This is Off-Price! 2009 Show updates…

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again… the depression in the global economy has delivered a killer opportunity for the innovators in the Wholesale and Retail Industry to come up with tactics that will bring all forms of consumer spending directly to their front door step, by providing a forum like the…

Off-Price Specialist Show in Las Vegas. Many of the factors that have resulted from last year’s torrents of news relating to the economic crisis (which was virtually saturating last year’s headlines) have finally taken a turn for the better in a few particular sectors of global industry. The ones who look for new openings in the market are finding out quickly that consumer buying patterns are radically shifting towards the realm of high-value, lower-price… and it pays to note that this doesn’t necessarily mean they will be looking for the cheap stuff, either. We’re seeing a kind of displacement that is taking effect on a massive scale, and it simply means that the consumers who might have been at the bottom of the luxury-brand market before things got tough… are now somewhere in the upper levels of the mid-range crowd. That’s right, champagne tastes on beer budgets, if you know what I mean!

“We dont have to look to the government for a stimulus package. We just have to be smart. The Off Price Show and its vendors are my stimulus package. They’ve helped me open a new business and make a profit without beating up the consumer.”

Edward Goldbaum Owner, All Pro Basics Sporting Goods

What we didn’t tell you (or couldn’t tell you, really) was that the Off-Price Specialist Show in Las Vegas – which is happening right now, even as you read this — is already vastly exceeding expectations! There have been some reports from the field that are giving wholesalers and retailers everywhere something to smile about, as the number of attendees has been remarkable… and the number of exhibitors doing the smiling has been extremely encouraging.

If you want to see some visual proof of the activity on the showroom floor, take a look at the exciting array of products and exhibits that we’ve snapped and collected for you, as we give you a virtual roadmap of the shining stars of the Off-Price Specialist Show in Las Vegas.

As always, here’s a TopTen list of reasons to get out there now:

• Autumn and Winter fashions on display now!

• Over 5000 preregistrations for the show!

• 1200 buyers on the first day!

• No loss in exhibitors from last show!

• Off-Price is a big buzz word with consumers right now!

• LOTS of closeouts!

• Financially-strained consumers result in a resurgence of lower priced goods!

• Much more product diversification than ever!

• Jewelry, New Fashion, General Merchandise, suppliers from China!

• This used to be just a jobbers show… but not anymore!

If you are finding yourself in a position that makes it hard to find the desired product somewhere within your reach these days, and with so much to see at this show, it could result in a handsome payoff to visit the tradeshow floor at the Off-Price Specialist Show in Las Vegas. The show isn’t over yet! Don’t be left out… Off-Price is definitely in!

Ripples in the Wholesale Pond: AliExpress

It’s always with quite a dose of skepticism that I see huge, publicly-listed companies like Alibaba taking a shot at appealing to the individuals that make up a market that was once too small and insignificant for them to address before.

Sign of the times? You bet. Sign of things to come? You’d better believe it. This is where the rubber meets the road, as those little individual consumers suddenly represent a very powerful piece of market share that was always considered too volatile and easily influenced by uncontrollable factors in the economy. Now that so many companies in the heavy-hitting export sector – not only in China, by the way – have started to gasp for air, the need for innovation is strong, and only the strongest innovators will come out on top.

Does the move to tap the B2C market signal weakness or strength for Alibaba? A lot of people will say that it’s just a logical move to extend coverage, and pick up some slack as their original sales engine slows down… but there’s a lot of other people who are getting nervous about the sheer size of a company like this one taking steps to try to become the one-size-fits-all solution for selling on the Internet. Granted, the Chinese government will undoubtedly continue to pump money into this darling of a company, especially since it consistently ranks high on the list of “China SuperBrands”, and let’s not forget that the company also supports a vast multitude of domestic employees. Also bear in mind that we haven’t hit the 2010 mark yet, and there’s still a lot that can go wrong before the CCP proudly announces its safety-net 8% GDP year-end goal being met. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that this number will be produced, but will it be a case of art imitating reality, or reality imitating art? Numbers are easy to manipulate, and it’s been done more than a few times already.

