Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JULY 2016 10 Conrad Traut, representing inventor Greg Wiseman of Wisick, LLC, showcased American-made Gallery Magic, which is a magnetic picture-hanging system. "We wanted to try to just do the right thing," Traut says of producing the products in the U.S. "From just an ethical standpoint, we want to focus on American jobs and American quality." Outside, Smokehouse Products was demonstrating its smoker box, which can be connected to any grill or other outdoor cooking device to smoke foods. "We've had quite a bit of good interest in our new one," company representative Amy Jensen says. The National Hardware Show was the place to find products sourced from companies from all over the world. This year, exhibitors from China, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Pakistan, Taiwan and Israel to name a few, were in attendance. SPEAKERS There were a variety of speakers on the NRHA Village Stage throughout the Show to talk about leadership, the importance of mobile technology and more. First on the stage was Donna Embry, chief payments advisor with Payment Alliance International. Embry discussed new mobile payment trends and what retailers need to do to meet the expectations of today's omnichannel buyer. "It's important that you create a more engaged environment for consumers. You have to do retailing at the speed of life and one way is by making it easier for consumers to pay," Embry says. "The experience is the new value driver we need to keep in mind. It's important to keep them engaged and keep them coming back." Next up was keynote speaker Charles Fishman, who talked about the history of Walmart, how the company is changing and what those changes can affect Walmart's competitors. "Sam Walton had employees visit competitors' stores each week and report what they saw. But they could only report positive things because he didn't want to know what they were doing poorly," Fishman says. "He wanted to know what they were doing smartly. He certainly wasn't above ideas and strategies that competitors were employing, which is the most important idea you can steal from Sam Walton. The way to be an excellent retailer is to visit your competitors. Visit Lowe's and Home Depot. Visit an Apple or REI store and think how they would sell what you sell." Jim Robisch, senior partner with The Farnsworth Group, talked about how customers' expectations have changed and what retailers can do to ensure they are meeting those new expectations. NATIONAL HARDWARE SHOW ® Opportunities

• Cover