell me about your most irrational, rude and intimidating coworker at your last position. How did you handle the situation?” • “Would your coworkers say you’re casual and relaxed or intense and focused?” Note: Adapted from “96 Great Interview Questions to Ask Before You Hire,” Paul Falcone, American Management Association, amanet. org., Communication Briefings, communicationbriefings.com.

www.giftbeat.com

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Small Steps To Tackle Big Projects

ason Womack founded the Get Momentum coaching program to teach business owners how to spend more time accomplishing meaningful work — and often that means making headway on big projects when they feel pulled Jason Womack in many other directions. Here are his favorite small steps for achieving more each day through focus and time management: Decide what needs to be done. Take time to set a goal for a project or priority and understand why it is important for your business and your life. Get to the starting line. Identify exactly what needs to happen to start a big project. Write down at least four tasks, sub-projects and resources that must be considered to complete it. Question everything. What questions must you answer to get this project done? List a minimum of four questions that need to be answered about that priority before it is completed (short-, mid- or long-term tasks included). Start with an end in sight. Think about the 15-minute blocks of time you have in your day and how you can use them to effectively get done all the tasks needed to complete this project. Have a meeting with yourself. Focus during those 15-minute blocks of time and avoid distractions. If you can, go to a different office or place like a coffee shop

~

where normal distractions are minimized. If you can’t leave your desk, set a timer and make an effort to work without checking email or answering phone calls. Take action to avoid distractions. Before starting a work session, think of the people who might interrupt you — it may be a team member, a client or even a manager — and interrupt them first. Anticipate anything they may need from you.

~

~ Set boundaries. Let others know you

will be unavailable for a specific amount of time while you work on your project. If they need something, they will know there is a time later when they can reach you after your block of focused work time.

~

~ You’ll never have more time than you

~

~ Take time to appreciate your work.

~ ~

do now. Many business owners think they will have more time later to get things done. It’s simply not true. At the end of the day, look back and acknowledge exactly where you made progress on your project.

~ Enjoy the rewards of productivity. By

having blocks of focused work time, you can see where you have accomplished something for your project. You can then spend time on other tasks instead of worrying about what you didn’t get done on your bigger goals. Note: Jason Womack is the author of Your Best Just Got Better and founder of TimeToGetMomentum.com. You can reach him at [email protected].

If You Can’t Beat Amazon, Should You Join It? (continued from page 1) contributing editor Daphne Howland says: “The growth in sales for small retailers demonstrates the clear benefits of hitching a wagon to the retail giant’s massive star. But it’s not all that easy for these retailers, who have to compete with not only the usual competitors in their market who might also be found on Amazon.com, but with Amazon itself, which routinely stiff-arms everyone with its ridiculously low prices.” The good news is that small retailers will soon have another online option: Alibaba, which controls nearly 80% of China’s Internet shopping market, is close to launching 11 Main, a U.S. boutique e-commerce business with a focus on small, entrepreneurial retailers. The plan is to charge sellers a competitive 3.5% commission fee, according to EcommerceBytes. com. Fashion, jewelry, home, baby, toys and more will be available on the site. Research shows that Americans are becoming more comfortable with e-commerce. In a recent Walker Sands survey of 1,046 U.S. consumers, the majority (62%) shop online at least once a month. In addition, 95% of those surveyed purchased something from Amazon in the past year. Whether you choose Amazon, an alternate marketplace such as 11 Main or your own website, there’s no doubt that having an online presence is growing increasingly important in our digital world. Note: 11 Main is fielding applications from interested retailers. To learn more, visit 11main.com. You can download a copy of the Walker Sands report at walkersands.com/futureofretail.

