National magazine sponsors make Evaluation Forms available to any housewares retailer wanting to be considered a gia candidate in his/her country.

gia candidates must be financially stable housewares retailers with at least two years in business. An Evaluation Form must be completed that addresses the following retail business criteria:

• Record of outstanding operations
• Depth of product offering
• Innovative business practices
• Innovative visual merchandising displays/techniques
• In-store promotions
• External marketing/promotions
• Quality of employee training/customer service
• Top Window Criteria

In addition, gia candidates must submit a portfolio with visuals of their best merchandising settings.

The portfolios of all national winners will be reviewed by the Global gia Jury which meets the day prior to the opening of each International Home + Housewares Show in order to select a group of Global gia Honorees.

All national winners and global honorees are being extensively honored during the International Home + Housewares Show, including the gia gala awards ceremony, a special gia display at the Show, plus extensive publicity in the national and global housewares trade press.

Retailers located in countries with a sponsoring trade publication are encouraged to submit application materials to their respective trade publication by August 31 each year to be considered for the national gia award.

Retailers located in countries without a sponsoring trade publication should contact: IHA Vice President, International, Derek Miller at dmiller@housewares.org to help in the process of launching the gia award program in their country(ies).