Summer vacationers, spring breakers, snowbirds and fall festival goers may make up a very eclectic mix of people, but if they are visiting your seaside town, odds are they have something in common when they are shopping your gift or souvenir store for a memento from their visit. It doesn’t matter what your coastal customer is in the market for — a T-shirt, a hat, an ornament, a sticker, a tote, a towel or a decoration — adding the location to the product gives it that special touch that gives customers another reason to buy.
When trying to determine what types of items to include name drops on, the sky is the limit. Many wholesale companies can customize a product to your location, and when the imagery also reflects the region, the product’s popularity can skyrocket.
“Name drop is king,” says Doug Ingalls, manager, 1 Brilliant Gift. “Our customers have found that name-dropped products sell through considerably better, in some cases three to five times better!”
Ingalls is seeing a huge uptick in name-drop requests from his retail customers. “Consumers that visit seaside locations typically visit many destinations, sometimes multiple per year,” he says. “Memorializing the destination with a name drop memorializes a ‘particular’ destination, which is important from a souvenir perspective, and with our products as a customer will typically collect one or more name-dropped items from a destination.”
The drinkware company’s Wanderer collection featuring hand-drawn art representing specific icons from a destination are among its bestellers. The “iconology” as Ingalls refers to it includes many of the standard seaside imagery: ocean life, lighthouses and beach themes.
Headwear trends
Angel Santos, art director for Capsmith, a wholesale company with a primary focus on headwear, says, “Name-dropped merchandise is the way to go if you want to offer a very unique shopping experience for customers.”
He explains that name-dropped merchandise allows you to stand out from the competition by offering something others do not have, as well as offering excellent gift options for your customers.
“Consumers want a way to remember their vacation, and what better way than to carry name-dropped headwear?” Santos says.
Custom name-drop styles featuring tropical and sea colors are popular with Capsmith’s coastal retailers. “Retailers are in search of headwear styles they can custom name drop and will serve as a timeless souvenir,” Santos says.
Capsmith offers offer both overseas and domestic name-drop programs, which Santos says allows for maximum flexibility regarding purchasing power as well as when you need your merchandise delivered. “We have an in-house art department that can work with your needs, as well as in-house digitizers and over 110 embroidery heads.”
Magnetic attraction
If inexpensive and impulsive are the adjectives you want from your name-drop merchandise then magnets are a good way to go.“Right now, our wooden magnets are really hot,” Joe Perkins, co-owner of Cottonseed Marketplace, says. “I think that’s because people are looking for an inexpensive souvenir that doesn’t clutter up their home.”
According to Perkins, name-dropped merchandise helps connect the buyer with the destination long after they have left. “When they see the name of the location or the store months later, it brings back very specific memories of their trip. It’s a great way for customers to relive their experiences with friends and family. That’s great word of mouth marketing, too.”
Magnets, keyrings, stickers, hats and T-shirts are all mainstay collectibles for people visiting a destination, and Impulse Souvenirs offers it all. But you won’t catch its sales team using the word “name drop.” That’s because product designs featuring a destination name are custom created for each retail customer.
The company does have a Road Trip design that it offers customers in different locations to protect its exclusivity promise. Impulse Souvenirs Sales Manager James Melley says retailers interested in offering name-dropped products should “focus on a list of the most important things that visitors want to see in your area to be a central part of the art and designs for your location.”
Something that sticks
Brass Reminders focuses on name-dropped decals. The company’s free point-of-purchase (POP) display shows off 32 name-dropped designs specifically selected for a retailer’s location.
“People want souvenirs of where they have been,” says Brant Durham, owner of Brass Reminders. “Namedropping will significantly increase your sales over the same item without a name drop.”
And his POP display has a great system for increasing sales year-over-year. “If you have a rack program like ours, discontinue your worst-selling 20% of designs at the end of each season. Pick replacements from new designs and you'll continually increase your sales each year.”
Making house calls
Stephen Swallow of Alaskan Suncatchers agrees that customers tend to prefer name-dropped items over generic souvenirs. He adds that souvenirs made in the USA from recycled materials, like the glass suncatchers his company offers, also tend to be a strong selling point.The company recently incorporated its signature suncatcher medallion designs into a nightlight. The location featured on the medallions are coupled with designs that also capture the location. Dolphins, turtles and nautical-themed icons are popular with coastal customers.
“Adding a name drop elevates the product; it takes it from a pretty, well-designed item to a must-have souvenir,” says Tara Merrill, sales and marketing manager, Cape Shore. “In our experience, a product with a customization will always outsell similar products which aren’t name dropped.”
“Focus on a list of the most important things that visitors want to see in your area to be a central part of the art and designs for your location.” — James Melley, Impulse Souvenirs
She recommends being specific in the message. “Using both the city and the state will increase the value of the product and make it more enticing to the customer. If your location is near a popular beach or state park, use that to your advantage and add a few items with that name drop as well.”
As for what to name drop, Merrill is seeing success with sea glass and natural materials like shells and driftwood. She says, “Customers are looking for a souvenir that reminds them of their vacation. Sea glass and shells are the perfect beachy souvenir.”
Home decor company Sincere Surroundings offers free name drop and no minimums, which allows retailers to test out the products to know which items do better, according to Abbey Grooters, marketing manager.
“Anything name drop and full customization sells well because these options help stores set themselves apart,” Grooters says.
And in today’s competitive marketplace, name dropping is one more way a retailer can set their store apart. “Creating a name-drop collection and defining your store as the premier location for gifts and decor with name drop will carve out a niche for you and give your customers a clear place to go when searching for specialty items only you can offer,” says Grooters.
Regional appeal
Ornament manufacturer Beacon Design sells a lot of its sea turtle name-drop ornaments in seaside destinations, but other designs have regional appeal.“We have noticed that the success of our products varies depending on the location,” says Christine Duong, marketing coordinator. “For instance, the Blue Crab name drop does particularly well in Maryland, where they are prominent, while the Rock Lobster name drop sells well in New England. In California, the Brown Seals name drop is a hit. As for more general coastal name drops, the Adirondack Chairs on the Beach name drop is a favorite due to its appealing appearance of the coast.”
Offering location-specific and customized products with store names or locations can help retailers create a unique shopping experience and distinguish a store from competitors, Duong says. “This can attract more customers to their store and can serve as souvenirs for tourists, potentially increasing the likelihood of repeat business.”
When choosing products to sell, Duong suggests it’s best to consider your store’s location and target audience.
“For instance, if you’re a retailer near the beach where sea turtles and whales are often seen, it’s a good idea to offer items related to those animals,” she says, adding, “To stand out, you could also customize product names to include your store name or reference your location. By creating a unique shopping experience, you can attract more customers to your store.”
Not just the name
When it comes to including a popular destination on a piece of merchandise, it doesn’t have to be limited to just the name. Tamara Moran, president of Town Pride, suggests that seaside retailers “think outside the box.” “Slogans, shapes, try adding the area code, ZIP code, acronyms or nicknames of your area in addition to items with the name of your location,” she says. “Choose products that are good quality, on trend and have good sell-through and then add your name drop.”Town Pride’s custom-knit blankets and tote bags that are made in the USA of recycled cotton are bestsellers in seaside locations. She advises seaside retailers to consider customer demand for items of local love, vacation destinations and places that are nostalgic when trying to determine what items to name drop.
“Anything name drop and full customization sells well because these options help stores set themselves apart.” — Abbey Grooters, Sincere Surroundings
“Look for on-trend quality goods you can add a nod to of your unique destination,” Moran says. “We offer trend designs and color combinations specific to an area. We have no setup fees, which equals better margin, and we do all of the design work for the retailer, making it super easy.”
Tote bags, kitchen towels and coasters are among Daisy Mae Designs’ most popular sellers in coastal stores. In addition to their name drop, customers are drawn to the products’ packability and functionality, according to founder Kristy Sickles. “Shoppers want to bring home something tangible to remember the fun they had on a vacation. Our totes help them remember the trip and are functional for everyday use.”
Thow ’em a bone
Even dogs can get in on the name-drop fun. Kim Lopilato, owner of Kool Tees, has had a lot of success in seaside locations with her company’s name-dropped bone toy. “The bone is a great toy for dogs, and with a name drop it adds that souvenir aspect which makes it a great seller for people who are vacationing with their dogs or who have a dog waiting for them at home,” she says.Retailers can add their city, state or store name to the bones for free. “In many cases, we can even add your store logo,” says Lopilato. “We do 99% of our artwork ourselves in our office. We can also custom design something if you had an idea but don't know where to start.”
Lopilato highly recommends carrying some sort of name drop merchandise. “People love to grab something with the location name to bring home. Try to start in a category where you think there is a lot of interest.”
No matter what is on your customers’ souvenir lists, you can help them find the perfect item to remember their trip. Every time they see the name drop, they’ll think fondly that your store was the one that delivered good memories.
