Retailers Now Selling Fun Socks, Not Just Boring Ones

Posted on April 18, 2016 by bermanevansretail
With the advent of the popular Happy Socks in 2008, the sock industry has changed dramatically. Here’s the story of Happy Socks by Happy Socks:
“Happy Socks started in the spring of 2008. Two friends had a vision: to spread happiness by turning an everyday essential into a colorful design piece with a rigid standard of ultimate quality, craftsmanship and creativity. A concept now brought to perfection by the Happy Socks collective of creators.Today Happy Socks are sold in more than 70 countries and on every continent.Happy Socks features an almost endless variety of models and designs, using a broad spectrum of color combinations and original patterns. Simply put: there’s a pair of high-quality socks and underwear for every occasion, mindset and style.”
Today, there is a tremendous amount of competition in this part of the sock industry, including Little River Sock Mill. It is now run by Gina Locklear, dubbed the “Sock Queen of Alabama” by the New York Times:
“Nine years ago, when she was 27 and unhappily selling real-estate, Gina Locklear went to her parents with a proposition. She wanted to make socks. Not the basic white socks the family had specialized in, but fashionable socks, with organic cotton and dyes. A ‘mood board’ of socks, patterns and colors hangs in Ms. Locklear’s office at Emi-G Knitting. She produces two lines: Zkano, an online brand she started in 2008, and Little River Sock Mill, which was started in 2013 and is sold in stores like Margaret O’Leary in Manhattan.”
“Last fall (2015), Martha Stewart and the editors of Martha Stewart Living presented Ms. Locklear with an American Made award, which they give each year to a few artisans and small-business owners to provide a boost of recognition. Besides, ‘It’s a sensible business,’ Ms. Stewart said. “Everyone needs socks. Women are wearing socks as a fashion statement like never before. Turn the pages of Vogue and almost every fancy dress is worn with a pair of socks.”

 
Click the image for a NY Times’ slideshow of the Sock Queen.
 

 

Posted in Career Useful Information, Careers in Retailing, Part 1: Overview/Planning, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 6: Merchandise Management and Pricing, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Location-Based Targeting Is on the Move

Posted on April 15, 2016 by bermanevansretail
There have been a lot of innovations in location planning in recent years. For example, see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
And the advances keep on coming. As reported by Erin Harris, editor-in-chief, Innovative Retail Technologies:
“Location-based technologies continue to help retailers build brand advocates and deliver contextually relevant messaging to customers. Indeed, The Location Based Marketing Association (The LBMA) just released its Global Location Trends Report, which is based on the findings from an online study conducted in the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Singapore. Owners/co-owners, CEO/Presidents, CMOs, and Marketing Managers participated in the online survey to share their current usage and investments in location-based marketing as well as future goals on implementing this technology.” 
Click on the image to read more by Harris. Click here to read more from the Global Location Trends Report.

 

 

Posted in Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 4: Store Location Planning, Part 5: Managing a Retail Business | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Online Shopping: Retailers Can Still Do Better

Posted on April 14, 2016 by bermanevansretail
As we have reported many times before (see, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5), online retailing is a complex and growing form of business. Yet, even though many online retailers are doing a very effective job, there are still lessons to be learned.
Recently, Laura Albert, reported the following for Innovative Retail Technologies:
“We all know in-store shopping has its flaws – the lines, the crowds, the attitudes of others, but online apparel shopping isn’t free from criticism either. If you’re anything like me, you do your research before making a purchase – reading comments and reviews and trying to find a way to get free shipping. It’s such a letdown to eagerly open the package just to find out that burnt orange sweater is more of a florescent orange and that T-shirt is way too boxy to ever be considered flattering. Then comes the hassle of returning the items; so much for convenience.”
“In January 2016, CivicScience asked over 3,000 U.S. adult consumers what they dislike most about online apparel shopping. Many consumers have grievances about the online experience.”
 Here’s some of what CivicScience found. Click the image to read more from CivicService. And to read more from Innovative Retail Technologies, click here.

 

 

Posted in Online Retailing, Part 1: Overview/Planning, Part 2: Ownership, Strategy Mix, Online, Nontraditional, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 5: Managing a Retail Business, Part 6: Merchandise Management and Pricing, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment