Shop Local has been busy adding new registry features to help your indie store sell more. We have stores doing $1,000,000+ in registry sales a year. This can be you 😉
We're excited to share 7 new registry features with you:
Your Registry Overview Page
One page to get a bird’s eye view of 10 key metrics.
See new registry activity and updates as they occur in real time.
How to view: Log in → Hover over "Gift Registry" → Click &
Your Shop Local Store has an updated feature: You can now change your wedding registry plan. This feature helps you more easily manage your business's registry subscription.
Previously, your business had to message a Shop Local coach to request a plan change. With this update, you can upgrade or downgrade your registry plan at any time. The new "Change Plan" modal also shows discounts and monthly savings for each plan, helping you see savings and make the best choice.
How to leverage newsletter discounts to compete with top brands.
August 28, 2024
Shop Local analyzed the websites for top selling brands in the tabletop and giftware industries. We noticed a common trend among these websites: a pop-up window offering a discount for signing up for a newsletter.
35% of the top 20 brands offer a discount for signing up for a newsletter. The discounts offered range from 10-20% off, and the only requirement is that a customer enters their email address to receive emails from the brand.
VIETRI's flagship collection now comes in durable melamine, bringing the cheerful artistry of the Amalfi Coast to your home. Ultra-durable, super lightweight, and elegantly easy, Vietri's 100% melamine Campagna collection makes it perfect for for outdoor gatherings, dining al fresco, or meals with bambini (children). Stop in at the Shadyside store to see the collection. Click here to shop for Vietri Melamine Campagna on this website.
Also: Visit Glassworks and Cheeks and Feathers during ...
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Visit Glassworks and Cheeks and Feathers during the Annual Shadyside Sidewalk Sale, which takes place Wednesday, July 24th - Sunday, July 28th from 10 am to 6 pm each day. Come to Walnut Street and it's side streets next week to shop at your favorite stores and boutiques to find products at incredible discounts. Most local retail businesses will participate, offering up to 80% off regular retail. Savvy shoppers have flocked to the Sale for more than 30 years. Glassworks and Cheeks and ...
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A recent study conducted by Jungle Scout reports that many consumers prefer to support small and local businesses for their holiday shopping. 20% reported they will buy holiday gifts from indie stores, up from 10% last year. The report ranks independent retailers in 4th place for in-store shopping, surpassing Costco, Walgreen's Best Buy, Sam's Club, Macy's and Home Depot.
The article shares 53% of consumers bought online from independent stores on Small Business Saturday as reported by ...
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According to a recent RetailDive report, online and mobile purchases for Black Friday sales were the strongest, with smartphone sales leading at 54% of online sales. The article states consumers spent a record $9.8 billion online on Black Friday, according to data from Adobe Analytics. That’s up 7.5% from last year.
Industry experts forecast that consumer spending will be up 2-3% year over year. The National Retail Federation projects 3-4% year over year. Consumers are cautious about ...
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Visit Glassworks and Cheeks and Feathers on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday! Glassworks and Cheeks are offering 10% discounts both days. Feathers is delighted to offer 20% off Yves Delorme from November 24th – December 17th. All Yves Delorme products; bed & bath, robes & accessories, comforters & pillows, table linens, and more, are included except for Couture and custom/bespoke items. Stop in to take advantage!
How restaurants, hotels, and tableware brands are using loyalty programs--and what indie stores can learn from this.
October 11, 2023
Perk-y
I recently read about a new loyalty program and wondered what we could learn from it. The founder of Eater and Resy, Ben Leventhal, has started Blackbird, a loyalty program service designed for indie restaurants, reports The New York Times (Read the article). Using the Blackbird app, a diner receives a perk for eating at a restaurant. The retailer sets tiers for which the user qualifies for the perk. For example, a restaurant, Nat’s on Bank in New York City, gives tier 1 customers ...
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Shop Local analyzed the websites for the top-20 selling brands in the tabletop and giftware industries. We assessed what discounts brands offer when one signs up for a newsletter.
