TGFA summer Final

TGFASummer 2012 • Vol. 4 Number 1

PM 4

0063

056

Travel Goods, Fashion & Accessories Magazine Travel Goods, Fashion & Accessories Magazine TGFA

Retail IT: New Technologies

Accessories Industry Q&A

TGF&A Product Spotlights

Industry News & Views

Secrets to a Motivated Staff Building High Morale for Retail Success

Secrets to a Motivated Staff Secrets to a Motivated Staff

11153_TGFA_12_Summer_regig24pger.indd 1 12-09-05 4:30 PM

contents

FEATURES

10 Cover Story: Secrets to a Motivated Staff:

Building High Morale for Retail Success

15 Product Feature: Accessories Acccessories Industry Q&A

18 TGF&A Accessories Product Spotlights

DEPARTMENTS

4 A Word Before

6 Business Centre:Retail IT: New Technologies for a Competitive Edge

21 Industry News & Views

10

15

Summer 2012 3

18

19


Keeping busy? With fall on the horizon, odds are you're reading this having recently wrapped up another trade show visit, product launch or buying trip; or maybe you’re taking a brief break before diving headlong into the pre-Christmas rush. True enough, with summer fading away, it's time to recollect, re-focus, and begin tackling one of the industry's busiest seasons. And as always, we're excited to be along for the ride.

With the industry in full swing, it falls on everyone to be at the top of their game. In our cover story, “Secrets to a Motivated Staff”, retail guru Kevin Graff divulges the top

tips and strategies for building a workforce of brand champions and sales experts. We also investigate how cutting edge software and technology can play a signifi cant role in a company's success in Paul Pagliaro's article, “Retail IT: New Technologies for a Competitive Edge”.

Within this issue, we also take a snapshot of the 'Accessories' category, beginning with a Q&A starring some key players from across the Canadian industry. Once you read what the experts are saying, make sure to fl ip to pages 18-20 and our 'Product Spotlights' spread to see what new accessory offerings and innovations are slated to dominate the retail shelves this Fall. Then check out our Industry News & Views section to keep up to date on all the latest announcements, product launches and other events taking place among the industry’s suppliers.

There is a lot of space under the Editor’s message. We need some kind of design element there. Maybe something to do with Fall?

A new season brings exciting new opportunities, and we hope this issue will equip you with new ideas and insights to make the best of the months ahead. Got a tip or suggestion of your own? Your comments, story ideas, and feedback are always welcome. Please feel free to contact TGFA's publisher, Richard Swayze, at [email protected], or me at [email protected].

Matthew [email protected]

A Word Beforeeee

Fall is in full swing! Volume 4 Number 1 • Summer 2012

Publisher | Richard [email protected]

416.512.8186 ext. 246

Editor | Matthew [email protected]

705.817.4634

Senior Graphic Designer | Annette [email protected]

Production Manager | Rachel [email protected]

Circulation Manager | Lina [email protected]

Contributing WritersKevin Graff, Paul Pagliaro

President | Kevin [email protected]

Vice President | Chuck [email protected]

5255 Yonge St., Suite 1000Toronto, Ontario M2N 6P4

Tel: 416.512.8186 Fax: 416.512.8344www.mediaedge.ca

Travel Goods, Fashion & Accessories is published four times a year by

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Copyright 2012.

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Published by

TGFATravel Goods, Fashion & Accessories Magazine

4 Travel Goods, Fashion & Accessories Magazine


Volume 4 Number 1 • Summer 2012

Publisher | Richard [email protected]

416.512.8186 ext. 246

Editor | Matthew [email protected]

705.817.4634

Senior Graphic Designer | Annette [email protected]

Production Manager | Rachel [email protected]

Circulation Manager | Lina [email protected]

Contributing WritersKevin Graff, Paul Pagliaro

Published by



Business Centreeee

All retail is about two basic processes: buying and selling. But as every retailer knows, within that seemingly simple equation there are endless complexities. Buy too much stock and you can be left with high inventories that could sink your ship. Buy too little and you could lose out on sales. Similarly, if you don’t manage to turn over your inventory, or if sales staff aren’t engaged and motivated to move product, it can languish on the shelves. Finally, if you can’t fi nd ways to reach out to customers and get them into your shop, you can’t very well sell them product. The reality is, without effective technology and accurate, detailed information, today’s retailer is at a distinct disadvantage.

Fortunately, innovations in retail technology can provide even the smallest retailer with the competitive edge needed to survive and thrive in a tough marketplace. Here’s how new technology in retail software can help overcome your biggest challenges.

By Paul Pagliaro

Retail IT: New Technologies

for a Competitive Edge

Challenge #1:“I need to be able to accurately forecast sales to optimize purchasing.”What retailer doesn’t long for a crystal ball so they can look into the future and accurately predict how much and what kind of inventory to purchase for next season? Ultimately, your goal is to have the right amount of the right product in the right place at the right time. And although there’s no substitute for your own retailing instincts, it never hurts to back that up with objective information.

