What Lies Ahead for Retailers
MMR

To do so, chains should focus on four areas: format innovation, “curated” merchandising, shopping experience and social media, the report says.

Managing new formats and optimizing existing footprints will be vital to results, says Booz partner and report author Karla Martin. Walmart has had mixed results in this regard, she says, citing the abandonment of the Marketside pilot. Walgreen Co. exemplifies the optimization of existing space, Martin says, citing the addition of fresh food, upgraded beauty offerings and redesigned pharmacies.

Customizing outlets is a “herculean” task, she notes. Many retailers will have to boost their capabilities holistically through an integration of systems, analytic engines, processes, organization and people. While there are no shortcuts, the effort can raise the top line 2% to 3% over a trade class’ average.

With competition fierce and consumers strapped for cash, effective promotions are essential, Martin adds.

To create a compelling experience, retailers must leverage drivers of the experience including store layout, assortment, pricing and customer service. Publix Super Markets Inc. hires employees to meet its service standard, trains them in job details, ties incentives to store performance and publicly recognizes workers who draw compliments from shoppers.

Social media is a focus of farsighted retailers, according to Martin. Social networks are likely to be the next e-commerce engine and a potent new sales channel. Booz expects sales through social media to reach some $15 billion by 2015.

Visibility Is the Key To Moving Batteries
April 16, 2012
MMR

For on thing, seeing batteries can prompt customers to buy them. Most people need batteries at any given time, but they may not think to buy them unless they are reminded.

“Visibility is key to driving battery category results, and retailers have a last chance to remind shoppers to buy batteries when the shopper is entering, or is near, the checkout,” says Energizer Holdings Inc. vice president of trade development Lou Martire. “In fact, the No. 1 location that shoppers say they expect to find batteries is checkout. Battery checkstand permanent merchandising, therefore, is critical to success in this category.”

“Certainly AA and AAA batteries make up the lion’s share of the category, but placement for all cell sizes and segments is important as well,” he says. “Energizer suggests a commitment to the category in the form of permanent merchandising, with an assortment of premium and performance items, at a minimum.”

Martire points out that premium alkaline items account for the largest portion of the category. But performance products, including Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries, provide trade-up opportunities for the retailer. In addition, such items as Energizer’s USB Portable Power chargers, or small flashlights, can help complement the set and provide items that shoppers might otherwise not find in the store.

To help the shopper choose, Energizer suggests that the merchandising be completed by research-based Shopper Based Solutions communications. This communication helps shoppers understand which battery is most appropriate for their devices, and helps them navigate between the items in the set.

“The importance of batteries at checkout cannot be understated,” Martire concludes. “Though device adjacency is important for this category, shoppers have said many times that they expect and want to find batteries in the final area of the store, checkout.”

Retailers Realize Solid Returns From GM
February 2012
MMR

For supermarkets, in fact, general merchandise’s contribution to a store’s net margin is 1.7 to 1.9 times greater than its contribution to sales, the Global Market Development Center (GMDC) has learned.

That fact is among the findings of GMDC’s latest research project, Winning in GM: Trends, Insights & Strategies in 2012.

This project has been in development since the middle of 2011 and is based on a combination of retailer scan sales data, syndicated data and supplier data. The idea is to provide the industry with a detailed analysis of GM and the major categories it represents, capturing the overall size and scope of the business and detailing the unique value proposition GM delivers to retailers and wholesalers with respect to margins (which are higher than average) and the impact GM purchases can have on market basket size and overall consumer shopping habits.

General merchandise categories that have traditionally had a presence in supermarkets include: canning and freezing supplies; seasonal; kitchen gadgets;  pet care; batteries and flashlights; lightbulbs and electric goods; photographic supplies; office and school supplies; and automotive supplies. These all represent businesses where supermarket market share is at risk, while supercenters and other mass channels are well positioned to make additional gains.

