NARMS Today Entering Digital Domain

Since its launch a few years ago, NARMS Today has been providing insightful commentary and thought leadership from key players and business experts to the members of the at-retail merchandising and marketing industry. The magazine comes out quarterly and informs members of association happenings, and previews what is on the horizon. The stories and photography tell the story of what is truly happening at NARMS Today. This powerful communication tool is about to make a change. Starting with the next issue, NARMS Today is going digital.

From now on, you will be emailed a link to the magazine instead of receiving the hard copy in the mail. The features of the digital magazine are numerous and we know you will be pleased with the new format. One of the big benefits is that you will be able to share the link with others in your organization. In fact, if you have associates who would like to receive the magazine, please email their first name, last name and their email address to Paulette at NARMS Headquarters and they can directly receive the digital NARMS Today.

While there are certainly cost saving features of this move, the editorial staff at NARMS Today remains committed to upholding the high standards that have been established in the print edition. The speed and flexibility of the new format should allow even better service to the readers.

So start spreading the word about the new, digital NARMS Today. We are looking forward to getting the first of the new issues out and expanding the circulation of what has proven to be a staple of our communication program.

Shoppers Stick with Brick-and-Mortar for Back-to-School

The down economy is putting a damper on back-to-school shopping this year, and while consumers may look for savings online, they plan to do most of their purchasing in-store.

Data from BIGresearch and the National Retail Federation (NRF) indicates that nearly one-half of US consumers with children ages 6 to 17 will be cutting spending on back-to-school items due to the recession.

With so much emphasis on savings, it is no surprise that nearly three-quarters of consumers plan to shop at discount stores.

Read the rest of the article….

NARMS in Twin Cities This Week

At-retail merchandising and marketing leadership traveled to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul this week for the NARMS Summer Board of Directors Meeting. In addition to the two days of meetings on Wednesday and Thursday, the leadership group used the opportunity to connect with Twin Cities based retailers and manufacturers at a Retailer and Manufacturer Reception last night at The Mall of America. It was a great way to kick of an important three days of strategic direction, program review and planning.

The reception was our second this month, with the first taking place two weeks ago in Dallas at the annual Summer MSO meeting. It is our hope to continue this activity at key retail centers around the country. It’s a chance for retailers and manufacturers to, “kick the NARMS tires,” meet our leaders and find out what we are all about. The goal is to enhance retailer and manufacturer participation and membership in the association.

The agenda starts today with Phil Lauria leading a discussion on NARMS strategic direction and industry visioning. Bart Flaherty of GroupM will then bring the Board up-to-date on RORI study activities. The day will end with a discussion about www.narms.com.

Thursday will begin with a review of the NARMS Reserve Fund and the financial status of the Association. The next topic will be membership dues followed by an update on the NARMScertifyU program. Chris Dammann of the Christopher Group will then give the group a preliminary look at the findings of the 2009 NARMS Survey of At-Retail Marketing Service Practices. We will end up the meetings by having a thorough discussion and planning session for the 2010 NARMS Spring Conference and Exhibition.

We thank our Board members for taking time out of their busy schedules to join us in the Twin Cities. It is this kind of dedication to the industry that has allowed NARMS to become the voice of the retail service industry and will ensure our importance in the future

July 24, 2009 IRI / Morning NewsBeat

Below is the list of articles you will find for the week ending 7/24/09 edition of Retail Industry News.

- Meijer Gets A Breath Of Fresh Air
- Aldi Minimizes Choice, Maximizes Focus
- Fred Meyer Installs Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
- New Hannaford Store Gets Environmental Recognition
- Haggen Expands Customer Relationship Marketing Program
- Sansolo Speaks: Loving Your Customers
- FastNewsBeat
- The MNB Wal-Mart Watch
- The Balance Sheet
- Executive Suite

Download the PDF

Still Time to Sign Up for Writing Webinar

Writing is something most of us do everyday. But how often do we take a few minutes to review how we could improve? The next installment of the NARMS Webinar Series offers just such an opportunity. Join us on Thursday, July 30 for the Writing Improvement Workshop featuring editor, writer and writing coach John T. Adams III. This NARMS Webinar is sponsored by NaturalInsight and is brought to you through the technology of ReadyTalk.

Does the same writing style work for e-mails, reports and requests for proposals? What should be in the first paragraph of just about everything you write? How do you break writer’s block? What words can you leave out of your writing most of the time? Should you really write the way you talk? John T. Adams III will answer these questions and more. Bring your questions and writing problems, and we’ll solve them all.

Adams III is director of communication services with a national trade association in Washington , D.C. , where he supervises the writing of print and electronic newsletters, brochures and other materials. His experience includes writing, editing and publishing association magazines and newsletters and, for the first part of his 35-year career, working as a newspaper editor and reporter. He also has been self-employed as a consultant in association publishing and a writing coach. In his spare time, he’s an actor in community theater productions.

The session if complimentary to NARMS members as a membership service but is also made available to other interested persons at a non-member rate of $99.95. We encourage you to share this invitation with other co-workers and anyone else who might gain value from this information-sharing opportunity.

