Emerging growth categories

When the National Hardware Show returns to Las Vegas from 9 to 11 May, the world's hardware and home centre industry comes together to check out products and merchandising ideas from more than 2 800 exhibitors - not just those based in the United States, but suppliers from many other countries as well.
The show is organised into 13 identified categories, with special emphasis being given to emerging growth categories such as emergency and disaster products. Another category attracting growing consumer and business interest is energy efficient/eco-friendly merchandise. Those products will also be concentrated in a single area.
Because buyers are always on the lookout for exciting hot new products, this year's show includes two separate displays of products about to come onto the market, New Product World and New Product Launch,. An even more forward-looking display is that of the Inventors' Spotlight, a section devoted to products being developed by companies and individuals.

Another aspect of the show that makes a trip to Las Vegas worthwhile is the educational programme organised by the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA), which presents a series of speakers and seminars covering such important and timely subjects as understanding customer attitudes and needs in these times of omnichannel retailing, as well as the importance of providing improved customer service.
Because e-retailing offers such a threat to conventional brick-and-mortar retailers, several of the NRHA educational programmes address this threat directly. Jim Robisch, an executive with The Farnsworth Group, will reveal the results of recently completed consumer research that explains why consumers feel an in-store visit is still an important part of their lives.
Will Aubuchon, CEO of Aubuchon Hardware, America's largest chain of independently owned hardware stores, will explain his company's expanded programme of multi-channel retailing, which supplements its 100+ retail stores with a viable online product offering.
What might be of special interest to buyers will be the Retailers' Choice presentation, in which a group of successful retailers will present their own selection of new and/or interesting products. It is a traditional feature of the show: for more than 50…