You’ve heard me preach talk about the importance of exhibiting at the National Stationery Show. As the only paper-driven market in the country, there’s no Plan B that approaches the same level of visibility with the stationery buyer demographic.
Unfortunately, a crumby economy has a tendency to fuel the rumor mill, and today’s hot topic seems to be some crazy story that vendors are fleeing NSS in droves. Let me be the first to assure you, not true. Having discussed this with sources high in the GLM food chain, I can confirm the Javitz remains packed with hundreds of vendors-—new and old.
Oddly, the one voice missing in all this is that of the buyers. Until now, that is.
Today’s question:
What do you think about vendors skipping NSS?
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It’s very disappointing to hear that some vendors do not think they get business at the NSS. They may not see many dollars spent by the end of the show since not everyone places orders there because of time and other factors. But I for one, and I know there are others, look at new product, make notes and take the catalogs home with me. Then I either sit down with my reps or make place the orders myself. So, if they are not at the show…I probably won’t order.
The relationships between the retailers and designers is very, very important. My customers love to hear about who designs the products I buy…having a relationship with the designer encourages me to buy. I am emotionally attached to the things I sell in my store. If I don’t love the paper, the designer and how it makes me feel…I don’t buy. Catalogs and websites are no place to learn what the paper feels like and exactly what color I am seeing.
The vendors who do not show at the NSS will most likely lose sales this next year. It will be interesting to see who is still around next year…because there will always be a new kid on the block ready to take their place if they are not there.
First and foremost, I know of a lot retailers who skipped Atlanta and NY Gift in order to spend the travel dollars to go to “our” show, the National Stationery Show. If vendors now pull out, buyers will be left high and dry. This will not foster warm and fuzzy feelings between vendor and buyer.
Secondly, I know for a fact that some of the smaller vendors are posturing to get better rates for booths at the show. I understand this stance since the NSS is terribly expensive and as we all know housing for the NSS is much more expensive than the January or August shows and with the set up and breakdown days some vendors are in NY for a week. I am not sure what can be done for them, but I am not sure pulling out is the wisest move. I would rather see smaller booths, less staff (staggered in and out maybe), less elaborate displays, but I still need and want to see their new product so I can sell it.
In the last few years, there has been a move by many of the large vendor towards a philosophy that they can sell their products better than stores can. We know what that has gotten a few of them, massive shedding of their retail stores and websites that don’t do the business that we (the collective we) do. If many customers don’t want to buy on line because in many ways this is a touch and feel business, what makes them think I want to. I am a sorter and spreader (ask the Marketing person at Patience Brewster), and I know many of you are also because I worked with you when I was at William Arthur. I want to see the entire line, mix it up and buy it as a unit – when I can do that I buy – A LOT…I can’t see reps in my store as I am too small and my customers don’t need to see me buy (takes away the mystique).
All in all, let’s not panic people. Don’t let the media make you crazy. Go to the show, sell us product and when the economy begins to upturn in 2010 or 11 we can be poised together with stronger bonds to rise again in strength. It will be at that time that we will need to begin the battle in earnest to convince every man, woman and child in the US that letter writing, card sending and social stationery are the biggest trend since the mini skirt. We’ll need to fight that one together.
I really rely on the Stationery Show to find new vendors and cultivate relationships with vendors I already use. I have owned my store for 6 years and I go to NSS every year for the full length of the show. I walk every aisle and look for as many new products as I can. I have a nice base of repeat customers and they tend to stop in my store becasue they know I bring in new product and stay on top of the trends for them. I also use this time to connect with the vendors that sell really well in my store. It would be a shame if vendors started pulling out of the show.
I have a 1200 sqaure foot store front that is predominately stationery – we do weddings, bar/bat mitzvah, baby, stationery etc…but we do gift items too.
In Cinda’s earlier post, she was spot on – if the vendor is not at the show, the buyer will find someone to take their place and move along quickly to business as usual with the new product. In the linens business many vendors have come to that realization after they bungled it bigtime and are now fighting to stay alive!
I have for the past 7 years attended the Stationery Show and it is where I do most of my buying. I specifically did not go to any other shows this year because I am planning to attend the Stationery Show. We carry predominately stationery and invitations with 2 locations in Massachusetts. It would be a shame not to have the show fully represented and I think would ultimately hurt the vendors who don’t attend because buyers who are at the show will probably buy from vendors who are there. In the past I have found this show to be invaluable to our business and hope it continues.
I don’t know what frustrates me more between vendors who think they can skip the show then call to ask for orders later or all the companies who think we have time to run around from one hotel to the next because the Javitz is too expensive.
When I’m away from my store, our numbers aren’t as strong and going to market costs me a lot of money that isn’t there like it used to be. But that won’t stop me from going to NYSS, seeing product, talking to manufacturers, planning the next twelve months and thinking about holiday displays. I’ll order from the companies who are there since I know what a sacrifice that is first hand. I doubt we order from the ones who skip the show but contact us before or after the trip wanting us to buy something.
