News from Bridge
Bridge in the News
Yesterday
8 Ways to Shop Local
8 Ways to Shop Local
8 Ways to Shop Local
The NYT shares tips today for consumers to shop at your local store. Read the full article: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/support-small-business-holiday/
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Yesterday
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November 24
WSJ: Bridge Bar
WSJ: Bridge Bar
WSJ: Bridge Bar
Cheers! We'll meet you at this Kansas City bridge bar to celebrate the Bridge community's success ;)
Read the full article about Kansas City's proposed bridge bar:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/kansas-bridge-that-once-carried-cattle-cars-to-become-an-open-air-food-court-11637672401
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November 24, 2021
Read the full article about Kansas City's proposed bridge bar:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/kansas-bridge-that-once-carried-cattle-cars-to-become-an-open-air-food-court-11637672401
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November 23
Tableware Today: Four Brands Promote Bridge
Tableware Today: Four Brands Promote Bridge
Tableware Today: Four Brands Promote Bridge
We're happy to see four brands promote Bridge in this issue of Tableware Today.
In each advertisement, the brand displays Bridge’s ‘B’ logo. The brands that promote Bridge include:
The brands show the logo so that retailers reading the publication will know that they can easily sell online the products shown in the advertisement. Since e-commerce makes up 40% of sales, retailers want brands that make selling ...
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November 23, 2021
In each advertisement, the brand displays Bridge’s ‘B’ logo. The brands that promote Bridge include:
- Badash
- Carmel Ceramica
- Pampa Bay
- Vista Alegre
The brands show the logo so that retailers reading the publication will know that they can easily sell online the products shown in the advertisement. Since e-commerce makes up 40% of sales, retailers want brands that make selling ...
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November 22
Retail Watch: Buy Early
Retail Watch: Buy Early
Retail Watch: Buy Early
Today’s Times suggests that tech shoppers buy early—which likely can be said for most gifts, tech or otherwise.
Read the full Times article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/17/technology/personaltech/chip-gaming-device-shortage.html
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November 22, 2021
Read the full Times article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/17/technology/personaltech/chip-gaming-device-shortage.html
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November 22
41 Madison and the NYC Marathon
41 Madison and the NYC Marathon
41 Madison and the NYC Marathon
Did you know there is a connection between the NYC marathon and 41 Madison? 41 Madison, home of the New York Tabletop Show, is owned by the Rudin family, and the family helped start the NYC Marathon. The Times shared this history in an article recently. Excerpt:
"...In 1976 when George Spitz, a civil servant and runner, proposed a marathon through all five boroughs, the time seemed almost right — if daunting. “A race like that could cost $15,000,” Mr. Lebow ...
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November 22, 2021
"...In 1976 when George Spitz, a civil servant and runner, proposed a marathon through all five boroughs, the time seemed almost right — if daunting. “A race like that could cost $15,000,” Mr. Lebow ...
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November 20
$0.22 —> $4.00 Per Bottle
$0.22 —> $4.00 Per Bottle
$0.22 —> $4.00 Per Bottle
Inflation Has Whiskey by the Whiskers
Are you sipping whiskey this holiday season? If so, you may be paying more. It used to cost $.22 to ship a bottle of whiskey by sea. Now, distilleries are resorting to shipping it by air to get it to you in time for your Christmas party. Instead of $.22, airfreight is $4 per bottle. That may be cause for another sip.
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November 20, 2021
Are you sipping whiskey this holiday season? If so, you may be paying more. It used to cost $.22 to ship a bottle of whiskey by sea. Now, distilleries are resorting to shipping it by air to get it to you in time for your Christmas party. Instead of $.22, airfreight is $4 per bottle. That may be cause for another sip.
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November 19
Wedgwood in the Times
Wedgwood in the Times
Wedgwood in the Times
Nice to see this 1780s antique by Wedgwood advertised in today’s Times. Wedgwood continues today as a brand in the Fiskars family and is a Smart Brand partner.
