InStore Magazine Inc’s Post

What’s InStore for 2024? We've spent the last few months contemplating how InStore could use its national platform and engaged audience of 12000 plus Canadian retailers and vendors to highlight and recognize the best retailers and vendors in the business along with the hottest new products! Our brainstorming resulted in a half a dozen initiatives we'll be rolling out this year. Retailer Awards InStore Magazine will be reviving the Retailer of the Year awards program with the support and sponsorship of the Canadian Gift Association. The awards program will celebrate retailers from coast to coast of all sizes and makeups. Stay tuned for details! New Statistical Insights! InStore Magazine is now in a position to tap into our U.S. sister publication's market research capabilities in a way that makes sense for the Canadian market. Using the knowledge we've gained conducting surveys among U.S. independent gift retailers for the past five years, we'll be taking those learnings and applying them to the unique structure of the Canadian marketplace. 5 New Programs for Vendors In the spring, InStore surveyed our readers to discover what they wanted and needed. Resoundingly, retailers told us they wanted more product from more vendors, so we’ve come up fun new programs and initiatives to deliver them with the goods, including FAVE FINDS where we highlight our favourite finds from the shows we visit throughout the year. This program will launch this month during the Toronto shows. While we’re in Toronto, we've been asked to help the Canadian Gift Association choose the BEST BOOTH WINNERS from among the Toronto Gift + Home Market’s 400 exhibitors. In March, our editorial team is heading to the Vancouver Gift Expo to compile our Favourite Finds from the Best of the Very West! Next year, we’ll head to the Edmonton show for the Best of the West:) Near the close of the year, InStore will be crowning the top vendors and suppliers of the year in various categories based on actual sales results - see statistical paragraph above regarding statistical insights. Rest assured, this won’t be a popularity contest, and with plenty of categories, vendors of all shapes and sizes will be honored.  Let us know what you think about these new programs by commenting below. Have we missed something?! - Erica Kirkland