Candles, Scented and Bath and Body Merchandise
When Small Flames Can Ignite Big Sales – Selling More Candles at Gift Stores, Wineries, Boutiques and Candle Stores
Many retailers have discovered that candles are great add-on purchases and well worth the shelf space.
Bonus Sidebar: Are Candle Sales Heating Up, Cooling Down or Staying Stagnant?
Scents for Seaside Store Sales – Sales Trends for Soaps and Other Bath and Body Merchandise
A look at how spa products and other bath and body merchandise is selling for a selection of stores.
Bonus Sidebar: What Are Your Bath and Body Merchandise Best-Sellers and Why?
Jewelry, Gifts and Souvenirs Section
Selling More Jewelry and Gifts at Jewelry Stores and Boutiques
For this article, four establishments identified some of their top-selling jewelry and gift items and shared several trade secrets on how they increase sales.
Bonus Sidebar: Necklaces or Bracelets? Which Sell Best and Why?
Selling the Seashore – Resort and Beach Jewelry, Gifts and Souvenirs
A look at sales for stores frequented by vacationers.
Bonus Sidebar: Who Is Your Demographic and How Do You Keep in Touch With What They Want?
Bonus Sidebar: Do You Hold Sales?
Displaying to Sell – Jewelry, Signs, Gifts and Souvenirs at Public Lands Partner Stores, State Parks and Botanical Gardens
The display of gifts, souvenirs, jewelry, and signs is always key to improving sales in gift shops, research for this article found.
Bonus Sidebar: Top Tips to Create Great Sign Displays
Additions to the Attire – Tips to Sell More Jewelry at Apparel Stores and Boutiques
This article discusses some of the top trends in jewelry sales at shops that predominantly sell attire.
Bonus Sidebar: Making a Statement with Jewelry, Whether Big or Small
Coastal, Country and Quality Gifts and Home Décor Section
Tips to Sell More Sea-Themed Gifts, Quality Gifts and Home Décor Items
For this article, the contributing writer interviewed four shops in coastal locales to identify some of their more popular sea-themed gifts and home décor items.
Bonus Sidebar: Who Is Buying Your Home Décor Items and Why?
Bonus Sidebar: What Are Your Best-Selling Fun and Inexpensive Sea-Themed Gifts?
Selling More Quality Gifts and Home Décor Items at Hospital, Hallmark and Inspirational Shops
A look at how stores sell more quality gifts and home décor items.
Bonus Sidebar: What Is the Hot-Selling Home Décor Item?
How Museums Can Strengthen Their Home Décor Sales
Museum stores are in a unique position to sell home décor, especially items that relate to exhibits.
Bonus Sidebar: Most and Least Expensive Home Décor Items
Sales Trends Report – Country Giftware and Edible Gifts at Country, Variety and General Stores
For this article, store staff members offered their take on trends and best-sellers now and in the future.
Bonus Sidebar: Sweet or Savory? Which Types of Foods Sell Best?
Bonus Sidebar: Is Country-Themed and Regional Merchandise Going Strong or Waning in Popularity?
Special Retail Feature
Three Bears General Store is Juuust Right
Whatever you may think you need, chances are it’s available at Three Bears General Store in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Bonus Sidebar: Vendor Spotlight – A Question and Answer Feature with Simply Southern
Apparel and Fashion Accessories
Summer Fashion Accessories Report – Sunglasses, Flip-Flops, Beach Cover-ups and Bathing Suits at Lake, Resort and Beach Stores
How summer fashion accessories are selling at a variety of stores.
Bonus Sidebar: What Is Your Top-Selling Cover-Up Color? Why?
Bonus Sidebar: What Is Your Top Tip to Display Bathing Suits?
College and Sports Fan Retail Report – Giving a Big Cheer for Sports Fan Apparel and Fashion Accessories
When it comes to college and sports fan store sales of licensed apparel and fashion accessories, top-selling merchandise is varied and exciting.
