Summer Toronto finished?
Michael Knell -- Furniture Today, August 16, 2004
TORONTO -- Expectations for the summer furniture market here ranged from none to low, and the vast majority of participating manufacturers weren't disappointed. The show may not be held next year.
"I'm of the opinion that we drop it," said Hugh Owen, president of the Ontario Furniture Manufacturers Assn., which organized the three-day event that ended Aug. 9. "The retailers just didn't turn out. We couldn't make June work and we tried to piggy-back it with the gift show (in August), and that didn't work.""There's no question that this was a very quiet show," said Natalie Marzilli, vice president of marketing for stationary upholstery house Décor-Rest. "What we did was showcase great values and affordable looks, opportunities that our reps can take on the road.""We had some customers, but not enough to justify the effort," said Owen, who also is president of bedding producer Kingsdown Canada.Almost every factory executive reported taking orders from those buyers that did come, noting that retailers with no open-to-buy wouldn't have spent the money to attend.Buyers from almost all the major chains and leading independents shopped the 43 showrooms taking part in the market. Most of the independents were from Atlantic Canada and northern Ontario — mainly entrepreneurs who don't attend High Point markets and need to shop for upholstery between January Toronto shows.Many executives said that holding the market in conjunction with the semiannual Canadian Gift & Tableware Assn. show didn't appear to be much of a draw. The low attendance also reflected poor business conditions at retail, they said.Many factories would like to have some kind of summer market, "but we have to make this some kind of event," said Alan Mintz, vice president of sales for casual dining specialist Reflections Furniture. "Maybe we have to offer some kind of incentive."Over the years, OFMA has offered incentives ranging from subsidized airfares to this year's free hotel night, used by about 125 people. Gerry Themens, director of marketing for motion upholstery maker Berkline Canada, said it's important to get all the permanent showrooms in the International Center on board. This year, many were dark, including Canadel and Villageois. Almost all those sitting out the market were case goods resources that focus their efforts on the January Toronto show and the High Point markets. "If we can't get a consensus from the permanent showrooms to participate, then what's the point?" Themens asked. "The issue is that the show is limited … (because) most vendors can't participate" since no temporary space is available, said Joe Roboz, president of Korson Furniture, a maker and importer of accent and occasional furniture. "There's a limited appeal to buyers (because of that)," he said. "It's the independent dealers who need a show, and they aren't coming — that's the real problem," said Laine Reynolds, vice president of sales for stationary upholstery house Superstyle.Most agreed a summer show at best would be a small regional event focused on upholstery.
"It is what it is," Reynolds said about the market. "When it was in June, people said it should be in August, but when we have it in August people who complain say it should be in June."Suggestions for improving the show ranged from bringing back subsidized airfares to having a social event specifically for independent retail buyers. Owen said the market's future would be discussed at OMFA's next board meeting in early September.But many manufacturers believe any discussion could be moot before in begins. "A lot of retailers were talking about going to Las Vegas," Berkline Canada's Themens said.The first Las Vegas market is scheduled for July 2005. Executives noted Vegas is cheaper and easier to get to from major cities in Canada than is High Point and most other industry shows. Add in the vacation factor and Vegas could prove very popular with Canadian retailers, they said.
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Summer Toronto finished?
Aug 29, 2004
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