The NARMS Webinar Series has proved to be a valuable service to our members. Make sure you take advantage of this great membership benefit by registering for the next event here! Your next business letter, proposal or email may depend on it

Target Expands This Sunday

Discount retailer Target Corporation will open 23 new U.S. stores on Sunday, July 26, 2009. The new locations will include 17 general merchandise stores with expanded food options, four general merchandise stores, and two SuperTarget stores with full grocery sections.

Target, which will operate 1,719 stores in 49 states as of July 26, says the new store openings will create 4,000 jobs. Each general merchandise store employs 100-250 associates and is approximately 127,000 square feet, while each expanded food format store employs 100-250 associates and is approximately 135,000 square feet. Each SuperTarget employs 200-300 associates and is approximately 186,000 square feet.

Continue reading the article…

IRI Report Seeks “New Normal ”

Regular readers of this space know that we are big fans of finding thought provoking reports and articles and bringing them to your attention. Today we direct your attention to the July IRI Times & Trends Report, “Price, Promotion & Merchandising: The Reinvention of CPG Marketing” This report talks extensively about how merchandising activity will play an enhanced role in a new, evolving go-to-market strategy. The challenge, as always, is to find opportunities for at-retail merchandising and marketing companies.

The report defines merchandising activity as displays, feature ads, feature and display combined and price reduction only. According to the report, this activity is on the upswing in response to quickly changing consumer behavior. IRI says that, “54% of CPG categories are capturing 30%-49% of their volume with merchandising support.” They go on to say that, “Merchandising activity is up across channels. Within the grocery channel, for example, 52% of categories are experiencing increased merchandising activity. Within the drug channel, 57% of categories are more heavily merchandised.”

The message is that merchandising activity is important in bringing value to the consumer during the recession. The IRI suggestion is that, “Targeted merchandising programs based on sound knowledge of consumers’ changing needs and wants will be received with enthusiasm, not only driving volume growth, but also building goodwill.”

Our member companies are experts at building displays and making sure that advertised items are on the shelf. We are also experts at collecting store level information. With many people now making purchase decisions at home, it is vitally important that the merchandising activity is supported with execution on the store level. Failure to do so will drive the consumer to another brand if the one on their shopping list isn’t at the store to greet them.

NaturalInsight to Provide Advanced Workforce Management Solution to Ready Set

Industry-leading platform helps major retail services company transform management processes

Sterling, VA and Elk Grove Village, IL, July 21, 2009 Industry officials today announced that Ready Set has chosen NaturalInsight for managing their nationally-distributed field workforce.

By implementing the NaturalInsight platform, Ready Set will rapidly transform its management of workers in hundreds of retail locations across the country. Ready Sets workers perform a variety of specialized assignments, such as assembling displays, in store service, retail merchandising, and sales representation. Using NaturalInsights intuitive Web-based platform, Ready Set managers will be able to manage and assign projects, survey consumers, and track on-shelf product management far more efficiently.
Read more

July 17, 2009 IRI / Morning NewsBeat

Below is the list of articles you will find for the week ending 7/17/09 edition of Retail Industry News.

- The Unique Proposition That Is Ukrop’s
- Walmart To Create Product Sustainability Index
- Winn-Dixie Gets Fresh With Remodels & New Branding Statement
- Whole Foods Says Each Of Its 273 Stores Is Certified Organic
- Cub To Make Nutrition Labeling System Available In Four States
- Hannaford Prepares To Open New “Green” Store
- Sansolo Speaks: “Learning to Fall”
- Food Lion Expands Hispanic Format Reach
- FastNewsBeat
- The MNB Wal-Mart Watch
- The Balance Sheet
- Executive Suite

Download the PDF

Client Survey Seeks More Input

The MSO Division Committee heard preliminary results of the 2009 Survey of At-Retail Merchandising and Marketing Practices this week at their summer meeting in Dallas. These preliminary results provide some interesting and exciting analysis for all NARMS members. Because we want to be as inclusive as possible, there is still time for your customers and clients to participate. This story contains links to both a Manufacturer and Retailer on-line survey. We would ask all of our members to pass these links along to their manufacturer and retail clients for their participation. The project will be final in a few weeks so act now!

Manufacturer Study Link: http://tcg.formbin.com/forms/NARMS_manufacturer_survey

Retailer Study: http://tcg.formbin.com/forms/narms_retailer_survey

NARMS is surveying leading manufacturers and retailers to gain insight on their uses and opinions of at-retail merchandising and marketing services and the outsourced companies who provide them. Your customers’ responses are held confidential in order to protect their privacy and to receive candid data. The survey only takes a few minutes and is sent directly to The Christopher Group, an outside consulting agency. A final report will be issued this summer with only summary data being published. Individual responses and data are never revealed.

In order to stimulate participation, an advance copy of the final report will automatically be sent to all participants. The final report and a deck of plug and play slides will be made available this summer to NARMS members in the InfoShare section of www.narms.com. There will also be a NARMS Webinar scheduled for later in the year.

Many of our members ask how they can participate or get involved with the Association. Passing this survey along to your customers will produce results that will be beneficial to you, your customers and to the industry. Thanks in advance for your cooperation with this important initiative.