TRADE SHOWS EMBRACE THE DIGITAL AGE

It’s no surprise that trade shows in NZ and around the world are enjoying a resurgence of popularity.

BETTER MATCH MAKING

There was a time when Trade Fairs were all about scribbled notes, inaccurate hand written orders and business cards going into large fishbowls. Our events are now about real time data engagement with customers. We have a range of initiatives, for instance, that will soon help facilitate relevant, intimate conversations between buyers and sellers. We’re looking at ways right now that help retailers and wholesalers better match their needs and offerings.  For instance, the technology exists for retailers to identify their purchasing interests (specified when they register for the event) and then for a customised App to provide them with a list of appropriate suppliers at the event. “The data and profile info exists so it’s certainly possible to automate a process, currently done manually by many retailers, when they plan their visit to an event.” says Irene.

GETTING THE CONVERSATION GOING

With so much marketing ‘noise’ out there, it’s hard for businesses to connect and get a conversation started with a targeted audience. The power of doing business face to face remains a critical business activity for buyer and seller. But what happens when the trade show/fair finishes? “The online trade show kicks in” says Irene Smith Group Marketing Manager of at XPO Exhibitions, organisers of the NZ Gift & Homeware Fairs.

For the last 2 years more than 10,000 retail industry trade visitors to the New Zealand Gift & Homeware Fairs have exclusively enjoyed access to a valuable online tool to procure product for their shops 24/7. “The website www.GiftTrader.co.nz has grown significantly in popularity over time. At last count we were closing in on 37,000 products sold through the site. In any one month we’re getting over 3000 unique retailers securely logging on to research and buy product from Gift Fair wholesale exhibitors. On any one business day we’re often getting more than 250 unique retailers logging on from around the country, and in Australia. They’re spending an average 6 minutes, and searching an average of 8 pageviews of product for each visit.”

And whilst 37,000 products purchased might not sound huge, it’s the additional trade happening off-line from the GiftTrader website that’s most exciting. “When a retailer places an order with a wholesaler they’ve never dealt with (and maybe never even considered) before, it opens the door for many more conversations. Very often we find that what might start off as a minor order via GiftTrader introduces them to purchasing direct from the wholesaler’s website or arranging a face to face sales call.”

“Sales rep calls are becoming less frequent for retailers in remote areas as wholesalers find it harder to justify the travel expenses. There is a very large group of more than 36,000 NZ retailers, whom the NZ Gift Fairs market their events to, who are in rural or remote areas. They’re using GiftTrader more and more to order online.”

So how does one gain access to GiftTrader. “Well it’s simple really” says Irene, “They just need to attend at least one of the three NZ Gift Fairs each year.”

There’s new product coming online each day. The NZ Gift Fairs have more than 600 leading importers, and NZ made wholesalers of giftware, homeware, jewellery, toys and so much more, exhibiting each year. “Some of those companies have product catalogues stretching to 1000s of SKUs, and with older product listings automatically expiring after 6 months, nothing sits around for long, and we’re constantly getting a fresh rotation of excellent product choices across the GiftTrader site.” says Irene.

ORDERING DIRECT FROM THE ONLINE MAGAZINE

“We’ve also taken the further step of integrating GiftTrader with our online Gift Magazine.  Smart retailers can click on a listing within the New Product Showcase section, enabling them to order and secure new product immediately, before a Fair even begins. Those “early adopters” that embrace the technology are getting a considerable advantage over their competition.” says Irene.

SMARTPHONES & APPS

New onsite event technology has become a major area of investment and growth for the NZ Gift Fairs. The free NZ Gift Fairs smartphone App enables visitors to receive up to the minute “push” notification of what’s happening at the event – Free Seminars, Competitions, Special Features – as well as information about the location of the event, parking, dates & times, as well as links through to the online Gift Magazine and exhibitor listings that retailers can click on to connect with wholesaler websites direct from their device.

Wholesalers at the Fair are also benefitting from new Smartphone App technology. Customers can be tagged for follow-up and orders taken directly through the Exhibitor Lead Retrieval App, launching at Spring Gift Fair 2014. The barcode on a Visitor badge is scanned and the exhibitor receives the customers contact details immediately. “It’s strictly permission based data retrieval, but saves retailers from printing business cards to hand out to suppliers’ onsite.”

And it’s not just specialist wholesalers who are recognising the benefits of Trade Fairs, and specialist technology that better targets potential buyers. For the 3rd year running Ford New Zealand and the NZ Gift Fairs are giving one lucky retailer the chance to win a brand new car, this year a Ford Eco-Sport drawn after their upcoming Spring Gift Fair. Big brands, too, know the power of speaking directly to a specific trade audience. It is, indeed, no surprise that trade shows in NZ, and around the world, are enjoying a resurgence of popularity.