All Artwork ©SEPS
Retailers Continue
to Spend at Summer Shows
in Spite of Sluggish Retail Sales!
Retail sales continue to be sluggish this summer with July sales virtually unchanged from June. July sales reflected an increase of 0.05% over June and a increase of 2.5% over July 2015. The winners for the first 7 months of 2016 were Building Materials/Garden with an increase of 6.4%, Sporting Goods/Hobby and Crafts with an increase of 5.9%. The big winner was non-store retail showing an increase of 10.6%. Department stores continue to struggle showing a decrease of 3.9% in sales for the same period. The savings at the pump are NOT currently helping at retail. It will be interesting to see how the final back to school numbers end up as they will set the tone for the balance of the year.
Reports from the summer shows seem consistent. Attendance is reported to be slightly down, but spending is up. We are being told by licensees and reps that the actual sales reflect a slight increase over last year and the attitude of the retailer is positive. I just returned from the New York Now show and most of the people that I met and spoke with were pleased with their numbers, even though the traffic appeared to be down to me. Hopefully the retailers are right in their assessments and we will finish strong and get off to a good start in 2017.
Curtis will be exhibiting the upcoming Brand Licensing Show in the UK mid-October. We have a new and improved location this year and will be supported by our agent from France, as well as our new agents from the UK, Germany and Spain. We anticipate a good show and look forward to working with our agents and their clients. If any of you plan on attending the show, please stop by and say hello. We will be in booth F10 on the main level.
We are happy to announce a new licensee,Virginia Diner who specializes in gift tins and sets filled with nuts. They are proud of being “A Legend in a Nutshell since 1929.” They have a very loyal following , great retail distribution and a wonderful reputation for quality products.
Dover Publishing is also a new licensee and will be offering adult coloring books featuring illustrations from our archives. Dover is a leader in this category and we are very pleased to have them as a partner in this growing category. They already have three titles selected and will be launching their first book in early 2017.
Kim Parker continues to grow her distribution at retail. Lifetime will be launching three new patterns at the upcoming Tabletop show In October. Patton Picture company has also been able to secure retail spacer with several major retailers with wall décor. She has also secured a new textiles manufacture Britannia Textiles. They will be doing bedding and beach towels to start. This will create more awareness to the Brand and help all involved.
I met with Museum Store Products in New York and they are quite pleased with their sales on products with Mort Kunstler's illustrations and will continue to do line extensions with new products.
We do have a few categories open for both Kim Parker and
Mort Kunstler. If you have an interest in discussing opportunities for your company, please let me know.
Mike Waldner | Director of Licensing
1100 Waterway Boulevard | Indianapolis , IN 46202
phone (317) 489- 6973 | mwaldner@curtislicensing.com
Curtis Licensing | The Saturday Evening Post
