Astropower Kiosk Merchandises Solar Power
AstroPower, Inc., Newark, DE, is using this interactive kiosk to merchandise its residential solar electric power systems at The Home Depot.
The AstroPower interactive displays show consumers how easy it is to generate their own electricity with solar electric power systems. The systems are being sold and installed under The Home Depot’s “Installed Products” initiative, a full service program, which provides product sales, financing, installation, and service.
“We are excited to be working with The Home Depot to bring solar electric power to the mainstream consumer market,” said Howard Wenger, AstroPower’s V.P., Premium Power Business. Bill Patterson, Divisional Install Merchant at The Home Depot, said, “The Home Depot is pleased to be partnering with AstroPower in this exciting new product category.”
Magnet Works Offering Mailbox Cover Display
Magnet Works, Ltd., is using this display to merchandise its MailWraps decorative mailbox covers at gift shops, hardware and garden centers.
The display, which looks like a mailbox post, helps to demonstrate how the covers look on an actual mailbox. The display shows numerous different mailbox covers in a limited amount of floor space.
The MailWraps are affordably priced at under $17, which helps to generate impulse purchases. MailWraps are an affordable “collectible,” and many consumers change their mailbox cover for different seasons and holidays.
This display merchandises MailWraps featuring the artwork of such artists as Warren Kimble, Susan Winget, and Debbie Mumm who represent the bestselling country designs in the Mailwraps line.
Tanita Displays Scales & Body Fat Monitors
Tanita Corp., Arlington Heights, IL, is using this 3-Sided wire display, which can stock up to 24 scales and 40 hand-held products. A colorful three-sided header draws interest into the merchandiser. The display also includes one brochure pocket.
The display merchandises a wide array of different scales plus fat monitors. Home-use scales plus body fat monitors enable individuals to see their bodies better by monitoring their body fat and weight, while tracking changes over time. The hand-held self-monitoring products, include the calorie-counting HealthyJump jump rope, the Cardio heart rate monitor, and the SyncWalk pacesetter stopwatch. These products can be hung at the top of the display.
In addition to this 3-Sided wire display, Tanita also offers its retailers a two-sided and one-sided wire display, and several corrugated displays.
Solatube Floor Display Features Skylight
Solatube International, Vista, CA, is using this free-standing floor display which features a sample 10-inch Solatube tubular skylight. The display unit has full color graphics that attract shoppers’ attention. The display provides a great deal of information about the Solatube, and provides free brochures and tips on installation for homeowners.
A light can be placed overhead and shined through the dome to show how light comes through into a room. Or, a small laser can be placed and aimed at Solatube’s patented Raybender Technology in the dome to demonstrate how it bends the ray down into the tube.
The display is 7'1" tall and has a 2'2" x 2'2" footprint. The heavy-duty powder-coated steel frame is easy to assemble.
These displays have been provided to home centers and hardware stores, lumberyards and window and door shops.
Sears Announces Changes In Appliance In-Store Shopping Experience
Sears, Roebuck & Co. is making major changes in its appliance business.
Sears has reconfigured how appliances are presented on the sales floor, and is testing three layouts: An expanded value center, with value product grouped in one area of the department; A “good”, “better,” “best” presentation of appliances; and appliances organized from “good” to “better” to “best” by brand.
Sears has also improved signage to continue to give consumers the best possible shopping experience.
Smarthome Opens Home Automation Store
Smarthome, Inc., a leading provider of home automation products has opened its first home automation retail store. The store allows consumers to experiment with products prior to purchase and see first-hand how easy home automation product installation can be.
“Smarthome’s retail store will show how inexpensive and easy it is to install home automation products, and how convenient life can be with these products integrated in the home,” said Matt Dean, V.P. Marketing for Smarthome.
Home Depot Conducts Do-It-Herself Workshops
The Home Depot is launching its first-ever Do-It-Herself Workshops to assist the growing number of female home improvement enthusiasts. The clinics will help women learn how to use power tools, build a patio, and install outdoor lighting. The clinics reflect the growing desire by American women for more knowledge and hands-on training in home repair.
According to a new opinion poll conducted for Home Depot by Roper ASW, nearly three-quarters of American women ages 25 to 49 expressed more confidence in their ability to do home improvement projects today than five years ago. While slightly more than half of women ages 25 to 49 would like to learn more about choosing paint, wallpaper and window treatments, a larger percentage, 69 percent expressed an interest in improving their general home maintenance skills.
“Do-It-Herself Workshops are part of our long-term commitment to be more than a store to our customers who are seeking answers and inspiration,” said John Costello, Chief Marketing Officer for The Home Depot.
Women's Survey Reveals ‘Can Do’ Attitude About Yard Work
Women seem as at home in the backyard as men when it comes to lawn care, according to a recent survey conducted by Briggs & Stratton Corp., a leading producer of engines for outdoor power equipment. Of the women surveyed who care for their lawns, 74% said they do as good of a job as men when it comes to lawn care.
What would they do differently than a man? Spending more time making the lawn look nice topped their list (69%) followed by trimming more neatly than the guys (56%) and learning more about lawn care (51%) to do it properly.