Should other players in the market, like ebay and PayPal be wringing their hands yet? With the launch of Alibaba’s proprietary AliPay online payment system, I guess it would make sense that the other titans of online sales would be wise to watch this event carefully, but it’s all up to the consumer on this one, and I have seen the truth with my own eyes. While deals can be made with huge distributors and retailers –- all too often to manipulate the market and keep people in the dark about their buying choices — the Internet truly is the great equalizer, and there’s a reason why countries like the PRC employ strategies to censor and control the stream of information that enlightens consumers… and makes corrupt dealers writhe in pain over the education that is freely accessible to all.

Look to sources of information like the ones here at toptenwholesale.com for a chance to see some of the less popular (and perhaps even less-tolerated?) forms of opinion that could be the difference between simply following along with the program you are handed… and making a new program of your own that results in building a business that gives you the control you need to not only profit from your hard work, but maybe even empower you with the ability to deliver the solution to your customers without being part of the problem.

“Find it. Source it. Profit!” with TopTenWholesale: copyright 2009

Yes, it’s official — we’ve adopted an official slogan and service mark to help wholesalers, manufacturers, retailers, importers, exporters, drop shippers, and any entrepreneur identify us easily. A slogan should be simple, self explanatory, and easy to remember. More importantly, it should break down the goals of a company in laymen terminology so that anyone can understand it. We think you will all find this helpful when trying to identify our brand and our employees, partners and colleagues know understand our main mission: Helping people Find valuable trading Sources so they can Profit from the relationship.

Give us your feedback. Let us know what you think!

Go and visit our properties: TopTenWholesale.com , WholesaleU.com , OffPriceNetwork.com , Manufacturer.com , Wholezilla.com .. Above all, “Find it. Source it. Profit!” and Happy Wholesaling to all.

Tip your hat to San Diego’s Top Attorneys and Law Firm

I’ve retained dozens of attorneys and firms over the last 8 years. Finding council who understands ones business and personal needs is not only a daunting and tiring task, but a mission that rarely gets accomplished. It’s no secret that just about every business will need the help of a competent attorney or law firm at some point, and my only advise is that you shop around and get comfortable with someone before that time comes. Shopping for an attorney out of desperation usually leaves one to make choices they will regret! Let me see if I can offer a helping hand to anyone in need of council for a complex or minor issue in the state of California.

JP Communications INC went through a relatively complex merger this year. Our targets where dual: a corporation in California and one in Hangzhou, China. This acquisition had to be crafted very carefully, on a budget, on time and in the best interests of all parties and shareholders involved. When looking for a San Diego law firm who handled mergers and acquisitions, we decided to choose Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves and Savitch. We met with an M&A specialist, Roger Rappoprot, who simply put together a merger plan with a well thought out strategy that not only got our deal accomplished on time, but the detail and care Roger gave to us and to our deal was almost unheard of. For the sake of confidentiality, I can not disclose any terms of the deal, but I can say that anyone considering financing, venture capital, merging, acquiring, or any other complex matter should not put any second thoughts into consulting Mr Rappoport. Now, don’t let me stop here…..

San Diego California Business Attorneys

So, weeks after finishing our deal, we needed a solid litigator to assist us with an issue that arouse. Before this issue could get out of hand, we needed someone who understood the business side and personal dynamics of a rather complicated problem. Finding a detailed litigator who understand employment , labor and other areas of law that you can trust to get the job done with a strategy that wont cost an arm and a leg is not the simplest goal to achieve. Too many attorneys are concerned with running up a bill on a client and feeding the pockets of a firm. Not Mr Spencer Skeen of Procopio. Spencer has just an amazing ability to negotiate, understand , form strategy and get a matter settled — Quickly and very effectively. I only wish I could tell you all more……

I also feel that too many people do not take the time to refer and publicly recommend a damn good attorney. Let me see if i can set some precedent here and steer some of you in the right direction. Please take my advise and retain someone you like before it’s too late. We’ve found a great firm in Procopio and I hope that you all can make the right business decisions in follow that same lead.

