2 minute read
Nationwide Marketing Group’s Winter PrimeTime Showcases Product Launches And Experiential Education
By Elaina Hundley
Taking place in the desert of Phoenix, Arizona, Nationwide’s winter PrimeTime featured a number of product launches and new program announcements, innovative educational experiences and an inspirational keynote.
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“There was a lot of camaraderie, a lot of energy here in Phoenix. It’s a pretty good time to be an independent retailer right now,” said Tom Hickman, president and chief member advocate of Nationwide. “Business is brisk, though it’s not without its challenges. But we spent these past few days helping our members address those challenges, whether that’s supply chain, pricing or finding and keeping talent. From the expo to the education, PrimeTime provided the answers to the questions our members were asking.”
In Phoenix, Nationwide members had the opportunity to take part in several experiential expo areas and events that could easily be replicated in an in-store environment. The PrimeTime Backyard provided outdoor vendors with the chance to hit nearly every sense, while Luxury University displayed innovative ways to hold in-store events that could attract and educate high-touch clientele.
The education carried over into more than a dozen tracks in the Nationwide Learning Academy. Members were able to “Experience the Journey” through several spotlight sessions focused specifically on succeeding at various points of the ever-evolving customer decision journey. From there, members could dive deeper into courses on the in-store experience, improving their website experience, human resources and team building and data and analytics, among others.
Business was also booming at PrimeTime. Despite ongoing challenges with inventory, vendor partners showed a tremendous amount of support for Nationwide’s network of independent retailers, bringing plenty of product to Phoenix. During the 90-minute Palooza buying frenzy, retailers placed over $4.15 million in orders through the Palooza app—up over 67% from Nationwide’s August 2021 PrimeTime in Nashville.
The PrimeTime expo also featured a number of new product introductions, world premieres and new program announcements. Among them, Serta Simmons Bedding rolled out its Beautyrest Black collection, while Tempur + Sealy showed off its new private-label Encore lineup, which is exclusive to Nationwide mattress retailers.
The PrimeTime experience continued even after the in-person event came to a close, with Virtual PrimeTime opening in late February. This option gives dealers who attended the show the opportunity to rewatch some of the best education that was offered, while also giving those dealers who were unable to make the trip a taste of what’s offered in person.
