IGES Section
IGES-supplied Editorial
IGES Section Stories
Everything for the Sun and Sand – Beach Apparel, Accessories and Coastal Gifts at Resort and Seaside Stores
A look at the sales picture at four unique stores.
Bonus Sidebar: What Is Your Best-Selling Gift?
Selling More Apparel, Accessories, and Jewelry at Resort Shops and Women’s Boutiques
Some stores are giving customers a shopping experience and merchandise selection they can’t find anywhere else to sell more apparel, accessories and jewelry.
Bonus Sidebar: Tips to Sell Multiple Items
Merchandise for Home and From the Heart – Décor and Gift Items at Resort and Lakeside Stores For this article, store staff members offered their tips to increase sales of home décor merchandise, and also discussed popular gift items in their stores.
Bonus Sidebar: Saying it With Signs – Best-Selling Sentiments
Figuring out the Best Merchandise for Fun – Selling More Name-Dropped Merchandise at Museums and Zoos
Why T-shirts, mugs, toys, and other items that include an attraction’s name are often popular choices for guests at museums, zoos and aquariums.
What Is Unique at Boutiques – Selling Jewelry, Signs, and Handmade Items
A look at the jewelry, signs and handmade gift picture at stores in Milwaukee, Wis., Cary, N.C., Paragould, Ark., and Manchester, Ky.
Bonus Sidebar: Displaying Jewelry and Handmade Items
Historic Homes, Caves and Botanical Gardens – Top-Selling Souvenirs and How to Sell More
For this article, Contributing Writer Karen Appold interviewed retail officials at four locations to discuss souvenir sales.
Bonus Sidebar: Creating an Environment to Spur Sales
Campground Souvenirs and Gifts: Best-Sellers for Pitch-Perfect Sales
An examination of the merchandise selling picture at campgrounds.
Bonus Sidebar: Why Many Campers Are Fishing for Souvenirs and Gifts
Wildlife and Pet-Themed Products
Gifts that Are Naturals for Shoppers to Select – Wildlife-Themed Merchandise at Zoos and Aquariums
Animal-themed gifts and souvenirs continue to be popular. This article contains a discussion of some of the current trends in wildlife-themed gifts at zoos and aquariums
Bonus Sidebar: Are People Still Wild about Baby Animal Merchandise?
Bow Wow and Meow – Best-Selling Pet Gifts from Coast to Coast
This article offers insights from officials at pet stores in California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Georgia on trends in the pet merchandise industry.
Smoky Mountain Gift Show Section
Resort and Beach Store Wearables – Selling T-shirts, Beachwear and Jewelry
For this article, shop officials discussed the apparel and jewelry that is perfect to wear on the beach.
Bonus Sidebar: Best Jewelry for Beach Wear
Apparel, Gifts and Home Décor – Merchandise to Wear, Give and Appreciate
Perspectives on how resort gift shops increase sales.
Keeping the Best Basic Souvenirs Selling – Moving More Mugs, Magnets, and Keychains at Zoo and Museum Stores
Popular souvenir items remain mugs, magnets, and keychains.
Bonus Sidebar: Theft Prevention at Hotel Boutiques and Gift Shops
Tips to Sell More Toys and Games – The Picture at Hallmark, Toy and Hardware Stores and Pharmacies
Why niche retailers are looking beyond their core products and stocking toys and games.
Bonus Sidebar: Who Is Buying? Demographic Considerations
A Nod to Nostalgia – Selling More Memory-Evoking Merchandise at Country, General and Variety Stores
How general stores, country stores and other unique shops project a nostalgic feeling through the wares they stock.
Bonus Sidebar: Edible Best-Sellers
Gift Shop Selling Tips – For the Best Results, Display Well and Know the Customer
For this article, Contributing Writer Jon Marks interviewed eight store officials and discussed how to sell more merchandise.
A Boutique Experience – Finding Customer Service Success in Fashion
How a selection of unique boutiques are offering their best customer service.
Bonus Sidebar: When to Encourage Browsing, and When to Pitch a Sale – Tips From the Pros
Bonus Sidebar: Inside Resale – How LA’s Grow Kid Grow Created Its Own Eco-friendly Business Model
For Sales that Are Gems – Trends in Gem and Mineral Gifts at Caves, Caverns and Rock Shops
Carry as much variety as possible, and customers will snap up rocks, according to retailers.
