Retail Education
Home furnishings and lighting retailers face many challenges in this ever-changing economy. From new consumer expectations to online competition, today's retailers work hard to ensure their customers have access to on-trend products and great customer service. In this section, you'll find all things retailing — news, features, analysis and tools — needed to make your retail business a success.
The Generational Tightrope: Working With Millennials
At 9 a.m. on a Monday morning, two co-founders, a community manager and an intern gather around a wooden table at their Chicago office. Each one has a laptop sitting in front of them, but no one…
Should We Call it Aging-in-Place?
By 2036, one in five people in the U.S. will be over the age of 65, according to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.
As Baby Boomers begin to exit the workforce and retire, retailers and…
How to Fight Social Media Fatigue
When it comes to social media postings, you have the best intentions for your business. In the New Year, you promise you'll post every day. You swear you'll start taking more photos for Instagram.…
Shelf Awareness
Q. What is the best way to light shelving?
A. First off, you have to think about how translucent or opaque the objects are that you’re trying to illuminate. Solid items, like chinaware and books,…
Hygge (Hue-guh) It Out
You know that moment when your home is clean and quiet and you’re wearing your cozy socks and there’s no place in the world you’d rather be? That, my friends, is Hygge, the state of being cozy and…
NY NOW Winter Edition
As the Market for home, lifestyle and handmade products, NY NOW® features over 2,300 exhibiting brands showcasing tens of thousands of products fit for every retail buyer’s budget and style. 85…
New Year, New Showroom: How to Get There in 10 Easy Steps
For better or worse, “New Year, new you” season is upon us. Everywhere you turn, people are making resolutions, buying up expensive gym memberships and going all Marie Kondo on their clutter-filled…
The Tax Bill Passed. What Now?
This week, Congress passed a massive new tax bill into law, and it's now on President Donald Trump's desk. The bill is expect to take effect immediately, which could mean some big changes in 2018.…
Fringe Benefits
Generations of bikers, hippies and cowpunchers can’t be wrong: There’s just something about fringe. Sure, it’s festive. Certainly, it shimmies. But it’s not for the faint of heart, and therein lies…
How to Make the Most of Your Google My Business Page
No matter your SEO strategy, you need to claim your free Google My Business listing. It's easy. It's free. It will help you show up in local search results when someone Googles "lighting store in…