Trade Shows: Winter 2025 edition

Must? or Bust?

I am on vacation, so here’s an updated version of last year’s Trade Show newsletter. If you would like a list of winter trade shows — including some shows that might be regional in your specific area — leave a comment and I’ll send you a list as soon as I get home to NY. (Fingers crossed for good weather.)

No matter how small your retail business may be, the benefits of attending a trade show likely outweigh the reasons not to attend. Beyond finding new products and special deals, these conferences are designed to offer retail owners, buyers and managers opportunities to build relationships with current vendors and sales reps, network with other retailers and attend seminars and presentations to discover ways to do business better.

Additional reasons to attend physical trade shows:

• Identify trends or themes

• Meet members of the press that cover your industry, which may result in publicity opportunities for your business.

• Gather ideas for store displays. Vendors put much effort into presenting their showrooms and booths in attention-getting ways. Take inspiration! (And notes and pictures)

• Find new departments or product categories that could expand your retail offerings. (More on this topic later in this post.)

Several retailers mentioned a bad experience involving travel delays due to weather or airlines last January and February. Others are simply cutting back on travel expenses and doing more virtual shows, online buying from wholesale sites, utilizing sales reps in-store more. One Michigan retailer with two lifestyle stores (home decor, gifts and apparel) told me that she will go to a summer gift show, but is opting to skip the January/February shows this year and hoping to do the winter shows every other year. I’ll check in with her in the future to see how this plan plays out.

Regarding which shows to attend, I generally suggest that retailers look at the exhibitor lists on show websites to see if the show will provide access to the type of products and brands they seek. Retailers in your industry are valuable resources for trade show insights, too. Beyond that, other factors should be the speakers and learning opportunities, convenient access travel-wise and affordability. Timing is also key as staffing for store coverage while the owner is away can be a major issue for many small retailers. This brings me back to the previous discussion. One stationery retailer told me he attends summer shows versus others because he has returning college students to supplement his full-time staff each summer.

Regarding show expenses, many shows offer reduced hotel rates and travel package deals. This information is available on the show website, but you can also reach out to a Buyer Relations show representative to ask if there are any other incentives available for buyers. Incentives may include on-site meals, complimentary airport transportation or free hotel rooms. Some shows provide VISA or AMEX gift cards —sometimes sponsored by vendors/exhibitors— to offset your costs. Do not be shy to ask about incentives!

Additional trade show notes:

• Find ways to have fun while networking at shows, too. Reach out to retailers from other areas for dinner or drinks. (Start with those that you enjoy following on Instagram!)

• I always enjoyed the cocktail events sponsored by the GHTA (Gift & Home Trade Association) when I attended or presented seminars at various gift shows for many years. Many industries have such associations.

• Attending a show for the first time? Ask other retailers for tips. For instance, which showrooms serve the best lunches and which hotels offer shuttles to and from the show?

• Always ask vendors and reps for “show specials”. This may include special dating, lower minimum orders or free shipping.

• Plan ahead for promotions that you have on your calendar. Are you doing a 12 Days of Christmas promotion in 2025 or a Gift with Purchase event? Locate some closeouts or special deals that allow these promotions to be more profitable.

• Take pictures of products that you order and include a picture of the vendor’s sign, booth or showroom number for reference. These pictures will help you to note any trends and help you plan displays and promotions while the products are fresh in your mind.

• Post pictures on your social media during shows. Your customers and followers love to live vicariously through your “glamorous trips to market”. (You may have to remind your sore feet about the glamorous part, LOL.) But seriously, seeing you at shows adds a level of validity to your store and positions you as an expert.

On a personal note, you may ask about my favorite shows to attend? Some of my very favorite shows to attend (as a buyer) in the past were the Fancy Food Shows presented by the Specialty Food Association and the Inspired Home Shows (which I still call the Housewares Show). I enjoyed covering the High Point Furniture Market for several magazines and loved meeting and teaching retailers at gift shows, jewelry shows, stationery shows, children’s markets, apparel shows, surf expos, toy shows, museum store and hospital gift store conferences. I never attended a Hardware show or the Outdoor Retailer shows, but I’ll bet those are fun, too!

If you live near a show that is outside of your industry, consider attending. You might be surprised at the number of new brands/categories you can consider for your store. At the very least, enjoy some display inspiration and trend-spotting!

Need more information? I am happy to connect you with other retailers or show staff to provide insights or answer your questions. Just let me know. And I’m working on an updated show list for 2025, so leave a comment if you would like to receive that.

Notes: Many shows and conferences are in different locations each year. Some are free to attend. Others have fees. Most wholesale trade shows require attendees to have a Sales & Use Tax ID to indicate resale status.

Stay retail inspired, friends!

~Becky Tyre, Retail Details