Jefferies Socks Loved by Children’s Retailers Everywhere

Jefferies Socks has been a leading manufacturer of socks and tights for 75 years.

The Burlington, NC-based company expanded their product line to include the children’s market in 1962, and now offer everything from basics to fashion for children of all ages.

Our crochet baby bootie collection for baby girls and baby boys are all hand crocheted. They are one of our great sellers.

–Sandra Sullivan, marketing executive for Jefferies Socks

Jefferies is the kind of company that children’s retailers and specialty stores love to do business with. “We bring selection, product expertise, in-store service, quality and prompt delivery to the retailer,” they say. “In addition to our brands, we also offer private label program.” The company also makes socks and tights to wear with school and military uniforms as well as selections for men and women, too.

If you own a children’s store, the Jefferies team makes it easy and fun to buy wholesale, offering online catalogs, a list of showrooms where shop owners can see product, as well as trade show information and online specials. Follow Jefferies Socks on Facebook and Twitter; keep up with company news on Jefferies’ blog, too.

Children’s Retail Today publishes new posts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you want to get the word out about your innovative, imaginative and inspiring products for children, contact me today!

A Feel-Good Story for Year’s End

Nineteen-year-old Lauren Feather has taken on a challenge that many find inconceivable in this economy: opening a successful fashion business.

Not only did Lauren open the flagship store of her (Best Kept Secret) Boutique™ this summer, she chose the Las Vegas area -Nevada’s current capital of foreclosure- as the new home for what she calls “adorable, affordable, cute and quality™.”

“As a Summerlin resident, it is the ideal location for my brand,” Lauren says. “It’s exciting to see my dream come to life while being able to bring (Best Kept Secret) Boutique™ to this community. Women can find cute, affordable clothing they’re proud to wear.”

The boutique merchandise of eye-catching apparel, stylish shoes and trendy accessories is a reflection of Lauren’s own youthful energy and action-filled lifestyle. She designed the shopping experience to have a one-on-one feel while catering to young women’s desire to shop for trendy, edgy fashion at affordable prices.

I realized department and specialty stores were committing a major fashion faux pas -charging ridiculous prices for mediocre fashion. The victims? Young women looking for cute, affordable and quality clothes.”

Lauren is inspired by her own passion for fashion, constantly in search of unique, fine quality clothing that isn’t super expensive. She dreamed of a store filled with the most adorable and reasonably priced little gems she could really buy and be happy with. After investing time researching, drawing up plans and putting her keen eye for fashion to work, Lauren actually opened that store, and she’s living her dream.

Now, if this success story doesn’t inspire you to revisit your own dreams for a business you’re jazzed about, I don’t know what will.

Happy Holidays, everybody! Live your dream in 2012.

Predictions for Holiday Shopping 2011

The National Retail Federation (NRF) forecasts overall holiday retail sales to grow 2.8% during this month and December to $465.6 billion.

Armed with savvy shopping skills and a renewed focus on value, consumers this holiday season are shopping at a variety of locations and channels as they scope out ways to get the best bang for their buck. According to the National Retail Federation’s 2011 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch®, holiday shoppers say they plan to shell out an average of $704.18 on holiday gifts and seasonal merchandise, down slightly from last year.

Nearly six in 10 holiday shoppers say they plan to take advantage of retailers’ sales and discounts to make additional non-gift purchases for themselves and their families during the holiday season.

When it comes to retail growth this holiday season, slow and steady wins the race – and the same is true for shoppers who are meticulously calculating the best ways to stretch their dollar. Knowing their customers are more focused than ever on value, retailers will entice shoppers with promotions that go beyond discounts, whether they’re promoting free gifts with purchase, an extended warranty or stellar customer service.”

-NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay

In addition, online retailers have plenty to be joyous about this holiday season as new research shows companies are adjusting their holiday plans based on expected growth and strong demand from holiday shoppers. Continue reading →

New company helps retailers navigate internet marketing

Worldwide retail executives struggling to sort out what is current and what is outdated best-practices for

e-marketing, e-commerce, online advertising, sales and marketing, web and design can now access a compilation of tools for google advertising, search engine optimization (SEO), global PR services, and resource directories –all at www.globalb2bcommunications.com.

