Operations

Decency

FIRST AMENDMENT The First Amendment is a cornerstone of American law and jurisprudence. It is most certainly one of the laws that distinguishes our country from others. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of expression, among... more »

Top Marketing Trends to Avoid

In a world where digital has become an integral piece of every retailer’s marketing strategies, there is only one thing worse than having no strategy at all — having a bad digital marketing plan based... more »

The New Normal of E-commerce

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a host of new challenges for gift shop retailers, as stay-at-home orders meant customers weren’t allowed in the stores, and even those that could remain open, saw traffic dwindle as people... more »

Rights of Publicity

It has been a trend for years; however, it seems when something of historical significance happens, there is an uptick in products created with public figures’ likenesses. Rights of publicity are an intellectual property right... more »

Yes She May!

Mei Xu, founder and CEO of Yes She May and also the founder and CEO of BlissLiving Home and Chesapeake Bay Candle, launched a consulting service in 2019 to help women grow their businesses around... more »

Safe Work Environments in a Pandemic World

For the foreseeable future we have a new norm in the industry — it is called living safely in a pandemic world. There are specific guidelines that Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued to... more »

Tax ramifications of PPP loans clarified in new congressional act

Rules are not as complex now that Congress passed a law in December that clarified interpretations on PPP loans The program designed to provide financial relief to businesses during the pandemic caused confusion for many... more »

Short Staffed?

RA recent Gallup poll revealed that at the height of the pandemic, 68% of employed U.S. adults were working from home and only 26% felt they were emotionally ready to return to their workplace, with... more »

The Digital Alternative

It’s been an unprecedented year for the gift shop industry, as the COVID-19 pandemic has closed stores, forced trade show cancellations and caused uncertainty for retailers. But during the holiday season business picked up again... more »

Put a Bow on It

For better or worse, 2020 has dramatically changed the retail landscape. After stores reopened, many reported shoppers spending less time browsing. This means that retailers need to figure out how to encourage consumers to shop... more »