Good luck and Cheers!

Finding Quality Wholesale Diamond Dealersat ASD

Finding a diamond in the rough is no easy task at a large trade show. Sifting through all the exhibits, 1000’s of wholesalers, and then trying to pin point a supplier you can trust, especially for such a large purchase, is risky and not easy! While I don’t know all of the exhibitors at ASD, especially when it comes to fine jewelry and gems, I do know one specific dealer that is a MUST supplier if you are looking for wholesale jewelry or a diamond wholesaler.

Talk about quality and credibility! These guys have some of the highest quality diamonds you’ll find at any trade show and the reputation they have with buyers is quite impressive. When stopping bye their booth, you’ll likely see a bunch of people hovering over the millions of dollars of custom inventory talking to Mike Hassid , CEO of American Jewelry Corp, about the incredible selection, service and quality offered.

American Jewelry Corp. is run bye Mike and Bruce Hassid out of Los Angeles, CA in the heart of the diamond district. They have been there for over 10 years and have an established base of jewelry distributors and retailers. Better known for their diamonds, they also carry rare gems, engagement rings, earrings, necklaces and much more. Mike is also willing to custom make a piece or assist with the design on any project.

This Top10 Wholesaler is superstar and you wont be disappointed after your 1st buying experience with these guys.

Happy Wholesaling!

PJEE – Wholesaler of Handbags upgrades website to increase sales

PJEE Handbags operates in the fiercely competitive world of wholesale handbags.   To gain a competitive advantage and boost wholesale sales PJEE Handbags upgraded their website http://www.pjee.com, expanded their product range and spent heavily on marketing to boost sales.

I spoke to Jaclyn Kim co-owner at PJEE to see how wholesale handbag sales were faring with the new website launch. Moreover, found out what Pjee is doing to buck the trend and grow sales in a difficult economic climate:

Jaclyn:

Why we upgraded our website?

Pjee have been in business since 1993, PJEE had always been operating through a basic template website that showed our vast array of Wholesale handbags to our customers. But this catalog with unimpressive product pictures did not do our wholesale handbags and purses justice and without a shopping cart customers had to wait impatiently for PJEE’s store to open to place their wholesale handbag orders.  This created bottle necks and made shipping a stressful process. Lots of buyers prefer to buy after hours at their leisure in the evening.

What we did differently compared to our last website?

We used a Professional Agency to design our website from scratch. We kept everything simple and wanted to avoid clutter so that buyers could easily navigate through the site so to focus on the wholesale handbags.

How we promoted our website?

We turned to major online wholesale directories to target wholesale handbag and accessory buyers only.

Who we used?

http://www.TopTenWholesale and http://www.WholesaleU.com

Successes to date in terms of traffic/buyers and sales through the shopping cart?

Visitors to our website  since we started in 1993 has gone from a few dozen unfocused inquiries who sent emails/ made the odd call to today where we have thousands of visitors daily.  The banners and listings really do work.  And to see actual wholesale handbag sales/ orders in the online shopping cart before we open the store is a great feeling, especially in this marketplace!

Thanks Jaclyn

ASD Trade Show and China Brand a Huge Success….

The show is winding down and the exhibits are being dismantled. So, what’s the consensus??? Given the state of the economy and all the facts surrounding the marketplace, the ASD and China Brand Trade Shows were a huge success. From what we can estimate, and the numbers from the show are not out yet, over 35,000 buyers flooded the Sands and Las Vegas Convention Centers looking for new deals on wholesale goods, closeouts, imports, gifts, housewares and jewelry. Talk amongst the exhibitors was mixed. There were vendors like Via Trading , Kole Imports, Four Seasons, Kachina Eye wear, Jay-Y Sunglasses who specialize in middle-lower end goods who had smashing shows. On the other end of the spectrum, there were exhibitors in the higher end of the market who just didn’t do that well. Buyers were looking for deals. Here are some pics you can check out from the ASD and China Brand Trade Show

