TopTen Trends for Computers and Electronic Accessories

Last year was a downright gruesome scene for some wholesale and retail specialists, as consumer spending hit rather scary low figures, and the usual myriad of reliable trends and predictability schemes were tossed out the window… making the big question this year revolve around what the future brings for the holiday season in 2009. While there will undoubtedly be a lot of shopping going on (since the USA is largely comprised of a consumer-based economy), it’s no secret that the average consumer will exercise a great deal of caution this time around, and only the sellers who prepare for this renewed environment of customer pre-shopping mentality can hope to catch a substantial part of the revenue that will be flowing into the usual sales channels. The good news, however, is that for those dealing in computers and electronics… this could be a victorious year-end!

It’s been some time since we’ve seen a buyer’s market like this, and it looks like things will not be stabilizing for some time. Computers and electronics are now being manufactured by pretty much everyone from the USA… to the deepest and most underdeveloped regions of China… and this means that there will be a lot of choices for consumers to direct their dollars towards. You should be paying attention to what the people are reading and hearing, in order to prepare yourself for the choices you’ll have to make regarding what kind of gear to stock, what kind of deals to put on the table, and what sort of after-sales service will be received with the most appreciation by the current crop of savvy buyers.

First of all, the notion that consumers simply follow advertising and marketing hype is an old strategy that has met its end. Today’s consumer is smart, picky, and willing to wait. Too many people have been burned since 2008 to allow the same thing to happen again… and this means that your service, attitude, and follow-through will determine what kind of success you enjoy for the following years to come.

Secondly, there’s a lot of information being passed around, but it seems to follow a very predictable pattern: electronics are the hottest pick this year, as manufacturers and distributors are rallying to get buyers excited about their merchandise… and the merchandise has never shown such signs of being categorized as low-hanging fruit before. Yes, that’s right… love it or hate it, this is a buyer’s market in the realm of electronics, and you should be very watchful of the trends.

Okay, without being overly-dramatic… here is my list of items to keep your eyes on for this year’s electronics gold rush. In fact, I’ll just put it in another convenient TopTen list format, and let you decide what to do from there:

• Netbooks are going to be the champs in 2009, but there’s two sides to this story. They offer a counterpoint to the question of getting more bang for your buck. How much bang? Well, not blisteringly-fast processor speeds or incredible graphics performance… but for under about $200 bucks, that’s not a big problem for the consumer who seeks a laptop PC on the cheap. These will be coming out of the woodwork  at every turn, and people shopping for the low-cost answer to their portable computing questions will be happy to see them.
• Low-end notebook PC prices are also going to take a dive, as the netbooks create a huge competition factor that keeps the manufacturers from charging the prices they’d like to put forth this year. Even Apple is putting a new plastic-bodied low-cost alternative to the iBook on the shelves this year, in response to the tightened consumer purse strings that have all of the PC makers stressed out.
• Thanks for the memories… GB and MB of memory, that is. I’ve never seen memory so low. I remember when I was in college, a 250MB SyQuest drive (remember those?) cost me about $200 per disk. Nowadays, I just paid about RMB300 for a 1TB drive… and in the USA the prices are hovering around 5 cents per GB, so I expect to find 1TB USB 2.0 external hard drives for $49 bucks or so.
• Software is a necessary evil, but that might change pretty soon. I’ve mentioned cloud-based apps in past posts… and I do believe they will eventually put an end to the deluge of software that is sold for prices that sometimes make people think twice about even getting a PC. The pirate market has put a dent in the biz, too… and it only makes my suspicion that cloud computing will make all that software even cheaper. You should be looking for the price drops, and passing the savings along to your customers.
• LCD monitors can make all the difference between a good Internet-browsing session, and an amazing experience with your PC, time after time. be prepared to offer your customers the styles and sizes they want, at the prices they can afford.
• Game systems are not to be ignored, as people look for something relatively benign in a toxic world of job layoffs, company closures, and housing crises. Personally, I believe that the gaming industry is going to change the way we look at the computer screen… but it might be a little while before things fall into place. For now, it would be a good idea to offer your customers the selection of games and hardware that makes the difference.
• TV sets can bring the experience to you in a better light, and the bigger they are, the better. Prices are also dropping, and even with the maker of those coveted HDTV sets crowing about how amazing their picture quality is, many consumers will be looking for size, not razor-sharpness.
• Blu-ray disc players might be like the beloved beta cassette recorders of yesteryear (no, I don’t think Blu-ray will change the landscape of optical media as we know it) but this time – unlike the days of beta vs VHS – you won’t be stuck with useless discs that don’t play on any other piece of hardware. Where the beta cassettes went wrong was being unusable on any other system… this time around, the Blu-ray disc is compatible with just about any PC that has a decent set of codecs installed, and will be useful as long as the price is low. Consumers will be appreciative of any seller who can explain the mysteries of recording onto disc, and provide the answers to questions regarding their Blu-ray purchases.
• Digital picture frames might not be the sexiest of these items, but they are truly an idea that has become a reality. While many people might have been hesitant to make the switch from those yellowing, faded glossy prints from a one-hour lab that were printed in 1982… it’s going to be hard for people to fight the urge to put their favorite pictures on display – in a slideshow, even – for prices around $30 or less.
• GPS is the new best friend of tech-savvy delivery drivers, salespeople, and long-distance drivers everywhere… why let them have all the fun, as more people get used to the idea that a GPS system for their car is not really a luxury, but a necessity in these crazy days of finding the places you are supposed to be in, amidst all the traffic and chaos? If it helps any, I can tell you that Chinese car owners are one of the fastest-growing consumer segments in the GPS arena.

