High Point Market registrations down 8% from last spring
-- Home Accents Today, 5/13/2009 2:22:00 PM
Registrations for High Point’s spring market were down about 8% from a year ago, the High Point Market Authority announced. Of 75,537 total registrations, 44,237 were buyers and designers with the balance comprised of exhibitors, sales personnel, students, press and guests.
“In light of the difficult environment, the number of buyers and designers who chose to make the trip to market this spring is really a testament to the strength of the High Point Market and its relevance to our industry’s leaders,” said Brian D. Casey, president and chief executive officer of the HPMA. “The majority of exhibitors in High Point chose to be aggressive this spring, and they came to market better prepared than ever. They capitalized on the opportunity to increase market share by stepping up product development and marketing, and many of these companies are now reporting that they experienced record markets.”
Brian Sprinkles, sales and marketing manager for Whitewood Industries, concurred with Casey. “I guess everyone’s expectations, including ours, were a little lower than normal, but they were far exceeded in the end. The major buyers were here and they were here for a reason: to make a selection and place some orders. We made a concentrated effort, probably a four-month process leading up to market, to reach out to accounts and continually remind them about our programs, services and products. When it came time for market, we were on their radar. Our traffic was up in comparison to last market, and we wrote some substantial business on our new introductions.”
HB2 Resources’ Dixon Bartlett, a consultant for Turning House Furniture and Norwalk Furniture, said, “Right from moment one, both of our showrooms -- Turning House, which was a new launch, and Norwalk, which was a re-launch -- were busy, busy, busy and we stayed busy in both showrooms right on through Thursday morning. Folks that we were hoping to see showed up, and lots of people that we didn’t expect to see showed up as well.”
Casey said the HPMA also welcomed 7,807 first-time market attendees and more than 1,500 international buyers. The fall edition of the High Point Market will take place October 17-22.
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