Traffic modest in Tupelo
Strong order-writing keeps sellers happy
By Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, March 13, 2006
Tupelo, Miss. — Order pads and fax machines were in heavy use here last week as this city's furniture market solidified its reputation as an order-writing event for promotional and midpriced goods.
Many exhibitors said traffic didn't appear to be as heavy as at a typical Tupelo winter market, but said the new Wednesday-through-Saturday schedule and the proximity to last month's Las Vegas market may have altered traffic patterns.
The only period in which many showrooms appeared slammed with dealers was Wednesday afternoon — the second half of opening day. For the remainder of the four-day show, traffic appeared to be modest, but steady.
Order writing, however, was anything but modest. Producers said dealers were eager to get their hands on promotional merchandise for tax-refund season.
"We wrote some very good orders with both the majors and some smaller dealers," said Tim Connors, vice president of sales and marketing at Collezione Europa. "The order-writing was way up over last August."
Thomas "Chopper" Russo, vice president of merchandising at Union City, was enthusiastic.
"We wrote more business during the first day of the Tupelo market than we did during the first day of the Vegas market," he said.
While numerous Top 100 retailers and representatives of major buying groups roamed the halls, exhibitors said most shoppers were small and mid-sized dealers from the Southeast, the Tupelo market's traditional base.
"We saw a lot of dealers from states like Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana," said Michael Campbell, president of leather upholstery importer Leather Italia USA. "And we don't see those people in High Point or Las Vegas."
Louisiana-based Fraenkel Corp. reported similar traffic patterns, noting that replacement furniture for homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina is starting to drive sales in some areas.
"Our business has been super," said Jim Burress, Fraenkel's vice president of merchandising. "Ninety percent of the people who came into our showroom placed orders."
For the second consecutive show, market organizers encouraged exhibitors to develop a program of "Tupelo only" specials for dealers who placed orders, and the program appears to have met with success.
"It makes the buyers feel like there is a real reason to shop here," said Lynn Davis, president of Davis International.
Davis was among the many exhibitors rooting for the Tupelo market to succeed in its effort to combat the larger and better-financed furniture markets in Las Vegas and High Point. They noted the market is inexpensive for exhibitors and user-friendly for buyers.
"We're a fan of Tupelo and support this market and our customers," said Charlie Nobile, executive vice president of Coaster. "We'll be here as long as the traffic is here and as brisk as it has been in the past."
Bob Lephart, sales and marketing manager of case goods importer APA Marketing, said the show's reputation for order-writing will help it.
"Tupelo draws a different clientele than Vegas, which makes showing here very worthwhile," said Lephart, whose company also shows in Las Vegas and High Point, and at several electronics shows.
There was considerable talk among exhibitors about the possibility of moving the market's dates to early January and early July of each year. Market organizers say they're still studying the issue, and were canvassing buyers and exhibitors on the best course of action.
"We really want this market to succeed," said Glenn Wakefield, president of case goods and casual dining importer Largo International. "I see a lot of people here that I don't see in High Point ... but I just don't see Vegas as a short-term solution."
| Acknowledgements | ||
| Editor-in-Chief Ray Allegrezza, Staff Writer Jeff Linville, Leather Editor Joan Gunin and Senior Editor Gary Evans contributed to this story. | ||
