Exhibitors wonder if buyers will show
By Clint Engel and Michael J. Knell -- Furniture Today, October 7, 2001
High Point — Showrooms and hallways are likely to be less crowded at this month's market, according to some exhibitors and association executives.
Big retailers are expected to attend in force, but questions remain about independent retailers and international buyers. The sluggish economy, and a reluctance to travel in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, may keep some people home.
Steve DeHaan, executive vice president of the National Home Furnishings Assn., said the retail group hasn't taken an official poll, but signs point to a drop in attendance and abbreviated buying trips. One retailer he spoke to usually comes on Tuesday and leaves Sunday. This time he's making it a two-day trip.
"I had to get rooms for a few people. Normally I can't do that, but this time I had no problems whatsoever," DeHaan said.
Several manufacturers guessed that attendance could be off as much as 20%, although it will vary from showroom to showroom.
"The big guys are going to be here. There's no question about that," said Dan Masters, president of case goods producer Richardson Bros. "The real question is: Will the midsized stores come? Right now, that's very much up in the air.
"What we're telling retailers is, 'You can't allow your business to suffer, and if you're serious about your business, eventually you've got to come to market'," he said.
Rebecca Gould, marketing director at manufacturer Saloom, said she thinks attendance will be down "slightly. The majors will be there, but those who have been struggling might wait out the market and come in April."
At Dutailier, Danielle LaFerriere, marketing manager, said she expected lower attendance. "We've talked to a lot of our Canadian clients and we don't expect to see them.… These retailers don't feel as much of a need to go to market in October as they do in April."
Charlotte Young, president and chief executive officer of the High Point Convention & Visitors Bureau, said hotel reservations are down this fall.
The CVB controls blocks of rooms in 56 area hotels, and reservations for those rooms are off significantly — about 1,900 early last week compared to 3,133 reservations confirmed through the entire market a year ago. Room cancellations are running 1% or 2% up from last year.
Mary Frye, president of the Home Furnishings International Assn. trade group, said she and her staff haven't done any formal polling but have spoken to retailers.
"My feeling from the few people I've talked with is, if they are iffy about High Point at all … this is probably one they will skip just because it's a good time to stay home and tend to business," she said.
Most who don't come were probably already "iffy" before Sept. 11, Frye added.
The NHFA's DeHaan said that retailers haven't had a great year, although business was picking up in the summer before a downturn in September.
"If it costs you $2,000 to $3,000 to come to market and you need that $2,000 to $3,000 to run your company, where are you going to put your money? Most people don't need anything more in their warehouses," he said.
Case Goods Editor Powell Slaughter and News Editor Jay McIntosh contributed to this story.
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