Q&A: Hitting Goals: Focus Management Is Key chunk of her day. This allowed her to make progress on something early in the day and not behind. She still had the rest of her day to Q. You’ve written about how people can fall catch up on email and felt she was getting more be busy all day, yet feel like they haven’t accomplished. accomplished much. How does a person Q. How can business owners find more fall into this pattern? time in the day to focus on important A. The human brain is designed to work projects and set aside distractions? efficiently. It does this by creating patterns or routines to follow, creating a safe comfort zone A. Here’s another way of looking at the 24 hours in a day: You have 96 blocks of 15 to work in and to make things as normal as minutes each. Want to be more productive, possible. get more done and be more successful running Imagine for a moment you’re returning home your business? Begin by subtracting the time after a long day at work. You’re driving along that you’re NOT going to be able to focus on a road you know and eventually you arrive important projects. home and park in your driveway. You realize For many of the small business owners I work that you don’t really remember the entire drive. with, the realization is this: They actually have Physically, you’re in your car. Mentally, you’re a less than 10 chunks of 15 minutes to work on million miles away. their most important things each day. Think about how this kind of pattern Your real job is to string together as many making/normalization happens in your small blocks of “productive time” to create larger workday. There may be a mind-set you’re using blocks of actual work time. If you can spend 15 that’s making it harder to get everything done. or even 30 minutes focused on ONE of your Recently, I worked with a client who said she projects, that is worth more than working on that project 10 times over a week, but for only a couldn’t start her day until she had cleaned up few minutes. and organized her email inbox. She realized, however, that she often was still chipping away Q. What are some of the biggest at her email inbox until well into the afternoon. mistakes small business owners make We implemented a program she tested over five when managing their time? weeks, challenging herself to hold off on email A. Not identifying the C-level (as in report for the first 45 minutes of each workday. card) work that should be done. Most business Instead, she worked on one of what I call owners are in it to win it. Although many business owners I’ve worked with may not her most important things (MITs) for that (continued from page 1) time to do things that “busy” people never get around to.

Tracking the pulse of the gift industry

“B” or “C”

have been A students in all is still a the subjects they studied in passing school, they feel everything they do for their business grade! should be perfect. That’s just not true. Here’s where I start with the small business owners I coach. We study the work they do, their actual verbs, such as call, write, plan, sell, etc. Next, we identify the topics they are working on (the nouns of their jobs), such as employees, marketing schedule, accounting, etc. Finally, we decide which of those verbs will be fine if they get passing marks. Remember, earning a C or a B in school meant you passed the class. Of course, some projects must be done at an A level, but others really can be just OK. Q. You mention a “stop-doing” list in one of your articles. What is it and how can retailers benefit from making one? A. There are activities we all do that do not contribute positively to the bottom line. It is important that we be hyper-aware of what these are. My take on the stop-doing list is to simply choose one thing you’re doing that does not contribute to your business development, and see what happens if you don’t do it as much. For example, one client noticed he was watching the national news each morning while getting ready for his day at his restaurant. As an

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p Utility meets style in LORI LEIGH DESIGNS’ (562) 325-2707 “Chalet” cases for storing, organizing and traveling with jewelry. Offered in three sizes — Vanity, Travel and Mini — with assorted trays for earrings, rings and necklaces/bracelets. Contemporary colors include black, white, raspberry, seaside blue and key lime. Cost range: $9–$19.50 (lorileighdesigns.com).

q MAGNOLIA LANE (205) 251-5007 is ontrend with its “Chalkboard Collection” that combines sentiment with space for personal messages. Designs include: Today is a great day because; I am grateful for; You make me proud because. Most styles are 9 by 12 inches. Cost: $10 (includes one piece of chalk) (magnolialanecollection.com).

HOLIDAY SURPRISE…

A North Carolina retailer has been carrying the mismatched socks from SOLMATE SOCKS (866) 762-5523 for several years, and they have been steady sellers. But this holiday season, she couldn’t keep them in stock. “We had to keep reordering right up until Christmas. Even customers who had purchased them before bought lots more, some six at a time. Perhaps the handmade in USA helped,” she says (socklady.com).

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t AM PM KIDS! (512) 337-4276

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States of Bamboo!” Die-cut, state-shaped cutting boards from TOTALLY BAMBOO (760) 471-6600 allow retailers to offer a functional, area-specific gift. Featuring unique designs for all 50 states, each board comes with a laser-etched phrase appropriate for the state. Cost: $12.50 (also available without etching for $10). The Texas design is approximately 14 inches wide (totallybamboo.com).

