December 2010

18 August 2010 © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail August 2010 1919 August 2010 © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail

tapered toe oxford. The third example, the rectangle means that you have a little more flexibility with shoe silhouette and you could choose a shoe that isn’t too extreme either way. So what we’ve learned is that symme-try can make or break the look of an outfit and shoes are a very important part of the look.

Price: Price is the most common ob-jection and the most difficult to overcome. Again, here you’ve been working on over-coming this one since the very beginning by trying to show the customer the value in the purchase. You’ve talked about the con-struction or the materials in the shoe. You’ve also reassured the customer about the fit of

the shoe by confirming that the fit points match up. Finally, you reassured them by pointing out that the style of the shoe is the right match with the clothing they intend to wear it with. At this point, no matter what the price of the shoe is, the customer should see the value in the purchase.

SALES LESSONS

Lesson 5Absolutely the most important part of

building a successful business of any kind!

We must build loyalty among a large group of customers that will visit our store on a regular basis. If I’m a commissioned based salesperson, I want to do my best so that everyone I wait on will remember me and ask for me when they return to the store. I don’t mean to brag, but I used to have many customers that if they happened to come into the store on a day that I was off,

many of them would leave and return another day rather than have anyone else take care of them. That situation should be every salespersons goal. Ev-ery customer should be given A.B.C.D service everyday.

Most stores create ad-vertising and marketing cam-paigns that are primarily de-signed to attract higher levels of traffic into their stores and they work hard to attract new customers. Some still don’t un-derstand that marketing toward their existing customer base is just as important.

Your goal should be to collect as much information about every customer that you possibly can. What you will find is that customers become

loyal to specific brands. You will also find that some of your most loyal customers are the ones that are hard to fit or wear a size that is not so common. Some are even loyal to classifications of merchandise.

Some of them always buy a handbag from your store every single time they buy a pair of shoes. This is what is so exciting about technology these days in this “age of information”. If you just make it a point to collect good information, it is such a valu-able marketing tool.

Try to get as much personal informa-tion as possible without being intrusive. Use this information for marketing initia-tives such as “Birthday Clubs” or anniver-sary reminders etc. These personal touches go along way to show the customer that they are highly valued as a loyal customer.

Almost every day new merchandise arrives in your store. Somewhere in your sales history there are customers that are addicted to the brand of the newly arriving merchandise. It may be that a few difficult to find sizes are sitting right on top of the just opened box. All it takes is well timed phone call, eMail, text message or old fash-ioned post card to motivate a customer into getting to your store as fast as possible. When you communicate like this to your customers, it shows that you really do your best to give A.B.C.D service and for that, you will be rewarded.

Michael Tidmore, President

Successful Online Stores, LLC

In the retail business for more than 30 years. Beginning in high school and all through college I worked in department stores selling Men’s clothing. After college (Texas Tech University-Marketing) I worked as a wholesale sales representative for Miller Shoe Co. Through that position, I was offered an opportunity through one of my clients to manage a group of independent shoe stores (S&J Shoe Company) in South and West Texas. I went on to become a Regional Manager over footwear for Dillard’s department stores for almost 15 years, where under my tenure my area went from 23M in sales to more than 120M. Please feel free to send me an e-mail with any questions or comments at [email protected]

Following Up

Building a Clientele

4 December 2010 © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail5 December 2010 © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail

The year 2010 is almost over, and what a year it has been! No wonder ordinary folks look cautiously into the future. Since starting with FOCUS magazine in 2002, I have visited countless trade and fashion shows all over the world. Attending the show is usually a very exciting and entertaining occasion, and this year was not an exception for the rule, but I was sort of disappointed seeing fewer retailers and exhibitors at most of the shows.

Let’s face it, the market is tough and more competitive than ever. We all know that all businesses have gone through incredible challenges as consumer spending slowed, manufacturing cost increased and unfortunately, many retail stores, suppliers and vendors went out of business due to economic downturn. Observing buyers behavior at the shows, I couldn’t help but to notice that people have become far more cautious than years before, buying smarter and less, searching for new and exciting products, mixing new and established labels. Because

consumers, the driving force of economy, are doing exactly the same, buying not just what they want but what they need.

As a magazine specifically designed to serve the needs of the retailers, it is our job to give you what you need, to provide you the tools helping you to be in tune with the needs of your customers. The featured editorial of this issue is our annual “The Top 10 Trade Shows of 2010”. Throughout the year we asked our audience to submit their opinion about all the trade shows they’ve been to. The purpose was to find out the people‘s satisfaction through rating of such important features of each show, as traffic, convenience, value for their business, etc- so, if you read this editorial carefully, you will learn a lot about the most popular events this year.

Speaking of consumers (and retailers) being very selective and curious about new original merchandise and designs- I am proud to say, that in FOCUS you will always find a wide-ranging display of fashion products from the world’s most innovative brands and designers, as well as the fashion trends from the international runways. If you are a high-end fashion retailer and your interest is high-quality European footwear and accessories (as well as other products), our magazine is certainly for you, as FOCUS brings you a wealth of fashion news from Italy, Spain, Australia, Germany, etc.- if you saw it in FOCUS, it must be good! You will also find many helpful tips and educational materials in this issue to read, to learn and to use in everyday life.

Thank you for your continuous support, appreciation, and input into making FOCUS valuable for your business. Please write me at [email protected] with any questions, comments, or suggestions on the topics you’d like to see covered in next issues.

Don’t worry. Be patient. Keep working hard. Most importantly, keep working smart. Stay informed, updating yourself about the constantly changing environment. Strive for perfection in your work and personal life and be happy!

Happy Holidays and a Happy and prosperous New Year!

Alex GeymanEditor

BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR SHOE, APPAREL & ACCESSORIES STORES

FASHION RETAILEDITOR: Alex Geyman

GENERAL MANAGER: Dmitry NelipovichART DIRECTOR: Allison MorylGRAPHIC DESIGNER: Pay Fan

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Laurie McAdamsFASHION EDITOR: Francesca Trippoli

SUBSCRIPTION: Sandra DaSilvaRESEARCH: Shawn Lancaster

SALES: Claudia Perez

COVER PHOTO: Asta Masiulyte, Valencia Fashion Week

FEAUTURED ARTICLES:

Success Story:Top 3 Business Lessons from Jenny Craig

By Evan Carmichaelwww.evancarmichael.com

Who’s Who:The Top 10 Trade Shows of 2010

By Alex [email protected]

Luxury Retail:Luxury Consumers

Hold on Tight to Cash This QuarterBy Pamela N. Danziger

www.unitymarketingonline.com

Mastering Sales Skills:You Make The Call (Part 2/3)

By Harry J. Friedmanwww.thefriedmangroup.com

Motivation:Practice the Seven Secrets of Sales Success

By Brian Tracywww.colliers.com

Marketing:8 Ways To Get

Higher Quality Trade Show Leads By Mike Thimmesch

www.skyline.com

Economic Commentary:Customer Satisfaction Weakens: Bad News

for an Economyin Search of More Consumer Demand

By By Claes Fornell, The ACSI www.theacsi.org

All editorial pages are intellectual propertyof FFR and/or featured authors.

No portion of this issue may be reproducedwithout the express permission of FFR

and/or featured authors.

Editor’s Letter

FOCUS ON FASHION RETAIL25924 Viana Avenue, Suite 19

Lomita, CA 90717 USATel. (310) 784-790 fax (310) 202-6027

General E-Mail: [email protected]: www.focusonshoes.com


Sexy SophiStication Maxi Biker, rock’n’roll

FeMinine Spring SuMMer ethnic Snake

MiniMaliSM exotic colorS DanDy chic lace

glaMor WellneSS Sexy SophiStication Maxi

Biker, rock’n’roll FeMinine Spring SuMMer

ethnic Snake MiniMaliSM exotic colorS

DanDy chic lace glaMor WellneSS Sexy

SophiStication Maxi Biker, rock’n’roll FeMinine

Spring SuMMer ethnic Snake MiniMaliSM exotic

colorS DanDy chic lace glaMor WellneSS


FeMinine Spring SuMMer ethnic Snake

MiniMaliSM exotic colorS DanDy chic lace

glaMor WellneSS Sexy SophiStication Maxi

Biker, rock’n’roll FeMinine Spring SuMMer

ethnic Snake MiniMaliSM exotic colorS

DanDy chic lace glaMor WellneSS Sexy

SophiStication Maxi Biker, rock’n’roll FeMinine

Spring SuMMer ethnic Snake MiniMaliSM exotic

colorS DanDy chic lace glaMor WellneSS

Sexy

Sop

hiSt

icat

ion

Max

i Bi

ker,

roc

k’n’

roll

FeM

inin

e S

prin

g S

uMM

er e

thni

c S

nake

Min

iMal

iSM

exo

tic

col

orS

Dan

Dy c

hic

lac

e

glaM

or W

elln

eSS

Sexy

Sop

hiSt

icat

ion

Max

i

Bike

r, r

ock’

n’ro

ll F

eMin

ine

Spr

ing

SuM

Mer

ethn

ic S

nake

Min

iMal

iSM

exo

tic

col

orS

DanD

y c

hic

lac

e g

laM

or W

elln

eSS

Sexy

Soph

iSti

cati

on M

axi

Bike

r, r

ock’

n’ro

ll F

eMin

ine

Spri

ng S

uMM

er e

thni

c S

nake

Min

iMal

iSM

exo

tic

colo

rS D

anDy

chi

c l

ace

gla

Mor

Wel

lneS

S

Sexy

Sop

hiSt

icat

ion

Max

i Bi

ker,

roc

k’n’

roll

FeM

inin

e S

prin

g S

uMM

er e

thni

c S

nake

Min

iMal

iSM

exo

tic

col

orS

Dan

Dy c

hic

lac

e

glaM

or W

elln

eSS

Sexy

Sop

hiSt

icat

ion

Max

i

Bike

r, r

ock’

n’ro

ll F

eMin

ine

Spr

ing

SuM

Mer

ethn

ic S

nake

Min

iMal

iSM

exo

tic

col

orS

DanD

y c

hic

lac

e g

laM

or W

elln

eSS

Sexy

Soph

iSti

cati

on M

axi

Bike

r, r

ock’

n’ro

ll F

eMin

ine

Spri

ng S

uMM

er e

thni

c S

nake

Min

iMal

iSM

exo

tic

colo

rS D

anDy

chi

c l

ace

gla

Mor

Wel

lneS

S


FeMinine Spring SuMMer

Spring uMMer

SFA

SHIO

NTR

ENDS

2011After a dull, gray winter, what is more welcomed than a cheerful, colorful spring? This is the most appropriate time for you to refresh your wardrobe and enjoy life to the fullest. Get ready to face a real color boom. Vivid, strong, colors could be seen on fashion runways. Neon green, orange, and yellow and other powerful colors. These shades represent the perfect options for stylish women who are not afraid to wear vibrant colors.

Romantic girls around the world, unite! Girly, romantic style is “in” for Spring/Summer 2011, expressed through Liberty prints and larger floral prints. Another trend that cannot be ignored is the Ethnic. Therefore, we are expecting a sweet, bohemian spring next year, with flowers on the fields and on our dresses too. However, despite this sweetness wave, there is also the animal print for those of you who have a wild side.

“Maxi” is a key element when describing spring/summer 2011 dresses and jumpsuits. Spring 2011 is all about comfort, laid-back styles, and relaxation. This is why many designers came out with loose clothes, comfy shoes, and breezy fabrics. There are a myriad of styles and shapes and some of them were in the spotlight for so many seasons in a row. A military jacket is at duty again. Or, if you are more into the elegant style, try a ‘60s inspired coat in a citrus color. Other important trends for Spring 2011 are the dandy style, biker style, or the urban chic, sport chic.

Minimalist TankWinter’s dalliance with modern minimalism evolves into

a summer embrace as designers explore the potential of clean lines and fluid silhouettes. For the coming season form-skimming tanks are rendered in super-soft leathers dominated by elegant neutrals and warm buttery shades. Absence of unnecessary adornment concealed stitching and simple necklines communicate an easy-wear, contemporary dialogue.

Sophisticated StripesRinging with an unbridled optimism, wide stripes are cheerfully emblazoned across oversized accessories and coordinating clutches, culminating in standout, statement pieces. Clash or match stripes, or for a more grown-up conceit render in luxe leathers in muted seaside shades.

Wooden HeelsTraditional clog continues to inspire, as the Seventies come under the spotlight for the coming season. Chunky wooden heels and solid platforms are offset with neutral leather uppers or quirky ostrich leather placements. Pair with contrasting woven or natural canvas uppers for an easy update on breezy summer style.

Extreme WedgeThe staple Winter boot inspires Summer sandals with extreme wedge heels. Wooden clog-derived soles are offset with nude leather fastenings, Exotic skins -- from snake to ostrich -- reconcile convention with flamboyance, which pairs Baroque curlicues with athletic go-faster stripes and classic espadrille detailing.

1

2

3 4

5

6 December 2010 © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail7 December 2010 © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail December 2010 7

Jonnysby ImeldaThierry RabotinThierry RabotinSazo & BrullJose CastroEsther NoriegaCasadeiTwice FabiAlex Vidal

Marino FabianiMary-KyriFabiSiglo CeroEmilio PucciHammittJeannotCHammittDonna KaranAlex VidalCalleen Cordero

123456789

1011

1213141516171819202122

6

22

20

14

7

89

1011

12

13

15

1617

18

19

21

8 December 2010 © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail

Stuart WeitzmanTrendFornarinaAngel IglesiasMarzetti Vic Matie Carlo VenturaBerkeman

Luciana CavalliConcha CeballosAurelia GilCalleen CorderoFornarinaCalleen CorderoGiovanni FabianiHiginio Mateu

1

2

34

5

6

7

8

9

10

1112

13

15

14

16

12345678

910111213141516


Missing JohnnyDinamicaAntonio BarbatoJuana MartinEncarnis TomeroLuciana CavalliBarracudaBerkeman

Marino FabianiFabiKenzoRiverside OryGardeniaChez by CherylNic Dean

© FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail December 2010 9

12345678

910111213141516

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 11 12

1314

15

16

Spring uMMer

S

FASH

ION

TREN

DS2011

chil

Dren


8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

© FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail December 2010 1 110 December 2010 © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail

Andrea MorelliRosalita SeñoritasStarryTrasluzTrixy EcoRosalita SeñoritasW6YZTrasluzCiao BimbiGallucciGallucci

NaturinoCiao BimbiPrimigiTrixy EcoStarryNaturinoWalk SafariTrasluzRosalita SeñoritasRosalita SeñoritasRosalita Señoritas

1234567891011

1213141516171819202122

22 21 20 19

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

1110

9

Spring uMMer

SFA

SHIO

NTR

ENDS

2011M

en


1

2

3

© FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail December 2010 1312 December 2010 © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail

ReebokPaco RocaPaco RocaFabiTrempDino BigioniTremp

Nero GiardiniMario FagniArtioliMauriMauriAldo BrueNicola Benson

1234567

89

1011121314

Casual garments are rendered with a surprisingly smart twist, whilst the smart are reinvigorated in technical fabrications; aiding in the creation of a thoroughly contemporary wardrobe that is suitable for more than one purpose. Loose and slouchy silhouettes dominate, culminating in low-cut tanks and long-line tunic shirts that promote a dressed-down aesthetic, perfect for summertime dressing.

