It's Wednesday At Market, Where were You?
It’s Wednesday of market and I am flying home on the late flight out of Greensboro. I left Omaha the previous Tuesday so I am anxious to get home. But what amazed me about today is how many customers are still shopping on Wednesday of market and how many reps went home early. Today my father and I had a total of five presentations of which only one was an appointment. If we would have left early, we would have missed seeing merchandisers from two Top 30 retailers in two spaces.I heard from an associate about a showroom in a major building that closed at 5 PM on Monday because they wanted to go to a barbeque. This rep was in a space across the hall and watched as several retailers tried the door, found it locked and left probably not to return. In one of my spaces, the receptionist called for the rep because he had a customer come in and the rep said he was getting ready to board a plane and could someone else help the customer.
Another rep called his dealers and told them he would really like to have them come in by Monday so he could go home early. I work with major buyers later in the market and their phones started aggressively ringing from reps begging the buyer to come in before the rep has to catch his early flight.
These are a few examples, but it begs an important question: “How much is one day at market worth to you?” For us it could be up to $1,000,000 in sales if I get any one of the programs started. If I weren’t there, the chances are less likely to have that immediate potential. More importantly, if I miss major appointments on a regular basis I also will be looking for a new line.
If you have customers wandering around at market and they are looking for ideas about a new product line, why wouldn’t you want to be there to service them? Do you really think it will be easier to talk them into buying your product off of pictures versus seeing the product in living color? If your factory only shows in High Point or your customer only goes to the North Carolina market, you will not get another chance to make a face to face presentation for 6 months.
As I write this post in the airport waiting for a connecting flight, I am visiting with a major line rep who also stayed for the whole market. He says what he does is he calls his buyers and asks when they are going home. He then plans his departure accordingly. That’s a much better way than guessing or worse yet missing them altogether.
I saw many reps who I know to be real pros were still at market on Wednesday. That might be why they are real pros because they know one extra day at market could be the difference between making a major breakthrough with a retailer and a day off. I may take Saturday off, but not Wednesday at market.
Let me know your thoughts…
Marcus commented:
Hello No10days
Our showroom is open from Thursday am-to Thursday 3 pm-so I can get to CLT for the 8:20 pm flight back to Montreal.
Also there for a few days 1 to 2 weeks prior to set up the showroom.
no10dayshows commented:
Marcus,
I fully agree, if there is a show i am staying til the last customer leaves and the show is over....but when did the show start?
I have a couple of questions for you...and lets be honest....when did you arrive at market? From how far away do you travel to the show? Do you stay from the "unofficial" opening day of Monday, a full five day's before the show is supposed to open? Is it a full 10 day ride for you as it is for others? I finally made it down to 7 days, but i also wonder what the big customers are doing and who they are seeing Monday through Friday before the show "really" starts.
Marcus commented:
We had unexpected visits from a top 100 on Weds AND Thursday-
Nuff said-do the time and stay open until Thursday 2pm
Roy Schierbaum commented:
If a rep spends the money to attend market, why not maximize your investment and stay for the entire market? Even if dealers SAY the won't be in the last day that doesn't mean that their plans won't change. Is one less night in your accommodations worth a missed opportunity? We've all been tired at the end of a long market - suck it up & sleep on the plane.
Mark Price commented:
Mike, the markets have been so bi polar on how they want to run these show's that no one really knows when to get in and in and when to leave. Im in management so I stayed through the whole show...oh wait a minute....did it start on Saturday?..or was it Wednesday?...or was it Tuesday when the top 100's were shopping the halls? Someone needs to decide when this thing starts and when it ends,...thats one thing the las vegas market does get right. I dont want to miss an opportunity to see a customer, but who wants to get there five days before the show actually starts and then catch grief because you weren't there when it "ended"?