I went to Atlanta knowing I was going to NSS so I intentionally did not spend as much time on stationery, I just filled in with vendors I already do business with. I go to NSS to look for new vendors and to make contacts with those we already do business with so we have a face with the name. This is the only chance we have to see these people face to face. We can let them know how their product is being received and what we would like to see from them, sharing ideas etc. We always learn something new from our current vendors which helps us to solidify our relationship. They must remember we are their customer! Additionally, every time we go to NSS we pick up new lines we would not otherwise have been exposed to. We as well like to stay on top of the new trends and refresh our store. We also purchase all of our holiday while there so we can have everything we select fresh in our minds, rather than work with reps spread out over months (my memory is not as sharp as in the past). I did not go to the New York Gift Market to save my buying dollars and travel money for NSS.
I am reading your comments being new vendor who just started month ago. During this month I was able to secure 3 reps with showrooms in Chicago, Denver and in Massachuset. So far no sales, as they report slow traffic. I am told that they may sell on the road. I have problem communicating with them since they need samples etc to make it happen.
Reps are reps and dealing with them can be quite frustrating since they always have their own agenda. If not additional financial investment I got last Friday I would not even bother asking myself this question. Go to NSS or not. Finances are too tight. Spending in excess of $3,000 and have too few sales? Reading your blog I am trying justifying the expense. I was much quicker few years ago when I started line of Glass Christmas Ornaments. Right after the war in Iraq started orders went down. During the year when Bush was elected second time I was selling only glass flowers (new product) and first orders for ornaments I got after election in October November. Normally they should be placed in January and delivered September , October (the latest) As I was told by few people they were afraid to buy thinking that there is going some kind of disturbance in US etc. Scared like most people are right now. Most of my previous retailers are out of business. I checked to see if I can start selling to them my new (invention) product.
Digging myself in financial hole is not my favorite thing, and regardless of the fact that I have new revolutionary product (3d greeting cards etc) remembering last few years I just wonder if better be cautious with my spending. More cautious than ever before. Last few years in downward spiraling economy is something to think about.
What I see is negative approach to vendors concerned about their financial well being and doing decisions about it. NSS send in December couple of e-mails referring to apparently big trend of people cancelling their participation in the show. I got phone call in January from salesperson talking about payment plan. (Do you remember the newspaper headlines about the banks) Looking at the numbers I see 1350 exhibitors last year and 1100 in 2009.
The question I am facing go now or year later?
The positive things I see that for some of you this is the only and most important show.
I’ve been pretty set that I am not going to have a booth at NSS this year. But Cinda just put a bug in my ear, and now I don’t know what to do!
The reasons I would do the show would be to:
A) connect with current dealers
B) sell more of our stationery albums to new and current dealers
C) pick up new stores in markets that we haven’t tapped
The reasons I decided I would wait a year:
1) Given the economy, I assume that high end custom lines are not going to be very popular buys this year (our invite packages average $3000 per order retail)
2) I don’t have anything new that my current dealers would not have already seen either last year or received as free updates if they’re current.
3) I don’t think we’d break even this year. Last year we were inundated with interest from markets that we are saturated in, and only entered 1 or 2 new markets. I can’t keep picking up new stores in NY and other dense markets, so I wouldn’t break even on sales at the show.
So here’s my question to retailers– is anyone (Kansas, Missouri, South Carolina) in any market, shopping for high end stationery and invitation albums this year? And for our current dealers, how much would we benefit from the face time? Is the show really where you decide who you’ll work with, or if I keep in contact with my dealers, won’t that remind you we’re here?
Help me decide! : )
As a first time vendor attending NSS this year, I’m excited to read all these comments. This is a sacrifice for us — all the cash we have plus more — to go to the show. We have shopped the Dallas, Atlanta and Chicago gift marts (we have a shop of our own), but never New York. New York is expensive. But we have come to the conclusion that the only way to sell anything is to go where the buyers are and it seems that NSS is the optimal place with educated, saavy buyers. We’ve cut every corner we can think of and our booth will be made mostly of imagination and ingenuity instead of the best money can buy. But then again, isn’t that what we’re trying to convey anyway? We’ll be in New York with a definite sense of adventure. Thank you for your comments!
I got answer to my question. Yesterday going by local Deli I was thinking that last time I was inside was quite few years ago when the lady behind the counter was trying to sell to me some not so good quality food. After that it never crossed my mind to go inside again. Same attitude like with my ornaments, some people are trying to push out bad merchandise first hiding better one so it will not compete. Simply lack of common sense. They are pushing themselves out of business.
