Approximately 444,300 people in the United States worked in stationery and gift shops as of 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Owners and managers of gift shops can benefit from membership in national gift shop associations. Some organizations offer general membership for anyone involved in the gift sales trade. Others restrict membership to individuals who work for particular types of gift shops.
Museum Store Association
The Museum Store Association is an international, non-profit organization open to managers of gift shops located within all types of museums. The association began in 1955. It operates from headquarters in Denver, Colorado. As of November 2010, the organization had approximately 1,650 museums among its membership.
For its members, the Museum Store Association maintains a list of vendors that sell items geared toward museum gift shops. The organization also publishes tips for managing, organizing and purchasing for shops. The association compiles industry statistics and market research reports, distributing these exclusively for members. In addition, it offers CD-ROM training programs in management and other topics. The Museum Store Association hosts an annual conference as well as trade shows throughout the year. The public can take advantage of the job posting listings offered on the organization's website.
Gift and Home Trade Association
The Gift and Home Trade Association is a non-profit association for retail businesses like gift shops and home decor stores. The group began in 2000 and has its headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The association provides a variety of resources for its members, including listings of recall information and changes in laws governing the labeling of consumer products. The group also conducts studies on the performance of popular name-brand products in the gift and home decor industry; gift shops can use this information to determine what types of products to carry among its inventory. The Gift and Home Trade Association offers legal counsel assistance to its members if they become involved in a lawsuit. The association also offers sales training programs. Members can enjoy discounts on credit card processing services as well as health insurance. The Gift and Home Trade Association hosts an annual conference for members.
National Retail Federation
The National Retail Federation is an international trade association for all retail stores, including gift shops. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the organization has reported itself as the largest retail association in the world on its website as of November 2010. The group's membership came from 45 countries as well as the United States at that time.
Public advocacy is a primary function of the National Retail Federation, which lobbies state and federal lawmakers on issues of interest that can effect gift shops and other retail companies, such as sales and other types of taxation. The association compiles industry statistics and conducts market researches into public opinion and tastes, making the results of these studies available to members. The National Retail Federation hosts online training classes on sales and other topics throughout the year. The group publishes "Stores" magazine as well as newsletters and topics like industry and legislative issues and supply chain management. The organization holds multiple conferences, summits and expositions throughout the year.
Tags: gift shops, Gift Home Trade, Home Trade, Home Trade Association, Museum Store, Museum Store Association, National Retail