Merchandise Midweek: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Shopping Season!

We know you’re not quite recovered from your sugar coma, but the end of Halloween signals the three Ss of the holiday season - shopping, shopping and shopping! Before you head out in the cold and snow to hit the hot and crowded malls, take a peek at what we’re anticipating being some of the most popular items and categories of the 2014 season.

From fashion and fragrances to fitness and fun (yes, there are a lot of Fs) you’ll find something great for everyone on your list – all ages, interests and price points! And remember – while you’re busy running around, making lists and shopping ‘til you drop, there’s no harm in picking up a little something special for yourself! Hey, you earned it!

FASHION

Citizen® Ladies' Two-Tone Stainless Steel with Swarovski® Bezel Watch

Add some sparkle this season with the Swarovski® Bezel Watch. It features a two-tone stainless steel bracelet, a round 26mm case with Swarovski crystal bezel, mother-of-pearl dial with gold-tone stick indices, minute track, day and date window and luminous hands.

Citizen® Men's Black Dial Stainless Steel Watch

Industrial detailing sets a masculine tone on this watch by Citizen®. It features a stainless steel bracelet, round 38mm case, black textured dial with silver-tone Roman numerals, date window, stick indices, three hands and logo, quartz movement and is water resistant to 100m.

FITNESS

Fitbit® Flex™ Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband

Drop those holiday pounds with Fitbit® Flex™. Wear this slim, stylish device all the time and get the motivation you need to get out and be more active. It tracks steps, distance and calories burned and shows you how you’re stacking up against your daily goals.

Garmin vívofit™ Fitness Bracelet

vívofit™ learns your current activity level, then assigns an attainable daily goal. As you meet your milestones, vívofit will adjust your goal for the next day, gradually nudging you toward a healthier lifestyle. Earn virtual badges and view your progress at the Garmin Connect™ online community.

FRAGRANCE

Georgio Armani Acqua Di Gio 1.7-oz. Men's

This fragrance for men is a scent of freedom, full of wind and water – perfect harmony of salty sea water and sunny Mediterranean warmth play on the skin. Bitter citrus, rosemary and spices are softened by a woody base with a warm, musky trail.

Marc Jacobs Daisy

Always elegant, always enchanting, but not too serious, Daisy is a sparkling floral bouquet, spirited and fresh, wrapped in comfort and warmth with vintage edge. Sophisticated with a touch of whimsy, violet captures the eclectic, timeless flavor of Marc Jacobs' groundbreaking feminine designs.

FUN!

Bose® QuietComfort® 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® Headphones

Enjoy your favorite holiday tunes like never before with Bose®. Proprietary Active EQ and TriPort® technologies give the music you love a deep, clear sound. At the same time, noise cancelling technology monitors the noise around you and cancels it out, helping you focus on what matters.

iLive™ Bluetooth® DUO Wireless Headphones + Speaker

Fill your head – and the world – with music. With the flip of a switch, Duo transforms from headphones into a portable speaker system. Listen wirelessly with Bluetooth® or attach the included audio cable to listen to non-wireless devices, offering amazing versatility.

LG 49/55-inch Smart 3D LED UHDTV with WebOS, 2160p

Watch your favorite holiday classics on the 49” or 55” Smart 3D LED UHDTV, which pairs the stunning clarity of ULTRA High Definition with elegant Cinema Screen design. Witness the breathtaking quality of both 4K and near-4K: the Tru-ULTRA HD Engine converts your SD/HD video to near-4K resolution.

Loopdeedoo™ Spinning Loom Kit

Design friendship bracelets and make them in minutes with the Loopdedoo™ spinning loom. It's fast, easy and fun. Just wrap the threads around the Loopdedoo device, turn the knob, guide the thread and minutes later it’s done! Make necklaces, anklets, belts and more for almost instant holiday gifts!

Playvisions® Sands Alive! Deluxe Set

Consisting of all-natural ingredients, the sensation of Sands Alive! is similar to cookie dough yet totally dry to the touch. Pack it hard to make roads, then lift it up and watch it flow. Mold it into hard, durable shapes and with a soft touch, it will break apart and appear to move, almost as if it were alive!

Merchandise Monday: Trends from the Trade Shows

PART 2 - PPAI Expo

We continue our trade-show wrap-up with a visit to the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Expo, which took place in Las Vegas on Jan. 14-18, the week following CES. The PPAI Expo is the largest promotional products show in the industry, and if you’re looking for something new, you’ll find it here – along with over 11,000 promotional consultants and 1,400 suppliers in the grand exhibit hall.

PPAI is all about branding. By definition, a brand is the "name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies one seller's goods or services as distinct from those of other seller's." Initially, branding was the act of burning a symbol into an animal’s skin with a hot iron stamp as a means to differentiate one’s cattle from another. This tactic was subsequently adopted in business, marketing and advertising – albeit somewhat less painfully.

 

Top Emerging Trends

From colors and textures to lifestyle and entertaining, new trends were out in full regalia at PPAI this year.

Let’s focus on fashion. As they say, everything old is new again. Neon from the ‘80s and brilliant pops of color ignite everything from clothing to accessories in 2013. Gold and black jewelry are on the rise, along with chunkier watches and bangle sets. Black diamonds are back, and rose gold is a must have.

Fashion handbags are getting bolder and brighter, as well. Patent leather is hot for spring, and cross-body style bags, which are perfect for commuters and multi-taskers who need their hands free, are trending right now. Pick one up with a pop of neon and you’ll be the trendsetter of your social group!

Are you a thrill-seeker? Well 2013 looks to be your year. Experience and lifestyle options were a big trend at PPAI. Everything from outdoorsy activities to unique adventures is emerging as popular categories. Coinciding with this, the health and wellness category is trending with products for working out on-the-go and staying healthy while traveling.

Speaking of outdoor living, backyard entertaining was also a big trend this year at PPAI, and portable and space-saving grills are all the rage. The latest grills are lighter-weight and easy to clean but still offer all the grilling space and quality you need when creating an outdoor meal for your family or your whole block.

 

This is just a smattering of the trends and products emerging this year. Check back frequently for updates via our weekly “Merchandise Monday” column right here on Hinda Blog!