Merchandise Monday: The Road to Redemption

Wow, where does the time go? We’re already well into the third quarter of 2012, which means it’s time for an update on redemptions from Q2! As with Q1, people love their gadgets. Apple® was a huge redeemer with the launch of the New iPad®, and Nikon® wasn’t far behind with its popular Coolpix® digital camera.

Another popular redemption category that aligns with Q1 is Home and Housewares. People are still redeeming quite a bit for coffeemakers and cooking utensils. Overall, redemption categories remained relatively steady from Q1 to Q2. Let’s see how that will change as we move into the later months. What will holiday season bring? (We know, it’s waaay to early to even think about it!)

Top redemptions according to units fulfilled:

Pyrex® 18-Piece Glass Storage Set with Lids Wagan® Battery Jumper With Air  Compressor Apple iPod classic® 160GB Black     Titleist® Pro VI Golf Ball Dozen        Nikon Coolpix 16MP Digital Camera with 5x Zoom Apple New iPad 64GB for Verizon Apple iPod Touch® 8GB with FaceTime Keurig® Special Edition B60 Single-Cup OXO® 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set Garmin® nüvi® 30

 Top redemptions according to dollar value:

• Apple New iPad 64GB for Verizon 
• Apple iPod classic 160GB Black    
• Apple iPod Touch 8GB with FaceTime
• Nikon Coolpix 16MP Digital Camera with 5x Zoom
• Keurig Special Edition B60 Single-Cup
• Garmin nüvi 30                   
• Bounty Hunter® Tracker IV™ Metal Detector    
• Coby® 40" LED HDTV 1080p           
• Bose® QuietComfort® 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® Headphones
• Wagan Battery Jumper With Air Compressor  

Your Monthly Check-Up: An Increase in Health Insurance Costs Could Mean an Increase in Employee Wellness Programs

According to a new survey by the National Business Group on Health (NBGH), the costs of employer-provided health care is anticipated to go up 7 percent in 2013, prompting employers to consider different cost-control measures, including upping rewards for employees who commit to healthy lifestyles.

The NBGH surveyed 342 businesses with regard to their views on providing health care coverage to their employees and found that an increasing number of employees are in favor of wellness programs in the workplace, which could bode well for decreasing employers’ insurance costs over time if implemented successfully.

A full 19 percent of the employers surveyed consider wellness programs that incentivize employees to improve their overall health to be a strong cost-control option, as reported by Employee Benefit News. While 48 percent use incentives to encourage participation in general, some incentivize based on specific outcomes, such as smoking cessation and curbing BMI or cholesterol levels.

What’s more, the survey found that employers plan to drastically increase the incentive amount for participating in a wellness program or committing to a healthy lifestyle. The benefit to the employee is twofold – good health and great incentives for maintaining it – while employers get the reduction in insurance costs that will allow them to spend the money saved to improve other areas of the business.

Read more on this topic here and here.

Merchandise Monday: Back to School!

Depending on whether you’re the parent or the child, this is either the best or worst time of the year for you. Late August means back-to-school time, and parents can breathe a sigh of relief that they no longer have to wrack their brains for new ways to entertain their children during break. Kids, on the other hand, are most likely not looking forward to early mornings, evenings full of homework and the death of what was most likely the “best summer ever!!”

Treat your kids to something fun from Hinda’s new assortment of cute back-to-school items. They’ll thank you for gifting them with something cool they can show off to their friends, and you can rest assured they won’t do too much whining and complaining on that rough first morning back.

Sassafras® Penguin or Lady Bug Lunch Bag

These adorable lunch totes are lightly insulated and have a divider inside to keep a sandwich separate from a cold drink. The bags can be hand-carried or slung over the shoulder comfortably with the adjustable nylon strap. Bags clean up easily with a swipe from a damp cloth. Your kids better beware of lunch thieves when you pack these fun bags full of goodies!