Licensed Merchandise
Game Time – The Best-Selling Gifts at Sports Museums from Coast to Coast
How licensed merchandise scores for sports museum gift stores.
Bonus Sidebar: Coming Soon – The Museum of Sports – An Exclusive Peek Inside Philly’s Next Big Thing
College Bookstore Best-Sellers in the Licensed or Logo Merchandise Categories
The licensed and logo merchandise outlook for college bookstores.
Bonus Sidebar: What’s Your Best Sale Idea?
Quality Gifts
High-Quality Personal Care and Edible Gifts at Gift and Candy Boutiques
For this article, staff members discussed their top-selling quality personal care items and edible gifts.
Bonus Sidebar: What Are Your Top Tips to Sell More Soap?
Bonus Sidebar: Is Interest in Sour Candy Souring, Or Are Tingling Taste Buds Still a Trend?
Gourmet Foods and Snacks
Down-Home Delicious – Selling Food at Country Stores
Gourmet food and snacks are the ultimate spur-of-the-moment buy at country stores.
Jewelry
The Shapes and Colors that Sell – Jewelry Trends at Jewelry Stores
This article discusses jewelry trends at jewelry stores.
Bonus Sidebar: What is Your Top Winter Jewelry Seller?
Where the Merchandise Is Meaningful – Selling Jewelry at Inspirational and Museum Stores
Which jewelry is selling at a selection of inspirational stores and at a museum shop.
Bling That’s Tops for Moms, Babies and Tots – Jewelry at Children’s Stores
How children’s store customers are shopping the jewelry selection.
Bonus Sidebar: Best-Selling Accessories at Children’s Shops
Apparel
Outfitted for Fun – Waterpark and Theme Park Apparel Best-Sellers
For this article, attraction retail staff members offered their takes on what sells best and why in the apparel universe at their stores.
Bonus Sidebar: Fitting Customer Demand to a T – T-Shirt Sales at Theme and Waterparks
Apparel · Special Spotlight on Sizing
Size Trends at Beach and Resort Area Boutiques
What’s the best-selling size at boutiques nowadays? If you ask many retailers in beach and resort areas, they’ll respond: Every size.
Bonus Sidebar: Best-Selling Garments in Larger and Smaller Sizes
Training and Employee Retention Report
Gift, Florist, Party and Toy Stores – Giving Employees the Hours They Want While Meeting Store Staffing Needs
In this article, retailers discuss their scheduling challenges and policies.
Bonus Sidebar: Employee Hours – Sometimes or All the Time?
Customer Service Perspectives
Discount and Variety Stores – Strategies for the Best Shopping Experiences
Four store officials share their customer service insights.
Bonus Sidebar: Best Practices for Bring Backs
Sunglasses
Tips for Sunny Sunglass Sales
For this article, store staff members described their tips to sell more shades, and also listed their top sellers.
Games, Playthings and Plush
Toys Stores – Offering Extras to Make Shopping Special
From gift wrap to greeting cards, this article covers ways toy stores can make the shopping experience unique.
Bonus Sidebar: Top Customer Service Tips
Playthings in the Great Outdoors – Games and Toys at Public Lands Partner and Campground Stores
Souvenir sales at locations where the main attraction is nature.
Party Supplies and Decorations
Love is in the Cards – The Secret to Selling More Valentine’s Day Gifts
How gift stores are making Valentine’s Day special with just the right merchandise.
Bonus Sidebar: V-Day Secrets to Success
Christmas Merchandise at Year-Round Christmas Stores and Country Stores
For this article, four stores shared their secrets on how they keep the mood merry and sales steady every day of the year.
Bonus Sidebar: What Is Your Top Tip for Great Customer Service?
Halloween Merchandise: Scaring Up Sales at Party and Gift Stores
Merchandise selling perspectives for Halloween.
Bonus Sidebar: Costume Best-Sellers
Truck Stops and Travel Centers
Pit Stop Provisions – Gift, Souvenir and Edible Merchandise Favorites
A discussion of sales trends for stores catering to shoppers on the move.
Bonus Sidebar: Capturing Customers Before They Cruise By
