The Furniture Show Should be a Public Event: Yea? or Nay?
April 17, 2000
Birmingham, England - The suggestion of a public viewing day at the Furniture Show lingers despite exhibitors' general misgivings about the idea and the fact that a public day tanked recently. Exhibitors appear to have no wish to sell to the public, and they claim that they would incur exorbitant costs by staying on an extra day at any trade show. Besides, some argue, the public already has its days at the British Furniture Manufacturers show and the Carlton Show.
Steve Richards, thinks Public Day is sound theoretically, but he believes that ultimately it would be too impractical. Richards is the organizer of the Manchester Furniture Show; he also organized the 1996 London Furniture Show, which has to its name a Public Day that Richards considers a failure. ''To attract the public we had to invest in considerable advertising in the London press, many women's titles and on TV,'' he said. ''That was costly. The NEC show is so large it would have to be mounted for at least a week to accommodate both trade and public. This means much greater cost for exhibitors in terms of stand costs and personnel costs in time and accommodation and travel. Although it's an exciting prospect it just wouldn't work.''
Designer Hilary Higgott, a Furniture Show visitor from Northampton, had a simpler assessment. ''It would go down and bomb!'' Many others at the show agreed.
But there is another side of the argument. Mike Spencer, Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Master Upholsterers also recalls the 1996 London Show. ''The attendance during the trade days was abysmal,'' he said. ''But the public days were full of very interested potential customers.
''The public usually only sees what is in the retailers' shops and not the more elaborate British designs on display at the Furniture Show.''
Consider this: the Furniture Show, as a consumer event approaches nearly extravaganza proportions. Allied with lighting, accessories and kitchens and bathrooms, it could be a useful opportunity for vendors. Furthermore it is held at a centrally located venue, easily accessible from all over the country. OK, the trade stand personnel would have to answer many questions of a retail nature, but who is better equipped to know their products? Literature would have to be available, but that could be specially designed and prepared at the same time as the trade items and charged to the retail budget, which many firms have.
Also, opening the Furniture Show to the public for one day might quell the clamour in the U.K. for more promotion of British furniture and its allied industries.
It seems a more practical idea now than it did years ago, in no small part because many consumers are armed with Internet access. Online sales are already boosting the sales of all products, including furniture.
Furniture Show organisers Miller Freeman have conducted professional research into the possibility. However, the company reported that their research was inconclusive on the part of the retailers/manufacturers and the consumers. Miller Freeman also said there is no additional tenancy available at the NEC for the next few years, which would allow a Public day.
''Inconclusive'' is probably the key word because the topic hasn't gone away yet and isn't likely to anytime soon.
Steve Richards, thinks Public Day is sound theoretically, but he believes that ultimately it would be too impractical. Richards is the organizer of the Manchester Furniture Show; he also organized the 1996 London Furniture Show, which has to its name a Public Day that Richards considers a failure. ''To attract the public we had to invest in considerable advertising in the London press, many women's titles and on TV,'' he said. ''That was costly. The NEC show is so large it would have to be mounted for at least a week to accommodate both trade and public. This means much greater cost for exhibitors in terms of stand costs and personnel costs in time and accommodation and travel. Although it's an exciting prospect it just wouldn't work.''
Designer Hilary Higgott, a Furniture Show visitor from Northampton, had a simpler assessment. ''It would go down and bomb!'' Many others at the show agreed.
But there is another side of the argument. Mike Spencer, Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Master Upholsterers also recalls the 1996 London Show. ''The attendance during the trade days was abysmal,'' he said. ''But the public days were full of very interested potential customers.
''The public usually only sees what is in the retailers' shops and not the more elaborate British designs on display at the Furniture Show.''
Consider this: the Furniture Show, as a consumer event approaches nearly extravaganza proportions. Allied with lighting, accessories and kitchens and bathrooms, it could be a useful opportunity for vendors. Furthermore it is held at a centrally located venue, easily accessible from all over the country. OK, the trade stand personnel would have to answer many questions of a retail nature, but who is better equipped to know their products? Literature would have to be available, but that could be specially designed and prepared at the same time as the trade items and charged to the retail budget, which many firms have.
Also, opening the Furniture Show to the public for one day might quell the clamour in the U.K. for more promotion of British furniture and its allied industries.
It seems a more practical idea now than it did years ago, in no small part because many consumers are armed with Internet access. Online sales are already boosting the sales of all products, including furniture.
Furniture Show organisers Miller Freeman have conducted professional research into the possibility. However, the company reported that their research was inconclusive on the part of the retailers/manufacturers and the consumers. Miller Freeman also said there is no additional tenancy available at the NEC for the next few years, which would allow a Public day.
''Inconclusive'' is probably the key word because the topic hasn't gone away yet and isn't likely to anytime soon.
