by Alex Palmer |
October 01, 2012

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Earbuds and other "small" electronics are big winners
While economic conditions have slowly improved,
tight household budgets continue to play a role in the types of
merchandise attracting incentive recipients. Housewares and electronics were the top choices for redemptions in 2012, with participants seeking out high-quality products that they might not otherwise splurge on.
While many merchandise items are attracting participants
because of their practical value, product styles are also
playing a role.
"It's the same products - the mixers, blenders, food processors - but you're seeing them come
out with more colors and styles," says Rick Bowen, merchandise manager for Hinda Incentives. He adds that retro orange, green,
and blue have been popular colors this year for appliances. Vacuums have been particularly strong for Hinda,
something Bowen attributes partly to the fact that people would
rather redeem for a vacuum as an incentive reward than pay for
one out of their wallet.
Larisa Mendenhall, director of individual awards, for ITA
Group, agrees that vacuums are big, especially Dyson's Animal Vacuum.
"Dyson is such a great product and anyone with a pet really
takes an interest in it," says Mendenhall, adding that some top
home-oriented products are not what might be expected. "We saw
quite a few Brinkmann smokers that you can use to smoke meats in the
backyard."
This interest in home goods parallels similar trends seen in the consumer market. IBM's
recent "Benchmark Study" found that online sales of home goods
were up 30 percent in July compared to 2011.
Of course, a bit of luxury is still a key motivator to many
individuals, though even these may be combined with practicality as well.
"Movado sports watches are very big this year," says
Mendenhall. "It's a combination of a reasonable price point and
a top brand, but also a practical use."
The electronics category continues to excite participants as
well. Tablets remain a favorite for their versatility and range
of price points.
"Apple continues to lead in tablets, but we've also seen an
increase from Samsung Galaxy and Coby Kyros tablets, and
Amazon's Kindle Fire as well," says Mark Hutchison, director of
awards systems for Excellence in Motivation. "Depending on how
many points they have, [recipients] can get an iPad or four
Kindles."
Bowen agrees that iPads hold by far the largest market share
among his clients, but less than they had a previously, making up 70 percent of Hinda's tablet
redemptions, compared with 85 percent last year.
Headphones also remain strong redeemers, particularly noise-canceling ones from brands
like Sony and Bose. High-definition headphones are growing in
popularity as well, particularly the stylish Beats by Dre set
available from Rymax.
GPS systems also attract incentive recipients. "This year, it
continues to be the Garmin navigational system," says
Mendenhall. "Those portable systems come in really handy, even for work. If you're a
salesperson who has to travel, you can take it with you in your
vehicle."
Bowen is seeing significant redemption in TVs, especially 32-inch flat-screen
models and 40- and 42-inch LED screens. He believes this will
be a category to watch in the months ahead as 3D TVs are being
produced by most of the major manufacturers, and Google TVs,
which come equipped with software built into the set, have just
begun to catch on.
While large A/V systems may seem like a splurge, even these
expensive electronics can be seen as a home-oriented value
option.
"Rather than go out, people are saying, 'let's create a real
theater environment at home,'" says Hutchison.
While these trends focus on individual products and product
categories, incentive merchandise experts urge program managers
to keep the focus on the individual and the range of rewards
available to him or to her, depending on personal interests.
"[Participants] are incented by their personal dreams, and that
can be wildly different from one to the next," says Epley.
"It's about taking care of myself, but at the same time taking
care of those around me. Making everything you do your personal
best - in your workout, career, home life, appearance. It's
about living your best life that makes you feel genuinely
good."
A few more top merchandise items this year:
Caravelle Charm Watch by BulovaThis new watch lets the wearer
give the timepiece her personal touch, whether she chooses
lavender beads with a dangling heart charm, black beads with an
antique charm, or aqua beads and a crystal-set charm. $149.99;
www.bulovaspecialmarkets.com
Tumi T-Tech Network
This expandable carry-on is designed especially for
international travelers, and has numerous interior and exterior
pockets for accessories and a section for suits. Like the rest
of the Tumi T-Tech line, it is also made of durable and
high-performance NXT nylon fabric. $395;
www.tumispecialmarkets.com
Denon Cocoon Home
iPod Speaker
With two-way, 25-watt speakers, touch-sensitive control buttons, and smooth curves,
these speakers produce a high-quality, fun listening experience. Audio can be
streamed directly from Wi-Fi-enabled gadgets. $599;
www.rymaxinc.com
Fuji FinePix XP170 Digital Camera
Waterproof up to 33 feet, shockproof up to 6.5 feet,
freezeproof down to 14 degrees, and even dustproof, this camera
is ideal for recipients who are looking to head outdoors.
Wireless image transfer easily uploads to Facebook or YouTube. $279.95;
www.fujifilmincentives.com
Movado Men's ESQ Fusion This multi-eye watch comes with a 44-millimeter black
ion-plated stainless-steel case, and a dial with applied gray Arabic numerals, with orange and white accents. It remains
water resistant up to 96 feet. $595;
www.movadoincentives.com
Sony iPod/iPhone In-Ear Headphones
Offering top-notch audio quality that is not usually expected from in-ear headphones, these balanced armature earbuds deliver
both crisp and powerful sound. The headphones also feature
in-line iPod controls that let you adjust volume and answer
calls without having to pick up the phone itself.
$369;
www.sony.com/motivation
Canon PowerShot SX160
For professional-quality photos taken from a compact camera,
the PowerShot SX160 IS camera makes an ideal fit. It has a
powerful 16x optical zoom, a 16-megapixel sensor and DIGIC 4
image processor, as well as a big three-inch LCD display. $329.99;
www.usa.canon.com/corporategifts