#621: Discover Affordable Products at ASD Market Week

Foreign. Business can be a lonely game, but it doesn't have to be. Welcome to Boutique Chat where we explore community over competition and how to scale your company with the balance and the happiness that we all seek. We'll hear from product based businesses of all types, retailers, e commerce and wholesale brands, along with industry experts shaping the future of our industry. I'm your host Ashley Alderson from the Boutique Hub your and I can't wait to chat. Hey guys, welcome back to the podcast this week. Hey, if there's one thing you probably know about what we do at the Hub is we always want to connect you guys with the best products to source in your stores, whether you're online or you're a live seller or however you like to do business. So I love having these conversations with all of the different trade shows, online marketplaces, you name it, just so you know exactly how to shop the best place for you. So, Stephanie, you're a huge part of that conversation. I'm so glad you're here today. Yay.

I'm so excited to be here spreading the gospel of ASD Market week and all the goodies. So thank you so much for having me.

Oh, I'm so pumped for this conversation because if there's a market that I feel like a lot of boutique retailers don't necessarily know a lot about, it's probably yours and your market's one of the largest. So let's get into it from the start. Tell me, like, what is asd? What should everyone know about it?

So we're the hidden gem and we don't want to be hidden anymore because times are tough. And, you know, we think that we can help support a lot of boutique owners make money. So ASD Market Week is affordable shopping destination and we have everything under the sun. So when I talk about product categories, anything you can think of, we're going to have on that show floor. And what's nice is we've curated. So there's nine neighborhoods and each neighborhood really specializes in a specific product category. So ASD is really just an inclusive space for you to come on board, bring friends, do some shopping, get some deals, and make money for that store. I love it.

It's all the stuff that you don't necessarily find at other markets. So talk to me about the nine neighborhoods if you can, in detail. Like, what do you find in each of them? Give us a glimpse of all the wild things we didn't know that we needed, that you might need.

So here's.

Here's the thing.

By no Means we will never replace the core markets for boutique owners.

So right.

You're going to always have to go and get your staples that you know, your clientele loves and craves. We're not known for branded side but we are the me too buy. So talking about the different neighborhoods, I'm actually, I'm going to put it into halls because I think it's really interesting how we put everything together. And I'm going to start with my favorite which is the Fashion hall that's in Central hall. And we have a booming makeup and beauty section which I don't think a lot of people know about. And this is everything from eyeshadows to blush to mascara to the little spa kits for you to just to have your health and wellness, you know, with your girlfriends and stuff. We also have some pretty incredible perfumes that are coming in from Dubai that are higher end something that we're not known for. It's where you're going to find some apparel, but again, it's not like a magic or anything. You're going to find kimonos, you're going to find more resort wear, more casual wear with amazing prices. So these are things that you can pepper in especially we've got holidays coming up and maybe you want kimonos so that you're feeling cute at the beach and everything like that. But, but we've got that product line and then we have all kinds of accessories and we're talking about silver, we're talking about gems. And then you go into the. I just want a hoop earring that's super cute, that isn't going to break the bank and it's just going to last for a night. So that's Central Hall. That's the core of it. We also have sourcing. You and I talked about this earlier and sourcing is not just for the big leaguers anymore. It's not for the big box stores. We have actually created a Q section with a lot of product and it's called source teak. So source teak is this area where you can come through and you can source product from China, from South Korea, from Turkey. And they're not going to get you with those large order requirements. You can actually pull smaller quantities so that you can check it out and really try it out. And that is just one haul. Yeah. So now Ashley, you know, that's, that's a big area. That's just one section.

If we're, I mean for those of you listening, just to put it in perspective, you've been to Magic You've been to Las Vegas Convention Center. I mean, we're talking about using the whole space.

Whole space. And then so here's, here's the unique part. And this is where boutiques like a Jean Marie's use us. This is where they go in to find things that they never thought they would ever put in their storefronts, but they come to do their exploratory due diligence. So if you go over into SAP hall, we've got general merchandise goods and this is everything and anything. You have pocket knives, you've got really cute paper bags with like the gift wrapping and sweet cards that are just like perfect for somebody who's not feeling well or it's their birthday. And then everything, everything that you can think of is on this floor.

And it's cheap, right?

