The odd ghost outline logo of Snapchat is starting to turn up everywhere, but Snapchat is still not on the social media radar of most independent retailers.  Since the company is a rising star in this field, it is probably a good idea to know something about it. If nothing else, this will help raise… Read More

You may think that what goes on inside your store is the most important factor in determining its success, but in fact customers finding parking outside your door also plays an important role. And this is a factor that you can sometimes influence, with the help of your elected officials.  You should make sure that… Read More

One of my favorite Valentine cards from years past said something like “if you’ll help me get through February, I’ll help you get through March.”   No matter what side of the political spectrum you find yourself on, there is no question that this winter is a tough time for our country — and especially… Read More

One of the buzzwords in retailing today is the use of the word “curated” to describe a selection of merchandise.  The person who selects these goods would logically be described as a curator, which is defined by Merriam-Webster as “one who has the care and superintendence of something; especially one in charge of a museum, zoo, or… Read More

Amazon Go is the latest attempt by this giant firm to revise the future of retail. The idea behind Amazon Go is that customers can walk into the store, scan the QR codes of the items they want, and leave without any checkout procedure. Their purchases are automatically posted to their Amazon account.   The… Read More

“Holidays cast pall over department stores,” reads the headline on an Associated Press story by Joseph Pisani.  “The future of department stores seems bleak as they close locations — and thus give shoppers fewer options at the mall and more reason to just stay home and shop online,” the article states. The demise of department… Read More

Are you ready for the new version of the I-9 form that recently made its debut? Not the most exciting news for the start of 2017,  but it’s good to know that as of January 22,  all employees hired on or after that date must complete the new I-9 form to verify their identity and work… Read More

You may be wondering why today’s blog illustration is of a clock with a statue of Napoleon.  Bear with me, because there is a reason.  This post is about the need for triage after the holidays, a term that is thought to have originated from the work of Dominique Jean Larrey doing the Napoleonic Wars.  Those… Read More

We got an email today from Fishs Eddy, one of our newer suppliers, recommending their gift boxed sets of products for lazy shoppers.  At this time of year, I think the appeal should not be to lazy shoppers, but to busy ones. We want to make it as easy as possible for last-minute customers to… Read More

Don’t you love a good infographic when you want some quick ideas? They’re not really new — once source claims the first one was created In 1626, when Christoph Scheiner published a book that depicted his research about the rotation of the sun. But I’m looking at one that is less than a week old… Read More