Ray Britton, President, Comet School Supplies

Upon arriving in Dallas for CAMEX 2014, I excitedly went to visit Comet School Supplies, oneof ICBA’s long standing Vendor Partners. Comet’s facility is located in Palestine, TX, about 110 miles southeast of Dallas. While there I met with Ray Britton, President, and Don Howard, Vice President and toured their facility and learned about the history of Comet.

After a paper converting company was shuttered in 1986, Comet School Supplies was founded with the former employees of that converting company. About 2/3 of its business at the time was in the K-12 sector of the school supply business. Comet slowly increased in its involvement with the college bookstore supply channel, and today about 80% of their business is serving the collegiate bookstore market. 

Comet initially was a regional company, but when they were awarded the Blue Books category in the old WCBA bid process in 1989, they made the decision to become a national company.  Ray Britton stated that ICBA (formerly WCBA) was the entity that first invited them to "the national dance". And they've been loyal to ICBA ever since.

Comet was also the first in the industry to introduce Green Books, at the urging of Jim Williams, former General Manager at the University of Oregon Duck Store. Comet Green Books feature a 100% recycled cover with 10% PCW and inside page that are 100% recycled with 30% PCW.

Today Comet School Supplies employees 35 full-time employees dedicated to making it the best paper converter in the industry. They are an American company receiving raw materials from vendors throughout the United States and manufacturing their products in the Palestine, Texas plant.

New from Comet for 2014 include unruled journals from the new Impressions Collection, Creations Covers Lot 8 Bird Series (1-, 3- and 5-subject notebooks) and the Loadstar Series (1-, 2-, 3- and 5-subject notebooks). Comet is also known for their Lefty Notebooks, 100 count stiff-backed knee pads (both college and law ruled) and of course the Blue Books. For ICBA members, please log into your ICBA member profile at www.ICBAinc.com to view Comet's current buying program.

Thank you to Ray, Don and the entire Comet School Supplies team for a fantastic visit and for their continued support of the ICBA member stores!

Written by Marty Duncan, ICBA Program Manager

School & Office Supplies: Looking Ahead to BTS 2014

Recently I attended the ECRM School & Office Supplies meeting—four days of nonstop meetings with over 100 of the leading school & office supplies vendors in the industry. These manufacturers presented and reviewed new products, marketing initiatives and promotional opportunities for the 2014 selling season across all channels. Some of the highlights include:

Neon

Eye-catching, fluorescent neon colors really look fantastic and bright. The first fluorescent highlighters were introduced in 1963 (Happy 50th Birthday!). While neon clothing has been around for many years, it’s made resurgence in your apparel departments. Neon binders, folders and wirebound notebooks are making a big push for 2014. This offers a great opportunity to cross merchandise departments and upsell your customers.

Eco-friendly
EcoVerte is an independent company that manufactures and markets eco-friendly office, stationery, and school supplies – necessities like pens and pencils made from bamboo, recycled plastics and papers, and biodegradables. All items meet a standard of being at least 70% recycled or biodegradable.

NEW from Roaring Spring Paper Products

Roaring Spring will be the exclusive collegiate distributor of the Studio C Tech Collection. Studio C is Carolina Pad & Paper’s signature brand, from hip and trendy, to classic and timeless, the collections are designed to showcase the customer's own personal style. Roaring Spring will offer Studio C laptop totes and sleeves as well as backpacks and messenger bags. Also included is a collection of iPhone 5 cases.

Zipit Bags

Zipit bags are created from long formless zippers, which, when zipped become witty carryalls—gadget pouches, messenger bags, laptop sleeves and tote bags. Zipit bags are produced in a wide range of shapes and sizes to suit endless usages and personalities.

Fashion Patterns
New fashion patterns will be unveiled for 2014 BTS from Mead and Top Flight. The Mead collection of designs includes:

“Shape It Up”: This collection combines the best of two trends -- opaque watercolor and deconstructed patterns.

“Pretty Please”: The floral pattern is a great blend of bold and graphic to petite and playful.

At Top Flight, “2be” and “Wired” will be redesigned for 2014. Cover designs display the classic flowers associated with 2be

– this year influenced by the Golden Era with a gray floral overlay. Wired, designed with the “wired” student in mind, sports new patterns and color palette with a really fresh mid-century “Mad Men” design.

Also from Top Flight is Evolution (New Leaf Paper) offering a contemporary perspective on caring for the environment. New cover designs feature contemporary objects transforming into nature. 100% Recycled Paper with 95% post-consumer waste.

