You Need Heart! ♥️ 💪🏼🫀 ♥️

Managing and running a successful hospital gift shop takes an awful lot of heart!

You have to have patience, be able to accept criticism and be willing to change certain things you thought you knew.

The key to managing, surviving and thriving in a hospital gift shop environment is perseverance and the willingness to change to meet your customers ever-changing needs.

Besides taking some risks, you need to be diligent and open to alterations.

But if you’ve got a passion for what you’re doing, a vision for how you want it to look and the means to persevere through trials and tribulations, well then, you’re on the right track.

NBC News: Silver Cross Gift Shop

Lynda McShane started volunteering at Childerguild Gift Shop at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox when she was 21, selling bags of Brach’s candy, plants and cigarettes from “a couple of carts we’d lock in a closet.”

That was more than 55 years ago, and she’s still at it, though the setting and merchandise are quite different.

SOURCE: NBC Chicago

The top retail trends in 2023

Square teamed up with Wakefield Research and surveyed 2,000 consumers and 500 retail owners and managers about where retail is headed. What they found reinforces the shopping trends towards digital online consumerism that we talk about so much here in the newsletter.

The shop on main street, the post on your Instagram feed, and the email to the online store may all come from the same retailer. It will be hard to thrive in the coming decade without social and mobile commerce or marketing. Augmenting consumer access to your shop and its merchandise will be imperative (think, omnichannel retailing).

“The who, what, where, and why behind our shopping experience is going through a metamorphosis.”

Take, for example, the fate of your local bookshop. Bookstores took a hit with the advent of digital books. Brick-and-mortar shopping is facing the same future with the rise of digital retailing.

Adapt. Adapt. Adapt.

Shops relying on earlier formats will either adapt or die out as the new ones pull volume from their stores and make the remaining volume less profitable.

Square analyzed the survey results, insights from the Square retail team, and interviews with creative retailers leading the charge to identify the top retail trends for businesses to explore this year. All data cited below comes from the survey results: The Future of Retail Report: 2023 Edition.

Expand where you sell

• 81% of retailers are planning to expand the number of digital channels they sell on in the next 12 months.
• Retailers reported 43% of their revenue comes from online sales.
• Brands need to be seen and heard…where consumers can come to be inspired and to shop. (YES, your shop has a “brand”, if you’re marketing it correctly.)

Plan for economic uncertainty

• 44% noted raising prices as their top choice in the event of an economic downturn.
• 88% of consumers say they’d understand if their favorite local business raised its prices.
• 38% of consumers would be more likely to shop at a smaller business to support those who may be struggling.

Enhance the customer experience with automation

• 73% of consumers prefer retailers use automation instead of staff in at least one area of the shopping experience.
• Automation allows customers to experience things their way and at their own pace.
• 44% of consumers want an automated tool to check product information or inventory.
• 94% of retailers plan to enhance their in-store customer experience, turning commerce into an event. 

Customers want to engage with brands

• 86% of customers want to hear from businesses they frequent.
• Consumers prefer to engage via email Facebook, text message, Instagram and TikTok

• 26% are interested in social media purchases.
• 22% are interested in virtual reality experiences.
• 20% are interested in QR code window shopping.
• 19% are interested in text message or chat sales. 
• 18% are interested live-streamed events.

Social and mobile commerce are booming

• 79% of consumers make purchases directly from their mobile devices.
• 91% of retailers surveyed sell on social media.
• 19% of consumers said that they want retailers to offer ways to purchase directly through text or other chat messaging tools.

🎯 Tips

• Turn your shop windows into a sales associate. Place QR codes in your displays to allow passersby to shop even when your store is closed. 
• Numerous POS systems support QR codes: Square, Shopify, Lightspeed, Vend, etc.
• Capture customer information when they scan your QR codes.

SOURCE: RetailDive

Product Pick: Plush Organ & Anatomy Gifts by 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 will 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.

UPCOMING HOLIDAYS

Volunteer auxiliaries dissolve, shops close

Pandemic shuts Laconia Hospital auxiliary after 129 years

LACONIA, NH – After more than 128 years, the Lakes Region General Hospital Auxiliary at Lakes Region General Hospital and Concord Hospital-Laconia sadly, like many auxiliary organizations across the country, has ended.