Bomber and Military JacketsThe Nineties staple comes with pared down detailing, a clean and functional minimalism ideal for the Spring to Summer transition. Explore the potential of technical performance fabrics, or add contrast zips and asymmetric fastenings.

The influence of the military inspires a reworking of the office jacket. Nylon finishes promote a casual stance, or opt for a formal conceit with gold buttons and braiding, or a cutaway front. White and natural color palettes introduce a safari aesthetic.

Slash Neck KnitsLayer over formal shirting to the archetypal office wear, or wear under a blazer and waistcoat. Contrasting or coordinating color palettes place emphasis on the new knitwear shape.

Tunic ShirtsMenswear is imbued with a subtle womenswear twist, as designers borrow from ethnic inspired attire. Longline shirts and tunics are belted with simple ties and belts that reiterate an alternative summer cool.

Low Cut TanksPromote an easy-wear, effortless summer style with slouchy vest tops. Scooped necks and low cut armholes create the required insouciance, manipulated and crumpled finishes strengthen the overall conceit.

Bermuda ShortsThe casual Bermuda is updated for the season in smart cotton fabrications. A loose and roomy shape extends to just above the knee, and can we adapted for printed and plain finishes. Best worn with sandals.

Basket Weave ShoesReinvigorating the pastoral cliché, basket-weave details inspire a new take on the masculine lace-up shoe. Polished leathers create an air of distinct refinement; whilst straw like and cotton weaves update shabby chic for a new season.

4

5

6

7

8

910

11

12

13

14


1 2 3 4

8765

9 10 11 12

LavanderaYiyi GutzGeorgina VendrellEncarnis TomeroFinn ComfortGeorgina VendrellAdbaJomosSiouxPoti Poti

Adolfo CarliCarlos CurielKeboTonino LamborghiniFiatNicola BensonKeboQ BitRGCarlos Curiel

123456789

10

11121314151617181920

© FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail December 2010 1514 December 2010 © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail

Spring uMMer

S

FASH

ION

TREN

DS

2011

Men

19

18

17

16

15

14

13

20


MOTIVATION

There are seven secrets, or principles, of sales success. They are practiced by all the highest paid salespeople every day. The regular application of these principles is virtually guaranteed to move you to the top of your field.

Success secret #1: Get serious! Make a decision to go all the way to the top of your field. Make a today decision to join the top 10%. There is no one and nothing that can hold you back from being the best except yourself. Remember, it takes just as long to be great as to be mediocre. The time is going to pass anyway. Your job is to commit to excel-lence, to get better and better each day, and to never, never stop until you reach the summit.

Success secret #2: Identify your limiting skill to sales success. Identify your weakest single skill and make a plan to be-come absolutely excellent in that area. Ask yourself, and your boss, “What one skill, if I developed and did it consistently in an excel-lent fashion, would have the greatest positive impact on my sales?” Whatever your answer to this question, write it down, set a deadline, make a plan, and then work on it every day. This decision alone can change your life.

Success secret #3: Get around the right people. Get around positive, suc-cessful people. Associate with men and wom-en who are going somewhere with their lives. And get away from negative, critical, com-plaining people. They drag you down, tire you out, distract and discourage you, and lead you inevitably to underachievement and failure. Remember, you cannot fly with the eagles if you continue to scratch with the turkeys.

Success secret #4: Take excel-lent care of your physical health. You need

high levels of energy to sell effectively, and to bounce back from continual rejection and discouragement. Be sure to eat the right foods, get the right amount of exercise and get plenty of rest and recreation. Make a deci-sion that you are going to live to be 80 years old, or more, and begin today to do whatever you have to do to achieve that goal.

Success secret #5: Visualize yourself as one of the top people in your field. Imagine yourself performing at your best all day long. Feed your subconscious mind with vivid, exciting, emotionalized pictures of yourself as positive, confident, competent and completely in control of every part of your life. These clear mental pictures preprogram you and motivate you to sell at your best in any situation.

Success secret #6: Practice pos-itive self-talk continually. Control your inner dialogue. Talk to yourself the way you want to be rather than the way you might be today.

For example, repeat to yourself these powerful words, over and over again. “I like myself! I’m the best! I can do it! I love my work!”

Say to yourself, “I feel happy! I feel healthy! I feel terrific!”

Remember, fully 95% of your emotions are determined by the way you talk to your-self, most of the time. The way you feel deter-mines how you behave. And how you behave determines how much you sell.

Your job is to get yourself on an up-ward spiral where you think and talk to yourself positively, all day long. You think, walk, talk and act like the very best people in your field. When you do, your success

becomes inevitable.

Success secret #7: Take positive action toward your goals, every single day. Be proactive rather than reactive. Grab the bull by the horns. If you are not happy with your income, get out there and get face to face with more customers. If you are not happy with any part of your life, accept responsibility and take charge.

All successful salespeople are intensely action oriented. They have a sense of urgen-cy. They develop a bias for action. They do it now! They have a compulsion to closure. They maintain a fast tempo and move quickly in everything they do.

And the good news is this. The faster you move, the more energy you have. The faster you move, the more ground you cover. The faster you move, the more people you see. The more people you see, the more experi-ence you get. The more experience you get, the more sales you make. The more people you see and the more sales you make, the more your self-esteem and self respect goes up, and the more you will feel like great about yourself. You will have more energy. You will be happier and more positive.

The faster you move, the more you take complete control of your entire life and vir-tually guarantee that you will be one of the top performers and the highest paid people in your field.

Salespeople are among the most impor-tant people in America. Every single compa-ny depends for its survival on the success of its salespeople. High sales is the number one reason for company success. Low sales is the number one reason for company failure. And you can be in the driver’s seat.

By Brian Tracy

Practice the Seven Secrets of Sales Success

Brian Tracy is the most listened to audio author on personal and business success in the world today. His fast-moving talks and seminars on leadership, sales, managerial effectiveness and business strategy are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that people can immediately apply to get better results in every area. Check his web site www.briantracy.com


eMAIL MARKETING

Collect e-mail addresses. Make it easy for customers to opt-in to your e-mails. A brick-and-mortar business can have sign-up forms at checkout or mail them with invoices. Put a form on your website that makes signup easy. Offer a discount, free information or other incentive to encourage signups.

Tell customers what to expect. Post your privacy policy on your website. When customers subscribe, e-mail a welcome telling them how often they will hear from you (monthly? weekly?) and how to unsubscribe.

Craft compelling subject lines. The subject line gets customers to open the e-mail...or not. The best subject lines are short, to the point and clearly convey the benefit to the recipient. Avoid exclamation points and all-capital letters-these amateur moves will get your message marked as junk mail.

Make it attractive. The design of your e-mails should be consistent with your company’s website and your other marketing materials. Use your logo, color, photos and graphics to enhance visual appeal.

Proofread. E-mail marketing messages riddled with spelling and grammar errors reflect poorly on your busi-ness. Carefully proofread e-mails, paying special attention to figures, discounts and prices. If proofreading isn’t your strong suit, enlist someone else.

Be responsive. Your e-mail marketing campaign may prompt queries or questions from customers. People expect prompt responses to e-mails, so answer right away or your e-mails could do more harm than good.

Create an e-newsletter. A monthly e-newsletter including useful tips, news about your business, stories about customers, and special offers from your business is a great way to connect with customers.

Get help. Many Web hosting companies offer e-mail marketing packages. If you use the same company that hosts your website, it’s easy to have your e-mails share the look and feel of your site. Or, try Constant Con-tact (www.constantcontact.com), a popular service that provides templates and other tools to simplify e-mail marketing.

Analyze results. Look for an e-mail marketing service that provides analytics tools. Use analytics to assess the effectiveness of your e-mail marketing campaigns and adjust them for better results

Keep it legal. Many legal regulations govern e-mail marketing. For example, you must include an opt-out link and a physical business address in each e-mail; process unsubscribe requests within 10 days; and avoid decep-tive subject lines. A good e-mail marketing service will help you follow the rules of the CAN-SPAM Act, but the final responsibility is yours.

Tips for successful e-mail marketing

20 December 2010 © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail December 2010 21

SUCCESS STORY

one televised international cricket match, where cameras picked up on a sign in the crowd directed at the captain of the English team that read: “See Jenny Craig. Quick.”

Action Item 2:

Offer Products and ServicesI believe the best way to build a busi-

ness is to start a service - it’s low cost and gets you close to your customers. Your chances of survival are much higher and you learn what future services and products your clients need. Once you’ve established a base of customers and know exactly what’s missing in the marketplace, you can create your products. You’ve got cash flow from your service business to keep the com-pany running and you’ve got a loyal group of clients who are ready to buy!

Jenny Craig had the same philosophy. Her business started with Jenny Craig cen-ters where they would help clients establish a workout program, offer nutritional guid-ance, and also give motivational services. Her business grew every year as she added

more centers and people to her team. It was a very successful service based business.

Jenny Craig’s big break came when she started offering prepared food products as a part of her offering. She brought on board a highly qualified staff of dieticians, psychologists, and physicians to help her create a menu that was healthy and nutri-tional. In doing so, Jenny’s Cuisine became a central component to her program. All of her clients were required to purchase these portion and calorie controlled foods, which included over sixty different breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and snack options. Jenny’s Cuisine proved so popular that the company’s gross revenues from food sales increased to 91 % by 1993.

Action Item 3:

Never Give Up!It’s important as an entrepreneur to

never give up on your idea. Every business owner will face a moment of crisis which forces you to think whether it’s all worth it - the long hours, the mounting debt, the

personal sacrifices. These moments will help define you as an entrepreneur. It’s the founders who stare those moments square in the face and keep on building who go on to be the ultra-successful entrepreneurs.

From losing weight, to starting her own business, to not being able to run her busi-ness in America, Craig has proven that with perseverance anything is possible. When the Craigs first sold their chain of Body Contour gyms, they did so in agreement to a non-compete clause. They were not al-lowed to set up shop again anywhere in the U.S. for two years.

And so, refusing to wait two years be-fore they made their next move, the couple went on a search for their next destination. Where could they begin their new line of fitness centers? What country was simi-lar to the U.S. in terms of diet and fitness levels but presented no language barrier? The Craigs decided on Australia. Their friends thought they were “nuts” but the couple never gave up and turned their new business into a company that sold for $600 million.

Jenny Craig (born Genevieve Guidroz on August 7, 1932 in Berwick, Louisiana) is an American weight loss guru and found-er of Jenny Craig, Inc. Craig was raised in New Orleans and married Sidney Harvey Craig in 1979. In 1983, she and her hus-band created a nutrition, fitness, and weight loss program in Australia. They founded the company and began offering the program in the United States in 1985. The company be-came a part of Nestlé Nutrition in 2006.

The story begins af-ter Jenny had her second daughter. She discovered that she could not lose the weight she had gained as easily as she had before. She was 45 pounds over-weight and knew she had to change something. She mortgaged her house and used the money to open up her own gym and called it Healthetic. The gym became extremely popular and she soon sold and went on a hunt for a new venture.

That’s when she met Sid Craig, a partner with Body Contour Inc., a chain of women’s fitness salons. Sid Craig went to New Orleans to open up a Body Contour salon and hired Jenny as his first employee. The rest is history. They got mar-ried in 1979 and became frustrated with their business because they wanted to offer more nu-tritional guidance. Sid’s partners refused and the

Craigs sold the business to them as a result.

The deal carried a two-year non-com-pete clause in the U.S.so the Craigs, both in their 50’s, moved to Australia to start their nutritional company, Jenny Craig, Inc. They created 69 centers in Australia and then moved to the U.S. once the non-compete expired. In 1991, the company went public and generated $73.5 million in capital. Five years later, after having expanded into the

U.S., New Zealand, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Guam, the Craig’s decided to sell their company to Nestle for $600 million.

Action Item 1:

Promote, Promote, Promote!Building a better mousetrap is not

enough anymore to get a company off the ground. You need to aggressively promote

your business to make sure your customers know that you exist. From advertis-ing and public relations to search engine optimi-zation and social media marketing, you have many opportunities to spread the word about your company and you should never take your foot off the gas!

In the company’s early years, Craig made sure that exactly 10 % of sales was directed back into commercial adver-tising each and every year. Individual franchis-es were also expected to spend 10 % of sales, or at least $1,000 a week, on local advertising for their own centers.

They used tradition-al advertising on televi-sion programs, leveraged celebrity endorsements, and created direct mail campaigns. But they also tried many offbeat ap-proaches. As one exam-ple, Sid got the company a lot of publicity during

SUCCESS STORY

Top Business Lessons from Jenny Craig “[My husband] always tells me that I’m the most unrelenting person he’s ever met, and it’s true. If I make a commitment to something I will stick to it no matter what.” - Jenny Craig


SUCCESS STORY

one televised international cricket match, where cameras picked up on a sign in the crowd directed at the captain of the English team that read: “See Jenny Craig. Quick.”

Action Item 2:

Offer Products and ServicesI believe the best way to build a busi-

ness is to start a service - it’s low cost and gets you close to your customers. Your chances of survival are much higher and you learn what future services and products your clients need. Once you’ve established a base of customers and know exactly what’s missing in the marketplace, you can create your products. You’ve got cash flow from your service business to keep the com-pany running and you’ve got a loyal group of clients who are ready to buy!

