RETAIL NEWS
MARKETPULSE
A RETAIL NEWS SPECIAL REPORT
FALL 2006
What’s
Inside
2 In-depth Analyses
4 Fall 2006 Category Comprehensive
6 Year-over-Year Review
8 Regional Category Differences
8 Fill Rates
8 New Product Introductions
Snapshots
Highest-Stocked
Categories
Product Category stocking
#1 Canadian-made 51%
#2 General giftware 37%
#3 Candles & home fragrance 33%
#4 Handmade 28%
#5 Home décor 26%
#6 Jewellery 24%
#7 Wall art 22%
#8 Christmas & seasonal décor 21%
#9 Stationery 19%
#10 Floral goods 16%
For an in-depth analysis of the industry’s
highest-stocked categories, see page 2.
Stocking levels for all categories can be found
on page 4.
Top-Growth Categories
of those stocking
buying more in
Product Category next 12 months stocking
Canadian-made 39% 51%
General giftware 43% 37%
Home décor 49% 26%
Handmade 43% 28%
Jewellery 49% 24%
Candles &
home fragrance 34% 33%
For an in-depth analysis of the industry’s
hottest categories, see page 3.
Sales Trends
The good news is that over half of the retailers
polled (51%) said their sales had increased in
the past 12 months. The bad news? The
percentage of retailers reporting sales
decreases has climbed to 30% from 17% last
fall. The take-away? The middle ground
appears to have evaporated. Retailers are either
performing well or they’re not, supporting
Darwin’s survival of the fittest theory.
reporting
Sales increases 51%
Static sales 19%
Sales decreases 30%
For an in-depth analysis of sales trends,
see page 3.
The data used to compile this report was derived from 600 telephone interviews conducted with independent giftware retailers in September 2006. © Retail News/Canadian Gift & Tableware Association.
