SPREE Vegas Day 2 Continues to Wow the Crowd

Exhibitors at SPREE 2008 were busy taking advantage of record attendance on the show's second day, continuing to present a wealth of creative new products and business opportunities for the specialty retail market.

La-Tee-Da!, a Marshall, Texas-based maker of fragrance products for the home, got a lot of interest from attendees drawn to the company's elegant fragrance lamps, candles and reed diffusers that allow users to enjoy lovely fragrances in the home without lighting traditional scented candles.

"These are powerful fragrance vehicles," said national sales director Mike Connelly. "They eliminate cooking odors, pet odors, odors from smoking. We've had tremendous success in gift shops and boutiques. We're now moving to kiosks, because this product lends itself to demonstration."

For a personalized product unlike anything currently on the market, how about an encased photograph of yourself that will make you laugh out loud, and takes only a minute to make? Even the camera-shy are likely to enjoy the "pictures in motion" from Dinamix. The Madrid, Spain-based company has thrived in amusement parks, tourist spots and shopping-mall kiosks in Europe, and is now shopping for kiosk success in the US.

With only a PC, inkjet printer and a camera, the kiosk operator can take photos of customers that are encased instantly, then seem to come alive when you look at them from different angles. The result is an amusing one-of-a-kind photo.

"The average cost for the maker is 80 cents, for a product you can sell at retail for $8 to $10," said company owner Jose Neira. "You can make them wallet sized so the customer can carry them around, or larger. They are also very popular at corporate parties."

Most folks in specialty retail know what it's like to stand on their feet all day. Dominique Barteet is a pharmacist who knew that feeling all too well. She created Onesole Shoes with Soft-Step insoles and decorative interchangeable tops. Customers choose a sole, then choose from hundreds of fascinating and lively tops. That "comfie" top snaps in place and the wearer is ready to go. Tops include college insignias, monograms, personalized photos and much more.

"These are great shoes for travelers," Barteet said. "They have done very well in airports, hotels and gift shops, and also at our kiosk in Las Vegas. Kiosks are a market where we will expand. We're always coming up with new ideas and keeping things fresh."

Oceanside, Calif.-based Pillow Pets offers cute and amusing stuffed-animal pets that unfold into pillows. Customers can choose from a cow, turtle, bunny, duck and many other fun critters.

The company offers a start-up package for specialty retailers. "There are no franchise fees, and we include signage and a video," said VP of Operations Jennifer Telfer. "People who travel love them. You just pop them into your backpack. They are also very popular at baby showers."

Also popular with the new parents are personalized wall signs for children available through Avondale, Arizona-based Zoobeedoos. The company's personalized name signs come in a variety of designs, and sell well at malls, street fairs, home shows and other venues.

"People love to flip through the choices and find their names," said company spokesman John Priestley, one of several family members involved in the venture. "Some of them are amazed that we actually carry their names. Those who don't can make a special order that will be filled quickly."

SPREE sponsor Happy Feet based in Louisville, KY, highlighted the company's new licensed slippers from the 30+ NFL teams this year. "The new NFL line is very exciting for us," said President Pat Yates. "We're in our 11th year in specialty retail and our product is still a consistent strong seller year after year."

"This year our animal slippers line is so strong and continuing to grow from 10 styles to more than 70. The animal line is gaining the most steam for us this year—the quality, the look of them is so great that they've just gone through the roof."

Happy Feet has also cut its start-up costs by nearly a third. "With our start-up package this year an operator can start with just $1,000. We make it very simple. Of course we still get the 3-time of 3.5-times markup. Margins have increased on the animal line as well, with retailers now selling them for $24.00 instead of $19.99 and that's working very well. The products are a proven seller in many locations, an extremely successful concept that gives our 150+ operators significant margins."

Down the aisle at the Bella Pierre cosmetics booth, Rick Hanson, CFO and sales manager for the Los Angeles-based cosmetics powerhouse with more than 1,000 specialty retail locations worldwide, was busy non-stop showing off the company's revolutionary pressed, pure mineral cosmetics line that includes foundation, blush and bronzers.

"Our new Compact Beauty line is getting a fantastic response at the show," Hanson said. "We've created a way to compress the mineral makeup into a pressed powder that women love, and we're getting a great deal of interest in our start-up package from show attendees. The show's been fantastic for us. We're writing orders, making friends and moving forward in a way we didn't even think was possible."

"We're also introducing an amazingly beautiful new line of natural skincare products unlike anything out there, complete paraban-free skincare lines consisting of moisturizers, cleansers, toners, serums, anti-wrinkle products," he continued. "We've been R and D'ing the line for two years and we're very excited to premier a line that contains none—not one—of the harmful ingredients you find is so many cosmetics lines today. Today's women are searching for these types of products and Bella Pierre is ready to deliver the products that exceed their expectations."

All day long SPREE attendees were drawn to the CSS Access booth, where President Liad Biton demonstrated the San Diego-based company's real-time POS system designed specifically for cart and kiosk operators. "Our system is unmatched in the market," Biton explained. "Not only does our system provide specialty retailers with real-time sales and inventory tracking that allows them to instantly adjust their selling strategies, but we also release a new feature targeted only to specialty retailers every week, whereas other POS companies might introduce a new feature every six months—on a system that wasn't designed with the needs of specialty retailers in mind." (For the scoop on how Sea Spa Skin Care is using the latest CSS Access system to increase sales, read our SPREE Highlights Day 1 coverage.)

With the CSS Access system, "owners and managers can take control of their business and respond instantly to any lagging sales or inventory shortfalls," Biton explained. The key to the company's success is constant customer feedback. "We're always speaking with specialty retailers to build the features they need to improve their sales and increase their bottom line profits. When retailers use our system they are amazed at what they can accomplish with real-time sales and inventory tracking that gives them a way to effectively manage their businesses and identify new ways to boost profits."

Cheeseburger in Paradise

At the close of SPREE Vegas Day 2, exhibitors and attendees gathered at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville on The Strip for a few hours of relaxation and fun, thanks to sponsors CBL Properties, Developers Diversified Realty, Jones Lang LaSalle and Macerich. Guests sipped margaritas served at the 12-Volt Bar and snacked on (what else?) cheeseburgers and other signature Jimmy Buffet hors d'oeuvres. The crowd was buzzing with news of new deals made on the show floor and welcomed the chance to kick back and relax.

Look for more show highlights tomorrow as SPREE Vegas wraps up its last day!

Dan Bennett is a Las Vegas-based freelance writer.