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Thursday, November 29, 2012
New Business Opportunities To Be Offered by MACEF+
Macef will develop into a parallel
digital event, becoming the most important online exhibition in the
field of home, furnishing, and decor. Macef+ (macefplus.com)
is the digital event devoted to trade operators who, by exploiting the
web potentials, will be able to sign new commercial deals and extend
their activities for 30 days after the end of the exhibition.
Macef+ gives birth to the concept of "HD exhibition" which has been developed by Fiera Milano in cooperation with FieraDigitale in order to support trade operators through practical initiatives and develop business in an ever-changing market where time is getting more and more precious. Macef+ marks a new way to do business abreast of times, by exploiting the resources made available by the Web.
Through a simple procedure, buyers can get registered on macefplus.com, get in touch with companies, and view the detailed offers proposed by virtual stands; in turn, exhibitors enjoy the opportunity to manage their online platform, highlighting products, adding descriptions and multimedia contents, checking accesses to the stand and contacting buyers.
In this way, Macef gennaio 2013, thanks to Macef+, will remain open on the web until the end of February. The new online exhibition has been preceded by a pilot project that began in September at the end of the last Macef event and which was scheduled to end on October 31st. The project involves over one hundred companies and 500 buyers, and has allowed successfully testing the concept of online exhibition in light of its launch in January. The project is developed in partnership with Fiera Milano and FieraDigitale, the company at the basis of e-Pitti.com success.
Macef+ gives birth to the concept of "HD exhibition" which has been developed by Fiera Milano in cooperation with FieraDigitale in order to support trade operators through practical initiatives and develop business in an ever-changing market where time is getting more and more precious. Macef+ marks a new way to do business abreast of times, by exploiting the resources made available by the Web.
Through a simple procedure, buyers can get registered on macefplus.com, get in touch with companies, and view the detailed offers proposed by virtual stands; in turn, exhibitors enjoy the opportunity to manage their online platform, highlighting products, adding descriptions and multimedia contents, checking accesses to the stand and contacting buyers.
In this way, Macef gennaio 2013, thanks to Macef+, will remain open on the web until the end of February. The new online exhibition has been preceded by a pilot project that began in September at the end of the last Macef event and which was scheduled to end on October 31st. The project involves over one hundred companies and 500 buyers, and has allowed successfully testing the concept of online exhibition in light of its launch in January. The project is developed in partnership with Fiera Milano and FieraDigitale, the company at the basis of e-Pitti.com success.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
International Pool Spa Patio Expo Offers Year-Round Opportunities for Retailers
A special report from Giftware News columnist Marilyn Nason
This year's annual International Pool Spa Patio Expo November 2-8, in New Orleans, was aptly themed "The Backyard Experience," further reinforcing the importance of outdoor family living to today's consumers. Not only did the show offer countless in-ground and above-ground pools, spas, hot tubs, saunas and casual furniture but also an almost limitless and creative variety of toys, games for every age, barbecue grills, firepots, fireplaces, fountains and fire and water decorative combination — the latter perfect for savvy gift and home décor retailers to consider.
As outdoor living assumes an increasingly important role with consumers where their backyards are concerned, exhibitors at this show were displaying limitless possibilities for gift and home décor retailers, especially where the elusive men's gifts are a factor.
With show officials reporting a 30 percent increase in display space this year, further proof that complete year-round practical family outdoor living has become a basic part of consumers' lifestyles, not a fleeting trend.
Just as the recent Casual Furniture Show, furniture/home décor shows in High Point and Las Vegas, even the annual New York City International Toy Fair promoted this theme, the true family fully-accessorized center from pool, spa, patio areas to barbecuing, outdoor cooking and entertaining, games, all emphasized that today's backyard can not only reflect individual home décor tastes but provide enjoyment to capture the attention of every age and every pricepoint.
Pool and lawn toys and games like basketball and volleyball offered the best in family fun. Same for in-pool exercising and fitness regimens; frisbies that squirt water on people or dogs who capture them and sleek bar stools equally at home in-pool or anywhere in the backyard, deck or patio.
Perking up the backyard pool is a decorative cinch with round vinyl bottom-of-the-pool colorful mats in a variety of interesting graphic designs. Plush toys, especially in wildlife and goofy characters epitomized fun poolside possibilities for infants to teenagers, as did colorful pool floats for up to four people.
As the growth in outdoor living points to long-term consumer interest, several exhibitors were highlighting the potential for almost year-round use of backyards even in areas where winters are a problem by showing practical and stylish fire pits, fire tables and infrared patio heaters, with built-in lighting.
