Attendees of the Coastal Connections Conference were greeted with more than a friendly hello. Part of the warm welcome they received was a large welcome bag, filled to the brim with gifts from various beach, coastal and nautical wholesalers.
The idea was to give attendees a chance to experience products first-hand. The more than 30 products in the bag included various jewelry items, health and beauty products, sunglasses, food samples, home decor, ornaments and more. Even the bag itself was from one of the sponsors, Bags by Bruno.
“The swag bag was spectacular. I am still wearing the bracelets, necklace, body lotions, using the can coozies, etc. ... very generous vendors,” attendee Claudine Turbedsky, owner of Coastal Palms Boutique in Sea Isle City, New Jersey, says. “I already placed orders with three vendors and will place orders with two more in the near future.”
“Still can’t get over it. Those products were critical in my buying decisions for at least four of the brands,” says Elena Marrero, owner of The Great Giftsby, Dunedin, Florida.
“The swag bag was spectacular. I am still wearing the bracelets, necklace, body lotions, using the can coozies, etc. ... very generous vendors.” — Claudine Turbedsky
The welcome bags included gifts from: American Style Sunglasses, Bags by Bruno, Bali Queen, Bali Y'all, Bamboo Source Tropical Decor, Cape Shore, CoTZ, Daisy Mae Designs, Fin Pin Shop, First & Main, Global Wave Ventures, The Grecian Soap Co., Impulse Souvenirs, Inis, Kate Shore Art, Key West Body Scrubs, Lake & Coast, Lighthouse Keeper’s, Mutual Sales, My Beach Dog, Ocean World Imports, Powder Pouch, Salty Britches, Sea Lark Enterprises, Ship Shape Styles, The Beach and Back, The Wellington Michael Collection, Town Pride, True Ocean, Uniquely Coastal, What the Fin and Wild Republic.
“It was one of the best bags I have seen in the industry,” comments William Hill, manager of the Margaritaville Resort Hotel gift shop.
