CINDY`S HOSPITAL GIFT SHOP MANAGER’S NEWSLETTER January 13, 2010 Published and Copyrighted by Cindy Jones, your resource for hospital gift shop consulting and design. This newsletter provides managers an opportunity to exchange success/horror stories and share your thoughts on industry hot topics. My goal is to provide you with useful information and a forum for getting your questions answered. --There are over 1,500 hospital gift shop managers presently benefiting from the information in Cindy’s free newsletter. We'll include items that we feel have an interest to a large number of our readers. Have you sent your tip this quarter? Send them to: cindy@cindyjonesassociates.com. --I believe that our readers are professionals at all levels. While we try to keep the content at a reasonably advanced level, we occasionally post items for folks newer to hospital gift shops. Also, I try to weed out the things I think are too much of a "duh" or are self-promotional. So, please, send the ideas that make your shop sing. I will decide if I think it will be of sufficient interest to enough of our readers to post. --Remember, your "dues" for this free e-newsletter are to contribute responses and tips for the benefit of other readers. What have you done lately that seems to be working? What have you tried that you think might work for your colleagues? New ways to increase sales? --Please share what you've learned recently? --Try to get right to the point. The less of the "story," the better. Think of Dragnet: "Just the facts" -- just the tip or question that would be useful to other readers. Whenever we make edits, they are to increase brevity and clarity. To reduce my time spent on editing email submissions, please ensure they: - Are written clearly, - Are easy to understand and have proper grammar, spelling and punctuation. - If you are mentioning a vendor, please include the phone number or website address. - Do not type it in caps. Please, no string of dots…… Complete sentences are appreciated. --PLEASE don't be offended if I decide not to post your tip. It might be for any number of reasons, such as, we just had a similar discussion a few issues back. --We take no responsibility for the accuracy of the postings. All contents of the postings are the responsibility of the posting party. --NO ARCHIVES Sorry, I have no way to archive topics and information from past bulletins. I recommend you save copies of this newsletter so you can retrieve the information you need. Please add your name, hospital name and location each time you submit an entry. REPRINT WITH CINDY’S PERMISSION ONLY Cindy’s newsletter is not to be copied and posted in any ezine, print newsletter or on any Web site without prior permission from Cindy Jones. You may share one issue with a fellow manager but they must go to my website to subscribe for future issues. <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> FROM CINDY FROM CINDY FROM CINDY <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> 2010 STATE ASSOCIATION CONFERENCES (Please send me information for your state conference if it includes a session on gift shops.) 2010 CAHHS (California Association of Hospitals and Health Systems) Health Care Volunteer Leadership Conference & Exhibitor Show, March 17-19, 2010, Hyatt Regency, Sacramento, CA. www.calhospital.org The GIFT SHOP MANAGER'S ASSOCIATION OF OHIO will hold its annual educational conference on March 21-23, 2010 at the Columbus MarketPlace, Columbus, Ohio. The cost of the conference is $80 for 5 seminars, a wine and cheese reception, 2 continental breakfasts, 2 lunches and 1 dinner. Please contact Maureen Moomey, 419-690-7509, maureen.moomey@promedica.org. <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> GIFT SHOP COORDINATOR POSITION, Southeast Georgia Health System, Brunswick, GA GIFT SHOP MANAGER’S POSITION, Universal Health Services, Inc., Auburn Regional Medical Center, AUBURN, WA Also visit: http://www.indeed.com/q-gift-shop-manager-jobs.html <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> CINDY’S SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS I would love to be a presenter at your next state conference. Learn all the newest and hottest tips for greater profitability and improved shop management. My seminars cover: --Shop Design: Learn how to maximize your retail space for increased sales and expanded customer service. This workshop focuses on how to create a unified shop design through traffic patterns, fixturing, displays, shop image, space utilization and signage. --Visual Display Ideas: See and learn valuable display ideas from a wide collection of slides from shops all over the US. Learn how to let your imagination soar to get the best in display. --Merchandising: Learn about merchandise planning, balancing your inventory and buying for profitability. 2009 Referral: Suzanne Lester, AFHAV, Florida, and les1612@aol.com. <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> 2009 MANAGER’S SURVEY RESULTS The survey results are free TO ONLY THOSE that participated in the survey. To order your free copy, please email me with the following information: Name Title Volunteer or paid? Hospital Name Hospital Address (not home address) City, State, Zip Gift Shop Phone If you did not participate in the survey, you may purchase it at my website. The 2009 Surveys, answered by 167 full-time and 73 part-time paid hospital gift shop managers, provides the results to the following questions: - What is your annual base salary?? - Do you receive an annual merit increase based on performance?? - Do you receive full benefits? - ?Do you receive a discount on personal purchases?? - How are you paid?? Who do you report to?? - What are your shop's annual gross sales (after sales tax)?? - What is your shop's annual net profit?? - What is the total number of (on-site) hospital employees? - ?Square footage of your shop (not including stockroom)?? - Do you attend one or more major gift shows a year? - ?Do you use a purchasing plan (OTB) when you go to market?? - How often did your stock turn last fiscal year?? - Does your shop have it's own credit card for buying merchandise?? - Does your shop accept employee payroll deductions?? - Does your shop accept credit cards?? - Are fresh flowers contracted out to a local florist? - ?If yes, what percent of profit does the shop receive?? - Do you have an inventory control cash register system (Point of Sale)?? - If yes, name of company purchased from?? - What was initial cost of POS system?? - ?Does your shop office have a computer?? - If yes, do you have Internet service?? - What software do you use?? - What company provides your most successful lobby fundraisers?? - What percent of profit do you receive from lobby sales?? - How much do you mark up