Retail Products

Piercing Profits: Body Jewelry Market Broadens

"Body jewelry is a recession-proof item," says Dennis Moreno, senior vice president of sales at SalesOne International in Norwalk, CT, home of the popular Body Vibe line. "You can buy a piece of jewelry to accent your body to make yourself feel good for only $10."

Unique Concepts Fall 2008

A look at 13 companies making their mark with a fresh approach to specialty retail.

Every company profiled here has its own unique approach to specialty retail, whether that means putting a fresh spin on a mainstream product or introducing a product shoppers have never seen before.

Holiday Fill-ins Showcase

Our annual holiday showcase displays 29 hot holiday products.

Kid-sumers: Today's Super-Spenders

Today's kids aren't afraid to spend money—to the tune of nearly $20 billion a year. And that's not counting what their parents spend on them (about seven times more). That adds up to a lucrative—and growing—market for specialty retailers.

Unique Concepts Summer 2008

Psychic kiosk adds a new dimension to the mall shopping experience. With a fresh new product line that appeals to a range of demographics, Flirty Aprons has cooked up a recipe for success. Zippy Rides mean happier—and longer—shopping trips for the family. A healthy snack that curbs the appetite has shoppers licking their lips. High-end chocolates are taking off at The Chocolate Bar, a fresh new inline tenant in Boston's bustling Logan International Airport. A Canadian entrepreneur launches her second successful specialty retail concept: popcorn toppings. In a sleek new inline that exudes high design, customers create their own one-of-a-kind signature scents.

Good Hair Days

A new generation of advanced-technology hair-styling tools and tricked-out accessories make it easy for women to create a highly sophisticated salon look or a blingy tween do—without paying salon prices. Instead, they're heading to the mall, where specialty retailers are poised to capture their share of the multibillion-dollar hair-care market.

Massaging Profits in a Down Economy

Americans are hooked on the benefits of massage, spending billions on massages and massage products every year. Now excitement is building about the profit potential of common-area massage concepts as consumers react to a slowing economy, turning from pricey spas to less-costly options offered by specialty retailers.

Tech It to the Bank

For specialty retailers selling electronic and tech products, opportunity abounds. From sleek cell phones that track children and check email to iPod protectors that hold up under the harshest of conditions, consumers (and retailers) have more choices than ever before.

T-shirt Trends: Selling through selection and service

Americans spent more than $22 billion on T-shirts in 2006, up a healthy eight percent from 2005. Specialty retailers and their suppliers are doing their best to capture their share of this growing market with fresh retail concepts and hot new products shoppers are teeing up to buy.

Unique Concepts Spring 2008

Nine unique concepts that could have you making money!