Home > News & Events

News from Shop Local & Bridge

  1. News from Us
  2. News from Members
  3. Events
  4. Press
  5. Strategy: Dollars & Sense
  6. Profile Stories
  7. New Software Features & Updates
  8. Training Calendar
  9. Training Videos
  10. Jobs
  1. News from Us
  2. News from Members
  3. Events
  4. Press
  5. Dollars & Sense
  6. Profile Stories
  7. Updates
  8. Training Calendar
  9. Training Videos
  10. Jobs
+ Bridge in the News - Bridge in the News

363 Results:

March 30, 2023 MARIPOSA LAUNCES TRAYCHIC
Chalk 22505 picture
MARIPOSA LAUNCES TRAYCHIC
March 30, 2023
MARIPOSA HAS ADDED A NEW CATEGORY WITH THE CLEVERLY TITLED TRAYCHIC, A COLLECTION OF 50 STYLISH HEAT-SAFE TRAYS COMPOSED FROM A STATE-OF-THE-ART RESIN COMPOUND APPROVED FOR FOOD AND SAFE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

MARIPOSA – the Massachusetts brand launched almost 40 years ago by Livia Cowan, who had a vision that tableware could be created from 100% recycled glass and aluminum – brings that same sustainability agenda to a new category, TrayChic! (exclamation point all theirs). “...
Read More
March 20, 2023 Tableware Today: Free Shipping Pays Off
Chalk 22467 picture
Tableware Today: Free Shipping Pays Off
March 20, 2023
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 ...
Read More
March 14, 2023 THIN and SIMPLE
Chalk 22445 picture
THIN and SIMPLE
March 14, 2023
THIN AND SIMPLE says it all, a perfect moniker for Pampa Bay’s latest juggernaut, a throwback to the shapes and looks the company achieved in stainless steel, its one-time material of choice, a decade ago. Then, in 2016, Carlos Barbagallo, president and owner, decided to segue into the dishwasher-safe, tarnish-free porcelain that looks like metal, using a proprietary, state-of-the-art technology that’s neither painted nor glazed. “Thin and Simple is our homage to the looks we ...
Read More
March 2, 2023 Honoring Our Peers
How we can honor those that came before us in the retail industry.
Chalk 22397 picture
Honoring Our Peers
How we can honor those that came before us in the retail industry.
March 2, 2023
The founder of Juan Pollo Chicken, Albert Okura, passed away last week at the age of 71. Mr. Okura envisioned Juan Pollo, a fast food chain with 25 locations in Southern California, as a household name that would someday sell the most chicken in the world. He believed in this so much that he bought the site of the original McDonald’s restaurant, located in San Bernardino, CA, in 1998—not to turn it into a Juan Pollo restaurant but rather into a museum to honor his fast food industry....
Read More
February 23, 2023 Save the Date 🗓️
How we can celebrate indie stores and promote sales by hosting a Save Local event.
Chalk 22369 picture
Save the Date 🗓️
How we can celebrate indie stores and promote sales by hosting a Save Local event.
February 23, 2023
When one thinks of shopping locally, some consider it an act of charity. One may pay more and get less selection. That’s not a recipe for success. In contrast, the world’s most successful retailers, Walmart and Amazon, operate on just the opposite principles: low prices and massive selection. When I’m in Walmart's Panama City Beach location, it’s so massive I feel like I’m in the Giants' stadium. Amazon sells 12m items on its website (350m if you count the third-...
Read More
February 2, 2023 Tableware Today: GRANNY CHIC NOSTALGIA
Chalk 22331 picture
Tableware Today: GRANNY CHIC NOSTALGIA
February 2, 2023
There’s nothing quite as cozy as grandma’s house. It’s like a warm snuggle of home cooked meals, fresh cut roses from the garden, doilies, chintz, needlepoint, vintage furniture, wallpaper, a breakfront china cupboard, Earl Grey in a collection of English bone china teacups, and lavender oil that soothes the senses and transports you to carefree days of yore.

The Granny Chic or Grandmillennial trend is all the rage, particularly among millennials. It’s an expression of...
Read More
January 31, 2023 Networks: Let's Tango 💃🏽🕺🏼
How integrating a messaging service into our e-commerce platform can help us acquire new customers.
Chalk 22325 picture
Networks: Let's Tango 💃🏽🕺🏼
How integrating a messaging service into our e-commerce platform can help us acquire new customers.
January 31, 2023
It takes a lot of people to build a bridge, but just two to tango. This applies to the analog world as well as the digital one. In the digital space, I'm using tango to refer to messaging between two people. I believe messaging is a service we can add to our offering to diversify how our company Shop Local grows.