your merchandise?? - How often do you change your displays? The results of this survey are valuable to compare yourself and your hospital gift shop to over 185 other managers and hospital gift shops. Get the 2009 Managers Survey for only $15, available for immediate download in PDF format (viewable with free Adobe Acrobat Reader*) when you purchase with a credit card online at my website. As soon as your payment information is verified, you will be sent (electronically) the Paid Managers Survey 2006 for immediate viewing. OTHER REPORTS AT CINDY’S WEBSITE (www.cindyjonesassociates.com) - How to Conduct A Physical Inventory, A Step-by-Step Guide - Promotional Signs for Your Shop (32 pages of signs) - 12-Month Action Plan - How To Implement A Payroll Deduction System - Hospital Gift Shop Benchmarks <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION IDEA You probably guessed my suggestion — how about a resolution to regularly submit your “dues” so others can benefit from what you’ve learned? Send ’em to me! Thanks for all of your great feedback throughout the year. This newsletter could not exist without your contributions. PLEASE SUPPORT THE LOYAL ADVERTISERS SHOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS NEWSLETTER. <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> AT MY BLOG For a sample ‘Floral Request For Proposal’ and a report on ‘Inventory Levels & Sales Per Square Foot’ please visit my blog, www.hospitalgiftshops.blogspot.com If this is the end of your fiscal year, be sure to establish a BUDGET for the year. Visit my blog for a sample: www.hospitalgiftshops.blogspot.com <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> CUSTOMER LOYALTY PROGRAMS • Issue an employee appreciation card for a 20-30% discount to be used once per quarter, • Invite employees to sign up to enter an end-of-the-month drawing for a $20 gift certificate, • Mail each hospital employee a discount card to be used once during his or her birthday month. • Customer loyalty programs are also popular. See below. EXAMPLES #1 Gift Shop Preferred Customer Program Enjoy rewards throughout the year. After spending $250 (excluding stamps, tax and sale items), you’ll be given a $25 credit to use on your next purchase. Just complete the attached form. EXAMPLE #2 Sign up for our Preferred Customer Loyalty Program. All we need is your name, email address and employee ID number to enroll. Every time you make a purchase using your employee ID number, we track the amount you spend. For every $200.oo spent, you will automatically receive a $10.00 store credit towards your next purchase. N cards to carry – all you need is your employee ID Number! Please fill out the information below and drop this form off at the Gift Shop or sign up for this great program on your next visit. EXAMPLE #3 “For every $5 purchased, you will receive one punch. After your card is completed, redeem this card for a $25 coupon good toward your next purchase. Card must be presented at time of purchase. Punches given for regular price items only excluding sales tax.” What better ways to say thank you to your loyal hospital employees? None of these methods will radically hurt your profit margin. <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> BUYING TIP Buyers must rely heavily on historical sales data, coupled with personal experience and their own intuition about market trends. HIGHER MARKUPS - Buy lines where you can take a higher markup - Don't dabble when buying - buy enough to make a statement <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> STAMPS ARE LIKE MONEY There should be a separate register key for stamps. Each starting fund should contain a determined number of postage stamps and/or books of stamps. At the end of the shift, the cashier balances out the stamps sold and enters it on the tally sheet. Stamps are like money; they have to be accounted for. Are they considered sales? If there is not a fee added on to the cost of the stamps, they are not a sale because there is no profit. If your shop charges a service fee as many shops do, especially for books of stamps, then there is a small profit and should be considered a `sale`. <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> FROM SUBSCRIBERS FROM SUBSCRIBERS FROM SUBSCRIBERS <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> GIFTBEAT’S WISH LIST TO VENDORS Can you see me shaking my head in complete agreement with this article! All of the items on the "wish list" were great, however, I must say that, in my opinion, shipping complete orders ranks #1. I am considering severing my ties, once again, with Ganz because of this. I don't think I want to order from them again until they are able to tell me, at the moment that I am ordering, whether or not the items I am ordering are in stock and assure me that my order, that day, will be delivered as placed. I have a folder full of Ganz paperwork that will most likely take me the better part of a day to figure out (I had to leave it all until after the holiday madness). If they are such a big company, why can't Ganz implement a system like Russ with laptop computers and the ability to tell you, as you order, whether items are available or not. --Mary-Anne Bush, manager, Seton Health St. Mary's Hospital, Troy, N.Y. <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> ACCEPTING CHECKS We quit accepting checks in March of 2008, and for the most part have not had any issues. If someone looks like they are going to write a check I point to our sign on the counter and say, “Is that your only form of payment?”…9 times out of 10 they say no, that they do have a credit or debit card. If it IS their only form, I tell them I’ll take it THIS time but in the future would appreciate a different form of payment. I was having so many issues before this so I don’t regret the policy one bit! (the policy is for everyone, not just outside shoppers) --Bev Bergt, Providence AK Medical Center Gift Shop, Anchorage, AK ACCEPTING CHECKS We started using TeleCheck in 2005 and what a relief! No more letter writing or going to small claims court to get our money for bounced checks. I believe we were set up through our merchant’s services. Call: 800-697-9263. -- Chris Lantz, Cheery Corner Gift, Elkhart, IN ACCEPTING CHECKS We stopped accepting checks over a year ago and have had no problem with this. We offer Mastercard, Visa and Discover as well as Employee Payroll Deduction...and of course, good old CASH!! --Mary-Anne Bush, Manager, Seton Health St. ACCEPTING CHECKS We use a company called CheckLaw (800-856-9225 or www.checklaw.cc). At the register, you slide the check through a reader (separate from your register - provided at no charge by CheckLaw), ensure that certain information is on the check (driver's license