We will be working with these companies to develop product and pricing programs for ICBA members for 2014 and the BTS season. Look for these exciting new programs as we announce them during year. Fun new additions are coming your way!

Written By Marty Duncan, ICBA Program Manager

Last month began by meeting with JanSport in Appleton, Wisconsin, then it was off to a brief visit with the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Bookstore, concluding with a week in Lake Las Vegas for the ECRM Electronics Retail Summit. Needless to say I am glad to be back in the office. There is no place like “home”.

JanSport Visit
I had a great meeting with Paul Sline, VP of Sales and Bonnie Mueller, Sales Manager. While touring the JanSport facility, Bonnie commented that they have doubled their production capabilities. JanSport, a division of VF Corp, also does the screen-printing for other VF divisions such as Nautica, Wrangler and Vans in addition to screen-printing for Harley Davidson.

JanSport is known for their graphic execution, which truly sets them apart in the market. They take things over and above a basic print graphic to the next level with the use of sublimated comfort twill, in house sewn, and multi-color print graphics. JanSport’ s pricing is often set to reflect up to six colors in a graphic.

JanSport has recently updated its embroidery equipment. Quarter-zip fleece and 100% polyester fleece are growing in popularity and lend themselves to embroidery, as seen in this example headed to the University of Dayton Bookstore for the fall.

Gaining in popularity is the “geek chic” look and JanSport is ready with their take on this trend. T-shirts printed with faux pockets. You can show off your school colors on the pocket or be creative and print in florals, animal prints, chevrons…anything you can imagine. Even going so far as printing a faux pocket complete with pens and pocket protectors. Perhaps this trend is being driven by the popularity of “The Big Bang Theory” or the success of celebrity geeks such as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and more. 

Extending the geek chic look a bit further is JanSport’s take on using the letters from the Periodic Table of Elements in combination to print out words. Take the symbols for Hydrogen, Actinium, Potassium and Erbium and you get “HAcKEr.” The symbols for Gold, Boron, Uranium and Radon spell “AuBURn.” Or, incorporate the symbols to spell “Alumni” with your school name. Let your inner nerdy imagination and anagramming skills run wild.

Finally, look for “Great Nerds in History” from JanSport later this year. These will be graphics which depict the image of great “nerds”—Galileo, Shakespeare, Freud to name a few—with a quote from each that they didn’t actually say, but may have thought it at one point or another.

UW Milwaukee Visit

From Appleton, it was off to Milwaukee to visit with Erik Hemming, Director and Richard Karlinsky, Buyer at the University of Milwaukee Bookstore. I wanted to see how Richard (and Pam Loignon, Merchandise Buyer) have developed their women’s fashion department at their store. Pam and Richard were part of ICBA’s inaugural buying trip to the LA Fashion District during the summer of 2012.

Pam and Richard call their fashion area the “Hashtag Boutique.” The name plays well given how much social media plays in our lives today. As you can see from their signage, nothing in the department retails for over $30.




Items that are doing well for UWM include:

Fashion scarves (seem to be slowing down this year)
Fashion headbands
Bling lanyards(UWM SKU’s them for the boutique not necessarily a boutique item)
Inexpensive skirts, dresses and blouses...anywhere they can find a really good deal. They were selling some skirts for $7.00
Fashion socks for both men and women
Outdoor jackets but only if they are inexpensive (under $30 retail)
Winter wear—fashion hats and gloves
Bowties, ties, suspenders

Interested in opening a fashion department in your store? 

Below is good advice from Pam.

“It can be hit or miss. Choosing the right items is sometimes a hit, sometimes a miss. You have to be right on trend and know what others (retailers) are selling them for.”

Pricing is critical for this department. With vendors like ICBA partner ApparelOffPrice.com, they offer great off-price fashions that allow you to take a larger initial mark up. Don’t be afraid to mark it up 2-3 times cost. This will build in some extra margin for marking down those items that are a “miss”, yet still allow you to maintain your department markup goals. Look at the item and know what area retailers are selling that style for. You know mainstream retailers (Forever 21, H&M, etc.) are not keystoning fashion items. Why should you?

ECRM Electronics Retail Summit

Concluding August was the ECRM Electronics Retail Summit. This event brings together Personal and Mobile Electronics, and Computer Products and Accessories manufacturers to present and review new programs, marketing initiatives and promotional opportunities to retailers across all channels.

Bluetooth/streaming audio continues to be a strong category. One of the coolest new products I saw was the AwoX StriimLIGHT ™, an energy-saving LED light-bulb with an integrated Bluetooth speaker. You simply place the light in any standard electrical lamp and sync your mobile device to hear music wherever you want. Other Bluetooth speakers, such as those from Ematic offer full Siri controls. Ematic currently works with D&H Distributing. Earbuds with Bluetooth capabilities were also shown by several vendors including Jabra. Perfect for the active lifestyle of the college student.