Jenny Craig had the same philosophy. Her business started with Jenny Craig cen-ters where they would help clients establish a workout program, offer nutritional guid-ance, and also give motivational services. Her business grew every year as she added

more centers and people to her team. It was a very successful service based business.

Jenny Craig’s big break came when she started offering prepared food products as a part of her offering. She brought on board a highly qualified staff of dieticians, psychologists, and physicians to help her create a menu that was healthy and nutri-tional. In doing so, Jenny’s Cuisine became a central component to her program. All of her clients were required to purchase these portion and calorie controlled foods, which included over sixty different breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and snack options. Jenny’s Cuisine proved so popular that the company’s gross revenues from food sales increased to 91 % by 1993.

Action Item 3:

Never Give Up!It’s important as an entrepreneur to

never give up on your idea. Every business owner will face a moment of crisis which forces you to think whether it’s all worth it - the long hours, the mounting debt, the

personal sacrifices. These moments will help define you as an entrepreneur. It’s the founders who stare those moments square in the face and keep on building who go on to be the ultra-successful entrepreneurs.

From losing weight, to starting her own business, to not being able to run her busi-ness in America, Craig has proven that with perseverance anything is possible. When the Craigs first sold their chain of Body Contour gyms, they did so in agreement to a non-compete clause. They were not al-lowed to set up shop again anywhere in the U.S. for two years.

And so, refusing to wait two years be-fore they made their next move, the couple went on a search for their next destination. Where could they begin their new line of fitness centers? What country was simi-lar to the U.S. in terms of diet and fitness levels but presented no language barrier? The Craigs decided on Australia. Their friends thought they were “nuts” but the couple never gave up and turned their new business into a company that sold for $600 million.

Jenny Craig (born Genevieve Guidroz on August 7, 1932 in Berwick, Louisiana) is an American weight loss guru and found-er of Jenny Craig, Inc. Craig was raised in New Orleans and married Sidney Harvey Craig in 1979. In 1983, she and her hus-band created a nutrition, fitness, and weight loss program in Australia. They founded the company and began offering the program in the United States in 1985. The company be-came a part of Nestlé Nutrition in 2006.

The story begins af-ter Jenny had her second daughter. She discovered that she could not lose the weight she had gained as easily as she had before. She was 45 pounds over-weight and knew she had to change something. She mortgaged her house and used the money to open up her own gym and called it Healthetic. The gym became extremely popular and she soon sold and went on a hunt for a new venture.

That’s when she met Sid Craig, a partner with Body Contour Inc., a chain of women’s fitness salons. Sid Craig went to New Orleans to open up a Body Contour salon and hired Jenny as his first employee. The rest is history. They got mar-ried in 1979 and became frustrated with their business because they wanted to offer more nu-tritional guidance. Sid’s partners refused and the

Craigs sold the business to them as a result.

The deal carried a two-year non-com-pete clause in the U.S.so the Craigs, both in their 50’s, moved to Australia to start their nutritional company, Jenny Craig, Inc. They created 69 centers in Australia and then moved to the U.S. once the non-compete expired. In 1991, the company went public and generated $73.5 million in capital. Five years later, after having expanded into the

U.S., New Zealand, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Guam, the Craig’s decided to sell their company to Nestle for $600 million.

Action Item 1:

Promote, Promote, Promote!Building a better mousetrap is not

enough anymore to get a company off the ground. You need to aggressively promote

your business to make sure your customers know that you exist. From advertis-ing and public relations to search engine optimi-zation and social media marketing, you have many opportunities to spread the word about your company and you should never take your foot off the gas!

In the company’s early years, Craig made sure that exactly 10 % of sales was directed back into commercial adver-tising each and every year. Individual franchis-es were also expected to spend 10 % of sales, or at least $1,000 a week, on local advertising for their own centers.

They used tradition-al advertising on televi-sion programs, leveraged celebrity endorsements, and created direct mail campaigns. But they also tried many offbeat ap-proaches. As one exam-ple, Sid got the company a lot of publicity during

SUCCESS STORY

Top Business Lessons from Jenny Craig “[My husband] always tells me that I’m the most unrelenting person he’s ever met, and it’s true. If I make a commitment to something I will stick to it no matter what.” - Jenny Craig


THE TOP 10 TRADE SHOWS

TRADE SHOWS RATING BY FOCUS READERS

THE TOP 10TRADE SHOWSOF 2010

READERS SATISFACTION WITH ... (on the scale of 1 to 10)

Orga

niza

tion/

Pl

anni

ng/ P

rom

otio

n

Traf

fic/ A

ttend

ance

Conv

enie

nce

Serv

ices

offe

red

at

the

show

Cost

of a

ttend

ing/

parti

cipa

ting

Valu

e, Im

porta

nce

fo

r you

r bus

ines

s

over all score,

60 max

SATI

SFAC

TION

, %

vote

d, %

1 MAGIC Marketplace 10 8 8 8 4 8 46 66% 90%

2 MICAM 10 6 8 6 4 7 41 66% 35%

3 PROJECT 6 7 9 4 3 8 37 62% 50%

4 Bread & Butter Berlin 7 5 7 5 5 8 37 60% 25%

5 ATLANTA SHOE SHOW 6 4 9 4 6 7 36 60% 50%

6 AccessoriesTheShow 6 3 6 8 4 6 33 58% 90%

7 ENK Coterie 6 3 6 8 4 6 33 58% 50%

8 GDS 6 3 5 8 4 5 31 58% 25%

9 WSA 5 3 8 6 2 6 30 50% 90%

10FFANY 5 3 8 6 2 6 30 50% 50%

FN Platform 5 3 8 6 2 6 30 50% 50%

s always, the last issue of the year fea-tures the results of our annual survey determining our readers’ favorites

among international fashion in-dustry trade shows. Throughout the year, we’ve offered to rate

the performance of various marketplaces, and based on returned responses, we’ve selected the Top 10 Trade Shows of 2010.

In making our selections, we considered events fully rated by at least twenty different people. Ratings were based on a scale of 1 to 10. The shows with the highest scores made our list. We asked for fair and objective opinions from reviewers who were neither employed by nor affiliated with a trade show. Next, we contacted the featured shows’ organizers for official facts and figures, which we’ve published here exactly as furnished. Unfortunately, many of these or-ganizations for some reason have decided not to disclose the data of how many exhibitors, buy-ers attended the show, size of the venue, cost of participation, etc and therefore we had to ex-clude this section from the article…

The most important criterion for the survey was overall satisfaction, and all Top 10 shows have earned satisfaction ratings of or above 50%.

I hope this information will prove helpful whether you plan to buy or sell at these shows in the future.

Trade shows have become irreplaceable for professionals to buy, sell, and make contacts as well as to get informed and entertained. They evolve in concert with the markets, instantly re-sponding to market needs and constantly chang-ing world economic conditions.

Retailers are looking for more choices, bet-ter options, convenience, and, of course, cheap-er alternatives. The open global markets have opened the doors to almost any array of goods/services at multiple-choice locations on flexible dates. Now retailers can get what they want, when they want, and how they want.

In the same way the new marketplace ben-efits buyers, the wholesale business clearly has become more challenging. The same retail au-dience that previously crowded at one or two

known places, now gets many more choices of where and when to go shopping. This change in retail behavior explains lower attendance at ANY particular trading event today, and this trend will likely continue in the future.

Unfortunately, very few people recognize this trend and are either unprepared or unwilling to change. On average 8 out of 10 wholesalers that I know blame the trade show for their poor business. I disagree because this is not fair. I personally have attended most of the fairs that made it to this issue and can verify that each show tries very hard to give good business to both buyers and sellers.

But the state of the world’s economy has definitely affected all the shows without excep-tion, it was seen in lower attendance, slower traffic and shrinkage of the events (except FN Platform, which almost doubled in size compar-ing with its first edition earlier this year).

Despite the economy, such shows as MAGIC and Project once again demonstrated solid, steady performance throughout the year 2010, earning high points by our readers. Same

WHO’S WHO: THe TOp 10 Trade SHOWS Of 2010THE TOP 10 TRADE SHOWS

goes to MICAM, which I attended during its Spring edition to witness firsthand never end-ing demand for high quality Italian shoes, re-ally great show!

Although, I have never had a chance to personally visit the TASM show in Atlanta and, therefore, cannot give my personal opinion about this event, the survey responses we’ve received indicate that this show is on the rise,

definitely a good place for business. The WSA, the largest American shoe show did ok this year, but despite receiving lower ratings than a year before, it still remains among the Top 10, delivering above-average satisfaction to both buyers and sellers. Because the FN Platform and the FFANY shows both have received the same points of readers’ satisfaction, they are sharing the same position on our chart.

In the end, all the shows of 2010 have suc-cessfully made their way through an uneasy year. We’d like to congratulate their organizers and extend our good wishes for their continued success. And to all trade show buyers and sell-ers, we wish you Happy Trading!

Alex Geyman

n Bread and Butter

n MAGIC

n Bread and Butter


- August – Dates TBD- September – Dates TBD

AccessoriesTheShow – Las Vegas Market:

- February 14-16- August - Dates TBD

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.accessoriestheshow.com

(866) 696-6020

AccessoriesTheShowRated # 6


AccessoriesTheShow is one of the largest and longest running juried all accessory trade events. Catering to both the East and West Coast, the show is produced in New York and Las Vegas during the accessory market weeks. AccessoriesTheShow has earned the reputation as the upscale trade event of the industry by attracting the most coveted buyers, offering an impressive array of amenities and by providing personalized customer service that is second to none. Sponsored by Accessories Magazine, AccessoriesTheShow is the marketplace for hot, new directions in edited accessories.

FEATURED CATEGORIES: Baby & Children’s Accessories, Belts, Bridal Accessories, Collectibles/Home Accessories, Cosmetic and Personal Accessories, Evening Bags, Eyewear, Jewelry, Footwear, Gloves and Small Leathergoods, Hair Ornaments, Handbags, Briefcases and Luggage, Hats/Caps/Millinery, Legwear, Men’s Accessories, Private Label, Scarves/ Shawls/Stoles, Sterling Silver, Umbrellas ,Watches.

PRICE POINTS: N/A

FREQUENCY: AccessoriesTheShow New York- 3 times/year

AccessoriesTheShow Las Vegas- 2 times/year

DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION: AccessoriesTheShow - New York Market:

The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, NY


The Venetian Resort & Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: Business Journals, Inc.

ANTICIPATED ADDITIONS/ CHANGES/ ADDITIONS TO THE SHOW IN 2011: AccessoriesTheShow will be launching a new and innovative website as we move into 2011 that will highlight all the shows information in a dynamic new platform of communication. Soon, www.accessoriestheshow.com will deliver information such as new exhibitor debuts, trends and show developments in real time. The new website for AccessoriesTheShow is going to revolutionize the way we communicate with our industries by using ground breaking technology to streamline show information, partner our social media networks, and bring together all the components of AccessoriesTheShow into a design-centric website.

SHOW DATES IN 2011: AccessoriesTheShow - New York Market:

- January 9-11- February 20-22- May – Dates TBD

Bread & Butter

BREAD & BUTTER provides the concept of an innovative trade fair event for the progressive, contemporary clothing culture. As an international trade fair for Street- and Urbanwear, BREAD & BUTTER represents a marketing and communication platform for its exhibiting brands and reflects their culture and brand philosophy with their complete versatility. With a unique brand portfolio, BREAD & BUTTER confirms its position as the leading international trade fair and trademark - it is the meeting point for buyers, traders and representatives from the textile trade press.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: Men’s und Women’s Wear and Accessories Denim, Street- and Urbanwear, Young Fashion, Sport Lifestyle, Casual Wear, Shoes, Boots & Sneakers, Accessories.

PRICE POINTS: N/A

FREQUENCY: 2 times/year

DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION: Airport Berlin-Tempelhof, Berlin, Germany

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: BREAD & BUTTER GmbH

ANTICIPATED ADDITIONS/ CHANGES/ ADDITIONS TO THE SHOW IN 2011: BREAD & BUTTER is constantly strong; we will maintain the successful area division into Sport & Street, Street Fashion, Fashion Now, Style Society, Denim Base, Urban Superior Men, Urban Superior Women and L.O.C.K. – Labels of Common Kin, which is the basis for the best order decision for the retail and the industry. The overall concept and strong focus on brand communication and brand marketing

AccessoriesTheShow


will be kept. For the winter edition of the upcoming BBB the temporary façade will once again keep exhibitors and visitors warm from cold outside temperatures in the Denim Base Area – a unique architectural concept which has been successfully introduced in winter 2010.

The overall concept “B&B Sin Saloon” will be extended to Berlin’s roaring 20ies where guests can enjoy music and performances from that time, play poker and other games on gambling tables – and spectacular boxing fights in the boxing ring will be the main act of the evening.

SHOW DATES IN 2011: January 19–21

July 06–08

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.breadandbutter.com

+49 (0)30 400 44 0

FASHION COTERIE

FASHION COTERIE brings more than 18,000 buyers and 1400 sellers together at this International event

featuring Designer, Contemporary, Bridge and Modern ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories and eveningwear. The event also features TMRW where ENK introduces

new and emerging talent to the marketplace.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: Casual, Dress, Athletic, Special Occasions, Rugged/Outdoors, Denim, Beachwear, Nightwear, Fashion Forward, Contemporary, Bridge/Designer, Couture, Jewelry, Hats, Bags, etc.

