GREAT THINGS HAPPENING AT USRA!! |
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MAY EVENT 2023
We are so excited to move forward with our annual May Event. After having to cancel for the last few years, we are thankful we can once again meet in person as we help to rebuild, re-energize and re-connect our industry. For more info on the USRA May Event check it out here.
Upcoming Trade Shows:
-The IR Show: Jan. 17-19 in San Diego, CA
-MAGIC: Feb 13-15 in Las Vegas, NV
-The Atlanta Market: Feb 18-20 in
Atlanta, GA
For more show info: Links are below.
Hope you plan to attend the shows and of course the upcoming USRA May Event 2023
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THE USRA IS IN BUSINESS TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS! |
Join the USRA and become part of the community. USRA offers not only money saving benefits, but also networking and educational opportunities. We do what we can to help you improve and grow your business. |
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Call the toll-free number if you do not have internet access.
800-346-3210
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Able to help a colleague in need?
You can assist footwear families impacted by these devastating floods
by donating to Two Ten’s Disaster and Crisis Relief Fund.
100% of funds raised are distributed as emergency relief.
Gifts at any level help.
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USRA JOB BOARD
HAVE AN OPEN POSITION??
Contact us and we can list it on
the USRA site.
LOOKING FOR A JOB?
We can list your contact info.
Also, Be sure to look at the USRA Open Positions Board an see what's available.
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ATTENTION:
Retailers, Vendors AND Sales Reps...
If you had W-2 Employees 2020/2021.....
ARE YOU OWED MONEY??
The answer is probably YES!!!
EMPLOYEE RETENTION CREDIT ASSISTANCE
The Employee Retention Credit is money you are already OWED.
You must file to collect it. It does not need to be repaid and is not a loan.
We recently started working with Jason at ERC Help Desk. His son, Callahan & his daughter, Olivia were with us at the August IR Show. They spoke with a number of attendees and are working with them to get the
maximum amount they are owed.
There is NO CHARGE to get started.
NO RETAINER FEE, NO CREDIT CARD NEEDED.
Just a simple survey.
They only get money if you get money and it's only 15%!!
Isn't it worth it to check it out?
Even if you already got some ERC, you can have
ERC HelpDesk double check to be sure you've received the maximum owed to you. They've already helped a number of members get MORE. Let them check it out for you. It can't hurt and they might just find you money!
The Dollars the ERC Credit May Owe You Are Astounding!!
Click below to contact the
DON'T MISS OUT ON YOUR FREE MONEY!
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WELCOME
OMNI DIGITAL GROUP!
Omni Digital Group, an advertising and data company headquartered in Iowa, is excited to partner with the USRA and help shoe retailers grow!
We have been exclusive to the shoe space now for 5+ years serving shoe retailers both big and small across America. How do we do this? We have developed proprietary software that connects to a retailer's POS system to help them use data to grow through Facebook, Instagram, email, and texting. For example, we can take every profile in your POS system and match that with a Facebook profile. We can then place ads in front of these people and then see how many come into your store to shop. We focus more on in-store transactions vs eCommerce. You can see all of the analytics and ROI data on our dashboard!
We look forward to working and connecting with many of you over the phone and at industry events. Here's to growth!
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HOW RETAILERS CAN FIND THE RIGHT VENDORS
Managing a profitable retail footwear business requires merchandising the right vendor partners. Selecting them is part art and part science. However, with proper attention to the details and by conducting research and seeking input from others, a store owner can greatly improve their sales and profitability.
I have found these are the main focal points to finding the right vendors:
1. The 80/20 Principle
The principle states that 80% of all outcomes are derived from 20% of causes. Following the principle, it would stand to reason that the minority (close to 20%) of the available and appropriate vendors will produce the top 80% of retail gross profits. What “works” for other retailers who have similar stores to yours should work for you. Simply put, focusing on the top brands in the top segments should yield the most optimum results.
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FOR MORE INFO, CONTACT:
Dan Jablons
Retail Smart Guys
Cell: 818-720-2585
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We’re the ONLY ones not raising prices!
Inflation is everywhere right now. We know.
And your vendors and suppliers are telling you they have to raise prices. We know.
Our costs have gone up too. But we're doing something different. We're not raising prices. We're reducing our margins, because we want to help you.
