High Point Market registered amost 85,000 in October

Staff -- Home Accents Today, 11/1/2006

The High Point Market's upgraded central registration system issued 84,976 badges for its Fall 2006 Market, according to Brian D. Casey, president of the High Point Market Authority.

"This represents our first Fall Market attendance report under our new system which presents an accurate benchmark for next Fall Market," Casey said.

In an effort to more accurately track the number of Market registrants, the High Point Market Authority has made significant investments in technology over the past six months, Casey said. The Market Authority contracted with Greensboro, N.C.-based software development firm New Horizons last summer as part of the upgrade, and spent nearly $100,000 to improve its central registration system with the installation of fiber optic cables and a new Sequel Server database.

"We made these changes to ensure the system that we had in place for this Market was far more robust and reliable, and the result is we now have better metrics to measure against as we move forward," Casey said. "Based on feedback we received from numerous buyers and exhibitors, we are pleased with the overall results. At the same time, we are committed to continuing to improve the Market experience for all concerned."