The high return-on-investment and low risk tools and services compiled on Global B2B Communications are geared to help B2B company executives and other online retailers responsible for cultivating worldwide lead generation.

The resources on this site are based on a very sophisticated understanding of natural language processing, how today’s worldwide search engines really work and how companies can combine state-of-the-art artificial intelligence tools for competitive web analysis with Google AdWord campaigns and Global PR tactics to quickly reap significant ROI from their online marketing investments.”

-Amy Munice, founder

The launch of this website and its companion b2c site slated for future release, marks the culmination of a year+ search to find the best-in-class internet marketing tools. Amy, also president of 20+ year-old PR company ALM Communications Inc., specializes in worldwide PR campaigns with pre-set guarantees and deliverables. Headquartered in Chicago, IL, USA, ALM works with a wide network of technical and trade magazine editors across the globe.

Every day I am visiting websites with long laundry lists of the same keywords on every page -ostensibly because the company is ‘optimizing’ each webpage for every one of these dozen or so terms, not realizing the diminishing returns of that type approach. These signs of out-of-date web marketing approaches are ubiquitous -worldwide.”

All inquiries can be directed to info@almcommunications.com.

Stanford Distributing Corporation Celebrates 50 Years

“Having been a member of Baby News for 23 years, I would recommend it to anyone who wants to succeed in the baby business for the long haul. The group is willing to open up their operations to others and share what makes them successful, or even share their failures. There are a variety of store sizes, so we get differing perspectives from all types of demographics. Merchandise is also available from a shared warehouse, but not restricted to purchasing from the warehouse like some franchise operations.”

– Richard Woo, Citikids Baby News Store, San Francisco, CA

Stanford Distributing Corporation, the main business arm of Baby News, an association of independently owned children’s retailers, celebrates 50 years of business this year. “There are many difficult issues confronting retailing today,” says president Roger O’Callaghan. “However, if you have good people who recognize the value of ‘we’, you can adjust to the bad times. The Baby News family has always been willing to take some chances and change with the times, but the communality of the business and the willingness to work together remains constant.” Roger tells us more about this unique association and its benefits for retailers.

What’s the greatest way an association like Baby News helps a retailer in this economy?

We believe that specialty stores now need to work together to find exclusive products, get better pricing and develop an expertise on juvenile products that will separate them from the mass merchants. Although Baby News stores pay fees to be part of the association, they all benefit from the partnership they have formed together. All independent stores should consider joining one of the major retail groups in our industry.

What one membership advantage do you find is universal among all Baby News stores?

The secret of the growth of the business has been the interaction of the Baby News store owners. Stanford Distributing was created by the stores to service the association of stores. BNO Inc. was created by the stores to answer the need for an online registry and fulfillment. The registry has over 30,000 items with pictures and descriptions due to the stores’ involvement in helping to create the registry program from scratch.

Baby News considers itself a family of stores, which shares many things, from ideas, store volumes and merchandise. The Baby News catalog is a creation of the individual stores in bringing the best products to customers. Yes, nearly all of the growth of Baby News has been from personal contact with existing Baby News store owners.

How do potential retailers find out about Baby News?

Retailers can find out more about our association by visiting BabyNews.com, our informational website. Meetings are held at trade shows and independently. Stores communicate collectively through online services and the corporation sends out newsletters about business promotions and changes.

Congratulations, Roger and everyone in the Baby News family!

Six Retailer Trends in 2011

The retail industry is expanding in directions it would have been difficult to predict even five years ago.

Despite the sluggish economy, e-commerce reports record sales last year with an anticipated double-digit growth in 2011. Fueled by new technology and an evolving social-media shopping sphere, commerce is almost unrecognizable to the common consumer. However, it spells good news for retailers who quickly adopt such changing sales and marketing strategies.

Here are six retailer trends changing the way consumers shop in 2011.