The solution: Automated retail management software is capable of synthesizing the mass of retail transaction data, organizing it, and mining it for insights that will help you predict future customer behaviour. The end result should be better retail performance. Among other things, it should offer: • Sell-through reports, to give you up-to-date information about what products are moving

and how quickly. • Data mining capabilities, to help you understand your clients better, including their

demographics and preferences. After all, solid information about your current customers’ buying habits is invaluable for predicting future buying patterns and helping you make savvy purchasing decisions.

Travel Goods, Fashion & Accessories MagazineTravel Goods, Fashion & Accessories MagazineTravel Goods, Fashion & Accessories MagazineTravel Goods, Fashion & Accessories MagazineTravel Goods, Fashion & Accessories MagazineTravel Goods, Fashion & Accessories MagazineTravel Goods, Fashion & Accessories MagazineTravel Goods, Fashion & Accessories MagazineTravel Goods, Fashion & Accessories MagazineTravel Goods, Fashion & Accessories MagazineTravel Goods, Fashion & Accessories MagazineTravel Goods, Fashion & Accessories MagazineTravel Goods, Fashion & Accessories MagazineTravel Goods, Fashion & Accessories Magazine6 6 Travel Goods, Fashion & Accessories Magazine


The solution: Retail software generally incorporates sophisticated inventory management

systems to control the flow of multiple products. Look for software that:• Helps you track all products at one location or multiple locations, including

monitoring how many items are returned for a refund and how many are on hold. • Reminds you when it’s time to reorder products.• Monitors differences in sell-though at various locations so you can move product

quickly to where it is most needed.• Includes “markdown wizards” that target slow-moving items through the use of

algorhythms (i.e., if you sell less than X percentage of a particular shoe by a pre-determined date, the price is automatically reduced by X amount). The result: you’re able to maximize the per unit price on the product, while ensuring that you’re sold out (or nearly sold out) at season’s end.

Business Centre eee

Challenge #2: “I need to be able to manage inventory effectively and efficiently.”The cost of inventory is the largest expense item on every retailer's income statement. And quite apart from the original cost of pu rchas ing and t ranspor t ing merchand ise, s low-mov ing merchandise incurs additional inventory carrying costs, shrinkage, and the risk of damage and obsolescence. Too often, you have to mark product down to sell it, or write it off altogether. In fact, studies have shown that the carrying cost of excess inventory is about 25% to 32% of the original value of the product.

The opposite side of the coin, of course, is that by buying too little of a high-demand product, you run the risk of annoying customers

when you run out. Insufficient inventory also costs you in terms of lost sales and perhaps costly and time-consuming back orders.

Challenge #3: “I need to be able to motivate my staff to reach sales goals.”Offering sales associates incentives for reaching sales goals can be a highly effective way of moving merchandise. That said, too often in the past, companies operated on the basis of monthly quotas. The problem was that by the time staff got their results, they were already in the first or second week of the next month.

The solution: Look for software that:• Allows you to set daily, weekly, or monthly goals for staff.• Tracks staff results in real-time so that every time an associate

logs into the software, it tells them what they achieved that day toward their targets. The psychological impact is to carve that monthly target down to a more manageable and achievable daily number.

Summer 2012 7



Today’s retailers are having to respond to thinning profit margins, intense competition and the consumer’s greatly increased expectations for service and price. Fortunately, technology is moving as fast as the marketplace. Look for the following trends to become reality in the very near future.

The computer in your handThe next retail technology evolution is on its way with the advent of mobile, hand-held devices. In fact, International Data Corp. Canada and the Retail Council of Canada estimate that mobile solution spending this year alone will top $84 million, a figure that is expected to grow to almost $200 million by 2016. What does that mean for retail and service businesses?• Information will no longer tethered to a bulky desktop or

laptop computers. Customers will be able to receive service, buy products and get information wherever they’re most comfortable.

• Store associates can look up pricing and check stock, whether in the backroom or at other stores with the click of a button.

• Retailers should be able to achieve a new level of efficiency (as staff work more quickly) and customer service (due to staff’s ability to respond quickly to customer requests and offer more personalized service).

Information anywhere, any timeAs a business owner/manager, information is increasingly available at your finger tips. Whether you’re using a web-based software solution or application software that is installed locally, information should be available anytime, anywhere. Retailers must evaluate carefully the pros and cons of both web-based solutions and application software given their specific needs. Here’s what to consider:

• Web based solutions may lack feature richness and are dependent on the web which may be challenging in a high traffic / high transactional businesses.

• Application software may offer some challenges in terms of accessibility. Note, however, that with the replication platforms available today, even data which is running locally can be mirrored on the web for easy access.

A deeper relationship with your customersAmerican business philosopher Jim Rohn once said that: “One customer, well taken care of, could be more valuable than $10,000 in advertising.” In the emerging retail environment, it is not only wise, but increasingly crucial, to cultivate strong relationships with your customers – recognizing their individuality and knowing their preferences and buying habits. That means extensive use of data mining/CRM (Client Relational Management) is an absolute must. • Given the excess of spam that hits your customers’ inboxes

each day, you will have to target communications to customer specifics if you expect to catch and keep their attention.