GMDC asserts that, at a time when supermarket probability has experience steady erosion for a number of years and when competition for shopper loyalty and trips is at an all-time high, it seems that general merchandise can play a significant role in addressing both concerns. GM delivers higher contribution margins than other higher-profile departments, and consumers are looking for GM to support their trip mission.

Kodak Pulls the Plug On Digital Cameras
February 20, 2012
MMR

As part of an effort to focus only on its most profitable businesses, Kodak is phasing out its “digital capture devices” business unit, which makes digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames.

The company promises that it will continue to honor warranties and provide technical support for its products after the phase out, which is scheduled to occur in the first half of this year. Kodak also plans to license its brand name to other device makers.

The move will reduce Kodak’s consumer business to online and retail-based photo printing, as well as desktop inkjet printing.

Kodak expects the move to save it more than $100 million a year, after it books a $30 million charge related to separation benefits.

The 131-year-old company, which filed for bankruptcy protection last month, says it will continue to have strong position in the personal imaging market. Recognizing that images are increasingly being taken by mobile phones and other devices, Kodak intends to focus on making it easy for consumers to turn those captured images into such products as prints, photo books, photo greeting cards and personalized calendars.

In addition, the company will maintain its camera accessories and batteries businesses, which involve products compatible to all camera brands, and will expand into such other consumer product segments as charging units for smartphones.

Kodak will also remain in the traditional film capture and photographic paper business.

Medical ID Bracelet is Enhanced
February 20, 2012
MMR

Consumers who buy TextID bracelets are able to store their medical and personal

To do so, they just follow the instruction on the TextID bracelet, which directs them to text the ID number on the bracelet to 51020.

Hope Paige Medical is a CDMA Platinum Associate Member. Please contact Joshua Lay at (248) 465-0673 or lay@chaindrug.com for more information.

Inroades Are Made by Electronic Cigarettes
March 5, 2012
MMR

Recent improvements in the technology used have enhanced the products’ appeal and given them more of the look, feel and experience of a real cigarette.

Vapor Corp., maker of the Krave, Green Puffer, EZ Smoker and Fifty-One brands, was established by a group of veteran entrepreneurs with strong backgrounds in product and brand development.

The solution may – or may not – contain nicotine, tobacco flavoring or other flavor essences. The steel shell also houses an electronic airflow sensor; a heating element, or atomizer, which vaporizes the liquid so that is can be inhaled; a rechargeable lithium-ion battery; and certain electronic components such as timed cutoff switch to prevent overheating and an LED to signal activation.

When a user inhales and draws air through the device, the airflow is detected by a sensor, which activates the heating element that vaporizes the solution, which is stored in the mouth piece.

Electronic cigarettes enable users to smoke anywhere without the flame; second-hand smoke; and odor, ash, tar or carbon monoxide associated with cigarettes. Vapor’s Krave brand offers both disposable and rechargeable versions with different nicotine strengths, flavors and designs.

For its part, Green Smoke Inc. offers e-cigarettes that incorporate a cartridge prefilled with smoking liquid and a built-in atomizer it call the FlavorMax Cartomizer. The Cartomizer is comparable to 1.5 packs of traditional cigarettes and can be easily replaced.

Taylor Adds More Style to Scales
March 13, 2012
Homeworld Business

Battery Makers Respond to Shopper Needs
MMR
January 23, 2012

Part of that effort involves new product innovations. Energizer Holdings Inc., for example, showcased a number of new items at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

“Consumers can expect new and improved products from Energizer that feature cutting-edge technology designed to both power and light up their lives,” said Michelle Atkinson, vice president of North America marketing for Energizer. “We have innovative portable power solutions for smartphones and tablets, and a new line of household lighting products that consumers will find remarkable. We’re also excited to announce extended battery performance in our popular AA Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries.”

The improved batteries, due to hit store shelves this spring, due to hit store shelves this spring, last up to nine times longer in digital cameras than the company’s alkaline batteries.

“Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries – the world’s longest-lasting AA and AAA batteries in high-tech devices – are now even stronger,” says Energizer vice president of trade development Lou Martire, who points out that a battery that lasts nine times longer means nine times less waste.

Procter & Gamble Co.’s Duracell brand boasts a wide assortment of batteries, including the Duracell Coppertop alkaline, the Duracell Ultra Power (billed as the longest-lasting alkaline battery among leading brands), and Duracell Powerpix, a nickel oxyhydorxide (NiOx) battery that lasts up to twice as long as a regular alkaline battery in such highdrain devices as digital cameras.

The way batteries are merchandised is also critical to maximizing sales. The proliferation of electronic gadgets in the typical household means that most consumers are in need of batteries at any given time, but they may not think to buy them unless they are reminded. To that end, suppliers recommend that batteries be stocked in multiple locations throughout the store, including such high-impact locations as the front end.

Energizer also works with retailers to help them maximize their battery business, Martire notes, adding that consumers purchase about 5 billion batteries a year.

“We do a great deal of consumer and shopper research,” Martire says. “We understand their needs, attitudes and behaviors. We also spend a lot of time understanding the needs of retailers, and all of that folds into the category growth strategies we bring to the table.

“The Energizer Shopper Based Solutions initiative helps shoppers make the right battery choices at the shelf whether they need alkaline batteries for remote controls and flashlights, lithium batteries for GPS systems and digital cameras, or, as the category evolves, power options for their mobile devices. The Shopper Based Solutions initiative provides a recommended product mix, in-store location, shelf organization and category messaging. Most importantly, we have found that retailers adopting the Shopper Based Solution strategy enjoy above-average category sales growth. Energizer has a dedicated Shopper Marketing Team ready to help retailers implement these initiatives in their stores.”

Taylor Expands Plan & Prep Tools
Homeworld Business

New to the company’s kitchen scale assortment is the Taylor CalMax kitchen scale, which provides calorie information on a wide variety of foods.

The CalMax kitchen scale uses the technology of a nutrition scale but focuses on calorie count, the one nutritional value consumers track the most, according to the company.

The new scale, which has a database of more than 1,000 foods, provides caloric value based on the exact portion size. An alphabetical look-up feature that organizes foods in the database makes the foods in the database makes the foods easy to reference and remembers.

A memory feature tracks calories by day, week or individual meals, and a large backlit information center highlights the food, weight of the portion and the calories. The CalMax has an 11-pound capacity and an Add-n-Weigh feature as well.

Available for shipping now, Taylor Precision’s new CalMax kitchen scale has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $39.99.

The meal Scheduler, which is also shipping now, is part of Taylor’s Plan & Prep line of kitchen products. The device is designed to do the work of multiple timers and facilitate getting more than one dishes in a meal on the table at the same time. The Meal Scheduler will help to plan up to four dishes at once. The user can enter the target serving time, then cooking time (and prep time if desired) of each sish, and the Meal Scheduler alerts again when ready to serve. Dishes can be scheduled for up to seven days in advance.

Part of Taylor’s Plan & Prep lineup, the Recipe Converter is available now and has an MSRP of $19.99.

Valentine’s Day Cards Capture ‘Essence of Love’
Mass Market Retailers
January 6, 2012

American Greetings Corp. recently launched a new collection of Valentine’s Day cards from artist Kathy Davis. Called Heart’s Journey, the line takes its inspiration from the different kinds of love and relationships that occur throughout a lifetime, from the excitement of new love to the deeper, soul-satisfying relationships that mature over time. The feelings conveyed by the cards are supported by Davis’ watercolor artwork, the company says, and some designs include keepsake attachments.

“Kathy Davis has such a unique ability to convey emotion through both words and her distinct, expressive watercolor designs,” says Kelli Snowgold, Kath Davis brand manager at American Greetings.