Bonus Sidebar: Licensed Apparel Inventory – What’s New in ’19
The ABCs of Selling More Tees – T-shirt and Apparel Sales at Museum Gift Shops
A look at the place of the T-shirt in museum gift shop inventory.
Bonus Sidebar: Outsourcing – A Gift Shop Expert Shares His Tips
Bonus Sidebar: Cultivating Wearable Art – Finding Ways of Appealing to Artful Patrons
Top-Selling Baby and Toddler Apparel, Gifts and Fashion Accessories
SGN’s contributing writer spoke with several store owners to find out what is selling in the baby and toddler apparel, gifts and fashion accessories categories.
Zoos and Aquariums
Name Dropping 101 – The Best Logoed Merchandise at Zoos and Aquariums
How logo merchandise is faring at a selection of attractions.
Bonus Sidebar: Style Tips – How to Name-Drop Creatively
Where Gifts, Home Décor and Jewelry Are Stocked and Ready to Sell
There is so much more in the zoo and aquarium gift shop than plush lions, tigers and bears.
Where Animal Themes Rule the Roost – Toys and Games at Zoos and Aquariums
For this article, gift shop staff members offered their tips to sell more animal-themed toys and games.
Bonus Sidebar: New Animal-Themed Gifts
Special Halloween Feature Section
What’s on the Horizon for Halloween – Trends in Costumes, Party Supplies and Gifts
For this article, costume and party shops offered their take on retailing during the past season and what’s ahead in 2019.
Gems, Minerals and Jewelry
Mesmerizing Minerals and Gems – Current Trends from Rock Shops
This article discusses how rock and gem shops offer a wide range of breathtaking gems that are sure to please.
Bonus Sidebar: Top Tips for Creating Great Gem and Mineral Displays
Pet Gifts at Pet Stores and Pet Boutiques
In Pursuit of Sales – The Picture from Pet Stores
This article discusses how pet shop owners must constantly stay on top of trends and new products.
Bonus Sidebar: The Best Dog Brushes to Keep from Hitting a Sales Snag
Games, Playthings and Plush
Best-Selling Toys at Toy Stores and Tips to Create New Best-Sellers
If a goal for the new year is to increase your toy sales, consider these tips from other toy merchants—beginning with stocking what sells.
Bonus Sidebar: Which Toys Will be Hot in 2019?
Selling More Games, Toys and Plush at Historic Homes, Caves and Parks
When visiting a museum, the toy and game offerings in the gift stores are often unique and distinctive.
Bonus Sidebar: Do You Have Custom and/or Name-Dropped Toys? How Were They Developed?
How to Grow Gift and Toy Sales at Baby Stores
How do retailers warm up sales in the cold of winter?
Bonus Sidebar: Pink and Blue or Something New?
Party, Discount and Variety Stores
Snacks and Candy at Party, Discount and Variety Stores
This article contains information on how proprietors in various retail settings around the country sell more of non-essential but still-desirable products.
Bonus Sidebar: Savory or Sweet? Which Snacks Sell Best?
Making Sales Spark in the Cold Weather – Holiday and Winter-Themed Merchandise
The time during the winter holidays is a great opportunity for independent retailers to showcase works by local artists and crafters and other merchandise too.
Hardware, Florist and Pharmacy Stores
Where the Shopping Is Easy – Best-Selling Merchandise at Hardware Stores
Among the items that are in stock at many hardware stores are jewelry, candles, garden supplies and even ice cream.
Bonus Sidebar: Tips for Keeping Up with Big Hardware Stores
Merchandise for Mom and Dad – Gifts for Parents from Florists, Pharmacies and Hardware Stores
At florists, hardware stores, and pharmacies, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gifts abound.
Hospital and Hallmark Stores
Celebrating Milestones and Ministrations of Care – Graduation and Nurse’s Day Merchandise at Hospitals, Pharmacies and Gift Stores
For gift shops, Mother’s Day is the 900-pound gorilla of May holidays — but graduation season and Nurse’s Day present spring gift opportunities as well.
