From this September, Connect @ Autumn Fair (3-6 September, NEC) will lead the way for the retail community, say organisers Hyve Group. It will transform the buying experience by fuelling thousands of pre-arranged buying meetings before the show opens, connecting the UK’s leading buyers and retailers with all 600+ Autumn Fair exhibitors, revolutionising the traditional trade show model by connecting retailers and brands on a scale never achieved before.
“Buyer’s time is precious, and justifying time away from the retailing space has never been harder,” states Nicola Meadows, portfolio director at Spring & Autumn Fair. “Connect @ Autumn Fair changes all this. Visiting a trade show should not be about chance. Buyers can now source and plan their time at the show in advance, and know they are meeting suppliers that will meet their needs.
Continues Nicola: “With access to extensive information on every exhibitor and product category, from origin and sustainability credentials to pricing and minimum order values, retailers will be able to pre-select meetings with brands whose products most suit their needs. Exhibitors will, for the first time ever, be able to discover and connect with buyers, based on over 100 datapoints. Through this revolutionary meetings programme, powered by cutting-edge but easy to use technology, we connect the right people, at the right time, and deliver game-changing impact to our customers, their businesses and their industries.
“With Connect, we remove all the potential anxiety and the element of the unknown, allowing buyers and exhibitors to be prepared and informed. This is the biggest investment we have ever made in Spring & Autumn Fair’s history. Connect @ Autumn Fair is ripping up the rule book on events and creating value our customers didn’t realise was possible.”
Adds Sarah Ward, ceo of the Giftware Association: “Connect @ Autumn Fair is the evolution of the trade show model that the retail industry needs. Exhibitors will be able to find and meet more interested buyers more easily, creating more opportunities and ultimately doing more business. Being able to fully promote their product ranges, price points and delivery times before the event in the Connect @ Autumn Fair platform and pre-schedule meetings with buyers they want to meet is a step change in helping exhibitors and buyers get the most out of Autumn Fair. I believe that this is what the industry has been missing.”
John Halliday, director of membership & marketing at the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) comments: “The new meetings tool, Connect @ Autumn Fair, will provide all exhibitors and visitors with a completely new experience and position the show as a sector leader. The technology behind this new platform will fundamentally transform the event experience, enabling a far better return on time, investment, and value. This is a no brainer and will enable companies to search, meet and do business on their stand with the right people at the right time.”
Feedback from buyers, to include John Lewis, WHSmith Choice and Denby Retail, has been very positive, with the retailers welcoming the time efficiencies and the revolutionary approach to buying.
Over 6,000 meetings are anticipated to take place. Each one will be 15 minutes long and all meetings are double opt-in, meaning that both parties have agreed to meet. Meetings take place on the stand, so that buyers can explore the full product range. Buyers can participate in as many double opt-in 15-minute meetings as they’d like, limited only by availability and mutual interest. If more than 15 minutes is required, a follow-up meeting can be arranged at or after the show.
For buyers wanting to join Connect @ Autumn Fair, the first step is to register for a free ticket to Autumn Fair, with registration opening in April 2023. Alternatively, retailers can book in a call with Autumn Fair’s community development team on Tel: +44 20 3545 9735 to find out more.
Visit Connect @ Autumn Fair Suppliers – Autumn Fair 2023
Top: Connect @ Autumn Fair will be making its debut in September. Shown are visitors to Moda which is co-located with both Autumn and Spring Fair.
