Feedback from suppliers at the Melbourne Gift Fair over the weekend and yesterday, including from the team from my POS software company, is positive. In fact, more positive that many had expected.
Retailers have been spending at the trade show. Plenty are happy with business. I suspect this is a local small business thing. We are less likely to be surveyed by media. We’re not connected to major nosy retail groups.
The optimism has been across the mix of retailers at the fair: gift shops, jewellers, newsagents, garden centres, toy shops and more.
Hot topics on the trade show floor I’ve heard about include EFTPOS surcharges (whether to or not, how to and how mush), suppliers who sell direct to consumers (more seem to be doing it and some preference their direct sales over supporting retailers), imported vs. made in Australia (Australian made preference is strong) and delays from order to fulfilment (some suppliers ask for a deposit before they order manufacture of goods).
While I’ve not been able to make it myself, those I have heard from are happy with the the trade show. The big surprise for them was the optimism among retailers attending.
Footnote: it’s interesting that my POS software company was the only software company exhibiting at Reed.