Portable power was also well represented during the meeting. With the myriad of devices each of us own, keeping them charged while away from home can be a challenge. These portable battery packs are an essential items in your assortment. ICBA partner Battery On The Go offers a 2600 mAh and 2000 mAh power stick at a great price and small enough to fit in your pocket, purse or backpack.

Look for these and other technology products as I develop programs moving forward with the vendors I met at ECRM Electronics Retail Summit. More details on each program will be announced during the fall.

In Closing...
Finally, when I returned back to the office, I saw this quote in an article highlighted in a recent NRF SmartBrief. While the article is about Food Lion grocery stores, substitute that name with any college store and it is good advice to follow:

“There's an imperative to set us apart,” Beth Newlands Campbell, Food Lion CEO, told the Observer last week. “You can't be middle of the road.” “Staying the same is not an option.”

When she talks about Food Lion's issues, she fastidiously avoids the word “problem,” instead referring to “opportunities.”

“We just have to get better. And we have to do it every day,” she said. “This is about fixing Food Lion by being a better Food Lion.”

This is the challenge we all face today. Be better by maximizing your partnerships with vendors, such as JanSport. Be better by exploring new sales opportunities like women’s fashion merchandise. Be better by focusing on new product and trends in the technology products category. 

Staying the same is not an option.

Written by Marty Duncan, ICBA Program Manager

Top Products at the D&H BTS Expo

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to attend the D&H BTS Expo. If you’ve ever attended the event, you know how grueling, yet rewarding, the expo day can be. If you’ve not attended, think of a three minute speed date with 75 different vendors. Like the ICBA PRIMEtime event, you meet with each vendor there to learn what’s new and best sellers. And with that, here are some of my highlights of this year’s D&H Expo.

Streaming, or Bluetooth, audio is a hot category. I really liked the mobile speaker from bēm Wireless. They are a new vendor with D&H. I first met bēm Wireless at the ECRM Electronics Retail Summit in March and fell in love with the rich sound that came from this small cube—only 2.5". The speakers come in black, white, red, green orange, and purple, plus 24 “school” colors. MSRP is $69.99.

Many of you may already be familiar with Twelve South. They offer beautifully designed accessories exclusively for Apple products. The “BookBook” cases for MacBook Pro, Air/Retina, iPad, iPad mini and iPhones offer the vintage look of an old classic book. The cases are crafted in genuine leather and feature a zipper closure. MSRP ranges from $59.99 to $79.99. 

Braven Bluetooth audio speakers have been around

for a couple of years and continue to offer a great product with a great sound. The highlight of the line is the BRV-1 waterproof speaker. To demo the unit, water was poured directly onto the speaker grill while streaming music. The water danced on the grill, giving the fountains at the Bellagio a run for their money. D&H is offering a summer special of $15 off the regular wholesale price. MSRP is $179.99.

The next item is one of those “why didn’t I think of that….” type products—Guerilla Calculator Cases. We have cases to dress up and protect our smart phones and tablets. Why not the graphing/scientific calculators? Guerrilla has designed and perfected an extensive array of personalization items for the Texas Instruments line of graphing calculators. They offer protective silicone cases in a variety of colors, plus interchangeable faceplates, and themed image slide cases. MSRP is only $19.99 and is the perfect add-on to your students’ calculator purchase. 

Seems like everywhere we go, there is a GoPro camera close by recording the events. GoPro is the world’s leading activity image capture company. Their demographic is inclusive of your store’s customer—18-25 year olds, who embrace technology and social media and are looking for ways to capture life as it unfolds. They offer a great program through D&H, complete with a 2 ft. product display featuring a monitor to highlight what can be seen and experienced with GoPro cameras. MSRP on the cameras range from $199.99 to $399.99, with a wide variety of accessories that can help build add-on sales and margin.

In the headphone category, SOL REPUBLIC continues to be strong with their Collegiate Series. Collegiate Series SOL REPUBLIC Tracks are the first interchangeable headphones to deliver incredible sound, style and technology featuring your college or university. SOL REPUBLIC offers a kiosk program through D&H (for new accounts only) which offers different options to display your product. MSRP for the Collegiate Series is $129.99. Other earbuds and headphone styles range from $39.99 to $179.99.

