If you’re anything like us, you’ll be counting down until the AGHA Melbourne Gift Fair this August. It’s the event of the year for gift and homewares retailers, who come together over five days to discover new products, restock old favourites and connect with the community.
But what is the fair experience like for exhibitors? We asked four gift and homewares wholesalers how they have benefitted from exhibiting at an AGHA Gift Fair and what exciting things they have in store for Melbourne.
Ludivine Chu, La La Land co-founder
What products are you most excited about launching at the Melbourne Gift Fair?
We are very excited about our beautiful Christmas range this year, including further developing our top selling baubles from last year into different sizes and artworks. We are also excited about our new sustainable, reusable coffee cups.
What is the secret to a successful gift fair?
A successful fair is about team work and we love that it is a space for us to get all of our designers, office members and sales agents from all states into one space amongst all our new products. Success is about the way you display the products and create a story and visual experience. We spend a lot of time and thought on the layout, the design, the installation and the way we group each product.
How has exhibiting at AGHA Gift Fairs helped grow your business?
AGHA has allowed us to market our brand to a broader range of buyers. It is also an opportunity to showcase our range of products, test new concepts and get feedback. Many distributors and press opportunities come from exhibiting at the trade show.
Greg Collier, ColCam owner
What products are you most excited about launching at the Melbourne Gift Fair?
An exciting new range of contemporary brassware and our always expanding range of soft furnishings.
What is the secret to a successful gift fair?
Considered planning, a clear direction in creating our on-trend products, and merchandising the stand to appeal to both existing and new customers.
How has exhibiting at AGHA Gift Fairs helped grow your business?
ColCam has experienced exponential growth over the last 10 years. This has been fuelled by increasing interest in our unique products displayed at AGHA Gift Fairs. The support and encouragement provided has seen ColCam grow from a basic 18-square-metre stand to 72-square-metres currently, moving from the back wall to prime position in Design Life as a major exhibitor.
Gaynor Leclezio, director at Summer Picnic Tables
What products are you most excited about launching at the Melbourne Gift Fair?
We are very excited to be showing the newly designed legs for our folding picnic tables range, and some amazing new tabletop designs. We continually refine our designs and will be adding new etched tabletops to our range.
What is the secret to a successful gift fair?
For us, the secret to a successful gift fair is to work hard on the pre-fair preparations and then relax and have a great time meeting new and potential customers. We build relationships with our customers, and the opportunity to meet them face-to-face at the fair helps to further cement relations and put a face to the voice on the phone.
How has exhibiting at AGHA Gift Fairs helped grow your business?
Our customer base has grown steadily since first exhibiting at an AGHA Gift Fair in 2017. The opportunity to showcase our Australian-made tables to vetted buyers allowed us to begin to build a solid customer base, most of whom we are still working with today.
Karin Machell, owner and head fairy at Fairy Door Store
What products are you most excited about launching at the Melbourne Gift Fair?
We have new accessories and a new colour Fairy Door since last year.
What is the secret to a successful gift fair?
Loving what you do.
How has exhibiting at AGHA Gift Fairs helped grow your business?
I had many new shops approach us and take us on last year, which has given us vast repeat business. Also, meeting stockists in person means we have a great relationship.
The AGHA Melbourne Gift Fair will run from 4 to 8 August at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Visit melbournegift.com.au to register to attend or for more information.
