The Newsletter for Gift Shop Managers delivers practical, actionable content for gift shop managers, buyers, and volunteers. Since its launch in 2001, it has been a free, independent publication helping retailers optimize operations, increase revenue, and connect with one another. Starting in 2025, the newsletter will be published mid-quarter —in February, May, August, and November.

Its value comes from a close-knit, engaged community. We invite you to leave a comment or join the conversation in the Hospital Gift Shops Facebook Group, a private community for hospital gift shop professionals.

APRIL 15, 2024

Five ways to be a better leader

There is a saying in life that the “days are busy but the years are short” and when it comes to retail, this is absolutely the truth. After all, how often have years flown by and you’ve looked back only to regret how you managed your employees or other store responsibilities you had hoped to improve.

With employees and volunteers being essentially your store ambassadors, there’s no better time than now to strengthen your management skills. To help, consider these five tips:

Evaluate your employee scenario

Ask yourself this straightforward question — and give yourself an honest answer: Are you satisfied with the performance of your employees?

While it’s possible some employees will likely stand out among others for their positive attributes, it’s also likely many others will stand out for just the opposite reasons. Analyze your entire staff and identify the strengths, weaknesses and windows of opportunities. This first step can help lead you to the many others as you begin your journey to strengthen your employee team.

Create an evaluation checklist

When you’re analyzing your employees and their performance, it’s important to be consistent and evaluate everyone against the same criteria. Have a checklist or evaluation form to help you review each individual employee with the same standards and expectations. Ranking skills and store responsibilities on a scale of 1 to 5 provides a good baseline, with 1 being poor performance, 2 offering below average, 3 identifying average, 4 recognized as above average and 5 being outstanding. (Note: Avoid a 1-10 scale. The precision on the 0-5 rating is much easier.)

As you begin to create your checklist, consider points like store operations, customer service, social media, merchandising and marketing. All responsibilities should be included, as well as other key details such as being on time to work.

Schedule staff reviews

Once you’ve completed your checklist and filled out the evaluations, it’s crucial to schedule a one-on-one review with each employee to share your findings. Use this opportunity to discuss their strengths and weaknesses, as well as to communicate store goals, expectations, and employee responsibilities. Allow time for your employees to share their thoughts, whether in response to your review or regarding their employment or store concerns in general. Maintain a positive tone while also reinforcing the standards you’ve set for your business.

At a minimum, reviews should be conducted annually. Ideally, quarterly or bi-annually.

If you are doing your job as a manager, nothing should come as a surprise to your staff on the day of their performance reviews.

It’s absolutely true that managers should be giving employees feedback throughout the year and shouldn’t blindside them with criticism in an annual review that they haven’t heard before. As a rule, managers should strive throughout the year to ensure that nothing in an evaluation will be surprising. Every single day is a an opportunity for a micro-review. A good manager will consistently guides staff in areas of improvement. Nothing should be a surprise on the day of the review.

Deliver an all-store team meeting

Schedule a meeting when the store is closed to bring everyone together. During this session, formally introduce store expectations, especially if this is a new initiative. Introducing an employee manual can be beneficial. For those preferring a less formal approach, consider a “Top Ten” list outlining the ten essential behaviors or practices the store expects from every employee. Display this list in a visible area where employees can regularly see it, ensuring they are reminded of these expectations each time they work (away from customers, of course). Regardless of the method you choose, aim to foster a positive and uplifting team morale while providing employees with clear leadership and direction. Emphasize the importance of teamwork and clearly define any sales goals you have set for the team.

Set daily goals

When managing employees, it’s essential to provide goals that are clear, accessible, and easy to understand. While aiming for “our best year yet” sounds positive, it lacks specificity. To achieve this overarching goal, integrate daily goals that align with it. Utilize data from your point-of-sale system and past sales years to set daily sales targets that your employees can aim for. Additionally, establish daily objectives such as merchandising specific areas, sending customer thank-you notes, and overseeing general store operations. By setting and communicating these daily goals, you’ll foster productivity and, ultimately, help your team achieve the broader business objectives.

A final thought

When leading your team, consider the leadership experience your employees are having. Reflecting on your leadership style helps you understand your employees’ behaviors better. Aim to develop a leadership approach that both you and your team can be proud of. This will benefit your store, enhance employee satisfaction, and contribute to a more dynamic and productive work environment, ultimately leading to increased sales.

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SPONSOR

HospitalGiftShop.com
The easiest way to open an online shop!

– Open for business 24/7 with an online and mobile shop
– 20+ years of trust from hundreds of leading hospitals
– We manage your online shop and orders for you
– Zero fees, simple set up
– Expand your product selection & increase revenue effortlessly!

Join our trusted network and revolutionize your shop’s reach!

More information email: partners@hospitalgiftshop.com 
More information link:    HospitalGiftShop

Ideas for social media posts

Remind customers that you are OPEN for business!

Humor! Can’t emphasize enough the power of humor.

Promos and sales.
Of course!

Holiday themed product displays.

Eye-catching products.

Happy customers.

7 tips for captivating in-store signage

Gift Shop Plus shared seven great tips for creating great signage that not only inform but help drive sales. We took a few and built on them with our own suggestions:

Create professional looking signage. Print in color – avoid handwritten – do not tape on walls or shelving, don’t lean up against products. Acrylic photo frames are cheap, easy to change up, and look professional.

Tailor signage to resonate with your audience through specific language, colors and imagery.

Position signage so they can be read by wheelchair customers.

Use colors and fonts large visible for customers with limited vision. Use easy-to-read fonts and high-contrast colors.

Keep signage concise, clear, short. Use sentence fragments, drop nonessential verbiage, use short words.

Create focal points in the store by placing attention-grabbing signs near popular and high-margin products.

Treat your signage as you would your displays. Cheap signage can cheapen a beautiful display in seconds.

Your shop has it’s own branding, at least it should. Maintain consistency with your shop’s brand colors, fonts, imagery and logo. A cohesive, visual identity subconsciously calms and soothes shoppers. You’ve heard that a messy store is an uninviting store. Studies show this literally repel shoppers. Same applies to signage.

Signage can be used for emotional marketing, your #1 marketing tool. Use signs to highlight the stories behind your products, allowing customers to connect with them emotionally.

What are the most powerful emotions to evoke when marketing to a customer of a hospital gift shop? First, what is your customer base? Medical staff, patients, family members. Next, what emotions are they likely to experience? Stress, grief, anxiety and fear, uncertainty, relief, gratitude and celebration. We suggest your signage speak to the emotions of humor, empathy, calmness, love, comfort, hope, wellness and comfort.

Advice, inspiration, and all the feel-goods!

Themed displays, cross merchandising and She Sheds!

Studio M. in St. Louis, Missouri had some fun with their displays and signage.

They paired clever monogramed flags with a beautiful display to spell out the theme and add a bit of whimsey.

This is a great opportunity for cross merchandising too!

Photo: Studio.M 

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SPONSOR

i3 Verticals – NCR Point of Sale Solution

A “Volunteer Friendly” NCR Point of Sale solution
for hospital gift shops. Easy to learn! Easy to use!
Payroll Deduction and Inventory Management available.
Take your gift shop to the next level!
Ask for a FREE copy of our “Hospital Gift Shops:
Tips for Success” booklet.

887-809-9980
www.i3pos.com

Les Déglingos from France

We keep seeing this adorable line of baby and kid products from Les Déglingos. They are so whimsical, unique and adorable! They have a wide range of kids products from plush, travel bags, backpacks, rattles, baby comforters, teething rings, toys, pacifier clips, school bags, pencil cases and more.

We learned about them in 2020 – how did we miss them?! Their line has grown extensively. We just had to share! Is anyone carrying Les Déglingos?

Born in France in 2007, Les Déglingos was the very first company in the world to use soft corduroy fabric in soft toys. The brand focuses on quality and original products sold in many independent shops across the world. With more than 250 active products, our collections include plush toys, early learning toy, accessories, travel and school luggages from 0 to 10 years old. All our toys are stuffed with Recycled Polyester Fabric made from used plastic bottles.” Available on FAIRE

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SPONSOR

ARBA Point-of-Sale Solution

Designed for Hospital Gift Shops, the volunteer-friendly ARBA POS system manages your inventory and automates payroll deductions. Easy current inventory import.   