Social Media Sales. As Gen Xers move into their peak spending years and become entranced by social-media shopping, more retailers are jumping on the bandwagon to engage their customers via Twitter and Facebook. In fact, the Facebook store, referred to as “F-Commerce,” is an increasingly popular outlet for retailers to target such social-media shoppers. Also known as social shopping, the process allows consumers and retailers to aggregate and share information in real time about special offers, products, prices and purchases. The big advantage to consumers is they needn’t leave a social-media site to shop and can immediately share their purchase with friends and other fans. This helps reduce the solitary feeling of online shopping. Via social media, merchants also provide information about special offers and, increasingly, coupon codes and downloadable coupons.

Daily Deals. With the explosion of limited-time daily deals via group-buying (more than 23 million in the last year) and flash-sale sites like Gilt Group & Jetsetter.com, it’s no surprise other retailers have adopted this successful sales strategy. In fact, online retailers like Target and Overstock now offer Deal-of-the-Day sales that bode well for sales. Even Facebook and Amazon have added daily deal services.

Mobile Sales, Coupons and Instant Deals. The busier we become, the more we rely on our smartphones to shop, compare prices and look for deals while on-the-go. Retailers have cottoned onto this need as a new opportunity for capturing and engaging customers. For example, the CouponSherpa iPhone app allows shoppers to research mobile coupons for specific items, then use those same coupons at checkout. Foursquare has become increasingly popular as a way for retailers and restaurants to provide special offers when you “check in.” Amazon’s iPhone App allows you to scan a bar code or take a photo of a product seen while window shopping and, at the your later convenience, purchase that item with just one click.

Free Shipping. Originating in Australia, retailers are talking about charging shoppers for use of their changing rooms. The move is designed to prevent consumers from trying items in-store, then buying them online at a discount price. Fortunately, retailers have shifted marketing efforts to target online shoppers by creating a more accessible e-shopping experience and offering free shipping both ways as well as site to store free shipping. Online stores like Zappos and Piperlime now offer free shipping both ways and merchants like Walmart and REI offer site to store free shipping.

Name Your Own Price. Gap has recently taken the daily deal concept a step further with the launch of its new Gap My Price program, which allows customers to bid for clothing and accessories. The process is the same as with Priceline, which targets cost-conscious travelers: You extend a sales offer for a particular item; Gap then makes a final offer you can either accept or reject.

Body Scanners In Malls. We’re not talking about security scanners here, but rather a system that helps you deal with manufacturer’s increasingly different sizing charts. MyBestFit addresses this problem with mall kiosks offering free 20-second, full-body scans. Here’s how it works: You step fully dressed into a 380-degree booth and a wand rotates around you, emitting low-power radio waves that record roughly 200,000 body measurements to assess areas like bicep circumference. The system then matches these measurements to sizes in its database for roughly 50 stores, including Talbots, Old Navy and Eddie Bauer.

Courtesy of consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch, who has been featured on NBC’s Today Show, FOX & Friends, MSNBC, ABC News NOW and more. Find more information at AndreaWoroch.com.

Buyback Programs Help After the Holidays

“It’s been a tough couple of years for specialty retail. I appreciate any effort to help us keep margins in line.”

-Karry Blodgette, Spoiled Silly, Inc., Depoe Bay, OR

“I have a compelling story to share with your readers,” Jonathan Domsky, president of Kidorable, tells HCRSourcebook. “With the economy still biting, we are using our creativity to help our customers be as successful with our company as possible.”

The Niles, IL-based company Jonathan and Liping Domsky started in 1997 to create children’s apparel and accessories that are both functional and fun has evolved into a flourishing global enterprise with sales they project to exceed $15 million by 2015.

“After the holidays, retailers inevitably run out of some items they need to reorder, and have other inventory they wish they could send back,” Jonathan says. “Most retailers are forced to put half their merchandise on sale, devastating their margins, and can’t order new spring product until they’ve cleared out the old stuff.”

How does Kidorable help? With the January Buyback Program. “We encourage our retailers to rebalance their inventory by sending back any unwanted Kidorable merchandise for a full credit,” Jonathan explains. “Kidorable even pays for the return shipping. All we ask for is a Buy Back order at least double the size of the return.”

