Heavy Buying Activity and Exciting New Buyer Trends at February Off-Price Specialist Show
The Off-Price Specialist Show wrapped up its 27th Fashion Week Show with highly successful results reported by exhibitors and buyers alike. The buyers, including an influx of new buyers from new industry sectors, came to the Off-Price Show to fill immediate inventory needs and find great value on quality apparel. Approximately 1,000 buyers showed up in the first hour of the show on opening day—the largest number of early registrants that show registration had experienced in a long time.
The availability of quality merchandise, leading brands, and trendy items attracted a high volume of buyers, including top retailers new to the Show. Many of the exhibitors said they had either their best first day ever or their best show ever.
“We attribute the success of the February Show to two factors,” said new Show Director Julie Ichiba, “the immediate needs of the retailers who under-bought after a poor holiday season, and the buyers, both new and old, who truly understand the opportunities that exist in our marketplace.”
The 451 exhibitors covering 1,010 booths experienced tremendous buying activity in the first two days of the show.
“Business seems to be opening up and retailers are out to buy,” said Allison Smith of CitiTrends. “The vendors seemed to be very happy.”
Kay McQuade of New Hampshire-based White Mountain Dry Goods concurs. “We had our best first day ever,” reported Kay. “We’re liquidating Desente Golf wear. We not only had our regular customers, we had new customers looking at our new inventory. We literally had no breaks throughout the day.”
While Rick Bosch of New York-based Alliance Wholesale cites that buyers have “put their holiday blues behind them,” he also acknowledges the buyers’ changing attitudes on how to present off-price goods. “Whereas closeouts used to be loss leaders in the stores, they are now being used for margin building. They (the buyers) are not necessarily looking for the sales items, they want to make money.”
Buyer Jeff Haughn of We Care Fashion in Clearwater, Florida agrees. “The lines were very good and we found new resources. A good 60% of the merchandise we carry is Off-Price. It has become more and more important to us.”
So does L. Roberts, owner of McBecklands ladies boutique in Gig Harbor, Washington. “I enjoy this particular market. I found a selection of quality merchandise at true off-price. The theory of off-price at one time was sales and promotional goods—bargain basement merchandise. Now with the quality of off-price goods, you can retail and sustain a higher margin. At this show, you have vendors who stand behind their product.”
Jeff Cohen of Jefco Cohen International in Spartanburg, SC, who’s company has been exhibiting at the Off-Price Show since the beginning, indicated that the February ’08 show was “the best we ever had. The show created great activity for us. We’re doing more department store business and a broader variety of retailers, which helps.”
In addition to more department stores, there was a strong presence of international buyers at the February ’08 Off-Price Show. Buyers representing stores as far away as Ethiopia and New Zealand came looking for established American brands, while European countries including Switzerland and Croatia had buyers shopping for better values based on the American dollar.
Show management was also pleased to report the appearance of some big names in retail who have not previously attended the Off-Price Show. One buyer from New Jersey, who just came “to look around,” was so impressed with the availability of upscale brands that he ended up making significant buys.
For first timers on both sides of the Off-Price Show aisle, the show was viewed as a great success. Benny Blalock of Bargain Shoes in Gaffney, South Carolina found “excellent buys in men’s wear. The show is very convenient and everyone has been friendly and helpful.” New exhibitor Marilee Baker of accessories wholesaler Glitz & Glamour indicated that she “will definitely do the next Show, and with a bigger booth.”
“We couldn’t be happier with the success of the February ’08 Show,” said Julie Ichiba. “With our onsite buyer tours, our
T.O.P.S. trend-spotting program and our new
offpriceshowrooms.com (which was launched at the February ’08 Show), we have some exciting vehicles to tell the Off-Price Show story to larger audiences, including current buyers who only come for the one to two appointments.”