Optional online store pulls from the same inventory as in-store and accepts payroll deductions and credit card payments.  

info@arbapro.com 
630-620-8566 
www.arbapro.com 

Major trends that will shape retail in 2024

There has been a lot of talk lately about retail trends for 2024. We found several articles touching on varying points, some overlapping and some not. We can’t print them all, but here’s a a few trends to look out for in the context of hospital gift shops:

82% of global consumers surveyed agree that receiving communications from local businesses makes them feel more connected to the business. Think social media!

Self-checkout will grow massively in sectors beyond grocery and fast fashion. Anywhere there are queues, this tech can make a difference.

In addition to an online store and brick-and-mortar locations, retailers are capturing sales and winning the loyalty of customers through social media channels.

Retail is embracing recommerce with retailers integrating resale, rental, and repair initiatives to boost revenue and respond to growing customer demand.

Consumers will seek products with authentic recommendations. People are tired of the conformist approach to shopping where everyone is fed the algorithms. They want products that fit them and that tell their story. 

Retailers are jumping into AI to create personalized marketing with micro-segmentation and building communities. Small businesses can use AI tools to save time and money. For example, to generate product descriptions. Gmail, Shopify and Canva are also integrating AI assistance into their apps.

Prepare for Gen Alpha, the largest generation ever with solid values and will make purchasing decisions based on those values.

Consumers will seek inclusive environments that demonstrate a mutual commitment between retailers and employees. 

Consumers have “green fatigue” creating an increased awareness in real sustainability, versus faux green marketing.

SOURCES:

The 5 Biggest Retail Trends For 2024

Four trends that will define retail in 2024

Four Monumental Trends Changing Retail in 2024

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR

National, regional, and local shows.

Includes direct links to every show.

How to recruiting gift shop volunteers

Q. Does anyone have suggestions for recruiting Gift Shop volunteers? We have been low staffed since COVID. Hoping to increase our gift shop volunteers. – Pa Y. Facebook Group for Hospital Gift Shops. 3/31/24

Local neighborhood Facebook pages, church bulletins, and word of mouth. We asked all our employees to spread the word if they knew anyone. – Cindy Z. 

Have you hit local PEO or Church groups. Card groups. Independent living homes. Ask the town for a volunteer fair! – Tricia E.

I’m thinking of maybe doing a meet and greet and bring a friend. Hopefully get some new recruits. –  P. Yang

FROM CINDY

Try expanding your avenues of recruitment and volunteer ages. Try high school and college students that need hours for class and stay-at-home mom that needs a break. Write department heads or professors whose classes require volunteer work, like Social Work. Social media is where you’d get the highest reach. Local city or regional Facebook groups, library, fitness centers, high school and university bulletins, church bulletins, NextDoor, younger genz are on TikTok, hospital’s senior care center, geriatric dept,. Create new posts but also add to comments in relevant discussions. 

Discussions are happening now in
the Hospital Gift Shops Facebook group!

Average 3 posts per day
Over 250 members
Private, vetted membership
Hospital gift shop managers, buyers, volunteer managers

↓ Click to join ↓

♡ Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

Want to advertise? Click here.

© Cindy Jones Associates, 2022. COPYRIGHT PROTECTED. Redistribution, copying, reselling, re-renting, or republishing is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Cindy’s Newsletter may not to be forwarded, redistributed, reproduced, reprinted, or posted online without prior permission from Cindy Jones Associates. Subscribers may share one issue with a fellow manager. Thereafter, the manager may subscribe here to receive future issues.

The Newsletter for Gift Shop Managers delivers practical, actionable content for gift shop managers, buyers, and volunteers. Since its launch in 2001, it has been a free, independent publication helping retailers optimize operations, increase revenue, and connect with one another. Starting in 2025, the newsletter will be published mid-quarter —in February, May, August, and November.

Its value comes from a close-knit, engaged community. We invite you to leave a comment or join the conversation in the Hospital Gift Shops Facebook Group, a private community for hospital gift shop professionals.

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Baptist Hospital, Beaumont, TX

Strong January sales signal solid 2024

January retail sales nearly matched December’s busy holiday spending, according to the National Retail Federation.

Year-over-year growth was also solid, showing consumers are optimistic and utilizing their spending power, fueled by increasing employment rates and wages.

Core retail sales were down just slightly 0.04% month-over-month and up 3.24% year-over-year for January 2024. That compared with increases of 0.19% month-over-month and 2.4 year-over-year in December, according to the NRF’s Retail Monitor.

Retail Monitor is NRF’s new monthly metric for gauging retail sales. Unlike survey-based data, it uses actual purchase data from over 140 million credit and debit cards over nearly nine billion transactions.

January sales were up from last year in six retail categories (online sales, health/personal care stores, clothing/accessory stores) and up monthly in five categories, according to NRF.

Key retail categories up from 2023

SOURCE: National Retail Federation

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SPONSOR

HospitalGiftShop.com
The easiest way to open an online shop!

– Open for business 24/7 with an online and mobile shop
– 20+ years of trust from hundreds of leading hospitals
– We manage your online shop and orders for you
– Zero fees, simple set up
– Expand your product selection & increase revenue effortlessly!

Join our trusted network and revolutionize your shop’s reach!

More information email: partners@hospitalgiftshop.com 
More information link:    HospitalGiftShop

A sure way to generate impulse buys

Is your register increasing shops revenue? Add a few small pre-wrapped gifts to increase impulse buys.

It is the nature of consumers’ to shop impulsively. Under $20 impulse near your cashwrap is a great way to move overstock or upsell.

This may not work for every shop or product, but if any, it’s great for the holiday season.

How to make them really sell — leave one out for display and wrap the rest individually. Easy, grab-and-go buys! Customers will absolutely love a convenient pre-wrapped.

• Candles, journals, candy, lip gloss or jewelry are ideal for both impulse buys and last-minute purchases.
• Use low-cost wrapping like tissue paper and a simple ribbon. Keep it simple with neutral colors.
• Leave one unwrapped and priced for display. Arrange the rest in an eye-catching countertop display.
• Place near the cashwrap area where customers are already in purchasing mode.
• There’s a fine line between an effective impulse area and a cluttered mess. Find that balance and don’t make your products compete for attention.

What makes a good impulse product? One that attracts the customer’s attention. If the customer is curious enough to pick it up, it’s almost as good as sold! Think about texture, color and purpose when choosing what items to feature in your impulse area.

Adequate stock is important, especially since impulse items are frequently small and you need to display them in a group.

🎯 For items that come in a display, remove a few to give the impression several have already sold.

Keep your stock in mind before deciding to pre-wrap gifts, too. It’s probably not worth the effort if you only have 3 or 4.

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SPONSOR

i3 Verticals – NCR Point of Sale Solution

A “Volunteer Friendly” NCR Point of Sale solution
for hospital gift shops. Easy to learn! Easy to use!
Payroll Deduction and Inventory Management available.
Take your gift shop to the next level!
Ask for a FREE copy of our “Hospital Gift Shops:
Tips for Success” booklet.

