Gourmet Business, September 2010

I breathed a sigh of relief this week as the government officially declared the recession over. The good news is that the recession ended in June 2009 according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. The bad news is that it was the longest recession since WWII.

jobs that were lost have yet to be replaced. In fact, unemployment is still 9.6%, which is almost hard to imagine. Companies are running very lean right now to make sure they can survive.

I guess my personal observation that business has gradually improved over the last year is not a coincidence. The difference this

Vice President of Sales Brad Simon bsimon@gourmetbusiness.com 800-765-9797

Advertising Sales

What is the key take away from all this economic
news, and what impact will it have on our industry?
Everyone is working harder now than in the previous
10 years, which means there is less time for “luxury”
and a greater focus on quality of life when you do have
free time. And, what better way to improve quality of
life then to make your time at home more enjoyable,
which fortunately, is what our wonderful industry is
all about. Keep in mind, however, that consumers are
thinking twice before spending money, so
it is critical that you know your customer
better than ever. Value is paramount!
But, value is ultimately based on your
customer’s tastes and preferences. If you
keep this in mind as you select your retail
assortment this fall, I think you will enjoy
continued retail sales growth.

www.gourmetbusiness.com

Bonnie Nelson bnelson@gourmetbusiness.com 914-478-4408

Publisher/Advertising David Spencer dspencer@gourmetbusiness.com 877-438-4932 ext. 1

Gourmet Business LLC is a division of HousewaresDirect, Inc.

Corporate Offices:

Executive Editor Karen Martin kmartin@gourmetbusiness.com 207-767-5019 877-438-4932 ext. 2

Gourmet Business & HousewaresDirect, Inc. PO Box 700

Weston, MA 02493

Speaking of working a little harder, I would like to take a moment to recognize the newly elected International Housewares Association board of directors and board officers, who are devoting their precious time and considerable expertise for the good of our Industry. See story on IHA Board on page 14.

Creative Director Penelope Korff penny@korffdesign.com Subscriber Services info@gourmetbusiness.com

Gourmet Business is a digital publication serving the gourmet gift retailer. Gourmet Business relies on product information submitted by the manufacturer, distributor or other representative in the featured editorial content. Gourmet Business is not responsible for any errors in the descriptions or prices appearing in the magazine. Gourmet Business is distributed free of charge to qualified professionals in the gift and housewares industry.

We thank you all for your dedication and hard work.

David Spencer Publisher, Gourmet Business President, HousewaresDirect, Inc. dspencer@gourmetbusiness.com

Here’s some good news for a change – The National Retail Federation (NRF) expects consumer spending on Halloween to reach $5.8 billion, up from $4.75 billion last year.

Since Halloween is second only to the winter holidays in terms of decorating the home or yard, home décor, tabletop and specialty food retailers should rejoice. For the record, NRF states that half of all consumers decorate for Halloween.

NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay thinks that Halloween offers consumers “a welcome break from reality, allowing many Americans to escape from the stress the economy has put on their family and incomes.” He also points out that Halloween falls on a Sunday this year, so people have an entire weekend to celebrate.

I’m just hoping that the predicted increase in spending at Halloween is a harbinger of good news for the winter holiday season and fourth quarter sales.

Holiday forecasts released to date are cautious. I’m hoping that NRF forecasts, due next month, are more optimistic. In anticipation, we’ve put together a great set of holiday-related products in this issue. We’ve also included coffee and tea items that are always popular for gifts and entertaining.

By the way, NRF bases their spending forecast on the 2010 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, a detailed consumer survey conducted by BIGresearch for NRF. According to this year’s survey, the highest percentage of people in the survey’s history will dress up in costumes (40.1%, up from 33.4% in 2009). Nearly 11.5% of consumers will embarrass their pets by dressing them in costume. Mr. Shay may be on the right track – apparently we do need to escape.