number, address, etc.), stamp the back of the check with a stamper they provide and get the customer to sign the stamp. The check reader will process and either say approved or "blue card" which means you should not accept the check. They provide little blue tickets that state that they are not allowing us to process the check at this time and gives their contact information in case the customer wants to follow up on the reason for refusal. Takes that part out of our hands. If a check is approved by the reader and still bounces, CheckLaw writes you a check for the amount of the check plus your bank fee, then they worry about collecting the funds from the customer. If customers call about their bad check s, we simply refer them to CheckLaw and they handle it. I have been very pleased with their service. --Jenn Maher, Baptist Health, Little Rock, AR ACCEPTING CHECKS I, too, had a problem with bounced checks this past fall/holiday season. After trying ‘No checks over $25 unless authorized by manager’ and still receiving bounced checks, I decided not to accept checks from the general public. With credit cards and debit cards, I didn't think this would be a problem, and it hasn't been. Now, the only checks I allow to be accepted are for the women who volunteer in the Gift Shop and employees - but they have to have my OK first. --Jackie Krispin, Director of Volunteer Services/Gift Shop, Mercy St. Charles Hospital ACCEPTING CHECKS We stopped taking checks about three months ago. We haven't heard too much from the customers about not being able to use them. They always seem to have some other kind of payment. We don't take checks from employees either. It is across the board. We were having trouble collecting the bad checks. --Jeannine Larimer, Saint Marys Hospital Gift Shop, Rochester, MN ACCEPTING CHECKS We haven't accepted checks for the last three years in our shop. With the wide spread use of debit cards these days, it is rare for anyone to even ask if we take them! --Evelyn Headings, DRMC Gift Shop, Palm Springs, CA ACCEPTING CHECKS We stopped accepting checks last January because of the same concerns. We only accept checks from employees, volunteers and auxilians. We have lost a few sales, but not many. Most people have debit cards, if they don't have cash and we have a lot less headaches trying to collect on bad checks. --Lisa Ackley, Gift Shop Manager, St. Elizabeth Healthcare ACCEPTING CHECKS We do not take personal checks. We had one returned a long time ago. That was the end of personal checks. Perhaps, if the gift shop volunteer knows the employee, we may, however, very rarely do employees want to pay with a check. So, we say no checks and post a sign to that effect. --Mary Brouty, Mercy Hospital ACCEPTING CHECKS We stopped accepting checks four years ago after a patient had five checks bounce and we never were able to collect. The finance dept told us to get in line...he owed the hospital thousands. We will take them from our employees or our volunteers only. We can track them down easily enough and follow thru if need be. We have an ATM in our lobby and we will gladly hold an item for one week if a customer has no means of payment. --Betty Karrer Shore Memorial Hospital, Somers Point, NJ ACCEPTING CHECKS Just implemented ‘No checks accepted’ in Oct. 09, received quite a few bad checks from employees/patients/visitors etc. Most customers have a credit/debit card so I have not had any problem. --Pat Paris, ?Gift Shops Supervisor, ?Mayo Clinic Phoenix Campus, ?Mayo Clinic Scottsdale Campus ACCEPTING CHECKS No need to debate! STOP taking checks! We do not and have not for 3 years. With credit cards and debit cards, you do not need to take them at all! --Dave Helmstadter, AGH, Pittsburgh, PA ACCEPTING CHECKS We stopped taking checks in June, 2009. We only take checks from our employees. We take MC/Visa/Debit cards and Discover cards and cash. We have not had any issues or problem since we stopped taking checks. We were having at least 3-4 bad checks a month. We are so pleased. --Sherry Moore, Hopkins County Memorial Hospital, Director of Marketing/Managed Care/Volunteers, Sulphur Springs, TX ACCEPTING CHECKS Our gift shop only accepts checks from employees and volunteers. We rarely have customers ask if we take checks. We have a sign posted with our accepted payment types and we also have a ATM machine on site. --Dawn A. Kolbe, Manager, The Look-In Glass Shoppe, Nanticoke Memorial Hospital, Seaford, DE ACCEPTING CHECKS We only take checks from hospital employees, volunteers and anyone that our volunteer clerks know personally and will vouch for (they have to initial the check to OK it. On employees we take an employee number and the extension of their department and for volunteers, we only write the word volunteer on the check. So far this year no bounced checks from any of the above. I believe checks are going away very soon anyway and debit cards are taking over. –Karon Rhodes ACCEPTING CHECKS We accept in state checks only with proper identification. I feel we are really lucky, maybe because we live in a small town in the Midwest and don't have as much crime as they do in the larger metropolitan cities, but we usually only have a couple of bad checks per year. We send a letter giving them a chance to come in and take care of it and we charge them a 5.00 fee. If we don't hear from them we turn them over to the county attorney who tries to collect for us. They charge us $10.00 a check to collect and we add that amount to the amount they owe us. Most of the time, we get our money back. –Pam Hill ACCEPTING CHECKS We only accept personal checks from employees. We also charge them the full fee if their check bounces. It rarely happens though and I keep a “Do not accept checks from the following people” list at the cash register, out of sight of customers, of course, but at a quick glance for the cashier. --Colleen DeSimone, Gift Shop Coordinator, Orange Regional Medical Center Auxiliary, Horton Campus, 60 Prospect Avenue Middletown, NY ACCEPTING CHECKS We have had a lot of discussion regarding checks at our Gift Shop. We still accept them, but for amount of purchase only. We also ask for ID and if it is an employee, we get their badge number. I have a list of names by the till of those that have cashed bad checks with us. We will not accept checks from those people. What I found interesting is that many of those people are employed by the hospital. The number of purchases paid by checks has dramatically dropped in the last year. I think more people pay by credit/debit cards than before due to most stores/restaurants in our area not accepting checks at all. We do not have payroll deduction, so I hate to cut checks out totally. I think it will be inevitable at some point