- If you are worried about inflation
- Or worried about growing your business
- Or want better cash flow
- Or need any kind of help with your stores
Right now is the time to contact us. The answer to any economic struggles in retail is to TURN FASTER. And that’s what we’ll help you do.
We can help you with:
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Merchandise Planning: The best way to improve your profits and cash flow is to speed up your turns and improve margins. We do that for retailers bigger than you and smaller than you, everyday in 18 countries.
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Purchase Order Entry: Sick of entering your own PO's after market? We'll do it for you, for less than minimum wage.
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Social Media Posting: Feeling burnt out on the Social Media stuff? Let us take it over. Again, less than minimum wage.
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Bookkeeping: Are you behind on getting your books up to date? Don't you wish you had financials that actually meant something to you? Let us do it for you, at a price that is lower than anything else in the market.
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Clienteling: The best way to drive sales is to have a solid clienteling program in place. Ours includes the best software for the job, and detailed client analysis that will tell you who to contact, and what to offer them!
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Merchant Service Rate Reduction: We can help you lower your merchant service costs WITHOUT having to change processors. That will save you a ton of money.
Reach out to me today, and we'll get you more money. It's that simple.
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U.S. Adds 263,000 Jobs In September, Unemployment Drops to 3.5%
The U.S. economy added 263,000 jobs in September, just below estimates of 275,000.
This number represents a dip from August, which saw 315,000 jobs added, and July, which saw 537,000 jobs added, according to a newly revised figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday.
The unemployment rate dropped to 3.5%, with 5.8 million unemployed in September. This was down from August’s rate of 3.7%
Notable job gains were present across leisure and hospitality and health care. Retail employment did not see any notable gains or losses from August. Year to date, monthly job growth has averaged 420,000 compared to the monthly average of 562,000 in 2021.
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Hiring Advice from the Shop Floor
Securing new employees hasn’t been an easy task for years, well before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Low unemployment rates and high demand for able, qualified bodies in a multitude of industries has given potential new hires leverage and has been particularly challenging to small and mid-sized businesses — particularly in the past two years. With the economy now shifting down a bit, perhaps heading toward recessionary times, the balance of power may soon be moving back to employers. Nonetheless, best hiring practices remain vital to small and independent retailers regardless of the economic climate.
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Keith Keokuk
RICS Software
Business Development Manager
317-275-5941
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We can help with:
* Open to Buy
* Inventory Planning
* Marketing
* Point of Sale
* Vendor Negotiations
* Employee Analysis/Sales Training
* Store Management
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Success You Can See
Constant Contact is a trusted partner in helping small businesses, non-profits and individuals achieve real results and move their business forward. With all the tools you need to market your ideas, we make it easy to quickly and affordably build a professional brand online, attract customers, and do more business online.
Members of the USRA receive a free trial and then special discounted pricing.
Start marketing your brand today!
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EMPLOYEE SOLUTIONS MADE EASY
ADP helps organizations of all types and sizes unlock their potential.
You may only need easy-to-use payroll software or you may be looking for solutions to make other aspects of HR simpler. See what our solutions can do for you.
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We Are Two Ten
Footwear Foundation
OUR MISSION IS TO BRING HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY TO THE PEOPLE OF FOOTWEAR
We provide crisis and hardship relief, mental health counseling, academic scholarships, and resources to help American footwear workers and their families thrive.
Two Ten started as a simple gesture of compassion in depression-era 1939, when a group of footwear workers came together at 210 Lincoln Street in Boston to help a colleague who’d fallen on hard times.
In the many years since that first act of kindness, Two Ten has evolved into a national charitable foundation that’s provided millions of dollars in support and services to generations of footwear families.
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Get Assistance
**Please Note: We are currently experiencing an extremely high volume of applications for financial assistance due to the COVID-19 crisis. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding during this global pandemic, and will respond as quickly as we can to each and every application in the order received.**
Two Ten offers emergency financial assistance to footwear employees and their families that have been affected by the COVID-19 global health pandemic. If you are experiencing a financial emergency due to challenges associated with COVID-19 and have been working in the footwear industry part-time, full-time or as a temp for at least one year, we are here to help.
We provide crisis relief including financial assistance, counseling, and information and referral services for eligible footwear industry employees.
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Here are some more informational links:
OFFICE & CLEANING SUPPLIES:
HAND SANITIZERS & DISINFECTANTS:
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