Globally Inspired: How to Take a Bite From the Abundant Table

As Fair Trade Month is around the corner (October, actually),  what better way to engage customers than by inviting them to your ethnic table and enjoy some global cuisine? According to Mintel, a global market research firm, sales in the ethnic food sector have been climbing steadily since 2004, reaching $2.2 billion in 2009 and growing[…]

The Write Stuff: 10 New & Fun Ways to Sell Greeting Cards & Stationery

We live in a world of snaps, texts and tweets. Yet despite our reliance on technology for real-time updates, the greeting card industry continues to grow. In fact, the Greeting Card Association (GCA) estimates annual sales of greeting cards to be between $7-8 billion. Not million. BILLION. And, if you think Facebook birthday wishes posts[…]

3 Ways Retailers Can Work Facebook’s Latest Algorithm Change

Late last month, Facebook announced via a blog post that the popular social media platform will prioritize posts shared by friends and family over brands, publishers and other pages. This is particularly important to independent retailers because this algorithm change means your customers will see fewer posts from retailers and brands. “The growth and competition[…]

How to Become a Retail Superstar: Honor Radical Transparency

Is radical transparency the latest retail buzzword? Consumers are demanding more information when deciding which products to buy or consume. Rightly so, thanks to E.Coli outbreaks on produce like broccoli and investigations that reveal some of the items they buy might be produced under sweatshop conditions, among other human rights violations. How do retailers reconcile[…]

The Glitter of Celebrity: How to Get Your Products in a Celebrity’s Hands

Does getting your product into a celebrity’s hands translate into sales at the retail level? Pick up any celebrity magazine or watch any awards show and you’ll notice how often celebrities show off their baubles or accessories and mention which designer they’re wearing. The reality is that we live in a celebrity-obsessed society and many[…]

How and Why Retailers Should Find Their Cause

Much has been written about how consumers engage with businesses that are active in cause-related marketing campaigns and its cousin, corporate social responsibility. Bottom line: it’s not whether a company decides to engage, since consumers expect companies to act responsibly and to see proof of their commitments, according to a 2015 Cone Communications / Ebiquity[…]