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Shopping parties help struggling retailers with sales
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WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Sales have been sluggish or flat at best for many national retailers, and independent designers have been hit even harder as consumers tighten their wallets.
But one company has created a different way to sell clothes and accessories that is bucking the trend as it gains popularity among designers and female shoppers alike.
Shecky’s Media, a publishing company trying to market “The Girl’s Guide to New York Nightlife” after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, decided to throw a book party focused around food and shopping, inviting local young designers and targeting 21- to 35-year-olds.
After a turnout of 800 people, Girls Night Out, a shopping party experience, was born, said Chris Hoffman, the chief executive officer and founder of Shecky’s.
Since then, the concept has expanded to 16 cities, including Washington beginning in spring 2007. Now each of the events draws several thousand women and features an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, beauty services such as manicures and hairstyle consultations from sponsors, and, of course, lots of shopping.
VIP tickets are $25, which include a goodie bag with almost $100 in merchandise including cosmetics, hair products, skin care products and lingerie.
Other companies have caught on and have launched their own shopping party events, including Sip & Shop, Milla by Mail and Shop-N-Spa.
“The retail environment is much more challenging than it used to be,” Hoffman said, not only because of cautious consumer spending, but also because of Internet sales. “It’s tough to get people in the door” without creating an experience, he said.
Designers have had to “adapt their pricing” in a slower economy as people spend less, but ticket sales to the events have only increased, he added.
Washington has been one of Shecky’s “more successful cities,” Hoffman said. “D.C. is such a male-centric city,” and professional women still want to be exposed to different designers who may be more funky or eclectic.
About one-third of the designers are from the Washington area, and merchandise is priced from $20 to $1,000.
In April, about 6,000 tickets were sold for the three-day event.
“I really enjoyed the event. ... You get a very focused market ... a young, hip crowd,” said LaKisha Cameron, owner of Marzee, a women’s online boutique based in Forestville whose clothes range in price from about $65 to $150.
While she said she has noticed a drop in Internet sales because of the sluggish economy, at Girls Night Out, women are “coming to shop.” Over the three nights, Cameron said she did about three weeks’ worth of business.
Another Girls Night Out is slated for September in Washington at DAR Constitution Hall.
wblake@dcexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
12:47 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 4, 2008 re: "Value City closing Baltimore-area stores"
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Examiner Reader said:
Wow.. You need to do something with the format on this page in Firefox. Black font on a black background does not make for easy reading..
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Examiner Reader said:
prices rising are not inflation, Inflation is caused by the devaluation of the dollar and this is caused soley by the federal reserve
1 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Baltimore is one of the oldest cities in this nation; it is rich with a tradition of invention, industrialism, and innovation. It should return to it's former glory...back in the late 1800's and 1900's it was said "If you want tomke money, you will need to go to Baltimore"...
8 agree | 9 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
why is nothing ever realesed in australia? i have been looking for light up shoes for years and i finally find a pair and they arent selling in australia!!
12 agree | 9 disagree
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D said:
Still cheap.
56 agree | 61 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Cheap: I said trying not being sucessfull.
69 agree | 74 disagree
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Cheap said:
Well, if you let him. Who's fault is that? Make a call.
78 agree | 47 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Now I know what o'malley's march really stands for. He will stand by raise taxes and watch all of the businesses march out of Maryland.
66 agree | 43 disagree
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Leaving MD said:
Value City is closing 37 of its 113 stores nationwide yet 7 of 8 of its MD stores are closing! How many jobs is that? How many other businesses will be affected by the MD closings. This is what a hostile business climate does! Thanks O'Malley! Thanks Franchot! Thanks Miller! Thanks Busch! Nice job boys.
71 agree | 64 disagree
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City Resident said:
pretty sure this is O' Malleys fault. that and the fact that liberals are now using craigslist to buy second hand furniture....man, way to go Baltimore!
80 agree | 70 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
WHat is the street address for Penskys???? You give the one for the new one in Falls Church.
290 agree | 275 disagree
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