Associations and Societies for the Retail Industry

Professional and industry associations and societies are great places to make connections to your next job! Check out "Tapping the Hidden Job Market" for ideas on some of the ways you can leverage associations for your job search

Retail Industry Associations and Societies:

• American Apparel & Footwear Association
  JOBS, membership directory, events calendar, conferences, international seminars, advocacy, networking events, research, many resources, news.
• American Bankers Association
  JOBS, conferences, membership directory, seminars, online training, certification, webinars, online forums, publications, surveys, advocacy, news.
• American Booksellers Association
  Member directories, events calendar, awards, news, advocacy, blog, online forums, publications, resources.
• American Hardware Manufacturers Association
  International conferences/expos, membership directory, events calendar, online training, community outreach, news, resources, publications, LinkedIn Group.
• American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
  JOBS (within ASCAP), expos, events calendar, awards, licensing resources, scholarships, grants, e-newsletter, workshops, news.
• American Specialty Toy Retailing Association
  Conferences, membership directory, toy fairs, Facebook group, resources, publications.
• Associated Food & Petroleum Dealers
  Membership directory, trade shows, trade dinners, training, scholarships, news, publications.
• Association for Christian Retail
  Conferences, international retail shows, events calendar, training, blog, news, research, publications, resources.
• Association for Retail Environments
  JOBS, events calendar, sustainability initiatives, awards, news, resources, publications.
• Association for Retail Technology Standards
  Annual conventions and summits, webinars, news, LinkedIn Group, publications, many resources.
• Canadian Convenience Stores Association
  Conferences, expos, education, resources, awards, news.
• Consumer Bankers Association
  Conferences, membership directory, events calendar, webinars, training, Twitter presence, news, resources, publications.
• Consumer Electronics Association
  JOBS (a few), international conferences, events calendar, membership directory, awards, training, certifications, multimedia library, news, research, many resources.
• Consumer Specialty Products Association
  International conferences, membership directory, events calendar, workshops, news, advocacy, resources, monthly magazine, publications, blog.
• Electronic Retailing Association
  Conferences, membership directory, networking events, webinars.
• Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA)
  JOBS, chapters, online forums, advocacy, many events, education, awards, publications, resources. news.
• Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA)
  Conventions, events, scholarships, awards, news.
• Fair Trade Federation
  Membership directory, internships (within federation), certification, publications, many resources, news.
• Fashion Group International
  JOBS (members only), events calendar, student members section, design competitions, news.
• Food Industry Association Executives
  Conferences, events calendar, membership directory, state chapters, news.
• Food Marketing Institute
  Conferences, events calendar, membership directory, research, certification, many resources, news.
• Global Retail Marketing Association
  (Invitation only membership - must be invited to join) Leadership summit, newsletter, news.
• Hobby Industry Association
  JOBS, conventions/trade shows, education, events, research, online forum, publications.
• International Art Materials Trade Association
  Conventions, trade shows, education, scholarships, grants, publications, resources.
• International Association of Floor Care & Sewing Professionals (VDTA/SDTA)
  JOBS (a few), certifications, scholarships, publications, awards, news.
• International Bottled Water Association
  Conventions/trade shows, events calendar, research, resources, news.
• International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
  JOBS (a few), conferences, expos, membership directory, events calendar, education programs, research, Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn Presence, publications, news.
• International Council of Toy Industries
  International toy fairs, expos, events calendar, member list, publications, research, news.
• International Franchise Association
  International conferences, membership directory, symposia, expos, events calendar, certification, training, online forums, scholarships, publications, resources, news.
• International Housewares Association
  JOBS, conventions/trade shows, events calendar, education, publications, research, seminars, awards, news.
• International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association
  Conventions, trade shows, membership directory, legislative activities, scholarships, publications, education, resources, news.
• Marine Retailers Association of America
  Conference/expo, worldwide boat show, certification, publications, resources, scholarships, awards, news.
• Museum Store Association
  JOBS (a few), conference/expo, membership directory (members only), chapters, publications, education, online forum, news.
• National Association for Retail Marketing Services
  JOBS, conferences, virtual trade show, events calendar, membership directory, divisions, training, webinars, podcasts, Twitter presence, online library, resources, news.
• National Association for Shoplifting Prevention
  Retailer programs, research, education, many resources, news.
• National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS)
  Conferences, publications, membership directories, webinars, news.
• National Association of College Stores
  JOBS, conferences, trade shows, events calendar, resources, research, training, webcasts, certifications, news.
• National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS)
  Membership directory (members only), events calendar, publications, blog, many resources, magazine, Facebook presence, news.
• National Association of Recording Merchandisers