There it is… the good, the bad, and the not-so-ugly… especially if you’re looking to position yourself for some extreme holiday sales this year! Don’t forget to check in with us from time to time, and maybe even bookmark the Toptenwholesale.com site as one of your favorites, so you don’t miss the news as it comes down the pipeline! Good luck with your holiday wholesaling! Be sure to utilize our helpful search feature to effectively Find it. Source it. Profit!

Wholesale Import offers Value Priced Goods

This article was written by Scott McMillin from Wholesale Import. They have been in the wholesale and import business since before my time in this industry, and I have seen consistent growth for the last 5 years. Even during these rough economic times, Michelle and Scott’s Wholesale Imports are still seeing sales growth so I asked him how he does it. Here is what he had to say:

Michelle and Scott’s Wholesale Imports have seen substantial sales increases in the past few years amid downturn economy.
Why?
Many of our items are value priced. Earrings, Necklace and Earring Sets, Bracelets, Beauty Supplies, Hair Accessories and many other items and categories have many SKUs selling for $6.50 per dozen sets or less. Customers who historically have sold more expensive items have found out that by switching to a lower price point item, they can sustain their sales and even increase the margin they are making. The end customer out there is looking to save money and get a larger bang for their buck. Michelle and Scott’s specialize in selling individual stores and providing very fast shipping service and low minimums so that the customer can reduce the amount of inventory they have to carry at one time.
Low prices, Good Value, Fast Service and Low Minimums all contribute to the remarkable success of Michelle and Scotts Wholesale Imports and the customers who use them as their fashion accessory supplier.

Wholesale Inventories, Prices Drop: What Crisis?

Hmmm… these are interesting times indeed. According to President Barack Obama, as he addressed the G8 summit of foreign leaders last week; lasting worldwide recovery “is still a ways off.” What he forgot to mention was the fact that wholesale sales rose 0.2% in May, and they were boosted somewhat by a 4.4% increase in auto sales, the largest gain since December 2006. (Reuters)

What? You mean people are buying cars… and stuff?

That’s right. It also means that the people who used to shop without thinking much about price and value have begun clipping coupons, while the rest of us – the truly savvy shoppers – continue to sniff out the real deals in this period of economic hardship. If you’re in the wholesale business, it could also mean that your personal economy is going to witness some profitable times ahead.

How can you turn this upward trend into something that makes your pockets jingle? Well, if it was easy… everyone would be doing it. However, I would recommend the one place you can turn your focus towards for now is: the Global Banking Community.

The banks are consolidating, even though they call it diversifying.

It looks like big banks around the world are taking a highly protectionist step, as they start putting a bigger squeeze on lending, and more consolidation efforts will make themselves known in the coming weeks. On the other hand, there is a lot of buzz in the international banking community about the ups-and-downs of the market, particularly in the wholesale sector. Hey, why not? It’s money… and banks certainly do love money. Now that it’s positive, you are sure to start hearing a lot more buzz.

