…if you are a retailer and you can knock our socks off with a picture.

We’re pretty excited around here because we’re gearing up to launch the inaugural Kids Today annual Retail Merchandising Awards. This is a competition open to every store that thinks it goes above and beyond with displays.

We aren’t looking for the same old same old vignette — we’re looking for WOW!

Creative merchandising is a key ingredient to a retailer’s success. You can have the most wonderful product with the friendliest sales staff, but first impressions are often based on how the product is arranged, how your store looks and even what it looks like on the outside.

Retailers, you will soon be receiving faxed invitations (and there will be information online at www.kidstodayonline.com) requesting you to submit photos of your store. Manufacturers and sales reps, encourage those retail gems — those stores you yourself walk into and go 'Now THAT’S impressive!’ — to send in some pictures.

Winners will be chosen from single-store and multi-store participants and the results will be published in the February 2009 issue.

Kids Today, along with key industry veterans, will select the winners in the following categories: Best Use of Accessories, Most Creative Display, Best Storefront and Best Overall Merchandising.

Think of it as a beauty contest for stores — but without the talent show, or the 'how-would-you-save-the-world’ questions or the bathing suit competition. Please, do not send pictures of yourselves in bathing suits!

So, take your best shots (literally because photo quality is important here) and enter to win!