• A typical scenario for the not-too-distant future: You enter a shopping mall or a store. The business is cued to the fact that you’re there, and knows your needs and preferences and what you usually buy. You receive a message that is particularly relevant to you, including a call-to-action offering a strong purchase incentive. Alternatively, the interaction could work the opposite way: you (the customer) could electronically indicate that you’re looking for a red dress, size 4 within a price range of $125-$175. Within minutes, you’d receive a list of options, their price points and directions to the store.

Business Centreeee

Coming soon in retail technology

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In short, customers have raised the bar, and successful retailers realize that the traditional means of interacting with customers and employees is no longer enough. When it comes to meeting the challenges that make today’s retail environment particularly tough, up-to-date technology is critical. e

Paul Pagliaro is president and CEO of Milano Software. He can be contacted at 1-800 -667-1596 / paulp@milanosof tware.com www.milanosoftware.com. Milano Software has been providing comprehensive software based management solutions for the retail market and the beauty industry for over 20 years. Milano has experienced tremendous growth in the retail and salon, spa and med spa industries as these companies begin to realize the benefi ts associated with a system that integrates POS, inventory control, salon management and business management tools in one complete system.

Challenge #4: “I need to be able to generate, track and evaluate marketing efforts to determine where I’m getting the most bang for my buck.”Advertising, marketing, and promotions can be a black hole that can absorb both money and time…or it can be a great way to drive traffic to your stores. For that reason, it’s critical to be able to assess how your marketing techniques are working for you.

The solution: Fortunately, new retail technologies enable you to:• Parlay information about your client’s purchasing patterns and behaviours into

very specific marketing campaigns designed to resonate with them (ie. “Your favourite Brand X is on sale! Get it while it lasts!”).

• Do campaign test-runs on several permutations of a marketing strategy to determine which ones do the job best.

• Generate reports that calculate the return on investment of any given marketing campaign.

Challenge #5:“I need to be able to generate real-time reports so I can react quickly to market changes.” Information truly is power. However, masses of data can be confusing and overwhelming without the ability to tease out trends and insights.

The solution: Look for technology that offers:• Accurate profit/loss statements monthly, weekly, or even

daily. • Transaction-based data storage for inventory valuations

at any historical point.• Real-time client visit stats.

Business Centre eee

Summer 2012 9

Untitled-3 1 11-10-03 11:01 AM

“Milano Software is my CFO in a box”

“Milano Software is more than a POS system, it helps me manage my business. It provides great reports that show me where I am financially; profit margins, markdowns, sales comparisions between years and staff. It helps me control my inventory, mine client relationship data, improve staff productivity and set sales targets. It’s my own mini-Chief Financial Officer.”

Ask about the FREE computer with our Retail Software Package.


Cover Storyeee

Secrets to a MOTIVATED staff


Building High Morale for Retail SuccessBuilding High Morale for Retail Success


By Kevin GraffSecrets to a

MOTIVATED staff

Unfortunately, there’s no real science to motivating people. In fact, the strategies behind motivating employees can be as individual as the person who works for you. One employee may be motivated by money, while another may appreciate personal recognition for a job well done. There is, however, a tactical approach you can take to motivating your team.

Let’s begin with the real problem: you can’t actually “motivate” anyone. You see, we are all only self-motivated. Motivation is defined as the behaviours one chooses for themselves. If an employees choose behaviours you like (e.g., coming in early, working hard, being a great team player, and selling a lot!), we say they’re motivated. However, if they choose behaviours you don’t like (e.g., coming in late, not hustling, and failing to do assigned tasks) we say they are “unmotivated”.

The smart manager realizes that when it comes to motivation, it’s their role to get their employees to choose the right behaviours. With this in mind, you can start working on a tactical plan to get your team to choose the behaviours you want.

A motivation misconceptionManagers often believe that building a team with high morale will drive productivity in the store, so they get busy creating contests, games, and incentives. This isn't a bad strategy, but they’re putting the cart before the horse.

Think about the morale of your store when your sales are poor. It doesn’t matter how many contests and incentives you have in place, because no one is winning them. When sales are down, the morale is almost always low.

Now, think about the morale of your team when sales are rocking. Everyone is upbeat, happy, and moving in the right direction – even when there are no contests or incentives in place.

So what comes first? Productivity or morale? The lesson here is that in the absence of running a successful store, morale will likely never be high. However, if you can show your staff how to be successful and win the game, morale will be higher than ever before. Here are five things you can focus on:

When you think about it, the success of your business can almost always be traced back to motivated employees. From productivity and profi tability to recruiting and retention, hardworking and happy employees lead to success.

Cover Story eee

Summer 2012 11


12 Travel Goods, Fashion & Accessories Magazine 12 Travel Goods, Fashion & Accessories Magazine

CREATE A GREAT ENVIRONMENT Did you know that as the manager you are the

one who creates the environment in your store? You do it by your actions, by what you say, and even what you don’t say. A positive environment is one where you see the manager out on the sales floor talking, laughing, teaching, and building relationships with her people.