Finally, the neatest and most simplistic products of the day were the cases and sleeves from Papernomad offered by Griffin Technology. Papernomad is an amazing, and patented, paper composite that has plastic's durability and is water resistant. Papernomad’s patented paper composite is created from several layers of paper and biopolymers. The items arrive as a blank page. You can mark it, draw it, paint it or more to customize your own personal case. Their products fit MacBook Pro 13" and 15", MacBook Air 11" and 13", iPad, iPad mini, iPhone, and Galaxy S III. MSRP ranges from $39.99 to $69.99.

These are only a handful of the new and unique products shown over 75 different companies at the D&H BTS Expo. If you attended the expo and found a new product for your store, reply to this blog and let me and the other ICBA members know. We’ll share your discovery with everyone.

We hope to have each of these vendors and more in the D&H Pavilion at ICBA 2014 PRIMEtime, February 3-6, 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana. For more information about these and other D&H companies, contact your D&H Account Manager. 

For information on ICBA 2014 PRIMEtime, visit www.icbainc.com/icba2014forstores

ICBA offers its member stores FREE registration (a $595 value), FREE airfare (up to $500) and a ground transportation allowance. A limited number of these are available, so register early. Registration is scheduled to open July 31. NO other organization or event in our industry offers this benefit to members or attendees.

Written by Marty Duncan, ICBA Program Manager

ICBA PRIMEtime Celebrates 10 Years

ICBA PRIMEtime redefined how business is done in the college industry. At ICBA 2014, February 3-6 in New Orleans, Louisiana, PRIMEtime will celebrate its 10th anniversary!

In 2005, after recognizing individually focused meetings as productive, profitable, and cost

effective for buyers and vendors, Independent College Bookstore Association introduced private one-to-one meetings to the college retail industry. PRIMEtime (Planned Retail Innovation and Marketing Exchange) is a series of pre-scheduled appointments between collegiate retail buyers and senior level vendor executives. These meetings provide valuable time for focused presentations and discussions of products and marketing opportunities, to set strategic directions, merchandising strategies, new lines, new items and promotional initiatives.

When buyers and vendors arrive at PRIMEtime, they find a markedly different atmosphere than at a typical tradeshow. PRIMEtime has a business-focused, upscale and exclusive feel. The proactive environment of PRIMEtime appointments helps breed creativity and innovation.

What our attendees have to say about PRIMEtime:
“ICBA PRIMEtime is the all-meeting event designed for buyer and vendor success. Over the past years, PRIMEtime has grown in popularity. Participant surveys indicate the all-meeting format is overwhelmingly preferred by both buyers and vendors.” —University of Missouri-Columbia

“Meeting vendors at ICBA PRIMEtime and seeing the new lines, colors and styles is a great way to begin the buying season! ICBA handles all the details and makes it very easy to attend. Their help with travel expenses enabled us to attend.” —Davidson College

“At PRIMEtime there was no wasted time! What a great way to see so much, so fast. The overview of what vendors have and what's new and different was an excellent education. By the time I was finished I had a pretty good mental image of what my selling floor will look like next fall.” —North Carolina Wesleyan College

“The best thing about PRIMEtime is the interaction between all involved. There is time to meet upper management vendors, as well as being introduced to companies, that in other tradeshow formats, you would probably just walk right by without giving a chance.” —University of Utah

Since the first PRIMEtime meetings in 2005, we have scheduled over 23,500 buyer-vendor

meetings. Owing to the success of PRIMEtime, ICBA has reimbursed member stores over $545,000 in registration and travel costs during this period. This has allowed more than 1,160 buyers and managers to attend at minimal expense and benefit from our annual Retail Conference which offers the strongest solution-oriented professional education in the industry.

At ICBA, we are committed to introducing new ways of doing business with a more personal and intimate approach that helps grow relationships and increase business for all who attend. The most important quest in business is to create and foster human connections. Creating high performance connections in today’s retail environment is critical to your success. PRIMEtime is an event that breeds innovation, interaction, discussion and efficiency.

We hope you will join us in New Orleans, February 3-6 for ICBA 2014. Registration for vendors will open in mid-June and for stores in late July.

For more information about ICBA PRIMEtime and the ICBA 2014 Retail Conference, please contact Marty Duncan, ICBA Program Manager at MartyDuncan@ICBAinc.com or 1-866-841-ICBA (4222).

Putting the "H" in Hot
Top Selling Technology Products

The national retail channel has experienced a significant slowdown in the growth of technology product sales. The slowdown was noticeably evident in the brick-and-mortar retail channel — sales growth declined consistently through the spring and summer of 2012.

