High Point Market Reports That 47,168 Buyers Registered For April Show

Furniture World News

Despite the tumultuous economy and a wave of recent bankruptcies in the domestic home furnishings retailing and manufacturing sectors, buyer registration for the Spring 2008 High Point Market proved stable, bolstered by increases in international delegations, interior designers and first-time buyers. According to Brian D. Casey, president and chief executive officer of the High Point Market Authority, 47,168 buyers registered for Spring Market, as compared to 47,109 in Spring 2007. “We realized significant increases on the international side, with 1,743 buyers registered from around the globe, almost double the number of international registrations last Spring,” Casey says. “Once again, we also saw a healthy increase (4,139) in the number of first-time buyers who have never visited High Point Market in the past, as well as the return of 2,081 buyers who have not attended Market in the past two years or more. “These numbers tell us that our marketing efforts are working and that buyers across the industry are responding positively to all of the improvements that have been implemented throughout the past two years,” Casey says. “Additionally, our interior design constituency continues to grow, with 15,595 designers registered this Market, an increase of 4,542 individuals over Spring 2007. In light of these figures, and the positive feedback we received both during and after the event, it’s clear that the High Point Market remains the fashion leader and the primary source for new product in the home furnishings industry.” The balance of Spring Market registrants was comprised of exhibitors and sales representatives, suppliers and Market guests (32,927), for a grand total of 82,095. “While we continue to attract more buyers to High Point, we are noting a decrease in the number of exhibitors and sales personnel registering for Market,” Casey says. “The home furnishings business is contracting and business conditions are adversely impacting the total number of registrations. However, unlike other markets that gloss over, average or refuse to report their figures, we believe clarity and credibility are paramount, especially when home furnishings professionals across the industry are struggling with tough decisions about where to focus their dollars and efforts. We owe it to the industry to continue to provide all of Market’s stakeholders with accurate information required to make sound business judgments. “Moving forward, we will continue to work hard to improve the High Point Market experience for all concerned, as well as the value that this Market offers the industry for both buyers and sellers,” Casey sums. “In an ever-changing global marketplace, whether the home furnishings industry is experiencing good times or bad, a booming economy or one teetering on the brink of recession, the High Point Market is proving to be stable, constant, and unquestionably, the world’s home for home furnishings.” About the High Point Market Authority: The High Point Market Authority is the official sponsor of the High Point Market in High Point, North Carolina. Featuring an extensive selection of exhibitors spanning every category, style and price point and attracting tens of thousands of visitors from more than 110 countries twice each year, the High Point Market is the driving force of the home furnishings industry.