Cinde W. Ingram
\nMany vendors wonder which days will be busiest in their showrooms this week.
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\nAs the High Point Market shifted to a Monday-Sunday run, vendors faced uncertainty about when their customers would show up to start shopping.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I think it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s confusing for everybody,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Michael Yip, Oriental Accent vice president and general manager. Although the market did not officially open until Monday, Oriental Accent\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s showroom was among the large number ready early to welcome buyers who wanted to get started with accessory shopping. Noting some major furniture manufacturers had set up weekend appointments, Yip said if those retail customers ventured into his showroom before the official start, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll never say no.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Many vendors wondered which days will be busiest in their showrooms this week. Given the new schedule, past patterns no longer apply but old habits die hard.<\/p>\n
After hearing speculations about retail attendance, The Bradburn Gallery polled designers and retailers of lighting and furniture.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We were pretty surprised,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said CEO Bruce Bradburn. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The people we talked to were extremely calm. They said, \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcWe\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to do market like we always do.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 If they came early before, they would come early; if they came late, they would come late. They would stay the same number of days. So we sat back and said, \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcMaybe it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s only the vendors who have a little anxiety.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
John Haste, Imax Worldwide Imports vice president of sales, reported hearing a mixed bag of comments about the Monday to Sunday schedule. He expected the majority of buyers, especially the Top 100, to have begun shopping no later than today while smaller mom-and-pop stores may wait until later in the week.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153In our particular case when the opening date was Thursday, we were opening on Monday; the major furniture manufacturers had their people in and we were open so we could take advantage of that \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and we were doing good business prior to Thursday,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Haste said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m curious to see is: Are we going to have the same opportunity for customers in this scenario versus what we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had in the past?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Another question on Haste\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mind is whether Sunday will be a typical last day of market or busier than normal because it falls on a weekend? \u00e2\u20ac\u0153There are a lot of questions out there, partly because we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re dealing with a lot of unknowns,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Haste said.<\/p>\n
Answers may take a while.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We expect traffic patterns to change but it will take a couple of markets before we understand how the new flow affects a change in patterns,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Sean McFadden, vice president of sales for Interlude Home, which has shown in High Point for about 30 years. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We always get in early to get ready \u00e2\u20ac\u201d in early, open late. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re ready and are maintaining an open mind.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Paul Knutson of Ancient Mosaics said the Monday opening could have presented problems if product had arrived damaged because factories and trucking companies were closed. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If things had gone wrong, it would have been on Saturday that I would have been dealing with it, but everything went smooth,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Knutson said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153This is a minor point, but now I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m killing two weekends rather than one.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
Eric Bauer agreed he had heard that comment from other exhibitors he serves through Eric Bauer Marketing. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ever since the closing of the Hickory Furniture Market, the buyers have demonstrated they wanted to come in early and get started. I know that stores like Robb & Stucky and Rooms To Go are traveling here today,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Bauer said Monday morning. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153So all the sudden I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m thinking this may be one of the smartest things that could have possibly happened because the only people who need to change their schedules are exhibitors and reps. It seems to me the buyers need not change their schedule. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m realizing we may see a kind of quiet Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday but I think there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a huge opportunity for this market to actually become a vibrant six day market again.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
Introductions<\/p>\n
When asked how changes in the High Point Market schedule affected getting product introductions here on time, most vendors said this market presented few problems because it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s still in mid-October. But the late March start of the next High Point Market will be different.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153This market, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re under the same production cycle we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re normally in,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Bradburn said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But next market will be a significant challenge because it will be a shorter period by about three weeks. I think you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll find a lot of people scrambling, but after that everybody will get adjusted.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
The Bradburn Gallery started preparing for the spring 2014 market immediately after the spring 2013 High Point Market. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153In anticipation of having a difficult time doing it in the normal cycle, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve already got some of our introductions underway ahead of schedule,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Bradburn said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It required a change in planning: It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcbreak the cycle and start a new one.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ultimately, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all about product,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Bradburn added. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got a good array of new products – a lot that is designer oriented. And we have done a significant amount of direct mail contact (for the last three months) to encourage people to be excited and come see us.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Asked how other trade shows are affecting their introduction schedules, vendors had a range of answers.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had to accelerate our whole process,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Allen Robertson, Capel Rugs\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 vice president of sales, said of market schedule changes. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We went into Las Vegas in a permanent showroom from the beginning. That was a little different. It gave us an opportunity to open 25 to 50 new dealers we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see at other shows, but it made be us more selective in our introductions because of Atlanta and Las Vegas dates being in close proximity. Still High Point is the bell-ringer at this time. High Point is the largest market we do.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Its large Market Square showroom allows room for Capel to make introductions, present its licensed programs and show many of its more than 5,000 SKUs, Robertson said. Such presentation is difficult for sales reps on the road so, in addition to the major shows, Capel exhibits at a dozen or more regional markets. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Markets are good things for us,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Robertson said.<\/p>\n
Lam Lee makes all its product introductions at the High Point Market. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Currently our major showroom and by far the largest dealer attendance and sales volume is at the High Point Market,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said John Reinhardt, vice president of sales and marketing, The Lam Lee Group. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153New products are a huge expense in time and money, necessary yes, but they have to be considered in our return on investment. Lam Lee will continue to adjust as needed to maintain our growth and profitability.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153As our home furnishings world continues to evolve, and certain markets gain importance and some lose, we will make the necessary adjustments,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Reinhardt said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153From talking to ours and other sales representatives as well as dealers, there seems to be a heightening of concern that there are too many markets. From a sheer time and expense factor it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s draining the resources and becoming unproductive. How much new product can anyone digest, especially in this economy?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Interlude\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s McFadden said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153High Point is our major show, so we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not really affected. We introduce product very aggressively at High Point, but it is becoming increasingly more important to beef up mid-year intros to allow for more newness at Las Vegas and Atlanta markets. In terms of numbers and importance, High Point is our big premiere. Our real core customer is in High Point, and we have more space.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He added he thinks the Las Vegas market \u00e2\u20ac\u0153offers an incremental opportunity for West Coast\u00e2\u20ac\u009d sales.<\/p>\n
Oriental Accent\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Yip observed economic indicators for the past few months have improved and expressed optimism about the upcoming market schedule changes. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153They gave us a year to prepare for it,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yip said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s just like you tell a kid to change a habit, and you know there will be some unforeseen things.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Oriental Accent participates in Atlanta, Dallas and Las Vegas, but limits its product debuts to both High Point markets and the January shows rather than the summer shows, Yip said. If the Spring High Point market moves much earlier, it may require another strategy, he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Timing is crucial for everybody,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s so close to the winter markets, it might change the landscape.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Retail editor Susan Pyle contributed to this article.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Cinde W. Ingram Many vendors wonder which days will be busiest in their showrooms this week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-furniture-world-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indonesia-furniture.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indonesia-furniture.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indonesia-furniture.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indonesia-furniture.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indonesia-furniture.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2356"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/indonesia-furniture.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2356\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indonesia-furniture.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indonesia-furniture.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indonesia-furniture.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}