Nationwide’s VP of Home Appliances Doug Wrede recaps how dealers in the home appliance category — deemed essential across most of the country during the coronavirus pandemic — fared the past few weeks and looks at what challenges lie ahead in the second half of the year.

The digital transformation of the retail industry was kicked into high gear as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Chat, appointment shopping, video consultations and more have been nothing short of a lifeline for many independent retailers during this time. We dive deep into digital with Nationwide’s tech guru, Dev Mukherjee.

Donnie Thedford, co-owner of Don’s TV & Appliance, talks about his foray into the world of chat. Thedford recently rejoined Nationwide Marketing Group and almost immediately began realizing the benefits of a full-blown chat strategy — at just the right time, too, as COVID-19 began forcing businesses into a state of uncertainty.

Steve Mahler is the director of Point of Sale (POS) for Nationwide Marketing Group and the perfect guy to talk to if you’re interested in learning everything there is to know about POS. He spoke with us about how POS has evolved over the years and the many benefits retailers can realize by utilizing the right POS for their business. 

The novel coronavirus has had an impact on nearly every aspect of our daily lives — and the same holds true for retail. John Riddle, president and CEO of Howard’s, shares how the Southern California retailer has adjusted to this “new normal.”

The outdoor category presents a massive opportunity to independent retailers of all shapes and sizes — and no one can explain why better than Nationwide’s own John Laing, director of outdoor. 

PJ Orsini, a third-generation retail owner, has seen business boom during the coronavirus crisis. How? He’s leaned into new digital offerings and capitalized on the Paycheck Protection Program. He walks us through the past few weeks at Orsini’s.

The past few weeks haven’t been too kind to the independent furniture and bedding retailers around the country. As COVID-19 continues to dominate headlines, Nationwide’s F&B team — lead by Jeff Rose — has been hard at working giving dealers the resources they need to continue serving their communities.

Selling the smart home is about more than just displaying some cool products. Two new Nationwide Marketing Group programs — one focusing on merchandising, the other on offering tech support — prove why.

Moving into the second year of a partnership with AT&T, Nationwide Marketing Group Director of Connected Services Eric Sindelar dives deep into what the wireless carrier offers independent retailers of all shapes and sizes.

In some ways, it’s already the case. But at PrimeTime in Houston, Lee McDonald, director of CE for Nationwide, talks about how CE will become the heart of consumers’ homes.

Oh, that’s just Renee Spresser, owner of Paul’s Furniture  continuing a hilarious video series she’s created to brilliantly market her business in the town of 200. Spresser was recently honored with a Synchrony Pillar Award and joined the podcast from PrimeTime in Houston to share her story.

From a keynote featuring an astronaut to the extraordinary deals available to members across the showfloor, PrimeTime was action-packed in Houston. We recap the show with Nationwide’s Chief Member Advocate Tom Hickman.

Chris Carey, CEO of Tech Smart USA, talks about the services his company offers and the opportunity the independent retail channel has in helping customers overcome the challenges in the connected home category.

WithIt Executive Director Amy Van Dorp chats about the group’s mission to help women across various industries develop their business skills — and about their partnership with the WIN: Women in Nationwide network.

See what we did there? Bill Brunelle of Independent We Stand spoke with us about all of the tremendous resources IWS has made available to the independent retail channel.

Former NASA Astronaut Mike Massimino, fresh off of a keynote at Nationwide Marketing Group’s PrimeTime show in Houston, shares stories from space and relates some of the things he learned to the independent retail channel.

Johanna Elsner, co-owner of tiny home manufacturing firm Perch & Nest, joins the Independent Thinking Podcast to talk about what it took to bring Nationwide Marketing Group’s Tiny Smart Home to life.

From TP delivery bots to Westworld-style artificial intelligence, CES 2020 brought out all kinds of crazy consumer tech. Nationwide Marketing Group brought a team out to Las Vegas, led by Director of CE Lee McDonald. Lee jumped on the Independent Thinking Podcast to help recap this year’s show.

Nationwide Marketing Group Content Director Doug Marsh dug up some unique facts and key dates throughout the history of the buying group, which is preparing for its 50th anniversary in 2021.