Furniture pre-market kicks off
HIGH POINT — The High Point pre-market kicked off Monday, and one industry analyst says some of its importance has died down.
“Many of the retailers have either been here back in January or they went to Vegas to see some new product, so for them to come back right away – or almost right away – and have market just a month away too, I think a lot of them look at it as there’s really not as much need as there was before,” said Ken Smith, a furniture industry analyst.
He says even with the large number of shows in the beginning part of the year, for some vendors this is and will remain a very important event.
“I think most people misunderstand. Not everyone shows at pre-market to begin with. For many years, almost none of the upholstery companies showed,” Smith said.
International Home Furnishing Center president Tom Lindh says this market is much different from spring and fall markets, and saying one is like the other is like comparing apples to oranges.
“Retailers who are here will spend a lot more time, one-on-one with the principle players and the major manufacturers to help them in their decision-making process. During market, these guys will be back here but they’ll be one among the multitude of folks,” said Lindh.
But Lindh points out that as early as the fall pre-market, industry officials will see some major changes.
“They’re planning to make it a more comprehensive event in High Point that will probably include social events where they can mix with the retailers. They and their representatives can mix with them with maybe a couple of evenings at a dedicated place where they might stay,” Lindh said.
The pre-market – no matter how large it is – comes with its own positives. The Visitor’s Bureau says more than 2,700 people visit each pre-market, giving a total local economic impact of $1.3 million.
The High Point spring market kicks off in about four weeks on March 27.
