Let’s see what the buyers are buying

They reflected what many attendees were hunting for – outdoor items.

Errol Town of Leisure Classics, working at one of the many green-carpeted “outdoor” areas inside the airy and expansive convention hall agreed. “I’m seeing lots of backyard and outdoor interest, lots of buyers buying. They want it now. It might not be here down the road,” he said.

Tina Frank and her co-owner of Neils Hardware in Michigan were browsing the area. “We’re buying outdoor furniture for next spring,” they echoed. But they had more to share about their hardware business.

“We went through a store re-design recently. We decided to do it all ourselves.”

They had heard of the recently published Controlled Chaos Called Hardware article in HBSDealer and laughed, “we relate – we have to do all the jobs in our own store! Who’s gonna do it?”

They said, “we can’t find, or keep, good employees.” With a wave they moved off among the patio chairs and backyard setups to look for more purchase opportunities.

The owners from Rivertown came over with a story to tell from life in the hardware business. They had got the gist of the ‘Chaos’ story.

“Get this,” said Todd Schryer, “one morning early a guy pulls up on a motorcycle and comes in and is wandering around, not buying. My wife arrives and she also sees this guy who keeps coming in and out of the store multiple times, but not buying. We just know something is up.

“Finally, I see him pulling displays around in the plumbing department and moving them to the electrical department. I asked him what he’s doing, and the guy says, ‘It’s ok, I work here.’ – he does not!”

Eventually the owners had to call some help.

After sharing some smiles, the owners moved on.

Elsewhere, three vendors in the garden area said they were making plenty of sales at the show. “They are buying for sure,” said one booth rep from down the row.

“Business is solid,” one man said at the Bayou Classic booth selling a new Seafood & Event table. Another rep at a nearby booth selling upscale electronic fire pits said, “it’s strong, mostly repeat, not much new, but sales are good, and we love repeat customers.”

All The Tools

Milwaukee Tool was named the Do it Best 2022 Vendor of the Year for Overall Sales Growth.

“We’ve enjoyed growth across all solutions,” said Walter Knapp, company representative speaking in the expansive booth near the west entrance. “That includes our outdoor and hand tools.”

The Hardware Resources company was named the Do it Best 2022 Vendor of the Year for Hardware.

Amanda Dodd, standing in the company booth facing a wall of gleaming hardware, said, “we will continue our progress that we started, putting 500 planograms in 500 stores this year.”

Nearby, at the Duke Cannon booth, Miranda Morris, marketing manager, talked about her company being named Do it Best Vendor of the Year for Housewares. “We get so much support from Do it Best,” she smiled, “we’re here meeting new customers who haven’t put us in stores yet.”

Outdoor and hardware sections certainly got plenty of attention; so did the toy aisles. But one booth showing bright LED toys off on its own on a distant aisle-end near the back, had a story to tell.

Light Up

“Members are buying toys like crazy,” said Jim Seymour at the petite E-Blox toy booth, revealing a handful of orders. Behind him his booth was a glowing display of LED nirvana.

He showed me his four-foot-high display case with a motion sensor display screen built into the top, at eye level, to promote all the wireless toys. “Owners want this all-in-one setup for their stores. It’s at a good deal and provides a range of different LED toys ready to stand in the store. Easy,” he said.

“Our biggest sellers are the Lite Blox toy, the Build your own Radio, and the kids’ favorite Burp ’n Fart toy.” 

“Toys-R-Us is gone,” he said, “the hardware store is also the toy store, and these owners know it.”