Merchandise Midweek: Trends from the Trade Shows

PART 1 - CES

This year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas drew 165,000 attendees from 150 countries to browse the latest and greatest from 15 product categories, including audio, automotive electronics, connected home technologies, digital imaging and photography, electronic gaming, entertainment and content. Hinda’s director of merchandising, LeeAnn Schumacher, was on the show floor and reported back with the trends for the coming year.

Tablets, Super-Sized

Last year, mini tablets were all the rage. Now, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction and new larger “slates” are coming to the forefront. Companies such as Panasonic®, Sony® and Lenovo® are introducing tablets that are being billed as multi-user table-top devices that can be used for collaboration in the workplace. These are scheduled to launch in summer of 2013.

In related news, notebooks are appearing lighter, thinner and available at lower price points. Touch will be a big feature for Windows® 8 notebooks. PCs are being developed with tablet flexibility and removable keyboards, and PC gaming is looking to make a comeback in 2013.

Apps, Apps Everywhere

At CES, Apple® announced it had topped 40 billion downloads during the show. But that’s just the beginning. Everywhere you turned, apps were being used for everything from voice-controlling a car to organizing your kitchen.

For example, Ford®’s Fiesta and Focus let drivers manage the Ford app through voice and 16 various radio controls. Samsung®’s T9000 – which is a refrigerator – has an LCD front and comes with pre-loaded, kitchen-friendly app Evernote.

TVs: Smarter, Brighter, Larger

These aren’t your grandparents’ black-and-white-and-rabbit-eared sets. HDTVs are a big business that’s continually evolving. For example, tech giant LG® will be launching a 55-inch OLED screen in March. OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode and represents the latest in thin, power-efficient and bright displays. Samsung countered with 85- and 110-inch TVs.

Another trend among TVs is the doing-away with the traditional remote control by making TVs compatible with smartphones and letting users operate their TVs using their phones. We’re also going to see a rise in ultra-HD 4K, OLED, smart integration and large screen displays of 60-inches or more.

Talking Tech Becomes the New Norm

Voice-activated products are making a big splash, especially in automotive technology and developments in television. Software company Nuance will bring more speech-recognition solutions to the near future. Dragon dictation, taking verbal notes on the iPhone® 5 and other solutions prove that it’s all about getting a lot more work done without lifting a finger.

Other News from the Show Floor

Health and fitness is one of the fastest growing product categories in the consumer electronics industry. Wireless technology and portable devices are two major drivers in this market. “Wearable technology“ is hot, and over 60 million sports, fitness and health monitoring devices with Bluetooth® technology will ship by 2015.

Cameras remain a popular category, and 2013 will see an increase in long zooms, Android™ and Wi-Fi® connectivity, larger image sensors, sports/action cameras and camcorders, mirrorless (or compact system cameras) and retro-looking cameras. 

…Stay tuned for Part 2 of our trade show wrap-up, where we’ll be focusing on trends from the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Expo.

Merchandise Monday: A Time to Give – and Receive

 

While it might have been too early to talk about holiday season in our last redemptions update, that’s all anyone’s talking about now that we’re three days from Thanksgiving – and four days from Black Friday!

Speaking of shopping, let’s take a look at what people redeemed for most in 3^rd quarter 2012. Many of the items from Q2 remain top redemptions in Q3, such as the Pyrex®, Wagan®, Titleist®, OXO® and Garmin® items from the first list and the Coby®, Bose® and Keurig® items from the second. Hopefully this will give you some ideas for what people on your holiday list might want.

