The times they are a-changin’. Each day, millions of people go online to talk to “friends” and “fans” they’ve never met. Bloggers lead their flocks to listen to certain music, attend certain events and buy certain products. Top manufacturers are getting in line to beg popular bloggers to review their products online.
Celebrities, politicians and stay-at-home moms keep family, friends and strangers in tune to their day-to-day lives by sending tweets. Social media has made the World Wide Web a closer-knit community with endless possibilities.

Spectrum Art & Jewelry

Star Sosa, owner
Wilmington, N.C.

Have you reduced your inventory levels? What needs to happen before you will feel comfortable increasing your inventory levels?

We started reducing our inventory levels in October 2008. It was like someone slammed the door shut on traffic; the gallery was empty. My inventory levels were reduced naturally, because I didn’t order any last-minute merchandise in the fourth quarter. I felt that if I could hold on until June, we could survive the crisis. That proved to be true.

There’s something distinctly different about this issue of NICHE. For the first time since its inception in 1988, we’ve produced the Autumn issue exclusively online. For the Rosen Group, it signals a jumping-off point for relaunching a refreshed, updated and redesigned print version of NICHE in late December. In the meantime, we’re taking time off from printing and mailing to repurpose NICHE as the must-have interactive resource for craft artists and independent gallery owners.