Asked what they liked most about cutting their lawn, 34% of the women cited working outdoors as enjoyable. Second on their list was “pride in the way the yard looks” (22%) and third, cutting the grass is good exercise (18%).
Weber Outdoor Room Study Released
A growing number of Americans are making the “outdoor room,” defined as an outdoor area with a cooking, eating, and sitting space an integral part of their home, according to the Weber Outdoor Room Tracking Study, conducted by Weber-Stephan Products Co.
Over one-third of outdoor room owners surveyed say that the design of this area is equally as important as the design of their homes' interior spaces. Nearly half of those surveyed who do not own an outdoor room say they are interested in having one (44%) and of those, 28% say that they are at least somewhat likely to create an outdoor room this summer.
The outdoor room includes a variety of products: Most common is the patio dining set (79%) and flower beds (78%). About 66% have a seating area with furniture separate from the dining set. In addition to owning a stand-up gas grill, other cooking equipment includes a smoker (10%), charcoal grill (7%), and a range/cook top (3%). Outdoor room owners enjoy electronics: 38% report having an outdoor stereo system or speakers, and 9% say they watch TV outside. Outdoor room owners also incorporate leisure or sports equipment, such as a swimming pool (28%) or hot tub (18%).
Increasing Numbers of Women Taking On Home Improvement
Nearly half of women have undertaken a home improvement project in the past two years and had done at least some of the work themselves, according to a recent national survey conducted by Opinion Research Corp. on behalf of Kimberly-Clark’s SCOTT brand.
The number one reason why women take on home improvement projects is money. The second most important reason is personal pride and satisfaction. Other factors are: being able to do things their own way, not having to wait for someone else to do the work, not being dependent upon a man to get the job done, and working with their hands.
Before starting a home improvement project, nearly half the women seek assistance at a local home center or hardware store, or watch TV or cable home improvement programs.
The most popular home improvement project for women was painting. Bathroom remodeling was next, followed by wallpapering, plumbing, kitchen remodeling, tile work, additions or renovations, electrical work, laying carpet, and window replacement.
Shopping in a home improvement center was described as “easy” by nearly one-third of respondents, while one quarter termed it “more fun than food shopping.” Twenty-one percent, however, described it as necessary but not very pleasant. Home improvement stores did receive high marks for their marketing efforts and treatment of women, with 64 percent of respondents saying the stores did a good job overall. Fifteen percent thought stores should offer more do-it- yourself classes.
Teens Tackling Do-It-Yourself Projects
More than four in ten (43%) teens say they or their parents have remodeled or plan to remodel their bedroom to make it more personalized or representative of their age, according to a recent survey of teens conducted by Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse and Ipsos-Insight. Teenage girls (54 percent) lead this teen room makeover boom.
Nearly four in ten teens surveyed (39%) say they have tackled or plan to tackle a home improvement project on their own. More girls (43%) than boys (34%) claim to be budding do-it-yourselfers.
If they could change one aspect of their room, nearly half (46%) of teen respondents said they’d paint their room a new color, followed by 22 percent who stated they’d buy or paint furniture to give their room a new look.
When asked what best describes the style they’d most like to have in their bedroom, teen girls (37%) favored a funky, trendy look. In contrast, teen boys (34%) leaned toward a sporty, preppy motif, preferring styles such as rugby-stripes, neutral colors and natural woods.
Colgate-Palmolive Launches Disposable DishWipes
Colgate-Palmolive has introduced Palmolive Dishwipes, the first of its kind in this category. To use the disposable cloth-like wipes, consumers add water to create lather and wash as usual. Each wipe is designed to last through an entire load of dishes.
The launch will be supported with advertising, in-store promotions, FSI’s and sampling.
GE Introduces SmartSecurity System
GE Consumer Products has introduced the GE SmartSecurity Wireless Do-It-Yourself Alarm and Monitoring System. The GE SmartSecurity is a self-contained wireless security system and lighting control center that retails for less than $200 and does not require any wiring or expensive installation.
CATEGORY:Permanent Displays
DISPLAY PRODUCER: The Display Link, Inc.
99 East Main Street, P.O. Box 758, Babylon, NY 11702
The Leviton Lighting Control Tower is an interactive kiosk which showcased its extensive dimmer lighting control line. The goal of the display was to attract potential customers by standing out in a typically cluttered retail lighting showroom. The result is this futuristic 360º monolith with working dimmers that allow consumers to "test drive" products.
CATEGORY: Permanent Displays
DISPLAY PRODUCER: Visual Marketing, Inc.
154 W. Erie Street, Chicago, IL 60610
The La-Z Boy® Power Rocker Information Console is placed between two La-Z-Boy Recliners in stores, enticing customers to "test drive" the Rocker’s many functions. This unique display makes customers aware of the new line of recliners and their high-tech features.
CATEGORY: Corrugated Displays
DISPLAY PRODUCER: Array Marketing Group
633 W. 5th Street, #6650, Los Angeles, CA 90071.
The Stanley Toolworks FAT MAX Prepack was produced to promote the launch of Stanley's new Fat Max line of hand tools. The display provided interchangeable peg hooks and shelves that allowed the display to be reconfigured to merchandise different tools in the collection. The display was sent pre-packed with all the tools to ensure immediate merchandising in the retail environment.
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