Top redemptions according to units fulfilled:

• Pyrex 18-Piece Glass Storage Set with Lids
• Wagan Battery Jumper With Air Compressor
• Titleist Pro VI Golf Ball Dozen
• Royal® 10 Sheet Crosscut Paper Shredder
• Coby® Compact Progressive Scan DVD Player
• Luger Analog Bracelet Watch
• OXO 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set
• Bose® IE2 Audio Headphones
• Keurig® Special Edition B60 Single-Cup Home Brewing System
• Garmin nüvi® 30

Top redemptions according to dollar value: 

• Coby 40" LED HDTV 1080p
• Apple® iPod Touch® 32GB with FaceTime
• Apple iPad® 2 16GB Wi-Fi
• LG Electronics 42" LED 120Hz Smart LED TV
• Bose QuietComfort® 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® Headphones with Remote and Microphone Accessory
• HP Notebook PC Bundle
• Keurig Special Edition B60 Single-Cup Home Brewing System
• Apple MacBook Pro 13-Inch 2.3GHz 320GB Serial ATA Drive
• Amazon.com Kindle Fire 7" Multi-Touch Wi-Fi
• Garmin nüvi® 30

 Happy Thanksgiving week and happy shopping!

Hindastry News - November 2012

Welcome to the latest issue of "Hindastry News" - Hinda's corporate newsletter.

"Hindastry News" brings you the latest on the happenings at Hinda.

This issue includes:

• 2012 Golden Carrot Awards
• Milestone Anniversary for One of our Employees - Celebrating 40 Years at Hinda!
• An Important Message from our President, Dave Peer
• New Employees and Recent Promotions
• Roundtable Recap 

If you know someone who would benefit in receiving communications like this from Hinda, have them e-mail Alisa Schafer (aschafer@hinda.com) and ask to be added to the distribution list.

Also be sure to check out and subscribe to the Hinda Blog. 

Click here for the current issue of Hindastry News.

Hinda Announces 2012 Golden Carrot Award Winners: Apple and Mach 1 Global Services

Hinda Incentives has announced the winners of the prestigious Golden Carrot Award, which were presented at the Hinda Incentives headquarters today in conjunction with the Motivation Show. 

Apple and Mach 1 Global Services, Hinda’s home delivery carrier, were selected as this year’s winners by demonstrating a solid commitment to providing innovation, service and cutting-edge products to the multi-billion-dollar incentive market. Hinda’s Golden Carrot Award recognizes its supplier partners who have consistently demonstrated dedication to the field of incentives.

"When you put two top companies like Apple and Hinda together, it results in a great partnership,” says Rick Bowen, Hinda’s Merchandise Manager. “Candice Lacrosse (Senior Account Manager, Corporate Gifting and Rewards for Apple, Great Lakes Region), has worked very hard with our team to include Apple products in our programs in a timely manner. We are both dedicated to delivering the best product and the best service to our award winners. Candice and Apple have been supportive and are an important partnership."

“It's an honor to receive the Golden Carrot Award,” says Lacrosse. “We’re very excited about it. We have built a solid relationship with both Rick Bowen and Michelle Flores (Merchandise Buyer and Hinda) and only see that relationship growing. Both are a pleasure to work with and they definitely keep us on our toes.”

Winning the Golden Carrot Award was a sweet surprise for Kari Thomsen, District Manager for Mach 1 Global Services.

“We are so happy to receive this award because we had to work hard to earn Hinda’s business,” says Thomsen. “I went to see Benito [Bustamante, Hinda’s Warehouse Manager] every Thursday to promise him the world. It took a lot of work to gain his trust and earn some business, but after six months he finally gave us an opportunity. Now I feel like we are an extension of Hinda.” Mach 1 Global Services CEO, Jamie Fletcher, who is based in Phoenix, also attended the award presentation.

Bustamante did finally give Thomsen an opportunity, but admits they tested Mach 1 with some really difficult deliveries.

“We gave Mach 1 some very challenging shipments and they stepped up to the plate,” says Bustamante. “Kari goes above and beyond. She’s on call 24/7 for us. She gets it. She knows we are delivering awards and how important that is. At Hinda, we deliver a superior customer experience.”

Selection for the Golden Carrot Award is very competitive. The extensive list of criteria for winning suppliers include high-quality products, innovation, timeliness of deliveries, prompt follow-up, the ability to provide updated product information and reliability, among others.

Check out pictures from the ceremony here!

