MSA Florida Chapter Is Ready for its Fall Meeting
from MSA
Detailed information and a complete agenda for the next MSA Florida Chapter Meeting has been posted to the MSA Web site. Download the registration form and start making plans to see your local colleagues. More 
Join MSA on LinkedIn!
from MSA
Want even more chances to connect with your colleagues? Join MSA on LinkedIn! Just sign in to your account or set one up to become a member of the Museum Store Association LinkedIn group! More
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The Handmade Toy Alliance Reacts to Testing Exemptions for Mattel
from PR-Inside.com
The Consumer Product Safety Commission continues to issue important guidance on several key areas of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which requires all children's products to be tested for safety by third party laboratories. Except, it turns out, for toys made by Mattel, the world's largest toymaker, who has recalled 12.7 million toys for safety hazards or lead paint since 2007. More
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Prepared for Peak Season?
from MultiChannel Merchant
If you do the bulk of your business in the fourth quarter, your peak season volume is bearing down on you right now. The good news is that there is still time to at least soften the blows. It doesn't have to be a chaotic mess. More
Conservative Ordering Makes Inventory Strategy Critical to Avoid Stock Outs This Holiday Season
from Retail TouchPoints
Fearful of cautious consumers this holiday season, retailers may be setting themselves up for failure in the critical Q4 period by keeping inventories too lean. Recent surveys by Retail System Research indicate that retailers are not ordering enough merchandise to meet even last season's mediocre level of demand. With retailers running lean on inventory levels throughout the year, other industry insiders suggest a critical variation between this season's winners and losers could be the merchants who have set up flexible stock options and can respond quickly to shifts in demand. More
No Shortage of Candidates for Holiday Store Staffing
from Retail Solutions Online
Close to 10 percent of our work eligible population heads into the fall season unemployed (that's about 15 million people), the approximately one million seasonal jobs opening up very soon in the retail sector will be hard won. But while a hiring spree for temporary holiday employees might offer little consolation for the jobless, it creates a great opportunity for retailers like you to hone your hiring processes and improve the quality of your workforces. More
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E-commerce Hindered By Lack of Human Assistance
from Retail Customer Experience
Americans shopping online are missing the personalized experience of visiting a brick and mortar store, leading to a decrease in purchases, according to recent survey commissioned by Santa Clara-based IMShopping and conducted by Harris Interactive. More
Coupons You Don’t Clip, Sent to Your Cellphone
from The New York Times
Mobile coupons -- usually text messages with discount codes sent to a cellphone -- are becoming the blue-light specials for the digital age, promoting last-minute clothing sales, two-for-one entrees and cheap tickets to the theater.
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Product Showcase: ChemArt
 Our artisans have perfected the making of an ornament. Like the White House Historical Association, many museums and historic organizations work with ChemArt to create a unique ornament to sell, to use to raise funds, as a thank you or to commemorate a special event. Let us help you today. More info
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How to Write Product Descriptions That Sell
from e-commerce-guide.com
Product descriptions are critical to the success of selling on the Web. Great product descriptions entice your visitors to buy while at the same time properly describe the products thus avoiding returns because visitors didn't fully understand what was offered. Here's what you need to know in order to write great product descriptions for your Web site. More
Keeping a Sales Team Sailing
from Newsday
With all the doom and gloom in the marketplace, it's easy to fall into a slump, particularly when sales are down and the pressure is on to perform. But now's the perfect time to be working with your sellers on perfecting their pitch and helping them see beyond all the negativity so they're better equipped to deal with the challenges ahead, say experts. More
Optimizing Pricing in a Turbulent Economy
from Retail Solutions Online
Setting the "right" initial product price is one of the most important steps companies can take to ensure solid profit margins and top line revenue. However, determining the right everyday price for a product is no simple task. More
Make Your Markdowns Matter
from Integrated Solutions for Retailers Magazine
The economy has created a need for retail markdowns, as price adjustments are made to spur the sale of goods. But, the markdown process can be extremely costly to your business if not managed correctly. More
How to Extend Your Customer Experience Through Social Media
from Harvard Business Publishing
Clearly, thanks to services like Twitter and Facebook, there is now a global conversation. What's not clear is how businesses can meaningfully embrace it. How can social media augment, fill out, and improve the customer experience? More
Managing Retail Price-point and Margin Pressures
from Hurlbut & Associates
The greatest challenge independent retailers are struggling with right now, even more than depressed traffic counts, is getting full margins for their goods. This struggle continues with fresh arrivals of fall goods, and shows no sign of abating. Customers remain extremely value conscious, and to them, that means "On Sale." More
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Survey: Women More Pessimistic Than Men on the Economy
from Advertising Age
For a majority of women, the glass is still half empty -- and for marketers that could be tough to swallow. Even though they have arguably fared better in the recession, women are more pessimistic about the economy than men. More
Small Retailers Feel Sharper Pinch
from MSNBC.com
Although the recession has been a struggle for all U.S. retailers, there is evidence that it has been especially difficult for the nation's smaller, independent retailers. With Americans cutting back drastically on their spending, some stores have lost business as shoppers have turned to cheaper discount chains, while others have found that their customers have simply gone without the kind of discretionary items some small retailers sell. More
Success Strategies from Past Recessionary Winners in the U.S. Retail Industry
from About.com
The U.S. retail industry has seen and survived periods of recession before, and, in fact, many companies have found a way to thrive in the midst of extreme economic hardship. By looking at past recession winners, retailers might be able to find strategies that can help them find success today. More
“Recession Shoppers” Pursue Value, Not Just Discounts
from Marketing Vox
Researchers have found that as economic duress presses down on wallets, online shoppers increasingly scour the internet for the best value on their purchases, not just low prices. More
Consumer Confidence Makes Jump
from KansasCity.com
Consumer sentiment rose more than expected in August and expectations hit the highest level since the recession began, indications that Americans' pessimism about the economy may be lifting. More
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In Slow Summer, Museums Woo Visitors with Pop-Up Bars and Extended Hours
from BizBash New York
With a slowdown in programming and fewer third parties looking to rent them as venues, summer isn't the most bustling time for some museums. So to fill the seasonal lull, two of Manhattan's more niche institutions -- the Museum of Arts and Design and the Museum of the City of New York -- instituted weekly event series with after-hours tours and pop-up bars. More
Three-dimensional Printer Allows Science Museum Visitors to Create Their Own Objects
from Telegraph.co.uk
A three-dimensional printer that can create objects including a pen, a light and an orange squeezer from pieces of metal and plastic has gone on display at the Science Museum. Its inventors hope that one day, the printer could be a feature of every home, and allow shoppers to customize their purchases in store. More
Virginia Museum of Natural History to Offer Free Admission on Smithsonian Magazine’s 5th Annual Museum Day, September 26
from the Martinsville Daily
On Saturday, September 26, 2009, the Virginia Museum of Natural History will participate in the fifth annual Museum Day, presented by Smithsonian magazine. A celebration of culture, learning and the dissemination of knowledge, Smithsonian's Museum Day reflects the spirit of the magazine, and emulates the free-admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution's Washington, DC-based properties. Doors will be open free of charge to Smithsonian magazine readers and Smithsonian.com visitors at museums and cultural institutions nationwide. More
Milwaukee Public Museum Forecasts a Surplus
from the Chicago Tribune
A series of blockbuster exhibits at the Milwaukee Public Museum is paying off. The museum is forecasting a $400,000 surplus this year and a small surplus next year, despite an expected downturn in attendance. More
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