New MSA Retail Tip: Product Development Primer
from MSA
Producing custom products is a complex undertaking that requires considerable lead-time, research, design skills and decision-making. There is no guaranteed formula for success, so planning is vital. More    

Two New Positions Posted to MSA's Job Source
from MSA
Two new positions have been posted to Job Source, MSA's online resource for the most up-to date job listings in the cultural commerce industry. More    

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Holiday

When Should Xmas-Shopping Ads Begin?
from AdWeek
It's becoming a holiday tradition in its own right: Consumers complain as marketers seem to start running Christmas-shopping ads earlier each year. So, when do consumers think it's appropriate for such advertising to make its debut? Polling for AdweekMedia among members of LinkedIn finds many respondents in no rush to see it. More    

Online Spending Projected to Grow 24 Percent Compared to Q3 2009
from Yahoo! Finance
As the largest retail shopping season of the year approaches, eCommerce retailers can expect a surge in consumer spending compared to the previous quarter. Consumers anticipate that they will spend an average of $281 online during Q4 2009, a 24 percent increase over last quarter. While this represents the first increase in spending since last year, it is an 18 percent decrease in the overall spending rate as compared to Q4 2008. More    

U.S. Consumers Optimistic Ahead of Holidays
from Reuters
Bruised U.S. retailers might find some solace in Deloitte's most recent survey that showed American consumers were more optimistic about the economy as the holiday shopping season kicks off. More    

Small Shops Make Big Play for Holiday Shoppers
from The Wall Street Journal
Small brick-and-mortar shops that rely on seasonal sales are seeking creative ways to avoid last year's bloodbath of discounting, as cash-strapped consumers are expected to gravitate toward big box and discount retailers. More    

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

Retailers Ramp Up Social Media for the Holidays
from Jacksonville Business Journal
Preparing for a tough holiday shopping season, online retailers are beefing up their presence in online social media, said a recent study. Shop.org's eHoliday Study showed more than 47 percent of online retailers polled said they will be increasing their use of social media this holiday season, with an understanding that shoppers use Facebook and Twitter regularly and that those tools are more cost effective, said a news release. More    

Email Marketing Tips for the 2009 Holiday Season
from MarketingProfs
The holiday season is the most important time of year for retailers, when aggressive goals are set for increased traffic and sales, both in-store and online. Email marketing is a powerful tool that retailers can use to build their brands and increase sales during that crucial period. More    

Top Ten Holiday Trends for 2009
from Retail's Big Blog
Here are 10 insights of what to expect this holiday season based on a recent retail survey. More    

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U.K. Museums and Galleries Are Success Story of Recession
from Culture 24
Amid the gloom of the recession, businessmen might cast envious eyes towards museums and galleries. Cultural quarters have been filled by families seeking cheap days out that stimulate minds without hitting the wallet and the number of people choosing the U.K. over expensive trips to the continent -- "staycations," as they are called -- have been instrumental in escalating punter numbers. In the year to April 2009, the number of people visiting London's tourist and cultural attractions soared by 20 percent, a figure repeated at the National Gallery and beaten by leading institutions in cities such as Liverpool, which is still feeling the potent benefits of the Capital of Culture year it enjoyed in 2008. But while high profile exhibitions take the limelight, the bigger attendances and new audiences mean that all venues are being forced to widen their attraction and embrace their popularity with imagination and energy. More    

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Two Tips to Avoid Out-Of-Stocks, One Surefire Way to Deal with Them
from Retail Solutions Online
What a dilemma. Cash-conscious consumers will require a lot of coddling via promotions this season, while cash-strapped retailers are unable or unwilling to jack up their safety stocks (unable due to cash flow, or unwilling because nobody wants to get killed on markdowns this quarter and next). It's the recipe for an out-of-stock disaster, but it's a disaster that can be avoided with a little finesse. More     

Need to Fire Someone? Here's What to Do
from MSNBC
Since the beginning of 2009, more than 17 million Americans have lost their jobs. Someone had to let them go. Most bosses who aren't Donald Trump say that laying people off is one of the toughest tasks they face. And they have to do it more frequently all the time. In hopes of helping both firer and the fired, the author of this report talked to pros in the employment and therapy fields to come up with some advice for those who must wield the ax. More     

Don't Turn Up Your Nose at Scent Marketing
from Advertising Age
The principle and benefits of olfactory stimulation have been known for ages. CMOs are looking for innovation. But does innovation necessarily mean "invented from scratch?" Or can it be a new application of something already known? Scent marketing has worked for the fine-fragrance industry for decades, disguised as a sampling opportunity. More    

17 Resources to Improve Your Small Business
from OPEN Forum
Proving your business is critical to staying afloat and growing. Here are seventeen online and offline resources that will sharpen your skills, improve your offerings and allow you to maintain and grow any successful small business. More    

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Are You Ready for PCI Compliance?
from The Retail Bulletin
Recently publicized high level data breaches occurring in organizations has reminded us all that online payment fraud remains a constant challenge for e-retailers and has further reinforced the importance of achieving PCI compliance for your online business. More    

Prepaid Gift Cards Providing an "Easy Target" for Fraud
from Retail Technology
Security standards are being ignored when it comes to gift and loyalty cards, experts claim. While most credit card companies are moving away from the well known magnetic stripe in favor of more secure alternatives, "magstripe" technology has found a new home in the form of gift and loyalty cards, according to a new white paper. In fact, plastic gift cards with magstripes on the back can now be purchased from just about any type of retail chain, including supermarkets, coffee shops, restaurants, cinemas, and department stores. According to "Attacking Magstripe Gift Cards," although credit card security technologies like chip and PIN are now being rolled out on a global scale, fraud against cards that still use a magstripe remains a very real threat to both consumers and retailers. More    

Journey Into the Heart of Generation Y Shopping Habits
from Mercury News
Generation Y has embraced shopping to a degree that leaves the mall rats of Gen X in the dust. According to research, the average member of Gen Y visits the mall four times a month and stays more than 90 minutes each time, compared with all shoppers who average three visits and 70 minutes. And not surprisingly, they have embraced online shopping, especially using social networking to get advice from friends about what to buy, to a greater degree than older generations. More    

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Holiday Toy Test to be Held at Children's Museum
from Inside Indiana Business
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is once again asking kids to determine the top 10 toys for the 2009 holiday shopping season. The 11th annual Kid-Tested, Kid-Approved Toy Test will take place in The Museum Store. Once each child has had a chance to test the products, they will be asked to write down their choices on a ballot. Results of the test will be revealed later. More    

SFMOMA Museum Store Announces New Series of Artist-Designed Products
from ArtDaily.org
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) MuseumStore is featuring a special product series designed by local artist Martin Venezky. Venezky kicks off the second series of artist-designed products with an array of items that highlight his intricate and surprising collage, typography, and illustration. More    

An American Architectural Epoch Locks Its Doors
from The New York Times
A dynamic moment in American architecture -- the explosion of art museums, concert halls and performing arts centers that transformed cities across the country over the last decade -- is officially over. The money has dried up, and who knows when there will be a similar boom. More    

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