Consumers can also order customized Kathy Davis Valentine’s Day Cards (with photos or personalized messages) here.

Meanwhile, Hallmark Cards Inc. has introduced a new line called Blooming Expressions in time for Valentine’s Day. Combining some of the elements of a card and a gift, the line features fabric flowers that open up – with the push of a button on the pot that serves as the flower’s base – to reveal a special message.

Retailing for $14.95, the Blooming Expressions flowers open to reveal one of the following messages: “I love you,” “You are the heart of our family,” “There’s only one you” or “Love you lots.”

“With the ability to last forever and bloom multiple times, Blooming Expressions enhance the tradition of giving a loved on flowers,” comments Hallmark product manager Dan Woodall. “We’re excited to offer consumers another innovative and tangible way to express what’s in their hearts.”

Introduced in January in two colors – red and pink – Blooming Expressions were set to be released in additional shades, as the Valentine’s Day holiday approaches this month.

As gadgets proliferate, right battery mix is critical
Chain Drug Review
January 2, 2012

“Consumers purchase 5 billion batteries a year,” says Energizer Holdings Inc. vice president of the trade development Lou Martire. “It is, and will continue to be, and important and profitable category for retailers. The key is to ensure a proper mix – which means carrying a comprehensive portfolio – and understanding that the right location and right message will resonate because consumers are willing to spend more for batteries that perform better.”

Dave Carlson, director of marketing communications for Rayovac, says chain drug retailers can gain category share by making batteries more visible. The drug channel is not a destination for batteries but has very high foot traffic, he says. “Consumers can easily be captured when in store,” he says.

Merchandising keys include multiple locations raging from the checkstand to electronics, value sizes and a range of brands, he points out. He advises offering a premium brand along with a value brand such as Rayovac “to capture all consumers.”

Extensive consumer research has given Energizer an understanding of consumers’ needs, attitudes and behaviors, says Martire, adding that the company spends considerable time understanding retailers’ needs. “All of that folds into the category growth strategies we bring to the table,” he says.

The Energizer Shopper Based Solutions initiative helps consumers make the right choices at the shelf whether they need alkaline batteries for remote controls and flashlights, lithium batteries for GPS systems and digital cameras or, power options for mobile devices. Shopper Based Solutions provides a recommended product mix, in-store location, shelf organization and category messaging.

Carlson says batteries tend to be bought on impulse, so “consumers need to be reminded or prompted to purchase.” Because consumers are driven to purchase by the need for application in a certain device, cell size is the dominant sales driver. “Stocking all key basic cell sizes is essential,” he says.

Energizer knows that people are willing to spend more for a better battery “but once they get into the store they can get into the store they can become confused and overwhelmed,” Martire says. “That’s where our team can help retailers with the right product mix, placement and message so that they are driving the sales of the right batteries for the right purposes and, ultimately, growing their profitability in the category. An emphasis on correct price gap management, efficient promotion and visible permanent merchandising like Energizer Shopper Based Solutions will enable retailers to win in what is still a very large – and ever profitable – segment.”

Vendors Motivated By Consumer Grooming, Fitness
By Mike Duff
Homeworld Business

Vendors that can provide features that stores can sell against, particularly those that can stand out in a merchandising context, are bound to enjoy some advantage as retailers look to advance their personal and health care products operations. The addition of pharmacies at so many retailers as well as the expansion of major drug chains has provided a context that should allow aggressive chain store operators to build sales in the category. Yet, in many cases, nothing much new has been done to improve merchandising. Many products remain on lockdown at drug chains, for example.

Pressure to improve operations will come from retailers expanding their pharmacy presence. Kroger has been eliminating its traditional supermarket units and converting, when not going to a Marketplace store, to food and drug formats that permit it to place additional emphasis on categories such as personal care.