Perhaps echoing the blog post Jason Prescott put up here a few days ago, it’s definitely time to start a big push to advertise yourself to the masses, and firm-up those agreements and relationships with manufacturers and distributors. I’m seeing the same thing here myself, in China. While Beijing is giddily announcing a slowdown – and hinting at a turnaround (don’t hold your breath) – of the economic downturn in the PRC, the reality is that I see a lot of people who were spending money like crazy last year… being a lot more frugal now. I’m also hearing a lot of knee-jerk commentary from the ‘luxury-brand pundits’ who feel like they have missed their chance at getting a bite of the apple. Applying blanket statistics to target marketing/branding strategies, and comparing past performance data and recession-battered KPI’s with today’s forecasts seem to be the modus operandi of the losers, while the winners will regard their chosen markets and target those ‘lower profile’ consumers as a unique animal, and treat them with some well-deserved respect.

Wholesale it is, then. Let Daimler struggle with Mercedes-Benz. You should be riding the big wave while the swells are high, so you can be one of the retailers / wholesalers that are enjoying consumer loyalty long after the tide pulls back.

Online Auctions and Product Sourcing for Right-Sized, Right-Priced Inventory: eBay Sellers, Craft Fair Vendors, Niche Market Discounters, Flea Marketers

eBay PowerSellers, Craft Fair Vendors, Niche Market Discounters and Flea Market Entrepreneurs can now source products at the right price points, and in the right minimum order quantities, from online auction and sale sites. Read more

Sellers Turnover Returned Inventory: Tips to Resell, Re-Label – Right Way, Wrong Way

The Returns, Salvage and Liquidation marketplace can be a win-win, profitable way for merchandise wholesalers and resellers to turnover excess inventory. Overstocks of brand name apparel, department and chain stores carrying excess holiday inventory, off-price buyer deals and discount-seeking retail customers all come out ahead. For buyers and sellers new to the Returns marketplace: Note re-labeling, de-labeling and selling restrictions on returned merchandise. (Tips below.) First, here is a cautionary case study of how wrongly re-labeling return inventory can ruin a carefully marketed reputation and company image.

How Not to Resell Return Merchandise

While it’s not clear who is the true “perp” in this resale story from only weeks ago, the situation hit regional television news and consumer protection groups. Everyone up and down the product supply chain took a hit to brand and reputation. The end retailer, discount clothing chain Burlington Coat Factory, is trying to make it right. Read more

Changing Times in Merchandise Liquidation: Internet Auctions, Visible Content Loads, Freight Costs and Shifting Margins

From the GENCO Marketplace point of view – as early providers of “reverse logistics” services (liquidation, recovery value) on returned or distressed goods – a lot has changed since 1992.

Here’s a perspective on how far the liquidation business has come and how current changes improve and impact salvage buyers today.

–Top Ten Wholesale Blog Editor

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Read more

Yahoo! Re-invents Self: Back to Its Search Future and Beyond

Wholesalers, Manufacturers and Retailers who deploy search engine marketing to competitive advantage take note: The U.S. is not the only one to change leaders. Yahoo! has a new CEO, Carol Bartz, who plans to restructure the search engine and online portal giant.

Online market watchers speculate that Yahoo! will go “back to its future” (be more search focused) … but as a leaner mega search engine, and focused on its digital media organizing strengths.

Yahoo Watchers Predict
Online commerce industry analysts are making educated guesses about where Yahoo’s new CEO will take the brand. Industry pundits include: E-Commerce Times (Renay San Miguel’s Is Bartz Planning a Leaner, More Search-Focused Yahoo?; Frost and Sullivan analyst Mikul Krishna; and Creative Strategies president Tim Bajarin. Here are the signs they saw:

· Back to Search. New CEO Bartz is identifying Yahoo’s core strengths as well as diversions from its core mission.

Strength: Search is Yahoo’s “critical crown jewel,” especially with search products designed for educational and corporate markets. Bartz is likely to focus that strength on mobile search … providing more advertising revenue opportunities.

Weakness: Google is already market dominant globally in search, so, as Frost and Sullivan analyst Krishna noted, “You just can’t keep focusing on that.” Krishna says it’s time for the new CEO to develop new strategies … built on existing strengths.

· Use User-Generated and Social Media Strengths. Yahoo! has invested in user- and social-friendly media sites, like 360 and Flickr. Analyst Krishna sees advertising revenue opportunities: “If you have properties where people are signing in, you have a good idea about demographics and then you can push advertising toward that.”