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from INVENIO ENTERPRISES (207) 899-1092 are streamlined and stylish. Italian-designed and offered in six color combinations, each pair comes with a sleek transparent case and four pre-installed batteries, plus four extra batteries (no tools needed to change them). Cost: $9.95. Company also supplies a free pair of demo glasses that plug into any outlet and stay lit (easylightglasses.us).

brings charm and function to the baby category with its 3 in 1 “Burper and a Bauble,” a reversible muslin and terry burp cloth cleverly packaged to look like a baby bottle. Each burper includes a bottle decoration embellishment that can double as headband, bow or bowtie. Costs: $7.50 for plain, $8 for appliqué designs (ampmkids.com).

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“People love markdowns. They might not pay $9.99 for a $9.99 scarf, but they’ll snatch them up when they’re marked up, and then offered on sale two for $20. We’re late to the game, but if this is what shoppers want, they shall have it.” — South Carolina retailer

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MARCH 2014

ON OUR RADAR: HUMOROUS GIFTS

What do you get when two moms and former advertising creative directors join forces? NAUGHTY BETTY (847) 786-4176, a line that offers women a daily dose of humor therapy in the middle of life’s craziness. The brand started with greeting cards (available from Calypso Cards, 888-203-7327) and cocktail napkins, and now includes iPhone cases, coasters, decorative pillows and two new brands — Queenie™ and Love, Foxy™ — to connect with women in all life stages. Witty sentiment ranges from wine to friends to aging to fashion: Age Goes Better With Wine, Help Us Accept The Things The Salon Cannot Change, Peace Love Shoes and more (naughtybettyinc.com).

ON OUR RADAR: PERSONALIZATION With a focus on custom frames and personalized gifts, GIFTWORKSPLUS (888) 456-9878 allows retailers to offer customers a unique personal memento or gift. In addition to a wide variety of engravable alderwood frames made in the USA (from family themes to wedding, seasonal, sports and destinations), the line includes collegiate designs. The No. 1 seller at the shows was its magnetic “Personality Profile Mattes.” Highlighted by intricate laser etching details, they feature the background and origin of first names, with a 3-by4-inch frame opening. The mattes also offer high markup potential: cost is $4.25; sugg. retail is $12. Multiple floor displays available (giftworksplus.com).

www.giftbeat.com

CAPES CRUSADING. The cape has a role in fashion accessories this fall, from edgy to elegant styles (accessoriesmagazine.com).

MOVIN’ OFF THE SHELF

Butterfly • A New York retailer heaps high praise on jewelry resource ONE MEANING design (646) 389-8130. “We have done fabulous with it! My entire staff has embraced this line and it is something we sell every week,” she says. Jewelry means features the company’s signature “I love you” design, a butterfly “I love you.” formed from the numerals 813: 8 letters, 3 words, 1 meaning (the 1 is in the middle because love is the center of everything). The retailer carries necklaces and bracelets, with Wish Winks™ (sugg. retail: $25) and Besties™ (sugg. retail: $30–$40) her bestsellers. “All the jewelry comes carded, so the story is included... such a great selling point,” she says. The company donates a portion of sales to Stick Up for Love, an anti-bullying campaign (1meaning.com). • A Rhode Island shop owner was pleasantly surprised by reaction to the Inis line from FRAGRANCES OF IRELAND (888) 543-6320, especially since she’s never carried cologne or perfume before. “We couldn’t believe how many people recognized the name,” she says. “Either they knew about it or had seen it in their travels to Ireland. It has a fresh, clean smell, and is unisex.” Inspired by the sea, bestseller is the .5-ounce cologne, which retails for $21; the No. 2 item is the .7-ounce lotion for $22. The retailer displays the product in a hutch near the register, where customers can sample it. She thinks it will be a good seller for summer because “it smells so clean!” (perfume.ie).

