Tendence 2017 post report: More exhibitors make the 20,000-plus visitors fit for the coming seasons

The retail trade works - at least, it does when going shopping is an event for consumers. Sounds easy. And it is easy for the 20,000 plus Tendence visitors who, for the first time, took up the invitation to attend the trade fair at the end of June. During the four-day fair, retailers and bulk buyers from all over Europe placed orders and made and cultivated contacts in Frankfurt am Main.

The focus of the fair was on inspiration for assortment compilation, product presentations, customer advertising and events at the point of sale. Special events, such as Tendence.Impulse, Concept Store and Outdoor Living, presented sales activities in a tangible and future-oriented way. And the spectrum covered was supplemented by the new International Sourcing segment in Hall 10.1. Altogether, 1,125 exhibitors from 54 countries presented their new products and the latest consumption trends. “Together with the trade and industry, we have taken a major step towards making Tendence an extremely practical and future-oriented sales tool for the retail trade”, said Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt. “The concept has been given a very good reception. Naturally, it will take time until all buyers fully accept the new dates and concept. And this is something we shall work on.” Tendence fought back against the challenging economic situation in the retail trade with significant investments and programmatic renewal.

Tendence Impulse 2017

Concept Store - Tendence 2017

Outdoor Living - Tendence 2017

The trade benefited from the bigger range of products to be seen at Tendence, which covered a total of 92,000 square metres of exhibition space (gross). The main reasons for growth was, on the one hand, the significant increase in the number of exhibitors in the traditional product groups, such as seasonal decorations and tableware, and, on the other hand, the addition of new product segments, such as home textiles and pot plants, as well as outdoor furniture and accessories. Additionally, the spectrum encompassed not only products for the 2017 autumn / winter season but also, for the first time, specially marked products and collections for the spring and summer of the following year. This was much appreciated by buyers from the wholesale trade and their share in the total number of visitors increased considerably. All additions to the product spectrum were made possible by bringing the dates of the fair forward to the end of June, which offers clear strategic benefits not only for big buyers but also for the European trade.

Culinary Gifts - Tendence 2017

Seasonal Decoration Tendence 2017

Altogether, international buyers accounted for 17 percent of all visitors whereby the ten biggest visitor nations at Tendence 2017 were Germany, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Belgium, China, Japan and Poland. Extraordinarily high rates of visitor growth were noted from East Europe, namely Russia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, as well as from the United Kingdom and Portugal in West Europe. In a representative poll with hundreds of respondents, 86 percent of visitors said they were positive or very positive about the results of their visit. “With the new Tendence, Messe Frankfurt has taken a big step forward in quantitative and qualitative terms: with the Academy, with the Concept Store and, in particular, with the ‘Tendence.Impulse’ programme for the retail trade. For the first time, the fair offers small to medium sized companies full-service support for staging events. Naturally, the trade is very pleased about the increase in the number of exhibitors. Now, all that remains is for word to get around that Tendence is once again one of the leading events for the sector”, said Thomas Grothkopp, Director General of the German Home and Office Association (Bundesverband Wohnen and Büro e.V. - BWB).

The exhibitors were also very pleased with the work of Messe Frankfurt and the new concept for Tendence 2017. Accordingly, Lars Adler, CEO of Hoff Interieur and Chairman of the European Lifestyle Association, said, “We were very excited about the new Tendence with the numerous changes and, in particular, the new dates. The relaunch has been a remarkable success and our customers were full of praise for the new concept. Many visitors commented positively on the changes and the exhibitors and visitors will communicate this feedback after the fair. I am sure that, in this way, Tendence will regain its old strength over the coming years.”

Tendence 2017 Academy

International Sourcing - Tendence 2017

The new structure of the fair is also the right way for PAD CEO Michael Rossmann: “We need a strong fair in the middle of the year and, for me, that's Tendence. The energy is great. Messe Frankfurt has worked hard and the restructuring is very successful. The dates have been fixed and the market can now plan accordingly. We’ll know more in a few years’ time. And, I am sure, it will be good.” As well, Hamid Yazdtschi, CEO of Gilde Handwerk Macrander, praised the high visitor standard and their propensity to order: “For the Gilde Group, Tendence is the biggest and, therefore, indispensable event in the second half of the year when it comes to contemporary trends and lifestyle themes. Hence, we use it to present our extensive range of products for all segments, as well the latest themes and trends for the spring and summer of 2018, not to mention new products for the forthcoming Christmas season, which is now possible thanks to the earlier dates. Although we are not fully satisfied with the number of visitors, the standard of visitors from home and abroad was good, as was the associated increase in the volume of orders.”

Talents - Tendence 2017

Floristen Kongress - Tendence 2017

Pure Elegant - Tendence 2017

Tendence Village 2017

The next Tendence will be held at Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre from 30 June to 3 July 2018

Source: Messe Frankfurt Exhbition GmbH

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