WSA seminar programme unveiled
Organisers of the WSA show, which will take place in Las Vegas from July 31 to August 2, have revealed a series of seminars that will run during the event.
The first is a free session entitled ‘Step-by-Step Orientation for Buyers New to The WSA Show’, which will help buyers learn the ins and outs of navigating WSA and discover the tools available to them.
The second is entitled ‘How to Run a Successful Store, Part 1’, run by Mercedes Gonzalez (Global Purchasing Companies). It will include information on selecting the best location; deciding what, where and how much to buy; using retail mathematics; and applying advertising and promotions ideas.
This will be followed by ‘How to Run a Successful Store, Part 2’, also run by Ms Gonzalez. Key topics will include growth strategies, merchandising, sales team hiring and training and loss prevention.
Seminar four is ‘Pantone Color Trends for Spring/Summer ’10 and Beyond’, delivered by Leatrice Eiseman (Pantone Inc). Ms Eiseman will share the colour palettes, shades and themes for spring-summer 2010 and autumn-winter 2010-2011.
The fifth session is ‘Spring-Summer 2010: The Los Angeles Perspective’, given by Fran Sude (Design Options). She will explain the west coast influence of apparel colour, print and silhouettes on footwear and accessories for younger consumers.
‘Fashion Trends for Spring-Summer 2010’ is the next on the list and will be given by Ellen Campuzano (fashionFACTSfolio). The seminar will provide a trend overview to point retailers in the direction of what their customers will be buying for the spring-summer 2010 season.
Seminar seven is entitled ‘CPSIA: Positioning Your Brand to Stay Ahead of the New Product Safety Law’, presented by Nate Herman and Kevin Burke (AAFA), Matt Priest (FDRA) and Virginia Nesbitt, Maguire Woods and Andrew Farhat (Intertek Consumer Goods). It will help attendees prepare for the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which will usher in a whole new set of rules and requirements on product safety with effect from August 14.
Sharon Leicham (merchandisingHUB.com) will give a seminar on ‘The Ins and Outs of Visual Merchandising: What's Hot, What's Not’. She will present new trends in visual merchandising and teach retailers how to adapt them to their stores.
The penultimate session will be ‘Getting Started Selling On the Internet’, presented by Chris Finken (OrangeSoda Inc). It will highlight simple steps business owners can take to prepare for an online presence.
Finally, a seminar entitled ‘Your Inventory Heart’ will be given by Paul Erickson (RMSA Retail Solutions). Starting with the basics, this seminar will share alternative concepts, techniques and formulas to improve cash flow, gross margin and sales.
There will also be a series of workshops at the show including: ‘Selecting the Right Supplier: Certification and Regulations, Karla Magruder (Fabrikology International); ‘Green 2.0: Concept of Doing Business Right Rather than Doing Something Green as a Trend’ Karla Magruder; ‘Speed to Market, Part 2: How to Manage Your Supply Chain to Get Product to Market Faster’, Mercedes Gonzalez; and ‘Fashion 101 for New Designers: How to Crash into the Business’ Mercedes Gonzalez.
