Feedback from the floor of the Sydney Gift Fair is that optimism was strong among retailers and buying good.
Attendance was up 14% on level 1 and 18% on level 4 on 2017 numbers.
There is no better indicator of business outlook than buying at a major trade show like this.
Suppliers I have had contact with are happy with the first day of trade and sale looking forward to the next four.
My tips for retailers are:
- Ensure you know who else near could you get what you are interested in.
- Be clear about what is acceptable to you re backorders.
- Be clear about delivery timing you require. Some suppliers harvest orders and then order from overseas.
- have a budget.
- Never spend the full budget.
- Remember: you are not your customer.