Changes to this year’s fair had included a new venue, new dates, extended operating times and the co-location with the Reed Melbourne Gift Fair.
Therefore, it could be expected that with so many changes, there would be a mix of positive and negative feedback.
The best judges of success could be the exhibitors’ order books and new memberships for the buying groups.
Fair organiser, Gary Fitz-Roy said he was pleased with the result even though he received mixed feedback about the co-location concept.
“Some exhibitors said it was a great idea and they’d done very well from it while others said that having gift store visitors was of little benefit. Essentially it came down to the exhibitor’s product and to how well the exhibitor managed their stand. It’s all about better bang for everyone's dollar and time,” he said.
There was also a mixed reaction on the three-day format, which Fitz-Roy said he expected.
“Unlike Sydney, the smaller Melbourne and Brisbane fairs have traditionally been two day events and we decided to test three days because of the promotion with the gift fair, and that [three days] also suited some exhibitors and didn’t suit others.
“However, it should be recognised that exhibitors did not incur an additional cost for the third day as far as rates per square metre are concerned.”
He explained that his goal was to maximise opportunities for suppliers to meet new buyers and create new business opportunities in the current challenging business climate.
“But we have said all along that we would review the format of all fairs throughout the year and would be happy to receive feedback about how we can improve the events. The jewellery fairs need to change with the times, we will take our time to evaluate what is in the best interest of the wider industry rather than any one company or organisation,” Fitz-Roy added.
Plenty of members and opportunities
Buying group Leading Edge managing director Joshua Zarb said the show had been good across a number of fronts.
“We use the event to engage with our retailers and use it as a training resource for our existing members,” he said.
“We had over 60 members at the show on Saturday and we were flat stick. Pre-show, we ran a three and a half day conference (nearby) and had a fantastic turn up for this time of year. So, for me, it’s a really good event.
“I think a few of our members might have wanted some higher profile suppliers here when it came to diamond and gold product, but we had all those at our own trade show, so it’s been good.”
Zarb said Leading Edge used Melbourne to look for new opportunities and to meet with new members during the three days. He added that his stand had been busy throughout the weekend and that he hadn’t stopped. By the Sunday night he still hadn’t had time to peruse the exhibition.
Moving forward, Zarb said he would support the industry’s exhibitions in any format but, if he had to choose, his preference would be for two shows a year.
“I think from a more practical point of view, two is easier. I would either do two shows in Sydney or keep Sydney for August and alternate the March show between Melbourne and Brisbane each year. I think that’s a happy compromise for all,” he said.
Slow Saturday, better Sunday
Nationwide Jewellers director Barry Jackson said the fair was smaller in size than the buying group had originally thought but it still managed to meet with a number of potential new members on Sunday. He also made a point that Saturday – a day when most local retailers were trading – was very slow.
Jackson said that combining with the Reed Gift Fair had both positive and negative effects for suppliers and retailers.
“If visitors have only got one day and they’re going through four halls of giftware and one hall of jewellery then we only get a proportion of their time,” he explained. “Although maybe we’ll end up getting more people coming to the jewellery fair because of the combined event.”
Jackson said monitoring which gift fair attendees were allowed to enter the jewellery fair was not as tight as it should have been. “There certainly have been quite a number of people here that probably shouldn’t be.”
He was referring to the combined event arrangement, which, as Jeweller previously reported, required gift fair visitors to meet a certain criteria before gaining access to the jewellery fair.
Jackson did, however, say the group had not received any negative feedback about the fair from its 32 registered members that attended the event.
Expectations met
Love From Venus’ (LFV) Georgia Hatzis also noted a slow start to the fair on Saturday but had a lot of success the following day.
“We had a lot more traffic and so many new buyers coming through on Sunday who have never seen us before,” Hatzis said. “And we have started up new accounts as well as seeing a lot of our existing customers, which is really what we expect from a trade show.”
LFV had signed accounts with a combination of fine jewellery and fashion and lifestyle retailers, a sign that it benefited from the co-location with the gift fair. “Some gift fair visitors are coming through and actually placing orders who weren’t even looking for jewellery. We had a buy from a Spa today.”
LFV normally exhibits at the New York International Gift Fair, which takes place in late January. Hatzis said, however, that she decided to show at the Melbourne Jewellery Fair this year because she wanted to concentrate on the Australian market.
Positive story
As a first time exhibitor at any JAA fair, Story Jewellery Co. received a lot of positive feedback throughout the three-day event.
The Australian distributors used the fair as a launching pad for its newly-acquired Danish jewellery brand Story by Kranz & Ziegler. The range comprises a bracelet and pendant concept in a variety of leather and natural gem combinations.
Marketing and product development manager Lida FitzGerald said there were a lot of interested parties on Sunday and they are now carefully considering their distribution options. “We want to make sure that we’re going to build the right relationships with the right people,” FitzGerald said.
On commenting on the co-location with the Reed Gift Fair, she said, “No one has said that it shouldn’t be with the gift fair. I think they’ve taken advantage of seeing the two.
“I would say that there has been a few people here that we wouldn’t necessarily want to be talking to but at the end of the day it’s about getting the name out there,” she said
“We’re really looking forward to the Brisbane and Sydney fairs.”
Drawing attention
Testing the waters with a smaller trade show, Gravograph showed off its expanding range of engraving machines at the Melbourne jewellery fair.
Gravograph Australia’s Joe Papez said the show had been good for the company and sales and interest were at the level that it had expected. The company’s products, which include a smaller machine that uses an industrial diamond to engrave the internal and external surfaces of rings, bangles and bracelets, drew much attention.
“We got some good leads,” he said. “Our M40, M20 and M10 machines drew interest from retailers.”
Top of the range M40, which can engrave on cylindrical and flat surfaces, on items like glass, pewter mugs, rings and pendants and wine bottles drew enquiries from visitors from both fairs.
All eyes will now turn to the industry’s next event in Brisbane, hoping that the recent devastating floods have not battered the retail sector too badly to affect the mood of buyers and exhibitors.