Blog Archive

For the most part, trade shows are becoming less and less effective every year.  Look around at many trade shows and you’ll see the shortage of customers walking the show floor.  At some shows it seems as if there are more exhibitors checking out the competition than attendees.

Home Depot has recently added a line of Martha Stewart products in an effort to be more appealing to women.  This is an effort by Depot to catch up to Lowe’s who has traditionally been more friendly to women.  As large ticket sales which signal a major remodeling project have slowed, this effort is designed to spur more small project sales.  The really big news from this effort is the introduction of selling across categories, in which women are shown which product from one category goes with which one from another category.

No matter how bad the economy seems, people still need a place to sleep.  Two recent reports show that they may have had enough of doubling up or living with mom and dad.  Apartment rents are rising due to increased demand as reported in the Wall Street Journal. Also The New York Times reports that home sales rose significantly in February.  Both are good signs for an uptick in construction and remodeling to follow soon.