In contrast, online retail sales maintained the yearly growth rate showing a significant increase above last year. Of the following retailers— AT&T, Amazon,  Apple, Best Buy, Costco, Office Depot, Staples, Target, Verizon, Walmart —Amazon was the only one with 3 positive years of growth. The good news is you can still compete and win against all of these outlets.

No generation is more at ease with technology than today’s young people—“digital natives”, who have grown up immersed in a digital environment. 

Where notebook paper and pen may have formed the tool kit of prior generations, today’s students come to class armed with smart phones, laptops and iPads. 

The average merchandise mix of technology products in the ICBA member stores is approximately 20% of the store’s total sales. That is a significant share. The collegiate retail industry is full of challenges but also offers us plenty of opportunity. There are growth segments and niches in all areas of the collegiate marketplace.

Global PC shipments fell last year for the first time in 10 years, while shipments of smartphones and tablets continued to boom. Nationwide, Apple and Samsung are gaining market share in both smartphone (38%) and tablet computing (57%). Stores should tailor their product selection to capitalize on the growth in these segments.

Sales in the cellular accessories are very strong. Most of the volume is in protection/cases. As Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy introduce new models, make sure you have the latest accessories. Smartphone cases have become a true fashion item, with consumers purchasing more than one style for their phones.

Available at nuCourse Distribution, OtterBox (Defender Series and Commuter Series) and LifeProof are the leaders for all protective cases. Combined they make up over 42% of the total smartphone case sales in the US today. OtterBox is also available through D&H Distributing along with the Griffin Survivor Series Carrying Cases for iPhone.

As with smartphones, a majority of the sales dollar growth in tablet accessories is in cases. The Incase Book Jacket Select iPad 3/4 Black (MSRP $59.99) from The Douglas Stewart Company is a top seller this year. D&H Distributing reports that the OtterBox Defender Carrying Case for 10.1" tablet is also leading the category in sales.

Consumers say they are buying headphones at roughly the same frequency as they were last year – just under once every two years (every 22 months)*. John Koss, Jr., Vice President of Sales at Koss stated: “People use these products so much every day; there’s such a replacement business out there. And no one buys a single headphone for all uses anymore; they buy one for traveling, one for their workouts, one for gaming.”

Headphones are not just a $10-$30 retail product. Try selling higher end product and you will be amazed by the results.

D&H Distributing offers Sennheiser headphones, with the HD 25-SP II Stereo Headphone (MSRP $29.95), HD25-1 II Stereo Headphone (MSRP $249.95), PXC 250-II Headphone (MSRP$199.95) listed as best sellers for 2013. nuCourse best sellers include Klipsch Image ONE (MSRP $149.99) and Klipsch Image A5i Sport earbuds ($129.99). Douglas Stewart reports that Skullcandy Crusher Over-ear Headphones w/Mic Black (MRSP $99.99).

However, don’t forget to round out your assortment with opening price points. Skullcandy Ink'd Earbud w/Mic Black (MSRP $19.99) and Yurbuds Inspire Female Performance Fit Earbuds (MSRP $29.99) from Douglas Stewart and even the JVC Gumy Headphones (MSRP $9.99) from D&H Distributing are trending well in college stores.

Younger consumers (13-34 years old demographic) spend more on headphones, with a heavy focus on premium styles. Premium headphone ($100+) owners are more likely to own multiple pairs of headphones.* This group is your customer and is in your store daily.

Listening to music on a great pair of headphones is one of the more pleasurable experiences modern technology gives us. However, sometimes you want to let the music fill the room. Wireless speakers allow you to listen to your favorite tunes anywhere.

One area where it’s tough to get great sound out of a small package is in wireless audio speakers. However, the Braven 650 Bluetooth speaker (MSRP $169.99), available from both D&H Distributing and nuCourse, is a top seller and is becoming the new industry standard for Bluetooth audio. You may also want to try the Carbon Audio Zooka Bluetooth Speaker Red ($99.99) from Douglas Stewart.

Thirty-nine percent of expectant buyers plan to spend over $100 on their next wireless speaker purchase.** Make sure your assortment includes a wide selection of product in this price range.

As you can see, much of industry shift is determined by mobile device impacts, with smartphone and tablets leading the way in the development of new tech accessories. The amazing thing about this industry is that manufacturers are constantly bringing new products to market that provide new opportunities for retail growth.

Today, each consumer transaction is becoming more valuable. Find your niche among your student, faculty and staff customers. These vendor partners can be a great resource for your store. ICBA works with them to use their industry and product knowledge and company resources to develop programs and product assortments that will directly benefit your store. 