Although hair was a driving factor in health and personal care appliances in 2011, it wasn’t the only factor to consider. Health monitoring continues to gain as the population ages, but it isn’t all blood pressure devices. With more admonishments to get and stay fit, consumer demand for products that record and even motivate their health efforts has driven innovation. In scales, that means more accurate body composition monitoring for less cost and, if possible, information storage and retrieval. EatSmart has expanded from information dense food scales to bathroom scales. Some consumers want more than a scale but also a method of pursuing better health practices so products from Taylor, with The Biggest Loser and Bowflex lines, and Sakar, with its GNC items, use licenses to link their products to established wellness concepts.

Striiv is designed to be a self contained monitoring device. In contrast, GeoPalz has produced decorative pedometers to encourage fitness among kids. The company expanded the line this year to include water-resistant wrist and food stride counters that complement its original GeoPalz device, which is worn on the waist. The flip-open devices toggle modes between displaying steps achieved or time exercising. A smaller wireless version registers on a separate reader that can connect to 20 separate pedometers, so families, gym teachers and youth athletic coaches can track fitness activity and encourage exercise.

A Tool to Quit Smoking Has Some Unlikely Critics
By John Tierney
New York Times

Recently, though, experiments in Italy had more success by doing less. A team led by Riccardo Polosa of the University of Catania recruited 40 hard-core smokers – ones who had turned down a free spot in a smoking-cessation program – and simply gave them a gadget already available in stores for $50. This electric cigarette or e-cigarette, contains a small reservoir of liquid nicotine solution that is vaporized to form an aerosol mist.

The user “vabes,” or puffs on the vapor, to get a hit of the addictive nicotine (and the familiar sensation of bringing a cigarette to one’s mouth) without the noxious substances found in cigarette smoke.

After six months, more than half of the subjects in Dr. Polosa’s experiment had cut their regular cigarette consumption by at least 50 percent. Nearly a quarter had stopped altogether. Though this was just a small pilot study, the results fit with other encouraging evidence and bolster hopes that these e-cigarettes could be the most effective tool yet for reducing the global death toll from smoking.

But there’s a powerful group working against this innovation – and it’s not Big Tobacco. It’s a coalition of government officials and antismoking groups who have been warning about the dangers of e-cigarettes and trying to ban their sale.

The controversy is part of a long-running philosophical debate about public health policy, but with and odd role reversal. In the past, conservatives have leaned toward “abstinence only” policies for dealing with problems like teenage pregnancy and heroin addiction, while liberals have been open to “harm reduction” strategies like encouraging birth control and dispensing methadone.

When it comes to nicotine, though the abstinence forces tend to be more liberal, including Democratic officials at the state and national level who have been trying to stop the sale of e-cigarettes and ban their use in smoke-free places. They’ve argued that smokers who want an alternative source of nicotine should use only thoroughly tested products like Nicorette gum and prescription patches – and use them only briefly, as a way to get off nicotine altogether.

The Food and Drug Administration tried to stop the sale of e-cigarettes by treating them as a “drug delivery device” that could not be marketed until its safety and efficacy could be demonstrated in clinical trials. The agency was backed by the American  Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, Action on Smoking and Health, and the Center for Tombacco-Free Kids.

Writing in Harm Reduction Journal this year, Dr. Rodu concludes that the F.D.A’s results “are highly unlikely to have any possible significance to users” because it detected chemicals at “about one million times lower concentrations that are conceivably related to human health.” His conclusion is shared by Michael Siegel, a professor at the Boston University School of Public Health.

“It boggles my mind why there is a bias against e-cigarettes among anti-smoking groups.” Dr. Siegel said. He added that it made no sense to fret about hypothetical risks from minuscule levels of several chemicals in e-cigarettes when the alternative is known to be deadly: cigarettes containing thousands of chemicals, including dozens of carcinogens and hundreds of toxins.