· Shed Some Media Distractions. Former CEO Terry Semel pushed Yahoo! into TV and music channels … as did Google and Miscrosoft MSN in the drive to become national networks of the digital world. But, according to Creative Strategies president Barjarin, only Google reached VIP status as a media channel on par with NBC, CBS and ABC. And it was done not by growing its own, but through Google acquisitions.

Other online industry analysts agree that the above misstep diluted Yahoo’s core strengths (in search, as a portal), wasting time and money.

· Tap the Portal Gene. In true back-to-the-future style, the new Yahoo! may leverage the old Yahoo! claim to digital fame: As organizer, custom sifter and accessible aggregator of an overwhelming amount of web “stuff.”

The One Word for this is: Portal. Information portal is where Yahoo! earned its stripes as a search engine. That content organizing strength is still pulsing strong in Yahoo’s corporate background.

Now we wait to see new leader Bartz’s next move.

Romance Is Back In Fashion: We’re Talking Gucci, Boulevard Apparel, First Lady Obama

Women’s apparel buyers have spied it for over a year. Soft blouse-on tops made from gauzy fabrics, with netting or small crystals and halter or cami-style tops. Floral prints, sheer fabrics and a comeback for flounces, ruffles and tiered clothing … sometimes over leather pants or low-rise denim jeans. Plus, one-shouldered dresses, on sundressses as well as formal evening gowns.

Sharp-eyed clothing buyers are now backed big time in this Romantic Stylings trend for women’s casual and dress wear by Fashionistas. Here are the romance fashion signs, who’s wearing and what’s selling.

GUCCI GYPSY ROCKERS ROCK

“There’s a tempering of the toughness,” noted InStyle fashion director Hal Rubenstein, when he pointed to Gucci’s Fall/Winter women’s collection moving down catwalks in Milan, Italy a year ago.

Floating mini-dresses, “Hippie” tops and gauzy romantic blouses were paired with knee-high studded boots, fringed accessories and fitted dark leather pants in the Gypsy Rocker line from Gucci.

BOULEVARD APPAREL GOES FASHION EXTRAVAGANT AT CLEARANCE PRICES

You’ll find the latest romance fashions — from soft sheer fabrics and ruffle-tiered, camisole-bodice dresses … to the hottest cut denim jeans — at Boulevard Apparel.

Boulevard’s romantic stylings come branded and non-branded at clearance prices: 50-to-80% below wholesale. Get in the mood, for far less than Gucci prices, with hot styles like:

This camisole-top, tiered-skirt dress in dressy black & white. Or

These Sheer … Shirred … Gauzy and Embellished Blouse Ons …

Psssssst: Get a peek at the latest romantic stylings at the lowest prices at Off-Price Specialists Show in Las Vegas, February 15-18. Boulevard Apparel is in booths 4203 and 4204 at the Venetian Grand Ballroom.

FIRST LADY, FIRST FASHION STYLES

Womanliness, elegance and grandeur are back in style on an unexpected fashion star: First Lady Michelle Obama. Whether she wore what she always liked from mass marketer H & M and chain store J. Crewe, or if she went high-end (like independent young designers Isabel Toledo and Jason Wu), the new first lady put feminine styling front and center.

For Inaugural Ball romance, there was the one-shouldered, netting over pale yellow, flower appliqued evening gown. That’s from 26-year old Taiwan-born L.A. designer Jason Wu. As you read this, designer lookalike copies are rolling out from Fabiano and others.

Pulling together all the romance fashion threads — from heavily embellished stitching and small-crystal bejeweled clothing to sparkle and unexpected colors — look to the metallic sheath and coat from Cuban-born NYC designer Isabel Toledo. This was the First Lady’s “official” outfit for the solemn swearing-in ceremony. (Uninspired, boxy and sober former first lady threads are OUT.)

Romantic AND Hopeful:

“I assumed she would wear red. She came out in yellow, and it immediately reminded me of Women’s Wear Daily … talking about how yellow (this particular shade is called “mimosa”) is the color of hope.”

–Professor of Fashion Design Jeffrey Mayer

For more on Romance Fashions and top suppliers of the latest Women’s Wear, see Top Ten Wholesale’s Spring 2009 Apparel & Accessories Trends. We’re talking Apparel, Accessories and Amorous Valentine Gifts.

Share:

• 
• 
• 
• 
•