*Source: The NPD Group / Headphones: Ownership & Application Study, 2012 Update
**Source: The NPD Group / Audio Consumption Study, October 2012.

Written by Marty Duncan, ICBA Program Manager

Why Pricing is the Hottest Topic in Retail - Insight from NRF SmartBrief

As most retailers know, three factors will determine success or failure: is it the right product, is it the right time, and is it the right price? The following article was in the December 12th edition of the National Retail Federation SmartBrief:

Why pricing is the hottest topic in retail

Pricing has become a hot topic in the retail world, as merchants seek to strike the right balance between price and value, writes First Insight founder Greg Petro. He explores the pros and cons of several different pricing models, from Apple's "take it or leave it" model to Costco's volume-based approach. Forbes (12/11)

As we know, pricing on textbooks is not like it was 5-10 years ago. Stores are having to be more flexible and competitive to maintain their market share. And as for general merchandise, are you simply keystoning prices, or as the article states, looking at “full consumer value?” Take a moment to read this article to see if you may be leaving money on the table based on your current pricing strategy. This is the first of a three-part series and we will share future posts with you, too.

If you would like to receive a daily NRF SmartBrief newsletter, you can sign up at http://www.smartbrief.com/nrf/.  It’s free and often contains some great retailing news, information and ideas.

Happy Reading!

Shared by Marty Duncan, ICBA Program Manager

ECRM Levin Consulting Electronics Retail Summit

ECRM Levin Consulting Electronics Retail Summit

What’s Trending in Technology Products

I attended the ECRM Levin Consulting Electronics Retail Summit August 13-15, and learned some interesting facts about where technology product sales are headed for 2012-2013. There are some exciting opportunities for collegiate retailers ahead!

The event started off with a general session titled: “Exploiting Niche Opportunities in a Stagnant Market,” presented by Stephen Baker, Vice President, Industry Analysis at the NPD Group (www.npd.com). Mr. Baker talked about the electronics industry as a whole. His analysis showed that overall industry volumes will be flat to negative for the year. Not a good sign. However, it’s no surprise that Apple is driving the industry. While Q2 2012 Year-over-Year revenue results from Apple were almost flat, the previous four quarters showed 12%-36% growth over the previous year. All other electronic products were down 3%-9% during this same period. Apple seems to be keeping the industry afloat.

Mr. Baker recommends that retailers should follow the big opportunities—PC’s, tablets and smartphones. PC’s and tablets are a core product in your college store mix, and ICBA is working to add smartphones to our programs. These three categories account for about 38% of the total electronics sales in the industry.

As you most likely know, tablets outsold notebook computers over the past few months. Mr. Baker stated that notebook/netbook purchasers were slightly more likely than desktop purchasers to attach an accessory to their computer purchase. Sales of accessories for these products are on the rise, with cases and screen protectors accounting for about 70% of the total accessory revenues. Several companies at the ECRM/Levin meetings offered new bags and sleeves for laptops and tablets, as well as charging solutions for laptops and tablets. Many of the vendors I met with are also gearing up their inventory of cases, sleeves and charging accessories for the announcement and launch of the Apple iPad mini, expected later this fall. His research also showed that wireless mice were a hot commodity.

Smartphone accessories have seen a 25% increase for 2012. 7 in 10 cell phone purchasers attach an accessory for their phone at the time of purchase or within 6 months. The average cell phone purchase resulted in an additional $30 spent on accessories for the phone, though smartphones generate over three times more accessory spending.

Smartphone retailers (AT&T, Verizon stores) are losing out on the majority of aftermarket purchases, as four-in-five purchasers say they returned to a different retailer to make their aftermarket accessory purchase. That is great news for collegiate retailers. Cell phone cases, earbuds with in-line mics and charging solutions should be staples in your department. Cell phone cases are more of a fashion statement than functional, so buyers are apt to purchase more than one for their phone.

All of the vendors I met with are gearing up for the new Apple iPhone 5, scheduled to be announced in mid-September and ready for sale a few weeks later. Rumors are that the new phone will boast a bigger screen and could possibly be slightly thinner. There is also a rumor that Apple is dropping its 30-pin connector in favor of a different configuration. All of this means that there is plenty of opportunity to stock and sell new accessories for the iPhone 5—cases, battery cases, chargers, etc.

Finally, audio remains important but the growth segments are designed to make it more portable (and less device centric). While headphones and earbuds still remain strong, streaming audio speakers or Bluetooth speakers will also see continued growth in the market, experiencing a 280% growth in the past year.

