Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
The Foundations of Merchandising Management Live! program, hosted by the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) at the 2025 National Hardware Show, provides strategies and tactics for participants to successfully improve and manage merchandising, assortment planning and vendor relations.
Foundations of Merchandising Management Live! is a two-day industry-focused, educational program for both new and seasoned home improvement retail professionals responsible for managing merchandising functions at their stores. Students in the program will benefit from expert-led course sessions, breakout workshops, networking opportunities, hands-on learning on the NHS Show floor and ROI-driven assignments to take back to their stores.
Here from three past students and how the program improved their merchandising strategies.
1. Understand the why behind merchandising strategies.
Stacy Oliva, CEO of Nikiski Hardware in Nikiski, Alaska, attended the Foundations of Merchandising Management Live! classes with colleagues Amber Oliva-Douglas and Jakelynn Wheeler last year and left with practical and applicable takeaways.
“Last year was mine and Jakelynn’s first National Hardware Show, and it was a great way to see new ideas and new products,” Oliva-Douglas says. “The merchandising management class was helpful to learn the why of merchandising and understand the strategies behind it.”
2. Take small steps toward improvement.
Dalton Meny, director of operations for Meny’s True Value in southern Indiana, says he enjoyed being able to interact with other retailers and glean insights from their operations and take a look at his operation from an outside view.
“Attending FOMM Live helped our operation by letting us take a step back and look at our merchandizing and buying habits from a different point of view,” Meny says. “It helped show us all the different ways you can improve your merchandising strategy. Merchandising management is about much more than displaying products on your shelf.”
Meny’s biggest takeaway from the course was discovering all the little ways retailers can improve their merchandising strategy.
“I honestly thought this class covered so much more than just merchandising management, and I see the class more as an extension of NHPA’s Retail Management Certification Program, which is a great program in itself,” Meny says.
3. Embrace innovation and what’s next.
Adam Gunnett, director of IT and business intelligence for Busy Beaver Building Centers, says he enjoyed the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals and explore innovative solutions tailored to the unique challenges of independent retail.
“The sessions were engaging, and the hands-on approach allowed me to see how new tools could directly benefit operations,” Gunnett says.
Key takeaways Gunnett gained included the importance of staying ahead with data-driven decision-making in retail and a deeper understanding of how collaboration with vendors can elevate delivery options and meet customer expectations.
“Attending FOMM Live! gave me actionable insights into optimizing operations, especially around leveraging technology to improve customer service and streamline inventory management,” Gunnett says. “It also provided inspiration for new strategies to differentiate Busy Beaver as a technology-forward retailer.”
To receive an early bird discount, register by Feb. 1, 2025. Learn more and register here.
