As a student at one the world’s great institutions of higher learning, how proud would you be to wear or carry an item with its prestigious logo? (We imagine, very.) BUT when you look for the link to the campus store, you can’t find one.

This was the case earlier this year when STANFORD knocked on Trims’ door and asked us to create a virtual bookstore for their  On-line Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY). Before they signed on, they had to have the following:

Well known for its high-touch, personalized service and with a long standing track record both inside and outside the CLC, Trims became the obvious choice.

The decision was made to keep the store open during peak seasons, only (Fall Registration, Christmas, Admissions Notification and Summer School Registration)—thus making every order a “special” one. This model eliminated the need for inventory and any financial risk associated with unsold merchandise.

Feel free to visit any of the following:

www.epgyohsstore.com

www.epgy.stanford.edu

www.trimsunlimited.com

Are you ready to “cut the cord”?

When the Powermat  was first released, we found ourselves on the fence.  We actually heard about the device a couple of years ago, but didn’t actually see it until it came to market this year at CES 2010 . There it was being “hawked” by several different companies –most were overseas importers of cheap gadgets that we skipped over. When we stumbled upon the “Powermat” booth, we knew that we had found the “best of breed.” With a bricks and mortar operation supporting their US distribution, we felt confident that potential customers would have access to both techinical support and recourse if need be.

The Powermat is not only sleek looking but easy to use. We immediately liked the idea of a single power source that would/could untangle the cords of our many indispensible, modern day devices– no cables required. 

After much internal debate and research, we have determined that an idiot proof device that simultaneously charges 3 gadgets at once would satisfy any “Gadget-Geek” or the “Neat-Freak” in your life.

Mats come in black or white and are priced at around $100. Add-on’s and accesstories like cases/docks  cost between $30- $50 per device.   

We’re ready to cut the cord… are you?

Our Mission:

To create an “Oscar Worthy” gift bag for a cast of thousands about to descend on a medical conference in Vegas.

Challenge I:

To find a Best Picture DVD Collection under $20.00— then find enough of them in stock, in one place at the same time.

Challenge II:

We needed more “stuff.” We already provided home entertainment and thought at first that “more would be more.” Netflix came to mind. But it turns out that a gift certificate from them requires an up-front credit card number. We couldn’t recommend a premium that made the receiver feel like they had to pay for their own gift—so nix on Netflix.

We needed a Plan “B” and thought, “How about a night out at the movies?” We checked around and FANDANGO (recently acquired by Comcast) seemed to offer the biggest bang for the buck—they even had a plan for places off the beaten track and without theater chains. We ordered 6000 movie tickets (2 per custom certificate, threw in branded replicas of old-time movie reels filled with favorite movie snacks: Twizzlers, Swedish Fish, Raisinets and flavored popcorn. 

Result:  3000 well-satisfied attendees and one very happy client.

We also worked with FANDANGO  (Recently acquired by Comcast),  to supply 3,000 movie tickets-for-two placed with a customized and branded tin.  We had the tin shaped like an old-fashioned movie reel and filled it to the brim with standard movie favorites: Twizzlers, Swedish Fish, Raisinets and the obvious classic… POPCORN.

We wanted to guarantee that all of the event attendees would be left with a memorable performance and a fun “movie-moment-o” so that our clients wouldn’t be forgotten!

* Please feel free to email us should you want to learn more about our relationship with Fandango and the details of this specialized project.

How many times have you gotten to work and realized that you forgot to charge your phone last night? 

NOVOTHINK developed a handy device  called the SURGE it slips over the IPhone like a second skin and acts as both an environmentally friendly solar charger and protective case all in one.

THE PLUSES:
*It is Apple-Approved! 
*It can be used with the iPhone 3G and 3GS and the iPod Touch.
*2 Hours of “Phone-Tanning” in the sun, generates about 20 minutes of talking time.  

THE MINUS:
*The cover is a bit Clunky and adds weight

THE PRICE:
The iPhone version is $80, while the iPod Touch model is on sale for $53.

Want to learn more… check out their blog.  CLICK HERE.

How A Game of Telephone with Anya Hindmarch became…

What do you do when your client wants an iconic, limited edition tote for an event, and the desired object not only sold out long ago, but was still highly sought after on EBay years later? Welcome to our world.

One of our hedge fund clients wanted a hip, chic, green conference bag for an up-coming investor meeting. Someone suggested Anya Hindmarch’s instant classic, “I’M NOT A PLASTIC BAG.” Initially, we thought no way. Finding 200 of these bags, new, would be impossible, right?

Before shutting the door on the idea, we decided a look beneath the surface was in order. We called Anya Hindmarch’s corporate office in NY, and believe it or not they did not laugh at our request. Rather they promised to get back to us within 24 hours. What followed was an international game of Telephone.” The NY office called London and London called Tokyo. Tokyo in turn contacted Mitsukoshi, one of their independent retailers on the Ginza, who called us.  It turns out that they just happened to have 200 bags sitting in one of their warehouses and were willing to sell their entire inventory. WOW*. It took a few days and surprisingly little effort on our part, but within 72 hours we had found our 200 bags at $19.00 a piece.

*(Keep in mind that Japan was where the craze tipped**– where bags worth $25.00 sold for $250 on the black market.)

** The term coined by Malcolm Gladwell in his best seller, The Tipping Point.

We are proud to announce that American Express is recognizing Trims as a successful small business with a video profile in their web series called Small Business Rules! on the OPEN Forum website .  Filming has wrapped and we expect to receive the rough-cut anytime now.  Stay tuned for the release date.  In the meantime, take a moment to checkout other videos in the series.

Follow this link and become a fan of Trims Unlimited on Facebook.  As a token of our appreciation, Trims will send a special gift to new Facebook fans joining in the month of February.  Visit Trims Facebook Fan Page for details. 

Seth Godin has it exactly right–the story that counts is the one told between the lines. Every day thousands of companies deliver a pen or a conference bag that recipients barely notice. Then there are a handful of companies that know “the devil really is in the details”: a conference bag thoughtfully equipped and per…fectly packed, a branded notebook with key information (contact or conference) and extra features added for ease of use. Of course you need a client that understands the value of going “the extra mile.”

Upcoming corporate conference? Trims can help fit your budget in style. Check out our Recent Projects.