Editor's Comment

It’s been a busy month for Furniture News, as we hit the road for this year’s spring show season. Bolstered by the presence of typically off-season events trying to find their post-pandemic tempo (both at home and overseas), it’s one of the most packed exhibition periods I can remember, and each event performed well despite a backdrop of somewhat depressed consumer spending.

Sam and I enjoyed this year’s INDX Beds & Bedroom and Minerva’s Spring Furniture & Bed Show, and, for me personally, it was a real pleasure to re-engage with Long Point after missing out on several editions (the blossoming Long Eaton showroom scene is definitely one to watch).

And there’s more to come. After imm cologne returns for a one-off spring special, the coming weeks will see INDX Furniture (p16) and Ireland’s IFHS (p18) set out their stalls, among others.

Trade shows are a great opportunity to come together and do business – in person, in volume, and in a professional setting. Yet however well they perform, they never fail to prompt introspection. Alongside the latest launches, mission statements and gossip, the topic invariably on exhibitors’ minds is the very nature of exhibitions themselves – footfall, costs, atmosphere, timing, location, etc.

They may create many opportunities, but exhibitions can be costly affairs, and like many marketing exercises, it can be difficult to work out the ROI (footfall might seem a better indicator of effectiveness than most, but even that can boil down to quality versus quantity).

Everyone has a notion of what would work best for their business and customers, but sadly there’s no perfect solution to suit all. From comprehensive marketplaces to intimate showroom affairs, I’ve seen every type of event thrive – and struggle. As well as countless success stories, I’ve seen the harm caused when the investment fails to deliver (and, conversely, the brand damage that going AWOL can create). And, given how much influence consumer spending habits can have on order taking, what seems the best course of action today may not be tomorrow.

What does the perfect trade show look like? Knowing what makes customers (existing and prospective) keen to attend is a great place to start … but that question will probably forever remain unanswered.

Whatever our personal preferences, most of us can agree that there’s little substitute for some faceto-face interaction – read more about the upcoming shows in this month’s issue, where you’ll also find features dedicated to outdoor furniture (p50), what’s new in upholstery (p40), and CGI marketing, with an in-depth discussion of the role product configurators play in online shopping, and some views from this month’s off-the-wall cover star (p32).

Other highlights include a look at this year’s crop of Design Guild Mark winners (p26), Jon Staker’s tips for businesses looking to cross the pond (p68), and a Q&A with the founders of Image Furnishings, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year (p10).

May you do good business this summer – whatever the setting!