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November 19, 2021
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November 17
ShopLocal.org
ShopLocal.org
ShopLocal.org
Last week, a gift shop in Alabama signed up for Bridge and had a coaching call with Jordyn, our retailer coach. Within one day, the retailer had a Bridge Store offering 15k products and a full suite of online services to serve its customers. (See the store's Bridge account here: https://shealeighs.bridgecatalog.com)
I’m even amazed at what our software can do! Our software requires a lot of parts to come together: our tech team codes the software, our coaches call the stores...
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November 17, 2021
I’m even amazed at what our software can do! Our software requires a lot of parts to come together: our tech team codes the software, our coaches call the stores...
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November 16
Compra Local 🏝
Compra Local 🏝
Compra Local 🏝
Upon boarding my flight to Mexico last week, did I eagerly wait the arrival of the bar cart? Maybe, but not before cracking open the book Great by Choice by Jim Collins. I recommend the book because it provides new approaches to success. One takeaway in the book is not new: we’ve got to work each day. Just like the anecdote in the book’s introduction about Norwegian explorer Amundsen, we have to put in miles each day. In a race to the South Pole, Amundsen's unprepared ...
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November 16, 2021
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November 15
Ivystone: 5 Tips to Increase Web Sales
Ivystone: 5 Tips to Increase Web Sales
Ivystone: 5 Tips to Increase Web Sales
Watch this video to learn five proven steps to grow web sales. Join me and Gina Thesing from Ivystone as we pull back the curtain on industry trends and delve in to solutions indie stores are using each day.
Webinar includes:
1. Watch the webinar:
https://www.ivystone.com/Blog/marketingdigitaltools-2021-5-tips-to-increase-web-sales/
Webinar time: 51 minutes
2. You...
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November 15, 2021
Webinar includes:
- Five key steps that a store must take.
- A homework check list that you can tailor to your store.
1. Watch the webinar:
https://www.ivystone.com/Blog/marketingdigitaltools-2021-5-tips-to-increase-web-sales/
Webinar time: 51 minutes
2. You...
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November 2
Success Story: SheaLeigh's in Alabama
Success Story: SheaLeigh's in Alabama
Success Story: SheaLeigh's in Alabama
Bitsy Sherlock, a sales rep for Werner Frank, helped her store and her brands on Friday.
Bitsy signed up SheaLeigh's, a gift and home goods shop in Alabama. Within a few minutes, the retailer had a live Bridge Store with 15,800+ products. Customers and registrants can shop for these products. Additionally, Google will rank the store higher due to these products. The store saved months of web development time and thousands of dollars in labor.
For free, the store received:
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November 2, 2021
Bitsy signed up SheaLeigh's, a gift and home goods shop in Alabama. Within a few minutes, the retailer had a live Bridge Store with 15,800+ products. Customers and registrants can shop for these products. Additionally, Google will rank the store higher due to these products. The store saved months of web development time and thousands of dollars in labor.
For free, the store received:
- An
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October 27
New Wedgwood Book
New Wedgwood Book
New Wedgwood Book
We were happy to read the book review for Josiah Wedgwood's new biography. Wedgwood is still produced today (250 years later) and is a Smart Brand member. I always find it fun to be reminded that Josiah's grandson was Charles Darwin.
Read the full book review at the NY Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/24/books/review-radical-potter-josiah-wedgwood-tristram-hunt.html
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October 27, 2021
Read the full book review at the NY Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/24/books/review-radical-potter-josiah-wedgwood-tristram-hunt.html
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Video: Your Website Is Like a Fish Tank - You Have To Fill It Up
In this video, I discuss:
1. Why indie stores are having a hard-time competing online. 2. What these stores need to do to overcome the obstacles. 3. How Bridge's software can help them quickly.
I recommend that one view their website as a 'fish tank.' For starters, it has to be filled with brands, products, and features. When a store does this, the fish (aka the store) will thrive.
