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BILL FISHMAN

Bill Fishman & Atfiliates

11650 lberia Place

San Diego, Ca.92128

THE NATIONAL Mass Retailing In- r The exhibitors outnumbered the retailers at the show. When I questioned some exhibitors about this ratio they responded that because the seminar topics attract key industry decision makers, they find it a must public relations opportunity. r The seminar topics covered many of the problems that face our industry today including: o The Role of Marketing (in discounting) r Merchandise Replenishment r Increasing Sales Per Square Foot* o Updating Store Advertising r Consumer PerceptionYour Challenge for the 80's r Payroll Productivity r Review and Expansion of GMROI o In l98l manufacturers distributed 102.4 billion coupons. r 8090 ofthe households use coupons. o 2 coupons are redeemed for every $100 of retail purchases. r Retailers like coupons but get burned by lack of communications from the manufacturers offering coupons and rebates.

I stitute annual convention just ended. This year it was held in San Diego. I attended. My rationale for monitoring this convention was to determine how similar or different were the operations and the problems of these giant mass merchandisers from the home center and building material operators. Here are some facts and some conclusions based upon my observations.

I was also impressed by the facts and figures at a seminar entitled "Vendor,/Retailer Marketing OpportunitiesCouponing &Rebating."

*During the question and answer period the audience agrees that a better topic would have been "Increasing Profit per square foot."

The home center and building industry has been very slow to recognize the value of coupons as a merchandising tool. Retailers in our industry now have the sophistication and systems to make them work. They also have the experiences of the food and drug industry to circumvent the bugs.

The "Role of Marketing" session related to the concept that the public today is not looking for cheap merchandise. The catch phrases repeated were:

. "Investment Oriented" o "Buying Basics"

. "Buying with a plan for the future" o "Generic labeling sales dropping off" o "National brands continue to command better prices"

Among some of the more recognizable names of our industry exhibiting at this mass merchandising show were Black & Decker, Clopay, Dap, Graber, Hart, Kirsch, Newell, and Stanley.

At the show the discount industry trade publication The Discount Merchandiser distributed their current issue includine

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