For the truly adventurous, tiki huts were on display, certain to excite gift retailers who can envision the accessories potential this backyard look could suggest to their customers.
This year's annual International Pool Spa Patio Expo November 2-8, in New Orleans, was aptly themed "The Backyard Experience," further reinforcing the importance of outdoor family living to today's consumers. Not only did the show offer countless in-ground and above-ground pools, spas, hot tubs, saunas and casual furniture but also an almost limitless and creative variety of toys, games for every age, barbecue grills, firepots, fireplaces, fountains and fire and water decorative combination — the latter perfect for savvy gift and home décor retailers to consider.
As outdoor living assumes an increasingly important role with consumers where their backyards are concerned, exhibitors at this show were displaying limitless possibilities for gift and home décor retailers, especially where the elusive men's gifts are a factor.
With show officials reporting a 30 percent increase in display space this year, further proof that complete year-round practical family outdoor living has become a basic part of consumers' lifestyles, not a fleeting trend.
Just as the recent Casual Furniture Show, furniture/home décor shows in High Point and Las Vegas, even the annual New York City International Toy Fair promoted this theme, the true family fully-accessorized center from pool, spa, patio areas to barbecuing, outdoor cooking and entertaining, games, all emphasized that today's backyard can not only reflect individual home décor tastes but provide enjoyment to capture the attention of every age and every pricepoint.
Pool and lawn toys and games like basketball and volleyball offered the best in family fun. Same for in-pool exercising and fitness regimens; frisbies that squirt water on people or dogs who capture them and sleek bar stools equally at home in-pool or anywhere in the backyard, deck or patio.
Perking up the backyard pool is a decorative cinch with round vinyl bottom-of-the-pool colorful mats in a variety of interesting graphic designs. Plush toys, especially in wildlife and goofy characters epitomized fun poolside possibilities for infants to teenagers, as did colorful pool floats for up to four people.
As the growth in outdoor living points to long-term consumer interest, several exhibitors were highlighting the potential for almost year-round use of backyards even in areas where winters are a problem by showing practical and stylish fire pits, fire tables and infrared patio heaters, with built-in lighting.
For the truly adventurous, tiki huts were on display, certain to excite gift retailers who can envision the accessories potential this backyard look could suggest to their customers.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
ShopKeep POS Makes Time Clock Tracking Apps Obsolete
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The integrated ShopKeep POS time clock solution eliminates the need for merchants to re-enter employee information into other time clock tracking applications. The feature also allows the owner of a store to make adjustments when employees forget to punch in or out of their shift. Plus, merchants will now be able to pull sales by employee to track individual performance better. The information is then exportable and can be used for accounting and payroll purposes.
"We know how important it is for merchants to accurately keep track of employee schedules," says Jason Richelson, CEO and Founder of ShopKeep POS. "We've built this feature in a way that is easy to use, saves time, and helps our customers make smarter scheduling decisions."
The announcement comes on the heels of last month's announcement to integrate mobile payment providers Level Up and Dwolla into the ShopKeep POS iPad register and is part of the company's overall strategy to consolidate apps and devices that merchants want to use into one simple, affordable POS solution.
The new time clock feature is available in the latest version of the ShopKeep POS app that is easily downloadable in the App Store. Current customers just need to update their existing app in the App Store to take advantage of this time saving feature right away. New customers can sign up for ShopKeep POS online at shopkeep.com or right from the ShopKeep POS iPad app.
ShopKeep POS is an easy-to-use and flexible point-of-sale solution embraced by more than 3,000 locations to manage inventory, customers, and facilitate transactions, all from an iPad.
The subscription-based service includes unlimited seven-days-a-week customer care by phone, email and online chat, ensuring its customers are never in the dark and always able to get the help they need when they need it.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
NYIGF Announces Staff Changes
In connection with the summer 2013
reorganization of NYIGF into four broad market collections, GLM has
announced a series of personnel changes, effective immediately, for the
New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) team. These staffing changes
include creation of new positions, a new hire, internal promotions and
shifts in areas of responsibility.
According to Christian Falkenberg, NYIGF director and GLM vice president, "These staffing changes will facilitate the reorganization and introduction of four broad market collections — Home, Lifestyle, Craft and New — at the summer 2013 NYIGF. The new positions and related internal promotions are designed to maximize each team members' contributions to the show and the market overall."
Changes to the NYIGF team, which are effective immediately, include creation of two new positions, Sales Director for NYIGF Home and Sales Director for NYIGF Lifestyle, with responsibilities including oversight of exhibit floor layout changes and exhibitor relocations connected to changes planned for August 2013. Both of these positions report directly to Falkenberg.
