Tupelo Furniture Market upgrades technology, adds to staff

Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, February 1, 2013

TUPELO, Miss. — Exhibitors at this month's Tupelo Furniture Market will have badge-scanning hardware and software available to them for the first time, market organizers said this week.

The scanning equipment, which will allow exhibitors to quickly capture buyer contact information, is part of a major technology upgrade the market has undergone in recent months.

The upgrade includes database management software, trade show management software, and website and social media development, said market President Kevin Seddon. In addition, the market has added to its staff.

"To manage our growth, sustain our success and execute our new growth strategies ... we hired personnel in a number of key areas," Seddon said.

He said one of the new hires is an information technology specialist, which has enhanced online promotional capabilities and improved communications between the market and its buyers and exhibitors.

In addition, two people were hired to coordinate the market's buyer recruitment initiative and three additional facilities management people were recently hired to handle the increased number of exhibitors.

Seddon said the upcoming market will have more than 200 new exhibitors who didn't show at the February 2012 market.

He also said pre-registrations are continuing to run more than 30% ahead of the August 2012 market. This year's market runs Feb. 28-March 3.