The show took place in 2 different venues. The Sands Convention and the Las Vegas Convention Center. This marked a real changing of the times. Over the last 10 years, I’ve seen a lot of shuffling, and have to say that one has to stay on top of the news if you want to keep abreast of the exhibitor locations. This was the first time in over a decade that the Jewelry Show did not take place in the mirage. Due to economic and contractual reasons, ASD decided to move the jewelry show over to the Sands. Was it a good move?? I don’t know….There were some exhibitors who despised displaying their high end loose diamonds and exotic — very expensive — jewelry in a general merchandise type setting. The exhibits in the Sands are not typically known for their luster, but for their low pricing and generic flavor. I’ll admit that high end jewelry exhibitors looked out of place. A high end cash and carry event should take place in an environment that feels warm and welcome. Not like a bazaar of general goods and items you’d see at a flea market , off price chain, dollar store, drug store or independent shop. However, and to the flip side, the consolidation of the 2 shows lead to more foot traffic. If the traffic resulted in buyers, there would be a smiling faces…We just don’t know yet.

In all, the show brought in the usual suspects and the final numbers of the show will dictate the rest of the 4th Q and 1st Q of 2010. I can’t say that it was the strongest show ever, but it was well above anyone’s expectations. Next year will mark yet another change as the show gets ready to shift all of the exhibitors to the LVCC for the first time ever. In the coming years, the show will be shifting venues every other year. it would be a real smart idea to start communicating to your buyers about booth # changes and a really good idea for the ASD show to start announcing all the coming changes. I look forward to seeing all of the follow up from ASD about the event and the video that was taken. The feedback from the exhibitors should be interesting. More interesting though, was the 2nd China Brand Show. Blog post to come on that soon…..Let’s just say the relations between ASD and China are getting very strong.

We’re off to the Off Price Show in 2 weeks. By the time we get back, we should be able to provide a final wrap up of the new products, sales, state of the economy, future, and facts surrounding the 2009 ASD Trade Show. By the way , I did find out something new — no longer is it the ASD/AMD Trade Show. It is now the ASD Trade Show. Take note. And….

Happy Wholesaling!

Back to School Trends for Trade Show Buyers, Merchandise and Apparel Sellers

When you scan trade show aisles or conduct searches for merchandise suppliers to meet Back to School buyer demands, keep this short list of trends and sales strategies at the ready.

1. “Bling-i-tude” Rules Among Teen-Tween Girls this Fall.
The economy has dialed down unlimited allowances and high-priced impulse purchases … like $120 brand name wrist bags and T-tops purchased by the dozen in every color. But teens and tweens still demand new back-to-class clothes. This season mixes new clothes with an ongoing trend to glitter…shine…a bit of flash. Also known as Bling-i-tude … BLING + Attitude.

Look for apparel that shows Blingitude.
· Silver, Gold or Bronze Detailing – buttons, appliqués, beadwork, jewelry findings sewn into blouses and sweaters, as well as jackets and jeans.

· Remember Ye Olde Hippie customized clothing following the Summer of Love (40 years ago). The show-stopping designs and patterns embroidered or screened on workhorse denim pants, skirts and jackets in 1969 … have gone brighter and blingy with metallic threads, shiny fabrics, new textile blends that shimmer or look 3-D with different hues from different angles. (Think hologram textiles with different naps. Or flip-action cards that tricked your eyes with motion.)

2. Hoodies and Graphic T’s On Display.
For Youth Apparel from high school classroom to college campus, see a search of wholesalers of Urban Wear Styles from Off Price Network. Hoodie pullovers, knit caps and heavy metal accessories still ride high. (Oooops, I mean still ride low at least on the waistband.)

Hot this Season: Graphic T-shirts screen printed with lifestyle and music designs, attitudes and slogans, brand names, elaborate “tattoo” patterns — without the skin ink – manga-style graphic cartoon characters and lots of Peace Symbols. (The Peace Symbol has a 50th birthday this year.) See also peace symbol jewelry and accessories from: wholesaler Cool Jewels Fashion Jewelry and Macy’s department store, which dedicates entire floors to displays of the Summer of Love .