though. Thanks for all the great info! --Kerri, Innovis Health, Fargo, ND ACCEPTING CHECKS In reply to Debra Cheek, Miffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL. We too had problems with "returned checks" and we now only take checks from hospital staff and volunteers. We did not receive a huge amount of returned checks but any is too many. --Georgie Robertson, ?Gift Shop Coordinator, ?Volunteer Department, ?Kennewick General Hospital ACCEPTING CHECKS We only take checks from hospital employees. This has cut down on our bad check debt by 95%. Nowadays, most people carry debit cards. --Deb Andreas, Swedish American Health System Rockford, Illinois ACCEPTING CHECKS Yes, we do continue to accept checks, however, we require photo ID/amount of purchase only along with the usual information everyone requires. There are fewer and fewer checks written as time goes on, and most by older customers. To refuse these customers their chosen way to pay would cut my sales, and I get very few “bad” checks. -- An Arkansas Gift Shop ACCEPTING CHECKS We take in-state personal checks from anyone with a valid driver’s license or state issued ID. Very few of today’s customers pay by check and very few of those checks are returned unpaid. We use a local paid check recovery firm for returned check collection. I would rather take a check than have folks charge a single stamp or a pack of gum. Thanks. --Vicki Grice, Auxiliary to Greenville Hospital System, Greenville SC ACCEPTING CHECKS We only accept checks from hospital employees and volunteers. I recently made an exception to a customer who claimed to be a retired employee. Guess what? The check bounced! The amount of the sale was only $13.83, but our bank charged us $20, so my generosity cost us $33.83. No exceptions from now on - it's better to lose the sale! --Heidi, Central Vermont Medical Center CHECKS ARE BOUNCING: We have lowered our maximum check amount to $50. Hospital employees are allowed to cash checks for up to $100. --Sabra Shields, Manager, Gift Shops, Sanford USD Medical Center <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> CHRISTMAS BEST SELLERS My best sellers were Mr. Christmas music boxes (http://www.mrchristmas.com), and I’m talkin’ the $300 retail ones!! I put them out really early, (October) and absolutely sell through them. In fact, for 2010 I’m planning on a much larger display. The Nutcracker with changing stages is magical and there are many more like it; starts the season off nicely. Another great “everyday” seller is the lamps from Eangee, www.defineyourspace.com. The giant series is 72” tall, cost is $159 and I sell them for $359.00. Couldn’t believe it myself, truly! Ph: 785-856-2999. -- Bev Bergt, Providence AK Medical Center Gift Shop, Anchorage, AK CHRISTMAS BEST SELLERS This year we had 2 displays that did extremely well. One was a neutral colored woodland display that had old world woodland Santa’s dressed in cream-colored clothing and rustic church lights from K&K. We had cute little snowmen dressed in cream with ski's from Delton, many different ornaments, from old fashion cream colored sleds to bronze reindeer. Our foliage was evergreen with cream-colored berries and pinecone that looked iced. It was a very large display that took up 4 double glass cube fixtures, within a week I had reduced it to half and by Christmas I had just a little spattering of merchandise left. It had lots of different looks to it but all worked together because of the color and woodland feel. The other display that did well was a cardinal display, which isn't really anything new but continues to do well. I had dishes from Certified International, I had linens from C&F and berry topiaries from Arteflorum, notepads from Brownlow and ornaments from Round Top to name a few things. Again, by Christmas I had only a handful of items left from this display. --Pam Hill CHRISTMAS BEST SELLER Our best sellers were Willowtree angels and expressions, perfume sets for ladies (especially Ed Hardy men’s fragrance), purses with crosses or a western theme (our rodeo starts in January), anything inspirational and for the past seven years, furniture, antiques or reproduction. CHRISTMAS BEST SELLERS Throws sold really well, animal prints, fleece, and soft cuddly ones. Many people had them monogrammed. We couldn't keep them in the shop. Purses and cologne, especially Ed Hardy, continue to be great sellers. --E. Fuller, OCMC Gift Shop, Camden, AR CHRISTMAS BEST SELLERS I had great success this holiday season with Jewelry, Fragrances and Lingerie. Thanks goodness for Direct Fragrances and their expertise. I followed Ariane's advice and our sales were through the roof!! --Evelyn Headings, DRMC Gift Shop, Palm Springs, CA CHRISTMAS BEST SELLERS Our best seller this year as well as the last 3 years is a small Snowflake tack pin from DM merchandise. We have sold out of them every year and I even tripled my order this year. . --Natalie, Stoughton Hospital <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> Cindy: Thank you again for the wonderful newsletter. We all appreciate the time and effort you put in. It is way past time for me to pay my dues again by sharing some information, so here it is. CHRISTMAS BEST SELLERS - My big hit of the season was the Kissing Crystals from Transpac. I bought the full display with the tree that included 48 of the large crystals and 24 of the small ones. I sold out in one week. I placed an emergency reorder that came very quickly and sold another 48 of the large crystals in a week and a half. This was when I wished I had had a crystal ball! I could have sold 3x that amount if I had them in stock. I was still getting calls for them during the week of Christmas. - We have been carrying the Miche Purses for over a year and have done tremendously well with them. However, this company sells direct to the customer on the Internet and has begun offering specials that I can’t compete with. And, they have opened up their line to “Purse Party Distributors”. Due to this, I’m considering the new competing line of interchangeable purses from Lindsay Phillips. GIFT ITEMS WITH VERY HIGH TURN RATES Fuzzy Footies from Red Carpet Studios, www.rcsgifts.com, 877-985-0405 Finders Key Purse and Hang ‘em High Purse Hooks from Alexx, www.finderskeypurse.com, 800-620-7295 Flip Notes from Wellspring, www.WellspringGift.com, 800-533-3561 Pouchees from Pouchee, www.pouchee.com, 864-335-0580 Bananagrams from Bananagrams, www.bananagrams-intl.com, 401-781-9649 --Sabra Shields, Manager, Gift Shops, Sanford USD Medical Center SALES UP We had a great Christmas this year, our sales were up alot. Two great lines we had were Miche Bags and Center Court. It was all I could do to keep up with reorders. --Georgie Robertson, ?Gift Shop