Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

hello all - i need some experienced, specialized input for this question...

i am researching potential trade shows... i am launching my website Roadragejewelry.com in conjunction with some small boutiques and was planning for attending my first trade show... i am inundated with all the sites, who offers what..

is there anyone who can recommend the best, first-time trade show for my line?  i would like of course, retail buyers in attendance, looking for that something very new; very cool; never seen before costume jewelry for tweens to twenty-somethings....

i would like to keep it in the north/south east parts for a first time...any input would be appreciated..

thanks to all legsx3

hi allison - thanks for the reply...yes - let`s share the research advice... new york is definitely one of the bigger shows i am looking at, but i need to get my feet wet first...i was thinking orlando...its north of me; my youngest daughter attends college up there so our townhouse would save on the accommodation cost; next would be new york; my middle daughter lives in manhattan, so the accommodations again, i could save on....

we are both in the tweeny-20 market for the girls; my line appeals more to the tom-boy / urban generation so we won`t be stepping on toes... my website also is almost done; (fingers crossed) so as soon as its up, you can take a peek...if you want a little more advice, check out the start-up mom competition.... tallgirl3,llc or the link on my site:  roadragejewelry.com
it will tell you more...

as to the boutiques i will be starting with here - they are small; mom-pop owned; i have had some email correspondence with rue 21 and hot topic...but i want to build some record sales with the stores and the website before i seriously look at  the larger chains...i don`t know if you have them (rue 21/hot topic) out west, but those are the stores i am looking at and am also interested in claire`s. 

i will start keeping an eye on some stores here in the southeast for you ... go ahead and send me some pics...(tallgirl3@aol.com)  i will send you what i have website wise that is coming and maybe we will meet "in the middle." lol

jeanne koesters/tallgirl3, llc.

Hi to you both-

I am not in the jewelry business, but do exhibit at 10 trade shows per year across the country, selling high-end toys and gifts.  I would confirm that New York Gift (NYIGF.com) and Atlanta Gift (www.americasmart.com) are the two biggest.  We have not had much success in LA (LA Mart and California Gift -- LA Mart is the nicer of the two), though it is a nice show.

I know that Atlanta`s Americasmart has a HUGE jewelry section, so that may be a place to start.  The next show is July 10-14, which is most likely sold out, but they start selling booths for the next show (January 2010) as soon the July show is over.  Atlanta is the largest show by sheer number of vendors and square footage - many permanent showrooms as well. 

New York is a great show as well, usually our best of the year - there are some juried sections you could apply for (is your jewelry handmade?  there`s a section for that).

Let me know if you have any other questions - I`ll answer as best I can as a generalist (not a jewelry vendor).  Good luck!

Hi,

I am new to this forum as well as online commerce. This sounds like a great way to network and share ideas. While I am not in the jewelry or accessories business, I will be attending my first trade show in October. My wife and I are focusing on the home bedding business. The Cantonfair in China is one of the largest tradeshow in Asia, and it covers all products and materials. While I do feel that this is a large leap, it is possibly the best way to get in contact with actual manufacturers.

Unless you are hand-making your own design, this show may be something to consider in the future.

Regards,

K

great info... thank you all..i did some more research on both new york and atlanta...my jewelry line i would not describe as hand-made....although i am the designer/creator, etc., i have the pieces manufactured for assembly...  the ny show did have a quite a few categories that my line would fit into....its just going to take a lot more reading/research to figure out which would be the best fit without getting swallowed up or selecting the wrong spot... thanks again...legsx3

As a national trade show consultant I have to say that word of mouth is a good way to find shows. However, another great resource for locating all things trade shows is tsnn.com. The website allows you to select an industry, location, and date, which will tell you of every applicable show worldwide. If you will be exhibiting for the first time it might be helpful to start with a smaller show in your area, then move to one of the large national shows (sometimes it can be overwhelming to start at one of the big shows). There is a lot of planning for a show, but if done correctly your booth can be both attractive and cost effective. I wish everyone the best! If you would like specific advice you can visit my website or contact me. 

-------------------------

Josh Barham
Exponent Logistics
Email: josh.barham@exponentlogistics.com
Website: Exponent Logistics

My experience with displaying at trade shows is that they are a waste of time & $$.   In spite of showing interesting products and having an excellent location, nothing came from being there.  IMO, better to spend your efforts in finding outlets in your local area, online, or thru representation.  Attending a show (not displaying) may offer you an opportunity to make some contacts or at least find out about your competition.  My $.02.

hi sonofagun,

i can't really disagree with you that it is possible for trade show exhibiting to be a big waste of money...

That's why it's important to ATTEND a trade show first before you ever exhibit at one, and walk around and see what works and what doesn't work. Then you need to calculate how much it will cost to exhibit (which can be a lot) and make sure you have a plan to make money and not lose money, otherwise you should consider other marketing methods for sure!

Legs, if you haven't already checked, tsnn.com has a listing of almost every trade show in the US.