Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Tupelo Market Gets New Show Dates, Mobile Phone App
November 29,
2016 by Larry Thomas in Industry, Retail Technology, Special Events 
The Tupelo Furniture Market, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2017, will soon have a new mobile phone app to go with new dates for its twice-a-year show.
Market organizers said next year’s new winter show dates, Jan. 5-8, will allow retailers to have merchandise that’s ordered at market delivered before the so-called tax refund season, traditionally a busy sales period in many stores.
Plus, it will push the Tupelo market ahead of the Las Vegas Market, which takes place in late January and late July, on the furniture industry’s show calendar.
Tupelo Market President Kevin Seddon said the market’s traditional winter show dates in mid- to late February had become inconvenient for many buyers and exhibitors.
“The beginning of tax refund season has moved up to late January and early February because more people are getting refunds electronically, and our retailers need to be in their stores during that time,” Seddon said. “And our February show had been only a week or two after the Vegas market, which wasn’t good timing for us, either.”
The new winter market dates also place the Tupelo show immediately before the Atlanta Gift and Home Furnishings Market, which begins Jan. 10. Seddon said that has resulted in about 30 new gift exhibitors signing up for Tupelo in hopes of jump-starting their 2017 business before heading to Atlanta.
“We’ve always been strong in accessories, but the addition of gifts allows us to further diversify our exhibitor base,” he said, noting that upholstery and bedding remain the two strongest categories.
The new summer show dates of June 8-11 also will place Tupelo before the summer markets in Atlanta and Las Vegas.
Seddon said the new mobile app will allow smart phone users to easily find showroom locations, parties, seminars and other events during market.
“It is our intent to make the process of buying and selling product as efficient and easy as possible for our customers,” Seddon said. “Time is money, and ... providing a means for retailers to quickly determine an exhibiting company’s location saves time and leg work.”
The app also will list market specials being offered by exhibitors.