Barbara Stewart commented:
Yup, couldn't agree more. Smaller retailers who work their own stores are often not able to get away on weekends, especially in this climate. Air fare is cheaper thru the week. And for all you reps out there who talk about appointments, how about the customers who just happen upon your showroom at market and see a perfect fit for their stores. When the market is open, you need to be there. It's the same thing as in my store, if you're not paying attention and providing the information, you will lose the sale. Great article.
Alan commented:
1
CEP commented:
Mike, you are obviously a legend in your own mind. I got to High Point the previous Tuesday and started seeing dealers on Wed. I missed meetings because I had customers. I left at 1:00PM on Thursday after seeing a very large dealer. What is the big deal on staying an extra day. I had a great market and had great attendance.
jason bournea commented:
the show was as busy wends as sat and sund,,,,,,,as in not busy...empty halls and empty cabs,buses all over space to park and people were gone tues am.....dates and days are wrong ....get it rt soon this show was slow
David commented:
We shopped Sunday afternoon through 5pm Wednesday.
Some of my reps were waiting on me so they could depart after I shopped. Good communication between the buyer and the rep solves most issues. I missed some, saw others not on my plan. As a small retailer I would like to say here that I count on my reps knowing their business and mine and together working to merge the two to have a profitable relationship. Input, good or bad, from my reps helps me become a better merchandiser and after 10 years in this business I enjoy High Point market more and more.
Scotty Rawley commented:
I agree with you, 100%
On another note, I am an interior designer and I have an idea for your company.
Thank you,
Scotty Rawley
Scotty@RZDesignGroup.com
Mike Root commented:
In rereading my original post and seeing some of the comments, I should have been clear that there is no need to stay through Wednesday if you don't have any customers left at market and you have learned what you need about the products you sell. This market was quite unusual for us as there were two waves of customers: those that came and shopped starting on Thursday or Friday and went home Sunday or Monday and those that flew in Sunday and shopped through Wednesday. It spread the presentations out throughout the market so the buyers did not all hit the same space at the same time. The key is to figure out when your buyers will see you and then be there for them.
tom commented:
Several years bacy my wife and I came for the last four days of the market.The final two days I could not find a rep with a search warrant!Told one that his showroom was half lighted and that i appreciated using their phone calling my friends in Paris.
THOM commented:
Thank you to those reps who left the show early and missed potential new $$. More $$ for us who stayed! Another great example of why this industry needs to CLEAN HOUSE. This only gives the retailer more ammunition to complain to the manufacturer about the true need for reps. Not in the showroom, not in the stores, anyone answering their phone after 5? Where are you?
MILT EMOLD commented:
LOOK, A GREAT REP KNOWS WHAT TO DO.IF HE HAS SEEN ALL CUSTOMERS FROM HIS TERRITORY AND THE ARAP UP MEETING IS TUESDAY AM THEN ITS FINE TO GO.GREAT REPS KNOW WHATS GOING ON,AND WHO IS STILL AT MKT.ITS YOUR LIVELY HOOD.I STAYED TILL WED 2PM .I SAW MY LAST APPOINTMENT AT 1 PM.THESE POOR FOLKS STAYED TILL THURS EVE.MOST OF US KNOW WHAT TO DO.
GD commented:
I certainly learned my lesson. I had two calls from fellow reps who called me late on Wednesday to advise that they had helped some of my clients. I will certainly be staying through Wednesday in April and going forward. It was difficult to gauge this year especially since some showrooms are now letting people in their showrooms on Thursday and plenty on Friday. When are we going to end the nonsense!!!
Tony Mattrell commented:
The Market is there 365 days a year. Whats the big deal. If someone wants to see the product just set up and appointment and show him the stuff. You could just tell them to go to one of the big High Point discounters and look are their stuff. They will ship it anywhere in the world anyhow. No such thing as a designated market area when it comes to retailing in High Point.
matt commented:
Well Market ends THURSDAY, not Weds-so why not stay the WHOLE show.
Were here and open, and doing some business