PRICE POINTS: Moderate/High-End/ Luxury


DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION:The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, NY

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: ENK International

ANTICIPATED ADDITIONS/ CHANGES/ ADDITIONS TO THE SHOW IN 2011: N/A

SHOW DATES IN 2011: February 20-22

September 18-20

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.enkshows.com

(212) 759-8055

FFANY NEW YORK SHOE EXPO

FFANY NEW YORK SHOE EXPO (Fashion Footwear Association Of New York) The FFANY New York Shoe Expo, conveniently held at the Hilton New York Hotel in midtown, features approximately 600 fashion footwear brands exhibiting in booths, hotel show rooms and FFANY Member showrooms. The FFANY New York Shoe Expo, only one city, one show, in the fashion capital of the world.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: Footwear, Handbags and Accessories for men, women, children

PRICE POINTS: Off-Price/Budget/Moderate/High-End/ Luxury


DURATION: 3 days

LOCATION: Hilton New York, Flatotel And FFANY New York Footwear Showrooms, New York, NY

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: FFANY – Fashion Footwear Association Of New York



June 7-9

August 2-4

November 30-December 2

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.ffany.org

(212) 751-6422

Bread & ButterRated # 4

FFANY New York Shoe ExpoRated # 10

Fashion CoterieRated # 7


n Accessories The Show

n Fashion Coterie

n Bread and Butter

n Fashion Coterie

n FFaNY


- August – Dates TBD- September – Dates TBD


- February 14-16- August - Dates TBD

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.accessoriestheshow.com

(866) 696-6020

AccessoriesTheShowRated # 6


AccessoriesTheShow is one of the largest and longest running juried all accessory trade events. Catering to both the East and West Coast, the show is produced in New York and Las Vegas during the accessory market weeks. AccessoriesTheShow has earned the reputation as the upscale trade event of the industry by attracting the most coveted buyers, offering an impressive array of amenities and by providing personalized customer service that is second to none. Sponsored by Accessories Magazine, AccessoriesTheShow is the marketplace for hot, new directions in edited accessories.

FEATURED CATEGORIES: Baby & Children’s Accessories, Belts, Bridal Accessories, Collectibles/Home Accessories, Cosmetic and Personal Accessories, Evening Bags, Eyewear, Jewelry, Footwear, Gloves and Small Leathergoods, Hair Ornaments, Handbags, Briefcases and Luggage, Hats/Caps/Millinery, Legwear, Men’s Accessories, Private Label, Scarves/ Shawls/Stoles, Sterling Silver, Umbrellas ,Watches.

PRICE POINTS: N/A

FREQUENCY: AccessoriesTheShow New York- 3 times/year

AccessoriesTheShow Las Vegas- 2 times/year

DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION: AccessoriesTheShow - New York Market:

The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, NY


The Venetian Resort & Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: Business Journals, Inc.

ANTICIPATED ADDITIONS/ CHANGES/ ADDITIONS TO THE SHOW IN 2011: AccessoriesTheShow will be launching a new and innovative website as we move into 2011 that will highlight all the shows information in a dynamic new platform of communication. Soon, www.accessoriestheshow.com will deliver information such as new exhibitor debuts, trends and show developments in real time. The new website for AccessoriesTheShow is going to revolutionize the way we communicate with our industries by using ground breaking technology to streamline show information, partner our social media networks, and bring together all the components of AccessoriesTheShow into a design-centric website.

SHOW DATES IN 2011: AccessoriesTheShow - New York Market:

- January 9-11- February 20-22- May – Dates TBD

Bread & Butter

BREAD & BUTTER provides the concept of an innovative trade fair event for the progressive, contemporary clothing culture. As an international trade fair for Street- and Urbanwear, BREAD & BUTTER represents a marketing and communication platform for its exhibiting brands and reflects their culture and brand philosophy with their complete versatility. With a unique brand portfolio, BREAD & BUTTER confirms its position as the leading international trade fair and trademark - it is the meeting point for buyers, traders and representatives from the textile trade press.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: Men’s und Women’s Wear and Accessories Denim, Street- and Urbanwear, Young Fashion, Sport Lifestyle, Casual Wear, Shoes, Boots & Sneakers, Accessories.

PRICE POINTS: N/A


DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION: Airport Berlin-Tempelhof, Berlin, Germany

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: BREAD & BUTTER GmbH

ANTICIPATED ADDITIONS/ CHANGES/ ADDITIONS TO THE SHOW IN 2011: BREAD & BUTTER is constantly strong; we will maintain the successful area division into Sport & Street, Street Fashion, Fashion Now, Style Society, Denim Base, Urban Superior Men, Urban Superior Women and L.O.C.K. – Labels of Common Kin, which is the basis for the best order decision for the retail and the industry. The overall concept and strong focus on brand communication and brand marketing

AccessoriesTheShow


will be kept. For the winter edition of the upcoming BBB the temporary façade will once again keep exhibitors and visitors warm from cold outside temperatures in the Denim Base Area – a unique architectural concept which has been successfully introduced in winter 2010.

The overall concept “B&B Sin Saloon” will be extended to Berlin’s roaring 20ies where guests can enjoy music and performances from that time, play poker and other games on gambling tables – and spectacular boxing fights in the boxing ring will be the main act of the evening.

SHOW DATES IN 2011: January 19–21

July 06–08

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.breadandbutter.com

+49 (0)30 400 44 0

FASHION COTERIE

FASHION COTERIE brings more than 18,000 buyers and 1400 sellers together at this International event

featuring Designer, Contemporary, Bridge and Modern ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories and eveningwear. The event also features TMRW where ENK introduces

new and emerging talent to the marketplace.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: Casual, Dress, Athletic, Special Occasions, Rugged/Outdoors, Denim, Beachwear, Nightwear, Fashion Forward, Contemporary, Bridge/Designer, Couture, Jewelry, Hats, Bags, etc.

PRICE POINTS: Moderate/High-End/ Luxury


DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION:The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, NY




September 18-20

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.enkshows.com

(212) 759-8055

FFANY NEW YORK SHOE EXPO

FFANY NEW YORK SHOE EXPO (Fashion Footwear Association Of New York) The FFANY New York Shoe Expo, conveniently held at the Hilton New York Hotel in midtown, features approximately 600 fashion footwear brands exhibiting in booths, hotel show rooms and FFANY Member showrooms. The FFANY New York Shoe Expo, only one city, one show, in the fashion capital of the world.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: Footwear, Handbags and Accessories for men, women, children



DURATION: 3 days

LOCATION: Hilton New York, Flatotel And FFANY New York Footwear Showrooms, New York, NY

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: FFANY – Fashion Footwear Association Of New York



June 7-9

August 2-4

November 30-December 2

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.ffany.org

(212) 751-6422

Bread & ButterRated # 4

FFANY New York Shoe ExpoRated # 10

Fashion CoterieRated # 7



n Fashion Coterie

n Bread and Butter

n Fashion Coterie

n FFaNY



FN PLATFORM

FN PLATFORM, presented by MAGIC and in collaboration with Footwear News, showcases over 1,000 new and emerging footwear brands encompassing the full range of branded footwear for Men, Women, Juniors and Children.

FN PLATFORM features:· Efficiently and uniquely merchandised lifestyle

environments, each setting featuring a distinctive market category.

· Specialized retail relations networking opportunities that connect retailers to the right brands.

· Complimentary industry seminars by the most respected names in the industry.

· Domestic and international media industry leaders, trend setters and brand builders under one roof for three days.

· Concierge assistance including hotel bookings, restaurant reservations and transportation arrangements available to buyers and exhibitors.

As part of MAGIC, FN PLATFORM is the only footwear event that allows retailers to meet all of their buying needs head to toe, while viewing all the trends of the season.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: All branded footwear including athleisure, casual, designer, advanced contemporary and comfort.

PRICE POINTS: Budget/Moderate/High-End/ Luxury


DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION: Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: MAGIC



August TBD

GDS

GDS and GLOBAL SHOES are leading international trade fairs for footwear where about 1,190 exhibitors


from 41 countries present their collections to visitors from around the world. 780 exhibitors with about 1,800 collections – ranging from exclusive and elegant to young, trendy and experimental – were accounted for by GDS. GLOBAL SHOES is a sourcing trade fair for manufacturers interested in volume business. About 410 exhibitors showcase their latest shoe collections for women, men and children, including lifestyle, sports and wellness. Attendees use these strategic international order platforms to gathered information and place orders for the coming season. The GDS exhibits are supported by fashion shows and forums offering important information on markets and trends for the next season. The different segments and the programme of accompanying events will be continuously fine-tuned to respond to visitors’ and exhibitors’ needs and wishes.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: GDS offers different segments and individual lifestyle worlds in which exhibitors present their latest collections of women’s, men’s and children’s shoes, bags and accessories.

· urban authentic: cult-status heritage brands

· urban fresh: popular, mainstream fashion, lifestyle and urban fashion brands

· urban active: brands blending utility with design

· design attack: design newcomers with lifestyle products and collections

· white cubes: progressive high-fashion labels

· upper style: established high-quality brands

· prime² (spoken: prime squared): established high-quality brands for men’s shoes

· superior: medium-priced international fashion collections

· essential: mainstream-fashion quality brands

· kidwalk: children’s shoe brands

· shop & deco: shop fitting and furnishing products

In addition: kid’s and wellness collections are integrated into all lifestyle worlds in the other exhibition halls at the stands of prestigious brands.

PRICE POINTS: Off-Price/Budget/Moderate/High-End


DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION: Düsseldorf, Germany

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: Messe Düsseldorf

ANTICIPATED ADDITIONS/ CHANGES/ ADDITIONS TO THE SHOW IN 2011: From 2011 both trade fairs will be held from Wednesday to Friday.

SHOW DATES IN 2011: March 16–18

September 7–9

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.gds-online.com

(001312) 781-5180

MAGIC Marketplace

MAGIC is the preeminent trade event in the international fashion industry, hosting global buyers and sellers of men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, footwear, accessories and sourcing resources. As an incubator of fashion, MAGIC is where new trends surface and develop into what will be seen on the consumer. The show’s goal is to connect and inspire the fashion community, fuse diverse trends, while offering unbeatable service to its customers.

Several neighborhoods within MAGIC include: WWDMAGIC (women’s), MAGIC Menswear, Sourcing at MAGIC, FN FLATFORM (footwear), S.L.A.T.E, Street

FEATURED MERCHANDISECasual, Dress, Athletic, Urban/Streetwear, Special Occasions, Rugged/Outdoors, Denim, Beachwear, Nightwear, Fashion Forward, Contemporary, Bridge/Designer, Couture, Watches, Jewelry, Hats, Bags, Cosmetics, etc


FREQUENCY/YEAR: 2 times/ year

DURATION/DAYS: 3 days

LOCATION: Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: Advanstar


DATES FOR 2011: February 14 – 16,August- TBD

WEB SITE AND PHONE: www.magiconline.com, 818/593-5000

MICAM

MICAM Shoevent, the leading international footwear fair, is organised by A.N.C.I., the National Association of Italian Footwear Manufacturers, through its service company ANCI SERVIZI Srl.

The event is held twice a year in Milan, the fashion capital, in the modern and functional fair grounds of Rho Fiera. In March and September, a sneak-preview of the autumn/winter collections and those for spring/summer of the following year are presented. The result is a complete and wide range of goods featuring quality, design and innovation, a unique platform that successfully combines business, glamour and communication.

The fair occupies an exhibition area of over 70,000 square metres and plays host to around 1,600 companies, of which 1,000 are Italian and 600 foreign. Together they represent over 30 different countries.

Given the attendance figures of over 42,000 visitors, of which 21,000 come from abroad, the MICAM Shoevent confirms its role as a privileged showcase for promoting new collections. At the same time, it is also a decisive opportunity to do business and establish tangible commercial contacts.

An appointment buyers cannot miss, and one where they will be able to witness all the latest developments in Italian and international footwear fashions.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: All Footwear categories, Accessories for shops, Specialized press

FN PlatformRated # 10

GDSRated # 8

MAGICRated # 1


n FN Platform

n GDS

n MAGIC



FN PLATFORM

FN PLATFORM, presented by MAGIC and in collaboration with Footwear News, showcases over 1,000 new and emerging footwear brands encompassing the full range of branded footwear for Men, Women, Juniors and Children.

FN PLATFORM features:· Efficiently and uniquely merchandised lifestyle

environments, each setting featuring a distinctive market category.

· Specialized retail relations networking opportunities that connect retailers to the right brands.

· Complimentary industry seminars by the most respected names in the industry.

· Domestic and international media industry leaders, trend setters and brand builders under one roof for three days.

· Concierge assistance including hotel bookings, restaurant reservations and transportation arrangements available to buyers and exhibitors.

As part of MAGIC, FN PLATFORM is the only footwear event that allows retailers to meet all of their buying needs head to toe, while viewing all the trends of the season.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: All branded footwear including athleisure, casual, designer, advanced contemporary and comfort.



DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION: Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: MAGIC



August TBD

GDS

GDS and GLOBAL SHOES are leading international trade fairs for footwear where about 1,190 exhibitors


from 41 countries present their collections to visitors from around the world. 780 exhibitors with about 1,800 collections – ranging from exclusive and elegant to young, trendy and experimental – were accounted for by GDS. GLOBAL SHOES is a sourcing trade fair for manufacturers interested in volume business. About 410 exhibitors showcase their latest shoe collections for women, men and children, including lifestyle, sports and wellness. Attendees use these strategic international order platforms to gathered information and place orders for the coming season. The GDS exhibits are supported by fashion shows and forums offering important information on markets and trends for the next season. The different segments and the programme of accompanying events will be continuously fine-tuned to respond to visitors’ and exhibitors’ needs and wishes.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: GDS offers different segments and individual lifestyle worlds in which exhibitors present their latest collections of women’s, men’s and children’s shoes, bags and accessories.

· urban authentic: cult-status heritage brands

· urban fresh: popular, mainstream fashion, lifestyle and urban fashion brands

· urban active: brands blending utility with design

· design attack: design newcomers with lifestyle products and collections

· white cubes: progressive high-fashion labels

· upper style: established high-quality brands

· prime² (spoken: prime squared): established high-quality brands for men’s shoes

· superior: medium-priced international fashion collections

· essential: mainstream-fashion quality brands

· kidwalk: children’s shoe brands

· shop & deco: shop fitting and furnishing products

In addition: kid’s and wellness collections are integrated into all lifestyle worlds in the other exhibition halls at the stands of prestigious brands.

PRICE POINTS: Off-Price/Budget/Moderate/High-End


DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION: Düsseldorf, Germany

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: Messe Düsseldorf

ANTICIPATED ADDITIONS/ CHANGES/ ADDITIONS TO THE SHOW IN 2011: From 2011 both trade fairs will be held from Wednesday to Friday.

SHOW DATES IN 2011: March 16–18

September 7–9

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.gds-online.com

(001312) 781-5180

MAGIC Marketplace

MAGIC is the preeminent trade event in the international fashion industry, hosting global buyers and sellers of men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, footwear, accessories and sourcing resources. As an incubator of fashion, MAGIC is where new trends surface and develop into what will be seen on the consumer. The show’s goal is to connect and inspire the fashion community, fuse diverse trends, while offering unbeatable service to its customers.

