2011 MSA Conference: New session! American Booksellers Association to present in Rosemont!
MSA
MSA is very pleased to announce a new partnership with the American Booksellers Association (ABA) and the addition of an exciting new session in Rosemont as an added value to attendees! Join Oren Teicher, chief executive officer of ABA, as he presents "Linked by Passion: Growing Sales through Local Retail Partnerships" on April 30. Working with other indie businesses in the community can help grow your sales. But how can you convince your indie neighbors that participating in cross promotions or other shared events can strengthen their businesses as well? This session will answer those questions and more. Get more details and register today!More

Minutes from the MSA Florida Chapter winter meeting posted
MSA
Minutes from the MSA Florida Chapter winter meeting in Orlando/Winter Park, FL, have been posted to the MSA website.More

2 new positions posted to MSA's Job Source
MSA
Two new positions have been posted to Job Source, MSA's online resource for the most up-to-date job listings in the cultural commerce industry.More

Could gas prices derail the recovery?
NRF Stores
As gas prices climb, consumer anxiety seems to rise -- and when shoppers worry about how they'll pay for gas, it's fair to say that they begin to assess other purchases more closely.More

iPhone as a cash register
Bloomberg Businessweek
Card readers that plug into smart phones, made by Square and others, are bringing new sales to small merchants.More

The taxman cometh in 2011 for online entrepreneurs
Entrepreneur
Since the dawn of the Internet, small retailers have lived in a magical, tax-free bubble. First off, they didn't collect sales tax -- an advantage that is likely to be gone shortly, with the inevitable approval of the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement currently before Congress. Some individual states aren't waiting and are already pressing for sales-tax collection on online sales.More

Psyched to buy, in groups
The New York Times
You might think that this column is about Groupon.com, the white-hot website whose coupons save you 50 to 90 percent at local businesses. But it's not. It's about psychology.More

Clothing prices set to jump in spring
The Associated Press via The Washington Times
The era of falling clothing prices is ending. Clothing prices have dropped for a decade as tame inflation and cheap overseas labor helped hold down costs. Retailers and clothing makers cut frills and experimented with fabric blends to cut prices during the recession. But as the world economy recovers and demand for goods rises, a surge in labor and raw materials costs is squeezing retailers and manufacturers who have run out of ways to pare costs.More

Toymakers in playful mood to begin NYC show
MSNBC.com
The mood on the opening day of the American International Toy Fair in New York was rather upbeat as manufacturers like Mattel Inc., MEGA Brands Inc. and Spin Master tried to woo potential buyers from across the globe. The U.S. toy industry is hoping to rebound from a lackluster holiday sales season in which demand petered out after a strong start.More

iPad -- The form factor for mobile commerce
ClickZ
Consumers are using mobile to research product purchases, but not to transact. The question facing retailers is when will mobile transactions contribute to sales in a meaningful way? The answer is, when tablet (a.k.a. iPad) penetration rivals smart phone penetration.More

Shopping locally allows taxes to stay put, helps those who drive tourism
The Sierra Vista Herald
A nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the benefits of shopping locally is going to be bringing its campaign to Bisbee, Ariz. One of the many ways in which small businesses can support a community is by acting as a "cultural tourism driver," said Kimber Lanning, a small business owner and director of Local First Arizona.More

Point of purchase display ideas
Snap!Retail
Are you making the most of your point of purchase (POP) display? Often overlooked in merchandising, this is a great area to add value not only to your store merchandising, but to your store sales. More

6 mistakes to avoid in a recovering economy
American Express OPEN Small Business Forum
After a long period of economic decline, things are looking up. Consumer spending is on the rise, unemployment rates seem to be going down, and businesses are opening again. While you may feel like jumping for joy, hiring back your laid-off employees, and sinking significant investment into a shiny new venture … read this first.More

Making big impacts with the small stuff
OneCoast
Now's the time to start showcasing all your spring-time accessories with some amazing merchandising displays. Liven up your shop with your beautiful, bright, and colorful handbags, scarves, shoes, and jewelry. We are tired of winter and want spring to come quickly. Let's get into the spirit of spring with these merchandising tips that will put the "WOW" in your small stuff.More

A simple way to manage your time
American Express OPEN Small Business Forum
William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, once said, "Time is what we want most, but what we use worst."And with the plethora of time management tools and books on the market today, it's hard to disagree with that statement.More

Federal Do Not Track bill introduced in House
Direct Marketing News
U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., introduced the Do Not Track Me Online Act of 2011 on February 11. It is the first bill of this Congress to explicitly call for Do Not Track regulation. Marketers and industry groups have voiced opposition to prospective federal Do Not Track legislation, which would block unauthorized monitoring of consumers' online behavior, in recent months. More

What is the 'Consumer Confidence Index' and why should you care?
Seeking Alpha
The Consumer Confidence Survey is conducted monthly under the auspices of The Conference Board, Inc. The Conference Board researches and produces, among other reports, the Leading Economic Indicators for the U.S., the U.K., the Euro Area, France, Germany, Spain, Japan, Korea, China, Mexico and Australia. It also produces the Consumer Confidence Index, the CEO Confidence index, the Help Wanted Online Data Series, and other major indicators that have an impact on both business and the financial markets.More

California retailers can't ask patrons for ZIP Codes, court rules
Los Angeles Times
In a case watched closely by merchants, the state Supreme Court ruled unanimously that California retailers may no longer collect ZIP Codes from credit card customers, except in limited cases. The high court determined that ZIP Codes were "personal identification information" that merchants can't demand from customers under a state consumer privacy law.More

Museum Day sets record attendance
Sacramento Business Journal
The 13th annual Sacramento Museum Day in Sacramento, Calif., reached a record with 113,533 visitors to the participating 26 museums.More

Dixon Gallery and Gardens seeks new audiences; retools image, mission
The Commercial Appeal
When an exhibition features work by 10 young local artists, you would assume that the venue is one of Memphis, Tenn.'s commercial galleries or a group show at Memphis College of Art or the Art Museum of the University of Memphis. Local artists? Radical painters? What's happening at the institution at Park and Cherry long known for its devotion to Impressionism and 18th-century porcelain?More

Whitney Museum partners with Foursquare
ArtDaily.org
The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York is partnering with Foursquare on a new custom badge. Foursquare, a location-based mobile platform in which users "check in" at venues using a smartphone app or SMS, allows users to share their location with friends while collecting points and virtual badges.More

Heard Museum opens Coffee Cantina
Phoenix New Times Blogs
The Heard Museum is about to get a little bit sweeter. The downtown art venue announced that it will open a new book store and coffee shop (that'll serve margaritas, too), dubbed the Coffee Cantina, with an opening bash.More

Cross-training across generations: Current challenges in arts administration
Dance USA
A new crop of bright, talented individuals are rising in the ranks of the art administration sector. Often dubbed "emerging leaders" this group is typically defined as under 35 years old, working in the field less than five to 10 years. Arts organizations have identified the apparent gap in age and experience between established arts leaders and their successors as a major issue affecting the potential growth and sustainability of the arts sector. Most agree that a few salient issues will shape this transition: reevaluating the internal structures that non-profits use operationally; allowing technological innovation to streamline administrative tasks; and trusting that asking questions can lead to better answers and more support.More