887-809-9980
www.i3pos.com

A. Gift market stipend and travel expenses?

What is the best way to justify the expense of attending a Gift Market? Is it possible to receive a stipend from a current vendor towards the cost of your trip? – Janis Farrington. Gottlieb Memorial Hospital Gift Shop/Trinity Health Systems. Melrose Park, IL

I ask permission of the Auxiliary, the monies saved by going to shows are well worth the price placed on the travel. – Tricia Rochman, Carbondale Memorial Hospital, Carbondale, IL. 154 beds. 1/24/24

We budget for it each year. We are not allowed to accept travel, money or gifts from vendors. – Lynn Harrison, 1/23/24

We enter it into our budget every year. Even when we put a hold on travel at our hospital our COO still approved the gift shop for travel. – Linda Armstrong. 1/23/24

We are auxiliary run so they finance the expenses. – M. Metry. 1/18/24

We budget for Atlanta Mart. – Nancy Williams. 1/17/24

We go to market in Dallas once a year, and order for the whole year. The expense is shared between our Auxiliary and our Hospital. We try to bring back some great cash and carry items and staff are always excited to see what is new, which causes sales to be high the week or two following market. I am looking for ideas on how we can see some cost absorption from some of our vendors, even though we may be too small of a shop to bargain for this. – Kristi King, Ozark Health. 1/17/24

We also use the discounts and specials at market to justify expenses of the trip. Orders that are placed there are for the next 6-9 months. – Rosemary, Phoenix Children’s Hospital. 1/17/24

We use the discounts and specials we receive when writing at the show to justify the expense. The savings usually more than pays for it. We were told we were not allowed to have vendors help pay for travel due to it being a conflict of interest. Sometime the Gift Shows themselves offer assistance. – Karla Glanzman, Seattle Childrens Hospital. 360 beds. 1/17/24

♡ Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

DIY shelving, fixture makeover: Before & After

You may have noticed, we are suckers for clever, creative displays. Here’s to Aimee Skaggs with Wooster Community Hospital Gift Shop for the win! 👏🏼

She transformed her shop’s dark wooded shelves by adding removable wallpaper on the back walls, Velcro Command strips, plus velcro on under lighting to brighten the space. She also used tension rods to hang baby clothes. Creativity and problem solving at its best! See more pictures in Aimee’s post.

♡ Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

Product Pick: I Heart Guts

We love these award-winning plush organs and anatomy gifts by I Heart Guts! A selection of 47 different organ plushies make great post-op gifts, turning that struggle into a snuggle. Each adorable organ comes with a silly pun and a bit of info about the human body. Hospital staff love the cute colorful organ pins for some badge-reel bling. Best sellers include the uterus pin, heart pin and brain pin! Check out their hilarious organ socks, organ stickers, organ magnets, posters, kidney slippers and more. We love this line for hospital gift shops. Sure to get patients, staff, and families laughing. Because life takes guts. Visit their wholesale page or on Faire.

Advice, inspiration, and all the feel-goods!

COMING SOON!

Easter Sunday
Admin Professionals Day
Nurses Day
Mother’s Day
Memorial Day
Father’s Day
Graduation Season

Spring holidays are just around the corner. Start planning now to get a jump on sales!

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SPONSOR

i3 Verticals – NCR Point of Sale Solution

A “Volunteer Friendly” NCR Point of Sale solution
for hospital gift shops. Easy to learn! Easy to use!
Payroll Deduction and Inventory Management available.
Take your gift shop to the next level!
Ask for a FREE copy of our “Hospital Gift Shops:
Tips for Success” booklet.

887-809-9980
www.i3pos.com

Take your displays to new heights, literally!

Ceiling-mounted vertical displays like swings are a terrific way to create interest in your shop. Not just for window displays, either.

Fill a low-traffic, dead zone or maximize space over a center-aisle table.

⬅︎

Swings create a playful, fun display for kids and baby items.

➡︎

Suspend trays over a display table. Fill with plush, clothing, or pillows.

Quickcharge POS announces acquisition by Transact Campus

Transact Campus, Inc. announced the acquisition of Quickcharge POS from M.M. Hayes Company in their October 3, 2023 press release. Operating as a division of MM Hayes, Quickcharge offers cashless payments and transactions via kiosk, POS and mobile ordering to more than 1,100 client locations across healthcare, business and industry, education, and government.

Transact Campus, Inc. provides payment, campus ID and commerce solutions in higher education, with more than 1,850 client institutions.

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When inventory actually decreases margins

We’re always talking about the importance of moving inventory. Your stockroom door should go only one way, out. Excess stock is now cited as a ‘major concern’ for up to 47% of retailers, following the supply chain shortage.

What’s the big deal?

Studies show the annual cost of holding excess inventory is around 30%.

Top 5 sectors hit hardest by post-holiday excess stock
1. Baby & toddler (100%) 2. Homewares (62%) 3. Luxury goods (55%) 4. Fashion & footwear (52%) 5. Sports, leisure, hobbies (50%)

It’s hard for retailers to survive right now, let alone be profitable. A previous track record of growth or high profits do not make merchants immune from the risks of failure and holding excess inventory.

British furniture brand MADE went public in 2021 with a valuation of £775 million. They were out of business in less than a year. The reason? Getting caught with massive inventory at just the wrong time.

Purchasing based on ‘instinct’ or inaccurate data will invariably lead to poor decision making, expensive overheads and poor cash flow.

Old inventory utilizes working capital to store that unnecessary stock.

• The costs to acquire, travel, freight, unpack, price, display are not being recouped. They are sitting in the stockeroom.
• Old inventory occupies shelf space needed for new inventory that actually sells.
• Merchandise goes out of style, no longer trends, or demand stops (e.g., facemasks). If you’re overrun and tied up with unpopular inventory, you’re less able to respond to market shifts.
• Tying up your budget in inventory means there’s less available for other line items like bills, salaries, or new products.

Successfully balancing inventory comes up a lot in our newsletter. It’s one of the most essential practices in retail. Yes, it’s that critical. 

What can you do?

Take a deep dive into your data. Look at trends over the last twelve months and identify which products will be a struggle to shift. Then look at ways to move specific stock as quickly as possible.

PRODUCT BUNDLES

Combine fast-moving items with slow-moving ones in discounted bundles. Use the excess items as free gifts for medical staff customers or when customers spend a certain amount. Offer BOGO or even 3-for-1 bundles.

FLASH SALES …at prices that are too good to be true.

Flash sales are a tried-and-tested way to shift excess stock fast – and still bring in some (albeit limited) revenue. The first step is to identify all slow-moving items. Then decide on your discounting strategy. It can work well to take a staggered approach over a number of weeks (for instance, offering 25% in week one, 50% in week two, 75% in week three).

It should be clear how integral inventory is to cash flow. High inventory usually equates to lower gross margin.

JUST-IN-TIME INVENTORY

Implementing a Just-in-Time (JIT) inventory system can be another effective way to avoid inventory overstocks. A JIT inventory system is a lean approach in which you order inventory as it is needed. It requires careful planning, close monitoring, skilled buyers, a clear understanding of your shop’s needs and customer demand and, finally, a strong relationships with suppliers for a reliable delivery schedule. You’ll need to also adjust orders as needed. But, they can also increase the risk of stockouts. To mitigate this risk, establish clear communication channels with suppliers and monitor inventory levels closely.

BALANCE & SCHEDULING

Work with reliable fulfillment partners and brands to time your inventory correctly, avoiding both delays or surplus. Follow time-based planning with built-in buffers for supply chain issues.

FRESH MARKETING

For you online ecommerce stores, revamp your product descriptions or add in some extra personalized content. Especially in categories like fashion and homeware where purchases are more emotive.

INVENTORY AUDITS

Regular inventory audits help identify discrepancies between physical inventory levels and recorded inventory. This can identify potential issues, such as overstocks, understocks, or inventory shrinkage due to theft or other factors. Get the guide How to Conduct a Physical Inventory

Gain additional insight from other shop managers in How to move out and reduce old inventory?

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SPONSOR

ARBA Point-of-Sale Solution

Designed for Hospital Gift Shops, the volunteer-friendly ARBA POS system manages your inventory and automates payroll deductions. Easy current inventory import.   

Optional online store pulls from the same inventory as in-store and accepts payroll deductions and credit card payments.  

info@arbapro.com 
630-620-8566 
www.arbapro.com 

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR

National, regional, and local shows.

Includes direct links to every show.

