I have seen some shock or surprise about the Martha Stewart scrapbook line going into Walmart. My gut tells me that EK Success did that because it wasn't snatched up by the independent scrapbook stores when it was released to them 6 months or so after going into Michaels. History has shown that outside celebrities never do that well in our industry. We'd just as soon have our home-grown celebrities endorse a product. I think that most LSS's saw the products moving slowly at Michaels and decided it wasn't worth devoting the space to re-worked and re-colored EK Punches in pretty "robin's egg blue" boxes. I've seen very little of the Martha Stewart stuff in LSS's I've been to.
So, now it's going in to Walmart. That's probably a HUGE benefit for EK Success. They, of course, want to move as much of it as humanly possible. And, it's a GREAT thing for local scrapbook stores. Many practicing scrapbookers aren't excited by the line in the first place so they aren't likely to run over and buy it even at the "Walmart Price." And, new scrappers will recognize the Martha name and buy it thinking it's going to teach them how to scrap. Her name may bring new scrappers into the hobby.
But, the really bright spot is that while Walmart lines it's scrapbook aisles with Martha's stuff, it will have LESS space for the product lines that have traditionally sold well in independent scrapbook stores. That means that as long as there is a contract in place to carry the MS stuff (and there probably IS a contract), not much else will fit.
So, I applaud Martha for finding a home at another "Mart". It will actually be a "good thing" for the industry. They get a line non-scrappers will recognize and we don't have to worry about the stuff we just bought at CHA showing up there before we get home from the show.
So, now it's going in to Walmart. That's probably a HUGE benefit for EK Success. They, of course, want to move as much of it as humanly possible. And, it's a GREAT thing for local scrapbook stores. Many practicing scrapbookers aren't excited by the line in the first place so they aren't likely to run over and buy it even at the "Walmart Price." And, new scrappers will recognize the Martha name and buy it thinking it's going to teach them how to scrap. Her name may bring new scrappers into the hobby.
But, the really bright spot is that while Walmart lines it's scrapbook aisles with Martha's stuff, it will have LESS space for the product lines that have traditionally sold well in independent scrapbook stores. That means that as long as there is a contract in place to carry the MS stuff (and there probably IS a contract), not much else will fit.
So, I applaud Martha for finding a home at another "Mart". It will actually be a "good thing" for the industry. They get a line non-scrappers will recognize and we don't have to worry about the stuff we just bought at CHA showing up there before we get home from the show.
3 comments:
Love your blog. I own a small store in a very small town. Wal-Mart is my competition, and I wasn't too threatend by Martha moving in, until, after an unusually low end of day sales report last Friday, I ran into almost half of my class buying up the stuff. Oh well....I'd like to see a Walmart associate show them how to use it! The other positive thing is that they will probably carry the same stuff for the next year or so. There won't be too many new releases I suppose!?
Thanks for your thoughts! I'm adding you to my favorites.(That's a warning...lol!)
Well, once your customers have bought it all, you're right, there probably won't be much more to buy. So, sit tight - they'll be back once the charm wears off!
Welcome to the blog!
I was in Las Vegas in Nov of '06 when Ek showed the LSS owners the Martha Stewart line that was only available to Michael's. (They wouldn't even tell us it was M's, btw.)
The owners of the LSS were furious to say the least...WOW..talk about a group of angry people!!! I don't think the LSS forgot how they were snubbed by Ek.
They compared EK to Provo Craft's Cricut blunder. OMG....I wish you could have heard them. As an "outsider" looking in, it was obvious the big box stores were the only one who mattered.
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