As you know from my previous blog post, the final buzz from the National Stationery Show was unquestionably positive, with vendors and retailers alike returning home happier than expected.
Thankfully, BookExpo-—the book industry equivalent of NSS that just wrapped up at the Javits last weekend-—mirrored much of the same. Vendors agreed while buyer headcount was down, the quality was up. Buyers felt that while exhibitors were fewer, they were more willing to work with them in partnership.
Which proves a point I’ve made with a number of industry folks the past six months.
For several years, since the internet rolled into consumers’ homes, vendors have succumbed to the temptation of being both provider and competitor. In the past two years, the imbalance has become so lopsided that buyers often walk away from shows feeling not just discouraged by the crumbling connections between them and their providers, but with the impression that many vendors had adopted a cocky “You need us more than we need you” attitude. Not good for business. Not good at all.
Well, if there’s one thing a rotten economy does, it’s snap everyone out of Delusionville. For the first time in more than three years, buyers felt vendors at NSS actually recognized they had value and maybe…just maybe…weren’t quite so expendable after all.
The bottom line is that vendors need retailers. Retailers need vendors. And everyone needs to recognize that without those relationships, the direct connection to consumers is lost. You can have the prettiest website in the world, and sell a massive selection of product that appeals to all tastes, but you can never, never, ever replace the human element that makes shopping in a retail store special.
Will this newfound appreciation for retailers translate into the summer gift show circuit? I hope so, but am concerned. The mindset in showrooms isn’t quite the same as the mindset in booths. The expectations are higher, the requirements stiffer, and the break even more illusive. Too often, the glass is seen as half full…with a hole in the bottom.
Vendors and reps, think back to the Atlanta show in January, when the mood was tentative the first day, but uplifted the next, as everyone had a chance to work face to face again for the first time since the market tripped over its own feet. Think back to how many orders were faxed in after the show by buyers who needed to go home, plan, and budget. Think about how many retailers are sacrificing to be there, even if it’s just to take notes (for future orders).
Then think about how much further you’ll get in the long haul by being positive. Trust me. Buyers notice this stuff and they talk about it. The companies who welcome retailers with a smile and the time to listen will come out far ahead of those who are already bemoaning a slow show season.
Your approach today will determine the outcome tomorrow.
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