The 2005 holiday season is over, and independent retailers are tallying their fourth quarter results. Manufacturers, vendors, and trade show producers are ready to open their doors for 2006 buying. How many buyers plan to show up at the winter trade markets? Will they change their buying patterns? How much are they ready to spend? The Survey: Gifts & Decorative Accessories surveyed retailers via fax and online. Results are based on responses from 154 gift and decorative accessories retailers. Three-fifths of responding retailers describe themselves as a gift specialty store, and 14 percent describe themselves as home accessories stores. Another 5 percent say they are a stationery/card shop, and 4 percent classify themselves as direct-to-consumer retailers. The remaining one-fifth of respondents represent florists, hospital or resort gift shops, bookstores, department stores, and toy and kids’ specialty stores. Two-fifths of respondents are located in the Midwest, with 29 percent in the South, 19 percent in the Northeast and 12 percent in the West. |
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