EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS

The WSA Footwear & Accessories Business Conference is an important, value-added attraction for all attendees of the WSA Show.

Exciting new sessions for the August 2006 WSA Show are currently being developed. Please return to this web site at a later date for details.

In the meantime, feel free to review the type of sessions that were offered at our February 2006 WSA Show below.

February 2006 Seminars:

WSA Footwear & Accessories Business Conference Program to Focus on

Trends, Business Solutions and Technology

What footwear will your customers want to buy? In which colors? What fashion trends will dominate in your market? How can you tap into the lucrative Hispanic Market? What business efficiencies can you adopt to increase your bottom line right away?

NSRA Conference

The Art of Retail Theater: Setting the Stage for Blockbuster Sales (see details at www.nsra.org)

Non-NSRA Members Welcome

Technology Options for Purchasing Management Solutions
Speakers: Glenn Shaye, Merchant Technologies and Dan Jablons, One Step Data, Inc.

Learn how to use technology to improve your purchasing management. This session, for small- to medium-size footwear retailers, presents an overview of the various solutions that technology offers for the many aspects of purchasing management. Tools are available for everything from controlling seasonal deliveries, knowing what sells, how fast and in what sizes, to feedback of your own sell-through.

Key Trends into Today's Footwear Consumer

Speaker: Marshal Cohen, NPD Group

Back by popular demand, Marshal Cohen brings a new, updated information session that focuses on the key fashion trends that influence footwear sales today. Do you know what motivates customers to buy? Do you know how and where they shop? Do you know which brands have the most customer loyalty?

This program presents research and expert insight into the footwear market from the consumers point of view--including how they make their purchase decisions and what they think about specific brands. This session is a must for anyone who wants to keep abreast of the market and ahead of the competition.

How to Profit From Your Excess Inventory
Sponsored by eBay

Get more out of your inventory! Attend one of eBay's Retailer Sessions and learn how to move your excess inventory quickly. Did you know that more than 15,000 pairs of shoes and more than 8,000 handbags are sold on eBay everyday? Target the eBay audience of 168 million users worldwide and begin to profit from your clearance items.

Visual Merchandising for Maximum Profit

Speaker: Sharon Leicham

Are your shoe sales making you money? If they aren't what you think they should be, perhaps you need to update your display tactics. It's a proven fact that good merchandising and display increase sales.

How to Profit From Your Excess Inventory
Sponsored by eBay

Get more out of your inventory! Attend one of eBay's Retailer Sessions and learn how to move your excess inventory quickly. Did you know that more than 15,000 pairs of shoes and more than 8,000 handbags are sold on eBay everyday? Target the eBay audience of 168 million users worldwide and begin to profit from your clearance items.

Open To Buy Planning: "How Much Should I Buy?"

Speaker: Mort Haaz, OTB Retail Systems

This popular buyer's session details the needs, benefits and workings of the "open to buy" process. Retailers learn how to set up a buying plan to ensure leaner, better-balanced, faster-turning inventory with fewer markdowns and a positive cash flow. Whether your store is new or old, small or large, if you want a technique to improve your bottom line, this is the session you do not want to miss.

Preview of Ready-to-Wear Trends

Speaker: Ellen Campuzano, Fashion Facts Folio

A comprehensive overview of Fall's ready-to-wear trends with a particular focus on footwear. Learn what you need to stock in your store, including the key color and styles. Hear how you can market your products to match the trends.

Get the facts on Fashion, Footwear, Accessories, Color, Trends, Silhouettes. A comprehensive fall '06 ready-to-wear fashion trend overview with a special focus on the shoes and accessories that will accessorize these trends presented by fashionFACTSfolio. This presentation identifies the BIG trends of the season and how to merchandise footwear accordingly.

Style Talk

Speaker: Steve Madden

Steve Madden provides insightful answers to questions on footwear style and trends.

How to Market to the U.S.Hispanic Market

Speaker: Kelly McDonald, McDonald Marketing

The Latino market is large, lucrative and loyal. Find out what are the keys to reaching this market and what you need to do to tap into this opportunity. Learn the Four Latino Mindsets and how to identify which is the right target for your company. Understand the 5 F's of Latino culture and how to develop marketing messages that reflect these cornerstones of Latin life. Learn the 6 most common mistakes made in Latino marketing and how to avoid them.

Adding Accessories to Your Mix

Speaker: Susan Graf, Susan Graf Ltd.

If you're considering expanding beyond footwear, or have done so with limited success, this session is for you. Our panel of retailers has been there. They will give their firsthand experience about what has worked and what hasn't. Come with your specific questions and get help planning your retail strategy!

Color Trends

Speaker: Margaret Walch, The Color Association

What colors will your customers be looking for in 2006/2007? Margaret Walch, Director of the Color Association of the U.S., presents the projected colors and trends in these essentially dark and elegant seasons. The water-based blues and the environmental and textured greens and browns will be important next season. See the newer brights, corals, honey yellows and neoclassical blues, and lighter neutrals that will play out in fashion and in shoes. Walch also focuses on how women's fashions will evolve through the sourcing of nature-based and vintage designs. Men's fashion looks and shoes are also discussed for the fall 2007 season. And get a glimpse of spring 2007 and its softer and lighter interpretations of past refinements.

How to Profit From Your Excess Inventory
Sponsored by eBay

You must be confirmed as fully registered for the WSA Show in order to sign-up for seminars.