“We were having problems getting volunteers for the gift shop before COVID hit. The board members and I were there almost 24/7 to keep it open, and some days we couldn’t keep it open at all,” said Paulette Adams, president of the auxiliary, noting that volunteers and board members were all of retirement age.

The pandemic forced the gift shop to shut in 2020 and also canceled the annual fall craft fair, which had started small but had grown so large that it moved to the Laconia High School gym. After two years of shutdown, it proved impossible to get going again. The gift shop will reopen under the hospital’s management. Lanconia Daily Sun, 2023

Regina General Hospital gift shop changes hands after four decades under volunteer leadership

REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN – The Regina General Hospital Auxiliary, a volunteer-led organization, is handing over the keys for the gift shop after 42 years. The auxiliary has contributed nearly $4.5 million dollars over the last four decades. The Hospitals of Regina Foundation will take over operation. The Foundation plans to renovate the gift shop and the bookstore before hopefully reopening in the fall. Many auxiliary members have already signed up to volunteer.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the shop to close in March 2020 and the auxiliary was unable to reopen. “We couldn’t make up a board and we couldn’t get enough volunteers to run the gift shop and if you’re going to do something you want to do it right,” said auxiliary president Norma Rohatyn, adding it was a difficult decision to disband and give up the shop.

At its peak, it had upwards of 80 members, but at the time it disbanded there were 28 members with an average age of 82. CTV News, 2023

Sierra View issues a heartfelt goodbye to ‘Pink Ladies’

PORTERVILLE, CA – After 59 years of service, the governing board of the Volunteer League at Sierra View Medical Center voted to dissolve, allowing league members to focus on volunteering without having to run and attend board meetings, pay dues, or manage league financials.

“Although the Volunteer League has voted to dissolve, SVMC’s volunteer opportunities hold the same core values of community service. Volunteers will still bring the same warmth and helpful hand to the hospital, while being able to focus on their passion of giving.”

The hospital gift shop, previously managed by the Volunteer League, closed April 28, 2023 and will reopen under new management once the state approves the Sierra View Volunteer League dissolution. The Valley Voice, 2023

Barstow Community Hospital Auxiliary bids farewell after 62 years

BARSTOW, CA  – After 62 years, the Barstow Community Hospital Auxiliary closed its last chapter. As a final act of the Auxiliary’s benevolence, the organization donated $25,000 to the Barstow Community College Foundation for future healthcare student scholarships.

The decision to dissolve the group was primarily due to lost revenue from the loss of the gift shop and vending machines. The gift shop began reducing inventory sales, with items sold at 50% off. The gift shop continued sales until all items were sold, with an end date of July 31. Daily Press, 2022

Culpeper Hospital Auxiliary votes to dissolve

CULPEPER, VA – After 60 years of service, the Culpeper Hospital Auxiliary has voted to dissolve. The onset of COVID-19 and its impact on volunteers, as well as continuing concerns about filling leadership positions are contributing factors to the decision.

Estimated more than 1,433,000 volunteer hours have been accrued by the organization since it began, equivalent to $40 million dollars in manpower.

The Auxiliary gave $100,000 in 1986 toward capital improvements at the hospital; $410,000 in 1997 toward extensive renovation of the medical/surgical nursing unit; $1.2 million in 2001 toward the capital campaign that built Powell Wellness Center; $400,000 in 2007 for digital 3D mammography; $700,000 in 2012 to purchase a breast coil and software for the MRI equipment and $500,000 in 2017 for the hospital cafeteria renovation. Culpeper Star, 2021

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

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.

GIFT SHOP MESSAGE BOARD

In 2020 we moved the newsletter online and incorporated a comment/discussion feature. The goal was to create a ‘community’ where readers could “ask questions, bounce ideas and just overall support from other managers”. We made it so readers could post pics, reply to specific comments, include links, get notified when someone replies to your comment, and so on.

At this time, we also started building a dedicated message board, similar to Quora or Reddit. Even going as far as buying a domain (see below). Ultimately, we felt it would not get enough use or ads to cover the costs ($1200/year). A paid membership model did not seem feasible either.

We considered a Facebook Group but there were limitations. It would exclude retailers who don’t use Facebook, the search function is terrible, can’t navigate or search embedded images and threads, no archive options. We also wanted a platform that did not require a login and was incredibly simple. Nonetheless, we’d love to revisit this if readers indicate enough interest. Please let us know here or comment below.