“Please write about stores asking their rep for exclusivity,” a sales representative asked me recently. “It just isn’t reasonable that one shop should demand to be the only one in their area carrying a line that has thousands of items.” In many other types of business, exclusivity means an agreement not to buy a certain… Read More

Your shop’s Facebook page is getting a makeover later this month, whether you want it to or not.  It would be a good idea to plan ahead so that you’re already updated the new design by the March 30 deadline.  If you don’t make the change, Facebook will do it for you (which is not… Read More

Coupon usage has been steadily increasing over the past few years, mostly thanks to the poor economy.  There was a time that coupons were predicted to disappear due to lagging newspaper sales, but according to the 2012 NCH Coupon Facts, these offers actually increased by 26% last year over 2007 figures, with 3.5 billion redeemed… Read More

Interest in Pinterest The newest player on the social networking scene is Pinterest, an almost exclusively visual site that allows users to create online bulletin boards, or “pinboards,” set up in categories such as home decor, food and wedding inspiration.  In addition to a photo or video, you can add a caption, price or link.… Read More

I’m an Independent Bookseller I created this “meme” as a tribute to my fellow shopkeepers who own bookstores.  Feel free to share!                                                                               All my best,  Carol Thursday, February 16, 2012 Carol “Orange” Schroeder… Read More

I’m an Independent Retailer I created this “meme” as a tribute to my fellow independent retailers.  Feel free to share!                         All my best,  Carol Wednesday, February 15, 2012 Carol “Orange” Schroeder… Read More

Europeans have a long tradition of valuing the work of industrial designers. In Denmark, for example, it is not unusual at a dinner party to be familiar with the name of the individual who designed the chair you’re sitting on, the fork in your hand, the plate in front of you and the lamp that… Read More

How important is your business to your vendors?  An unexpected bonus of the trend towards direct overseas sourcing by big box stores is that orders from independent retailers have became essential to the success of many American vendors and sales agencies.  But smart retailers know that they can increase their clout with a line by… Read More

How much of your time is spent working in your business rather than on your business?  Studies show that businesses fail because they don’t make the right decision at the right time — but most of us spend the majority of our day dealing with the myriad of details involved in running the shop. I… Read More

We all make mistakes, and hopefully become better buyers by learning from them. What are some of your favorites? I’ve been around long enough to remember saying that I thought the pet rock was a dumb idea that would never sell.  And that was just one of my earliest blunders. The secret to surviving mistakes… Read More