RETAILOBSERVER.COM OCTOBER 2014
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NATIONWIDE EAST
HOLDS ADVISORY MEETING
The Nationwide East member advisory board, a division of
Nationwide Marketing Group, held its annual meeting at the
Myrtle Beach Hilton Resort in August. Advisory board members
from across the Eastern half of the U.S. came together for three
days to outline topics relevant to independent retailers. This is
a time for Nationwide East board members to step away from
their stores and examine the industry with other like-minded
retailers, the division said. During the appliance, furniture and
bedding and CE board break-out sessions, action plans were
developed to enrich promotional themes, enhance exclusive
buy-in events, and improve vendor/member communications,
among others. "A goal of the advisory board is to develop a
forum for candid and timely feedback on the key strategic
initiatives of the organization, while tackling important issues
that face the independent dealer channel in today's challenging
economic environment," said P.J. Orsini, appliance board
member from Orsini's Appliance Sales and Service in
Martinsburg, W.V. Appliance, electronics and furniture vendors,
as well as finance and advertising representatives, met with
advisory board members in a "trade show" format at Advisory
Board '14. Vendors met one-on-one with board members to
examine issues identified during board break-out sessions and
consider new products and services. Board members are
developing an online group forum to keep the channels of
communication open between members and Nationwide East
management. A board member spearheading the online forum,
Orsini, described the cooperative efforts of the Nationwide
East Board with a quote from J.C. Penney: "Growth is never by
mere chance; it is the result of forces working together."
EXCLUSIVE LOOK:
NATIONWIDE LAUNCHES
NEW PUBLIC WEBSITE
Nationwide just recently launched a reinvented public web-
site. The interface is designed to closely mimic the group's
intranet MemberNet site. With easier navigation, social media
access and video elements, the site has a completely
refreshed look. The group will continue to roll out this new
design for all of their division groups, including Cantrex in the
coming weeks.
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