04/30/2026
I came across this old infographic that we made back in 2016 and thought we'd revisit it. Above: the original. Below: the same map rebuilt from the last 3 years of order data.
What strikes me looking at them side by side isn't any single state. It's how differently America buys adhesive products from us now than it did a decade ago.
The 2016 map is dominated by gaffers tape - the yellow. It was the #1 category in 18 states. That made sense given our roots; we'd been the go-to tape source for the entertainment industry for years, and the map almost reads as 'where in America film and theater work happens.'
The 2026 map looks completely different. Gaffers tape now tops just one state (Nevada - the lone holdout). In its place: painters tape in New York, foam weather stripping in Pennsylvania, felt tape in Ohio, super glue in Florida, Command strips across Utah, Delaware, and New Jersey, and flagging/barricade tape stretching across 8 states from Texas to Washington. Tennessee's top category is even adhesive primers & removers.
Two categories that ruled at least one state in 2016 are now #1 nowhere: duct tape and automotive tape. Meanwhile, nearly a dozen new categories have emerged as state-level winners - flagging/barricade tape, Command strips, felt tape, painters tape, floor marking tape, foil tape, athletic tape, and more.
Seven states didn't change at all in ten years: Idaho, Kansas, North Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming - plus Nevada with its gaffers tape holdout. Buyers there are creatures of habit.
The lesson, I think: ten years is a long time in any business. Customer mix evolves. Product trends shift. Categories you barely sold in 2016 become flagship sellers. And the things you thought you were known for can quietly fade.
If you're a fellow small business owner - when's the last time you ran a then-vs-now comparison of your top sellers? I'd recommend it. Some of what you find will surprise you.
