SMITTY'S RUNS 8-PAGE INSERT 2 WEEKS BEFORE MOTHER'S DAY

JOEL ELSON

PHOENIX -- Smitty's Super Valu turned Mother's Day into a major selling opportunity by running an 8-page color newspaper insert two weeks prior to the holiday.

"Although we started running this ad the week before, on April 27, we know many shoppers wait until the next week to do their shopping, and for us, Mother's Day is always a second-week promotion," said Lori Helm, a general merchandise buyer.

"Mother's Day is pretty much a last-minute holiday, where many people shop as the holiday moves closer, and generally that's our strongest week," said Helm.

Because the promotion ended last week, no sales results were available, according to the buyer. Although Smitty's has been promoting Mother's Day for many years, this year's promotion focused on many high-end personal care products and home appliances.

The insert, titled Mother's Day Gift Guide, was produced with the aid of co-op funds and featured several new items, such as Revlon personal care appliances. These included a Revlon 1600-watt mini turbo dryer and a 1600-watt stylist dryer, each retailed at $15.99. Revlon curling irons and brushes sold at $5.99 each.

Other personal care electrics ranged from Wahl Flex Action Body Massager at $9.99, Vidal Sassoon Volumair hot air curling iron, $15.99, Richard Caruso Happy Traveler hair setter, $29.99 and Braun Oral B plaque-removal device, $59.99.

Smitty's also promoted an array of gift items including designer fragrances, jewelry and apparel.

Helm said the first week's sales "did all right, just as we had expected it to do. But we are waiting for the second week when the idea of the holiday actually kicks in and everyone recognizes that it's coming."

In addition to the new items, the retailer also "repeated some of the better items from last year's sales, like a $19.99 food dehydrator, and a convection oven, priced at $69.99."

Smitty's other small appliance specials for Mother's Day were illustrated on one full page and priced at $19.99. They included an Aroma glass rice cooker and steamer, a West Bend ice tea maker, a Black & Decker 10-cup automatic drip coffee maker, a Rival 4-quart electric ice cream maker, a Dazey toaster oven broiler, and a West Bend 6-quart red wok.

The appliance assortment also contained higher-ticket selections: a Kitchen Aid 3-speed blender priced at $79.99, a Hamilton Beach compact food processor, and a Black & Decker cordless handy mixer, priced at $29.99 each, and Kitchen Aid ultra power 3-speed hand mixer for $39.99.

Smitty's also marked down a range of its general merchandise and items suitable as gifts.

Prices of all hardback and paperback books were cut 20%, Intercraft picture frames were discounted 25%, and jewelry retails were slashed by 50% to 60%.