Brand Study Findings:
Of the 20 brands, 5 (25%) offer a discount when one signs up for a newsletter.
For brands that offer a discount, the average discount is 15% off.
Some brands offer other promotions for signing up for a newsletter, including free shipping and a raffle entry.
How premium plan tiers help businesses sell more and increase margins.
September 7, 2023
Dating apps are launching higher-priced premium tiers, according to last week’s The Wall St. Journal. Hinge offers a new $50/month plan, and Tinder is launching a $500/month plan. The League already offers a $1,000 plan. These pricey plans take the sting out of Bumble’s $60/month plan.
Why are companies offering such plans? Because even if Tinder only gets 10% of users, that's millions. Plus, the profit and margins are likely higher for customers using these plans. A normal ...
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Visit Glassworks and Cheeks and Feathers during the Annual Shadyside Sidewalk Sale, which takes place Wednesday, July 26th - Sunday, July 30th from 10 am to 5 pm each day. Head down to Walnut Street and it's side streets next week to find bargains. Shop your favorite stores and boutiques to find products at incredible discounts. Most local retail businesses will participate, offering up to 80% off regular retail! Glassworks and Cheeks and Feathers will offer the best deals of the year! Savvy ...
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How a company's sales and growth can be affected by the message it conveys to customers.
July 18, 2023
Allbirds stock is down 95% since its November 2021 initial public offering. People may say the company launched the wrong products (did you buy one of their puffer jackets?) or tried to grow too quickly. I believe there is a larger reason: you can’t scale a company by leading with an environmental message—which is Allbirds’s pitch. Consumers rank saving the planet as one of their least pressing concerns when making a purchase. The leading factors consumers look for when ...
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Shop Local analyzed the websites for the top-40 selling brands in the tabletop and giftware industry. We assessed what promotions and discounts, such free shipping, brands offer. Shop Local did this because a product's price, which is impacted by discounts, is often the leading factor when shopping online. 70% of the brands surveyed by Shop Local offer free shipping.
I was happy to see Tableware Today magazine share our experiences and lessons regarding the power of free shipping.
You're invited to read the article below:
.........................
THE LAST WORD
FREE SHIPPING PAYS OFF
by JASON SOLAREK
Most indie stores don’t have the technical ability or people power to track pricing and offer discounts like free shipping. Indie stores need this information or they’ll be left behind. This information can make a difference: in ...
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Bridge analyzed the websites for the top-40 selling brands in the tabletop and giftware industry. We assessed what promotions and discounts, such free shipping, brands offer. Bridge did this because a product's price, which is impacted by discounts, is often the leading factor when shopping online. More than 67% of the brands surveyed by Bridge offer free shipping.
The Wall St. Journal reports that Barnes & Noble has updated its subscription discount program. Previously, it had one tier that was $25/year. Now, Barnes & Noble has a two-tier system. There is a free program that offers rebates based on what you spend, and a $40/year program that gives you rebates plus more discounts and some perks at its cafes.
The new memberships are meant to help the bookseller better compete with Amazon's Prime and Walmart+.
How to promote post-wedding discounts to registrants to receive more orders for unpurchased items.
February 7, 2023
Your Bridge has a new feature: You can now promote post-wedding discounts on unpurchased registry items to your registrants. Your store can turn this feature on or off. This discount keeps your business competitive with major registry players (e.g. Zola may offer a 20% discount).
If you choose to offer a post-wedding discount, you can offer the following percentages off:
5%
10%
15%
20%
Once the feature is turned on for your store, the post-wedding discount is promoted to ...
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More than 65% of brands surveyed by Bridge offer free shipping, while just 14% of indie stores do. Brands often charge just $118 to quality for free shipping, while stores charge $190 (a $72 difference). Where would you shop?
Bridge analyzed the websites for the top-40 selling brands in the tabletop and giftware industry. We assessed what promotions and discounts, such free shipping, brands offer. Bridge did this because a product's price, which is impacted by discounts, is often the leading ...
Read More