This past September, I had the opportunity to attend the Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show. This wasn’t my first time attending the large-scale show with rows upon rows of exciting gifts, souvenirs, apparel, jewelry and more. I’ve been attending for many years.
It was, however, my first time moderating a panel. It was a true honor to be on stage with some top retail buyers, makers and wholesalers. If you didn’t attend the panel, “Storytelling Through Souvenirs: Product Development with Purpose,” I encourage you to check out the article on p. 60.
What I found so remarkable about this year’s event was the feedback from exhibitors on the quality of buyers. Exhibitor Melissa Lew, who makes handmade jewelry and spoke on the panel, shared with me she observed this year’s buyers were buying with “intentional research.”
Buyers seemed to have come to the show with goals in mind more so than ever before. Whether it was searching for low minimums,
"Indeed, you can win at trade shows when you know how to maximize your time and prioritize the vendors that will have the biggest impact on your business."
American-made or name-drop products or how to mitigate price increases from tariffs, many buyers came with a plan.
It’s clear retail buyers are becoming more aware just how much every purchase counts, and they want to spend wisely.
There is little downside to having an intentional plan going into your next trade show. Vendors benefit too from having booth visitors that have done their homework ahead of time. If you need some guidance, check out Tommy Brown’s article, “20 Ways to Win at Trade Shows,” which appeared in the September/October issue. Indeed, you can win at trade shows when you know how to maximize your time and prioritize the vendors that will have the biggest impact on your business.
We are always working behind the scenes to provide you with the most up-to-date information, current trends, inspiration and ideas to help you also be the best of the best in destination retail. I hope you enjoy this issue, as much as we have enjoyed bringing it to you and that the rest of your buying season and the year are as magical as you make them.
