The first Jewellery Trade Day will be held at the Duxton Hotel in Perth on Tuesday 7 October, while the second will be hosted at the Mercure Grosvenor Hotel in Adelaide on Thursday 9 October.
Similar events were launched in October last year with the aim of providing retailers in South Australia and Western Australia – who might not have been able to attend the larger trade shows in NSW and Queensland – with the chance to view and purchase new jewellery ranges.
“The demand for these events has been driven by suppliers wanting to service these two markets,” Fair Events managing director Gary Fitz-Roy explained.
“It’s an opportunity for retailers to have a one-on-one conversation with leading suppliers who can discuss what they are doing for the busy Christmas period as well as provide any other business updates,” he said.
The trade days will also incorporate aspects of the recent Sydney jewellery fair such as manufacturing jewellery bench demonstrations hosted by the Young Jewellers Group, a smaller scale “treasure chest” in the form of a jewellery box prize giveaway and a free Happy Hour.
Support from the Nationwide Jewellers and Leading Edge Jewellers buying groups are also said to strengthen the trade days, while newly appointed Jewellers Association of Australia (JAA) executive director Amanda Hunter will be on the floor to meet members and discuss the JAA’s new initiatives.
Another attraction for visitors will be Debra Templar, who will conduct daily Spotlight Learning Exchange sessions similar to the recent Sydney fair. She will share her expertise on social media and the impact it has on jewellery retailing across both trade days.
Participation from a number of exhibitors – including Renee Blackwell Design, Disney Couture, Kaiserman, Timesupply and Pearl Perfection – has already been confirmed.
Fitz-Roy also noted that industry feedback from last year’s events was considered in order to ensure that jewellers’ needs were met. For example, the previous operating hours of 11:00am to 7:00pm have been revised to 12:00pm to 8:00pm.
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