Coordinator, ?Volunteer Department, ?Kennewick General Hospital CHRISTMAS BEST SELLERS Buckyballs, www.getbuckyballs.com Forever in my Heart lockets, www.wholesale-steel-jewelry.com Dangle leg Santa’s, snowmen and general and collegiate items from Hanna's Handiworks, http://hannashandiworks.com Greenleaf fragrance line, www.greenleafgifts.com --Marsha Haskett, Salina Regional Health Center, Salina, KS CHRISTMAS BEST SELLERS Our best sellers were anything that made noise including the musical snow globes. –Mary Brouty, Mercy CHRISTMAS BEST SELLERS I am on my 4th order of the Chipmunks from TY! They come as a set-6 of each of the 4 characters and people want more than 1 set. I received an order in this morning and they were gone and people are asking for more. Not a great big money maker but it sure makes the employees glad to be able to get these. I know when I called TY this morning, my rep informed me that they are running out so it could be a while before I receive them. --Pat Vogt, O'Bleness Memorial Hospital, Weatherby's Gift Shop BEST SELLERS Items that have sold well for us are Pashmina Shawls from Kelli's, 888-609-8860,. The Paisley ones walk out the door the minute we put them out in the Gift Shop. The price point is wonderful and they are quite beautiful. This past Christmas we sold beautiful Christmas Crystal Kissing Balls from Transpac-I only wish I had tripled my order because they all would have sold. Also from Transpac were animated singing animals like moose, dogs and snowmen that sold immediately. We had a large supply of Christmas night-lites (very unusual) from Midwest of Cannon Falls, 800-776-2075, that also sold so quickly. Their Sock Monkey collection (not Christmas) is an everyday seller and is wonderful. Candy Balloon Company, 800-822-6399 and their animated items also do well for us. We sell Donna Sharp Quilted purses, 502-543-4055, and they also sell well and we have a large inventory of Willow Tree Angels by Demdaco that sell over and over again. In years past we did quite a lot of purchasing from Dept. 56 and those items were big sellers. They have now been bought out by Enesco and we were very disappointed with what was available this year-we bought very little and what we did buy did not sell. We do large amounts of purchasing from Grassland Roads 914-345-2020, Russ Berrie/Encore 800-334-0426 and Demdaco 888-336-3226. We are fortunate to have great Reps. from these 3 companies and their products sell well for us. We are in a very rural area of the Northwoods of Wisconsin in a town with a small hospital but a large outpatient clinic and are well known in the community and the surrounding area as "The Best Kept Secret in Town". Many people that frequent our shop have seasonal homes here so it is a challenge to buy the things that appeal to our population and visitors. We have a wonderful jewelry buyer and a large inventory of jewelry that sells very well. We buy from Gold Standard, 800-589-4653, Silver Artisans 888-300-0494, Presque Isle, WI, NAO, 480-607-5201 in AZ, Viva Beads, Viva Enterprises 612-814-8334 and For The Journey, 763-785-1148, Minneapolis. --Marcie Ahmann, Volunteer Manager and Buyer, Howard Young Medical Center, Woodruff, WI BEST SELLING ITEMS This year we decided we were going to be just a "gift” shop with very little seasonal. As a result, we sold more "gifts" than ever before! Evergreen's monogram flags. Customers told me they actually knocked on stranger’s doors to find out where they bought it! Necklace/earring sets from Fancy, www.fancyimport.com. Awesome mark up and I would highly recommend. The key is to put take them off the cards and put them on black busts. www.magnabilities.com, a pendant that you can change inserts for. The pendant set retails at $20 and the extra inserts retail at $3.50. We've sold over 100 sets in 8 weeks DeVinci beads, Silver Forest and Jody Coyote earrings, CK Design, 231 826 3729, and rings from Covenant, rscovenant.com. Chamilia, www.chamilia.com, beads, charms Vera, Tervis Tumbler, Micki's Elegant Illusions, www.tmaonline.com, Heartstrings (OMG!!!), Tyler Candles, Handbags/accessories and SCARVES!, Hobo wallets, Naked Bee, Gourmet Foods, Purse hangers, Glassware (NOT LOLITA!), Any eco items , Greeting Cards – Avanti and Design Design, Natural Life WORSE SELLING ITEMS MWW Mini-plates, Camille Beckman, Thymes, Caspari, and Aromatique Cucina, Lolita!!! (except mini ornaments- go figure!), Lamps, and Walligraphy (wall art in general) <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> SELLING USED PAPERBACK BOOKS We have donated books, magazines and games but we keep them on shelves in the foyer of the Volunteer Office. Patients, staff, visitors and volunteers are encouraged to take what they want to enjoy and to donate similar material that is no longer being used. --Auxiliary to Greenville Hospital System, Greenville, SC <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> A GOOD CANDLE LINE Midwest-CBK (www.midwest-cbk.com) Colonial Candles have great prices and sell fast, Primal Elements (primalelements.com) has candles that are different. They have “bling” on the packaging and on the candle jar. We have had great success with both lines. --Sandra Munoz- Buyer/Manager Maricopa Medical Center A GOOD CANDLE LINE We use Yankee and have for years however, I'm afraid they are going to soon loose our business due to the fact that when they recently sold to someone else, they made the decision to sell to everyone, including lumber yards and now Target. We're going to wait and see if it affects our business. –Pam Hill, Good Samaritan Hospital, NE A GOOD CANDLE LINE I would recommend Tyler Candles, 866-895-3726. The product is wonderful and the company is fantastic to work with. The display is great. Most of the package quantities are set to fit on the shelves perfectly, but there is great small area for storage at the base of the case. We have to order backup that won't fit on the shelves because they sell so fast. --Jenn Maher, Baptist Health, Little Rock, AR A GOOD CANDLE LINE I've been selling Beanpod Candles with great success for the last couple years. Made in the USA with real soy! They have attractive display hutches also. Soy Basics, 866-394-6313. --Evelyn Headings, DRMC Gift Shop, Palm Springs, CA A GOOD CANDLE LINE We continue to do incredibly well with Wood Wicks. They are continually updating and improving their line/packaging and I can’t keep them in stock. --Sabra Shields, Manager, Gift Shops, Sanford USD Medical Center A GOOD CANDLE LINE The candle that I would recommend is Archipelago Botanical. The Excursion line is the one I prefer. They are unique and different, a little pricy but worth it. Men like these candles as well as the women. --Natalie, Stoughton Hospital A GOOD CANDLE LINE We