Ask yourself: How do you build this type of environment? Here are some factors:

Respect, trust and likeability Ask anyone how they want to be treated at work. They will likely top their list with the desire to be treated with dignity and respect. Demonstrate respect with simple, yet powerful actions. Treat people with courtesy, politeness, and kindness. Encourage employees to express opinions and share ideas. Listen to what others have to say, and treat everyone equally.

GIVE THEM MEANINGFUL WORK

You need to understand why each of your employees likes to work in your store. What do they really like to do? What do they get out of their jobs?

If you have an employee that loves to work on a team and always be around other staff members, yet you often schedule them to work by themselves, they are less likely to be motivated. Alternatively, if one of your staff loves the challenge and reward of helping with the training of new employees and you put them in that role, they’ll always be motivated.

True, you can’t always let your staff do just the things they really like to do, but you need to be aware of what means the most to them while working in your store. Remember: It’s not just a shift.

Cover Storyeee

2.1.


Clear expectations Employees can ' t per form wel l or be productive i f they don' t have a clear understanding of what they are to do and the part they play in the overall success of the store and company. It ’s not good enough to s imply communicate your expectations; you need to follow-up.

The resources for success Tools, training, and support must be in place to ensure there are no barriers preventing employees from doing their job successfully. Identify where gaps exist and work towards resolving them.

Confirm that they have everything they need by asking, “I want you to win and to be successful. What else do you need to achieve your goal?”

Feedback and recognitionWhether personal or business, big or small, no accomplishment, achievement, or event should go unnoticed. A sale, a customer compliment, a birthday, special event, or milestone must be recognized for the impor tance it plays in the l i fe of the individual.

PROGRESS AND SUCCESS As mentioned before, increased productiv i t y leads to increased

m o ra l e . I t ’s e asy to ke e p th e

atmosphere and attitudes of your people positive when they experience constant success. Some tactics to keep in mind are:• Show recognition. Never let progress or

success go unnoticed• Talk about the results • Plan appropriate actions to take to

sustain the progress/ success of the individual or store

• Provide the support needed to win

So, how do you sustain positive morale when progress and/or successes are down?

Bite sized winsHelp your staff achieve small wins to carry them through the tough times. This can mean celebrating a daily sales goal or recognizing their efforts for a job well done. Most importantly, always keep staff focused on the things they have control over. It is there where they will experience the most wins.

Skill development Teach them something new or give them a new responsibility. Not only do you want

Cover Story eee

3.

Summer 2012 13

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“It's important for employees to feel that they are always growing, learning, and progressing.”


Cover Storyeee


your staff to experience success, you want to continually develop their skil ls. It 's important for employees to feel that they a re a l ways g row ing, l ea rn ing, and progressing. Often, it's your best employees who most feel the need to learn.

FOSTERING THE “FUN”What is fun at work?Well, it’s not ridiculing your peers.

It’s not being sarcastic or deceptive. And, surprisingly, it’s not so much about the jokes we tell.

It is, however, how we feel. It's how we feel after a great sale, how we feel after being congratulated for a great win, how we feel after laughing so hard that our belly hurts, and the rush we feel after a great day at work.

So how do we get to feel all of this? Through hiring the right people, creating a suppor t ive environment, emphasizing pos i t i ve a t t i tudes, conduct ing s to re contests and games, supporting on-going learning, acknowledging achievements, celebrating staff, and leading by example.

Lighten up and have more fun yourself. When you do, your staff will too. And then, so will your customers.

Motivating your staff isn’t easy, but when you take a tactical approach to getting them to choose the right behaviours, it can be done. As with most anything, you’ll only get out of it what you put into it. At the end of the day, if you put more time, effort and focus into building a high morale team, your cash register and reduced stress level will thank you for it. e

Kevin Graff is President of Graff Retail Inc. Visit www.graffretail.com, or call 1-888-263-1835.

Challenges Challenges can be based on sales, time, accuracy, etc. Examples include the fi rst person to achieve ‘X’, The fi rst store to set up their ‘X’, the team to complete ‘X’ fi rst; or even the person selling the highest percent of ‘X’.

These challenges can be based on individual or team activities. They can be against other team members, yourself, or even another store. Once the guidelines of the challenge are made clear, create to a plan that will help them succeed at meeting the challenge.

REWARDS AND RECOGNITION Each person is mot i vated by

different things. Whatever steps you take to support the motivation of your employees, they should first include finding out what it is that keeps them motivated. All it takes is for you to ask, listen, and observe.

While money is a motivator for most of us, it’s not the be-all and end-all. Money doesn’t necessarily drive every employee to excel or to care. Consider some of these other ideas:• No (or small) cost rewards for your staff• A thank you or congratulatory card• Posting note on a communication board• Flexible scheduling• A call from Management• Recognition in a company newsletter• Certificates, Gift Certificates• A bottle of wine!

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By Matthew Bradford

Accessories Industry Q&A

Canada's travel accessory industry is led by a number of movers and shakers; each of whom work continuously to stay ahead of the latest trends and develop fresh new spins on “must have” travel products. For this issue, we asked four accessory experts to share their insights on the industry and offer their predictions for the years ahead. See what they had to say, and then check out some of the latest accessory offerings in the following “Product Spotlights”.