SPOTLIGHT: TRUST YOUR JOURNEY With more than 70,000 Facebook followers, TRUST YOUR JOURNEY (877) 548-3895 has become more than a brand — it’s a movement. Started by two women — a cancer survivor and a young widowed mother — the line inspires women to honor their inner strength and celebrate their personal path through life. Included are motivational T-shirts made of organic cotton

and printed with phthalatefree inks, jewelry (necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings) and accessories (hats, journals, drinkware, candles and body products). Cost range for most items: $4.25–$15. All products feature the symbolic logo: a heart with a spiral labyrinth inside signifying love, togetherness and a journey from beginning to end (trustyourjourney.com).

Trend Alert: MAD FOR PLAID. Designers are embracing the pattern for fall/winter, with plaid showing up on coats, capes and more.

Q&A: Hitting Goals: Focus Management Is Key (continued from page 5) experiment for just two weeks, he stopped spending those 30 minutes “semi-focused,” and instead spent 15 minutes doing specific local and community-based news searches.

By doing so, he realized there was more good happening in his community than he thought. He also found places and organizations he could connect to that would benefit from his services. After his experiment, he returned to incorporating the national news program, but didn’t give it the focus he had before. Q. Any final words of wisdom for retailers who feel like they’re often treading water? A. My advice is to implement something that gets you out into the world. Identify 10 micro-actions you can take — with each taking only five minutes — that get your store out in front of people. If you work a 10-hour day, try to intersperse one of these 5-minute activities into each hour of your day. It could be anything from writing a thankyou card to a valued customer, to calling a reporter and finding out if he or she is working on any retail or trend-related stories you could provide information for. Try this for five weeks and see if it makes a positive impact on what you feel you’re accomplishing during your day. Note: Jason Womack, MEd, MA, is a consultant and speaker based in Ojai, California, as well as the author of Your Best Just Got Better and founder of TimeToGetMomentum.com. You can reach him at jason@ womackcompany.com.

JEWELRYBEAT: Spotted At The Shows • SEASONS JEWELRY (866) 382-0737. The interchangeable toggle charm pendants with coordinating necklaces were Seasons’ No. 1 seller at the winter shows. Customers pick a pendant ($5.50 cost), and then choose a necklace (gold- or silverplated, 18 or 30 inches, $6.50 cost) to create their own look. Offered in turquoise or SEASONS JEWELRY coin and pearl designs, each pendant features a grouping of dangling charms and beads. Shown is the turquoise toggle collection, which coordinates with the company’s cross bracelet and earrings. Look for seasonal expansions of the toggle pendants for fall, Halloween and Christmas (seasonsjewelry.com).

• SWITCHABLES (866) 539-9331. The company known for its interchangeable nightlights launches Sweet and Charming, an eclectic line of handmade beaded jewelry made in the USA and offered in four collections: Coastal, Aztec, Black & White and Spring. Each collection is designed around a color palette, and SWEET AND CHARMING includes earrings, rings, necklaces, watches and bracelets. Prices start at $4 for rings and wire bracelets, $9–$12 for necklaces. Shown is Coastal, highlighted by blue and green hues with mini starfish charms. The company also offers watches and bracelets with interchangeable connectors/watch faces (sweetandcharming.com).

Tracking the pulse of the gift industry

• TERRA NATURAL DESIGNS (800) 436-3726. Eco-style is the focus of this jewelry line, created by entrepreneurs Pam and Jesse Schele and distributed by Enesco. With an eye on conscious capitalism, the pair found their calling in South America, where artisans were creating jewelry from tagua nuts and acai seeds, naturally and sustainably harvested. The result is an eyecatching, colorful selection that includes necklaces, pendants, earrings and bracelets. Shown is the Beaded Collection that mixes seeds with natural plant dyes that mimic the colors TERRA NATURAL DESIGNS in the rainforest. Each piece is carded and features the line’s story. Cost range: $6–$29 (terranaturaldesigns.com).

