11
all items will be in stock.
The advantage of being a Web-focused
retailer is reach.
“We are able to effectively market and
sell to the entire nation all with one
platform and (for now) one location,”
Beltrami notes. “That is what the
Internet is all about.”
Beltrami acknowledges that the company had to overcome the loss of a
physical location and the consumers’
need to touch and feel the product.
Still, he believes it is now becoming
less of a disadvantage as Cutlery and
More customers become more loyal
and trust the company to steer them
in the right direction.
“[That is] why we have to be picky
about the products we sell. If we
sell everything that’s available out in
the marketplace, then we lose our
credibility with our customer. Staying
focused and being the experts in what
we sell is key,” Beltrami says. “Although
we are an online retailer, we still train
our staff to be experts on the products.
I personally think that this is easier to
do online than at brick-and-mortar.”
Really? Online customer interaction
is easy?
Beltrami explains: “Unlike many other
Internet retailers, we show our phone
number prominently on every page
of our site and our customer service
agents are available to answer any
questions and help. This is something
Cutlery and More still satisfies its local followers with a brick-and-mortar presence through its warehouse sale each September
we are always working on improving. Most brick-and-mortar
stores’ product selection is limited due to floor space, but online
we sell thousands of items all related to high-quality kitchenware.
Even though our selection is vast and is constantly changing,
every product that we carry is there for a reason … and our
customer service agents are able to answer any questions the
customer may have on any item at any given time.”
Beltrami’s passion for the business is evident when he talks about
his customer service team and the brand’s loyal customers. But
he really shines when he begins speaking of warehouses, back-end management, Web designs and software.
“Although I love the products, I think my favorite aspect of the
business is being involved in the technology. Our warehouse
management system, inventory and Web site all run off of the
same back-end that I developed over the years,” Beltrami says.
“When the right software is developed, it is so cool to see how
efficiently everything can run. This is something that will continually get better and, as our customer base expands, it becomes
more and more important.”
It seems his father really did have a vision for his son beyond
those video games.
Beltrami agrees. “He is an inspiration in everything that I do.”
A History of Excellence
The International Housewares Asso-
ciation (IHA) and International Home
+ Housewares Show created the gia
program in 1999 to foster innovation
and excellence in home and house-
wares retailing throughout the world.
The competition is structured on a
two-tier level, national and global,
to honor independent and multiple-
location home and housewares
retailers for excellence in several
business categories:
• Overall mission statement,
vision and strategy
• Store design and layout
• Visual merchandising, displays
and window displays
• Marketing, advertising and
promotions
• Customer service and staff training
• Innovation
Each national gia winner is invited
to the International Home + House-
wares Show in Chicago where the
global gia jury, consisting of four
experts representing Asia, Europe
and the Americas, plus a rotating
group of co-sponsoring trade publica-
tion editors from around the world,
will select up to five gia Global Hon-
orees and the winner of the Martin M.
Pegler Award for Excellence in Visual
Merchandising.
The 2011-2012 national gia winners
are:
