Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Senior, quality buyers from across all the different retail categories attended last week’s Exclusively Shows, according to show director Simon Boyd.
Organiser Brooke House Exhibitions confirmed that ‘the unique ‘invited buyer’ format of the Shows delivered a strong visitor profile for exhibitors once again’.
The co-located Exclusively Shows – Exclusively Housewares and Exclusively Electrical ran on June 13 and June 14 at the Business Design Centre in London. Brooke House Exhibitions says its vets all visitors, inviting only bona fide housewares and SDA buyers to attend.
This year’s events attracted buyers from high street multiples including The Range, TK Maxx, Argos, Robert Dyas, Marks & Spencer, Lakeland and Steamer Trading Cookshop. Leekes, Dunelm and Dixons Carphone were also represented.
The grocery sector saw teams from Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Tesco and Asda, whilst department store visitors included John Lewis, House of Fraser, Debenhams, Selfridges, Brown Thomas, Barnitts, Dinghams, Rossiters, Jarrolds, Bentalls of Kingston and several different Fenwick stores.
Exhibitors also welcomed buyers from a wide range of e-commerce/mail order companies including Amazon, Achica, Brand Alley, Next Online, Kaleidoscope, Freemans, JD Williams, Express Gifts, Wayfair, Harts of Stur, Shop Direct, Ocado, QVC and Ideal World.
Simon added: “It was great to see a good line up of independent retailers making the most of the shows this year too.
“Borough Kitchen, Lords At Home, Loose’s Cookshop, Butler’s Choice, Potters Cookshop, Morleys, WH Hurst & Son, Lawsons, Essentials of Hazlemere, Roys of Wroxham, Upstairs Downstairs and Kitchen Kapers were all in the aisles.”
In addition, buying groups such as Sirius and Euronics attended Exclusively Electrical, along with bira Direct and AIS.
The wholesale/cash & carry sector drew buyers from Decco, Costco, Jegs Electrical, Stax Trade Centres, EFG Housewares and Home Hardware, while garden centre visitors included Bents Garden & Home, Wyevale, Blue Diamond and Haskins.
The shows invited a group of international buyers too, who were met exhibitors at a separate networking event held the evening before the shows opened.
Retailers from as far afield as Australia, Poland, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Hong Kong, as well as Scandinavia and Europe, all visited the shows the year.
The international line-up includes recommendations from the housewares committee of BHETA (British Home Enhancement Trade Association), which works closely with the shows to ensure visitor contacts are kept up to date.
Simon said; “Initial feedback from exhibitors and visitors points to a busy and productive two days for everyone involved.”
Next year Exclusively Housewares and Exclusively Electrical will run on Tuesday June 12 and Wednesday June 13 at the Business Design Centre in London.