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giftBEAT Tracking the pulse of the gift industry

72 Tappan Road Harrington Park, NJ 07640 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

NEXT MONTH: ~ Wine-Themed ~ Message Jewelry ~ Candy/Gourmet

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How Sweet It Is... At Sweet Tooth Candy

Profiles of businesses in the gift industry

By Joyce Washnik

from staff. Twice a year we take our staff to Dallas so they can absorb information on all our lines, and help us to decide on new lines. We select merchandise that is not carried in every other gift shop or department store. We like it when customers comment than 250 bulk candies), Chocolate that they haven’t seen the (Sweet Shop, Asher’s), Jewelry merchandise we carry all around (Kameleon, Trollbeads, Elly Preston), town. Gifts & Stationery (Demdaco, Caren Q: If you could pinpoint some Products, Erin Smith, Avanti, Quotable, of the reasons for your store’s Unemployed Philosophers) success, what would they be? ith backgrounds in JD: We are not absentee owners. regional theater, We know our customers want to Janet Dundee and see us in the store, and we make a her husband Jeff Darby have found their niche in Sweet Tooth point to be here six days a week. We have creative advertising. Our Candy & Gift Co. Jeff handles accounting, publicity/promotions television ads are fun, featuring Jeff as the “lead character.” Jeff and displays, while Janet focuses has performed Dracula, Rick from on buying and negotiating. Casablanca, an elf, Crocodile Together, they have built a Hunter, Superman and currently successful destination business Sock Monkey. We see our print and that customers — and employees TV ads as opportunities to dramatize — call their “Happy Place.” The what we do and what we sell. phrase has become so popular that Q: What has been your most they launched an ad campaign successful recent promotion? around it, with the help of wellJD: The “My Happy Place” ad known community members. campaign (featured in Giftbeat’s Q: What makes your store Dec./Jan. issue). For March print unique? ads, we are featuring our staff and JD: Everyone says that customer the theme “Our Happy Place.” service is priority. We not only say Q: Which marketing it, we make it our No. 1 priority. methods work best for you? We want a staff of intelligent, informed people who don’t JD: The television commercials specialize in only one aspect of are mentioned the most. But the store. We have monthly staff Facebook and our weekly email meetings where we discuss lines newsletter have worked very and procedures, and get feedback well. We email once a week. We

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Sweet Tooth Candy & Gift Co. sweettoothtulsa.com Tulsa, Oklahoma 3,200 square feet/strip center 6 employees Top Lines: Candy (more

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BACK STORY: Lessons Learned From Laundromat Business

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nspired by her immigrant father who came to America and built his own successful business, Janet Dundee and her husband Jeff Darby began their entrepreneurial path by buying a laundromat. That initial purchase blossomed into multiple locations. But when a small candy store in an outdoor shopping center became available, Janet and Jeff decided that selling candy would be much more fun. The pair officially became gift retailers on September 1, 1992, when they purchased Janet Dundee/Jeff Darby Sweet Tooth Candy & Gift Co. The lessons they learned operating the laundromats proved a big help in the gift shop, from managing employees to dealing with security issues. With no prior retail background, the husband-and-wife team grew from 1,000 square feet to 3,200 square feet on a major street in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Janet and Jeff’s goal with the laundromats had been to keep them clean and welcoming, a place where people would want to come. They took that business model and applied it to Sweet Tooth — with great success. “Number one is that people enjoy coming into our store,” says Janet, citing her knowledgeable sales associates, along with the store’s warm atmosphere and unique selection (chocolate and candy make up about 50% of inventory). She and Jeff focus on treating employees well and empowering them, taking the staff to gift shows to help them become more vested in the merchandise. Their involvement, says Janet, has improved the selection considerably. “Now our employees are sold already on the line when it comes in,” she says.

attempt to keep the email short enough to read quickly, yet full of photos of the merchandise. And our print ads are finally taking us away from advertising specific gift lines and simply promoting ourselves as the “Happy Place” to shop. Q: How does Facebook fit in with your business plan? JD: Facebook is immediate. When a new item comes in, we can instantly let our fans know. We just had an order from someone in Florida who saw today’s post. We are actually writing a blog now…that is

the most difficult piece to keep current and interesting. But we are up to almost 6,000 hits. Q: What has been your favorite new line over the past year? JD: Our favorites are the ones we see walking out the door, including Dammit Dolls, Embellish Your Story and Dr. Who merchandise (Kurt Adler ornaments, Elope scarves, Unemployed Philosophers’ mugs). This is the last Dr. Who, and all the fans are looking for anything to buy. It also appeals to the younger people we’re trying to attract.