Sassafras® Penguin or Lady Bug Pull-Along

These bright and fun pull-along bags are the perfect way for your kindergartener to tote art projects or overnight accessories. Adjustable straps let kids carry the bag on their backs as well as a kid-sized trolley for walking to school or through the airport. This fun alternative to the standard backpack will make your kids excited to leave the house and get to school.

Sassafras® Homework Timer

The Homework Timer is a great way to keep kids on track and help them develop their sense of time. This clock features an apple design and counts down from one hour. The sooner the homework is finished, the sooner the fun can begin!

Have you finished all your back-to-school shopping for your kids? Are you anxious for them to get back into the classroom, or are you going to miss seeing them so much during the day? Do you have a cute or funny story about that bittersweet – and sometimes awkward – first day back at school? Share with the class in the “Comments” section below! 

Merchandise Monday: This Round’s on Us

Is it your turn to host the next girl’s night, poker game or dinner party? Why not update your collection of home bar accessories with one of these choice items that have just been added to Hinda’s assortment? From fun, unique glasses to useful tools and storage options, you’ll be serving your guests in style, not to mention showing off your great new conversation piece!

Kelsyus® Floating Cooler™

Keep your drink chilled and within reach at the same time. The Floating Cooler attaches to any Kelsyus® float and floats in any body of water. The soft-side cooler compartment features a lid and holds up to 18 cans or 12 cans with ice. Six numbered cup holders prevent beverage mix-ups, and the whole thing folds up into an easy carry bag when not in use. The pull-out liner makes for easy clean-up. Take this to your next pool party or beach outing, and stay hydrated.

 

Metrokane Houdini Wine Tool Stand

Open, serve and preserve your favorite vinos with the Houdini Wine Tool Stand. This all-inclusive bar set features a lever-style corkscrew with Houdini’s distinctive look and ergonomic handles, an extra spiral, a pourer/stopper, a wine/champagne sealer, a foil cutter and the corkscrew. Like magic, the Houdini pulls a cork in three seconds flat with no more broken corks, and the coordinating tool stand makes a permanent home all of the included wine-serving tools. Sit back, relax and enjoy!

Metrokane The Wine Bar™

More than a just wine rack, The Wine Bar is the center for serving wine at home. Select a wine from the rack and the tools you need to open and seal it are at your fingertips. When not in use, simply return the tools to the handy slots provided. Because it folds flat, The Wine Bar saves space, and its carry handle makes it easy to move around your home or out onto the patio – even with wine bottles. This is a great gift idea for a housewarming, newlywed couple or any wine appreciator on your list.

Sagaform® Rocking Whiskey Glasses

There’s nothing “stiff” about these playful drink glasses. Let the good times roll with this set of six 6.75-ounce rocking whiskey glasses from Sagaform. These precision-made glasses rock but won’t knock over and are perfect for your home bar. Serve up happy hour drinks or a night cap in these unique, Roger Persson-designed glasses.

Enjoy happy hour any day of the week with this army of home bar items at your disposal. Why go to a bar when you can host your friends or coworkers in the comfort of your home? Have a favorite cocktail recipe? Share it with us in the “Comments” section below!

Merchandise Monday: A Life Aquatic

Summer is such a fleeting time of year – why not squeeze the maximum amount of fun out of it while you can? These new additions to Hinda’s awards assortment will help you do just that. Grab your family and friends and get out on the water for some wet, wild and, if you prefer, relaxing good times!

Rave Sports® Aqua Jump 200 with Launch and Log Northwoods

Get ready for some serious summer fun for the whole family with the Aqua Jump water trampoline. This revolutionary water toy features a floating trampoline, Aqua Launch and Aqua Log – and it can also act as one giant raft when you need a rest from all the launching.  This “water park” is 20’ in diameter and comes complete with Rave Sports' High Speed Inflator/Deflator and Anchor Connection Kit. You’ll have a hard time heading back to dry land after a day on this fun floating contraption!

