Dallas Market Center kicked off 2017 with a successful Dallas Total Home & Gift Market. This year, the market saw strong attendance rates and an increase in order writing. The home decor industry showed the biggest amount of growth.
“Buyers came to Dallas in force and placed larger than average orders with renewed confidence,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “Across all product categories we received positive reports from temporary and permanent exhibitors, with many enthusiastically reporting their best market ever, which further illustrates that Dallas doesn't just deliver buyers, we deliver buyers eager to write large orders. In fact, the show’s strong attendance and steady order writing confirm our position as the premier marketplace for the Central U.S.”
The market saw more new buyers from key regions and new buying groups. There was also an increase in the number of registered interior designers and architects seeking resources across furniture, home accents and tabletop. The biggest gains in traffic came from retail buyers from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, California,and Florida. International buyers representing Mexico, Canada, Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, and the Caribbean made up the majority of international attendance. Key attendance increases included new buyers visiting Dallas from across the Midwest (+2%) and high volume buying organizations including buying groups, home centers, online retailers, and mass merchants (+46%).
Increasing consumer confidence and strong retail sales within the strongest economic zone in the U.S. paired with solid growth inside the 5 million square foot Dallas Market Center across gift, home decor, lighting, holiday/floral, housewares, gourmet, fashion, and many associated categories created unique conditions for a January Market where enthusiastic buyers and exhibitors conducted significant business.
“Buyers were energetic, optimistic and added a positive spirit to the entire marketplace,” said Morris. “This affirmative attitude reinforces the fact that we remain the strongest economic zone in the U.S. with higher consumer confidence and better business conditions than anywhere else. For 2017, as we expand our marketplace and offer exhibitors new marketing tools, Dallas will be creating even greater value for manufacturers and reps seeking access to tens of thousands of motivated buyers who don’t attend any other show.”
