I'm happy to share the first column in an on-going series to appear in Tableware Today magazine. This article, which appears in the magazine's current October/November 2024 issue, explains our inspiration for the Leaderboard--a new tool to help retailers, brands, and sales reps. ..............
TOP OF THE CHARTS
LET'S LEAD TOGETHER by JASON SOLAREK
Money is tight for many indie retail shops. Owners often ask themselves: What brands and products
should I invest in to get the best return for my business? We have an answer to this question. Welcome to the Leaderboard. In each issue through this new column, TOP OF THE CHARTS, I'll be sharing with you the best performing wedding registry brands and products according to my company's data.
There's something for brands and sales reps as well: we'll be showing you the best performing retailers. This sales information, which is collected and curated by my company, is only available in this publication and can help readers understand what brands and stores move the sales needle.
My inspiration for creating the Leaderboard was Peloton, the Internet-connected stationary bike company. During the pandemic, Peloton was a work-from-home darling; its valuation rose to almost $50 billion. Peloton's key feature was its ability for users to ride virtually alongside their friends and compete with them via a leaderboard feature. At Shop Local (my online platform that provides retailers and brands with tools to collaborate and run online stores), I created a leaderboard for our industry; swapping out fellow bikers for fellow brands and products.
If you're a retailer, you can use this information to scout new products and brands. If you're a brand or sales rep, you can use this information to tailor products to existing retailers or spot new merchants. We tally Leaderboard sales information from our online platform of 1,400 retailers, 3,000 brands, and 400,000 products.
We've focused the board on wedding registries – of which we host 80,000 – since registry orders make up the majority of online sales for indie retailers. As with all print forms, there's a limit to what can fit in our print version here. But there's good news: you are invited to see more results for free on our website: shoplocal.org/leaderboard. When you open a Shop Local account you receive full Leaderboard access.
I invite you to 'ride' alongside your peers and praise them for their success. Each subsequent TOP OF THE CHARTS column will offer a new snapshot of who and what is leading our industry.