Bluetooth speakers range in price from about $50 to $200 and now produce some awesome sound in a small package. It is important that you have a display unit out so that your customer can sync their device and listen to their own music. That is the best way to sell a system.

I am working with many of the companies I met at the ECRM/Levin Consulting Electronics Retail Summit to bring their products to our member stores, either direct or through key distributors who serve our channel. Look for the announcements about these new programs and take advantage of what these vendors have to offer. There are opportunities for growth in your store’s electronics/technology department with new product constantly hitting the market.

Blogged by Marty Duncan, ICBA Program Manager

Shopping the LA Fashion District!

Women’s fashion merchandise is an emerging category for many collegiate retailers today. In response to this opportunity, ICBA developed a buying program in May 2011 with ApparelOffPrice.com, a company that focuses on your particular market to find current fashion apparel and accessories at 20 to 60% below wholesale. ApparelOffPrice emails the buyers a catalog of current styles, available for at once shipping, 2-3 times per week.

ApparelOffPrice.com was started by Bob Libby, a fashion industry veteran in Los Angeles, who also started The Insiders Buying Office. At The Insiders Buying Office, Bob and his staff take buyers directly to major manufacturers, contractors and jobbers in Los Angeles to shop for Junior and Contemporary Apparel. Buyers pick from the racks the most current styles of clothing in all categories: Junior, Missy Contemporary, Plus Size Women's Clothing and Men's.

On August 7 & 8 I, Marty Duncan, ICBA Program Manager, along with 14 buyers from nine ICBA member stores, traveled to Los Angeles to meet with Bob and his team and shop the LA Fashion District and San Pedro Market. ICBA members who participated were Abby Coan, Auburn University, Laura Anderson and Cari Callahan, Central Washington University, Kristin Bonetati and Lily Lopez, CSU Long Beach, Shandra Van Berkum, Iowa State University, Kelly Morlock and Sarah Castro, San Diego State University, Liz Simpson, University of Kansas, Amanda Butler and Cristy Phelps, University of Missouri, Diane Wirth, University of Oregon, and Pam Loignon and Richard Karlinsky, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.

The group met with and viewed lines from 12 different sources. Items included sweaters, jackets, leggings, basic & fashion tees, blouses, dresses and more. We also visited one of the largest accessories showroom in the San Pedro Market and the buyers walked away with jewelry, handbags, scarfs, hats and even some display fixtures.

Most of what was purchased was for immediate delivery, so many of the items will be in the stores for Fall 2012 Rush sales.

Kelly Morlock, San Diego State University, commented: “Bob was great; he got great pricing, had a variety of things to see, and I loved that there was no pressure. The fashion was all current and on point, and I liked that he listened to our needs. I truly enjoyed spending time with other (ICBA) stores, listening and seeing what they have done that works and what doesn’t.”

We finished the two days of buying with a trip to the University of Southern California Bookstore, where they have a spacious fashion department on their lower level that features both men’s and women’s fashions and accessories. Natasha Kuzmanovic, Senior Apparel Buyer, gave us a quick tour of her department.

Kristin Bonetati, CSU Long Beach, summed up her experience by saying: “The group of buyers was awesome! We learned so much from talking to them and hearing what they do and how they display.  It was really collaborative. We really liked the trip to USC at the end.  It not only gave us a chance to see how the product could be displayed at its best, but also some really great product and merchandising ideas.”

ICBA will be planning future trips to Los Angeles to meet with The Insiders Buying Office and shop the Fashion District and San Pedro Market. Please contact Marty Duncan, ICBA Program Manager at MartyDuncan@ICBAinc.com if you are interested in joining the group. Actual dates have not been set, but the plan is to go in early November 2012 and late July 2013.

In the meantime, I encourage you to join the ICBA Fashion Group Facebook page and follow the successes of these schools and others and see how they are selling fashion merchandise and accessories. Simply search for “ICBA Fashion Group” on Facebook and request to join. This is a private Facebook site and the postings and discussions are limited to ICBA member stores only.

At ICBA, we are committed to bringing our stores the latest fashion styles and prices that help them expand their own fashion departments and increase their profits.

Contact ICBA for more information, 800.888.9222 and Insiders Buying Office at sales@appareloffprice.com

Blogged by Marty Duncan, ICBA Program Manager

"Mastering" Customer Service

If you are a golfer, this is one of the greatest weeks of the year—Masters Week. If you are not a golfer,
don’t worry, this is more about customer service than golf.

I was fortunate enough to make the trip to Augusta, GA, home of Augusta National and the Masters, earlier this week for the Monday practice round. Having wanted to attend this
tournament for the past 40+ years, I was excited beyond belief.

