Whither Premarket?

February 26, 2007  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on February 2007 After several seasons of diminishing activity, High Point premarket had its slowest start ever Monday, which will be the event’s only day for many of the few showrooms that were open.

The unofficial event, originally set up by manufacturers to show sketches and finish of new goods to key retailers, ended up a chance to pre-sell entire collections and lock down distribution and first cuttings.

Premarket’s diminishing impact reflects the shift of production offshore, which limits the amount of tweaking vendors can perform after getting premarket feedback; and crowded calendars for retailers and exhibitors alike--a number of vendors who showed at last month’s Forbidden City Furniture Show, for example, had carried through on their intention to use that event as “premarket,” and didn’t re-open this week.

Premarket remains of interest to some exhibitors, though, but participation is not a given--they need some specific reasons.

“It’s a good deadline for getting set for the market,” said Kelly Cain, senior vice president at Stanley, which had a handful of appointments set. “If you’re looking to get samples made at the plant and you don’t set a firm due date like this, it can get put off.”

While there were sketches on the wall, Stanley had a very strong sampling of actual pieces for two new collections, and a complete youth bedroom addition.

Hooker has always put great emphasis on using premarket, and had let retailers know that in addition to new product, the vendor also had a full-on presentation of its Showplace retail concept. Indeed, while Hooker’s showroom resembled activity at a “normal” premarket, it was still much slower.

“We’ve always been a big premarketer, but we have maybe 10 appointments today,” said Kim Shaver, director of marketing and communications. “Normally that would be more like 20.”

Bernhardt had plenty of new upholstery frames, a new grand traditional case goods collection, and pieces for its new license collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution.

Riverside also came to town since it had rushed out a whole-home collection, Cobble Hill, based upon a big winner at the recent Las Vegas market.