started this past year with "A Cheerful Candle" made in Elmer, New Jersey, phone: 856-358-7750. They have all size jar candles with two choices of lids, plus an assortment of holiday candles. We reordered 3 times this fall. Customers kept coming back for more. The burn time on the MAMA jar is 220 hrs and the fragrances are wonderful. --Betty Karrer Shore Memorial Hospital, Somers Point, NJ A GOOD CANDLE LINE I don't sell lots of candles but feel that Beanpod soy candles were very good. People like them because they are soy and burn cleaner. www.beanpodcandle.com. --Pat Vogt, O'Bleness Memorial Hospital, Weatherby's Gift Shop <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> PAID MANAGERS I am looking for some information on auxiliary gift shops with paid managers. --Linda Trevillian, St John Hospital FROM CINDY I hope we hear from all you managers on this topic. Here is what I recommend: · Paid managers ensure day-to-day continuity of management and maintenance of financial records and reports. · Paid management should mean increased sales with a higher net profit. An experienced manager should be able to increase sales enough to pay for and justify their salary many times over. · The manager should be an employee of the hospital and report to an administrator or department head, such as, the director of volunteer services, development or finance. The manager should also indirectly report to the Auxiliary. The Auxiliary would provide performance feedback to the hospital administrator. · Hospital personnel should determine salary, interviewing, hiring, orientation to the hospital, supervision, annual evaluations, merit increases, discipline and termination. Salary and benefits should be paid by the hospital and reimbursed to the hospital annually from gift shop proceeds. · Reporting to a hospital administrator ensures that the manager is fully informed of all important hospital regulations, guidelines and policies, especially in the area of human resources. The Gift Shop Committee and Auxiliary Board can provide input through the manager’s supervisor · The Auxiliary Board of Directors is responsible for governance and setting policy. The Board should not be involved in the day-to-day operation of the shop. STAFFING · A hospital administrator (DVS) should serve as supervisor for the gift shop manager. · Volunteer leadership then works with the administrator to update job descriptions for staff. · The manager’s supervisor should work to improve the manager’s level of performance by setting clear-cut objectives to be accomplished within defined time frames. Bi-annual performance evaluations are recommended for the upcoming year. · Ensure that part-time staff are working to their full potential. Specific duties and responsibilities should be stated. A comprehensive training program that includes customer service training should be implemented. An educational allowance should be included in the budget to ensure the manager's attendance at related conferences, and workshops. Travel to gift shows should also be a line item on the shop budget. ___________________________________________________________ WHAT CAN BOARD MEMBERS EXPECT FROM A PAID MANAGER? • The Board can expect the paid manager to have excellent communication skills. • The Board can expect the manager to make quick adaptations and adjustments to continual turnover of Board members and their individual beliefs, philosophies and agendas. • The Board can expect the manager to have a strong sense of diplomacy and to align himself or herself with the Board’s decisions. • The Board can expect the manager to support the goals and objectives of the organization, sharing the same core beliefs as the Board members. • The Board can expect the manager to exercise leadership by building a successful team of staff and volunteer. WHAT CAN MANAGERS EXPECT FROM THE BOARD? • Shop managers can expect the Board to recognize and focus on their contributions and achievements, rather than their imperfections. • They can expect Board criticism to be based on objective fact, rather than subjective observation. • They can expect a Board that supports independent and innovative thinking. • They can expect a Board that provides on-going feedback in the form of constructive criticism, thus enhancing productivity and morale. • They can expect a Board that allows and provides authority for the manager to function and manage the shop. • They can expect a Board that is fair and sensitive to the demands of the position. • They can expect a Board that allows for occasional management shortfall or error. • They can expect a Board that encourages and perpetuates excellence in their manager. • Managers need the collective wisdom of the Board for decisions regarding mission, direction and values. They can expect the Board to represent governance, not day-to-day management of the shop. <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS Thank you for the reply to my request for a line of artificial flowers. We do already carry them and we carry fresh as well. We like to offer an alternative for those in our behavioral health unit who can't have the glass vase and for those in ICU who can't have fresh flowers. Actually, the artificial ones sell ok for us. What I am looking for are potted arrangements. Perhaps since I had no replies other than yours, I am one of the few that do carry them. --Marsha Haskett, Salina Regional Health Center, Salina, KS ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS We have decided not carry any artificial flowers any more. They didn't sell in our gift shop and we kept having to mark them down. We are going to try to sell potted artificial flowers like tulips and some kind in containers. No a lot though. This will be mainly for the patients in ICU and in restricted area. Jeannine Larimer, Saint Marys Hospital Gift Shop, Rochester, MN <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> NEED GIFT MARKET Now that the KC Gift Mart has essentially closed down (few vendors, new location), I'm looking for another gift market to attend. I don't want something so big that it's overwhelming. Any advice on which ones might fit the "smaller is better" bill? --Marsha Haskett, Salina Regional Health Center, Salina, KS <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> GANZ I concur with the negatives we have experienced from Ganz. We have dropped the line. In this economic climate, there are many other vendors actively seeking our business. A line that does not comply with our needs is easily replaced. --An Arkansas Gift Shop <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> NO TRANS FAT MidMichigan Health has asked the Gift Shop to comply with the No Trans Fat initiative. We found we only pulled one item that had