Back in the USA

Good news for American manufacturing (and American jobs): Trendwatching predicts that "again made here" will be one of the top 10 Trends for 2013. They quote a recent statistic from Perception Research which shows that "Four out of five US shoppers notice "Made in the USA" claims and labels, and are more likely to purchase that product."

Not only is the timing for this trend perfect for improving the American economy, but it also "will be welcome news for executives concerned by rising labor costs in China, long lead times and fragile global supply chains," according to Trendwatching.

Magnetic Poetry  is one of our suppliers that is moving as much of their production as possible back to the US. "We've had a lot of customers ask if our products are made in the US," according to a member of the Magnetic Poetry sales and marketing staff. "Sourcing our products domestically allows us to do smaller orders, be more nimble with our inventory, and increase the number of titles we carry."

There is a downside to this trend, of course, for manufacturers abroad. "We had a good relationship with our partner in China," reports Magnetic Poetry, "and they employed a lot of people."

Looking for products that are American-made? The upcoming trade shows are a perfect opportunity to expand your offering in this category. The New York Gift Fair has set up a Made in the USA section on their web site that makes it easy to see different options for domestic products, although their Handmade section will feature many more.

Be sure to put up signage on the products in your store that are made in the United States. Many label manufacturers, including Uline, sell rolls of Made in USA stickers that you can add to any items that don't already have a flag on them.

Let's make this a great year for American manufacturers as well as shopkeepers!

Due to trade shows and other travels, the Specialty Shop Retailing blogs will be posted a bit irregularly this month (and there will be no entry for the week of January 28).