Both sides in the debate agree that e-cigarettes should be studied more thoroughly and subjected to tighter regulation, including quality-control standards and a ban on sales to minors. But the harm-reduction side, which includes the American Association of Public Health Physicians and the American Council on Science and Health, sees no reason to prevent adults from using e-cigarettes. In Britain, the Royal College of Physicians has denounced “irrational and immoral” regulations inhibiting the introduction of safer nicotine-delivery devices.

“Nicotine itself is not especially hazardous, “ the British medical society concluded in 2007. “If nicotine could be provided in a form that is acceptable and effective as a cigarette substitute, millions of lives could be saved.”

The number of Americans trying e-cigarettes quadrupled from 2009 to 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Its survey last year found that 1.2 percent of adults, or close to three million people, reported using them in the previous month.

If millions of people switch from smoking to vaping, it would be a challenge to conventional wisdom about antismoking movement. The decline in smoking is commonly attributed to paternalistic and prohibitionist social policies, and it’s ritually invoked as a justification for crackdowns on other products – trans fat, salt, soft drinks, Quarter Pounders.

But the sharpest decline in smoking rates in the United States occurred in the decades before 1990, when public health experts concentrated on simply educating people about the risks. The decline has been slower the past tow decades despite increasingly elaborate smoking-cessation programs and increasingly coercive tactics: punitive taxes; limits on marketing and advertising; smoking band in offices, restaurants and just about every other kind of public space.

Some 50 million Americans continue to smoke, and it’s no because they’re too stupid to realize it’s dangerous. They go on smoking in part because of a fact that the prohibitionists are loath to recognize: Nicotine is a drug with benefits. It has been linked by researchers (and smokers) to reduce anxiety and stress, lower weight, faster reaction time and improved concentration.

“It’s time to be honest with the 50 million Americans, and hundred of millions around the world, who use tobacco,” Dr. Rodu writes. “The benefits they get from tobacco are very real, and imaginary or just the periodic elimination of withdrawal.”

“It’s time to abandon the myth that tobacco is devoid of benefits, and to focus on how we can help smokers continue to derive those benefits with a safer delivery system.”

As a former addict myself – I smoked long ago, and was hooked on Nicorette gum for a few years – I can appreciate why the prohibitionists fear nicotine’s appeal. I agree that abstinence is the best policy. Yet it’s obviously not working for lots of people. No one knows exactly what long-term benefits they’d gain from e-cigarettes, but we can say one thing with confidence: Every time they light up a tobacco cigarette, they’d be better off vaping.

New Half Time Drill Drive makes way to retail
By Allison Cerra
Drug Store News

How it works: The Half Time Drill Driver allows a users to select two different size bits, drill the pilot hole, flip the drill driver’s pivot arm and then drive in any screw, nut or fastener. The patent-pending swivel head flips and locks, providing the user an easy switch from drilling to driving in several seconds.

The Half Time Drill Driver such retailers as CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and other major retailers nationwide.

Zak Launches Aurora Plastic Tableware
By Lisa Cowley, Associate Editor of Homeworld Business

“One of the big questions we always got a tradeshows and customer appointments was, ‘Is this microwaveable?’ So we always knew that the interest was there for a product line that had all the convenience of plastic with the added benefit of being microwaveable like glass and ceramics.” Irv Zakheim, president and CEO of Zak Designs, and HOMEWORLD BUSINESS®.

The proprietary material is said to be more stain resistant than polypropylene, and can be microwaved, unlike acrylics or melamine. It is also BPA free. While Zak is debuting the material in tabletop, there are opportunities to expand it into Zak’s other product lines, according to the company. It carries a slightly higher pricepoint than melamine; suggested retail pricepoints on Aurora are $6.99 to $7.99.

Zak is releasing Aurora in two distinctive tie-dye color palettes, including a Marine Blue and Kiwi colorway, and on featuring red, orange, and yellow. Each piece is created in a way that ensures that no two pieces are exactly alike, according to the company. Aurora is also available in a solid Kiwi option. The Aurora line will feature a dinner plate, salad plate and individual bowl.