Trans Fat. Thanks. --Sue Celini, Mid Michigan Medical Center, Midland, MI <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> HOW WE REDUCED OUR HEAVY INVENTORY To Chris in Elkhart: In March 2009, we held a March Madness Sale reducing everything 50% for one week. We sold over 5K. From then on, we marked all the old merchandise with orange dots, which indicated 50% OFF. At the same time, we continued to order fresh, new merchandise. In November we stopped selling the merchandise at 50% OFF because we had finally reduced to a point that was manageable. We wanted to at least get our money back from the merchandise. Believe it or not, the older merchandise sold as well as the new merchandise during the holiday season. Our November sales were up 45% from the previous year, and our December sales were right on track with last year. With 3 months into our fiscal year we are about 40% of our annual sales for the entire last year. Amazing progress. We also have experienced bad checks this holiday season and are also considering not accepting checks from people other than hospital employee s. --Pat Forest, NVRH, St. Johnsbury, VT <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> FLEECE BLANKETS I would like to know where Dave Helmstadter from Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA ordered the fleece blankets. Sounds like he doesn't need a "crystal ball" and everyone likes cozy fleece blankets. --Georgie Robertson, ?Gift Shop Coordinator, ?Volunteer Department, ?Kennewick General Hospital <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> GIFTWARE NEWS ISSUES Has anyone else had trouble receiving their Giftware News subscriptions? I received only 3 issues last year. The first one arrived normally but the last two I had to call or e-mail over and over again. I have the March issue, the October issue and just yesterday, January 6th I received the December issue. --Georgie Robertson, ?Gift Shop Coordinator, ?Volunteer Department, ?Kennewick General Hospital <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> SUPER SHOPPER CARD We offer a Super Shopper Card. We punch the card for every $5 they spend. When they spend $200 in six months, they get a $20 gift card to the gift shop. They love the program and it does drive business to the shop. To make it easy for them, we keep a notebook with plastic inserts for business cards so they can keep their Supper Shopper Cards in the gift shop and not have to worry about bringing them when they shop. It’s good for anyone who shops with us. –Robin Louis, Medina Hospital <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> TURNS Thanks, Cindy, for the inventory and turn information in your newsletter, which arrived today. Since subscribing to your newsletter, I have realized turns are important and recently arranged for our bookkeeper to include an average inventory and turns report each month with the financials. Since inventory on our balance sheet is at cost, the formula used by our bookkeeper is gross sales divided by inventory at cost. This is not one of the formula options in your newsletter. Can we still use it as a guideline for inventory management? --Connie Reger, Auxiliary Gift Shop Chairperson, St Joseph's Hospital Gift Shop, Syracuse NY FROM CINDY Glad to see that you are calculating your annual turn rate. Turn rates are typically calculated at the end of the fiscal year for the 12-month period. And they have to be calculated with either cost figures or retail figures but not both. ?1. Cost of Goods Sold divided by the Average Inventory at cost for the Period = Inventory Turns (Average inventory is calculated by taking the last period's inventory plus the current period inventory and dividing them by two) At retail formula: 2. Sales for the period divided by Average Inventory at retail for the same period = Inventory Turns You can get a ‘close enough’ turn rate by taking your ‘inventory at cost’ figure and marking it up following the ‘mark up pricing standards’ that your shop uses. <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> TAKING PHYSICAL INVENTORY We are working on our year-end inventory. We debate these questions often: - How should we account for items that are given to us as samples? - Or, items that are given to offset a fixture? We have always placed them in the shop for sale with a zero cost, recognizing, of course, that when sold it would increase our margin. (It could also offset any theft). If the item was unsold at inventory time, we didn't include the item in our count. What are other shop managers doing? Also, I recognize that our OTB is not really accurate because shipping costs are included in our numbers. What is the consensus --include or not include shipping for an accurate margin? At year end, the numbers don't match... Thank you for all that you do to make us better merchants! --Dianne Devine, Kingston, NY FROM CINDY I hope we get feedback from other managers. I would not worry about freebies influencing your inventory figures that much. Shipping costs should always be included in and considered part of your ‘cost of goods sold’. So, yes, they should be included in your annual financial report with cost of goods sold. Net Sales Less Cost of Goods Sold w/ shipping costs included Less Markdowns/Markouts Gross Profit on Sales <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> USED BOOKS We have been selling used books on a cart outside our shop for about 4 years. They are all donated, with paperbacks selling for $1 or 6 for $5 and hard covered for $2 each. Our total profits in 4 years have now reached $25,000. --Renee Schumacher, Manager Service League Gift Shop, Earned Income Coordinator, Hennepin Health Foundation, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> MAINTAINING AN ACCURATE INVENTORY How correct is your inventory when some volunteers forget to scan or just put some items under misc? It seems that I can’t get a correct total. I have tried telling them they must scan everything, but some just forget. We have a touch screen POS system. Any ideas how to solve this problem? --Atrium Gift Shop, Phyllis, Manager, Memorial Hosp. South Bend, IN FROM CINDY Remove the “Misc” key. <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> FROM CINDY GIFT CERTIFICATES vs GIFT CARDS 1. A Gift Certificate is usually a paper certificate. 2. A Gift Card is plastic and created via your shop's POS system. 