African Americans Still Underrepresented in the Retail Market In Spite of Holding the Highest Collective Buying Power in the United States.
Digitally empowered, social media savvy, and with a higher consciousness about the type of businesses their money supports, millennial consumers are letting their voices be heard when it comes to dictating the trends that retailers must follow. No group is seen to have a higher spending power, and more influence on popular culture than African Americans.
At African American Expressions the company has spent the past 26 years trying to create a line of products that honor and respect the rich cultural heritage that so often gets overlooked in the typical retail market. With nearly 1000 products currently available highlighting everything from Barack Obama's historic rise to the Presidency, to products that honor the uniqueness and style of the culture, they have been committed to not only creating for African Americans, but for keeping the dollar circulating in the African American community.
- Millions of dollars generated for schools, non-profits, and varying charities through a grassroots fundraising program specifically designed for our core audience.
- A continual partner of PROJECT NINE1SIX, which is dedicated to providing for the homeless community, where African Americans can make up 55% of the shelter population at any given time -- as well as Shoulder to Shoulder, a local non profit dedicated to breaking the cycle of fatherlessness by providing mentors to at risk boys starting at the 4th grade level.
- By spending your money with companies that are outside of the common corporate structure, you are keeping the dollar circulating in the communities that need it most.
African American Expressions encourages you to visit www.black-gifts.com to learn more about the mission.
SOURCE African American Expressions
http://www.black-gifts.com
https://theblacklist.net/
Comments
We struggle in retail because we don't compete in the day to day markets of necessary items. Things that must be purchased: Food, Clothing, Baby Products, shoes, hats/caps, etc. We are non-competitors in such markets because we are plagued by the curse of individualism (1 man gang-ism) We believe that we can't afford for anyone else to share in the sales that we have created and we believe that the competition begins with a unique product and salesmanship.
The often heard statement that the hardest thing to do is work with our own people stems from the desperate nature of our individual life styles. We strive to develop as opulent a life style as whatever money we make can afford us and thusly we spend more than we make (utilizing credit) and have nothing to invest. This results in scared investors, who want to invest $1,000 (no money) on Monday and get back $1,500 on Friday. This is not investment.
In turn, because we can't get the money we need to fulfill a success driven budget, we commence with what we have and hope to bring others on board as we go. While the others that we are reaching out to want to see us succeed before they put anything in and they invariably say "I wish you the best and I will be praying for you", meanwhile, the competition is doing things that you can only dream about.
Our people are going to continue to buy what they consider to be the best product at the best price. Which explains why they will go to the Chinese Restaurant (a hole in the wall) and buy fried rice, while driving past a better looking soul food restaurant in the same block. We have to compete!
We lost our hair care industry because the Koreans organized themselves into Trading Companies (Cooperatives) and implemented group purchasing, to beat our retailers in price while buying the same product from Black Manufacturers for a cheaper price than the black distributors. The difference was the Koreans were ordering box car quantities of product for cash; while the Black Distributors were purchasing on credit because the Black Retailers were buying small quantities and split cases.
The Cooperative business structure could be a powerful tool for Black Retailers. Coops could even allow our people to take back our haircare industry and make great strides in groceries, clothing, auto parts, shoes, sporting goods, audio/video supplies and much, much more. The solution is not in politics, it is in competitive capitalism. We need a paradigm shift from a focus on politics and religion to a focus on business organization and aggregate wealth production and ownership. I ask you "how many Asians do you see running for political office", yet the Asians make more money, per capita, than the Whites, in America! Politicians and Preachers are powerless without contributions. Contributions come from organizations making money. We are the people we have been waiting for!!!