Atlanta Market Expands Exhibitor Search Tools to Identify 500+ Open or Digital Only Showrooms

August 5, 2020  by Jane Chero in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

“At least 75% of the Atlanta Market showrooms will be open for the Summer 2020 market, which is more than originally projected through earlier summer surveys,” reports Bob Maricich, IMC CEO. “Coupled with our new web planning tools, we are confident that retailers and designers will find a robust number of resources showcasing both new introductions and best sellers at Atlanta Market this summer.”

Highlighting the showroom collection are nearly 30 new and expanded showrooms that will be open for the August market. Additionally, IMC’s Atlanta NEXT progress continues in Summer 2020 with the debut of a new lifestyle collection presented by Appelman, Schauben and Ivystone (Building 2, Floor 11); the transformation of Building 2, Floor 18 into a foundational gift, garden, seasonal and accessory resource; and cross-campus moves including Hester & Cook to Building 2 from Building 1 and Three Hands, Sagebrook Home, IMAX Worldwide and Diamond Star Corporation to Building 1 from Building 2.

For Summer Market, IMC has enhanced the AmericasMart online directory to help buyers identify open showrooms, as well as ShopZio-enabled B2B e-commerce exhibitors. The website also offers a comprehensive listing of “digital only” brands, which include showrooms closed during the August Market, as well as a full roster of exhibitors from the suspended temporary trade show presentation.

The new website filters augment a suite of interactive digital tools available for the first time this summer: IMC_di’s ShopZio Marketplace, an interim B2B buying tool that is offered free of charge to IMC customers through the end of the year, features 80+ Atlanta Market exhibitors among its hundreds of brands with more than 1.2 million shopable SKUs. Launching this week, Atlanta Market’s Catalog ConneXion, will feature hundreds of interactive exhibitor keyword-searchable catalogs with hundreds of thousands of product SKUs, providing product discovery, appointment setting, plus e-commerce through the ShopZio Marketplace.

These market planning tools and more are available now at AmericasMart.com/AtlantaRemote. An augmented digital and printed Atlanta Market Buyer’s Guide also will be available during the market week.

While they are open for Atlanta Market, showrooms will follow IMC’s Together Safely recommendations, which include contactless entry, the use of masks, observing occupancy limits to encourage social distancing, frequent cleaning of shared spaces and more. Appointment setting, which is recommended, is not required for entry to the market. The full Together Safely plan is available online at TogetherSafely.com.

“We are immensely proud of the efforts our showroom partners are undertaking to join us in making the Summer 2020 Atlanta Market a safe and productive environment for retailers and designers,” adds Maricich. “Their commitment to embracing our safety standards and supporting our new tools allows us to present a sourcing opportunity that will help buyers get back to business.”