WHAT ARE THE MAjOR CONSUMER TRENDS DRIVING THE ACCESSORIES INDUSTRy?MP: People want to see something different on the shelves, not just the same old same old. These days, it's all about accessories that embrace fashion, colour, and a sense of brightness. Products that are really attractive and fashion forward are the ones we see driving the industry right now.

RI: Fashion is a large part of Fulton's strategy with on-trend colours and designs, both in terms of function as well as fashion. We also look at hints of black and white styles from traditional classics to lace and frills. Men's accessory fashion is also trending to more colourful and subtle stripes, checks, and paisley. If you look at men's socks, you are starting to see vivid colours under the traditional grey or blue suits. We do take our inspiration from the runways of London, Paris, and Milan, and attempt to translate the fashion we see into our products that include not only umbrellas, but rain jackets and rain boots.

MR: Technology is a major driver right now, which is resulting in a focus on products like tech cases for iPads, laptops, and other portable media. Similarly, travelling consumers are also looking for weekend cases, or the small carry-alls, which they can take over the weekend.

Oversized squares are also very important right now, whether they be silk or poly or blends. It's one of the things that is driving the business right now, so overall we have to make sure we see the trends, hop on the trends, or develop the trends themselves, which Echo has been doing.

SK: It's about security. The people buying accessories not only want better value goods and better quality goods, but they also need some sort of security, whether it's physical security or technology-based security like RFID [radio-frequency identification] technology. This is largely because the media has made security top of mind for consumers by talking about identify theft, pickpocketing, and the risks of baggage theft. This is driving the consumer to understand that they have to have something to product them. We have a broad line that answers that concern, and we're developing more and more around that need.

Mairead Palmero, Vice President of Operations at Clear Image Marketing

Richard Igra, President of Fulton Umbrellas (Canada) Ltd.

Maureen Ranken, Owner of Maureen Rankin Agency Inc.

Stephen Kay, Sales Rep, Outpac Designs Inc.

Accessories Q& A eee

Summer 2012 15


Accessories Q& Aeee


WHAT ARE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES FACING ACCESSORIES SUPPLIERS AND RETAILERS?MP: One of the most challenging things for a company right now is setting yourself apart from the others. We all do adapters and we all do locks, but the challenge there is finding ways of making them different. It's almost like coffee. There are chains that all offer essentially the same coffee and experience, and then there are places like Starbucks which offer a little something extra. To be in this industry, you need to give consumers something more that will make them choose you over a competitor; something they can identify with or something that really jumps out at them.

RI: The cost of a quality product is always a challenge, in particular with all the retail channels you try to accommodate. Buyers are looking at margin and retail, with the manufacturer in the middle trying to please both.

MR: One of the biggest challenges facing both suppliers and retailers today is adapting from only brick and mortar sales to adding online sales. We as an industry do not have as high a presence of online websites as other industries. Younger consumers are reviewing offerings online to comparison shop and many times going to the store to buy, but have done her homework in advance or already bought online. In a time-strapped world, online sales will increase as all consumers become more comfortable with shopping online. This makes perfect sense for accessories, especially those that are not sized. You can also have a great website like we do [www.echodesign.com/canada] but another challenge is driving people to it. It's about getting the name out there and getting them to understand that you are online.

In stores, the challenge for retailers that are carrying accessories is making sure that these new products are being merchandised properly, so the consumer understands and sees what it is you are offering her. If she doesn't know it's a tech case, and it's not properly identified, then she may not know that is designed especially for her iPad. It also means designing items such as totes and handbags that are multi-functional, allowing the consumer to carry their computer or iPad in a tote or larger handbag with

proper pockets for an iPhone or Blackberry. In the end, it's a matter of making sure that anything new and exciting is properly displayed and shown to the customer. The consumer needs information. She can get that online, but she can't get it as easily in the store.

SK: Asia – particularly China – is facing dramatic price increases right now, whether it's labour costs or raw material costs. There are also labour shortages, which are causing lead time pushouts. With these two factors combines, one's ability to react faster is getting tougher, so companies now have to plan their business further out.

WHAT NEW PRODUCTS, INNOVATIONS, TECHNOLOGIES, OR IDEAS ARE EVOLVING THE ACCESSORIES INDUSTRy?MP: Electronics is a big driver. For example, everyone has access to a USB, so that's creating a demand for travel items that can be charged via USB. It's the same thing with iPhones and iPads. Every

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Accessories Q& A eee

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time you look at someone, they have something in their hands, whether it's some kind of an iPad, Kindle, or Tablet. This year we introduced products specifically designed for them, like products that keep them dry and protected so you can use them anywhere, be it for business or at the beach.

RI: For umbrellas, this is Fulton's passion and has been for three generations. We commercialized the folding umbrella and invented the automatic umbrella in the early 1960s. Since then, we have continued to evolve through the development of frames for the flat folding umbrella. Fulton also holds several umbrella patents and registered designs. We use the most advanced materials available for all our products and continue to find new and innovative ways to package our product styles for the market place. From lightweight compact umbrellas to sturdy frame material to withstand nature's energy in fashion and style.