Several neighborhoods within MAGIC include: WWDMAGIC (women’s), MAGIC Menswear, Sourcing at MAGIC, FN FLATFORM (footwear), S.L.A.T.E, Street

FEATURED MERCHANDISECasual, Dress, Athletic, Urban/Streetwear, Special Occasions, Rugged/Outdoors, Denim, Beachwear, Nightwear, Fashion Forward, Contemporary, Bridge/Designer, Couture, Watches, Jewelry, Hats, Bags, Cosmetics, etc


FREQUENCY/YEAR: 2 times/ year

DURATION/DAYS: 3 days

LOCATION: Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: Advanstar


DATES FOR 2011: February 14 – 16,August- TBD

WEB SITE AND PHONE: www.magiconline.com, 818/593-5000

MICAM

MICAM Shoevent, the leading international footwear fair, is organised by A.N.C.I., the National Association of Italian Footwear Manufacturers, through its service company ANCI SERVIZI Srl.

The event is held twice a year in Milan, the fashion capital, in the modern and functional fair grounds of Rho Fiera. In March and September, a sneak-preview of the autumn/winter collections and those for spring/summer of the following year are presented. The result is a complete and wide range of goods featuring quality, design and innovation, a unique platform that successfully combines business, glamour and communication.

The fair occupies an exhibition area of over 70,000 square metres and plays host to around 1,600 companies, of which 1,000 are Italian and 600 foreign. Together they represent over 30 different countries.

Given the attendance figures of over 42,000 visitors, of which 21,000 come from abroad, the MICAM Shoevent confirms its role as a privileged showcase for promoting new collections. At the same time, it is also a decisive opportunity to do business and establish tangible commercial contacts.

An appointment buyers cannot miss, and one where they will be able to witness all the latest developments in Italian and international footwear fashions.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: All Footwear categories, Accessories for shops, Specialized press

FN PlatformRated # 10

GDSRated # 8

MAGICRated # 1


n FN Platform

n GDS

n MAGIC




DURATION: 4 Days

LOCATION: Rho Fiera, Milan, Italy

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: ANCI Servizi Srl


SHOW DATES IN 2011: March 6-9

September 18-21

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.micamonline.com

+39 02 438291

PROJECT Global Trade Show

PROJECT Global Trade Show PROJECT is the “fashion epicenter” bringing together the world’s most innovative advanced contemporary brands and the most prestigious and forward-thinking global retailers.

PROJECT is the “place-maker,” an influential destination that unites an industry and provides a compelling experience that inspires growth both creatively and commercially.

PROJECT is the “industry steward.” A trend seeker, a developer of emerging talent, an educator, an advocate for more conscious and sustainable practices, a pillar of inspiration and creativity.

PROJECT is the “dream curator,” an adaptable and always evolving entity capable of nurturing the big idea.

PROJECT is the “global hyperlocalist.” A global event, capable of creating community that transcends labels and fosters connectivity and collaboration.”

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: Denim, Advanced Collections, Footwear, Accessories

PRICE POINTS: Moderate/High-End

FREQUENCY: 4 times/year: 2 times in New York, NY and 2 times in Las Vegas, NV

DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION: New York, NY, Las Vegas, NV

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: Advanstar Communications


SHOW DATES IN 2011: Project New York:

January 16-18

July TBD

Project Las Vegas

February 14-16

August TBD

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.projectshow.com

(877) 554-4834

The Atlanta Shoe Market (TASM)

The Atlanta Shoe Market (TASM) The Atlanta Shoe Market is held in Atlanta, Georgia twice a year at the Cobb Galleria Centre and The Renaissance Waverly Hotel. This show is held “Under One Roof” and is managed by Southeastern Shoe Travelers Association which is a non profit association for manufacturer’s representatives. Their purpose is to foster cordial relationships between manufacturers, retailers and salesmen in the shoe industry and related fields as well as providing trade shows and educational seminars to their members and retailers.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: Footwear & Accessories for Men, Women, Children: Athletics, Comfort, Better and Designer



DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION: Cobb Galleria Centre and The Renaissance Waverly Hotel in Atlanta, GA

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: Southeastern Shoe Travelers Association, Inc

ANTICIPATED ADDITIONS/ CHANGES/ ADDITIONS TO THE SHOW IN 2011: The Atlanta Shoe Market will have extended hours of the show to accommodate the growing number of retailers that are attending the show. In addition additional space is being used to accommodate the growing number of exhibiting companies. We have added “The Kids Shoe Box” in the Grand Ballroom featuring over 110 children’s brands. We have also added “The Fashion Collection” in the main ballroom in the Convention Centre featuring over 200 brands.

SHOW DATES IN 2011: February 19-21August 13-15WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.atlantashoemarket.com(706) 923-0580


WSA

WSA (World Shoes + Accessories) ENK International provides the forum for the fashion world to conduct business ENK’s portfolio of 29+ events includes WSA,

an event featuring women’s, men’s and children’s footwear and accessories.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: Footwear and Accessories for Men, Women, Children, Casual, Dress, Athletic, Urban/Streetwear, Special Occasion, Rugged/Outdoor, Fashion Forward, Contemporary, Bridge/Designer

PRICE POINTS: Affordable Fashion to Moderate to Luxury


DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION: The Venetian & Sands Expo Center Las Vegas, NV


ANTICIPATED ADDITIONS/ CHANGES/ ADDITIONS TO THE SHOW IN 2011: Sole Commerce at WSA will debut in February 2011


July 27-29

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.wsashow.com

(818) 379-9400


There are several reasons why should you visit a trade fair:• They are useful for obtaining information on the hottest new items. Fairs

enable you to attend live demonstrations and view new product and/or service presentations.

• They allow you to pre-select the sellers that interest you the most and to arrange face-to-face purchasing encounters with them.

• Trade fairs are ideal for making direct check-ups on product characteris-tics, prior to purchase.

• They enable you to compare prices and terms of sale across the range of specialized offerings.

• They give you the opportunity to solve problems and discuss your needs with qualified technical personnel.

• They are the ideal forums for maximizing exposure to market trends.

• They allow you to contact current and potential suppliers and to draw up comparisons.

• They provide an opportunity of attending congresses, seminars and parallel events ¬ unquestionable sources of information on industry evolution and trends.

• They are one of company¹s key tools for projecting a given purchasing-power image.

• They enable you to change the way sellers perceive your company.

• They allow you to assess your possibilities of participating in the future as an exhibitor.

Did you know that ...? • Trade fairs are ranked second in terms of their impact on the sales

process, surpassed only by direct sales. • The average cost per visitor is 45% less at a trade fair than in a direct

sale operation. • In 91% of the cases, participation at trade fairs is a key factor in the

purchasing decision process and ranks first in relation to other sources of information (publications, associations, directories, salespersons, etc.).

• For 85% of companies, participation at fairs represents significant cost savings thanks to the concentration of product and/or service purchas-ers and suppliers at a single venue.

• According to these analyses, 80% of companies believe that trade fairs provide the only opportunity for discussing problems and current trends with other industry players.

• Around 52% of the prospective customers contacted at fairs do not require subsequent visits in order to wrap up a sale. On the contrary, first contacts on prospects¹ premises require an average of 4.3 visits before operations may be closed.

• 71% of visitors share the information obtained at fairs with 1 to 6 other persons upon returning to their companies.

• 83% of leading businesspersons express their confidence in trade fairs as tools for keeping in tune with industry trends.

• In general terms, around 50% of visitors are first-timers at any given trade fair. Considering that new players enter every business scenario on a daily basis, fairs are ideal places for establishing contact with them.

• Close to 80% of fair visitors wield purchasing-decision power in their companies or bear influence on such decisions in relation to the prod-ucts and services on show. Source: Spanish Trade Fairs Association (AFE)

MICAM Shoe EventRated # 2

PROJECTRated # 3

The Atlanta Shoe MarketRated # 5

WSARated # 9


n MICAM

n PROJECT

n The Atlanta Shoe Market




DURATION: 4 Days

LOCATION: Rho Fiera, Milan, Italy

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: ANCI Servizi Srl


SHOW DATES IN 2011: March 6-9

September 18-21

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.micamonline.com

+39 02 438291

PROJECT Global Trade Show

PROJECT Global Trade Show PROJECT is the “fashion epicenter” bringing together the world’s most innovative advanced contemporary brands and the most prestigious and forward-thinking global retailers.

PROJECT is the “place-maker,” an influential destination that unites an industry and provides a compelling experience that inspires growth both creatively and commercially.

PROJECT is the “industry steward.” A trend seeker, a developer of emerging talent, an educator, an advocate for more conscious and sustainable practices, a pillar of inspiration and creativity.

PROJECT is the “dream curator,” an adaptable and always evolving entity capable of nurturing the big idea.

PROJECT is the “global hyperlocalist.” A global event, capable of creating community that transcends labels and fosters connectivity and collaboration.”

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: Denim, Advanced Collections, Footwear, Accessories

PRICE POINTS: Moderate/High-End

FREQUENCY: 4 times/year: 2 times in New York, NY and 2 times in Las Vegas, NV

DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION: New York, NY, Las Vegas, NV

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: Advanstar Communications


SHOW DATES IN 2011: Project New York:

January 16-18

July TBD

Project Las Vegas

February 14-16

August TBD

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.projectshow.com

(877) 554-4834

The Atlanta Shoe Market (TASM)

The Atlanta Shoe Market (TASM) The Atlanta Shoe Market is held in Atlanta, Georgia twice a year at the Cobb Galleria Centre and The Renaissance Waverly Hotel. This show is held “Under One Roof” and is managed by Southeastern Shoe Travelers Association which is a non profit association for manufacturer’s representatives. Their purpose is to foster cordial relationships between manufacturers, retailers and salesmen in the shoe industry and related fields as well as providing trade shows and educational seminars to their members and retailers.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: Footwear & Accessories for Men, Women, Children: Athletics, Comfort, Better and Designer



DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION: Cobb Galleria Centre and The Renaissance Waverly Hotel in Atlanta, GA

PRODUCER(S)/ ORGANIZERS: Southeastern Shoe Travelers Association, Inc

ANTICIPATED ADDITIONS/ CHANGES/ ADDITIONS TO THE SHOW IN 2011: The Atlanta Shoe Market will have extended hours of the show to accommodate the growing number of retailers that are attending the show. In addition additional space is being used to accommodate the growing number of exhibiting companies. We have added “The Kids Shoe Box” in the Grand Ballroom featuring over 110 children’s brands. We have also added “The Fashion Collection” in the main ballroom in the Convention Centre featuring over 200 brands.

SHOW DATES IN 2011: February 19-21August 13-15WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.atlantashoemarket.com(706) 923-0580


WSA

WSA (World Shoes + Accessories) ENK International provides the forum for the fashion world to conduct business ENK’s portfolio of 29+ events includes WSA,

an event featuring women’s, men’s and children’s footwear and accessories.

FEATURED MERCHANDISE, CATEGORIES: Footwear and Accessories for Men, Women, Children, Casual, Dress, Athletic, Urban/Streetwear, Special Occasion, Rugged/Outdoor, Fashion Forward, Contemporary, Bridge/Designer

PRICE POINTS: Affordable Fashion to Moderate to Luxury


DURATION: 3 Days

LOCATION: The Venetian & Sands Expo Center Las Vegas, NV


ANTICIPATED ADDITIONS/ CHANGES/ ADDITIONS TO THE SHOW IN 2011: Sole Commerce at WSA will debut in February 2011


July 27-29

WEB SITE AND CONTACT PHONE: www.wsashow.com

(818) 379-9400


There are several reasons why should you visit a trade fair:• They are useful for obtaining information on the hottest new items. Fairs

enable you to attend live demonstrations and view new product and/or service presentations.

• They allow you to pre-select the sellers that interest you the most and to arrange face-to-face purchasing encounters with them.

• Trade fairs are ideal for making direct check-ups on product characteris-tics, prior to purchase.

• They enable you to compare prices and terms of sale across the range of specialized offerings.

• They give you the opportunity to solve problems and discuss your needs with qualified technical personnel.

• They are the ideal forums for maximizing exposure to market trends.

• They allow you to contact current and potential suppliers and to draw up comparisons.

• They provide an opportunity of attending congresses, seminars and parallel events ¬ unquestionable sources of information on industry evolution and trends.

• They are one of company¹s key tools for projecting a given purchasing-power image.

• They enable you to change the way sellers perceive your company.

• They allow you to assess your possibilities of participating in the future as an exhibitor.

Did you know that ...? • Trade fairs are ranked second in terms of their impact on the sales

process, surpassed only by direct sales. • The average cost per visitor is 45% less at a trade fair than in a direct

sale operation. • In 91% of the cases, participation at trade fairs is a key factor in the

purchasing decision process and ranks first in relation to other sources of information (publications, associations, directories, salespersons, etc.).

• For 85% of companies, participation at fairs represents significant cost savings thanks to the concentration of product and/or service purchas-ers and suppliers at a single venue.

• According to these analyses, 80% of companies believe that trade fairs provide the only opportunity for discussing problems and current trends with other industry players.

• Around 52% of the prospective customers contacted at fairs do not require subsequent visits in order to wrap up a sale. On the contrary, first contacts on prospects¹ premises require an average of 4.3 visits before operations may be closed.

• 71% of visitors share the information obtained at fairs with 1 to 6 other persons upon returning to their companies.

• 83% of leading businesspersons express their confidence in trade fairs as tools for keeping in tune with industry trends.

• In general terms, around 50% of visitors are first-timers at any given trade fair. Considering that new players enter every business scenario on a daily basis, fairs are ideal places for establishing contact with them.

• Close to 80% of fair visitors wield purchasing-decision power in their companies or bear influence on such decisions in relation to the prod-ucts and services on show. Source: Spanish Trade Fairs Association (AFE)

MICAM Shoe EventRated # 2

PROJECTRated # 3

The Atlanta Shoe MarketRated # 5

WSARated # 9


n MICAM

n PROJECT

n The Atlanta Shoe Market


LUXURY RETAIL

Luxury Consumers

Hold on Tight to Cash This Quarter

In continuing signs of struggles among the affluent consumer market -- the ‘heavy lifters’ in the overall retail economy -- Unity Marketing’s exclusive Luxury Consumption Index (LCI) retreated in October 2010, dropping 6.2 points to 72.1 points. According to the latest survey of luxury consumer confidence among 1,364 affluent luxury consumers (avg. income $298.3k; net wealth $7.3 million; 46.3 yrs; male 47 %; female 53 %). These results have important implications for marketers and retailers preparing for the 2010

holiday season.

“Luxury consumers started 2010 with a feeling of optimism that the worst of the economic turmoil was over. But through the course of the year, reality hasn’t lived up to those expectations, so we have seen a retreat of the LCI throughout the year,” says Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing and author of the upcoming book, Putting the Luxe Back in Luxury. “Lower levels of affluent consumer confidence are playing out in terms of reduced of spending on luxuries. In the third quarter, affluent consumers spent 1.4 % less on luxuries than they did in the second quarter, with declines seen in expenditures in most of the 22 categories of luxury goods and services included in the survey.”

Danziger takes issue with the robust luxury forecast by Bain and Company reported in the October 18 Wall Street Journal). “The word from Bain is that the luxury goods sector’s ‘recovery has been faster than expected.’ I disagree. The affluent consumers surveyed show a very reserved

and cautious attitude about future luxury spending. Nearly half (49 %) expect to spend the same on luxury in the next twelve months and about one-fourth (24 %) say they will spend less. While luxury consumer confidence is much higher now than it was at the close of 2008, Unity Marketing’s measure

of the pulse of the affluent consumer market still signals caution for marketers. Now is not the time to sit back and breathe a sigh of relief. We still have a long way to go before the affluent consumers feel confident enough to spend as freely as they did in 2006 and 2007.”

30 December 2010 © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail December 2010 3131 December 2010 © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail

What the latest luxury consumer survey finds

Among the findings in the third quarter Luxury Tracking Study:

n Spending on luxury declined 1.4 % overall while ultra-affluents cut their luxury spending by 11 % quarter-to-quarter. Luxury consumer spending dropped a modest 1.4 % in the third quarter from second, from $31,665 on average to $31,225. However, the ultra-affluents (top 2 % of U.S. households with incomes over $250,000) cut back even more, reducing their third quarter spending by 11 % from second to the third quarter. “This pull back among the ultra-affluent, the top 2 % of U.S. households, will have the strongest impact on the heritage luxury brands at the high end of the luxury market,” Danziger explains. The good news for luxury marketers is that luxury consumers spent 33 % more this year as compared with last year. But marketers should prepare for another tough fourth quarter as the affluent look once again for more bargains and discounts.

n Luxury personal electronics will be top pick for Christmas giving. The only luxury goods category posting quarter-to-quarter growth was personal electronics. More affluents will turn

to gift selections from among these practical, yet essential high-tech tools, including laptop computers, GPS, cell phones, MP3 players and eBook readers. This is sure to be good news for marketers like Apple, Amazon, Best Buy and Radio Shack.

n More luxury consumers purchased luxury in the third quarter, even while they spent less overall. Pent-up demand for something new drove a higher %age of luxury consumers to the store this quarter, even while they spent less money making their purchases. Luxury goods and services categories that captured a greater share of affluent shoppers this quarter as compared to last included luxury clothing and apparel, wine and spirits, fine dining, entertainment and travel. Danziger explains, “The two key metrics that the luxury tracking survey measures -- spending and purchase incidence -- are totally independent variables. Purchase incidence is the share of affluent consumers who made a purchase in one of the 22 product and service categories tracked. Spending is the average amount buyers actually spent making purchases. Luxury goods and service marketers need to focus on both metrics to increase sales and profits; that is, they need to both attract more affluent shoppers and get those affluent shoppers to spend more. What the data says about the third quarter is that in these five categories marketers attracted a greater share of customers, but they were not able to convert them into higher-spending customers.”

n Luxury consumers traded down to more mass brands in search of value. Luxury consumers continued to pay careful attention to keeping within their spending budgets this quarter. They selectively indulged in luxuries by searching out discounts and choosing value brands. For example,

more ultra-affluent shoppers frequented Costco (35.5 %) and Target (36.1 %) this quarter than Neiman Marcus (21.3 %).

In the fashion boutique sector, Ann Taylor (17.6 %), Banana Republic (16.6 %) and Ann Taylor Loft (16.1 %), were patronized more by ultra-affluent shoppers this quarter than traditional ‘luxe’ brands such as Chanel (10.8 %), Louis Vuitton (11 %) or Coach (11.8 %).

On the latest 3Q2010 survey results, Tom Bodenberg, Unity Marketing’s chief consumer economist, said, “After two quarters of stagnation, the index now shows a decline. This portends a holiday period where retailers need to be even more nimble, need to control the supply chain, and in the case of experiences, limit supply more than originally planned. Fifteen months ago I mentioned the downward spiral dating from early 2008 had bottomed out. The subsequent period did show an increase, but it has reached a plateau and is now declining again.”

Pamela N. Danziger is a nationally recognized expert in undertanding the mind of the consumer. She founded Unity Marketing in 1992 as a marketing consulting firm for marketers and retailers that sell luxury goods and experiences. A highly sought after keynote speaker, Danziger has addressed large conference audiences, including Global Luxury Forum, Global Shop, National Retail Federation, etc.

She has appeared on NBC, CBS, Fox News and CNN and is frequently called upon by the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Businessweek, Forbes, USA Today, Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Women’s Wear Daily and other business and consumer publications for commentary and analysis. She holds a B.A. Degree in English Literature and a Master of Library Science degree.

In recognition of her ground- breaking work in the luxury consumer market, Pam received the Global Luxury Award presented by Harper’s Bazaar for top luxury industry achievers in 2007. She is also the author of three books on consumer psychology and behavior. For more information, go to www.unitymarketingonline.com or email her at [email protected]


2B marketers want more than just a big pile of leads. They also want higher quality leads. Leads that are more likely to convert into sales. Leads that

their sales force will crow about, not complain about. Leads that will create far more revenue than it cost to generate them.

If that’s what you want, too, you are not alone. In a new MarketingSherpa study, a whopping 78% of B2B marketers agreed that “generating high quality leads” was a top chal-lenge, much higher than the 44% who said “generating a high volume of leads.”

Trade show marketers share this need ur-gently. “I recently hosted a Lunch and Learn

for my veteran exhibiting customers,” said Vic-toria R. Conti, CTSM, from Skyline Genesis Event Marketing, “and the main topic every-one wanted to discuss was how to increase the amount of qualified leads from a show.”

Sounds like Job #1. So without further ado, here are 8 ways to increase the quality of the leads you get from visitors to your trade show booth:

1. Select Shows with Attendees Who Bet-ter Match Your Prospects. Ask shows vying for a spot on your trade show schedule to supply detailed attendee de-mographics. Look at their attendees’ job titles, industries, company size, location, and if they have it, average annual bud-

get. How many of each show’s attendees would make great prospects for you? And what percent of the show’s attendance do they represent? Compare show by show, and consider only the shows that bring more of your target audience, or a higher percentage. That way you can have more time interacting with qualified attendees in your booth, rather than weeding through visitors who will never buy from you.

2. More Focused Pre-Show and At-Show Promotions. First, to attract only the part of the show’s attendees that match your target audience, offer giveaways and gifts that appeal only to them (such as a free cost-savings calculation) rather than

MARKETING By Mike Thimmesch

8 Ways To Get Higher Quality Trade Show LeadsUsed by permission of Skyline Exhibits www.skyline.com

continued on page 34



something that appeals to everyone (such as a free iPad). Shift your giveaway bud-get from a lot of lower quality items for the masses, to fewer, but better gifts you only offer to big-time buyers, and only if they visit your booth. You and your sales team can also put more effort into reach-ing out to top prospects before the show to invite them to your booth or to a meal with top company execs during the show.

3. Better Qualify Your Leads During Or After The Show. Find out from your sales people before the show what information they need about each lead – and then get it! Put those key 3 to 5 questions on the lead card, and train your booth staffers to ask those questions directly, or to listen for (and write down) those answers during their conversations. Based on those ques-tions, agree ahead of time what makes a hot lead, a good lead, or an unqualified lead, and then ensure that booth staffers rank leads accordingly (such as A, B, or C). After the show, your sales people will know which leads are hot, and be more likely to follow-up. You can also call after the show to qualify your leads before pass-ing them on.

4. Invest In Your Booth Staff. The higher quality your booth staff, the higher qual-ity your leads. So no more trade-shows-as-on-the-job-training. Victoria Conti agreed, saying, “In our Lunch and Learn, we agreed that the most effective way to get more qualified leads is to make sure your staff is trained and armed with great open-ended questions, knowledgeable in recording their answers, and comfortable with the sales process on the trade show floor. Being able to gather information quickly and efficiently is the key skill.”

5. Be More Persuasive. Create interactions that help attendees imagine how you can solve their problems. Invent a demonstra-tion that gets attendees engaged and in-volved rather than passive and bored. Tell stories about your happy clients who faced similar problems. Create an experience that engages multiple senses. Whatever you, take advantage of the face-to-face nature of trade shows to move prospects further along the buying cycle.

6. Design More Specific Trade Show Dis-play Graphics. Say very directly how you benefit clients and what niche you fill. For example, instead of “Enterprise Soft-ware,” you say “Human Resources Soft-ware for Professional Services Compa-nies.” You might even further define your sweet spot and say, “Human Resources Software for Engineering Companies.” That way the leads you do get are more likely to be leads you can close. Choose more specific images, too.

7. Bring Up Objections Yourself In Your Booth. Don’t wait for after the show to reveal your shortcomings; raise the most common objections yourself. If you are more expensive, farther away, less experi-enced, or less than perfect in some way, be up front about it. (But be sure to give rea-sons you can overcome those objections, too!) The attendees that are still with you after that will be worth giving to your field sales reps.

8.. Don’t Give Every Trade Show Lead to Sales. If you have ranked your leads by how qualified they are, consider only giv-ing those leads that are sales-ready. You may have leads ranked A, B, and C, but only give the A and B leads to your sales force, and put the C leads into your data-base for ongoing marketing until they are also ready for sales. If you do start tak-ing this approach, be sure your sales force knows you’ve made the change.

Trade shows deliver higher quality leads than other marketing mediums. Visitors to your booth pay their own way there, demon-strating both interest and buying power. You can demo your product and competitive advan-tages face-to-face, moving prospects quicker along the buying cycle.

Now, by using one or more of these 8 methods, you can get even higher quality leads from the trade shows you exhibit at.

What have you done to get higher quality trade show leads?

MARKETINGcontinued from page 32

n PROJECT

n Fashion Coterie


MASTERING SALES SKILLS By Harry J. Friedman MASTERING SALES SKILLS

Harry J. Friedman is an internationally acclaimed retail consultant and CEO of The Friedman Group. Since 1980, his retail sales and management techniques have been used by over 500,000 retailers worldwide. He is retail’s most heavily attended speaker and widely read author, with articles published over 500 times in national trade magazines and his best selling book No Thanks, I’m Just Looking! now in it’s 9th printing. He has also developed scores of retail training programs, retail’s most popular management seminars, and has contributed to the success of many of retail’s best-in-class organizations. For a FREE subscription to his monthly On The Floor Journal enewsletter, information on upcoming retail seminars, training programs, or on-site consulting, call 800-351-8040 or visit www.thefriedmangroup.com.

You Make the CallTake the quiz below to test

your sales ability

Scenario #1Even though you may be working on

a potentially large sale, any new customer deserves, at a minimum, to be acknowl-edged. Let ALL of your customers know that they are important to you. The key to successfully handling this situation is ask-ing permission to excuse yourself from the original customer and waiting for the cus-tomer to respond. Then let the second cus-tomer know that you will be helping them as soon as you can and ask them if that will be all right.

Getting permission from each cus-tomer is, in essence, making a verbal con-tract. They can’t leave now because they said they would wait. Your large sale can continue, and Customer B respects your acknowledgment and knows that they will be taken care of shortly. Take a look at how the verbal contract is laid out for you in the following dialogue:S: (To Customer A) “Could you ex-

cuse me for just a minute? I want to let this customer know that I will be with them shortly. Is that all right?”

If you read my article last month, you had the opportunity to come up with some solutions to situations you run into all of the time. I had some wonderful responses from readers who really enjoyed this problem-solving game. If you found yourself pleased with the way your judgment matched mine last time, here is your chance to do it again. Or, if you were surprised with the information I brought to your attention on how to handle the various situations, read on and learn more ways to sharpen your professional selling skills. Good luck!

1 You are alone in the store and currently working with a cus-tomer who is buying a bedroom set (Customer A). Another cus-tomer comes in (B) and shows obvious signs of needing help, but you don’t want to louse up the current sale by helping both at once. How do you handle it?

3 You are making a presentation on a fabulous bedroom set to your customer, and although you are sure this is the perfect set for his daughter, the situation is going from bad to worse. How might you turn the sale over to another salesperson before blowing any chance of making the sale at all?

2 A customer who has never shopped for a complete bedroom set before comes into the store, randomly walks up to one and asks immediately, “How much is this?” They have inquired about a fairly expensive one. How would you handle this situation without scaring them out the door?

C: “Sure, go ahead.”

S: “Thanks.” (Approaches Customer B) “Hi! Could you do me a favor? I’m just finishing up with that gentleman over there, and I’ll be with you in just a few moments. Is that all right with you?”

C: “That’s fine.”

Scenario #2Before scaring him away with the

price (which has no meaning to him if he hasn’t shopped for one before), do some probing to find out what his needs are. The first probing question to use that would be a logical follow-up to the customer’s in-quiry into the price would be, “How long has it been since you have shopped for a bedroom set?” This gives you the oppor-tunity to find out if he has been shopping recently and is aware of the price ranges available.

Next, saying “it has become compli-cated based on the different options avail-able” helps you to avoid giving a price without explaining the benefits. If, indeed, the bedroom set he first inquired about suits his needs, then explaining all of the features and benefits as they relate to his needs will help establish value in the price. If his needs would be better met by a dif-ferent set, switch to the most appropriate one and demonstrate its benefits. If you decided to quote the price of the expensive bedroom set, and demonstrate its features and benefits to justify the price, chances are you would lose the opportunity to show another bedroom set if this one didn’t suit his needs.