Happening now in the Hospital Gift Shops Facebook group

♡ Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

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BADGE REELS

Does anyone have a recommendation for good quality badge pulls, that they don’t receive a lot of returns from defects? – Julie V. 12/11/23

Outside The Box. We only buy the ones that are not interchangeable. Great selection, Glitterific collection are best sellers for us. – Anne S

We use the same brands, but offer interchangeables. – Lori H

Outside the Box!!! Selection, interchangeable, pricing. Glitter badges are best sellers and staff loves all styles. – Terri D

I second this! They have a great heavy-duty interchangeable reels. I started with a small swappable selection and have now tripled the offerings. They have been so popular! Easy to reorder on their wholesale site which I always appreciate. – Holly V

Outside The Box, interchangeable and a small selection of fixed badges. – Andrea M

Outside The Box, we sell the interchangeable and carry the heavy duty reels. – Greg H

Wholeheartedly agree. We sell every sort from Outside the Box. Donna Bowden is the owner and she is awesome to work with. We have even had her design several badge buttons for us if she didn’t carry a particular design that we have had requests for in the past. – Angela Q

Outside the Box. We can’t keep the Sparkle and Shine displayer filled! – Katy S

Outside the Box. We sell the acrylic interchangeable badges. Our customers love to change out and buy seasonal badges. We buy the heavy duty reels. Also, sell the jelly fixed badges. – Lynne H

I also use Bonitas. A little pricier than Outside The Box, but good quality. – Brenda S

SOURCE: Hospital Gift Shops Facebook Group

♡ Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

Want to advertise? Click here.

© Cindy Jones Associates, 2022. COPYRIGHT PROTECTED. Redistribution, copying, reselling, re-renting, or republishing is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Cindy’s Newsletter may not to be forwarded, redistributed, reproduced, reprinted, or posted online without prior permission from Cindy Jones Associates. Subscribers may share one issue with a fellow manager. Thereafter, the manager may subscribe here to receive future issues.

The Newsletter for Gift Shop Managers delivers practical, actionable content for gift shop managers, buyers, and volunteers. Since its launch in 2001, it has been a free, independent publication helping retailers optimize operations, increase revenue, and connect with one another. Starting in 2025, the newsletter will be published mid-quarter —in February, May, August, and November.

Its value comes from a close-knit, engaged community. We invite you to leave a comment or join the conversation in the Hospital Gift Shops Facebook Group, a private community for hospital gift shop professionals.

DECEMBER 15, 2023

Fulton County Health Center, Wauseon, OH

Salary data for Gift Shop Manager

How did your salary stack up in 2023? We examined salary data from a few of the reputable job data websites to see how the numbers are trending this year. Here are the results from Payscale.com, Salary.com and Glassdoor.com

A few things to consider about job and salary websites like these. The data is aggregated from job postings across all types of retail shops. In fact, the majority are not in hospitals and, therefore, not NPOs. These salaries are typically higher, although we would argue that they should not be.

Additionly, although they are filtered for “manager” level salaries, these results have not been adjusted for location, years of experience, education or industry.

Readers can find several articles on salary in past issues of the newsletter by searching “salary” in the Newsletter Archive.

UPMC revitalize gift shops for the future

Cute clothes, easy checkouts, and local wares will be the markers of the gift shops for our time, regardless of whether you work in the hospital or simply live in the neighborhood.

Health systems know that hospital gift shops conjure up images of sad stuffed bears and limp feel-better balloons.

That’s why systems like Wellstar Health System in Georgia and Pennsylvania’s University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) are building new spaces for their gift shops—and they’re particularly focused on selling curated offerings and incorporating new technology.

The new spaces aren’t just for the patients and their visitors, either. Hospitals want to serve their customers, who are mostly their employees, as well as their larger surrounding communities.

“Hospital gift shops really are boutiques,” Amy Saye, director of volunteers and patient advocates at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, told Healthcare Brew. “I always call it the best-kept secret in your community because it [has] things you can’t find anywhere else. It’s a great small business.”

With medical professionals working long shifts, the need for an all-purpose gift shop is key. These workers often can’t leave to grab lunch or dinner, and even if they get the chance to step out, most retail and grocery stores are closed; shopping during a shift is a Herculean task.

At Wellstar, which has 10 hospitals throughout Georgia, 70% of the gift shop customers are staff, and the other 30% consists of patients and their visitors. The offerings, then, need to serve those target markets.

Kennestone Regional’s two gift shops—a 920-square-foot general gift shop and a 1,680-square-foot women’s shop—offer sundries like candy and snacks, beverages, flowers, and stuffed animals. The stores also offer seasonal items, along with clothes, shoes, and jewelry often found in boutiques. The women’s shop, which uses Airome products (also sold in the store) to add a mild fragrance to the space, sells new baby gifts as well.

Congratulations to Lynne Halliday and her team at The Women’s Shoppe at Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, Georgia. Lynne has been the Gift Shop Manager for over 17 years.

Their gift shop is beautifully decorated with ceiling decor that rotates with the seasons and eye-pleasing displays in coordinating colors!

She is a valued reader and contributor to this newsletter and the hospital gift shop Facebook group.

“You have to know who your customers are, what they’re looking for—you have to know what’s current,” Saye said, citing Atlanta Apparel, a wholesaler of trendy clothes, shoes, and accessories. “They actually love working with hospital gift shops because we pay our bills.”

Wellstar’s shop is expanding its physical footprint to 1,670 square feet because, Saye said, the gift shop of the future should be “a place for convenience” that can accommodate the growing need for these items—and a way to create a stronger connection with its visitors. “Our women’s services are offered in that same area,” Saye said. “We actually give people who come in for a mammogram a coupon for 25% off an item so that when they come in, [we say]: ‘

“Get your mammogram. We are so thankful you came in and you took care of your health,—go grab a cute item you can’t find anywhere else and get 25% off.”

Coupon offered at Wellstar’s Women’s Center.

That’s a tactic UPMC is taking with its gift shop, which is part of a new lifestyle village located in the middle of the Pittsburgh Innovation District. The shop is set to open in 2026.

The “pop-up retail” strategy allows UPMC to partner with local coffee shops, food and retail vendors, and artists. So that means these brands and businesses get to enter an expensive real estate market and set up shop, said John Krolicki, VP of facilities and support services at UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. The model not only creates opportunities for small businesses but also makes a hospital facility more desirable for the greater community to visit. “We’re really looking to support local businesses,” he said, adding they’re especially keen to work with minority-owned businesses that have been affected by gentrification.

Krolicki said that there are different business models for the companies to set up shop, but didn’t elaborate on the specifics, such as whether the hospital is setting up equity deals with the brands. “We’re not doing it to make money. We’re very flexible in how we arrange the deals, but we do want to break even,” he said. “This is more about bringing people from different areas in to sell to the people working in the Innovation District or in the hospital.”

The hospital also intends to integrate scalable technology into its gift shop—think smart scales and cashierless checkout stations—and then introduce the tech across UPMC’s 40 hospitals. “The tech that we’re looking at […] the scanner reads it and knows what you have on your tray. It automatically knows you have a drink, it knows you chose whatever items, it can scan it and charge you for your meal,” Krolicki said. “Gift shops are a necessity, and we’re totally changing them.”

SOURCE: Healthcare Brew

HGS Virtual Gatherings

Join the HGS Virtual Gatherings over Zoom! Hosted by Lilly Stamets, Owner of Premier Retail Consulting and Retail Subject Matter Expert for the California Association of Hospital and Healthcare Systems.

📅 When: Every 2 weeks on Wednesdays

What to Expect:

Safe Space: An exclusive and secure environment for all gift shop professionals.
Attendees: Connect with new and seasoned buyers, managers, supervisors, and volunteers.
Purpose: Ask questions, share insights, get answers, or simply vent – it’s your space!

Important Notes:

Invitation-Only: By invitation only, ensuring a curated and comfortable environment.
Exclusions: No vendors, hospital leadership, or publications – just a community of gift shop professionals.
Access: We meet online using Zoom!

Contact Lilly at lilly@lillystamets.com or lstamets@gmail.com to join.

Job Openings

Facebook Group for Hospital Gift Shops

Private Facebook group Hospital Gift Shops. Membership is restricted to hospital gift shop professionals.

Advice, inspiration, and all the feel-goods!

♡ Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

Help! I need to move merchandise fast!