3. A Gift Card can also be a plastic gift card purchased in your shop for use in local or chain stores. GIFT CARD RESOURCE We order our gift cards from Vanguard ID Systems, www.vanguardid.com, and 800-323-7432. We have offered gift cards for 4 years now and it works great with our POS system. Vanguard ID Systems will help you every step of the way. –Jill Kusmierek, Gift Shop Manager, Parma Hospital Gift Shop, Parma, Ohio. GIFT CARDS Gift cards we get from our florist to use for flowers and plants. We also had one made up on our ARBRPRO POS System with the name of our gift shop on it. These can be used for gift items in our shop. The gift card is very simple to issue. The customer tells the amount they want to purchase it for and then you scan it and enter the amount into the register. When the customer uses the gift card, they can use part or all of it. The receipt will tell them the balance left on the card. There is no paper trail. It comes on the report when a gift card is purchased or used. --Jeannine Larimer, Saint Marys Hospital Gift Shop, Rochester, MN Jeannine Larimer, Saint Marys Hospital Gift Shop, Rochester, MN SELLING GIFT CARDS FOR USE IN OTHER STORES In one of your past issues, someone asked about selling gift cards to big name store/restaurants. We considered this at our Gift Shop, and thought it might be a good money-maker (especially during the holidays) but decided against it. Our facility is in a rural community that does not have an Applebee's or a Target, and we didn't feel right selling gift cards that would encourage people to leave our community to shop elsewhere. Instead, we publicize gift certificates to our own Gift Shop. --Kylene Lehmann, Auxiliary Coordinator, RiverView Health, Crookston, Minnesota <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> HOLIDAY SALE We tried something new this year on Christmas merchandise. The week before Christmas we had a sale of 35% OFF Christmas only. I tell you, it was absolutely wonderful. We had so many customers in the shop we could hardly move about. It lasted a week. We sold so much more and we didn't have to take such a big hit later. We had three volunteers cashiering and two people generally running for merchandise for the customers. We had a great holiday season this year. Jeannine Larimer, Saint Marys Hospital Gift Shop, Rochester, MN =========================================== PROMOTIONS/ADVERTISING =========================================== Launch your ‘On-line gift shop’ for FREE. HospitalGiftShop.com professionally develops and manages your online store. Each sale earns your hospital a commission. Many references. Website: www.hospitalgiftshop.com, Email jimthomas321@gmail.com =============================================================== YOUR GIFT SHOP -- ARBA’S BUSINESS FOR 25 YEARS! ARBA will help you: - Manage inventory, improve profits! - Automate payroll deductions! - Keep customers loyal, spending more, with ARBA’s Preferred Customer Programs! - Make volunteers happy with our “volunteer-approved” touch screen registers! - Training at YOUR gift shop! - Excellent, reasonably priced support! WWW.ARBAPRO.COM =============================================================== Disney editors recently named a-door-nimals® Birth Announcements one of the TOP 15 BABY GIFTS because of their quality, versatility and cute design! Made for hospital gift shops, super soft stuffed animals hang by satin ribbons and hold dry-erase hearts and markers. Award winning 17”-18” Pink Bears, Blue Bears and more. $10-$12. Call: 214-394-1337. www.adoornimals.com =============================================================== Want to be a trendsetter? Become the "Mini-Mall" for your employees! Offer your employees and customers the latest in department store perfumes, with gorgeous packaging at wholesale prices. Employee payroll deduction is recommended. References from hospital gift shops available. Please call DIRECT FRAGRANCES 1-800-800-4208 for a FREE catalog. =============================================================== Kelli's Gift Shop Suppliers’ fabulous 2010 full-line catalog is now available with a special offer good through 2/28/10! If you’re not yet a customer, call 888-609-8860. www.kellisgifts.com =============================================================== BRILLIANT! Knitting kits for your customer who’s just gotta knit! Everything in one beautiful package. Cotton, merino, acrylic. Check out our new starter packages. http://www.knitouttathebox.com/wholesale-order/, 202-309-2546 =============================================================== DIRECT MAGAZINE SERVICE for Hospital Gift Shops -You choose your titles – Instant credit for unsold copies - Best discounts - No service charges - McKnight Sales Company, 800-208-8078, www.mscmags.com =============================================================== HOTTEST NEW GIFT ITEM IN THE MARKET! The “Tree of Life” collection by Timothy P. Schmalz. It’s eco aware and has over 56 beautiful and inspirational pieces in the collection - many that are perfect for Hospital Gift Shops. Meet the artist at the Atlanta Mart this Jan. Bldg.#3, 5th Floor, Booth #2611. www.treeoflifecollection.com =============================================================== Stay Strong! Maintain muscle strength & tone with BEDREST FITNESS. Simple yet effective modified prenatal exercises done in bed with resistance band (included) $24.95. www.mamasonbedrest.com. 512-288-0827 ============================================================================= ============================================================================= PUBLISHER: Cindy Jones Associates, 4554 Cottonwood Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 Consultant, Designer and Speaker Phone: 734-769-6536 Fax: 734-769-8556 Email: cindy@cindyjonesassociates.com Website: www.cindyjonesassociates.com I do not include any email addresses unless requested. I take no responsibility for the accuracy of the postings. All contents of the postings are the responsibility of the posting party. I reserve the right to terminate the subscription of anyone at any time. Submission of an email message affirms that you are authorized to and have given Cindy Jones non-exclusive permission to reprint the content of your message in all forms, electronic or otherwise, in all languages throughout the world. Copyright 2006, Cindy’s Hospital Gift Shop Newsletter. Permission must be granted to reprint any item (other than your own posting). To unsubscribe from: Hospital Gift Shop Managers Bulletin, just follow this link: http://www.cindyjonesassociates.com/cgi-bin/mail.cgi/list/Hospital_Gift_Shop_Managers_Bulletin/ Click the link, or copy and paste the address into your browser. Disclaimer Material contained within this Newsletter (CINDY`S HOSPITAL GIFT SHOP MANAGER’S NEWSLETTER) is intended for general informational purposes only and is not intended as professional counsel or investment advice, and is not to be used as such. No statement or expression is an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any products or services mentioned. 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