Here are a few more things to think about before you head out for your next trade show. The Dallas Morning News ran an interesting article entitled, “For retailer buyers, a tall order for the holidays” this week. The article discusses how retailer buyers are approaching Holiday 2009. Here are few highlights:
“ Bradley Hilton, buyer for San Francisco-based Gump's, looks for holiday bargains at Dallas Market Center. Buyers are the retail industry's forecasters and risk takers, searching the world for the latest fashion and products.
As buyer for San Francisco-based Gump's, Hilton is in Dallas looking for lower-priced versions of pillows and throws than ones traditionally featured in the Christmas catalog.
He is among the thousands of retailer buyers putting the final wrap on holiday 2009 at Dallas Market Center's home and gift market ending today.
Preoccupied with the uncertainties of this year's holiday retail season, Hilton is packing 65 vendor visits into a four-day trip.
He keeps asking himself: ‘Would I pay this much for that?’
Buyers are the retail industry's eyes and ears, their forecasters and risk takers. They search the world to bring consumers the latest fashion and products. They have to be good with numbers and able to put personal tastes aside to satisfy the spectrum of customers.”
“ Bradley Hilton, buyer for San Francisco-based Gump's, looks for holiday bargains at Dallas Market Center. Buyers are the retail industry's forecasters and risk takers, searching the world for the latest fashion and products.
As buyer for San Francisco-based Gump's, Hilton is in Dallas looking for lower-priced versions of pillows and throws than ones traditionally featured in the Christmas catalog.
He is among the thousands of retailer buyers putting the final wrap on holiday 2009 at Dallas Market Center's home and gift market ending today.
Preoccupied with the uncertainties of this year's holiday retail season, Hilton is packing 65 vendor visits into a four-day trip.
He keeps asking himself: ‘Would I pay this much for that?’
Buyers are the retail industry's eyes and ears, their forecasters and risk takers. They search the world to bring consumers the latest fashion and products. They have to be good with numbers and able to put personal tastes aside to satisfy the spectrum of customers.”
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As she walks into each showroom, Jo Lynn Powell's first request is, 'Show me what's new and fun.'
Powell, who owns San Antonio's Collector's Gallery, then hammers on price. 'Customers who routinely spent $50 to $60 on a gift have dropped into the $25 to $30 range,' she said. 'And the people who were spending $25 and $30 are now spending $12 to $20.'
Powell has been in business 32 years and wasn't sure what she'd find to fill her 15,000-square-foot store in this economy. 'I'm seeing a lot of new product. They're innovating. That's good.'"
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'The crystal ball needs lots of Windex this year,'said Jill Robinson, vice president of retail development for Dallas Market Center and a former buyer for J.C. Penney and Bag 'n Baggage.
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'The luxury business has some ground to make up,' said Kate Sheldon Dubas, CEO of Plano-based consultancy Fashioneering LLC. After the era of conspicuous consumption, 'we owe our customers a lot.'
Dubas, who started her business in 2007 after a 10-year career at Neiman Marcus that included the envious job of French couture buyer, said she's never seen more innovation among buyers than this year.
'Creative people are energized and flourishing,' she said.
Stores have to wow their customers even when they're losing money, Dubas said. 'When the customer comes back, it's the store that kept her interest that will get her business.' "
Click here to read the article in its entirety:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-Buyers_30bus.ART.State.Edition1.3f68cb0.html