The holiday season is quickly coming to an end. Hopefully you’ve already hosted several events, starting in October, to move your holiday merchandise. Here are some great ideas for fast sales – before and after the holidays – shared by members of the Hospital Gift Shops Facebook Group.

🎯 TIP: Want to use some of these for next year? Cut and paste from here into an email addressed to yourself. Schedule the “send date” for September 2024. Hit send. It will show up in your inbox, next September, just when you’re planning holiday events. You can do this for any to-do or reminder you need down the road. We use it all the time for all types of situations.

National Ring-a-Ding Ding Day (fan favorite!). We played a game of “Find the Bell”. Volunteers hid a Christmas bell and customers were invited to find it. The customers who found the bell were awarded a $25 Gift Certificate. We had so many people looking for that bell, it was kinda funny, yet rewarding. We only gave away six gift certificates, but had a $3,000 day on a Tuesday, which is unheard of on our tiny shop. – Teri

When we re open on Dec 26 and all Christmas will be 50% off. – Nancy W.

We’re doing a drawing next week. For each $10 spent, they get one “entry” to win a gift basket valued at $60. It’s a great way to use up extra merchandise that didn’t sell, and it can be written off as a donation. – Aimee S.

During COVID, I took pictures of items and made a PowerPoint of everything for sale and shared it with staff. They did phone orders and we scheduled pick up time. I hope this helps! – Julie A.

We do 25% off whatever fits in a bag starting Wednesday afternoon. Then move into a progressive sale starting next week. Ending with 50% off after Christmas! Need to sell it to buy more next year! – Jen M.

I feel like we lose money if we go 50% off right away. I’m going to try dollar reduction instead of %. Example: $2 off a purchase of $10, $3 off $15, $4 off $20.

Colors of Christmas sale. Each day features a different color and a % off items that feature that color. The color is announced each morning on our Facebook page and the local radio. We do not give the colors out ahead of time. The sale lasts for 12 days. Leave red and green for the last two days of the sale. – Kristen H.

We’re also doing something similar. One day all snowmen, one day all gnomes, etc. The announcement goes out by email to staff each morning. – Ann B.

I sold over $5,000 in 8 hours. We had great success doing separate Pop-Up Shops at two of our locations that don’t have a gift shop. We had amazing sales! I pretty much take whatever I can fit in my car and set up on folding tables for four hours. We take credit card, using a Clover Go and the Clover Go phone app, or payroll deduction via QuickCharge POS with payroll deduction. It is available online so I just take my laptop. All of the funds are automatically credited to my shops account. It also boosts morale at those campuses.

A special thanks to all those who shared their terrific ideas!

♡ Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

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SPONSOR

i3 Verticals – NCR Point of Sale Solution

A “Volunteer Friendly” NCR Point of Sale solution
for hospital gift shops. Easy to learn! Easy to use!
Payroll Deduction and Inventory Management available.
Take your gift shop to the next level!
Ask for a FREE copy of our “Hospital Gift Shops:
Tips for Success” booklet.

887-809-9980
www.i3pos.com

Q. Vendor for good quality badge reels?

Does anyone have a recommendation for good quality badge pulls, that they don’t receive a lot of returns from defects? – Julie V. 12/11/23

Outside The Box. We only buy the ones that are not interchangeable. Great selection, Glitterific collection are best sellers for us. – Anne S

We use the same brands, but offer interchangeables. – Lori H

Outside the Box!!! Selection, interchangeable, pricing. Glitter badges are best sellers and staff loves all styles. – Terri D

I second this! They have a great heavy-duty interchangeable reels. I started with a small swappable selection and have now tripled the offerings. They have been so popular! Easy to reorder on their wholesale site which I always appreciate. – Holly V

Outside The Box, interchangeable and a small selection of fixed badges. – Andrea M

Outside The Box, we sell the interchangeable and carry the heavy duty reels. – Greg H

Wholeheartedly agree. We sell every sort from Outside the Box. Donna Bowden is the owner and she is awesome to work with. We have even had her design several badge buttons for us if she didn’t carry a particular design that we have had requests for in the past. – Angela Q

Outside the Box. We can’t keep the Sparkle and Shine displayer filled! – Katy S

Outside the Box. We sell the acrylic interchangeable badges. Our customers love to change out and buy seasonal badges. We buy the heavy duty reels. Also, sell the jelly fixed badges. – Lynne H

I also use Bonitas. A little pricier than Outside The Box, but good quality. – Brenda S

SOURCE: Hospital Gift Shops Facebook Group

♡ Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

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ARBA Point-of-Sale Solution

Designed for Hospital Gift Shops, the volunteer-friendly ARBA POS system manages your inventory and automates payroll deductions. Easy current inventory import.   

Optional online store pulls from the same inventory as in-store and accepts payroll deductions and credit card payments.  

info@arbapro.com 
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Top retail trends for 2024

Top takeaways from a recent article on what retail trends to expect in 2024.

Hybrid Shopping

Emphasis on the hybrid purchasing experience. Concentrate on developing an omnichannel retail experiences. The brick-and-mortar experience, the ‘shoppable’ Facebook post, and the promo email directing you to an online store all stem from the same shop.

Frictionless Delivery

Quick checkout. Expedited delivery. Speed and convenience are king.

Augmented Reality

Think AR-enabled smart mirrors that display your preferred attire. Modify a dress color with a single swipe. Check-out kiosks with auto-scanning for the drop-pay-go experience.

Social Media Commerce

Push out inspiring information – at the right moment – to generate massive sales via social media by focusing on what is culturally relevant to target customers.

A hybrid shopping experience is influencing the future of retail as companies adapt to a new normal. Here, we look at what retail trends to expect in 2024.

SOURCE: Pimberly

Because it’s the busiest time of year

Right about now everyone is exhausted, overwhelmed and burned out.

Right about now you can’t feel your feet.

Right about now you’ve had far too much cheese.

Right about now you really need a laugh.

You’re welcome.

Source: Empirical Spirits

Doritos debuts nacho cheese alcohol

For a mere $65, consumers can get their hands on a delicious mix of nacho cheese and alcoholic spirits thanks to Doritos and Empirical. The companies have collaborated to create a limited-release bottled spirit that tastes just like Doritos’ famous nacho cheese chips. The flavoring was created by using real Doritos chips and “retaining their essence” through vacuum distillation. The bottles will be available at select retailers in California and New York, as well as online, starting next month.

🤢

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💮 Gift Market Calendar 💮

**We will be discontinuing the Gift Market Calendar. Gift Shop Plus maintains a more comprehensive Trade Show Calendar, including local and regional shows. ✈️

Great discussions are happening now! Join the new Facebook group Hospital Gift Shops. Cheers!

♡ Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

Want to advertise? Click here.

© Cindy Jones Associates, 2022. COPYRIGHT PROTECTED. Redistribution, copying, reselling, re-renting, or republishing is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Cindy’s Newsletter may not to be forwarded, redistributed, reproduced, reprinted, or posted online without prior permission from Cindy Jones Associates. Subscribers may share one issue with a fellow manager. Thereafter, the manager may subscribe here to receive future issues.

The Newsletter for Gift Shop Managers delivers practical, actionable content for gift shop managers, buyers, and volunteers. Since its launch in 2001, it has been a free, independent publication helping retailers optimize operations, increase revenue, and connect with one another. Starting in 2025, the newsletter will be published mid-quarter —in February, May, August, and November.

Its value comes from a close-knit, engaged community. We invite you to leave a comment or join the conversation in the Hospital Gift Shops Facebook Group, a private community for hospital gift shop professionals.

OCTOBER 15, 2023

Stanford Health Care Gift Shop, Stanford, CA

Why holiday shopping season is starting earlier this year

CBS NEWS / Aug 18, 2023

This year’s holiday shopping season has begun before summer is even over. Axios senior breaking news reporter Kelly Tyko explained what’s behind the earlier start.