3. Value-price Discount Buyers Find Closeout / Overstock / Below-Wholesale Deals at Trade Shows This Month.
Buyers stocking Back to School and Fall Season merchandise – hoodies and graphic T’s, student laptops and electronics, dorm room storage cubes, personal housewares, fashionable backpacks – will find exceptional deals at Las Vegas trade shows in August and September.

· ASD Las Vegas Las Vegas from August 9-12.

· Off Price Specialist Show Las Vegas from August 28 to September 1.

· ASAP Global Sourcing Las Vegas from August 30 to September 2.

Upside of a Down Market. The reason this year is best for discount deals on youth apparel, classroom and dorm accessories is the upside of a down market, or silver in the gray economic clouds. Several popular retail chains that target tweens, teens and the college-aged have boarded up their mall stores and outlets since last December. Some location shutdowns were driven by corporate desires to staunch the flow of red ink; others resulted from system-wide bankruptcies.

But chain reseller shutdowns mean more deeply discounted merchandise hit the overstock, closeout, surplus and liquidation resale markets. Look for value-priced lots of merchandise from Steve and Barry’s (every known graphic T, Sarah Jessica Parker’s “Bitten” design line, casual urban wear); Pac-Sun Wear (hoodies, T’s, jeans, beachwear, outerwear) and both Circuit City and CompuServe liquidated inventory (school supplies, computer and consumer electronics).

4. Fitness Footwear. Casual footwear that doubles for fitness activities is always a strong seller.

· Source the most popular, searched wholesalesuppliers of Athletic Shoes.

· Top 5 “sneakers” brand searches from Google-assisted AOL at the beginning of the summer season included: 1. MBT; 2. Adidas; 3. Converse; 4. New Balance; and 5. Nike.

MBT footwear is designed with a negative heel and a positive arch, which is supposed to burn more calories, improve posture and exercise and tone body muscles with every step. Brands like Adidas and Nike crossover wearers who want support for running and sports with wearers who simply want to display an athletic fashion persona.

· FitFlops ™ and Clogs like Crocs and EVA clog shoes, are molded to provide arch support to student feet. Some claim to exercise, strengthen or slim the wearer’s leg and thigh muscles.

5. Plan a Tax-Free Shopping Event.
Many U.S. states launch Tax-Free Holidays timed to the back-to-school buying season … August. The waiver on sales taxes for a one-to-three day tax break focus on school clothing, shoes, school supplies (backpacks, book bags, office supplies) and electronics for discount-driven parents on back-to-school buying missions.

· One example is a tax holiday in Missouri from August 7 to 9 that exempts over $3,000 in computer equipment purchases from sales tax … potentially up to $150 in a tax discount.

· Another example is tax-free clothing purchases in North Carolina, everything from coats and jackets to baby clothing, boots and shoes.

What of value-driven parents who need back-to-school clothing and supplies, but miss the narrow window of a tax-free holiday? Or what of buyers in tax jurisdictions like Washington, D.C. where a budget squeeze cancelled tax-free days this August? (Other revenue-strapped states have considered canceling as well.)

An independent discounter of electronics, jewelry and housewares in my region cleverly times a “We will pay your sales tax” one-day event … weeks after New York State’s tax-free holiday … for anyone who missed the official tax-free days.

If you’re a merchandise reseller who sources the lowest prices through wholesale search directories and at discount trade shows, why not stage a tax holiday for your customers? “We pay your sales tax on back-to-school essentials” has stronger marketing appeal than offering “10% off your purchase.” Or, “20% off *select* items.” Or, the even less specific claim: “Our prices can’t be beat.”

Savvy customers have a very specific idea of the sales tax they have to pony up on major clothing or electronics purchases. Offering them a tax-free holiday is cash-in-hand help for back-to-school buyers.

Share:

• 
• 
• 
• 
•