WHITE PLAINS, NY - Retailers from the US, Canada, South America, the United Kingdom and Australia have joined www.RetailerForum.biz, a new site featuring store spotlights, product catalogs, small business resources and a multi-dimensional retailer-only community.
George Little Management (GLM), which manages the site, explains that within the community, Retailer Forum members build profiles by selecting "tags" to describe their store type, job responsibility, retail experience, product categories, as well as business areas they "can help with" and "need help with." Based on their selections, retailers are matched with each other, and can communicate through a Retailer Forum messaging system. Demographic and tag search tools help a member find a retailing mentor, or become one, within the community.
In addition, members can participate in and initiate forums, as well as join and launch groups. Discussion topics include social media, customer service, in-store events, staffing and recruitment, visual merchandising, product finds, among others. Membership is free of charge.
"Through attendee feedback and research, we discovered the need for a 365-day networking tool, on the part of retailers," said Phil Burke, senior vice-president, GLM. "They needed help - getting their businesses started, finding partners, spotting trends, marketing - and didn't know where to go. Retailer Forum creates a platform for this audience to help each other, in one easy-to-use place."
Retailer Forum is planning an in-person networking opportunity for its members, at the upcoming National Stationery Show®, running May 16-19, 2010, at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Details will be announced shortly.
Follow Retailer Forum on Twitter (www.twitter.com/retailerforum) and Facebook.