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Faire • Wholesale Inquiries • 2023 Wholesale Catalog
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Lori’s Gifts sued by EEOC for disability discrimination

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission / Sep 2023

Lori’s Gifts, Inc., a nationwide chain of hospital gift shops with a location at Grady Memorial Hospital in Delaware, Ohio, violated federal law by making unlawful disability-related inquiries and discriminating against persons with disabilities in its application and hiring processes, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it announced today.

According to EEOC’s lawsuit, Lori’s Gifts subjected applicants to discriminatory qualification standards and asked unlawful pre-employment inquiries, including whether applicants can walk or stand for up to five hours and if applicants can lift up to 30 pounds. Applicants who answer “No” to either question are deemed not to be qualified for employment and are rejected.

Such alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA), which prohibits disability discrimination, retaliation and interference with rights secured by the ADA. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio (EEOC v. Lori’s Gifts, Inc., Case No. 2:23-cv-03175-CMV), after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.

“Employers that engage in discriminatory hiring practices must be held accountable,” said Philadelphia District Office Regional Attorney Debra Lawrence. “The EEOC is committed to enforcing the rights and protections secured by the ADA.”

For more information on disability discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/disability-discrimination.

SOURCE: EEOC

NEW! Facebook Group for Hospital Gift Shops

We are thrilled to announce the launch of a new Facebook Group just for you, the creative retail wizards behind hospital gift shops. The private Facebook group is called Hospital Gift Shops. Membership is restricted to hospital gift shop professionals.

Advice, inspiration, and all the feel-goods!

Can’t wait to see you there!

♡ Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

Hospital gift shop reopens under new management

The gift shop at University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital recently transitioned its operations to Cloverkey, a hospital gift shop outsource partner and subsidiary of Kelli’s Gift Shop Suppliers, based in Carrollton, TX.

The transition is in partnership with the Friends of Strong, the Strong Memorial Hospital’s volunteer organization. The shop closed on September 6 and held its grand reopening on October 2, 2023.

“Through our partnership with Cloverkey, we look forward to increasing our financial support of these critical programs while expanding gift shop services,” said Sandy Arbasak, Director of the Friends of Strong. “It’s a win-win,” she continued.

Cloverkey announced that the gift shop will have a fresh new look, but familiar faces will remain as almost the entire gift shop staff will continue working in the shop. Other changes include:

• Expanded operating hours – almost doubling the shop’s original hours
• New ecommerce site with patient rooms delivery
• Customer loyalty program
• Merchandise enhancements, including hospital-branded logo merchandise.

Kim Schuler, Chief Revenue Officer of Cloverkey, laid out the company’s vision for the new shop, saying, “We know we serve at the hospital’s invitation and that everything we do reflects on the hospital. The new gift shop will honor the Friends of Strong standard. It will be an expansion and extension of the work FOS has done in its long tenure of service to the hospital.”

SOURCE: Cloverkey

California approves $25/hour healthcare minimum wage

Workers at a hospital with a high governmental payer mix, an independent hospital with an elevated governmental payer mix, a rural independent covered healthcare facility, or a covered healthcare facility that is owned, affiliated or operated by a county with a population of less than 250,000 as of Jan. 12 would earn $18 per hour starting next year, with pay increasing to $25 an hour in 2033.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 525 into law on October 13, 2023, establishing a $25 hourly minimum wage for workers in hospitals and other medical settings.

Employees at healthcare facilities with 10,000 or more full-time equivalent workers will receive $23 per hour starting in 2024, with an increase to $25 per hour by 2026. This applies to roles such as nursing assistants, medical coders, launderers, and hospital gift shop workers.

For workers at specific hospitals, including those with a high governmental payer mix or those affiliated with counties with a population below 250,000, the minimum wage will start at $18 per hour in the following year, eventually reaching $25 per hour by 2033.

The bill provides an option for healthcare facilities facing financial distress to request a temporary pause or an alternative phased-in approach to the minimum wage requirements, contingent upon providing appropriate documentation.

Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

---

SPONSOR

i3 Verticals – NCR Point of Sale Solution

A “Volunteer Friendly” NCR Point of Sale solution
for hospital gift shops. Easy to learn! Easy to use!
Payroll Deduction and Inventory Management available.
Take your gift shop to the next level!
Ask for a FREE copy of our “Hospital Gift Shops:
Tips for Success” booklet.

887-809-9980
www.i3pos.com

4 tips for successful cross merchandising

Cross-merchandising is a tried and tested retail management strategy that helps increase sales using tools you already have at your disposal — your products.

What is cross merchandising?

“Cross-merchandising,” also known as secondary product strategy, involves displaying complementary products from diverse categories together to encourage multi-item purchases. This approach enhances the shopping experience, prompts customers to remember additional item needs, and inspires impulse buys.

Cross-merchandising displays brings together cross-category thematically related elements. Themes such as an activity, event, holiday, household room, lifestyle occasion.

Examples of cross merchandising

In retail, complete outfits are built out on mannequins, using clothing, shoes and accessories, to highlight multiple products that form a ‘look’. In grocery stores, baking pans might be strategically placed next to cake mixes. This prompts the customer to make complementary purchases they didn’t know they needed. IKEA is the master of cross-merchandising skillfully staging entire rooms to demonstrate how each item complements the other.

Benefits of cross merchandising

• Encourage impulse purchases
• Make purchase decisions easier for the customer
• Increase overall sales
• Advertise new products
• Aids in inventory management
• Move products with slow turnover rates
• Aids customer from forgetting items
• Inspiration ideas for new purchases

Use customer and inventory data

Arrange products using common sense, but also leverage the data available from your POS and retail management software to uncover shopping patterns. For instance, if you see that women frequently buy two products from different categories, design a cross-merchandising display featuring both.

Highlight new products

Arrange new products alongside consistently popular items. But, make sure they are somehow relevant to the displays theme.

Move slow products

Place slow-moving products next to core products that move well. Again, make sure they are somehow relevant. For example, that new gourmet mustard isn’t moving. Create a display with ingredients to create the perfect hot dog or tailgate party.

See also: 25 Creative Examples of Cross Merchandising in Retail

How to justify payroll deduction to admins?

Following a subscriber submitted question, we’ve been discussing payroll deduction, it’s value, and the impact of having it discontinued. You can read more in the August issue.

There was some great feedback, including a follow-up question, “We know we are losing money not having payroll deduction and I see a lot of percentages stated in articles. Are there data or studies that justifies payroll deduction that we can use or cite to approach admin?” Check out the response, including previous member polls, survey results, and cited resources.

We also polled our readers to provide more evidence-based data to justify the value of payroll deduction. Here are the results!

On average, what percentage of your total revenue is derived from payroll deductions for both online and in-store purchases combined? If exact data is not available, please provide your best estimate based on available records or knowledge. Do not include COVID era. Revenue sources include all physical store locations, online, in-store, special events, kiosks, etc.

How do you justify payroll deduction? Leave your comment here.

Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

Trending: Nesting cones and textured trees

Cones and trees……..throughout all the seasons. Nestle them among your displays creating vertical appeal, and add a price tag too! Thanks to Lori Hauck for the find, shared on the Hospital Gift Shops Facebook Group.

Pembroke Hospital auxiliary hosts fundraiser fashion show

Sep 28, 2023

Pembroke Regional Hospital will host their annual fashion show, organized by the hospital’s auxiliary. Brenda Long, is the Manager of the Sunshine Gift Shop at Pembroke Regional Hospital.

The fashion show will take place at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Attendees will be treated to desserts, tea, and coffee upon arrival, with entertainment provided by volunteer Peter Boxer. Tickets are available at the gift shop or at the door for $20, and reservations can be made by calling the hospital’s gift shop.

The auxiliary’s contributions extend beyond the fashion show. Since 2010, they have donated $2.8 million to the hospital, funded television purchases, and supported various hospital needs.

The auxiliary, consisting of 57 volunteers, is dedicated to aiding the community and has adapted to challenges, such as providing free televisions during COVID-19 restrictions.