Bombardier® Sea-Doo® GTX 155

When you’re in the mood for a real wet and wild thrill, hop on the Sea-Doo GTX watercraft and start making some waves! More fuel-efficient than most competitive models, the Sea-Doo GTX boasts iControl™ technologies for a completely intuitive experience. This is the “brain” that integrates and controls all systems to create the best possible ride. The hull is constructed of lightweight material to reduce drag for nimble handling and rail-tight cornering. Also, the iBR (Intelligent Brake and Reverse) system is the world’s only on-water braking system. Get ready for a highly enjoyable summer when you take this vehicle out on the water.

2012 Sun Tracker® Fishin’ Barge® 22 DLX w/60 ELPT FourStroke BigFoot Motor

Gather family and friends - and don’t forget to invite some fish! Whether fishing or partying, the Fishin’ Barge is like a playpen for the whole crew, with everyone securely enclosed within the spacious deck. Ultimate safety features, top-notch construction and supreme luxury provide for all-day comfort and non-stop fun. Spend your day fishing, swimming and sunbathing. Then when the sun goes down, turn up the music and get ready to party the night away! With room for 10, everyone will enjoy their time on the Fishin’ Barge.

Now, this is just a sampling of some of the more unique summer items available at Hinda. We’ve got plenty more boats – and plenty of less-intense but still mega-fun summer items to choose from. Whatever your preference, just make sure you get the most out of the last few weeks of summer before it slips away!

Happy Birthday to Dave Peer!

Last Friday, the whole office gathered together to celebrate the birthday of Dave Peer, Hinda’s president. The day started out business as usual. Our quarterly meeting was about to wrap up in the warehouse when all of a sudden, music started blaring and “Puddles,” the mascot for the Oregon Ducks football team, came running out from between the aisles to surprise Dave for his birthday. As you can see from the pictures on our Facebook page, Dave is probably the world’s biggest Ducks fan.

After the meeting, everyone loaded up on beef sandwiches, eggplant parmesan, sausage and peppers and salad from Ferrara’s. Mid-food coma, we were called into the kitchen for another surprise for Dave. Soulful singer Joselyn Sims came to sing “Happy Birthday,” along with hits by Aretha Franklin and Beyonce. Safe to say she did a much better job than we would have done. After her serenade, everyone enjoyed Dave’s birthday cake and tried their hardest to concentrate on work for the rest of the day.

Happy birthday, Dave! We hope it was the best one yet!

Check out pictures from the party here.

Hinda Celebrates Therese Brisard’s 40th Anniversary

Today marks a very special event here at Hinda. Our longtime employee, Therese Brisard, celebrates her 40^th anniversary with the company. According to Hinda’s founder, Ben Arkes, Therese was Hinda’s third employee when she joined the company.

In honor of Therese’s loyalty and dedication to Hinda, the staff enjoyed a delicious lunch earlier this week catered from Uncle Joe’s as well as a beautifully decorated cake from Pastel. If you’ve been keeping up with us on Facebook, you know that we do quite a bit of eating at Hinda, and everyone welcomed the afternoon lunch break.

After lunch, the staff gathered around the cake and listened while Ben and Michael reminisced about Therese’s early days at Hinda. Ben remarked that it’s been a “beautiful time” having Therese on staff, and Michael commented on her agile ability to adapt to the ever-changing world of technology.

“Forty years ago, Therese used a typewriter to create multiple copies of an invoice,” Michael said. “As our business grew and the company’s needs changed, Therese adapted and fulfilled new roles. She was the sole computer operator for our first two IBM systems. She later mastered three additional computer systems. Most people do not adapt well when change occurs, but Therese accepted change and always learned the new skills necessary to continue to be a valuable Hinda employee.”

Everyone clapped and cheered when Ben presented Therese with her 40^th anniversary plaque. It was very obvious that Therese has been a beloved member of Hinda’s staff for all these years, and this is truly a milestone to be celebrated among the Hinda family.

“In my time at Hinda, I have enjoyed watching the company grow and I am proud to have been able to contribute to its success,” Therese said. “It has been a wonderful ride over the years and I look forward to working with you for many more!”

Check out our Facebook page for pictures from the party!