Obamabilia Craze Is Boon To Retailers
Can President-elect Barack Obama save the economy? Well, it’s true that he has assembled a crackerjack team of economic advisers, but that’s only one way Obama can help America get back on track.
American entrepreneurs and salespeople of all stripes have recognized the opportunity in Obama’s win – namely, that anything associated with the soon-to-be first family seems to turn to gold. And with the inauguration two weeks away, it seems that the offerings are becoming more plentiful and increasingly creative.
The San Mateo online retailer CafePress, which allows users to sell their own T-shirt designs and other merchandise, offers 3.3 million pieces of Obamabilia – with more than 6,000 items alone dedicated to terrier (the dog breed) support for the president-elect.
The New York Times estimated that $200 million in Obama stuff had been sold by late November. Every day, it seems there are more television commercials, stores and street vendors hawking things Obama – hats, T-shirts, buttons, spoons – in every American city.
The phenomenon has gone global. In France, a businessman has created bubble-gum-flavored Obama soda in a red and blue can emblazoned with the “Yes We Can” motto. And the Times of London recently reported that an inflatable Nativity scene featuring the Obama family was a holiday best-seller in Naples, Italy.
Photo by CafePress.
Jaclyn on January 9th, 2009 12:45 pm
While president Obama has a lot on his plate following the mess that bush has left him…i do believe that Obama has what it takes to help this economy as much as he can. No, he may not make it a perfect economy…but i’m sure and confident that he can make it much better then it is now. look at the past and when the economy has been in trouble, it’s always’ been a democrat that bailed the country out and turned the economy around. beside’s…we have nothing to loose!
Daniel N. Lang on January 10th, 2009 9:42 am
Wonderful! If the Obama boom gets big enough it’ll maybe compensate for the loss of one of the big car companies (Ford, Chrysler, GM) and save the economy itself :-P
No, jokes aside: 90% of the people on this planet are happy about the Obama winning and will celebrate his inauguration on Jan 20th. And I personally hope that under his presidency there’ll be a lot more business opportunities for entrepeneurs because there will be a more creativity friendly climate in society and business!
Best Business Opportunities on January 10th, 2009 1:30 pm
The entrepreneurial world is fast one. It seems people implementing ideas quickly capitalize on the trend. Great post.
cassy on January 11th, 2009 11:37 pm
i think Obama will do all to save and help the small entrepreneurs,lets wait when he is already in the whitehouse,for those people who question if Obama can make small business grow ,you wait your question will be answered in time,lets give him time to clean the war that bush left him in the whitehouse!
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