Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
In view of the rapidly escalating effect of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the board of BHETA – which organises and operates the annual Exclusively Show at the Business Design Centre in June – has postponed the 2020 event until June 15 and June 16 2021.
In the interim, the Exclusively Show will be replaced with a live show called Exclusively Digital 2020. This will be an event for fully paid-up exhibitors for this year’s show and will provide an opportunity for those exhibitors to present brands and products to buyers, press and influencers via new interactive features on the Exclusively website.
Exclusively Digital 2020 will target all retail buyers, trade and consumer press and influencers. Current exhibitors are being asked in the first instance to load their product details, videos and press releases to the show website.
BHETA and the Exclusively team will invest in the provision of live and interactive opportunities for both buyers and media to maximise 2020 product and trend opportunities.
A member of the BHETA/Exclusively team will be in contact with each exhibitor individually to explain this initiative in more detail very shortly.
BHETA said that it will carry over exhibitor support and financial commitment to the 2021 show to secure places and offset costs that have either been incurred or will be required to support the show in 2021.
Commenting on the decision, Will Jones, chief operating officer of BHETA and chair of Exclusively said, “Truly, we are living in unprecedented times and the impact on all our businesses and personal lives is very real.
“While there’s no denying we are all facing significant challenges, at some point in the future, a sense of normality will return; and our industry will be able to move forward.
“The decision we have made regarding Exclusively 2020 reflects the situation in which we find ourselves, but we are marketing Exclusively Digital 2020 as something positive on which we can all collaborate in the meantime to make the best we can of a very challenging set of circumstances.”
The Exclusively Show regularly has over 130 companies and 300 brands participating, representing all the key product categories in the housewares sector. Many big names have been part of the show for more than five consecutive years.
BHETA added: ‘Retail visitor interest has been increasing over the past few years, a testimony Exclusively’s ability to evolve. Tried and tested features such as Trend Displays, Trend Talks and The Brand Showcase, aimed a media visitors, will remain features of the Exclusively Digital in 2020.’
More information can be obtained from the BHETA member services team on 07946 078566 or via www.bheta.co.uk
