Swap Meet Magazine June 2021 EMAG

6 • JUNE 2021 • SWAP MEET MAGAZINE... READ BY 75,000 VENDORS NATIONWIDE
40 Years
1981-2021
SWAP MEET MAGAZINE
Published by:
Forum Publishing Co.
383 East Main Street
Centerport, NY 11721
Tel: 631/754-5000
Fax: 631/754-0630
forumpublishing@gmail.com
www.SwapMeetMag.com
SALES & MARKETING
Gregory Brown
Harry Makris
Tom Richards
Scott Savitt
Marti Stevens
OFFICE MANAGER
Leah C
PRODUCTION
Lisa Maresca-Smith
CREDIT DEPARTMENT
Kristine Hines
CIRCULATION
Discount Reading Svc.
LITERARY SALES
Rachel Spearman
COLOR PRODUCTION
Anchor Imaging
PRINTING
Composing Room
ART DIRECTION
Gregory Stevens
Marti Stevens
SWAP MEET is published monthly at
$75/year USA, $125/year foreign.
Entire contents copyright ©2021
Forum Publishing. Publisher assumes
no responsibility for contents herein.
First and third class postage paid at
Centerport, NY. Bulk mail paid at
Shirley, NY and additional locations
under private mail indicia.
June Gives Two Chances For Increased Sales
FIRST and foremost I want to thank everyone for their kind words as we
celebrated our 40th Anniversary last month. It has been an incredible
journey over the last four decades and always an honor to serve the
industry we love.
WHEN you last 40 years in any industry one of the bittersweet moments
is reflecting on how many people and companies are no longer with us.
Celebrating our 40th last month we scanned our client files and very few
of the retailers and wholesalers we’d serviced over the years are gone.
Some moved on, some passed on and some businesses closed up. Very
few veterans left from the roaring 80’s when we started up. And don’t get
me started on how the industry has changed.
ONE thing that has not changed is the desire for people to own their
own businesses. This is regardless of the blows the pandemic or unstable
economy throws at them. People long to own their own stores or online
businesses. Magazines and websites like ours are here to help those who
are determined to create their own destinies, and that honestly is the fuel
that keeps us going!
THE month of June is the month of Dad’s and Grad’s. While Mother’s
Day was one of the highest volume retailing holidays next to Christmas,
June gives retailers two opportunities to make money: Father’s Day and
Graduation Day. There will be plenty of money spent on both of these
occasions and it is our job as retailers to make sure that everyone is
spending at OUR stores.
GIFTS for dads can range from recreational items, sporting goods, grilling
items, lazy boy recliners, auto and truck accessories and the like. For
graduates, which come in all sizes and ages ranging from pre-schoolers
wanting the latest puppy pal or playhouse to high school or college
graduates who are eyeing that shiny new Tesla or Mercedes.
REMEMBER that it’s never too late to add a quick sign to your window
display inviting shoppers to gaze at your selection of gifts. You need to be
reminding new and regular shoppers that you have what they need. And
often they just don’t know what they need! This is where your sales and
marketing skills come into play.
USE your imagination to create gifts and themes. Is your novelty store
overstocked with too many exploding golf balls? What a fun gift for dad
this could be! If you have mugs or glasses you should be creating easily
made gift baskets and filling them with candy and small gift items for dad
or grad. Throw on a ribbon or bow and voila, a ready-to-go inexpensive
gift that not only moves our slow inventory but gives you a great margin. It
is all about being creative for each new sales opportunity.