The day started at 6:30
a.m. with the drive to the course. We parked our car and headed for the main gate. There we were greeted by one of Augusta’s finest directing traffic (who undoubtedly had been there for several hours). The smile on his face and his
humor in dealing with a crowd that did not want to wait for traffic to clear before crossing got my day started off right.

Once across the street and onto the grounds of Augusta National, everyone we encountered greeted us with a smile and “Welcome to the Master.” I mean everyone—security, ticket takers, marshals, concessionaires…even the guys monitoring the restrooms.

It got me thinking about customer service in our industry. First, let me point out, that each of these folks I encountered is a volunteer. They are not paid to be there. They do it for the love of the game and for the prestige of working the Masters and what it represents. Do your paid employees share this level enthusiasm for your store? Does everyone greet your customers with “Welcome to the Bookstore?”

If you’ve ever watched the Masters tournament on TV, trust me, it does not do the place justice. The grounds of August National are immaculate. Everything in its place and nothing is out of place. I was hard pressed to find a piece of trash on the course or at the concession stands. Again, superior levels of customer service in how the place looks to its patrons.

And in the merchandise shop, as busy as this was throughout the day, the shelves were always neat and organized. We were there at about 3:30pm, during the heat of the day. It was crowded, hectic and hot, but every associate in the shop had a smile on their face and were eager to help find a size, color or item. And again, these are volunteers!

Finally, as we left the course, we were told “Thank you for coming.” What a way to end a fabulous day and experience.

We’ve all been to enough industry sessions to know what good customer service is. But are we making this an integral part of our store and university branding? If volunteers, up before dawn and working in hot 90 degree days or rainy conditions, dealing with rush-like crowds can exude
this “Masters” attitude, I know our industry employees can as well. Have you set Masters-like customer service standards for your store and employees? Do your employees support these standards with their actions? Make sure your employees are “Mastering” customer service on your campus.

Written by Marty Duncan, ICBA Program Manager

ICBA 2012 Hosted Over 4,460 Buyer & Vendor Meetings!

The ICBA 2012 Retail Conference, Business Encounter & PRIMEtime, featuring the D&H Pavilion, is now a recent memory. WOW! What a great week in warm, sunny south Florida!

The week started off with our PRIMEtime meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday. Over 4,460 one-to-one meetings were scheduled between ICBA buyers and the PRIMEtime vendors over the two days. Vendors attending PRIMEtime represented product categories such as Academic Course Materials, Apparel, Backpacks, Imprinted Gifts, School & Office Supplies, Computers, Computer Accessories and Consumer Electronics.

110 ICBA buyers and managers took advantage of our FREE offer for PRIMEtime—FREE registration (a $595 value) and FREE airfare (up to $500), plus $30 for ground transportation. ICBA reimbursed our member stores over $113,000 in travel expense to attend the 2012 Retail Conference. No other organization offers this valuable benefit. Plan to be at ICBA 2013 and take advantage of all the ICBA has to offer.

PRIMEtime offers an opportunity to discover new product lines and suppliers that you may have never seen to add to your merchandise mix to increase your bottom line, over 30 new vendors companies attended PRIMEtime just this year!

What are the buyers saying about ICBA 2012 PRIMEtime:

Academic Course Materials

“Finding out if there are new things we could collaborate on to offer more affordable course materials to students. Learning about new programs that we can implement that could save us money as an organization.”

Apparel, Backpacks & Imprinted Gifts

“Seeing new vendors I have never worked with before in a no-pressure environment.”

“The knowledge I picked up from meeting one-on-one.”

“Getting to know vendors you haven't met or wouldn't get a chance to meet before.”

“PRIMEtime prepares me for the buying season and gives me the chance to see new vendors and ask question. It is a tough schedule to see so many vendors in 2 days, but well worth the effort.

School & Office Supply

“Seeing so much product in such a compact amount of time. GREAT preview to the season.”

“Meeting all the stakeholders who are inspired by their products.”

Technology Products

“Seeing all the new products. Connecting with reps.”

Thank you to all attending buyers and vendors who joined us in Fort Myers, Florida. Specifically, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to connect with your peers, old and new vendor partners and to learn about new innovations and solutions that will help advance your store into the future. Plan to be with us for ICBA 2013 PRIMEtime, February 4-9, 2013 at a location to be announced soon.

For more details about the ICBA Retail Conference & PRIMEtime events, featuring the D&H Pavilion, please contact Marty Duncan, ICBA Program Manager at 866-841-ICBA (4222) or MartyDuncan@ICBAinc.com. See you in 2013!