Take a look at the following dialogue:

S: “It really is a beautiful bedroom set, isn’t it?”

C: “It sure looks like it, but I bet it’s expensive.”

S: “That depends. Tell me, when was the last time you shopped for a bed-room set?”

C: “Well, I never really have. I’ve just been thinking about one for awhile and decided to find out more.”

S: “Well, the pricing has become com-plicated today. There are so many dif-ferent options available that the price really depends on which special op-tions you want to suit your individual needs. What made you decide you’d like to buy a new bedroom set?”

C: “Well, I decided it’s time to get a co-ordinated set. I’ve always had mix and match pieces and would really like a matching set.”

S: “Yeah, it is really nice having a bed-room set that is completely coordinat-ed. What style do you think you may be interested in?”

Scenario #3If you are going nowhere fast during

a sales presentation, and yet you know you have the merchandise the customer is looking for, chances are that the customer is not connecting with you. That doesn’t mean you are any less of a salesperson.

Look at it this way, have you ever met someone you didn’t like right away? If you think about it, it really wasn’t that per-son’s fault you didn’t like them. After all, you didn’t even really know them! They

probably reminded you of someone you didn’t like or of a bad experience you had. Our customers are only human. They may not feel comfortable with you. When you can sense this is happening, it is your re-sponsibility to turn over the sale to another salesperson.

The key in a successful turnover is building credibility in the person you will turn the sale over to. Introducing him/her as the expert in that particular area will give the customer confidence in the oth-er salesperson. You certainly would not refer to the other person as the expert if he/she were not able to handle that sale, (the customer will know if he/she is bluff-ing). Sometimes a personality difference or personal prejudice that the customer may have (i.e., doesn’t like young people, beards, blue eyes, striped shirts), may be just enough to lose the sale unless you turn it over to someone else.

C: “I just don’t know if this is really the right bedroom set for our daughter’s needs. I think I’ll just keep looking.”

S: “You know, I’ve been here for quite awhile, but I really am not the expert on this line of bedroom sets. I’d like to bring Jim over to speak with you. Jim is our in-house expert on this line. I’m sure he will be better able to find the perfect solution for your daughter’s needs. May I bring him over?”

I hope that these examples have giv-en you even more practice for judging all those tough plays that develop in your stores. Similar to a professional athlete, the more you practice, the better you’ll be and the better chance you’ll have at win-ning the game.

PART 2/3

continued in next issue


MASTERING SALES SKILLS By Harry J. Friedman MASTERING SALES SKILLS

Harry J. Friedman is an internationally acclaimed retail consultant and CEO of The Friedman Group. Since 1980, his retail sales and management techniques have been used by over 500,000 retailers worldwide. He is retail’s most heavily attended speaker and widely read author, with articles published over 500 times in national trade magazines and his best selling book No Thanks, I’m Just Looking! now in it’s 9th printing. He has also developed scores of retail training programs, retail’s most popular management seminars, and has contributed to the success of many of retail’s best-in-class organizations. For a FREE subscription to his monthly On The Floor Journal enewsletter, information on upcoming retail seminars, training programs, or on-site consulting, call 800-351-8040 or visit www.thefriedmangroup.com.

You Make the CallTake the quiz below to test

your sales ability

Scenario #1Even though you may be working on

a potentially large sale, any new customer deserves, at a minimum, to be acknowl-edged. Let ALL of your customers know that they are important to you. The key to successfully handling this situation is ask-ing permission to excuse yourself from the original customer and waiting for the cus-tomer to respond. Then let the second cus-tomer know that you will be helping them as soon as you can and ask them if that will be all right.

Getting permission from each cus-tomer is, in essence, making a verbal con-tract. They can’t leave now because they said they would wait. Your large sale can continue, and Customer B respects your acknowledgment and knows that they will be taken care of shortly. Take a look at how the verbal contract is laid out for you in the following dialogue:S: (To Customer A) “Could you ex-

cuse me for just a minute? I want to let this customer know that I will be with them shortly. Is that all right?”

If you read my article last month, you had the opportunity to come up with some solutions to situations you run into all of the time. I had some wonderful responses from readers who really enjoyed this problem-solving game. If you found yourself pleased with the way your judgment matched mine last time, here is your chance to do it again. Or, if you were surprised with the information I brought to your attention on how to handle the various situations, read on and learn more ways to sharpen your professional selling skills. Good luck!

1 You are alone in the store and currently working with a cus-tomer who is buying a bedroom set (Customer A). Another cus-tomer comes in (B) and shows obvious signs of needing help, but you don’t want to louse up the current sale by helping both at once. How do you handle it?

3 You are making a presentation on a fabulous bedroom set to your customer, and although you are sure this is the perfect set for his daughter, the situation is going from bad to worse. How might you turn the sale over to another salesperson before blowing any chance of making the sale at all?

2 A customer who has never shopped for a complete bedroom set before comes into the store, randomly walks up to one and asks immediately, “How much is this?” They have inquired about a fairly expensive one. How would you handle this situation without scaring them out the door?

C: “Sure, go ahead.”

S: “Thanks.” (Approaches Customer B) “Hi! Could you do me a favor? I’m just finishing up with that gentleman over there, and I’ll be with you in just a few moments. Is that all right with you?”

C: “That’s fine.”

Scenario #2Before scaring him away with the

price (which has no meaning to him if he hasn’t shopped for one before), do some probing to find out what his needs are. The first probing question to use that would be a logical follow-up to the customer’s in-quiry into the price would be, “How long has it been since you have shopped for a bedroom set?” This gives you the oppor-tunity to find out if he has been shopping recently and is aware of the price ranges available.

Next, saying “it has become compli-cated based on the different options avail-able” helps you to avoid giving a price without explaining the benefits. If, indeed, the bedroom set he first inquired about suits his needs, then explaining all of the features and benefits as they relate to his needs will help establish value in the price. If his needs would be better met by a dif-ferent set, switch to the most appropriate one and demonstrate its benefits. If you decided to quote the price of the expensive bedroom set, and demonstrate its features and benefits to justify the price, chances are you would lose the opportunity to show another bedroom set if this one didn’t suit his needs.

Take a look at the following dialogue:

S: “It really is a beautiful bedroom set, isn’t it?”

C: “It sure looks like it, but I bet it’s expensive.”

S: “That depends. Tell me, when was the last time you shopped for a bed-room set?”

C: “Well, I never really have. I’ve just been thinking about one for awhile and decided to find out more.”

S: “Well, the pricing has become com-plicated today. There are so many dif-ferent options available that the price really depends on which special op-tions you want to suit your individual needs. What made you decide you’d like to buy a new bedroom set?”

C: “Well, I decided it’s time to get a co-ordinated set. I’ve always had mix and match pieces and would really like a matching set.”

S: “Yeah, it is really nice having a bed-room set that is completely coordinat-ed. What style do you think you may be interested in?”

Scenario #3If you are going nowhere fast during

a sales presentation, and yet you know you have the merchandise the customer is looking for, chances are that the customer is not connecting with you. That doesn’t mean you are any less of a salesperson.

Look at it this way, have you ever met someone you didn’t like right away? If you think about it, it really wasn’t that per-son’s fault you didn’t like them. After all, you didn’t even really know them! They

probably reminded you of someone you didn’t like or of a bad experience you had. Our customers are only human. They may not feel comfortable with you. When you can sense this is happening, it is your re-sponsibility to turn over the sale to another salesperson.

The key in a successful turnover is building credibility in the person you will turn the sale over to. Introducing him/her as the expert in that particular area will give the customer confidence in the oth-er salesperson. You certainly would not refer to the other person as the expert if he/she were not able to handle that sale, (the customer will know if he/she is bluff-ing). Sometimes a personality difference or personal prejudice that the customer may have (i.e., doesn’t like young people, beards, blue eyes, striped shirts), may be just enough to lose the sale unless you turn it over to someone else.

C: “I just don’t know if this is really the right bedroom set for our daughter’s needs. I think I’ll just keep looking.”

S: “You know, I’ve been here for quite awhile, but I really am not the expert on this line of bedroom sets. I’d like to bring Jim over to speak with you. Jim is our in-house expert on this line. I’m sure he will be better able to find the perfect solution for your daughter’s needs. May I bring him over?”

I hope that these examples have giv-en you even more practice for judging all those tough plays that develop in your stores. Similar to a professional athlete, the more you practice, the better you’ll be and the better chance you’ll have at win-ning the game.

PART 2/3

continued in next issue


CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WEAKENS: Bad News for an Economy in Search of More Consumer Demand(Excerpts from the quarterly update on U.S. Overall Customer Satisfaction and Annual Report on Apparel, and Athletic Shoes.)

By Claes Fornell, The Donald C. Cook Professor of Business Administration, Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, founder of the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

ECONOMIC COMMENTARY

Few Companies Improve Their Customer Relationships; Adidas, and VF among the Gainers

After almost two years of stalling scores, the overall American Customer Satisfac-tion Index (ACSI) dropped 0.3% to 75.7. As a result, the sluggish U.S. economy cannot look to consumer demand for a boost. Periods of stalling ACSI growth have often been followed by weak, and sometimes negative, GDP growth. Con-sumer spending, which still represents about 70% of GDP, is unlikely to exhibit much of an increase unless bond buying by the Federal Reserve leads to more employment, inflation, consumer confidence, and higher stock prices.

Based on second-quarter results, ACSI data predicted consumer spending growth for the third quarter to be in the range of 2.4% to 2.9%. According to the Commerce Depart-ment, the actual number turned out to be at the center of that range: 2.6%, an increase from the previous quarter and also from the first quarter of 2010. Yet, with the drop in ACSI, consumer spending for the final quarter of 2010 does not look like it will improve much more than 2.3%. This would probably not be enough to spur sub-stantial economic growth.

The reason for the slow economic recovery is, at least in part, low consumer demand. But as evident from the trade deficit, it is not so much a question of total demand as it is of weak demand for domestic goods rela-tive to imported goods. In order for consumer spending to boost the economy, a shift in de-mand away from imports and toward domes-tics would be helpful. The Federal Reserve’s “quantitative easing” plan might help prompt

such a shift be-cause it tends to weaken the dollar, but deteriorating cus-tomer satisfaction for domestic products will have the opposite effect. Price obviously has an impact on demand, but qual-ity and customer satisfaction matter as well.

Athletic Shoes: Adidas Sprints into the Lead

At an ACSI score of 80, athletic footwear remained steady from one year ago. With a 5% surge to 82, Adidas jumped into the lead, while Nike made a modest gain of 1% to 80. Both companies are at or near all-time highs. For the industry, these gains were offset by a big drop for the

group of smaller manufacturers such as New Balance and Skechers. The category fell 4%, equaling the industry average at 80. After Adidas added Reebok to its brand portfolio in 2006, customer satisfaction went from 75 to 78, but remained stuck until now. Investments in new products with a special emphasis on toning shoes seem to have paid off. Market

share has increased (particularly among wom-en) with U.S. revenue growing at a double-digit pace, while stock price is up 40% over the past year.

Apparel: VF Zips Up the Top Spot While Liz Claiborne Languishes

Apparel is the only industry category in November’s update to show an improvement in customer satisfaction, up 1% to a record

high of 83. V.F. Corporation bolted into the lead with a 5% leap to a score of 85.

According to its customers, the jeans maker improved the quality as well as

the variety of its offerings even as the company also raised prices to offset the growing cost of raw ma-terials. VF is beating revenue and earnings expectations and its stock

price is up 20% from a year ago. In 2009, all apparel makers were tightly grouped around the industry average in the 81-83

range. VF has now pulled away from the field, with Jones Group (-2%), Levi Strauss (-2%), and Hanes-brands (-1%) all tied at 81.

Liz Claiborne moved in a di-rection opposite to VF, falling

4% to an industry-low ACSI score of 79. The company revamped its lineup in early 2009 with new clothing created by fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi, but then pulled his New York line out of stores and limited its availability to the television shopping net-work QVC. Online purchasing also was cur-tailed as the Liz Claiborne website stopped offering clothing for purchase. Finally, the elimination of Liz Claiborne lines from de-partment stores other than J.C. Penney also may have contributed to the company’s cus-tomer satisfaction decline.

About ACSI The American Customer Satisfaction Index is a national economic indicator of customer evaluations of the quality of products and services available to household consumers in the United States. ACSI releases results for various sectors of the economy on a monthly basis to provide up-to-the-moment coverage over the entire calendar year. The national index is updated each quarter and factors in scores from more than 225 companies in 45 industries and from government agencies over the previous four quarters. The Index was founded at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and is produced by ACSI LLC. ACSI can be found on the Web at www.theacsi.org.

Line OfferedExperienced Independent Sales

Representative wanted for established highly successful and motivated women’s fashion forward shoe

company. Must have proven growth track with independent and regional retailers. Territories: Southwest, and

Southeast.

Compensation based on highly motivated footwear experiences.

Send Resume to: [email protected]

BUYING!Let us help you clear out your closeouts,

overstocks, returns and cancellations. Please email me at: [email protected]

RICHLAN INTERNATIONAL SALES

The Footwear Industry Insiders Network

is FREE to footwear & related products professionals worldwide.

Already more than 1,800 have joined, making it one of the fastest-growing,

industry specific groups to cover all areas of expertise from design, manufacturing,

wholesale, retail and more.

www.footwearpros.ning.com

WANTED: New Fashion Designers

Bloomingdale’s has instituted its first ever designer open-see for women’s ready-to-wear and accessories.

Burgeoning designers are encouraged to visit the flagship’s Fashion Office on the first Friday of each month, on a first-come, first-served basis. Please bring a maximum of ten apparel pieces. We applaud the store’s effort to seek out new talent and promoting young designers, a smart move especially in this difficult economic climate.

Bloomingdale’s Fashion Office,155 E 60th Street, 11th floor,

212-705-3437

CLASSIFIED ADS

Sales Manager Faconnable is an international leader in the world of high end men’s and woman’s fashion. We are a 60 year old Brand with an impressive history that began in the South of France.

With the introduction of our new brand Faconnable Jeans, we are seeking an experienced Sales Manager who will focus on the sales and development of our new busi-ness. The ideal candidate will have an extensive knowledge of sports-wear/jeanswear, will have a roll your sleeves up attitude as well as being a team player. You will also assist with the planning, merchandising and development of the jeans business within the US market.