SOURCE: Pembroke Today

Source display and media assets from vendors

This shop rotates their best selling brands in and out, in a dedicated space, using vendor-sourced signs. The vendor is given the opportunity to fill space if they fill the signage space above (seen here by Teller Hill). Many vendors provide images or signage you can use to make a custom look. Always ask for media assets when you place orders!

DIE-CUT STICKERS

Q. Does anyone have a good recommendation for a vinyl die cut sticker vendor? Our campus includes a lot of students and those stickers are trending with our students right now. Would love to find someone who has some medical themed or state themed stickers. – Alyssa Feller, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS. 6/26/23

I’ve tried a few sticker vendors, including Stickers Northwest, and right now I love Big Moods via Faire. I can buy as few as one per style and they are only $1.50. Stickers Northwest minimums per sticker (24) was way too high for us and I still have stickers I’m trying to unload from them. I’ve found that periodically adding a few new ones keeps sales fresh because people know to check back and see what’s new. – Lynn MacKenzie, Sparrow Hospital, Lansing, MI. 200 beds. 8/19/23

I also suggest Stickers Northwest. Not only for the assortment, but for custom. They were very easy to work with getting our logo on a sticker. – Karla Glanzman, Seattle Children’s Hospital Gift Shop, Seattle, WA. 340 beds. 8/16/23

I Heart Guts has a terrific collection of anatomy stickers, plus pins, buttons, keychains, and funny socks. They are a loyal advertiser in this issue (see their “Product Pick”) and were terrific to work with. – Cindy

Stickers Northwest Inc. Fast easy low cost and personalized if you want for 0!! – Tricia Rochman, Carbondale Memorial Hospital, Carbondale, IL. 154 beds. 6/26/23

Check out Big Moods and Ellembee Gift.  – Sally Miller, Ahuja Medical Center, Beachwood, OH. 6/26/23

We just picked up Nice Enough Stickers. The display is great and the cost is low. They’re represented by Anne McGilvray. – Erin. 6/25/23

We use Stickers Northwest. We get them through our rep at ritzsisters.com – Vesta R Smith, Adventist Health Columbia Gorge, The Dalles, OR. 6/22/23

The best sticker vendor around is Stickers Northwest. They are highly durable, ship quick, have oodles of designs and best of all you can customize designs for only a 25 piece minimum! – Angela, RoadRunners LLC, Wholesale, Atlanta, GA. 6/16/23

ISO sticker vendor! 🔎 Didn’t get a chance to comment!? Enter your response here or at the end of the newsletter.

Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

Want to advertise? Click here.

© Cindy Jones Associates, 2022. COPYRIGHT PROTECTED. Redistribution, copying, reselling, re-renting, or republishing is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Cindy’s Newsletter may not to be forwarded, redistributed, reproduced, reprinted, or posted online without prior permission from Cindy Jones Associates. Subscribers may share one issue with a fellow manager. Thereafter, the manager may subscribe here to receive future issues.

The Newsletter for Gift Shop Managers delivers practical, actionable content for gift shop managers, buyers, and volunteers. Since its launch in 2001, it has been a free, independent publication helping retailers optimize operations, increase revenue, and connect with one another. Starting in 2025, the newsletter will be published mid-quarter —in February, May, August, and November.

Its value comes from a close-knit, engaged community. We invite you to leave a comment or join the conversation in the Hospital Gift Shops Facebook Group, a private community for hospital gift shop professionals.

AUGUST 15, 2023

Norton Healthcare Hospital, Louisville, KY

Credit Card Competition Act could lower swipe fees

The Senate plans to vote on the Credit Card Competition Act. The bill is aimed at credit card swipe fees, which average 2.24% of the transaction but can range as high as 4%.

Swipe fees have more than doubled over the past decade and rose $22 billion last year to a record $160.7 billion when debit cards are included. They are one of the highest operating cost for most merchants.

The legislation would require big banks to give merchants a choice of two different networks to process credit card transactions. Visa and Mastercard – which control over 80% of the market – currently price-fix swipe fees charged by banks that issue cards under their brands.

The legislation would require large banks (those with more than $100 billion in assets) to provide merchants a choice of two different unaffiliated networks for processing transactions (e.g., NYCE, Star or Shazam).

Giving retailers network choices would spur competition between them and result in lower interchange fees for merchants, which could be passed on to consumers in the form of lower prices.

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– Hospital friendly
– Always fresh, never wilts
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Forever flowers to take anywhere!
Faire • Wholesale Inquiries • 2023 Wholesale Catalog
freshcutpaper.com • sales@freshcutpaper.com • 833-327-2737

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Four Instagram engagement stickers that actually work

First, if you are not marketing your shop on social media, start today! We understand it requires time, but having an online footprint validates your shop. It shows shoppers that you’re a professional retail establishment worthy of their time and dollar. And, it is FREE!

Even if you only post once a month, it means you’re regularly engaging with customers. This helps drive them to your store. If you have an online store, social media is a seamless way to drive customers to your website.

What are engagement or poll stickers?

Instagram stickers are dynamic graphic elements that are added to Instagram Stories. Some are animated, some are clickable, and others allow users to interact directly with your Instagram Story.  Stories with a question or poll allow your audience to vote or answer. They are a terrific way to boost interest and engagement.

Instagram Stories allow you to post as many videos and photos as you want to – without impacting your Instagram grid aesthetic. Letting you step away from your potentially carefully curated, on-brand feed and show off a different side of your personality – as well as sometimes alerting people to your new grid posts.

With approximately 86.6% of Instagram’s users posting Stories every day, Stories enable you to still reach your audience even when they don’t have lots of time to scroll through their newsfeed.

But how do you make your Stories stand out? Be fun? Engaging? Here are some engaging sticker ideas to try…

QUIZ STICKER

The Quiz sticker asks your audience a question with up to 4 answers to choose from. Choosing an answer will either turn green for correct, or red for incorrect.

POLL STICKER

Poll stickers are pretty straightforward – add the sticker to your Story with a question and your audience can vote on the answer they want.

EMOJI SLIDER STICKER

The emoji slider is perfect for surveying your Instagram audience about their interests, likes, dislikes, and more. To use it, ask a question, place the emoji slider on your Story, and encourage your followers to drag the slider left or right.

COUNTDOWN OR SCHEDULE STICKER

Use the countdown sticker and schedule stickers to alert shoppers of coming events and sales. Generate anticipation and excitement. With the schedule sticker viewers can tap it to set a reminder for the upcoming event. Cool!

How do I add Instagram Story stickers to my feed?

After you’ve taken or uploaded your photo or video, add stickers by tapping on the sticker icon in the top right corner in the editing window. Learn how.

Cargo volumes steadily growing

Imports have been down year-over-year, but August 2023 numbers are expected to be the best in a year.

The ports in the US will handle around 22.3 million TEU in 2023, a 12.8% year-on-year drop. This makes it the second consecutive year that has seen a decline in cargo imports from an annual all-time high of 25.8 million TEU in 2021.

Import cargo volume at the nation’s major container ports is expected to hit its highest level in nearly a year this month as retailers stock up for the winter holidays, according to the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said, “There are always supply challenges to be faced but holiday merchandise is flowing into the country, and we expect to see a smooth shipping season ahead of the winter holiday shopping season.”

Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said double-digit year-over-year decreases in cargo volume this year have come even though consumer spending and U.S. employment have increased.

“Dollar figures for international trade show imports remain in a year-over-year decline and cargo volume shows the same,” Hackett said. “The discrepancy between rising growth in sales and declining cargo volumes is happening because retailers are working their way through inventory built up over the last 12 to 18 months. Cargo growth should resume as inventories are depleted.”

SOURCE: National Retail Federation (NRF)

What vendor do you recommend for large art prints?<-CLICK TO COMMENT

Do you sell art prints in your shop? Who’s your vendor?! 🖼

Do your part and leave a comment here or enter it at the bottom of the newsletter.

Thank you!

Connect. Share. Grow. ♡

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Gift shops still reopening three years post-pandemic

SHELTON, WA – The Mason General Hospital Gift Shop, operated by the hospital’s auxiliary to raise money for scholarships, has reopened after being closed for three years due to the COVID pandemic.