Jonathan’s clients appreciate his company’s efforts, too. “Many of my vendors have made it more difficult than ever to order,” says Karry Blodgette of Spoiled Silly, Inc., “but not Kidorable. It’s not one thing with them … it’s the whole package … they are really a pleasure to do business with.”

To find out more, email Jon directly at jon@kidorable.com and visit Kidorable.com.

-Janet Muniz

Mother/Daughter Mother’s Day

Cynthia Berman of D-Lux 57 signs her correspondence with a fabulous “Happy Cooking” – a great reminder of what us fashionistas can whip up in the kitchen when we have a mind to. And why not look stylish while doing it, too!

RETAILER ALERT: With Mother’s Day coming up on May 9, now is a perfect time to stock Made in the USA D-Lux 57 aprons – for Moms, Grandmothers and Little Cooks alike. The latest addition to the line is the Bird House print, twinned with a whimsical fruit print, orange gingham straps and red trim. And for “Moms-2-B,” the two pocket flirty apron may suit their fancy. D-Lux 57 aprons are fully lined and packaged inside a matching keepsake envelope.

“Be sure to check our website for other aprons you can match up for Mother/Daughter,” Cynthia says. “We also have many prints for big sister in Tween Cook sizes, too.” The company offers free shipping on all retail orders within the U.S.

As Cynthia says, happy cooking – and happy planning for Mother’s Day.

-Janet Muniz

Not Your Mother’s Muzak

Music can not only make your day, but it can also help make your sale. So says the venerable creators of “elevator music,” Muzak.

Recently featured on CBS News Sunday Morning in a story called, The Sound of Muzak, the company is reportedly the world’s leading provider of music, messaging and digital signage services for businesses. For 75+ years, Muzak has been creating the soundtrack of our lives – even if we’re not aware of it!

Muzak works with businesses – especially in retail – to brand them using music. Giving a store an audio signature can give its customers an emotional connection with the experience of shopping there, which can keep them coming back for more.

Muzak recently launched Touch, a solutions-driven experience design firm that specializes in audio and sensory branding. Touch is designed “to bring strategic intent to the most emotive touch points in a retail environment” and is targeted at Muzak’s most progressive and innovative clients already utilizing the company’s full product suite. With a more focused, integrated approach to sensory branding, company officials say Touch develops a comprehensive experience design that supports the client’s overall business and brand objectives – in-store, online or beyond.

“Innovation is happening at every level of the company. We are aggressively introducing new clients, new service offerings, new product lines and new technology,” says Touch’s VP/GM Robert Finigan. “Touch brings it all together.”

At this year’s Globalshop conference in Las Vegas, NV, Touch hosted an exclusive after party where a panel of industry experts had a lively discussion on the current state of music and branding, moderated by music expert and lifestyle artist Allison Hagendorf, host of FUSE TV’s The Pop Show.

So if you want your customers to “whistle while they shop,” so to speak, consider designing an exclusive sound for YOUR shop.

-Janet Muniz

HauteLook

Exclusive. For a limited time. From the privacy of your own home or office.

In the rapidly growing online private sale/flash sale business, HauteLook partners with premium fashion and lifestyle brands to create private, upscale sale events at savings of up to 75% off retail prices. HauteLook is free to join and everyone is welcome. In fact, the company just passed the two million member mark, hosting more than 2,000 private sale events for women, men, home, beauty … and children’s products.

“HauteLook is a leader in the online kids’ business, with a dedicated team spearheaded by a veteran from BabyStyle, with a kid’s event almost every day,” Amelia Woltering, account director at KAPLOW, tells me. “The kids business is one of the fastest growing categories on HauteLook, with 2009 sales growing over 13x those of 2008.”

Amelia says that a partnership with HauteLook allows kids’ retailers brand transparency and control throughout the process, including time, pricing and the look of the event on HauteLook. Retailers also view the event through a private dashboard.

“Over 2/3 of kids’ buyers have never owned the brands prior to purchasing on HauteLook,” Amelia says, “but through the site, brands are introduced to a new, loyal audience for their products both on and off the site.”

Just ask Angel Dear, Peek … Aren’t You Curious and Umi. All of these companies are HauteLook fans!

-Janet Muniz