American Greetings opens Cardstore.com
Source: Chain Drug Review
November 21, 2011

More than 10,000 designs are available on the site. Consumers can select from the greeting card content and customize it through a variety of interactive options. Users can add personal photos, include unique, heartfelt messages and even upload a signature. Cardstore.com will also stamp and send the cards via the U.S. Postal Service.

“American Greetings is committed to offering consumers the best quality and convenient ways to meet their greeting cards needs, and Cardstore is an exciting next step in that on going effort,” said American Greetings Interactive president Sally Schriner. “We have been a leader in leveraging the latest technologies in the digital and social spaces, and, with Cardstore, we are

Cardstore.com users can find such brands as American Greetings, Papyrus, Kathy Davis and Taylor Swift, and designers such as Bonnie Marcus, Caleb Gray, Amy Smyth and Kate Spain. They can search by category or brand to find favorite designs in birthday, thank you, holiday, birthday, kids and babies, photo cards, and for special occasions like weddings, parties and moves. Also available is a wide array of customized personal stationary.

For card shoppers, drug stores have much to offer
Source: Chain Drug Review
November 7, 2011

Card suppliers and retailers attribute the shift to the convenience and prevalence of mass market outlets, and they observe that the easiest to shop and most widespread mass outlets are chain drug stores.

“Someone buying a card doesn’t want to have to navigate grocery or discount store aisles, or park a mile away in a huge lot,” says on chain drug category manager. “The category’s a natural fit with our stores. We have enough space to dedicate extensive footage to cards, but our store sizes and parking lots are far from overwhelming.”

Another chain drug merchandiser comments, “The whole idea of sending a greeting card is that you’re sharing an emotion with someone. Getting a card in a cavernous store full of food or clothing or electronics somehow just doesn’t feel right,”

American Greetings Corp. knows that consumers are moving away from specialty shops to meet their greeting card needs, “and this offers all of our partners the chance to drive traffic by attracting these migrating shoppers,” says a company spokesman.

“With all of our retail partners, we encourage the development of a best-in-class card department built upon strong location, optimal size and the right product mix to attract shoppers, satisfy their individual needs and keep them coming back,” he explains. “A strategically placed, well-merchandised, attractive card department is the most effective in-store marketing tool that a retailer can deploy.”

Drug store chains, in particular, have “a tremendous opportunity” in the category because of the channel migration trend, according to the American Greetings spokesman

In today’s economy, he notes, consumers are intent on prioritizing their needs. One need consumers are not willing to forgo is being able to connect with those closest to them, he says. This is borne out by the increasing popularity of social media and constant advances in technology to keep up with shoppers’ needs.

“Consumers always want to find something new and exciting in the card aisle, and that’s why we are dedicated to being the most innovative greeting card company today,” he adds. “Our constant stream of new product concepts leverage the latest technologies, and we enhance the great surprise that these innovations offer with the perfect sentiments for every occasion and relationship. This constant freshness and the promise of always being able to find the perfect card encourage consumers to visit the aisle more often and give us a great opportunity to drive incremental sales for our retail partners.”

American Greetings last month unveiled Impression on the Heart, a collection of cards designed to offer an elegant addition to any birthday celebration. The line promises beauty, elegance and warmth, with each card wrapped up with a new ribbon. The cards use a new high-quality paper that changes color during the embossing process to create an intricate, color-enhanced design that will add a luxurious fell to any celebration, the company says.

Mintel: Pet products industry to see continued growth
Source: Drug Store News, November 1, 2011
By: Allison Cerra

Because more than three-quarters (76%) of dog or cat owners consider their pets to be part of the family, products that go beyond basic necessities (i.e., food), such as apparel, toys, treats, veterinary care and grooming, are expected to help the industry grow 33% by 2016.

