Merchandise Monday-and-a-half: Man’s Best Friend Part II

Yesterday, we introduced to you a variety of accessories for your pet that just got added to Hinda’s assortment. Well, if you liked those products, you will love these, as well!

Brinkmann® Deluxe Pet Steps

The ultra-light yet heavy-duty Deluxe Pet Steps support a weight capacity of 200 pounds. Each step is padded for extra comfort and ease, and a non-skid bottom helps keep the steps in place. The fashion-forward furniture-grade fabric cover coordinates with any home.

Brinkmann® Mossy Oak Camo Weatherproof Pet Bed

Great for larger dogs up to 100 pounds, this bed features a durable water resistant camouflage print on one side and a solid matching khaki on the other. It is filled with ECO-FIRST™ recycled fiber fill for supreme comfort for your pet. This bed is easy to care for, just wipe clean with a damp cloth.

Brinkmann® Premium Orthopedic Pet Bed

Great for older dogs, this 25" x 35" pet bed features a 2.75" convoluted foam pad designed for pets up to 50 pounds. The cover consists of a warm plush sleep area with a polyester printed fabric bottom. This bed is easy to care for with a removable cover that is machine washable and dryer safe. 

Petmate® Designer 5-Cup Pet Bowl

Petmate®’s Heavyweight Designer Bowls combine fashion with function. This elegant feeding or watering bowl features the latest in fashion design and durable construction with its innovated sloped design, double-wall construction and non-skid rubber feet that protect your flooring.

Petmate® Plush Soft Side Kennel Cab® Pet Carrier-Large

This soft-sided pet carrier is ideal for traveling, whether a quick trip to the vet or a trip across the country. The Kennel Cab features a removable zebra print faux-fur comfort pad with a removable cover and plastic lined bottom for easy cleaning. The mesh side and front panel provide excellent ventilation, and adjustable shoulder and hand straps make transport a breeze. This carrier is airline-approved by most domestic and international air travel carriers.

Petmate® Ultra Kibble Keeper

The Ultra Kibble Keeper features durable, eco-friendly plastic, an extra wide-mouthed lid allowing for easy access and is created with Microban® antimicrobial protection to fight the growth of stain and odor-causing bacteria, mold and mildew. The translucent container makes it easy to view food level and holds 20 pounds of food. 

Petmate® Walkabout® Retractable Leash for Dogs

This leash allows your dog greater freedom while remaining under your supervision. Ergonomically designed to comfortably fit any hand, it features trigger-style index finger control for quick action and a tangle-free inlet to keep the webbing from getting twisted inside the housing.

Merchandise Monday: Man’s Best Friend

For many of us, our cats, dogs and other pets have become bona fide members of the family, sharing beds, furniture and food scraps with us, our children and anyone else who may enter the realm of our animals.

Why not treat Fido or Fluffy to a little something that is just for them? Hinda has just added a terrific variety of pet items to its assortment, from beds and scratch posts to carriers and food dishes and much more. These are items your pet definitely won’t want to share – and you’ll finally have the bed all to yourself again!

Brinkmann® Round Fleece and Flannel Pet Bed

This stylish pet bed features a printed flannel bottom with a solid thermal fleece sleep area. A decorative plaid bone appliqué tops off this decorative bed and Eco-First™ recycled fiber fill offers your pet supreme comfort for sweet dreams any time of day or night.

Burley® Tail Wagon® Pet Transport

The Tail Wagon is the perfect way to include furry family members in your outdoor adventures. The trailer can be adjusted to carry large or small dogs and features a flip-down tailgate for quick loading and a suspended, removable floor for easy cleaning. Also compatible with stroller kits for go-anywhere convenience. 

Petmate® Booda® Wobbling Treatball

This brightly colored wandering snack machine is bound to keep your pup’s interest! The round shape puts it in motion with the slightest touch while the weighted bottom helps it to perpetually pop back to the upright position. Your pup will be rewarded as the treats dispense during play.

Petmate® Clean Response Swivel Bin and Rake

Clean Response makes cleaning up pet waste easy! This first-of-its-kind set is so easy to use, you will have a new outlook on having doody duty. Simply add a liner to the bucket, set the bucket next to the waste and use the rake to move waste into the pan.

