If you want to greatly increase the odds that your new products will not just meet but will exceed your sales expectations, do what Zibra did: systematically consult the people who actually buy and use those products throughout the design and development process.

If you want some help in figuring out how to do that, I can help. I am passionately committed to helping housewares manufacturers increase their sales and profits by giving them actionable insight into the one group of people whose opinions really matter – the people who are going to actually buy and use the product.

Interested? Send me an e-mail or call me at (602)840-4948.

What Effect will the Economic Downturn Have on the Housewares Business?

Every time you turn the TV on, you hear more bad news about the economy, the housing market, and gas prices. How is the economic downturn going to affect your business?

Find out in Riedel Marketing Group's 7th annual trend report. Housewares TrendTracker 2008 provides in-depth information about the trends that will be impacting the home goods and housewares industries over the next several years...including the impact the economic downturn and soaring gas prices are going to have on consumer spending on housewares and home goods products.

Housewares TrendTracker 2008 is based on consumer research conducted by Riedel Marketing Group with the company's proprietary 100-member panel of HomeTrend Influentials (HIPsters).

You can purchase Housewares TrendTracker 2008 from our online store now. The report is available for immediate download upon purchase. Click here.

What Do Women Want?

Now more than ever, women will only buy products that deliver at least one of these four benefits:

• The product has to make our life easier, more comfortable
• The product has to save us time or money
• The product has to help us simplify our lives
• The product has to help make our home a haven.

If a new product does not deliver one of these benefits - or if you, the manufacturer, has failed to TELL the consumer via packaging and other consumer marketing tools that your product delivers one of these benefits - then the product is not going to do well.

Do your company’s new products make our lives easier, more comfortable? Do they save us time or money? Do they help us simplify our lives? Do they help us make our homes into havens? Does the packaging effectively communicate the benefit? Something to think about…

Have American Eating Habits Changed Over the Past Few Years?

The answer to that question is a resounding YES. I just conducted an online click-through survey with the HomeTrend Influentials Panel. I asked them if they are eating dinner at home more often now or less often now than they did two years ago. Almost half of the HomeTrend Influentials said they are eating dinner at home more often now. I also asked them if they are eating out more often now or less often now than they did two years ago. Almost half of the HIPsters said they are eating out less often than they did two years ago.

The reasons for these changes are not just because of the economic downturn and soaring gas prices. Yes, the economy is a factor. Many HIPsters are eating at home more and eating out less because they are trying to save money. But equally as many, if not more, are eating at home more and eating out less because they are trying to eat healthier.

I will be publishing a HomeTrend Brief on the cooking and baking habits of Americans in August that, among many other topics, details why HIPsters are eating at home more and eating out less.

If you would like me to notify you when this report is published in August, send me an e-mail or call me at (602 )840-4948.

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