Knowing the customer and their buying habits is a leading requirement for any retailer. In the discretionary consumer marketplace, it is even more of an imperative. If a company isn’t sure of its customer base and how it spends its money, it may as well fold up shop. Understanding who the customer is, how much they have to spend and what they really need for day to day living is the key to profit in a difficult retail marketplace. Finding a company that actually has this information, and is using it effectively, is the trick.

Vertical Branding Inc., a consumer products company, works to market recession resistant products to a defined target market. The company has recently reworked its marketing model to reflect an 80% wholesale to retail sales distribution mix.

As the discretionary consumer sector continues to have issues in a recessionary marketplace, Vertical Branding is finding reasonable performance. For the

Perfumania Holdings (PERF) operates as a wholesaler and retailer of designer perfume and fragrances. The company also offers bath aides and skin care products for men, women and children. Perfumania primarily markets its products through the Web site Perfumania.com. On Friday, the company warned investors same-store sales and earnings for October 2008 will fail to meet expectations due to a weak U.S. economy. The company also said it will reduce the number of new stores it opens in 2009. Perfumania opened 56 new stores in fiscal 2008.

Slumping sales in August and September, inventory reductions at the company’s recently acquired Model Reorg business, and lower orders from important customers dampened Perfumania’s second quarter results. For the first seven weeks of the third quarter, Perfumania’s same store sales are off by about three percent, the New York-based company said. For the second quarter, Perfumania posted a loss of $2 million, or 65

Sinobiomed (SOBM) is a Chinese developer of genetically engineered recombinant protein drugs and vaccines. The company’s drugs treat diseases and ailments such as malaria, hepatitis, surgical bleeding, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetic ulcers and burns, and blood cell regeneration. Sinobiomed currently has 10 products: three on the market, four in clinical trials and three in research and development.

Sinobiomed, based in the bustling metropolis of Shanghai, could be on the forefront of the burgeoning Chinese biotechnology industry. China’s biotech industry is expected to continue its rapid expansion of 20 percent to 30 percent annually to $8.5 billion by 2010 helped by government contributions of $600 million annually. The Chinese pharmaceutical industry is expected to be the world’s 5th largest market by 2010.

Sinobiomed is considered a market leader in the area of recombinant protein drugs and recently acquired a distributor to facilitate a more expeditious sale of some its drugs. The

Interleukin Genetics, Inc., along with its subsidiaries, works to develop, acquire, and commercialize personalized health care products. Interleukin’s mission is to develop genetic tests and to make available therapeutic products that can help individuals improve and maintain their health through preventative measures. Interleukin genetics has a goal to provide the best available genetic information to help patients and consumers make intelligent lifestyle decisions related to nutrition, exercise, lifestyle habits, and healthcare practices aimed at preserving good health into old age.

The company wants to position itself at the forefront of the small but growing marketplace of personalized health. This segment is expected to experience rapid and widespread growth as genetic screening technologies become more available and affordable. This vision is grounded in the belief that the company can improve health outcomes by identifying individuals whose risk for certain chronic diseases is increased due to variants

Reliv International Inc. (RELV), based in Chesterfield, Missouri, is a developer, manufacturer, and marketer of a proprietary line of nutritional supplements. With a current market capitalization of $78.42M, they are a NASDAQ-traded company. The company’s products address basic daily nutrition needs as well as more specific wellness needs. Their products also address weight management and sports nutrition needs.

Relìv International founders are Robert and Sandy Montgomery, who had a vision to create a business that would give people control over their own lives while offering quality products into the nutritional supplement marketplace. Through Robert Montgomery’s friendship with microbiologist Dr. Theodore Kalogris, the developing and marketing of the company’s first product began. Dr. Kalogris had developed a unique formula that provided a full day’s nutrition in a form that was easy-to-use and quickly absorbed by the body. Robert Montgomery was impressed with the health results he personally achieved with the product