Creating outstanding customer value and building relationships with retailers will be key elements for housewares suppliers to succeed said retail veteran Jeff Evans at The Inspired Home Show 2025.
Hosted by the International Housewares Association (IHA), the show was held 2-4 March at Chicago’s McCormick Place Complex. Buyers from more than 100 countries joined 1,600 home and housewares companies to explore new products, new insights and countless opportunities to strengthen partnerships and drive growth.
To succeed, Jeff said that suppliers should educate their team about value, use a customer lens in every decision, believe in the power of an item and continually raise the bar to exceed customer expectations.
Jeff, who most recently served as president and chief merchandising officer of At Home and before that as executive vice president of entertainment, toys and seasonal for Walmart US, has deep experience in e-commerce, product development, sourcing, building brands and identifying new business opportunities.
Examine value proposition
In his presentation, Jeff outlined four areas to examine when it comes to creating value with consumers: product quality, features and benefits, brand and price.
When it comes to quality, he suggested examining not just the product itself, but how it is packaged, both in-store and online. For online content, he said photos, product descriptions and reviews matter. “People read reviews,” Jeff said. “Just one online review can increase conversion by 40%.”
Use a customer lens in every decision
Customer reviews are also important for self-improvement. Jeff said that suppliers should always be evaluating what customers are saying about their products, in addition to loyalty
data. “If your items are receiving below four stars, they are in danger of going away,” said Jeff. “Go back and look at why, and fix it.”
Jeff said he recognises that suppliers get emotionally attached to their products. But he advised taking a step back and evaluating them as a customer. When comparing to similar products, he suggested asking, “’Is my item really better?’ Answer that question and then determine where you want to play,” especially as it pertains to price.
Believe in the power of an item
An entry point with a big retailer can be a single, key item. It may not be profitable to start, but it could open the door to something much bigger in the future. “Woo retailers with something they don’t have,” Jeff said. Suppliers can stand out by thinking creatively about things like price point and extra special details in a growing category, he said.
He also said to look at the overall dollar potential of an item, not just the margin, using the example of a 50 cent item that he went on to sell 100 million units of and earn $50 million.
Exceed customer expectations every year
When you throw a party every year, you have to keep evolving to make it exciting. The same goes for great products. “There’s always something you can be doing to improve your product,” Jeff said.
Whether it’s updating quality, driving down price, improving the brand or features and benefits to keep it fresh, always be improving. “Exceed customer expectations, and keep moving. If you aren’t doing it, your competition is,” Jeff explained.
Find ways to partner and build trust
In addition to building customer value, Jeff discussed how to partner with big retailers, even when it seems impossible. He cautioned suppliers to be aware of retailer guidelines; some can be very strict. Many cannot accept gifts, or even meals or beverages at meetings.
He also said to take time to build trust with a retailer. “People bet on people; they don’t bet on companies. It’s basic, but true,” Jeff added.
For suppliers just starting out, he said marketplaces are great incubators for new products to show proof of concept and growth potential. A first step with a retailer could be as a featured product or as part of a retailer’s new supplier program.
Jeff said once you get in, suppliers typically only have one chance to make a first impression.
“Make sure you’re buttoned up and everything’s in place, because they’re going to expect a lot of things from you that you need to make sure you are in the right place to execute on,” Jeff said.
A video recording of the keynote presentation will be posted on the show’s website in coming days at TheInspiredHomeShow.com/education/#keynotes.
The Inspired Home Show, IHA’s global home + housewares marketplace, was held 2-4 March at Chicago’s McCormick Place and featured exhibitors and buyer attendees from around the globe. For more information about the 2025 show, visit TheInspiredHomeShow.com.