Petmate® Deluxe Fresh Flow® Purifying Pet Fountain

Perfect for multiple cat or dog households that love fresh flowing water, this award-winning fountain features continuously circulating water and a unique, patented no-splash water-slide. The re-circulating flow and filter provides naturally cool and oxygenated water, attracting pets to drink more in order to help promote their health and well-being.

Petmate® Lean On Me™ Scratch Post for Cat

This scratch post lends sophistication and style to any home décor, featuring a wide base, no-skid rubber feet and a fashionable scratch pad made of natural jute. Catnip “reservoirs” at the top of the post give cats multi-sensory play without the catnip mess. A unique toy attachment on the side comes with a feather toy, but can be replaced with any of your cat’s favorite toys.

Petmate® Portion Control Infinity™ Programmable Cat Feeder

Not only does this automatic feeder reliably deliver portion-controlled meals while you are away, it also eliminates the daily chore of scooping and measuring. The stylishly designed feeder features a large LCD screen and built-in meal counter and holds five pounds of food. The food hopper is conveniently transparent for monitoring food levels at-a-glance and has a handy twist-lock lid to keep food fresh and secure.

Is your best friend salivating over these items yet? Are you itching to gift your dog or cat with a bed, food bowl or scratch post of his or her own? Why not show your appreciation for your trusty pets with a brand-new toy just for them? They will love you even more than they already do – if that’s possible!

Your Monthly Check-Up: The Results are in!

Merchandise Monday: Serious Playtime

Here’s a piece of trivia for you: did you know that the trifecta of August, September and October is the most popular time of year to be born? It makes a lot of sense, too. With the onset of winter nine months earlier – November, December and January – people are most likely to stay inside and hibernate. You can draw your own conclusion from here.

To honor this yearly baby boom, here are several delightful items for babies and toddlers that have just been added to Hinda’s assortment. Why not redeem some points for the new addition in your life or start stocking up for holiday presents for the little ones?

Power Wheels® Disney Princess Lil’ Quad™

The Lil’ Quad is a cute ‘n sporty battery-powered four-wheeler for real driving fun fit for a princess. Designed with even the youngest of riders in mind, Lil’ Quad’s toddler-friendly features include simple push-button operation for easy stop and go, built-in footrests for easy on and off and a pretend cargo rack on the back for role-play fun. Your princess will enjoy driving a safe but exciting 2mph on hard surfaces and grass.

Fisher-Price® Luv U Zoo™ EZ Clean High Chair

Here’s a high chair that makes mealtime much more enjoyable because cleanup is so easy. An Easy Clean Strap System adjusts from the back – out of baby’s sticky reach – and has coated straps you can just wipe clean. Other great features include a spill-resistant, machine-washable seamless pad with no crevices to trap crumbs and a full tray cover that’s dishwasher-safe. Plus, it’s easily maneuverable for your convenience and brightly colored for your baby’s enjoyment.

Fisher-Price® Loving Family™ Dream Dollhouse

Welcome to the grandest of estates! With elegant styling, nine spacious rooms and four lovely floors, your family of mom, dad, toddler and baby will feel right at home. Lift the center tower to reveal a special secret room for teatime, playtime or whatever your little girl can dream up. Other unique touches include sparkling lights in the chandelier and bathroom sconce, a long winding staircase, fun songs and realistic sounds. Talk about a dream home!

Fisher-Price® Servin’ Surprises™ Kitchen and Table

Now kids can make, serve, share, pretend, sing and more like never before with this kitchen and a table in one. The “magic” serving tray brings the role play to life for kids when it recognizes the food they’re serving with songs and different phrases like “Who wants pizza?” or “Mmmm, cookies!” There are also songs to teach kids about manners and cleanup. Speaking of cleanup, all the place settings and food pieces store right inside the table when playtime’s over.

Fisher-Price® Discover 'n Grow™ Deluxe Musical Mobile Gym

A big cozy mat below, seaworthy friends dancing above and a dazzling musical mobile that lights up and spins – great for keeping baby comfy and entertained. Spinning movement, dancing lights and lively music stimulate your baby’s senses. The seven detachable activity toys make for easy transportation so your child can play at home or on the go. This fun toy encourages self-discovery and keeps your baby entertained.

