Exit this survey SCD Readership Survey 2015 1. Default Section Question Title * 1. Do you purchase Christmas merchandise for your store or chain? Yes No Question Title * 2. Which of the following best describes your primary job function or title? (check one) Buyer Senior Buyer Merchandise Manager Vice President President, Owner or General Manager Question Title * 3. How many stores do your buying decisions impact? (check one) 1 2-5 6-10 11-25 26-50 51-100 101 or more Question Title * 4. Which category most accurately describes your store(s)? Year-Round Christmas Gift Store Home Decor/Accent Store Discount/Variety Store Mass Market Drugstore Craft Store Garden Center Card Store Department Store Direct Marketing/Mail Order Hardware Store/Home Center Grocery Museum Store Online Store Question Title * 5. What are the approximate annual sales of Christmas merchandise for your store(s)? (check one) $10 million or more $7 – 9 million $3 – 6 million $1 – 2 million $500 – 999 K $100 – 499K Less than $100K Question Title * 6. Which Christmas product category is your biggest revenue producer? (check one) Boxed Christmas Cards Candles Candle Accessories Centerpieces Christmas Counter Cards Collectibles Figurines Florals and Foliage Garland Giftwrap and Gift Bags Holiday Books Holiday Food Holiday Games Holiday Music (CDs) Home Décor, Indoor Inflatables Jewelry LEDs Licensed Products Lighting Nativities Glass Ornaments Personalized Ornaments Ornaments, Other Other Seasons (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, etc.) Outdoor Décor Party Goods Pet Gifts Plush Ribbons Christmas Stockings Tableware Textiles Trees, Traditional Trees, Pre-lit Trees, Fashion Colors Snow Globes Wreaths Other (please specify) Question Title * 7. Which Christmas product category recorded the strongest sales GAINS in your store(s) last Christmas? Boxed Christmas Cards Candles Candle Accessories Centerpieces Christmas Counter Cards Collectibles Figurines Florals and Foliage Garland Giftwrap and Gift Bags Holiday Books Holiday Food Holiday Games Holiday Music (CDs) Home Décor, Indoor Inflatables Jewelry LEDs Licensed Products Lighting Nativities Glass Ornaments Personalized Ornaments Ornaments, Other Other Seasons (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, etc.) Outdoor Décor Party Goods Pet Gifts Plush Ribbons Christmas Stockings Tableware Textiles Trees, Traditional Trees, Pre-lit Trees, Fashion Colors Snow Globes Wreaths Other (please specify) Question Title * 8. Are you adding any product categories to your store in 2014? Yes No Question Title * 9. What category or categories? Question Title * 10. Are you deleting any categories? Yes No Question Title * 11. If yes, which categories? Boxed Christmas Cards Candles Candle Accessories Centerpieces Christmas Counter Cards Collectibles Figurines Florals and Foliage Garland Giftwrap and Gift Bags Holiday Books Holiday Food Holiday Games Holiday Music (CDs) Home Décor, Indoor Inflatables LEDs Licensed Products Lighting Nativities Glass Ornaments Personalized Ornaments Jewelry Ornaments, Other Other Seasons (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, etc.) Outdoor Décor Party Goods Pet Gifts Plush Ribbons Christmas Stockings Tableware Textiles Trees, Traditional Trees, Pre-lit Trees, Fashion Colors Snow Globes Wreaths Other (please specify) Question Title * 12. In the last year, do you feel the collectible market has: Increased Decreased Stayed the same Question Title * 13. In the last year, which of the following areas of your business has increased (check all that apply)? Online traffic to website/social media sites Social media strategies Number of employees Square footage of store In-store sales/promotions Sales revenue Number of SKUs carried Number of visitors to store’s website In-store customer traffic Number of trade shows you’ve attended Other (please specify) Question Title * 14. In the last year, which of the following areas of your business has decreased (check all that apply)? Square footage of store Online traffic to website/social media sites Number of SKUs carried Number of employees In-store customer traffic In-store sales/promotions Number of visitors to store’s website Number of trade shows you’ve attended Sales revenue Other (please specify) Question Title * 15. In the last year, which of the following areas of your business has stayed the same (check all that apply)? Square footage of store Online traffic to website/social media sites Number of SKUs carried Number of employees In-store customer traffic In-store sales/promotions Number of visitors to store’s website Number of trade shows you’ve attended Sales revenue Other (please specify) Question Title * 16. What, if any, social networking sites are you involved with for your store? (Check as many as apply.) Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Youtube Pinterest MySpace Google+ Bing Tumblr Question Title * 17. Do you sell through your website? Yes No Question Title * 18. If not, why not? Question Title * 19. If yes, what percentage of your sales are being done through the site? Less than 10 percent 10 to 30 percent 30 to 50 percent 50 to 80 percent 80 to 100 percent Question Title * 20. How have your customers' buying habits/decisions changed over the last year? Question Title * 21. Do you still feel as though cost-cutting changes are necessary in your business? Yes No Question Title * 22. What cost-cutting changes have you implemented in your business? Buying less stock Changing hours Cutting staff numbers or hours Reducing overhead costs Reducing square footage Other (please specify) Question Title * 23. Which holiday product categories have proven most "recession-proof?" (check all that apply) Boxed Christmas Cards Candles Candle Accessories Centerpieces Christmas Counter Cards Figurines Florals and Foliage Garland Giftwrap and Gift Bags Holiday Books Holiday Food Holiday Games Holiday Music (CDs) Home Décor, Indoor Inflatables LEDs Licensed Products Lighting Nativities Glass Ornaments Personalized Ornaments Ornaments, Other Other Seasons (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, etc.) Outdoor Décor Party Goods Pet Gifts Plush Ribbons Christmas Stockings Tableware Textiles Trees, Traditional Trees, Pre-lit Trees, Fashion Colors Snow Globes Wreaths Other (please specify) Question Title * 24. What has been your greatest business challenge in the last two years? Competing with online stores Competing with big box stores Dealing with customers wanting discounts Economy Finding quality employees Finding unique merchandise Health care costs for workers/self Overhead costs Shipping issues Staying price competitive Traveling to trade shows Understanding social media/website Other (please specify) Question Title * 25. What business improvements are you planning for 2015/2016? Question Title * 26. How likely are you to pay more for products with new/innovative technologies? Definitely Likely Very Likely Somewhat Likely Not Likely At All Other (please specify) Question Title * 27. What category do you see as the next "big thing" for holiday 2015? Question Title * 28. Are you willing to pay more for items made in the United States? Yes No Only if it's very unique Question Title * 29. Have you found customers "showrooming" in your store (getting skus and buyingcheaper versions elsewhere) to be a problem or concern? Yes No Question Title * 30. How do you combat the issue of showrooming in your store? (Click all that apply) Signage banning use of cell phones Offer to beat or match prices No strategy in place Other (please specify) Question Title * 31. What is your strategy for garnering loyal customers? Check all that apply. Coupons Sales Loyal customer discounts with frequency card Social media specials Special Events Other (please specify) Question Title * 32. How helpful do you feel signage is if it is included with your purchase from the manufacturer? Very Helpful Somewhat Helpful Not Helpful at All Other (please specify) Question Title * 33. What advertising vehicles do you respond to most? Rate on a scale of one to four, with one being the greatest response. 1 2 3 4 Email Blasts Email Blasts 1 Email Blasts 2 Email Blasts 3 Email Blasts 4 Direct Mail Direct Mail 1 Direct Mail 2 Direct Mail 3 Direct Mail 4 Magazine Ads Magazine Ads 1 Magazine Ads 2 Magazine Ads 3 Magazine Ads 4 Trade Show Exposure Trade Show Exposure 1 Trade Show Exposure 2 Trade Show Exposure 3 Trade Show Exposure 4 Question Title * 34. How do you prefer to do your buying/product research? Rate in your order of preference with 1 being your most preferred method. 1 2 3 4 5 Catalog Catalog 1 Catalog 2 Catalog 3 Catalog 4 Catalog 5 Online Online 1 Online 2 Online 3 Online 4 Online 5 Trade Shows Trade Shows 1 Trade Shows 2 Trade Shows 3 Trade Shows 4 Trade Shows 5 Sales Representative Sales Representative 1 Sales Representative 2 Sales Representative 3 Sales Representative 4 Sales Representative 5 Trade Publications Trade Publications 1 Trade Publications 2 Trade Publications 3 Trade Publications 4 Trade Publications 5 Question Title * 35. What trade shows do you attend? Check as many as apply. Atlanta Home & Gift Mart Dallas Market Las Vegas Market Chicago Market Christmasworld (Frankfurt) NY NOW (formerly NY Gift Fair) Seattle Gift Show National Stationery Show Philadelphia Gift Show Portland Gift Show Other (please specify) Question Title * 36. How long have you been a subscriber to SCD? Less than 2 years 3-5 years More than 6 years Question Title * 37. What topics would you like to see covered in the magazine? Question Title * 38. Have you found new sources from reading SCD? Yes No Question Title * 39. Would you be interested in being featured as a store profile in an upcoming issue? Yes No Question Title * 40. If you would like to be entered in a raffle to win a $100 Visa gift card, please fill in your contact info including name, store name, address and phone number. Thanks for participating in this SCD Readership Survey. Done