Merchandise Tuesday: Accessorize Your Favorite Accessory

They didn’t exist a few years ago, but now you can’t leave home without it. It’s your iPod®/iPhone®/iPad®, and it is your most prized possession, containing all your important data, favorite songs and movies – pretty much your whole life in a lightweight, portable, stylish device.

And now your favorite electronic accessory begs for accessories of its own, and from projectors and speaker docks to cases and solar chargers, Hinda has the assortment of iAccessories you’re looking for.

Brookstone® iConvert® Scanner for iPad® Tablet

Tame the paperwork jungle in your life by getting a scanner for your iPad. The iConvert Scanner captures sharp, detailed JPEG images and saves them directly to the photos folder of your iPad or iPad 2.  Organize and prevent losing all your important documents whether at home, at the office or on the go. Preserve everything from family photos, genealogy records and children’s artwork to meeting notes, resumes, receipts and expense sheets. 

Brookstone® Pocket Projector for iPhone® 4 Devices

The Pocket Projector for iPhone 4 is perfect for on-the-go travel entertainment. Its super-bright LED projector lamp ensures clearer, more brilliant videos and iPhone Slide Shows than other pico projectors. Its 640 x 360 resolution projects up to 50" images and the integrated 0.5-watt speaker delivers the audio. Great for keeping kids entertained with their favorite videos on the road – simply dock your iPhone 4 device and project onto any surface!

Grace Digital MatchStick Kindle Fire Speaker with Charging Dock

The new Grace MatchStick is designed exclusively for the Kindle Fire. Truly enjoy the multimedia apps that the Fire has to offer, such as Netflix, Pandora® Internet radio and even audio books. The full-range stereo speakers and charging circuit unleash the power of the Kindle Fire while keeping it fully charged when you are on the go. Whether you are listening to Internet radio, streaming your favorite TV shows or movies or simply need a quick charge, the Grace MatchStick is your Kindle Fire's perfect companion.

Griffin® AirStrap Carrying Case for iPad®

AirStrap's molded frame with thick, comfortable, contoured grips surrounds your iPad, protecting the edges without getting in the way of controls, camera and ports. Slip your hand under the wide neoprene strap on the back. AirStrap hugs your hand, making your iPad easier to hold whether you're sitting or standing, reading in a coffee shop or checking out the headlines as you ride the 6:45 in to work.

iLive™ Solar Powered Charger

The solar powered charger lets you harness free power from the sun to power your mobile devices and tablets. Set the solar powered charger in direct sunlight to power your device or to store power for later use. The included USB cable and adapters provide power for a multitude of devices, and the package includes a USB charging cable with connectors. Feel good about your carbon footprint when you recharge with the sun instead of a socket.

i.Sound® Twist Bluetooth® Speaker and Speakerphone

The Twist Bluetooth Speaker and Speakerphone features a 30’ transmission range for wireless music streaming, a built-in microphone with advanced noise cancellation for crystal clear speakerphone calls and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that offers five hours of continuous playtime.  The package comes with two speakers, a subwoofer and works with any device that has a 3.5mm audio plug. Now all the great songs you enjoy on your MP3 device can be shared with the masses.

i.Sound® Universal Car Mount

The Universal Car Mount is fully adjustable to display your device at any angle. It provides 360-degree rotation for horizontal and vertical viewing and features a heavy-duty suction cup, hands-free talk, soft padded brackets and both an air vent attachment and a windshield attachment that work with your iPhone®, iPod®, Smartphone or GPS system. Don’t leave home without this handy system.

Speck MagStylus for iPad®

Designed for more responsive drawing, handwriting and gaming on your iPad or other capacitive touchscreen device, MagStylus adds something many other styluses don't: a magnet. The magnet locks your stylus on to your iPad when not in use and enables the iPad's sleep/wake function. The MagStylus features a rubberized tip for maximum control and flexibility.

It’s truly amazing all that you can do with your cell phone, MP3 player and tablet PC these days. Almost makes you wonder what you ever did without it, right? What are some of your favorite gadgety accessories? Which do you use most, and what comes in the handiest in your life? Why not use your device to leave us a comment below?