Different Networks Require a Different Number of Users in a Group
Andrew Chen in The Cold Start Problem states that a key difference among network models is the required minimum ...
Read More
January 26, 2023 Zola: A Rotten Gift to Indie Stores?
Chalk 22310 picture
Zola: A Rotten Gift to Indie Stores?
January 26, 2023
Our retailers recently told us that customers are calling and asking about non-existent brides, and brides are asking about non-existent registry gift lists (e.g. wedding registry lists, baby lists).

We investigated the issues and below is what we found. 

What is Happening:
We found that many of these purchases are coming from registrants that open a ‘universal registry’ on websites such as Zola or MyRegistry. These universal registry services allow the registrant to add ...
Read More
January 10, 2023 Even the World’s Best Restaurant is Concentrating on E-commerce
Chalk 22273 picture
Even the World’s Best Restaurant is Concentrating on E-commerce
January 10, 2023
Noma, the world-famous Copenhagen restaurant, is closing to concentrate on e-commerce.  Excerpt from the Times:

“Noma will become a full-time food laboratory, developing new dishes and products for its e-commerce operation, Noma Projects, and the dining rooms will be open only for periodic pop-ups.”


This change supports the breath and power of e-commerce, and portends coming changes for our retail industry.  It’s not that one can’t eke out a ...
Read More
December 28, 2022 Referrals: Johnny Softwareseed 👨‍🌾 🍎
Chalk 22245 picture
Referrals: Johnny Softwareseed 👨‍🌾 🍎
December 28, 2022
In the book The Cold Start Problem, Andrew Chen says that the 'network effect’ is really three effects: 
  • The acquisition effect 
  • The engagement effect
  • The monetization effect 

In the beginning, a business seeking to build a network has to concentrate on acquiring users, even if they are non-paying. Companies often give away the service, especially software companies, and we can see that with Facebook, Slack, TikTok, and many others.  Bridge didn’t do ...
Read More
December 19, 2022 Celebrate the Festive Season with Brilliant Venice Glassware
Chalk 22216 picture
Celebrate the Festive Season with Brilliant Venice Glassware
December 19, 2022
Beatriz Ball’s bestselling glassware celebrates traditional glassblowing techniques in three popular styles.

The brilliantly clear Venice GLASS Collection from Beatriz Ball is notable for its light-catching rippling texture, elegant forms and ease of use. Each piece is a unique work of art; 100% mouth-blown and hand etched. Each sold as set of four, Venice glasses add a lively touch to any setting.
·     Cheers! The elegant Venice Champagne Flute is...
Read More
December 7, 2022 Savannah Bee and Ivystone Team Up For National Representation 🐝 🗺️
Chalk 22175 picture
Savannah Bee and Ivystone Team Up For National Representation 🐝 🗺️
December 7, 2022
I was happy to learn that our friends at Savannah Bee and Ivystone have expanded their relationship. Savannah Bee, a partner in our Bridge Product Syncing service, has expanded its representation with Ivystone, also a Bridge partner, to cover more sales regions. Ivystone will now cover the honey brand across the country, supplementing the brand with 85 sales reps. (Previously, Ivystone only represented the brand in the Northeast.)

Please read the press release below.


Savannah Bee Company...
Read More
December 1, 2022 The Price is Right 🛒
Chalk 22157 picture
The Price is Right 🛒
December 1, 2022
When we talk about prices, there are two prices that are important: 
  • The price that we charge clients.
  • The price our clients charge their customers. 

We normally talk about the former, aka how our prices compare with other competitors, like Shopify or wholesale services like Faire. 

Of increasing importance to us is what our retailers charge their customers.  Walmart recently announced that it was taking brands to account and pressuring them to keep ...
Read More
November 2, 2022 Fight the Power ✊ ~ Activists and Advertisers
Chalk 22256 picture
Fight the Power ✊ ~ Activists and Advertisers
November 2, 2022
Last week, we talked about the power of advertising and how Dietrich Mateschitz, the co-founder of Red Bull, wielded it by sponsoring Mini Coopers, fringe sporting events, and Formula 1 races. Advertising makes a statement and helps people change their minds—specifically to make a purchase. There are people who do similar things in order to change society. We often call them activists. Activists and advertisers possess a similar skill set. In 1950, Ian Hamilton stole a stone slap ...
Read More
November 2, 2022 New Baobab Bohomania Candles At Glassworks!
Chalk 22091 picture
New Baobab Bohomania Candles At Glassworks!
November 2, 2022
Baobab created rich and colorful prints with the expertise of Japanese paper craftsmen, bringing forth the Bohomania collection of sublimated glass with a shiny finish. The paper is dyed in natural pigments that form a random print with the folding technique of origami.
The Kilan scented candle is made in a glass with a shiny effect that allows the flame to shine through. The graphic pattern that covers the glass is a delicate blend of blue-gray and celadon green, with a texture similar to ...
Read More
October 3, 2022 Just in time for Halloween!
Chalk 22026 picture
Just in time for Halloween!
October 3, 2022
Our Wicker collection is getting a brand new color today! The Wicker placemats, coasters, and trays in black are perfect for Halloween entertaining, yet elegant for year-round use. The Wicker line features an intricate woven design, replicating the technique you see on wickered products. High design and easy of care, the perfect combination! View Post
September 27, 2022 New Feature: A Registrant Can Request Redemption of a Gift
Chalk 22011 picture
New Feature: A Registrant Can Request Redemption of a Gift
September 27, 2022
We've added a new feature to your Bridge account: a registrant can now request redemption of a gift purchased on their registry. 