You can view the video larger at Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/639288608
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October 27, 2021
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October 24
$2k —> $25k
$2k —> $25k
$2k —> $25k
The Times reports that some overseas cargo container prices have shot up from $2k to $25k over the last 18 months.
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October 24, 2021
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October 23
WSJ: Clever Santa Illustration
WSJ: Clever Santa Illustration
WSJ: Clever Santa Illustration
The WSJ’s illustration by Lars Leetaru of Santa atop a cargo container sums up nicely our current holiday supply chain. I recall my dad telling me about the halcyon days of his dad making Christmas toys in the basement by hand for the family.
The article suggests that consumers, flush with cash, will gift more digital goods and gift cards in lieu of out-of-stock goods.
Read the full article:
https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/santa-claus-is-comingbut-hell-skip-some-stores-...
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October 23, 2021
The article suggests that consumers, flush with cash, will gift more digital goods and gift cards in lieu of out-of-stock goods.
Read the full article:
https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/santa-claus-is-comingbut-hell-skip-some-stores-...
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October 20
MacKenzie, You Rock
MacKenzie, You Rock
MacKenzie, You Rock
Last night, I was at a speakeasy bar and spotted what I believe to be a MacKenzie -Childs item. To enter the bar, you pass through a soda vending machine that opens up.
Nice to see Smart Brand member MacKenzie-Childs contributing to the decor next to a neon sign.
If you have the chance, check out the Garrett on Avenue A. Stop by the soda machine :)
http://www.thegarreteast.com/
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October 20, 2021
Nice to see Smart Brand member MacKenzie-Childs contributing to the decor next to a neon sign.
If you have the chance, check out the Garrett on Avenue A. Stop by the soda machine :)
http://www.thegarreteast.com/
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October 19
1,500 Customer Reviews
1,500 Customer Reviews
1,500 Customer Reviews
Congratulations to The Ivy House in Dallas! The store has reached 1,500 customer reviews.
This number of reviews, and the exceedingly positive comments, reflect what a lovely business it offers.
To Laura May, the owner, and her staff, we praise you.
How does Bridge's review software work?
Our review software is included by default with Bridge Store for free. (Other e-commerce software often makes a store pay to add this feature.) Our software emails customers and ...
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October 19, 2021
This number of reviews, and the exceedingly positive comments, reflect what a lovely business it offers.
To Laura May, the owner, and her staff, we praise you.
How does Bridge's review software work?
Our review software is included by default with Bridge Store for free. (Other e-commerce software often makes a store pay to add this feature.) Our software emails customers and ...
Read More
Reuters: Amazon copied products and rigged search results to promote its own brands
I have read many reports about Amazon USA copying products, so I found this new story about Amazon India to be consistent with the company's larger approach.
Read the full article at Reuters:
https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/amazon-india-rigging/
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October 17, 2021
Read the full article at Reuters:
https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/amazon-india-rigging/
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Gothamist: “Panic Buying” Retailers As Supply Chain Disruptions Loom
Read the full article at Gothamist:
https://gothamist.com/news/panic-buying-nyc-retailers-gear-up-for-erratic-holiday-shopping-season-as-supply-chain-disruptions-loom
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October 16, 2021
https://gothamist.com/news/panic-buying-nyc-retailers-gear-up-for-erratic-holiday-shopping-season-as-supply-chain-disruptions-loom
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October 16
Fotografiska Museum Cafe: Costa Nova
Fotografiska Museum Cafe: Costa Nova
Fotografiska Museum Cafe: Costa Nova
While eating at a museum’s cafe this AM, I was pleasantly surprised to see I was dining off Smart Brand partner Costa Nova’s plate.
Would be nice if I could buy some plates in the museum shop, too :)
Learn more about Fotografiska NYC:
https://www.fotografiska.com/nyc/
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October 16, 2021
Would be nice if I could buy some plates in the museum shop, too :)
Learn more about Fotografiska NYC:
https://www.fotografiska.com/nyc/
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Bridge in the News