With a variety of buyer amenities, new exhibitors and local attractions to enjoy as part of your trip to the International Gift Exposition in the Smokies® (IGES), there is a lot to look forward to at the upcoming IGES Show. Taking place November 3-7, 2018, IGES...
The International Gift Exposition in the Smokies® (IGES) is just around the corner and attendees have a lot to look forward to. With a variety of buyer amenities that range from opening day buyers’ receptions to area lodging discounts to specialty networking dinners...
The National Retail Federation reports that 2018 holiday sales will increase between 4.3 and 4.8 percent from last year, with customers looking to spend more due in part to increased employee wages and job creation alike. Combined with a reported $100 Billion...
It’s hard to believe, but the holidays are fast approaching. Kids are on their best behavior to make sure they land on Santa’s “nice” list while adults are starting to loosen up their purse strings in anticipation of the gift-giving season. It’s not a question of if...
When going on vacation, people like to remember their special trip with a souvenir or gift to bring home. While those gifts can run the gamut when it comes to price range and selection, one thing is for certain — people are buying like crazy. In fact, according...
It may not be the holidays yet… but there’s no better time than now to prepare your store for the rush of customers that will be looking to shop and spend this upcoming holiday season. Among the ways to do this is to offer a wide array of merchandise that...
Retail is a game of numbers – and the numbers tell us that visitors to the U.S. generated $245 billion in travel spending in 2016 and that travel and tourism generated 118,454,000 jobs directly in 2017. This is forecasted to grow by 2.4% in 2018, creating 121,356,000...
If you operate a retail store that caters to tourists, you know firsthand that these customers are not your traditional consumer. Their shopping preferences vary from needing something last minute to wanting something ‘just because’. Keeping this in mind, it helps to...
What makes a customer decide that a specific product is the perfect souvenir to commemorate their trip or vacation? This question is probably on your mind a lot if you run a retail store that carries souvenirs or gifts. After all, the souvenir industry is a...
It’s not always easy to be a gift retailer in today’s economy. Customers have myriad ways to spend their money, rents are up, and there’s competition for attention and commerce everywhere you turn. This said, by the end of 2018 it’s expected that sales of gift,...
