There are basic components in the groundwork for a successful Market trip. Taking a few simple steps before you ever leave home can make the difference between feeling overwhelmed and scattered and being focused and on top of things.

The key is preparation and organization. What do you need to accomplish? Are you ordering from existing lines to simply fill in inventory? Are you considering expanding into a new category? There’s an adage to “buy what yousell, don’t sell what you buy” that applies to almost every retailer. Make a plan and stick to it; otherwise it’s easy to get sidetracked and suddenly find you only have a day left until you go home, and you haven’t accomplished what you intended.

Whether you’ve been coming to AmericasMart for 30 years or it’s your first time, here’s a pre-Market checklist to get started:

• Hotel Reservations
• Lots of Business Cards
• Calculator
• Cell phone and charger
• Pre-planned appointment schedule
• Credit information for new vendors
• Estimated budget
• Knowledge of store inventory – what’s selling and what’s lacking
• Open-to-buy purchase plan by categories
• Assignments for each member of your buying team
• Planned merchandise delivery dates
• Re-sale license or local sales tax number
• Fast Badge Registration for returning buyers
• Comfortable shoes.

We want everyone to have the best possible Market experience in Atlanta – starting before you ever leave home. Use AmericasMart.com and the AmericasMart Magazine to plot a course for each day. Don’t forget to include time for educational events (there are some phenomenal learning opportunities at Markets) as well as some of the social events. The Atlanta Buyer’s Guide available at all registration desks has a complete, day-by-day list of what’s happening.

Markets are about more than shopping ’til you drop – have a focused plan so you also have time to enjoy Atlanta hospitality!

(I was inspired to do this article after visiting my daughter’s store, RUBY,  where I noticed how many little items she had tied together with ribbon as a “set.”  There were several bracelets together, panty packs of two, three or five, a package of three tees, etc.  The pricing was even numbered like $10, $20, etc. and as a shopper I could realize how quick and easy this choice could be. It seemed especially effective for the Valentine shopping season in progress.  The more I thought about it, the more I felt the need to share “bundling up” for better profits with each of you!)

All of us enjoy a sweet deal, by just like icing on the cake, it can be overdone.  Bundling is a delicate blend of ingredients that:

*Sweetens the deal for your customers
* Increases your average sale
* Boosts your employees’ productivity
*Reduces your risks

If you are considering bundling, ask yourself these questions:

1) What are some of the challenges shoppers face in buying clothing
Some folks are color blind or have no fashion sense. They are in a hurry and forget to buy the related purchases they need. They long for help in making    decisions.  A bundle is already combined and ready – no choice.

2) What can I bundle together to make life easier for my customers?
Shoes and Handbags
Assorted Accessories that mix/match
Hosiery for the outfit
Socks for the shoes
Tees with Jeans
Tops w/suits
Slippers with robes
Panties with bras
7 panties (one for each day)
Basic tees set (red, black, white)
Lip gloss and mirror
Gloves & scarf
Anything that makes sense together or fills a need!

3) What benefits would buyers gain from bundles?
Customers would save time, whether shopping for themselves or a gift, they would find things easier. A bundle usually adds more versatility and functionality to a wardrobe by mixing and matching. Shoppers usually think a bundle is a better deal and they feel good about saving.

4) What benefit would the retailer gain from this?
Total sales should increase. Multiples units would be sold. Customers would appreciate the creativity and novelty of the combination.
Employee’s productivity should go up because they will generate more sales dollars per customer.

Look around, what goes together as the perfect bundle in your store?

Learn even more and be further inspired at TJ’s seminar at the Apparel Market on Saturday, April 2 at 10 a.m. She’ll get you excited about driving traffic through promotions and contests. More information on her seminar and full lineup of events can be found here.

More on bundling can be found in “Pricing for Profit” by Dale Furtwengler, available from www.amaconbooks.org.

Registration lobbies are still full at peak hours, but we’re open extended hours to help – until 10 p.m.tonight and open again at 7 a.m. on Friday morning.

All seminars, events and AmericasMart University classes were on schedule with a full line-up again tomorrow. Virginia Willis cooked and tried to explain what it means to “be Southern;” class attendees learned Brand Building through social networking strategies; Gerry Klaskala put a modern take on vegetarianism in the demonstration kitchen; six lucky buyers won a Kindle; plus people sipped, snacked and shopped throughout the campus.

Now that’s a full day!

Much more to come in the days ahead…stay tuned!

Newly featured this Market was the exciting category for swim and resort called SPLASH. Exclusive to the October Market, the category was located on floor 3 in the Market Temporary booths.

The Daily Strut, a fashion show that took place every day during Market, showcased the latest fashions that buyers could purchase at Market.

As retailers shopped for the latest trends and styles, they looked to fashionista sales reps and designers like Alessandra Chu from Ya Los Angeles for trend advice such as, “A lot of ruffles are still in [as well as] the rompers and maxi dresses” and “spring dresses are still hot” from Judith March.

