Ideas To Help Power Your Gift Shop - September 17, 2014

On Our Radar

* Google Shopping Express. Should brick-and-mortar retailers partner with Google? Its new service uses couriers for same-day delivery, a model set up to help traditional merchants compete with Amazon. But will it squeeze profit margins too much?

* Video. Video is projected to account for 74% of all Internet traffic in 2017. Here are six ways you can use video in your small business - even on a shoestring budget.

Hot Topic:

Apparel

Are you carrying apparel in your shop? Do you want to know which lines are selling best for your peers? There's a hot topic on our website, where well-known lines such as Noelle and Charlie Paige are being discussed, along with smaller boutique lines you might want to consider. You can find the discussion in our Buying/Product forum. Reminder: Access to Giftbeat's Community Board is a FREE service for subscribers.

Quick Links

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Tip: Tout Your Bestsellers

How important are testimonials to customers? Very! Just look at the popularity of online reviews. Why not take that simple concept and apply it in your store? A South Carolina retailer uses signage to

tout her bestselling cards. It helps get customers' attention - and also sells more cards. "I bet you I double my sales because of that," she tells us. "Just like we as retailers like to know a manufacturer's bestsellers, so does a customer like to know a store's."

Pick: "People We Love" Collection

Have you seen Jilzara's "People We Love"

collection? It's a winner! Each carded necklace features four charms, including a "Love" heart. Designs are offered for Mother, Daughter, Friend, Sister, Aunt, Teacher and more. Each card is highlighted by designer Jill Manzara's colorful artwork and includes sentiment, such as, "Mother, You mean the world to me. Your love is a priceless gift to be appreciated and held dear forever." Necklaces come with a white organza gift bag. Cost: $8.95.

Trend: Feeling Blue

Fashion design

ers are hot for the color blue, as spring 2015 will showcase a range of choices, from turquoise to teal. Pantone also predicts blue to be a hot color, with Aquamarine, Scuba Blue and Classic Blue in the forecast. You can view the full report here.

Feeling Inspired

"We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another."

- Luciano De Crescenzo

Thanks for joining me. See you next time!

Joyce Washnik, Editor

Giftbeat

joyce@giftbeat.com

P.S. In addition to my Display Creativity and Editor's Picks Pinterest boards, I also have Fashion Trends, Design Inspiration and Retail Watch. Would love to have you follow along!