How's Business?

Dear Home Accents retailer:

We want to know about your plans for your business. Have you made or are you planning to make some adjustments to cope with the sluggish economy? Are you planning to attend home accents markets in the final quarter of 2009 and the first quarter of 2010? What will you look for as you visit these upcoming markets? As always, all your answers are confidential. Look for an article based on your answers in the December issue of Home Accents Today.

 

Which of the following are you planning or doing to survive the economic downturn?
  No plans and/or not considering it In the planning stage Doing it
already
Initiate/expand customer loyalty programs
Develop Internet-based social marketing programs e.g.,
FaceBook, MySpace, Twitter
Conduct a direct marketing campaign

Ramp up advertising

Scale back on advertising
Reduce inventory levels
Narrow product selections
Add new styles to merchandise mix
Reduce/cut margins
Add product at lower price points than carried before
Add product at higher price points than carried before
Drop unproductive lines from existing vendors
Add lines from new vendors
Add web site or enhance existing web site
Sell product to consumers on the Internet
Add "green" product to merchandise mix
Buy "made in America" product
Target new demographic markets
Concentrate on niche markets; please describe niche markets below
     
Lay off part of workforce
Build/lease a new store/distribution center/warehouse
Other; please explain in the space below
     

 

What are two to three of the most important best practices you've used to make it through economic slowdowns?
Best practice #1
Best practice #2
Best practice #3

 

How are your total annual 2009 sales comparing with your 2008 sales? What are you projecting for your total annual sales in 2010?
2009 vs. 2008 total
annual sales
   Down by %
   About the same
    Up by %
Projected 2010 vs. 2009
total annual sales 		   Down by %
   About the same
    Up by %

 

How are your current inventory levels comparing to this time last year (3rd/4th Q 2009 compared to 3rd/4th Q 2008)?
   Lower by %
    About the same    Higher by %

 

Will your open-to-buy for 1st Q 2010 markets be less, more or about the same as for 2009?
   Lower
    About the same    Higher

 

In 2009, was the frequency of your re-orders less, about the same or more frequent than in 2008? In 2010, do you anticipate your re-orders will be less, about the same or more frequent than in 2009?
2009 compared to 2008,
re-orders were …
   Less frequent    About the same    More frequent
2010 compared to 2009,
re-orders will be … 		   Less frequent    About the same    More frequent

 

How will your market attendance and shopping practices change during the final half of 2009 and the 1st quarter of 2010, if at all? Will you do things more or less frequently?
  Less No change More
Going to markets
Going to markets close to home
Sending buyers/sales staff to market
Driving to markets
Flying to markets
Length of stay at markets
Shopping on the Internet
Ordering/purchasing through the Internet
Ordering from reps
Other; please describe in the space below
     

 

Which product categories will you shop for as you attend upcoming markets? Will you be adding any new items or dropping some old from the list?
  Add as new line Add to existing line Drop
Accent furniture
Candles/candle accessories
Decorative accessories
Garden decor
Gift items
Lamps
Lighting
Permanent botanicals
Rugs
Soft goods
Tabletop
Wall decor
Other products; please describe in the space below
     

 

Will you be shopping for lower, about the same or higher price points than you did for 2009?
  Lower Same Higher
Accent furniture
Candles/candle accessories
Decorative accessories
Garden decor
Gift items
Lamps
Lighting
Permanent botanicals
Rugs
Soft goods
Tabletop
Wall decor
Other products


Retailer profile

Which description best describes your retail operation?
If Other; please describe in the space below:

 

Please indicate your estimated total annual sales for ALL stores in 2009.
  Under $1 million
  $1 million to $2.49 million
  $2.5 million to $4.99 million
  $5 million to $9.99 million
  $10 million to $19.99 million
  $20 million or more

 

To avoid duplicate responses, please provide your company's name and location in the space below.

Company name

Location

THANKS!