For the first time since 2019, The Inspired Home Show was back at McCormick Place in Chicago from 5 to 7 March.
Twenty thousand attendees and over 1,000 exhibitors attended to showcase and discover new products, reconnect with colleagues and network with (potential new) customers.
While the fair was smaller than previous years it still attracted quality buyers from retailers such as Bloomingdales, Crate & Barrel, Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sur La Table and Williams and Sonoma as well as Harrods and Sainsburys from the UK.
“Not only were all the major retailers here, but they were spending more quality time than ever,” says Tobias Gerfin, CEO, Kuhn Rikon.
“Often during trade shows, the buyers are rushing from one meeting to the next. This year, we had executives spending 30, 60, 90 minutes with us. Those are the exchanges that truly build relationships.”
David Nocklin, VP marketing at Gibson, who had a visit from Martha Stewart during the show, agrees. “There was a lot of retail leadership here this year,” he enthuses. “It’s the buyers, but it’s also their boss and their boss’ boss. We’ve had incredibly productive meetings with current customers and also with major prospective customers.”
Overall feedback was positive with various exhibitors saying it was their best show ever.
“The show was a fantastic success,” says Yvette Laugier, managing director, Peugeot Saveur. “It may have been our best show ever. We saw all our regular buyers plus more. From specialty stores to our large online retailers to international buyers from around the world, it was fantastic.”
And first-time exhibitors echoed the sentiment, saying the show exceeded their expectations.
“This is our first year being at the show and being an exhibitor, and overall the experience has been nothing short of incredible,” says Megan Cunningham, brand manager, Ardent Life. “This is something we will continue to do year after year.”
After two years of living with a pandemic, the world has changed and with it consumer expectations.
Consciousness, connectivity and creativity are top of mind for today’s consumers, according to a 2022 International Housewares Association (IHA) Market Watch report.
Conscious consumers are deliberate, considered purchasers who are constantly evaluating why this product, why this brand and why now. They are highly attuned to issues including health and wellness, social responsibility and reclaiming time/effort.
While wellness can mean many different things to different people, survey respondents actually ranked mental wellness as most important (77 per cent) and physical wellness next (73 per cent).
This emphasis on mental wellness is unique right now and therefore a huge opportunity for the housewares industry, notes co-author and vice president and home industry advisor for The NPD Group, Joe Derochowski. “After a two-year pandemic, we’re sick and tired of being sick and tired,” he says.
Social responsibility is also important to today’s consumer. Safe and healthy working environments for employees (84 per cent) ranked highest, followed by development of sustainable products (72 per cent) and diversity and inclusion (67 per cent).
The survey found that consumers have a strong desire to change many aspects of their homes…much more than they currently act on.
Understanding there’s a great desire to make change is the first step. The next step is giving consumers a way to make those changes more accessible.
“Accessorising or giving people the ability to make incremental changes or updates to their homes is one way to do just that,” says co-author and IHA vice president, marketing, Leana Salamah.
Another way to allow consumers to try new things without buying each new product outright is rental. While older generations expressed less interest, millennials said they were very interested in renting products, with bakeware, seasonal home décor and kitchen electrics on the top of their lists.
“Rental, or more industry-generated options to purchase refurbished or second-hand products, might gain steam in the future, especially as technology changes so quickly, making it more difficult to pay full-price every time,” adds Derochowski.
The Inspired Home Show 2023 will take place 4 to 7 March 2023.