Friday night’s fashion show brought buyers from the entire Market to the floor 2 atrium for the premier event: The Style Runway Fashion Runway Show featuring Canada’s Montreal Collections. As the headlining sponsor of the show, Montreal Collections showcased 30 looks from the spring 2011 collection of renowned designer, Samuel Dong. The show also included the spring 2011 collections of 20 different Montreal ready-to-wear manufacturers and additional lines from participating AmericasMart exhibitors.

The Market brought all the hottest spring 2011 trends together for one exciting weekend of fashion. And, it was all captured on video. Be sure to check out the highlight video, where we spotlighted the Market’s most exciting features, spoke with designers and retailers and explored our campus at its peak brimming with products and buzzing with the anticipation of the upcoming season. To view the video, click here.

Don’t miss the largest apparel market on the East Coast, the nation’s largest special occasion market and the largest resource for apparel, shoes, accessories and fine jewelry. Mark your calendars and start making plans for the next Atlanta Apparel Market, Feb. 3 – Feb. 7, 2011!

For more information, click here.

I’ll be at AmericasMart on Sunday, September 12 and am encouraging you to visit and bring your guests and clients. I’m hosting Farm to Table, Y’all, and you won’t want to miss it!

Plus, samples will be served!

We will also have a drawing for a My Southern Pantry gift basket that includes a signed copy of Bon Appétit, Y’all!

I’ll be walking around before my demo, It would be a pleasure to meet you and talk to each of you on how we can work better together, so I can learn what you need me to do to help you sell your product and help you generate customers.

See ya’ll soon!

Don’t forget:
Sunday September 12
AmericasMart
Farm to Table, Y’all with Chef Virginia Willis
11:00 am -1:00 pm
Building 2 WestWing Floor 8
Demo Kitchen 

Faviana has committed to donating a percentage of its sales at the August Atlanta Apparel Market to Enchanted Closet, along with providing several of its top gowns. Faviana will be promoting the organization and encouraging all buyers to help the cause throughout Market. Also, Bonita Johnson, head of Enchanted Closet, will be at Market in Faviana’s showroom speaking about the organization and seeking volunteers and more donations.

As an organization that is 100 percent run by volunteers, Enchanted Closet relies on industry leaders to contribute and provide dresses and/or financial assistance to ensure that all local girls’ have the “one” gown they desire for prom. And, it’s well on its way with the help of veterans like Faviana.

Visit the Faviana showroom to find out more information about the Enchanted Closet and find out how you can become involved.

For more details on the organization, visit www.enchantedcloset.org.

Don’t miss these giveaways:

• Light It Up! Lipgloss Giveaway, Thursday, August 26 at 4 p.m. on Floor 10:
  Stop by for a very special lighted lip gloss.

TOTEally Fabulous, Sunday, August 29 at 2 p.m. on Floor 5:
Pick up a coupon at registration and redeem it for a complimentary Atlanta Apparel tote.
Hurry they’ll go fast!

For more details on all of the events throughout market click here.

 This is just one the many fabulous finds in HIGH DESIGN. Make it a point to visit and explore.

There are basic components in the groundwork for a successful Market trip. Taking a few simple steps before you ever leave home can make the difference between feeling overwhelmed and scattered and being focused and on top of things.

The key is preparation and organization. What do you need to accomplish? Are you ordering from existing lines to simply fill in inventory? Are you considering expanding into a new category? There’s an adage to “buy what you sell, don’t sell what you buy” that applies to almost every retailer. Make a plan and stick to it; otherwise it’s easy to get sidetracked and suddenly find you only have a day left until you go home, and you haven’t accomplished what you intended.

Whether you’ve been coming to AmericasMart for 30 years or it’s your first time, here’s a pre-Market checklist to get started:

• Hotel Reservations
• Business Cards
• Calculator
• Pre-planned appointment schedule
• Credit information for new vendors
• Estimated budget
• Knowledge of store inventory
• Purchase plan by categories
• Assignments for each member of your buying team
• Planned merchandise delivery dates
• Re-sale license or local sales tax number
• Fast Badge Registration for returning buyers
• Comfortable shoes.

We want everyone to have the best possible Market experience in Atlanta – starting before you ever leave home. Use AmericasMart.com and the AmericasMart Magazine to plot a course for each day. Don’t forget to include time for educational events (there are some phenomenal learning opportunities at Markets) as well as some of the social events. Markets are about more than shopping ‘til you drop – have a focused plan so you also have time to enjoy Atlanta hospitality!

 The site provides a glossary of home furnishing textiles, information about the fiber to fabric process and offers a platform for questions and discussions about the industry for any question you were ever afraid to ask. Also available on the site are links to other sites with textile information, an industry calendar, and suppliers to the home furnishings fabric community so you are always up to date with the latest news.

 The site is a creation of industry veteran Jim Calhoun and is run by a team of industry specialists and academics. Together over the last year, they have developed a site that is user-friendly and moreover, endorsed by professionals in the community.

 For more information, visit talktextiles.com