First, I just want everyone out there to know that we at Luscious Verde are big fans of the NSS. But, over the past 8 years in this industry, we have never exhibited. We sell only custom invitations, announcements and social stationery and not off-the-shelf product. A major reasons that we have made this decision time and time again is the sheer relief in our customer’s voices when we tell them that we will not be exhibiting. They are always so happy because it means that Luscious Verde will not be “out there” at the show for all of their competitors to pick up for their stores. I’m wondering what all of you retailers who have weighed in on this issue think of this . . .
Wendy’s point is the reason we DO go to the stationery show. In our case, I’m speaking mostly of the ‘off the shelf’ product, rather than custom. I am tired of buying from reps who show the same things to every store they can find, and all of a sudden the unique items we try hard to find, are everywhere. We may find something at the show that others in the area also find and purchase, but at least with however many vendors are there, our odds are better that we’ll find something our competitors overlooked. We debated going to the show this year, because we don’t have a lot of extra money to spend – just going to the show, as well as purchases at the show – but it’s our best chance to find vendors we wouldn’t otherwise know about! We’ll be there!
Like Jan, I feel the Stationery Show is a necessity for my store. Before the economy took a downward turn, we were already frustrated by the ease with which most reps would sell to our local competition, even after assuring us we would be protected as customers who placed frequent, sizable orders. Now that times are tough, they seem to be even more desperate to sell to anyone who has a dollar, making the problem even worse.
The only way around that is to go around them, direct to the manufacturers. When I go to a show, I am able to find lines that aren’t heavily represented in my area, which allows me to remain fresh and relevant in my community. If I rely on reps and big showrooms, I not only miss out on the neat, unknown companies but end up with the “same old same old” as every other store in town.
I think fact that reps exist is partly due to fact that buyers in bigger stores have layers of protection against anybody trying to contact them.
If the owner is not behind the counter chances to sell to them are very slim. Existence of reps. I think is answer to this situation. They cash on fact that they are known already to buyers. Shows especially now are very expensive to attend. In order to pay for Atlanta ($3500 for a booth + other expenses )I have to sell over 2000 of my pop-ups at $2.5 wholesale. With $150 minimum order it means 24 new clients just to pay my expenses. If I do them myself with 2000 average monthly output (there is a lot of labor) it means that of course I am paying my expenses but not making any money for about a month. It means that trade shows expenses actually we should double to cover time spend on preparations etc. With sales everywhere down the drain going to the show now in my understanding would be more like suicidal knowing that most retailers afraid of risk sticks now to already tested vendors and merchandise. Why should I take the risk now? My situation is unique since I have to postpone start of my new venture. If I would be in the business , already few years down the road I think my point of view could be different. From retailer point of view there is couple hundred to spend for a trip and hotel. For exhibitor the expenses are much much higher. I know people who never ever went to any Trade shows to sell their merchandise. plus Recently I was reading survey among Canadian retailers where big percentage never goes to any trade shows. From my experience when I was living in another country (runing photographic studio) after each big prices jump people stopped their spending for about 3 months and than resumed their spending even with higher current pricing. American customer is much more skittish so the slump is likely to last much longer. After first moments of panic things should pick up again. The big question is what is going happen now with feds diluting value of dollar in order to print more money and “?help” the economy. How big inflation is going affect us. We all going face new reality.
As a store owner who pays for two of us to attend the Stationery Show, I can tell you we spend a lot more than ‘a couple of hundred for a trip and hotel.’ Between airfare, hotel, and meals, our Saturday afternoon-Wednesday night show trip costs $2,500 at a minimum (and we share a room in mid-range hotels).
Is it worth it? Of course, otherwise we would never make this kind of sacrifice in money and time away from the store (did I mention that during the five days we’re gone our sales drop?). We need to see new product, we need to be inspired, we need to find paper, paper, and more paper, and this is the show we need to attend.
Everything depends how thrift you are, and how many people you take with you.
I usually go SOLO.
On My very first Trade show in Americasmart Atanta I did spend 10k paying for the space alone $2700. least expensive motel $50/ night 12 miles south from downtown. (Having car with you saves you money)
For example I never take a plane since cost of gas for example 750 miles from Chicago to Atlanta at $2/g is about = $150 both ways and cover cost of shipping myself and merchandise etc.
I never went to a restaurant / No time for that plus ($50 or so per meal can set you back really quickly) Plus after so many hours on your feet in your booth, your only desire is to take some rest.
Exhibitor next to me she did spend over 30k for Atlanta and NY gift show that year.
Everything depends how thrift you are, and how much YOU CAN spend.
Trip to Texas where I was showing my wares during one florist show set me back $900 where I paid about $500 for the space plus the gas and motel. Very cheap. – plus I heard from one fellow that he did the distance in one day – 1200 miles so having desire to do the same I started 5am to be there at 11pm. I prefer to drive. Opportunity to see this country plus I remember this trip very well since it was only show where I did not sell anything. 4 years ago in Texas everybody was in survival mode already.
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