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Smart Retailer August/September Issue
Table of Contents
PRODUCT FOCUS
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
10 Celebrate One-of-a-Kind, Handmade, Custom, Vintage and More: Customers will love this array of unique products.
TREND WATCH
14 Set Sales on Fire With Candles & Scents: Multiple reports have noted surging candle sales because of the pandemic. No doubt their soft glow creates a warm, comforting environment. This would appear to be a winning category for the foreseeable future.
22 Home Sweet Home Décor: In a time of increasing anxiety and limited travel and outings, people are investing in their home environment for a sense of peace and security.
28 Cooking & Kitchen Gear: A Recipe for Success
Home cooking has been a growing trend for years, and is now sizzling because of the quarantine. Satisfy your appetite for cooking décor and implements here.
32 Hit the Ball Out of the Park With Sports Products: Find perfect gifts and memorabilia for sports enthusiasts.
BUSINESS SENSE
36 Train for Excellent Customer Service: COVID-19 has driven more sales online, so it’s more important than ever to excel in customer service. Learn how to master this key competitive advantage over the digital Goliaths.
40 Business Briefs: Recovery resources; COVID-19 communications; business boosters: bingo and survival kits; a healthy outlook; pictures perfect.
DISPLAY & DESIGN:
42 Open Up Your Store: Discover how to create more physical and psychological space in your store to meet customers social distancing needs. Their increased comfort and confidence will translate into more sales.
44 News Roundup from Smart-Retailer.com: Find news stories and article summaries here with full stories available on smart-retailer.com.
RETAILER SPOTLIGHT:
46 Cedar Harbor: A Neighborhood Treasure
Nestled in a cozy midwestern neighborhood, Cedar Harbor offers shoppers a break from their busy lives to relax and browse in a store bursting with handcrafted and upcycled décor and gifts.
IN EVERY ISSUE
6 Editor’s Note
8 Welcome Exchange: Questions & Answers that Matter
48 Trade Show Calendar
50 Advertiser Index
ON THE COVER: Classic Farmhouse Candles soy blend “Star Jar” candle and three-layer wax melts in Pumpkin Spice.
