SHOPA poised to expand role as research, data provider - School and Home Office Products Association

Discount Store News, Jan 4, 1993 by Laura Liebeck

NEW ORLEANS - With the completion of the second annual convention sponsored by the School & Home Office Products Association (SHOPA), the relatively young trade association is poised to establish itself as the voice of the back-to-school and home office products industry.

SHOPA's success will largely hinge on the association's ability to bridge the gap between that of a show provider - which has been its focus during its first two years - to a full-service association offering a variety of member services, including both proprietary and widely distributed research data.

At the association's annual meeting, held during the just completed convention - at the New Orleans Convention Center Dec. 9 to 12 - president Rex Miller announced that SHOPA will embark on two research projects this year. One study will provide a strategic overview of the industry, including distribution. The other will be a consumer study on school and home office products. Miller said he will be able to release at least some of the results by the end of the year.

In addition, SHOPA will completely manage the group's 1993 show, to be held again in New Orleans, Dec. 8 to 11. The first two shows were management for SHOPA by InterBev, a show management company.

In 1992, the group laid the foundation for a representative organization. It realigned its board of directors to reflect the organization of traditional associations, hired a full-time paid chief executive, Miller, formerly of Mead, and increased membership from 387 members in 1991, the year SHOPA was formed, to over 600 today.

SHOPA attendees, both vendors and retailers, were generally supportive of SHOPA's efforts to date, explaining to DSN that the industry needs a unified voice.

Also, while the show itself was 60% larger than last year and the event was a sellout with regard to exhibitor space, the aisles were free from traffic clutter. Vendors such as Mead, Stuart Hall, Pentech, Crayola, Rubbermaid, Lisa Frank, and Rose Art reported booth traffic was high. Some manufacturers said traffic was slow but that they saw "the right people." Still others reported that the show was just slow.

The inconsistent traffic patterns at the 1992 SHOPA show was probably due to a number of factors: fewer retailers sending fewer buyers; and more private, closed door meetings which served to hide a portion of the show's attendees.

Competition in the back-to-school and home office categories has heated up dramatically in the past year, probably due to recessionary spending at retail. The result has been a wealth of new products with extra features in an effort to lure consumers to spend their money in exchange for products with extra value.

In fact, value-added products were in big supply at SHOPA from many exhibitors.

Among the many value-added products on display were:

* K&M's value pack that includes a three-ring binder, Graphix index dividers, and three Expressions markers and highlighters;

* Rubbermaid's Earth Packs, a three-sku line of combination backpack and lunch containers.

* Acco USA's Wilson Jones division's Fantasy Creations, a binder that includes four designs a child can color to personalize the binder, plus four each of colored markers, pencils and water colors with a brush, colored glue and glitter paint;

* Crayola's new 96-count Big Box of crayons featuring 16 new colors and a corresponding "Name the New Colors" contest;

* Strathmore Legacy's new, Eco Amigo's line of ecology-minded characters to grace a complete line of back-to-school products including a four-in-one study kit that includes a large calendar, study guide, to-do pad called "Hop to it" and an assignment pad. The program will be introduced via a direct mail program and offers membership, free gifts and a newsletter.

Strathmore Legacy's environmental theme wasn't the only "green-oriented" program released during the show. There were many, the difference being a move away from promoting recycled content to one of environmental messages. Companies such as A&W Products, the Pam & Frank Co., Plymouth, Keith Clark, Mead, and Rubbermaid, plus many others, offered products with environmental themes to encourage children to preserve the rainforests, endangered animal species, etc.

Home office was a major area of new product offerings during the recently completed show. Among the many new items introduced were:

* Mead's Softwear line of casual accessories such as brief cases and portfolios. The 22-sku line has price points ranging from $15-$50. Other new home-office by Mead included no moisture envelope seal closures, Glide Trac, and sliding index tabs for hanging folders;

* Stuart Hall's expanded executive suite line of office products for women, now totaling 20 skus;

* Norcom's Binder Organizer.

Back-to-school and arts and crafts were important categories at SHOPA this year. Vendors such as Lisa Frank, Pentech, Borden, Rose Art and Mello Smello offered a wealth of new products or line extensions. At Lisa Frank, for example, party favors were increased from 12 to 48 skus, the sticker program was expanded to include holograms, and new gift sets and stamp and coloring sets have been added. Also Ballerina Bunnies and Hollywood Bear, characters introduced at the 1991 show, are ready for roll out on a variety of new items.