Negotiations are there. And something that's different is that times have changed. So our exhibitors who used to just work with larger groups, they've kind of changed their tune. Right now they're saying that the smaller to mid sized retailers are the most important for them. And it's important for them because that's the bread and butter. If a big company goes out of business, they're in trouble. So they're really leaning in onto this community. They want to have conversations. And our learning isn't done at the stage, our learning is done in the booth. So you're there to talk to vendors that are going to really say, what kind of store do you have? Try this, try that. This is where you might find a sweet spot. And this is a cohesive collection that you might be able to add with your existing ones. So that's lower level. And then upstairs is just gift, gift and toy, which is always good. And then we have alternative lifestyle, which is, hey there, CBD and all that goodness lotions and potions and stuff for pets. So really, when I say everything, you're not going to miss the beat, you're not going to miss the product selection. By going to asd, have you ever.

Wondered if someone else in business is going through the exact same thing you are right now? Whether it's an obstacle to overcome or a new opportunity you aren't sure if you should pursue or not. Or maybe just some of those same questions about man, am I really getting the most out of my inventory or my Facebook ads or my team? How can I do business just a little bit better and enjoy life just a little bit more? Well, those are a lot of the questions that we answer on a day to day basis inside of Our community at the Boutique Hub. If you're listening and you aren't yet a member of our community, I want to invite you to join us. We have 14 different niche Facebook groups to connect you with store owners at the same level. And just like you, no matter what you sell home and gift apparel, children's specialty or we've got groups for all of that. Plus we want to get you up to date with the latest training, the latest information and strategy on what's working right now in our industry. With our weekly education plus our maxed out training library, we also have hundreds and hundreds of vetted amazing wholesale brands who have been proven to do business in boutiques. We don't like trademark infringement, we don't like brands with poor customer service. We handpick the best of the best and the best of the best. Love working with Boutique Hub members as well. So they offer numerous discounts and free shipping, whether it's at market inside of our groups or on our own wholesale platform, hubventory.com with thousands of dollars in savings just for Boutique Hub members. So if you aren't yet a member, we'd love to invite you to join us at theboutiquehub.com backslash join to be a part of our community on a daily basis. I can't wait to see you inside and I can't wait to see you connect with amazing business owners who are serious about their business. Just like you. Yeah, so interesting. And I was asking, okay, like putting a perspective around like this and off price. One thing we always talk about in the Boutique Hub is especially moving into the holiday season. There's just such an opportunity to find things that are, you know, that are off price, that are markdowns, that are closeouts that you can bring in and like you said, negotiate on. Oh yeah, for a screaming deal. And then those become your holiday bundles and gift sets and things, things that you can buy low and sell really high. Some certain margin builders. So maybe they aren't your staple product, but they're things that you can sprinkle in at the end of the year to make a little bit more money, right?

Absolutely.

And you and I talked about.

So a year ago you and I hit the podcast over on the ASD side and you said something that resonated so well. You said when you look at a calendar year, look and see where your opportunity buys are. Because if you look at holidays, there's something every month that you can really focus in on and that's what we really specialize in. It Fits. You need an American flag, like on a queue, looks like a yeti, but isn't one. Or Stanley cup like that stuff that we have and it's so fun and you could do little vignettes in your store and personally, like I would look at it and say I want the kimono and then I want the Stanley cup look alike that has the cute dog and a flag on it. And that's what you're going to find.

Yeah, it's interesting because you know anymore what I think a boutique is, it's changed. You know, there used to be just like I'm an apparel boutique and it used to be I'm a home and gift store but now especially like post Covid, the lines have really blurred and, and I think like a boutique is also a lifestyle brand and an influencer. You've built this following, you've built people a following of people who really like and know and trust you. And it means you can sell them anything. So if it means yes, I sell jeans and tops, but I also could add on this cup and boost my average order value and I could boost my margin if I buy it at a great deal. And then you girls that are live sellers, I mean, lord help you, you can sell anything. Like, girl, you got this. So I love that there's all those opportunities. How do you see, like, I know you see a lot of boutiques that come through your door. What are the successful ones have in common? How are they shopping the show?

