Spring Air Shifts New Product Releases Away From Trade Show Model

February 5, 2021  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry   

“The industry as a whole has gotten stuck in the cycle of introducing new products every six months as part of the need to feed an unrealistic and unnecessary trade show calendar. The truth is that retail – even in the best of economic times – can’t flow that amount of new product through the system successfully and select the new styles that will resonate with consumers before another market date comes along,” said Nick Bates, president of Spring Air International.

“Our retail partners and licensees are working hard to keep up with the tremendous demand they have for existing product. We saw this recovery begin in the Spring and believe it will carry over well into 2021. Our partners need to focus on meeting consumer needs, not resetting the table with a new lineup of product,” Bates added.

Instead of introducing product every six months, Spring Air will work closely with retailers to meet their marketing and product needs on a timetable that is more tailored to each retailer’s specific needs.

“Instead of following the traditional trade show schedule, we’re going to take a more deliberate, thoughtful approach to product development and introductions that will allow us to collaborate with our retail partners and better fill their merchandising gaps,” Bates added.

Last summer, Spring Air did not open its Las Vegas Market showroom because of COVID-19 and its belief few retailers would attend. The company felt there was no negative impact to their business, and in fact resulted in a savings from the high cost of operating during a market.

Spring Air’s four-model Breathe by Spring Air collection of mattresses that provide protection from viruses and bacteria – which the company says fully rounds out its product assortment – will be the company’s most recent product launch to-date.

“The products we have in the marketplace now are already doing well,” Bates said. “We’re saying, ‘Let’s focus on supporting our retailers by increasing our manufacturing capacity so we can keep up with consumer demand, rather than focusing our attention elsewhere.’ Our broad product portfolio has been strategically designed to meet what just about any consumer wants in a mattress – at a variety of price points – so why compete against ourselves by introducing something new so quickly?”