Fisher-Price® Luv U Zoo™ Jumperoo™

Welcome to Luv U Zoo! In the spinning seat, baby can look around, and everywhere he or she looks there’s something fun to do with an animal friend – spinning, jumping, rattling and more. It’s safe jumping fun rewarded with lights, sounds and music. Luv U Zoo is great for developing baby’s motor skills, stimulating the senses and enhancing learning through discovery. It’s a great way to keep your baby entertained while you make dinner or tidy up!

Is it just us, or are you also a little jealous of some of these fun toys? Ah, to be a kid again! Playtime is one great reason to spend as much time as possible with your kids, grandkids and the other kids in your life. It’s such an important part of being a child that we adults just don’t get enough of. Did you have a favorite toy as a child? Have any of your childhood possessions made the trip into adulthood with you? Anything you can’t and won’t part with without throwing a tantrum? Take a time out and leave us a comment below!

Merchandise Tuesday: Accessorize Your Favorite Accessory

They didn’t exist a few years ago, but now you can’t leave home without it. It’s your iPod®/iPhone®/iPad®, and it is your most prized possession, containing all your important data, favorite songs and movies – pretty much your whole life in a lightweight, portable, stylish device.

And now your favorite electronic accessory begs for accessories of its own, and from projectors and speaker docks to cases and solar chargers, Hinda has the assortment of iAccessories you’re looking for.

Brookstone® iConvert® Scanner for iPad® Tablet

Tame the paperwork jungle in your life by getting a scanner for your iPad. The iConvert Scanner captures sharp, detailed JPEG images and saves them directly to the photos folder of your iPad or iPad 2.  Organize and prevent losing all your important documents whether at home, at the office or on the go. Preserve everything from family photos, genealogy records and children’s artwork to meeting notes, resumes, receipts and expense sheets. 

Brookstone® Pocket Projector for iPhone® 4 Devices

The Pocket Projector for iPhone 4 is perfect for on-the-go travel entertainment. Its super-bright LED projector lamp ensures clearer, more brilliant videos and iPhone Slide Shows than other pico projectors. Its 640 x 360 resolution projects up to 50" images and the integrated 0.5-watt speaker delivers the audio. Great for keeping kids entertained with their favorite videos on the road – simply dock your iPhone 4 device and project onto any surface!

Grace Digital MatchStick Kindle Fire Speaker with Charging Dock

The new Grace MatchStick is designed exclusively for the Kindle Fire. Truly enjoy the multimedia apps that the Fire has to offer, such as Netflix, Pandora® Internet radio and even audio books. The full-range stereo speakers and charging circuit unleash the power of the Kindle Fire while keeping it fully charged when you are on the go. Whether you are listening to Internet radio, streaming your favorite TV shows or movies or simply need a quick charge, the Grace MatchStick is your Kindle Fire's perfect companion.

Griffin® AirStrap Carrying Case for iPad®

AirStrap's molded frame with thick, comfortable, contoured grips surrounds your iPad, protecting the edges without getting in the way of controls, camera and ports. Slip your hand under the wide neoprene strap on the back. AirStrap hugs your hand, making your iPad easier to hold whether you're sitting or standing, reading in a coffee shop or checking out the headlines as you ride the 6:45 in to work.

iLive™ Solar Powered Charger

The solar powered charger lets you harness free power from the sun to power your mobile devices and tablets. Set the solar powered charger in direct sunlight to power your device or to store power for later use. The included USB cable and adapters provide power for a multitude of devices, and the package includes a USB charging cable with connectors. Feel good about your carbon footprint when you recharge with the sun instead of a socket.

i.Sound® Twist Bluetooth® Speaker and Speakerphone

The Twist Bluetooth Speaker and Speakerphone features a 30’ transmission range for wireless music streaming, a built-in microphone with advanced noise cancellation for crystal clear speakerphone calls and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that offers five hours of continuous playtime.  The package comes with two speakers, a subwoofer and works with any device that has a 3.5mm audio plug. Now all the great songs you enjoy on your MP3 device can be shared with the masses.

i.Sound® Universal Car Mount

The Universal Car Mount is fully adjustable to display your device at any angle. It provides 360-degree rotation for horizontal and vertical viewing and features a heavy-duty suction cup, hands-free talk, soft padded brackets and both an air vent attachment and a windshield attachment that work with your iPhone®, iPod®, Smartphone or GPS system. Don’t leave home without this handy system.

