As retailers enter the busy fourth quarter, International Market Centers (IMC) is encouraging an examination of the unique value individual stores bring to local communities in its October 5 Market Insights “The Art and Science of Store Checks” presented by Michelle Lamb & Leigh Ann Schwarzkopf of The Trend Curve.
“With consumers returning to in-person retail, it is more important than ever for retailers understand how they fit into the retail offerings in their communities for both differentiation and collaboration opportunities,” said Dorothy Belshaw, IMC executive vice president, chief customer and marketing officer. “As we move into the holiday season, we have tapped the talented team at The Trend Curve to teach retailers what comparables to look for in other stores, how to discern elements of success, and how to use those learning to create new relationships and grow profit.”
“The Art and Science of Store Checks” covers reviewing retail stores in two parts. First, Lamb and Schwarzkopf will detail the who, why and how of store checks – visiting and researching other retail locations to learn about their businesses – and how to make retail reconnaissance easy. Next, they will drill down on best practices – clever products, modern messaging, ingenious packaging, licensing opportunities and trend topics – that can make seasonal and everyday assortments more profitable.
The Trend Curve is the official blog of Marketing Directions, an international authority for trends in the home furnishings industry that assists retailers, interior designers and suppliers in making manufacturing and buying decisions with trend reports, color forecasts, consulting and speaking services. Lamb is co-founder and chairman of Marketing Directions and Editorial Director of The Trend Curve trade newsletter and blog which forecasts trends in color, pattern and design as well as The Trend Curve Colors™ color-and-trend forecasts and The Trend Album™ European trade show report. Schwarzkopf is the co-founder of Project Partners Network, which consults with some of the world’s largest corporations to find unexpected, innovative and inspired opportunities to promote differentiation and business growth.
“The Art and Science of Store Checks,” is a free, one-hour webinar on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, 10:00 a.m. PDT/1:00 p.m. EDT. Attendees will earn 1 CEU.
IMC’s Market Insights webinars present high-level conversations about issues that are currently impacting business and allow buyers and suppliers to prepare for market throughout the year. With timely, exclusive, and actionable content, the series is an extension of the programming presented by Atlanta Market, DesignOn HPMKT by IMC (IMC’s High Point Market social media channels and programming) and Las Vegas Market. The next Market Insights sessions are “Staging is NOT Just for Houses for Sale” on November 10, 2021 and a discussion of fixed-wire lighting for designers in December 2021.
IMC’s upcoming markets are October Atlanta Apparel (October 12-16, 2021), High Point Market (October 16-20, 2021), Fall Cash & Carry at AmericasMart (November 2-4, 2021) and the Las Vegas Design Center Fall Sample Sale (November 10-12, 2021). The Open Year-Round showroom resources are available Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at AmericasMart and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Las Vegas Design Center. Buyers also can source and shop – anytime and everywhere – via JuniperMarket, a new B2B e-commerce marketplace powered by IMC, which launches in 2021.
About International Market Centers: International Market Centers (IMC) serves as the center of commerce for the wholesale furniture, gift, home decor and apparel industries. With more than 20 million square feet of premium wholesale showroom space in High Point, N.C., Las Vegas and Atlanta, IMC has more than 60 years of relationships and experience creating scalable business platforms for wholesale commerce. With the launch of Juniper, a fully integrated omnichannel B2B commerce solution and multiline B2B e-commerce marketplace empowering buyers and sellers to better manage and grow their business at markets and year-round, IMC now provides the only omnichannel sales and marketing platform that seamlessly connects physical and digital wholesale commerce. For more information, visit www.imcenters.com.