MR: The idea that we always have to be connected and have some kind of smartphone or tablet is pushing the industry to adapt. People are building iPhone covers and iPad cases. Advances in fibres are also leading to products like Echo Warmers, Echo’s revolutionary new fibre that warms you up, but never weighs you down. Our ultra light weight new fabrics are made of specially designed fibres that use your own body heat to create a reaction which insulates and warms. This is heat retaining technology and is so exciting.

Then there's the economic influences. Today's consumer wants accessories because that's what makes her wardrobe new again. She can't afford to replace her wardrobe, so she's got to find innovative ways of making it look new for the next season, and accessories are the perfect foil for that.

SK: RFID technology is fuelling a huge evolution right now. These are the RFID protected wallets, organizers, cross body/shoulder bags, purses, and handbags. Again, the consumer wants fashion, but they also want the extra value of protection, whether it's through physical or technology protection like RFID blocking technology.

WHAT'S AHEAD FOR THE ACCESSORIES INDUSTRy, AND WHAT CAN COMPANIES DO TO STAy AHEAD?MP: People want luxury, but you have to make that luxury affordable for them. Not everyone can fly business, and not everyone can fly first class. Going forward, it will be about offering something they can buy for $20 that makes them feel like a million bucks. It will be about making these products affordable to the average consumer, and just making everybody feel comfortable and as if they're all travelling first class.

MR: Overall, I think it's going to be a more item-driven, and it's going to be important to trust the people you're buying from. Who knows what that next trend is going to be, but we should always be aware that there's a trend on its way. That means you have to believe in the people that you're buying from. If you're a retailer, you have to have faith in the people that are selling you the items that they are on-trend. That's a big thing; building relationships and believing that the seller, either retailer or wholesaler, has the expertise and experience to lead you in the right direction.

RI: We are looking at growth and opportunity, both from the aspect of sales and design. We feel the market can bear not just bargain pricing, but quality products with fair and respectable retail prices that will benefit the manufacturer, retailer, and ultimately a satisfied customer. With our demographics of mature wealth, and where we are heading in the next few years, I am confident that there will be great products that will be offered. There is just nowhere else to go other than to be innovative and sensitive to the market place.

SK: The biggest changes are going to be the evolution of brands in terms of colour story and design elements. You need to still offer that exceptional value to the customer, those extra features and benefits, but you need to be able to take the customer or lead the customer with new design elements or new fabrication that are unique, different, and special.

Summer 2012 17

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From wallets to rollerbriefs and leather belts to laptop cases, TGF&A takes a look at some of 2012's hottest new and upcoming accessories. Check out the latest items that consumers won't leave home without this fall...

Roots introduces the new RFID blocking wallet collection, Macombe, for fall 2012. Smartly and stylishly designed with shielding material to protect your personal information, the new collection is available in two men’s styles in full leather. For more information, visit www.meaderay.com.

CBM Inc. / Meade Ray Intl.514-738-5858 • [email protected]

Fulton's Kensington umbrella turns heads while keeping them dry

Fulton Umbrella's new Kensington umbrella is designed to bring a little light to the cloudiest of days with its trendy floral border and matching handle. Lightweight and crafted with a strong fibreglass frame, the Kensington provides durable and stylish protection from the elements. It retails for $40.

Fulton Umbrellas (Canada) Ltd.416-661-3493 • [email protected]

Delsey has partnered with Discovery Communications for a line of outdoor lifestyle luggage, travel bags, and accessories under the Discovery Expedition label, the official lifestyle brand of Discovery Channel. The line is inspired by the adventurous, rugged feel that is inherent to the Discovery Expedition brand and will feature innovative and functional elements, as well as technical-based fabrics and materials. The initial launch took place in January 2012, and will be followed by subsequent launches throughout 2013.

Samboro Luggage Corp.905-305-1888 • [email protected]

Cabrelli & Co.'s Fashion Executive Rollerbrief is ideal for the travelling businesswoman who needs to bring her laptop and files everywhere she goes, but also wants to make a fashion statement. The Fashion Executive Rollerbrief offers space and structure, but with a stylish twist that still looks professional. Developed to be a carry-on size for planes, the rollerbriefs come in a variety of trendy colours, shapes, prints, and materials. They also feature a padded laptop compartment with organizer pockets, quality retractable handles, and sturdy wheels.

Cabrelli Inc.1-800-784-4750 • [email protected]

Product Spotlightseee

Roots RFID blocking wallets blend security and style

Adventure awaits with Delsey's Discover Expedition travel accessories

Cabrelli's Fashion Executive Rollerbrief cater to the businesswoman on the move


2012 TGF&A Product Spotlights


Summer 2012 19

Product Spotlights eee

Get back to the basics with the basic Echo Touch glove – the great way to keep your hands warm while you keep in touch. Echo Touch gloves are engineered specifically with the new wave of technology in mind. Adhered to the index finger and thumb of each glove, the elink fabric interacts with touch screen devices, making them compatible with the iPod, iPhone, iPad and other touch sensitive digital devices. Made of wool/nylon with weather resistant treatment. Several fashion styles are available.

