May 2016
Current PPP Retail Member Information
Have you recently renewed, but not completed our online renewal form? Have you moved? Changed your Hospital Name? Have a new Email Address? Please keep us up to date. When you log in to the website with your username (your PPP Retail Member Number) and password (whatever you choose) – you will see exactly what information we have on file for you. Take a moment, to ensure your file is up to date. Thank you!
Network News
The May Digital Issue of Network News is available. Discover our newest Vendor Partners: Ethel & Myrtle Inc., Omniio, LLC and Outset Media
May Vendor Listing
Included is our Vendor Listing for May. You can easily save this to your desktop or print, if necessary. Please consider bookmarking and utilizing our online Vendor Listing, to help do our part to reduce environmental waste. It is available 24/7, as is a download of the current month’s listing.
Buzz worthy
Congratulations to the winners of our April buzz worthy drawing from Enesco:
Ruth Dolinar, Gift Shop Manager, McLaren Port Huron Gift Shop, Port Huron, MI
Mary Kaye Mass, Gift Shop Manager, Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital Gift Shoppe, St. Louis Park, MN
Renee Schumacher, Gift Shop Manager, HCMC Gift Shop, Minneapolis, MN
Our May buzz worthy giveaway is courtesy of The Lang Companies, Inc.
GIVEAWAY ONE: 16 piece LANG Cheerful Journey Coloring Collection
GIVEAWAY TWO: 12 piece Grand Old Flag Game Collection
GIVEAWAY THREE: 28 piece Puzzle Collection
Summer Travel Incentives & Winners Announced
This Summer enjoy TRAVEL INCENTIVES from the Dallas Market Center and Urban Expositions.
Congratulations to the winner of two complimentary hotel nights from the AmericasMart in Atlanta, Georgia:
Kacey Cramer, Gift Shop Manager/Buyer, Mission Hospital Gift Shops, Asheville, NC
Congratulations to our four winners of the Las Vegas Market generous offering, which included R/T domestic airfare to/from Las Vegas within the continental U.S. & 2 nights hotel + tax in Las Vegas between July 30 – Aug. 5, 2016:
Meggen Heuss, Gift Shop Supervisor, University of Wisconsin Hospital Gift Store, Madison, WI
Karen Hockett, Gift Shop Manager, Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital Gift Shop, El Dorado, KS
Cathy Marinez, Gift Shop Buyer, Serendipity Gift Shop , Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington, Burlington, WI
Christine Henderson, Gift Shop Manager, Barton Memorial Hospital Gift Shop, South Lake Tahoe, CA
Member to Member – Networking
Question:
Floral sales are quite high here in our gift shop, and I would like to capitalize on them even when the gift shop is not open. I have tried looking into having a floral kiosk set up in the hospital so that patrons may purchase flowers during our off-hours. However, I am having trouble locating floral kiosks in the US. Does anyone currently have a floral kiosk in your hospital? If so, I would love contact info for the vendor. Thanks! Hilary Anger, Gift Shop Coordinator, Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital Gift Shop, Wyandotte, MI
Visit our online Networking Page to share with Hilary.
Last Month’s Question:
We receive very few checks as form of payment and when we do, they seem to be bad. I would like to know how many of you still accept checks in your gift shops. Gail Mason, Zale Lipshy University Hospital Gift Shop, Dallas, TX
Answers:
To answer Gail about accepting checks; we stopped accepting checks from visitors and patients about 2 years ago. We still take (very few) checks from employees and volunteers, as we know how to reach them!!! Joan Howard – Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center Gift Shop
We haven’t taken checks since 2011 I think it was. We had exactly the same problem with so many of them being bad and we were unable to collect on them. It was usually pretty significant amounts of money too. We still accept cash, credit cards and payroll deduction. I suggest that employees split it between payroll deduction and either cash or credit if it’s a large amount and they’re hesitant to have it all come out at once. You’ll be much happier once you no longer accept checks and don’t have to chase people down for payment. Monica North – St. Francis Hospital Gift Shop
In response to the post asking who accepts checks (or doesn’t): No, we stopped accepting checks quite a few years ago, due to ‘bad’ checks, even from employees. Occasionally we were able to collect the money from them, but usually not. We do accept cash and all major credit cards and we will put items on lay-away for at least a week, giving people a chance to come back with a credit card or cash. Works well for us! Nancy Schneider – INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital Gift Shop
Our shop stopped taking checks several years ago. We were getting a lot of bounced ones as well. Very few people had a problem with it. The only checks we accept are those from volunteers. Sherry Miller – SEORMC Gift Shop
In response to inquiry about accepting personal checks from customers, we only accept checks from employees and volunteers with their phone number written on front of check. We do not accept checks from the outside public, due to the risk of NSF. This does not seem to be a problem at all. Most people use debit or credit cards. Karen Badgley – Genesys Health Park Acorn Gift & Floral Shop
Fresh Picks
Here Comes the Sun…The perfect opportunity to sport a fresh, new Sun Hat!
Bubbles the Jelly Fish glows gently to “Ocean Wonder”
Hydrate, revive and fight signs of aging with Too Cool; instant cooling and hydration with a spritz.
Introducing FOCUS; Anti-Glare, Ultra-Lightweight, Scratch Resistant, Durable & Flexible
Thank you for supporting the Vendor Partners and Markets that support PPP.
Happy Retailing!
