Trio Travel, fragrances that will take you on a journey in a box decorated with hot-air balloons, an unusual and imaginary trip... with no carbon footprint. The Baobab Trio Travel boxes contain three mini candles decorated with silk-screen prints of mythical destinations, making an ideal gift.
Available in 4 colors/sets of differing scents:
Yellow-Green: Rio-Mexico-Miami
Pink: Singapore-Athens-Paris
Blue: Manhattan-Paris-Mykonos
Orange: Brussels-Roma-Saint Tropez
Stop in at either ...
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How restaurants, hotels, and tableware brands are using loyalty programs--and what indie stores can learn from this.
October 11, 2023
Perk-y
I recently read about a new loyalty program and wondered what we could learn from it. The founder of Eater and Resy, Ben Leventhal, has started Blackbird, a loyalty program service designed for indie restaurants, reports The New York Times (Read the article). Using the Blackbird app, a diner receives a perk for eating at a restaurant. The retailer sets tiers for which the user qualifies for the perk. For example, a restaurant, Nat’s on Bank in New York City, gives tier 1 customers ...
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Amazon and third-party delivery services have setup a “warehouse” outside the Astor Place USPS office. This is not a truck parking for five minutes. This a day-long, everyday occurrence. I’ve seen this same scene on a daily basis all around the city for the last three years.
This hurts local retailers. While the local businesses pay extra taxes to operate a store in southern Manhattan, it costs Amazon much less to park a delivery truck (permanently?), put ...
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I see this situation all over the city. Amazon shipping companies are “warehousing” our public space. They put up cones and are permanently setup and conducting business. They use public space for private commercial use.
They’re like a pop-up store in a public parking spot. But unlike a physical store that is in a private building and pays commercial storefront taxes, these trucks don’t pay those retailer taxes. (Each year businesses in lower ...
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How premium plan tiers help businesses sell more and increase margins.
September 7, 2023
Dating apps are launching higher-priced premium tiers, according to last week’s The Wall St. Journal. Hinge offers a new $50/month plan, and Tinder is launching a $500/month plan. The League already offers a $1,000 plan. These pricey plans take the sting out of Bumble’s $60/month plan.
Why are companies offering such plans? Because even if Tinder only gets 10% of users, that's millions. Plus, the profit and margins are likely higher for customers using these plans. A normal ...
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We are pleased to announce Anton Studio Designs' products are ready for Syncing.
Anton Studio Designs joins our network of 115+ premium brands that Sync products with 1,300+ fine indie stores.
Established in London in 2012, Anton Studio Designs aims to provide design conscious customers with stemware and glassware that reflects their own personal flair. They are a sophisticated brand whose products will transform any table setting into an unforgettable experience.&...
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When is the last time you received a Starbucks gift card? I’ve received them as holiday gifts, and I’ve given them to sales reps as thank you gifts. Starbucks gift cards, like their shops, are ubiquitous. They are almost as popular as gift cards from our nemesis: Amazon.com. Just about every month, a company offers me an Amazon gift card if I sign up for a service. WBGO, the local, Newark-based, non-profit radio station known for jazz, recently offered me an Amazon gift ...
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Last February e-commerce company Shopify Inc. replaced the “Ottawa, Canada” dateline that began its press releases and earnings reports with a strange new one: “Internet, Everywhere.” The geographical shift came at the insistence of Shopify’s founder and chief executive officer, Tobi Lütke, who tends to view such matters through the prism of cold, hard logic. In May 2020, only a few months into the pandemic, he’d made the early, seemingly rash decision to...
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Beatriz Ball's Manhattan pieces feature gleaming geometric elements inspired by the New York skyline.
The SOHO Manhattan Ice Bucket with Gold Handles is an extravagant, luxurious and sophisticated take on the classic ice bucket. Ideal for chilling wine or serving ice for parties. Pairs perfectly with the brilliantly clear Venice All Purpose from the GLASS Collection.
Beatriz Ball’s intensely handmade products use eco-friendly and sustainable materials and are crafted by ...
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Did you know there is a connection between the NYC marathon and 41 Madison? 41 Madison, home of the New York Tabletop Show, is owned by the Rudin family, and the family helped start the NYC Marathon. The Times shared this history in an article recently. Excerpt:
"...In 1976 when George Spitz, a civil servant and runner, proposed a marathon through all five boroughs, the time seemed almost right — if daunting. “A race like that could cost $15,000,” Mr. Lebow ...
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Today’s Times shares some of Amazon’s steps during the pandemic to grow its empire.
I used to tell retailers that they don’t know it, but they’re now in: the software business. I missed something in that statement. They are also now in the warehouse business. Websites and warehouses go hand in hand. They’re flip sides of the same coin.
As e-commerce grew, all the major retailers should have been growing their warehouse space. For example: if ...
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While walking on 9th St. in Manhattan, I noticed an American Express sidewalk decal. This decal inspired me to create a Bridge sidewalk decal for indie stores.
I think that stating 'shop local' or 'shop small' misses many of the key desires by shoppers. I think that customers want low prices, lots of selection, and fast delivery. Those are the reasons they shop at Amazon and at other big box stores. Ask yourself: would you shop at a store that has less selection? Higher prices? Slower ...
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Today's NY Times shares that many businesses are decreasing their office space footprint as they let employees work from home.
We are entering a new and unusual time post-COVID. More and more people will be working from home, further encouraging companies to decrease their amount of office space. I think this is a good thing for the most part, as it will open up jobs for people who don't necessarily live near a company's office. It also allows people to work from the comfort of their own home...
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July 22, 2019
July 22, 2019
Think your rent is too high? Ask Barney’s. San Francisco, Miami, and Manhattan rents amongst others are toppling retailers, shares today’s WSJ.
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June 13, 2019
June 13, 2019
Online sales account for 27% or Lululemon’s sales, reports today’s WSJ. Considering that these are clothes, that’s a lot. There was a day not too long ago when people said shoppers wouldn’t buy significant amounts of clothes online. 27% and growing shows that they were wrong.
And that 27% is very profitable. The brand didn’t have to pay expensive rent in, for example, Manhattan to process those orders.
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May 2, 2019
May 2, 2019
Nordstrom is opening two mini-spots the size of a Dunkin Donuts to act as pick up locations for online orders and offer some small services like tailoring, shares today’s Times. This is a vote for online and not a vote for physical retail space.
Some wedding couples are foregoing the wedding party. This might put a kabosh on your bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts. Have you experienced this? Read this article from Sunday's NY Times. Click the link or read the full text below.
Make the Friends Happy. Don’t Have a Wedding Party.
When Bobby Rosen and Cara Safon got engaged last August, there were many decisions to be made. A venue had to be ...
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April 17, 2017
April 17, 2017
From Sunday's NY Times, this article highlights how retail is at a tipping point with the shift from brick & mortar to e-commerce. While it is a big concern to all, we have you covered: Bridge has helped its retailers process 32% more in sales over the last year vs the year before. Bridge's mobile retail software has seen an increase of 55% year over year. As the retail landscape continues to shift, we are moving right along with it.
At $2,985 per square foot, is it any wonder that luxury stores are leaving 5th Avenue? It is not only the rent, but the shift to online sales and the lack of tourism according to the NY Times.
Main Street vs. Wall Street How a 4-person web design firm united 200 indie stores against a $40m competitor
What if someone said that they're spending $40 million to beat up your small business? That's what new online gift registry retailer Zola plans to do. (Please see attached NY Times picture.) Gift registries are the last refuge of small, Main Street businesses and Zola has borrowed (in the banking world they call it "raised") $40m to swipe this registry business. Zola is backed by the same ...
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