When a registrant is logged in to their registry, they will see a "Request redemption of this gift" button next to items that have been gifted to them and that have a qualifying order status. The registrant can click the "Request redemption of this gift" button and fill out the form with the details of how they would like their gift to...
Read More
September 23, 2022 Vanity 🪞
Chalk 22005 picture
Vanity 🪞
September 23, 2022
Today’s Gen Z gift registrants want to do everything online, often on their iPhone 14. They want to start a registry, add products, remove products, edit quantities, and view purchases. They don't want to call the store to do this.   

In the adoption of digital tools, another trend is also at play: female shoppers are busier than before. Today, more women graduate from college than men. Women are increasingly doctors, CEOs, and world leaders. (Italy just welcomed its ...
Read More
September 19, 2022 Do We Have the Wright Stuff? 🛩
Chalk 21984 picture
Do We Have the Wright Stuff? 🛩
September 19, 2022
In the early 2000s, the board game Cranium became a hit.  The game combined elements of Scrabble and Pictionary with the goal of helping more people enjoy playing a game. Richard Tait, who created Cranium and sold it to Hasbro in 2008 for $77.5m, passed away in July.  Like Mr. Tait, I had been a paperboy, but he went beyond what I ever offered:  he came up with a new service that sold breakfast sandwiches along his newspaper route. He increased profits and made customers happier. ...
Read More
September 14, 2022 California is suing Amazon
Chalk 21972 picture
California is suing Amazon
September 14, 2022
For the last 10 years, Bridge has been building software to support indie, brick-and-mortar stores.  We watched in 2018 as 230 city leaders competed to give the world’s richest man money to bring his tech company to their city. After awarding an HQ to NYC, Amazon tried to bully NYC. When Amazon wouldn’t get its way, it broke off the deal.  We see in today’s news more evidence of the same bullying behavior. We’re happy to see that the tide has turned and ...
Read More

Next page

Press: Shop Local & Bridge in the News
Tableware Today Column: Saying I Do To Registries
Tableware Today Column: Saying I Do To Registries
October 2024

Tableware Today: New Leaderboard Column from Shop Local
Tableware Today: New Leaderboard Column from Shop Local
August 2024

Shop Local Helps Indie Merchants in Florida Get Google Sales Leads 🔍
Shop Local Helps Indie Merchants in Florida Get Google Sales Leads 🔍
April 2024

Shop Local Helps Indie Merchants in Tennessee Get Google Sales Leads 🔍
Shop Local Helps Indie Merchants in Tennessee Get Google Sales Leads 🔍
April 2024

Shop Local Helps Indie Merchants in Louisiana Get Google Sales Leads 🔍
Shop Local Helps Indie Merchants in Louisiana Get Google Sales Leads 🔍
April 2024

Shop Local Helps Indie Merchants in Delaware Get Google Sales Leads 🔍
Shop Local Helps Indie Merchants in Delaware Get Google Sales Leads 🔍
April 2024

Shop Local Helps Indie Merchants in Pennsylvania Get Google Sales Leads 🔍
Shop Local Helps Indie Merchants in Pennsylvania Get Google Sales Leads 🔍
March 2024

Shop Local Helps Indie Merchants Get Sales Leads in Mississippi
Shop Local Helps Indie Merchants Get Sales Leads in Mississippi
March 2024

Shop Local Merchants Are 60% of Google Page 1 Results in South Carolina
Shop Local Merchants Are 60% of Google Page 1 Results in South Carolina
March 2024

Shop Local Merchants Are 50% of Google Page 1 Results in Georgia
Shop Local Merchants Are 50% of Google Page 1 Results in Georgia
March 2024

Shop Local Helps Indie Merchants Get More Sales Leads than Big-Box Stores Using Google
Shop Local Helps Indie Merchants Get More Sales Leads than Big-Box Stores Using Google
February 2024

Shop Local Retailers Rank on Page 1 of Google in 60% of States
Shop Local Retailers Rank on Page 1 of Google in 60% of States
February 2024

...