“To maintain and continue such strong sales is an impressive feat in our tough economy and truly speaks to owners’ commitment to their pets and manufacturers’ ability to develop products that resonate with pet owners,”

“Despite the difficult economy, 50% of pet owners make unplanned toy and treat purchases for their pets and another 16% say they have cut back on extra household expenses in order to afford pet-related care … showing the true commitment of pet-parents,” O’Donnell added.

Hope Paige Medical launches TextID medical jewelry
Source: Drug Store News, November 1, 2011
By: Allison Cerra

TextID uses SMS technology to relay life-saving information about a patient, Hope Paige Medical said. How it works: emergency medical personnel will be able to access a patient’s self-created emergency profile — which can be created online for $12 for the first year of membership (and $10 each year thereafter) — which provides detailed medical information, such as current medications, emergency contacts, etc.,

Users of TextID medical jewelry can create their personal medical profile in minutes, which can include up to 10 emergency contacts, and can be updated at any time from any computer or smartphone at no additional charge, the company said.

TextID is powered by ICEdot, an emergency identification and notification service that enables people to store their medical and personal information in a secure online account.

A New Way To Glue!

Have you had a chance to check out Glue Dots? If not, you are missing out on an incredibly trend! Not only is this popular member shaking up the traditional adhesives category, it’s doing it in style!

From August 1-September 30th, 2011 customers can “enter to win” a $2,000 Back to School shopping spree and Glue Dots product! This contest is bound to generate a tremendous amount of consumer awareness! You can enter to win here!

Don’t forget to check out their great product line by visiting Glue Dots website.

Telebrands is chopping it up

TELEBRANDS shows the ASOTV category is still roaring with it’s newest the easiest way to cut prep time in half!

The SliceOMatic™ is the simple way to slice and dice your fruits and vegetables with shear perfection! The adjustable settings allow for the perfect thickness, whether you want thin cucumber slices or thick potatoes the SliceOMatic™ is the answer! This item is sure to be a smash hit with a media spend on average of $250,000 per week in T.V. spots. THAT’S APPROXIMATELY $700,000 A WEEK AT RATE CARD!!!!

PROJECTED SHIP DATE: September 1, 2011
Retail $19.99

Check out this holiday season’s MUST HAVE at

www.sliceomatic.com

Back to School Merchandising Tips

Back to School Has Changed, Have You?

Retailers See Bigger Gains In Back To College
Source: 
HomeWorld Business
“Back to college is becoming a more prominent promotional vehicle annually, and it seems as if big discount store operators are in a position to gain the most from the trend. A recent Student Watch study conducted by OnCampus Research, a division of the National Association of College Stores, determined that Walmart and Target are the top retail stores shopped by college students.

The reason may be simple economics as 75% of the 15,000 students surveyed said that they are comparing prices more before making a purchase. The tough economy plays into student frugality.

Certainly, retailers are becoming more aware of the opportunity represented by back to college particularly in home-related categories that don’t get the same boost from traditional back to school promotions targeting grade- and high-school students, such as lighting and storage. In its latest conference call, Target executive vp/merchandising Kathryn Tesija identified back to college, along with back to school, Valentine’s Day, Easter, summer and Halloween as promotional opportunities, along with the fourth quarter holiday season, that the retailer would more actively pursue this year.

It’s clear that the Back To College is a definite opportunity that should not be left to the big boxes to rule. What items are you planning to offer to lure these customers into your door?

Are Customers Dying for Natural Insect Repellent?

Contech’s environmentally friendly insect traps use systems and baits tested, and in some cases patented by, Pherotech International – a leading supplier of pest management products for the US Forest Service and the US Department of Agriculture. Pest-control products are effective, easy too use, and harmless to children, pets, and the environment.  Check out their website for a list of their products.

Greenerways Organic was founded in 2008 when they introduced their premier product, Bug-It-Off, the first insect repellant available that is 100% organic certified.

So as you see, choosing greener and natural repellents is easy and a great revenue driver!

The middle child and you-
Why are you ignoring it?

A Kodak Moment