Autumn Fair Update

We have just returned from the Autumn Fair and Top Drawer shows

It was very obvious that both shows were significantly smaller than in previous years which meant that the existing exhibitors experienced a substantial increase in footfall! The organisers say that the number of exhibitors was steady year on year but that everyone had reduced the size of their stands.

As an exhibitor we noticed an increase in the quality of visitors. Anyone who was there either had an established business or were well on their way to launching their shop. There have been years when a fair percentage of our visitors were tourists! It looks like this year has weeded out many people who were playing at shops

In terms of new products it seemed that the credit crunch has had an impact. There were not as many new companies at the show which was understandable as exhibiting is a very costly affair but disappointing all the same. However there was no shortage of new product launches from the exhibitors there with Owls being a popular theme

As a soft toy wholesaler we were interested to see that TY,Golden Bear and Ann-Claire Petit did not exhibit but our other competitors were out in force

Top Drawer London was quieter but with a more diverse range of new products

We are considering which shows to attend in Jan/Feb 2010 and would be interested in your feedback on which shows you like and attend