Echo Design Group Canada416-599-4041 • [email protected]/canada

Crafted from Italian leather, the LECLAIRE is the perfect combination of elegance and efficiency, catered to the everyday professional woman seeking both functionality and style. Among this versatile case’s appealing features is a padded laptop section, designed to secure and protect laptops up to 15.4” in size. Retailing for $190, the LECLAIRE will hit shelves in red and black. It will be available on McKleinUSA’s website, www.mckleinusa.com, as well as through McKleinUSA’s vast network of vendors, which can also be located on their website.

McKlein Company LLC773-235-0600 • [email protected]

Heys introduces the JetPack, a lightweight portable packing shelf that makes packing and unpacking fast and easy. Simply hang it in your closet, pack your clothes into the shelves, drop the JetPack into your luggage, and that’s it – you're all packed and ready to go! Later, when you arrive at your destination, simply take out the JetPack, hang into your hotel closet, and you're unpacked.

Heys International Ltd.905-361-4000 •[email protected]

Introducing Palpo Italian leather belts. Using the highest degree of Italian manufacturing, Palpo belts are made in Italy with 100% Italian leather. The combination of the company’s experience and vision makes these belts available to the North American market at affordable pricing. With a wide range of colours and styles to suit everyone’s tastes, Palpo Italian leather belts provide 100% Genuine Pleasure.

Palpo Trade Company604-608-6606 • [email protected]

The deceptively small Pacsafe RFIDtec 150 organizer packs a lot of weight and can hold, organizee, and protect all your key travel documents from opportunistic RFID thieves. It is equipped with several credit card slots, zippered pockets, and a passport slot for maximum convenience – all protected by state-of-the-art material which blocks out transmissions and stops personal information from being accessed by identity thieves.

Outpac Designs Ltd.360-651-7999 • [email protected]

Echo Touch gloves are iDevice friendly

Innovation and convenience sets Heys' JetPack apart

Elegance and functionality define McKleinUSA's Leclaire case

Palpo leather belts provide 100% 'Genuine Pleasure'

Quality. Desirability. Versitality. The Lavoro Collection of Gino Ferrari laptop compatible cases and bags is the stylish alternative for the discerning businesswoman. Offering modern and classic design, combined with functionality and a stylish twist, the collection takes inspiration from Gino Ferrari's brand heritage and is the ultimate accessory for professional women on the move.

Modrec International NA Ltd.877-432-2471 • [email protected]

Lavoro laptop cases offer protection with Gino Ferrari flare

2012 TGF&A Product Spotlights

Pacsafe's RFDtec 150 packs a lot of security in a small package



Business Centreeee Product Spotlightseee

T-Tech by Tumi Travel Accessories enhance the total travel experience and include products to enhance security, comfort, organization, and convenience. The designs are innovative and trend-oriented to refl ect the authenticity, dependability, and service standards of the Tumi brand. The innovative line includes T-Tech's umbrella ($24.50), Luggage tag (2 for $12). Shirt and Pant folder ($27.50), Packable gym tote ($30), Neck stash ($20.50), and Analog clock with MP3 speaker ($30). All prices are listed in wholesale.

Fashion Import Ltd.514-270-6540 • [email protected]

For years, Fossil has been searching for the perfect vintage leather. Exquisitely rugged. Supple. Soft to the touch – with an incredible patina that doesn’t get older, only better, richer. Fossil’s new exclusive Heirloom variety exceeded all expectations with a stunning, variegated fi nish and a level of quality you just can’t grasp until you feel it for yourself. Burnished, stitched, and fi nished by hand, Heirloom leather is just that – a thing to be treasured, worn and passed to the next generation.

Fossil’s Vintage Revival collection debuts Heirloom leather for fall.

Fossil Canada1-866-636-7745 x8615 • [email protected]

T-Tech's shift and pant folder is packing refi ned

Fossil's Heirloom leather line is Vintage personifi ed

Protect, secure and identify your luggage with Coverlugg. This new innovative product is easy to use and slips on in seconds. Coverlugg is made from extremely durable neoprene material that can handle all the elements associated with traveling. There are many creative designs available to suit all tastes. This will not only protect new luggage but will also give “much loved” luggage a facelift. TSA Compliant.

Clear Image Marketing and Promotions Inc.905-689-2123 • [email protected]

Coverlugg has you covered

Travel in Good Hands

i.d. Travelware

31 arbour CresT rise n.w. CalGary, alberTa, Canada T3G-4l3

e-Mail: [email protected] • Tel: 403-809-1238

_deon.indd 1 12/30/2011 1:32:50 PM

Euro scrubby makes clean up

fast & easy, plus it’s safe

for all surfaces

Untitled-1 1 12-08-07 10:17 AM


Palpo Makes an ImpressionSince arriving to Canada in March 2012, and successfully launching their product line at the LLHA Show in April, the Palpo Trade Company has been showing up everywhere! In addition to volunteering with a Leather Handcrafting Workshop at the Telus Science World in Vancouver this June, Palpo joined as an exhibitor at the famous Maker Faire, where it brought “Genuine Pleasure” to hundreds of attendees.

joanel Partners with MGM Resorts

Joanel is proud to announce it has added the

prestigious group "MGM Resorts International" to

its growing clientele. MGM Resorts International

has several world renowned hotels in Las Vegas,

including the Bellagio, Aria, and The Mirage, to

name a few.