Speck MagStylus for iPad®

Designed for more responsive drawing, handwriting and gaming on your iPad or other capacitive touchscreen device, MagStylus adds something many other styluses don't: a magnet. The magnet locks your stylus on to your iPad when not in use and enables the iPad's sleep/wake function. The MagStylus features a rubberized tip for maximum control and flexibility.

It’s truly amazing all that you can do with your cell phone, MP3 player and tablet PC these days. Almost makes you wonder what you ever did without it, right? What are some of your favorite gadgety accessories? Which do you use most, and what comes in the handiest in your life? Why not use your device to leave us a comment below?

Hinda Goes Global: Part I

“Our industry can no longer think globally only in terms of the places we send people and the products we carry. We must now think globally in terms of complete business opportunities…” This quote comes from the Incentive Research Foundation’s (IRF) 2012 survey “Incentive Industry Trends.” The results of this survey found that, by the year 2015, more than 50 percent of Brazilians, Indians and Chinese will be considered “middle income” consumers.

Furthermore, in January 2011, Google searches on “employee engagement” were 10 times higher in India than in the US, five times higher in Singapore and four times higher in South Africa. India is now ranked third in searches for “employee recognition” – just behind the US and Philippines, and is just behind the US in searches for “sales incentives.” This shows immense promise for incentives services overseas.

Here at Hinda, we’ve introduced infinitE℠ Global, our online awards assortment for the international market. Loyalty trends show that the growing middle class populations in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are eager for opportunities to participate in loyalty programs. However, at this juncture, only about 20 percent of foreign-owned businesses have their own programs. We see this as a great opportunity to start diving into some of these markets with infinitE Global.

The crux of our program is having the flexibility to provide multiple types of incentive and recognition programs to multiple audiences. We’re offering in-country global award solutions to more than 50 markets and providing awards that are culturally and financially relevant for each participant. Coinciding with this, we are offering technology and services that consolidate global programs and reduce the administrative burden on these global companies.

We have over 46,000 merchandise items and 1,300 different brands on offer in our global catalogs, including big names such as Gucci®, Nintendo®, Microsoft®, Wilson®, Apple®, Samsonite®, Black & Decker® and Dyson®. Stay tuned for our next post in this series, where we’ll discuss our customer service standards and processes, accessing infinitE Global and our plan for marketing our new product – besides this blog series, of course!

Dave Peer Participates in Incentive Mag’s Annual Industry Roundtable

Dave Peer, Hinda’s president and current president of the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA), was invited to participate in “Incentive” magazine’s 11^th Annual Industry Roundtable, which took place this past spring in the boardroom of Apella™ in Midtown Manhattan. The Roundtable involves the insights and expertise of 11 top-notch players in the incentive industry. This year’s discussion centers on the return of incentives and the growing importance of ROI and wellness.

“We’re seeing some dramatic changes in redemption patterns,” Peer says about what’s popular in merchandise lately. “Electronics, for Hinda Incentives, is now the No. 2 redemption category. I’ve never seen that before; electronics was always on top, whereas household products like single-serve coffee makers, vacuums and so on, are now our No. 1 redemption category.”

Another key discussion point is gift cards and where they currently fall on the incentives spectrum. At Hinda, we are seeing a leveling off traditional gift cards as a rewards option, and Peer explains the three-fold reason for this.

“The first is, there’s a growing recognition by program sponsors that the gift cards’ economics are inferior to other reward options,” Peer explains. “The second thing is that the gift card in general has an inferior trophy value [compared to merchandise]. The final thing is the introduction and development of digital media – music downloads, movie downloads, book downloads – which are addressing a key space that gift cards occupied in an awards structure at the lower dollar value, the logistics, the ease [of use and administration].”

One of the questions posed to the panel states, “The industry learned the hard way to pay attention to politics in the last few years. What’s the outlook?” Peer refers to the recent GSA scandal and the IMA’s response as an example when he says, “We are trying to pull together various groups so that we can be more effective in Washington, so that we can be more proactive rather than reactive. That was recently reflected in our response to the General Services Administration scandal, where the wasteful expenditure of government money by amateurs really had a negative impact. We were able to get out there and respond quickly. There’s an ongoing effort, and we’re not done.”

Read the full Roundtable discussion in the September issue of “Incentive” magazine. In the meantime, watch videos of what the panelists had to say outside the boardroom at www.incentivemag.com.