Randi Mohr, a veteran member of the NYIGF staff, has been promoted to Sales Director for NYIGF Home Divisions. In this capacity, Mohr will oversee NYIGF's Accent on Design®, At Home, Gourmet Housewares Show and Tabletop divisions. In addition, she will continue to manage sponsorship and digital sales. Since joining GLM in 2003, Mohr has held increasing levels of responsibility on the NYIGF, most recently as sales manager for the Fair's Accent on Design, Baby & Child and Studio, and served as a member of GLM's sales team for the Gift Fair in Atlanta. Mohr graduated from Iona College, in 2003 with a B.A. in International Business, and in 2006 earned MBA Management with an International Business Certificate.
Mohr will oversee five member of NYIGF's Home Sales team: Jaime Sikorjak, who has been promoted to Sales Manager of Accent on Design and Studio; Marc Delman, Sales Manager for Tabletop and Gourmet Housewares Show; Danielle Giacoponello, Sales Manager for At Home; Kristen Hamilton, Sales Representative for At Home; and Mary Hennessy, Sales Representative for Accent on Design, At Home, Gourmet Housewares Show and Tabletop.
Scott Kramer, a gift and home industry veteran and former member of the NYIGF team, has returned to GLM to serve as Sales Director for NYIGF Lifestyle Divisions. In this capacity, he will oversee the Baby & Child, General Gift, EX•TRACTS, New York's Newest and Personal Accessories featuring Details divisions. In addition to Kramer's seven years with GLM – the first three for the Boston Gift Show and the last four for the NYIGF, his extensive sales and marketing experience includes three years with a school fundraising organization and eight years as the owner-manager of a gift retail operation. Kramer graduated in 1988 from the University of Hartford with a B.A. in Organizational Communications.
Kramer will oversee six members of NYIGF's Lifestyle Sales team: Patricia Rivas, who has been promoted to Sales Manager of Baby & Child and will continue to work on New York's Newest; Paula Bertolotti, Sales Manager for New York's Newest; John Kelly, Sales Manager for General Gift; Melissa Engongoro, Sales Manager for Personal Accessories and EX•TRACTS; Nicole Climent, Sales Representative for General Gift; and Bibi Javed, Sales Representative for Personal Accessories and EX•TRACTS.
Additionally, NYIGF's Handmade divisions will continue to be managed by Liz Beauregard, Sales Manager and Michelle Karol, Sales Representative. The newly launched Artisan Resource show will remain under the direction of Allison Rober, Sales Manager.
NYIGF is the nation's premier gift, home and lifestyle marketplace, with 2,800+ exhibiting companies featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. The winter market takes place Saturday January 26, through Wednesday, January 30, 2013, at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94. Information and registration is available online at nyigf.com.
According to Christian Falkenberg, NYIGF director and GLM vice president, "These staffing changes will facilitate the reorganization and introduction of four broad market collections — Home, Lifestyle, Craft and New — at the summer 2013 NYIGF. The new positions and related internal promotions are designed to maximize each team members' contributions to the show and the market overall."
Changes to the NYIGF team, which are effective immediately, include creation of two new positions, Sales Director for NYIGF Home and Sales Director for NYIGF Lifestyle, with responsibilities including oversight of exhibit floor layout changes and exhibitor relocations connected to changes planned for August 2013. Both of these positions report directly to Falkenberg.
Randi Mohr, a veteran member of the NYIGF staff, has been promoted to Sales Director for NYIGF Home Divisions. In this capacity, Mohr will oversee NYIGF's Accent on Design®, At Home, Gourmet Housewares Show and Tabletop divisions. In addition, she will continue to manage sponsorship and digital sales. Since joining GLM in 2003, Mohr has held increasing levels of responsibility on the NYIGF, most recently as sales manager for the Fair's Accent on Design, Baby & Child and Studio, and served as a member of GLM's sales team for the Gift Fair in Atlanta. Mohr graduated from Iona College, in 2003 with a B.A. in International Business, and in 2006 earned MBA Management with an International Business Certificate.
Mohr will oversee five member of NYIGF's Home Sales team: Jaime Sikorjak, who has been promoted to Sales Manager of Accent on Design and Studio; Marc Delman, Sales Manager for Tabletop and Gourmet Housewares Show; Danielle Giacoponello, Sales Manager for At Home; Kristen Hamilton, Sales Representative for At Home; and Mary Hennessy, Sales Representative for Accent on Design, At Home, Gourmet Housewares Show and Tabletop.