What have you learned from them? So the biggest takeaway that I think I've received from talking to them is at first they said, what am I doing here? They came to this show and were like, I'm so overwhelmed and I don't know quite what I'm here. And then you know what, they start walking and they start looking at what's really what the product really is in these booths. Then they start the conversations and now we have them where they've been with us for 20 plus years and they keep coming back to ASD because they never know what they're going to get. It's a way for them to introduce new things to their clientele, get them excited. And then at the end of the day, what most of them tell us is you let me keep my doors open because of these certain buys that I was able to put into my storefront. That's paying the bills, that's paying the lights, that's paying for my employees and for us. That's our why we always talk about. You always say what's our why? I want to make sure that people can go back home to their families, not stressed out because the market's always changing. Retail is always changing. I found something, and people are buying it. They're gravitating to it, and it's going to be okay. It's going to be a really good month, and I feel good, and I can't wait to find the next item that's going to bring me that sigh of relief and really get me excited about owning my business again.

Yeah. And it's just another opportunity, I think, to set yourself apart from everybody else, to look a little bit different. And I love that you said this, because this is probably going to be everyone's first impression if they haven't been there before, is why. Why am I here different than every other show? This is not magic, this is not Atlanta. This is not Dallas. But it's your opportunity to dig. But let me grab this thing. I'll show you this little example. These little ring lights.

Right.

Such a random example. But when I walk around and I find something like this at ASD and I'm an apparel boutique, talk to me about your customers and apparel. They still want to look cute. They still want to take a cute selfie for Instagram or they want to be on their own Instagram stories or on Snapchat. So me as a boutique owner, yes, I might use this thing, but I could very easily sell this thing back to my community as well. So it's when you start to walk, I think that your mind starts to get really creative and go, oh, I could use this in so many different ways.

I love that you said this. So sometimes I think we all get siloed and we only know what we know, and we are victims of comfort. Yeah. The minute that you step out of that comfort zone and like you said, the ideas start coming, and then you're like, I know my community. I know what the flow is. And maybe it's a necklace that has, you know, our state on it with, like a cute little symbol on it or whatever, you know, your customers. So what you're doing is you're going to go and you're going to find items and they're going to be so appreciative. And then that basket size, when they leave your store, it's going to expand because they're going to say, I've never seen this before and this is my language. Yeah. So good.

Just ways to be good and creative. And as a reminder. Yes. You're going to make Your open to buy plan, yes, you're going to budget, you've got all your bread and butter categories, but this is a different category. This is your add ons, your upsells, things that can definitely build those margins in your business and it's not going to be scary.

So we have actually made it a point to we are now offering buying tours. So if you come out to our next show, we will take you on a full journey so that you can say, okay, here's a quick assessment and overview of what the different neighborhoods are, what the different categories are. And it's a half an hour, it's a real quick half an hour of just saying here's the different areas and then you get to decide. And I always recommend bring some friends, have a good time, don't go alone, bring the husband or just bring the girlfriend, whoever you can bounce ideas off because it's going to be a different scene for you. So you want to make sure my crazy or no, this really is cool. And yes, I do want to buy this. So that, that's a couple of recommendations that I have.

So good. All right, well tell us about the next show. Where can people find you and when?

Okay, so the next show is this August 4th through the 7th. We are in good old Las Vegas. Perfect season to hit up the pool when you're not shopping and it's just you pick up your badge and you hit that floor. So there's no frills and thrills. We are definitely community based but again, it all happens in the booth. So once you get that badge, you can head to one of the tours that we're going to be putting online@asdonline.com or just check out our schedules. We are introducing a mobile app. We are finally getting up to date with the times. We're super excited about it because when you have a million plus products on the floor, how nice to have technology to say, let me help map out your floor and your experience. So those are just a few things that we're really excited about. Awesome.

So good. Well, Stephanie, thank you so much for being on the podcast today. This is super helpful and I hope everyone's creative juices are spinning.

Yes.

There's just a lot of opportunity outside of what you would commonly think of as your core product categories to again bump up that aov. So look forward to catching up with you again soon. Seeing you at the show, any last parting words of wisdom you want to share with the audience?

No, I think again, it's just what a great time to get out of your comfort zone and go see some amazing things. And I'm here. My whole team's here. We're super friendly so hit us up. All of our information is on the website but we would love to chat with you, guide you and just share the glory that is asd. I love it.

All right, Stephanie, thanks for being on today. This is awesome.

Thanks so much Ashley. You bet.

Thanks for listening guys. I hope you took away all kinds of nuggets and new ideas from this week's episode. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a rating and review. We love to hear your feedback and give you a chance to be featured on the show each and every week. For more information on our spirit of community over competition and to access guest downloads and bonuses and all the resources we talked about on the show, head on over to the boutiquehub.com com and join the community. We'll see you next week.