Shopping the Shows
The most important thing you can do at any trade show is show up. Shows that cater to gifting are no different; you must keep abreast of trends to better serve your customer base. After all, if you don’t provide your customers with what they want, they will go elsewhere, and where else can you better determine trends in products than at a gift show?
Success Secrets
Veterans of trade shows will tell you that knowing your market means examining market trends locally, regionally, nationally and even internationally. For example, a local gift show would be in your state. A regional gift show would be within one day’s drive of your business — west, midwest, east regionality. A national gift show could potentially be a show located on the opposite end of where you are located in the country, and international gift shows are typically located in a major city within another country — Paris, Milan, London.
Another important reason buyers should experience trade shows is their ability to see the merchandise first-hand and determine its quality. The seasoned buyer will spend days combing over merchandise, noting new and continuing trends, and testing for quality and the best pricing. A pro will never place an order on first sight, or buy impulsively. Gifting shows, like everything else in life, must be taken in moderation. Impulse buy, and you could miss out on a trend, meanwhile wasting money. Wait until you get home to buy and you miss out on some substantial discounts.
Indeed, placing orders at, not after, the show is the secret for success of many gift show veterans. However, orders should be placed only after spending time reviewing merchandise and taking careful notes. Take in as many aspects of the show as you can, act stealthily and make only calculated decisions.
The following are some of the more popular regional, national and international gift shows that serve our industry. There are many, many other gift shows, at least one in every state. To find a show closer to home or to explore the variety of available shows, check out www.cyberexpo.com.
Atlanta International Gift/Home Furnishings Market
July 9-19 (temporaries); July 12-16 (permanents)
Contact/location information:
AmericasMart
240 Peachtree Street, Suite 2200
Atlanta, GA 30303
Contact Registration (404) 220-2446; AmericasMart (800)-ATL-MART
Fax (410) 721-9636
www.americasmart.com
Size of the exhibition space: 4.2 million square feet
Chicago Gift & Home Market
July 24-31 (permanents); July 27-30 (temporaries); Sept. 12-14
Contact/location information:
Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc.
Suite 470, The Merchandise Mart
200 World Trade Center Chicago
Chicago, IL 60654
312/527-7687; (800) 677-6278
Fax: 312/527-7981
www.merchandisemart.com
Ratio of traveling to permanent exhibits: 650/300
Number of people who walked the show last year: 30,000
Number of exhibitors at last year’s show: 650 temporaries; 250 permanents
Other events available for attendees:
Sample Sale (to the trade only), November 4-5, 2002
Speakers? Yes.
Demos? Yes.
Number of different product categories the exhibitors represent:107
Size of the exhibition space: 650,000 square feet
Dates of 2003 show(s):
January Chicago Gift & Home Market
Jan. 22-29, 2003
Temporaries: Jan. 25-28, 2003
Dallas International Gift & Home Accessories Market
June 20-27; Sept. 21-24
Contact/location information:
Dallas Market Center
2100 Stemmons Freeway
MS 150
Dallas, TX 75207
(800) DAL-MKTS (800-325-6587)
Fax: (800) 637-6833
Size of the exhibition space: 6.9 million square feet
Dates of 2003 show(s): Jan. 15-22, 2003
New York City International Gift Fair
August 10-15, 2002
Contact/location information:
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminals
Pier 92 & 94
NY, NY
Attendee registration:(800) 272-SHOW
www.nyigf.com
Contact: Jung-Eun Kim (914) 421-3272
Number of people who walked the show last year: 45,000
Number of exhibitors at last year’s show: 2,900
Amount of time the show has been taking place: 51 years
Other events available for attendees: “Only in New York” Retail Tour;
New Buyer Orientation; Gifts and Decorative Accessories 51st Annual Retailer Excellence Awards Gala Dinner; Broadway show “Mamma Mia.”
Speakers? Yes.
Demos? Yes.
Size of the exhibition space: 638,000 square feet
Dates of 2003 show(s):
February 1-5, 2003
Galleria, Javits North Pavilion, Piers 88, 90, 92
February 1-4, 2003
Pier 94
February 2-6, 2003
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
San Francisco International
Gift Fair
Aug. 3-7, 2002
Contact/location information:
Moscone Center & The Concourse Exhibition Center
Moscone Center north/south esplanade
747 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 974-4000
Fax: (415) 974-4073
www.sfigf.com
Number of exhibitors at last year’s show: Over 1,900
Number of different product categories the exhibitors represent: 16
Size of the exhibition space: 650,000 square feet
Dates of 2003 show(s): Winter show date: February 15-19, 2003
Seattle Gift Show
Aug. 17-21
Contact/location information:
Washington State Convention & Trade Center
800 Convention Place
Seattle, WA 98101
(800) 346-1212
www.seattlegift.com
Ratio of traveling to permanent exhibits: 150 permanent
Number of exhibitors at last year’s show: 895 companies; 1,460 booths
Other events available for attendees:
Opening night reception
Speakers? Yes.
Demos? Yes.
Number of different product categories the exhibitors represent:12
Size of the exhibition space: 141,086 net square feet
Number of buyers: 12,814
Dates of 2003 show(s): Jan. 5-29, 2003
Spring Fair Birmingham
Feb. 2-6, 2003
Contact/location information:
National Exhibition Center
Birmingham, England
011-44 (0)121 767 5511
Number of people who walked the show the year before last? 109,960
Number of exhibitors at the show the year before last: 4,170
Amount of time the show has been taking place: 25 years
Number of different product categories represented: 10
Number of buyers: 80,000
Dates of 2003 show(s): Feb. 2-6, 2003