Scott Kramer, a gift and home industry veteran and former member of the NYIGF team, has returned to GLM to serve as Sales Director for NYIGF Lifestyle Divisions. In this capacity, he will oversee the Baby & Child, General Gift, EX•TRACTS, New York's Newest and Personal Accessories featuring Details divisions. In addition to Kramer's seven years with GLM – the first three for the Boston Gift Show and the last four for the NYIGF, his extensive sales and marketing experience includes three years with a school fundraising organization and eight years as the owner-manager of a gift retail operation. Kramer graduated in 1988 from the University of Hartford with a B.A. in Organizational Communications.
Kramer will oversee six members of NYIGF's Lifestyle Sales team: Patricia Rivas, who has been promoted to Sales Manager of Baby & Child and will continue to work on New York's Newest; Paula Bertolotti, Sales Manager for New York's Newest; John Kelly, Sales Manager for General Gift; Melissa Engongoro, Sales Manager for Personal Accessories and EX•TRACTS; Nicole Climent, Sales Representative for General Gift; and Bibi Javed, Sales Representative for Personal Accessories and EX•TRACTS.
Additionally, NYIGF's Handmade divisions will continue to be managed by Liz Beauregard, Sales Manager and Michelle Karol, Sales Representative. The newly launched Artisan Resource show will remain under the direction of Allison Rober, Sales Manager.
NYIGF is the nation's premier gift, home and lifestyle marketplace, with 2,800+ exhibiting companies featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. The winter market takes place Saturday January 26, through Wednesday, January 30, 2013, at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94. Information and registration is available online at nyigf.com.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Ganz Acquires Midwest-CBK Gift, Holiday, Home and Outdoor Decor Business
Midwest-CBK, a leading holiday, gift and home
décor designer and manufacturer, has announced it has been purchased
from MVP Group International, Inc. by Toronto-based gift company, Ganz.
The acquisition includes the Midwest-CBK brand name and popular holiday,
gift, and home and outdoor décor business. MVP Group will retain the
Colonial Candle, Everybody's Ayurveda, Genuine Monkeez & Friends,
Monkeez Makes a Difference and Goofballz brands, and Union City, TN.
distribution facility and staff.
The Midwest-CBK product line and the MVP Group International brands of Colonial Candle, Everybody's Ayurveda, Genuine Monkeez, Monkeez Makes a Difference and Goofballz, will continue to be available through the Midwest-CBK sales team.
"Midwest-CBK is a perfect addition to the Ganz family of brands, a company with a similar heritage, strong values, experience, vision and focus," says Scott Wehrs, president of Midwest-CBK. "By combining forces, both Midwest-CBK and Ganz will continue to grow and provide the industry with exceptional new product design and development, and outstanding service."
"This acquisition unites two renowned and highly respected market leaders, combining the strengths of both companies with best-in-class people, products, service and support for independent retailers," says Howard Ganz, president of Ganz. Midwest's and Ganz's product development and sales teams will continue to operate independently thereby allowing each to focus on their strengths. "This strategy brings many benefits and opportunities to retailers through an unmatched selection of holiday, gift and home décor products, innovation in products and programs, depth of design and outstanding sales and support teams, backed by a company with the combined resources of Midwest-CBK and Ganz."
For more information, contact your Midwest-CBK account manager, visit mwcbk.com or call 800/394-4225.
The Midwest-CBK product line and the MVP Group International brands of Colonial Candle, Everybody's Ayurveda, Genuine Monkeez, Monkeez Makes a Difference and Goofballz, will continue to be available through the Midwest-CBK sales team.
"Midwest-CBK is a perfect addition to the Ganz family of brands, a company with a similar heritage, strong values, experience, vision and focus," says Scott Wehrs, president of Midwest-CBK. "By combining forces, both Midwest-CBK and Ganz will continue to grow and provide the industry with exceptional new product design and development, and outstanding service."
"This acquisition unites two renowned and highly respected market leaders, combining the strengths of both companies with best-in-class people, products, service and support for independent retailers," says Howard Ganz, president of Ganz. Midwest's and Ganz's product development and sales teams will continue to operate independently thereby allowing each to focus on their strengths. "This strategy brings many benefits and opportunities to retailers through an unmatched selection of holiday, gift and home décor products, innovation in products and programs, depth of design and outstanding sales and support teams, backed by a company with the combined resources of Midwest-CBK and Ganz."
For more information, contact your Midwest-CBK account manager, visit mwcbk.com or call 800/394-4225.
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