  Conventions, summits, events calendar, membership directory (members only), workgroups, research, publications, LinkedIn/Facebook/Twitter presence, news.
• National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops
  Conference, education, seminars, networking events, newsletter, mentoring, publications, resources.
• National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys
  Conferences, membership directory, events calendar, reports, publications, newsletter, resources, listserv, podcasts, news.
• National Automatic Merchandising Association
  JOBS, expos, events calendar, awards, publications, many resources, scholarships, education, certifications.
• National Grocers Association
  Conventions, membership directory, resources, publications, podcasts, research, training, awards, news.
• National Home Furnishings Association
  Trade shows, events calendar, chapters, webinars, training, awards, publications, resources, news.
• National Independent Nursery Furniture Retailers Association
  Annual meeting and trade show, membership directory, newsletter, resources.
• National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association
  Conferences, events calendar, training, research, reports, publications, resources, news.
• National Pawnbrokers Association
  Conferences, conventions, expos, membership directory, events calendar, training, publications, resources, awards, news.
• National Retail Federation
  JOBS, conventions, conferences, online forums, publications, research, webinars, training, many resources, blog, news, digital division (http://www.shop.org).
• National Retail Hobby Stores Association
  Expos, events calendar, membership directory, magazine, newsletter, news.
• National Retail Tenants Association
  JOBS (a few), conferences, membership directory (members only), education, webinars, news.
• National Shoe Retailers Association
  Conferences, events calendar, membership directory, online training, education, magazine, resources, publications, news.
• National Sporting Goods Association
  JOBS, conferences, events calendar, newsletter, publications, resources, research, news.
• New England Convenience Store Association
  Convention, membership directory, events calendar, awards, news.
• North American Retail Dealers Association
  training, certifications, publications, scholarships, advocacy, many resources, news.
• North American Retail Hardware Association
  International convention, events calendar, training, webinars, awards, e-newsletter, magazine, resources, publications, news.
• Northeast Retail Lumber Association
  Expos, membership directory, chapters, publications, online library, seminars, education, roundtables, resources, news.
• Organic Retailers Association
  International conferences, newsletter, lobbying activities, education, networking, resources, news.
• Outdoor Industry Association
  JOBS, trade shows, training, resource library, working groups, publications, research, newsletter, news.
• Paint & Decorating Retailers Association
  Conventions, trade shows, membership directory, events calendar, training, certifications, monthly journal, magazines.
• Point-of-Purchase Advertising International (POPAI)
  Conventions, expos, membership directory (members only), events calendar, certification, master's program, awards, research, reports, digital library, many resources, news.
• Party Club of America (PCA)
  Conference, membership directory, seminars, training.
• Professional Pricing Society
  JOBS (members only), conferences, membership directory, training, certification, events calendar, blogs, publications, many resources, news.
• Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association
  JOBS, conferences, membership directory (members only), events calendar, training, certification, webinars, listserv, awards, publications, many resources, news.
• Retail Advertising and Marketing Association (RAMA)
  Conferences, events calendar, networking events, LinkedIn Group, research, publications, resources, magazine, awards, news.
• Retail Bakers of America
  JOBS, international expo, events calendar, certifications, many resources, Twitter/LinkedIn/Facebook presence, newsletter, publications, news.
• Retail Benchmarking Association
  Training, research, studies, roundtables, many resources, publications.
• Retail Contractors Association
  Conventions, membership directory, training, many resources, scholarships, newsletter.
• Retail Design Institute
  JOBS, conferences, membership directory, events calendar, competitions, chapters, online forums, many resources, news.
• Retail Industry Leaders Association
  Conferences, membership list, networking groups, educational events, many resources, e-newsletters, webinars, Twitter/LinkedIn/Facebook presence, news.
• Retail Marketing Society
  Conferences, membership directory (members only), monthly meetings, news.
• Retail Merchants Association
  JOBS (sometimes!), expos, membership directory, events calendar, Facebook presence, many resources, publications, awards, chapters.
• Retail Packaging Association
  Trade show, conference, membership directory, scholarships, publications, resources, news.
• Retail Print Music Dealers Association
  Convention, membership directory, scholarship, newsletter, publications, resources.
• Retail Solutions Providers Association
  Convention, expo, membership directory, events calendar, scholarships, certification, training, newletter, many resources and publications, LinkedIn/Facebook/Twitter presence, online forums, blogs, news.
• SnowSports Industries America
  Convention, education, newsletters, resources, research, awards, surveys, publications, news.
• Tobacco Merchants Association
  Conferences, events calendar, publications, many publications and resources, e-library, research, news.
• Western Toy & Hobby Representatives Association
  Trade show, membership directory, resources.
• World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry
  JOBS (a few), trade shows, events calendar, membership directory, publications, newsletters, news.
• Women in Toys
  Annual toy fair, events calendar, networking events, career development seminars, newsletters, resources,
• Worldwide Do-It-Yourself Council
  Global forums, membership directory, national hardware shows, education, publications, resources.