CBM Celebrates 60 yearsCBM Inc. is celebrating 60 years in business. Starting in 1952 as a wallet manufacturer in Montreal, CBM has become a widely recognized importer and distributor of wallets, handbags, travel accessories,, gloves, belts, luggage, and more. CBM sincerely thanks its customers for their business, and looks forward to many more years of working together!

McKlein Company Announces New Account ExecutivesMcKlein Company welcomes three new Account Executives to its team. Lisa Larkin ([email protected] or 1-800-MCKLEIN x243) brings many years of customer service experience, a great sense of humour, and lots o f pa t ience; She ree Wr igh t (she [email protected] or 1-800-MCKLEIN x233) holds a B.S. in Political Science from DePaul University in Chicago and brings with her a plethora of sales experience; and Kasia Dan i l i s z yn ( kas ia@mck le inusa .com o r 1-800-MCKLEIN x240) is an international woman of intrigue, speaking six languages to better assist McKlein's worldwide clientele.

McKlein Company Announces New Account Executives

Heys Announces Fall Assortment

Heys International, a leading fashion luggage

brand, is following up this past season's

handbag launch with an even stronger fall

assortment. Visit www.heys.ca to see their

full handbag lineup, ranging from affordable

trendy to premium leather silhouettes.

Industry News & Views eee


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Painted with Passion

Individually Hand Painted on Genuine Leather!

905.266.0625 I [email protected] I anuschkaleather.com I

Cherry Loxam I BC, AB I 819.682.4915 I [email protected] Alan Morrison I ON, MB, SK I 819.682.4913 I [email protected]

Manon Isabelle I Quebec I 905.266.0625 I [email protected]

Find us at- Toronto Shoe Show, Edmonton Show, A.R.C.A Show, Vancouver Show, OFE Show, LLHA ShowTrends Apparel Show, Saskatoon Midwest Buy Mart

Industry News & Viewseee

Samboro Introduces Delsey Helium Spinners

Samboro announces two new Helium Spinners

selections from Delsey: the Helium Aero PC

Spinners, and the Helium Colours PP Spinners. The

stylish and functional Helium Aero Spinners are

made with 100% PC, and available in red, blue, and

black at $200 for 24”. The head-turning Helium

Colour PP Spinners are constructed with 100%

Polypropylene, and ready to roll in yellow, blue, lime,

and black for $175 for 25”. For more information, call

905-305-1888, or visit www.samboro.ca .

Calego's IFLy Taking OffCalego's iFLY luggage, featuring Hello Kitty,

Elvis Presley, Angry Birds and others, has

arrived in stores and the sell-through numbers

are incredible. This marks the fi rst time in

Calego's 80 year history that the company has

entered the luggage business.

Fashion Import adds yak Pak

Fashion Import is pleased to announce that

they have added the luggage category to their

current Yak Pak categories which include

backpacks, handbags, pencil cases, and

lunch boxes. Yak Pak is a New York-based bag

company that manufactures fashionable,

affordable, innovative, high quality product.

The line is print-driven, young, and vibrant!

112th Canton Fair Ready to Launch The 112th session of the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) is set to run October 15 to November 4, at the Canton Fair Complex in Guangzhou. This May, the 111th Canton Fair was attended by over 210,000 buyers from 213 countries, proving once more that the Canton Fair provides one of the best platform to grow your business in China.

The 112th Canton Fair will feature:Phase 1 (Oct 15 – 19): Electronics and household electrical appliances, lighting equipment, vehicles and spare parts, machinery, hardware and tools, building materials, chemical products, and the International PavilionPhase 2 (Oct 23 – 27): Consumer goods, gifts, and home decorationsPhase 3 (Oct 31- Nov 4): Textiles and garments, shoes, offi ce supplies, cases and bags, recreation products, medicines, medical devices and health products, food, and the International Pavilion

For more information, or to join, contact the Canton Fair Call Centre at: (00) 86-26-28-888-999, email [email protected], and visit: www.cantonfair.org.cn.

Buyers visit the international pavillion The 111th Canton Fair's Opening Lion Dance


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Painted with Passion

Individually Hand Painted on Genuine Leather!

905.266.0625 I [email protected] I anuschkaleather.com I

Cherry Loxam I BC, AB I 819.682.4915 I [email protected] Alan Morrison I ON, MB, SK I 819.682.4913 I [email protected]

Manon Isabelle I Quebec I 905.266.0625 I [email protected]

Find us at- Toronto Shoe Show, Edmonton Show, A.R.C.A Show, Vancouver Show, OFE Show, LLHA ShowTrends Apparel Show, Saskatoon Midwest Buy Mart


FOSSIL CANADA • Susan CrozierShowroom • 214 King St W, TorontoToll free: 1-866-636-7745, ext. 8615

Email: [email protected]

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TGFA summer Final

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Transcript of TGFA summer Final