The best candidate will have an entrepreneurial approach to manag-ing their business. You will be a self starter with at least 5 years experi-ence and must be able to hit the ground running…

Please submit your resume and salary requirement to [email protected]

VP - Inventory Management (RETAIL)

The VP - Inventory Management will direct merchandise planning, store planning & allocation functions for a women’s vertical specialty retailer.

MUST HAVE: • 8+ years progressive experience

in RETAIL planning, allocation and inventory control;

• Prior management experience; • Exp with Specialty Retailer; • Bachelors Degree; MBA a plus;

Position is based in Boston, MA

EMail resume to [email protected] or [email protected]

Chair of Fashion Marketing and Management/Luxury Fashion Management SCAD Savannah seeks candidates for chair of the fashion marketing and management department. This leader-ship opportunity is for the undergraduate fashion marketing and management program, and the graduate luxury fashion management program. Qualified can-didates should have a terminal degree or its equivalent in fashion or a related field, or an M.B.A. in addition to broad, documented experience in the fashion business. Excellent skills in wholesale, retailing and fashion marketing and management are required. Professional recognition is essential. The successful candidate will be joining a highly creative, motivated and exciting team that is creat-ing the next generation of fashion buyers, product developers, retail and wholesale merchandisers, and marketers. Strong skills in the areas of retailing, fashion marketing and management, design, concept, innovation, illustration, sketching and CAD are highly desirable. College-level teaching experience is preferred.

Joanna Ellis T: 912.525.5534 - Fax: 912.525.5222 [email protected] - www.scad.edu

Help wanted to develop sales teams and infrastructure of

a growing skincare company.

Looking for savvy business-minded people who have leadership potential to help expand this new multi-million dollar company throughout the United States. Global expansion to follow. Position Type: Full and Part Time Location: U.S. & Puerto Rico Only Salary Range: Commission plus bonuses - unlimited earning potential REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION: Requirements: Must be self-motivated, team players and doers, dependable, have excellent communication, leadership and organizational skills. Must be willing to learn company’s sales, management and compensation strategies. Contact: Debi at http://www.skincarepartners.info


CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WEAKENS: Bad News for an Economy in Search of More Consumer Demand(Excerpts from the quarterly update on U.S. Overall Customer Satisfaction and Annual Report on Apparel, and Athletic Shoes.)

By Claes Fornell, The Donald C. Cook Professor of Business Administration, Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, founder of the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

ECONOMIC COMMENTARY

Few Companies Improve Their Customer Relationships; Adidas, and VF among the Gainers

After almost two years of stalling scores, the overall American Customer Satisfac-tion Index (ACSI) dropped 0.3% to 75.7. As a result, the sluggish U.S. economy cannot look to consumer demand for a boost. Periods of stalling ACSI growth have often been followed by weak, and sometimes negative, GDP growth. Con-sumer spending, which still represents about 70% of GDP, is unlikely to exhibit much of an increase unless bond buying by the Federal Reserve leads to more employment, inflation, consumer confidence, and higher stock prices.

Based on second-quarter results, ACSI data predicted consumer spending growth for the third quarter to be in the range of 2.4% to 2.9%. According to the Commerce Depart-ment, the actual number turned out to be at the center of that range: 2.6%, an increase from the previous quarter and also from the first quarter of 2010. Yet, with the drop in ACSI, consumer spending for the final quarter of 2010 does not look like it will improve much more than 2.3%. This would probably not be enough to spur sub-stantial economic growth.

The reason for the slow economic recovery is, at least in part, low consumer demand. But as evident from the trade deficit, it is not so much a question of total demand as it is of weak demand for domestic goods rela-tive to imported goods. In order for consumer spending to boost the economy, a shift in de-mand away from imports and toward domes-tics would be helpful. The Federal Reserve’s “quantitative easing” plan might help prompt

such a shift be-cause it tends to weaken the dollar, but deteriorating cus-tomer satisfaction for domestic products will have the opposite effect. Price obviously has an impact on demand, but qual-ity and customer satisfaction matter as well.

Athletic Shoes: Adidas Sprints into the Lead

At an ACSI score of 80, athletic footwear remained steady from one year ago. With a 5% surge to 82, Adidas jumped into the lead, while Nike made a modest gain of 1% to 80. Both companies are at or near all-time highs. For the industry, these gains were offset by a big drop for the

group of smaller manufacturers such as New Balance and Skechers. The category fell 4%, equaling the industry average at 80. After Adidas added Reebok to its brand portfolio in 2006, customer satisfaction went from 75 to 78, but remained stuck until now. Investments in new products with a special emphasis on toning shoes seem to have paid off. Market

share has increased (particularly among wom-en) with U.S. revenue growing at a double-digit pace, while stock price is up 40% over the past year.

Apparel: VF Zips Up the Top Spot While Liz Claiborne Languishes

Apparel is the only industry category in November’s update to show an improvement in customer satisfaction, up 1% to a record

high of 83. V.F. Corporation bolted into the lead with a 5% leap to a score of 85.

According to its customers, the jeans maker improved the quality as well as

the variety of its offerings even as the company also raised prices to offset the growing cost of raw ma-terials. VF is beating revenue and earnings expectations and its stock

price is up 20% from a year ago. In 2009, all apparel makers were tightly grouped around the industry average in the 81-83

range. VF has now pulled away from the field, with Jones Group (-2%), Levi Strauss (-2%), and Hanes-brands (-1%) all tied at 81.

Liz Claiborne moved in a di-rection opposite to VF, falling

4% to an industry-low ACSI score of 79. The company revamped its lineup in early 2009 with new clothing created by fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi, but then pulled his New York line out of stores and limited its availability to the television shopping net-work QVC. Online purchasing also was cur-tailed as the Liz Claiborne website stopped offering clothing for purchase. Finally, the elimination of Liz Claiborne lines from de-partment stores other than J.C. Penney also may have contributed to the company’s cus-tomer satisfaction decline.

About ACSI The American Customer Satisfaction Index is a national economic indicator of customer evaluations of the quality of products and services available to household consumers in the United States. ACSI releases results for various sectors of the economy on a monthly basis to provide up-to-the-moment coverage over the entire calendar year. The national index is updated each quarter and factors in scores from more than 225 companies in 45 industries and from government agencies over the previous four quarters. The Index was founded at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and is produced by ACSI LLC. ACSI can be found on the Web at www.theacsi.org.




Southeast.















Bloomingdale’s Fashion Office,155 E 60th Street, 11th floor,

212-705-3437

CLASSIFIED ADS

Sales Manager Faconnable is an international leader in the world of high end men’s and woman’s fashion. We are a 60 year old Brand with an impressive history that began in the South of France.

With the introduction of our new brand Faconnable Jeans, we are seeking an experienced Sales Manager who will focus on the sales and development of our new busi-ness. The ideal candidate will have an extensive knowledge of sports-wear/jeanswear, will have a roll your sleeves up attitude as well as being a team player. You will also assist with the planning, merchandising and development of the jeans business within the US market.

The best candidate will have an entrepreneurial approach to manag-ing their business. You will be a self starter with at least 5 years experi-ence and must be able to hit the ground running…

Please submit your resume and salary requirement to [email protected]

VP - Inventory Management (RETAIL)

The VP - Inventory Management will direct merchandise planning, store planning & allocation functions for a women’s vertical specialty retailer.

MUST HAVE: • 8+ years progressive experience

in RETAIL planning, allocation and inventory control;

• Prior management experience; • Exp with Specialty Retailer; • Bachelors Degree; MBA a plus;

Position is based in Boston, MA

EMail resume to [email protected] or [email protected]

Chair of Fashion Marketing and Management/Luxury Fashion Management SCAD Savannah seeks candidates for chair of the fashion marketing and management department. This leader-ship opportunity is for the undergraduate fashion marketing and management program, and the graduate luxury fashion management program. Qualified can-didates should have a terminal degree or its equivalent in fashion or a related field, or an M.B.A. in addition to broad, documented experience in the fashion business. Excellent skills in wholesale, retailing and fashion marketing and management are required. Professional recognition is essential. The successful candidate will be joining a highly creative, motivated and exciting team that is creat-ing the next generation of fashion buyers, product developers, retail and wholesale merchandisers, and marketers. Strong skills in the areas of retailing, fashion marketing and management, design, concept, innovation, illustration, sketching and CAD are highly desirable. College-level teaching experience is preferred.

Joanna Ellis T: 912.525.5534 - Fax: 912.525.5222 [email protected] - www.scad.edu

Help wanted to develop sales teams and infrastructure of

a growing skincare company.

Looking for savvy business-minded people who have leadership potential to help expand this new multi-million dollar company throughout the United States. Global expansion to follow. Position Type: Full and Part Time Location: U.S. & Puerto Rico Only Salary Range: Commission plus bonuses - unlimited earning potential REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION: Requirements: Must be self-motivated, team players and doers, dependable, have excellent communication, leadership and organizational skills. Must be willing to learn company’s sales, management and compensation strategies. Contact: Debi at http://www.skincarepartners.info

© FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail August 2010 41




Southeast.















Bloomingdale’s Fashion Office,155E60thStreet,11thfloor,

212-705-3437

WANTED: 1) CSO, Chief Sourcing Officer

Footwear for a Retail conglomerate;

2) CSO, Chief Sourcing Officer Hard Lines for a Retail conglomerate;

3) LINE BUILDER/PRIVATE LABEL SALES, women’s & juniors footwear to work with chains like Shoe Show & Bakers.

SEND RESUME TO:

[email protected], Tel. 847-858-8829

CLASSIFIED ADS

Sn. Account Executive

75k

Sn. Account executive position at a luxury fashion company paying 75k plus commission.

Must have a luxury background.

Send resume to:

[email protected]

JOB OFFER DESIGN DIRECTOR JUNIOR GIRLS &

WOMEN’S APPARELSouthern CA

Must have experience managing a team.

Relocation within US only.

Send resume to: [email protected]

OFFER: FASHION APPAREL PRODUCTION FACILITIES WITH EUROPEAN QUALITY STANDARD FOR SMALL ORDERS AND FLASH COLLECTIONS

I am representing a group of certificated ISO 9001 Portuguese Manufactures of Circular Knits High-End Quality Fashion Apparell (Poloshirts, Rugbyshirts, Sewat-shirts, Cardigans, etc).

Now, we are offering for small orders or flash collections the same type of produc-tion facilities that until now were reserved exclusively for brands with significant production volumes.

If you are working in a niche market with a high quality design style, developing a new brand or a flash collection and are sick of seeing all doors closed, please do not hesitate to contact me. I’m sure you will find the best production partner for your needs

E-mail to António at [email protected]

Looking for Emerging Designers for 2010 Fashion Week

KissedPR will be accepting applications for designers to participate in an exclusive 2010 Fashion Week event. The event will be held in a chic Manhattan location in New York City during September 2010 Fashion Week. This fashionable affair is guranteed to be covered by a national magazine, attended by celebraties, and offer designer exposure during fashion week. Designers will have an opportunity to sell and meet with all posh patrons including editors, celebraties, stylist, photographers, etc...

If interested and want more information, please email your company name,

information, lookbook photos to [email protected]

38 February 2010 © FFR- Focus On Fashion Retail

Focus on Fashion Retail is a direct mail business magazine, distributed ONLY to targeted audience. If you have received this copy of FFR with the mail, it’s because your business’ description matched the criteria set by our advertisers. Please fill out the marketing survey below to be included in our database for a chance to receive FFR occasionally, regularly (or never again) - depending on marketing preferences of our advertisers (US retailers only).If you wish to receive FFR regularly by subscription, filling out the Marketing Survey portion is optional

SUBSCRIPTIONSend a check/money order ($30 for USA subscribers) along with your address and contact information to our office. International orders- please contact office for rates.Advice for a FREE SUBSCRIPTION: Ask our advertisers or your vendors to pay for your subscription! If your business is important to them, they may agree to by pay for your subscription from their marketing funds.

Business Name: _______________________________________________________________________________________________Mailing Address: _______________________________________________________________________________________________City: ___________________________________________________ State:______ Zip: _____________________________________Phone: _________________________________________________ Fax: _______________________________________________Name: _________________________________________________ E-Mail: _____________________________________________

MARKETING SURVEYPlease fill out this form completely, answering ALL questions. Incomplete or inaccurate entries will not be considered.

I certify that I am: oA Retailer__________________(signature) / oNot a RetailerIf a retailer, please tell about your store:

Specialty: oMen oWomen oChildren Age Group: oInfants And Kids oTeens o20-30 o30-45 o45+Retail Price Point: oDiscount oBudget ($20-40) oModerate ($40-70) oUpper Moderate ($70-120)

oLower High End ($120-$200) oHigh-End ($200-$400) oLuxury ($400+)Store Type: oIndependent oBoutique oDept. Store oChain Store 1-5 Locations oChain Store 5+ Locations Merchandise: oShoes Only oApparel Only oAccessories Only oAll Type: oDress oCasual oAthletic oComfort/Slippers oSpecial Occasions oWestern

oDance oMedical oShoecare/Footcare oUrban oEthic oBeach oGothic/Alternative/Other ________________________________________________

Best Selling Brands _________________________________________________________________________________________Notes About Your Store ______________________________________________________________________________________

• Your Primary Business Sources (describe): o Trade Magazines ________________________________________________________________________________ o Consumer Magazines ____________________________________________________________________________ o Trade Shows ___________________________________________________________________________________ o Internet oCatalogs • How Do You Find New Merchandise?: oAt Trade Shows oResponding To Ads oSellers Contact You• At Trade Shows You: o Know Exactly What You Need And Who Sells It o Know Exactly What You Need But Don’t Know Who Sells It o Just Looking• How Frequently Do You Purchase Merchandise For Your Store?: o Every Month oEvery 3 Months oEvery 6 Months• Your Average Purchase Is: oLess Than $1,000 o$1-5k o$5-10k o$10k+ • Your Priorities Are (Please RATE, 1 is most important): oPrice oFashion oBrand oQuality oOther________

• RETAILER: Please name your 3 biggest headaches to which you want to find a solution: 1. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

• What do you would like to see in trade magazine? ________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Any Suggestions/ Comments to help FFR to become more helpful to your business? ___________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

✄

1515 FFR Feb 2010 100127.indd 38 1/27/10 10:59:41 AM

Documents

December 2010