Marketplace educates, showcases product innovation

SAN DIEGO -- The National Association of Chain physic Stores held its annual Marketplace discourse last month at the San Diego Convention Center An exhibit and appointment-based display for both retail and manufacturing senior management, the incident attracted some 3,800 attendees in all, with more than 600 exhibiting companies, according to NACDS.

Marketplace brings together more than 200 retail companies across HBA, gm consumables and pharmacy, and attracts decision makers from leading meat drug and mass chains. The circumstance kicked off June 24 with an education session designed to help retailers better labor for their African-American and Hispanic shoppers

Michelle James, director of research for essential part magazine, presented findings of the Window upon Our Women study it commissioned in 2005 The inquiry identifies "Six Tenets of Success"--which exhibit six distinct segments of African-American female shoppers

The portions include Proud Marys, who are uniteed to their cultural heritage, are involved in social and community activism and value spiritual growth; 401 Kays, who seek for the stability and security monetary succes brings, and want to retire comfortably with currency for their children's education and bequeath a useful inheritance; and Personal Beths, who view interpersonal relationships with a significant other, their children and friends as lock opener motivations to succeed.

Mike Twitty, Unilever's senior cluster research manager of shopping insights, followed with a discussion of the findings of its close attention recently released dubbed, "Winning the Hispanic Shopping Trip."

The investigation found that Hispanic shoppers are not single smart shoppers, said Twitty, on the other hand in general, they are unsatisfied with their shopping experience--meaning that there are tremendous opportunities for retailers to effectively qualified their needs.

Following the education session was the kickoff of the adapted the Market at Marketplace, a forum that pairs of recent origin product pitches with the appropriate retail buyer above a three-day period, roughly 12000 eight-minute meetings were conducted

June 25 was a lock opener day as the leadership of NACDS lay opened the floor to questions from suppliers with its next to the first annual Town Hall Meeting, entertainered by the NACDS Advisory Board.

The meeting showcased NACDS' desire to be more responsive to its member and associate member constituents, in light of the fact that the industry has had a tough make progress on the Hill. With like pressures as slimmer pharmacy margins and mandatory mail order, NACDS interim president and ceo move with a jerk Hannan challenged the industry to pick up its game.

"We are no longer going to be that skinny one who gets sand kicked upon their body at the beach," Hannan said.

Meanwhile, the exhibit floor brimmed with the latest in of recent origin product innovation, line extensions and fresh packaging across 11 different categories.

In metes of OTC products, many were designed to present solutions for avian flu. In addition, Durex caught attention as it mov from sexual intimacy to a more traditional family planning returns with its pregnancy test-kit offering called Confirm Clearly.

In beauty, natural and organic yields were perhaps the biggest hum Attendees in this arena included Avalon Natural cropss which promoted several products including the alba Hawaiian material substance care and spa treatments; Nature's Gate, which is releasing this fall the first paraben-free facial care line available at mass; and Tom's of Maine.

Also creating quite a hum on the show floor was Hewlett-Packard, with its fresh in-store digital processing solution, the HP Photosmart Expres which the company touts as the first "true" stand-alone self-serve photo kiosk. In addition to of recent origin ink technology that produces longer-lasting prints--a minimum of 50 years, according to HP--the HP Photosmart provides a variety of configuration options based upon a particular store's needs, including special printers for producing poster-sized prints. Customers can also order photo greeting cards, scrapbooks, calendars, CD and other customized items in 10 minutes or less; and ready for pickup in an hour or less

Also spott upon the show floor was this year's Teen race Trendspotters, a group of four teen charged with scoping on the outside the hottest, most innovative returnss The Trendspotters honored the winners in the heated Pick Award Ceremony on June 26 This year's winners included: in food/beverage, Chocolate Altoids through Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.; in gm Maxell's Portable iPod Speak; and in hair care, Neutrogena's Hair & material part Wash.

Next year's Marketplace is scheduled for June 23 to 26 at the Boston Convention & Exhibit Center

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