If there are two topics of discussion many in the housewares segment are tired of talking about, Amazon and Millennials may top the list for most.
Blog : Greg Sleter, Executive Editor
The Housewares Show. Utter that phrase to anyone who worked the annual event held recently in Chicago and it will conjure up a multitude of feelings that range from excitement in seeing new products to exhaustion after a long week at McCormick Place.
![Keeping Pace With The Retail Evolution retail, walmart mobile-express-returns](/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/walmart-mobile-express-returns-351x221.jpg)
Few would argue that 2017 was a strange year at retail and a time of significant change.
![A Back-To-Basics Wish List For Retailers nrf shopping](/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/shopping_NRF_mother-daughter-351x221.jpg)
Throughout 2017 there has been much discussion about the future of retailing, with the crystal balls of some showing a future without stores and a consumer base using their digital devices to buy what they need from the comfort of their living rooms.
![Retail Challenges Open Doors To New Opportunities retail, walmart mobile-express-returns](/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/walmart-mobile-express-returns-351x221.jpg)
Retail in 2017 has been a mad, mad, mad, mad world. But with the madness also comes a host of opportunity for retailers and suppliers alike.
![The Holiday Shopping Season Starts Early Holiday Shopping, NPD, Super Saturday](/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Holiday_Shopping-351x221.jpg)
The clock had barely ticked past midnight on November 1 and several retailers, in announcing holiday season sales, were tripping over themselves like Black Friday shoppers trying to buy a new television.
![The Grocery Wars Are Getting A Bit Silly Walmart, Grocery](/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Walmart_Grocery_Delivery-351x221.png)
So Walmart wants to stock my refrigerator? Really? There’s something off-putting and a bit creepy about a Walmart employee entering my home and putting away my groceries. I don’t even go into my mother’s refrigerator without first asking.
![Home Proving To Be Retail’s Shining Star tjx, homegoods, home](/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/homegoods-full-351x221.jpg)
The first eight months of 2017 have been focused on the retail apocalypse (overblown), the growing impact of Amazon and the struggles of department stores.
![Wanting Macy’s To Be Something More Macy's store](/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/macys-351x221.jpg)
If imitation is indeed the most sincere form of flattery, then there are a few retailers that should feel good about themselves.
![Lidl Could Have Big Impact On U.S. Retailing Lidl](/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Lidl-351x221.jpg)
Music in America during the 1960s forever changed when the Beatles led a host of bands from the U.K. to the U.S. in what would forever be known as the British Invasion.
![What We Learned In Q1 Walmart](/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Walmart_ECommerce-351x221.jpg)
As the spring weather warmed much of the country in mid-May, the housewares industry digested the first quarter earnings reports from a host of retailers.
![There’s No ‘Retail Apocalypse’ shopping-cart-online-mobile](/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/shopping-cart-online-mobile-351x221.jpg)
There’s no retail apocalypse, but long-standing retailers need to find new ways to stay relevant with today’s modern consumers.
![Retailers Need To Focus On The Basics nrf shopping](/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/shopping_NRF_mother-daughter-351x221.jpg)
A retail revolution is happening before our eyes as the ever-changing purchase habits of consumers continue to rattle the cages of many brick-and-mortar retailers.
![Despite Challenges, Good News Abounds retail, JCPenney, major appliances](/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/JCP_Appliances-351x221.jpg)
The retail news the first few weeks of 2017 has been less than rosy as reports of soft sales, store closures and even a bankruptcy filing have dominated the headlines.
![The Key Feature Is Simple Housewares Show, retailers](/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Housewares_Show_2016-351x221.jpg)
In the days following Super Bowl LI, there was much discussion on sports radio about the New England Patriots’ historic comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons.
![Struggling Chains Need Some Old-School Retailing Demo, retailing](/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Demo-351x221.jpg)
Despite overall holiday sales growth, some retailers continue to struggle. Perhaps what they need is some old-school retailing to drive sales.
![New Opportunities To Find That Cutting-Edge Product Housewares Show, retailers](/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Housewares_Show_2016-351x221.jpg)
Trade show season is once again upon us and the showrooms at markets across the country will again spring to life as retailers begin 2017 on the hunt for the new and exciting.
![Holiday Shopping And Retail Discounts retail sales](/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Sales-351x221.jpg)
The holiday shopping season has moved past Thanksgiving weekend and Cyber Monday, and retailers are now totaling their receipts and wondering what more they can do to get shoppers to dip deeper into their wallets.
![Security Standards Needed For Smart Home Products staples, apple, pay, mobile, nrf](/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/staples-apple-pay-351x221.jpg)
There’s been a great deal of discussion during the past year about the current-day and future prospects regarding smart home products.
![Preparing For Deep Holiday Discounts npd, nrf, holiday shopping, retailnext](/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/holiday-shopping-351x221.jpg)
The fourth quarter has arrived and with it the final preparations by retailers for the holiday season. While the first three quarters of 2016 were largely unspectacular across a number of housewares product segments, all eyes are now watching what steps retailers will take to drive product into the hands of consumers.