The shop reopened June 30, and is open from 10am – 4pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Most of the volunteers are seniors, which factored in how long the shop was closed following the worst of the pandemic, said volunteer Monica Bates.

During the past three years, the auxiliary has hosted some in-house one-day sales, including one last month that offered items at 75% discount. “There was a lot of dust collecting,” Bates said.

SOURCE: Shelton-Mason County Journal

A. Do you have a good vendor for vinyl die cut stickers?

Q. Does anyone have a good recommendation for a vinyl die cut sticker vendor? Our campus includes a lot of students and those stickers are trending with our students right now. Would love to find someone who has some medical themed or state themed stickers. – Alyssa Feller, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS. 6/26/23

I Heart Guts has a terrific collection of anatomy stickers, plus pins, buttons, keychains, and funny socks. They are a loyal advertiser in this issue (see their “Product Pick”) and were terrific to work with. – Cindy

Stickers Northwest Inc. Fast easy low cost and personalized if you want for 0!! – Tricia Rochman, Carbondale Memorial Hospital, Carbondale, IL. 154 beds. 6/26/23

Check out Big Moods and Ellembee Gift.  – Sally Miller, Ahuja Medical Center, Beachwood, OH. 6/26/23

We just picked up Nice Enough Stickers. The display is great and the cost is low. They’re represented by Anne McGilvray. – Erin. 6/25/23

We use Stickers Northwest. We get them through our rep at ritzsisters.com – Vesta R Smith, Adventist Health Columbia Gorge, The Dalles, OR. 6/22/23

The best sticker vendor around is Stickers Northwest. They are highly durable, ship quick, have oodles of designs and best of all you can customize designs for only a 25 piece minimum! – Angela, RoadRunners LLC, Wholesale, Atlanta, GA. 6/16/23

ISO sticker vendor! 🔎 Didn’t get a chance to comment!? Enter your response here or at the end of the newsletter.

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Survey: Gift shop manager Facebook Group

We are exploring the idea of starting a Facebook Group for our readers following several requests from this community.

The group would be private and administered by us here at Cindy Jones Assoc.

Engagement levels can make or break a Facebook group. We want to gauge your interest and engagement. Please answer the survey here!

Would you join a Facebook Group for gift shop managers?

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CANDLE CITATION

Q. Today we were paid a visit by our Director of Environment of Care and Life Safety telling us the hospital was cited by the Fire Marshal for a doctor having an unlit candle in his office. We sell candles in our gift shops and now they are suggesting we no longer carry candles as they are considered “combustible”. Can you tell me if you have ever heard of this before? I have been here over 10 years and have carried candles for just about that amount of time. I have never heard of it. – Deborah R. Kerr, Director of Retail Strategy & Gift Shop Operations, Children’s Mercy, Kansas City, MO. 4/24/23

FROM CINDY
In my +30 years working with hospital gift shops, I have never heard of a case where selling candles violates National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) code for healthcare facilities. Once a candle is sold it is not the responsibility of the gift shop to determine how or where it will be used. It is up to the hospital and the employee who purchased the candle to follow the policies. There are many more flammable and combustible compounds in a hospital that fall under this code.  Thank you for sharing!

SOCIAL MEDIA

Q. When it comes to social media and you are restricted to nothing outside of the hospital, how do you make this work? We do have a Facebook page, but it is a closed group. As volunteers, we are part of this group and we do invite friends. But feel this doesn’t reach more in the community. – Jan Friedman, Unity Point, Dubuque, IA. 1/24/23

I would love to join a facebook group for gift shop managers!  We are a small hospital gift shop in Hays, Kansas.  I love seeing the ideas of other managers. – Nikki M. Director, Volunteer & Associate Services, HaysMed. 7/26/23

We use Facebook to promote events, fundraisers, merchandise and more. Facebook groups are also a great way to share, to remind people to come to your business! This is especially helpful when unable to visit the hospital gift shop during COVID with visitor/public restrictions. – Jennifer Bahlmann-Ballantine. 3/7/23

Does Cindy have any social media groups or message boards for gift shop managers and buyers to collaborate in a more effectively and allow for real time reactions? I know many gift shop personnel may participate in volunteer management professional networking groups and organizations but there doesn’t seem to be anything out there specific to gift shop retailers. Is anyone a part of any local groups for networking? -Holly Verbos, Penn State Health, Hershey, PA. 628 beds. 2/22/2023

I love this idea! I would love to have something to be able to connect with other hospital gift shop managers. It would be great to be able to ask questions, bounce ideas and just overall support from other managers :)  – Lanie Ray, Wishes Gift Shop/Fairfield Medical Center, Lancaster, OH. 2/24/2023

Even a private Facebook group would be really helpful. We could post pictures of displays or products for each other to comment on and discuss. I think it would foster greater newsletter comment and discussion too! -Holly Verbos, Penn State Health, Hershey, PA. 628 beds. 2/24/2023

We have a closed Facebook group, as well. And need advice also. – Nancy Williams. 2/17/23

As a not-for-profit hospital, we are not allowed to post outside of the hospital. We are allowed to email our employees internally. – Craig McKneely, Scripps Mercy Hospital Gift Shop, San Diego. 412 beds. 2/17/23

We use our hospital’s communications and public relations office for that purpose. – Peter Waugh. 2/17/23

Our health system requires social media posts go through marketing. As ‘just’ the gift shop it is difficult to get regular postings. Pre-COVID we would have annual events throughout the year, usually four. Post-COVID we only have two, Poinsettia and Pastries for Christmas and The Planting Patch in May right before Mother’s Day. With annual events marketing creates a design/sign that they will post on social media. Each year we use the same design and change the date or times as needed. I feel gift shops are the cherry on top of the hospital and are usually an afterthought for marketing. Non-retail people don’t fully understand the value of real-time information. – Noelle Boardman,  St. Luke’s Floral & Gifts, Cedar Rapids, IA. 530 beds. 2/17/23

Yes. I’ve always been told that there are restrictions and that you have to be careful posting pricing if you’re a non-profit, so we have an open gift shop page and post pictures of new product and fundraisers. Would love to see an article on the do’s and don’ts of non-profit social media pages!! – Ali McCrary. 2/17/23

Our hospital requires all social media posts to go through marketing for the entire health system. Gift shops are never part of the information that is shared with the community. We haven’t found a solution. – Amy Saye 2/17/23

It’s great to see so much interest in this question! Let’s address some of the comments.

SOCIAL MEDIA & NON-PROFITS

Hospital gift shops are permitted to use social media and to advertise, but they must be related to the hospital’s exempt purpose of promoting the health of its patients. They need to:

1. Explicitly state that proceeds go toward supporting the hospital. “All of the proceeds from the gift shop directly benefit patient care at Ascension Via Christi Manhattan and the Mercy Auxiliary.”
2. Be directed toward patients, medical staff, employees, or visitors
3. Comply with HIPAA laws (e.g., no patient info or images)
4. Typically follow branding guidelines set by the hospital or health system to ensure consistency and coherence in their messaging and visual identity.
5. Follow advertising regulations set by the FTC or other regulatory bodies. For example, gift shops may need to disclose if they are sponsoring a post or using paid advertising.

There are several hospital gift shops with terrific Facebook Pages:

From: Top 6 hospital gift shop Facebook pages

It is counter intuitive to restrict a gift shop from using social media. The shop’s goal is the raise funds for the hospital, after all. Limiting its reach and online footprint is, in turn, limiting the funds raised. Ironically, it can only hurt the hospital funding goals, in the end. Social media is arguably the most powerful tool a nonprofit has at their disposal. It’s free and a simple way to “push” great products in front of hospital employees and customer’s via their feeds. See last month’s article, “Proof that social media can increase sales“.

Along the same lines, it is also a myth that 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations cannot make a profit. Most hospitals and their subsequent gift shops are for profit. They charge sales tax and operate as a business. The shops then donate all their profits to the hospital for patient benefit and equipment. Read more on IRS rules on advertising for hospital gift shops.

Want to advertise? Click here.

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