Well prepared for autumn and Christmas business in trend-led merchandise and promotional products
In autumn, Cologne will again serve as a hub of business in bargain-priced products and trend-led merchandise when it hosts the International Trade Fair for Retail Promotions and Imports (IAW). From 27-29 September 2016 the IAW will attract buyers and trade visitors from across the world to the Cologne exhibition centre looking for good business opportunities for the autumn and winter trade. As usual, it will be interesting to see who delivers exciting, innovative products, who is offering reasonably priced products for bulk sales and which new sources appeal to the buyers. The IAW is the one event where the trade can confidently expect good sales and orders!
More than 300 exhibitors from all over the world are expected at the IAW in autumn, when they will be occupying Hall 10.2 with a stunning display that covers approx. 26,000 square metres and attracts buyers and a broad cross-section of the trade. The festive months are the most visual theme of the IAW autumn event, which focuses on Christmas merchandise and toys/games, as well as autumnal seasonal items and promotional products in such diverse categories as food & drink, health, beauty care and cosmetics, textiles & clothing, hardware/diy products and many other segments. Being able to find exciting product innovations that are just right for business amongst a vast array of trend-setting products is the real bonus – after all, this generates sales and improves profits. And ensuring good business for exhibitors and visitors is the most important objective of the IAW.
But the International Trade Fair for Retail Promotions and Imports wants to achieve more – and it has an impressive track record. Over the three days of Europe’s leading trade fair for trends and orders, the event manages to attract all the major buyers from every area of trade who come together with exhibitors from every product segment. This success is partly due to the many additional benefits offered at the IAW on all three days. Numerous talks by expert speakers at the Trendforum on key issues of sales strategy, marketing and eCommerce provide trade visitors with the know-how needed to get ahead of the competition. The Trendforum is not only the arena for talks, but also where the IAW Trendseller Product Award is presented and winning products showcased. These products are selected on the basis of their outstanding innovative qualities and their potential to become top selling trend leaders.
For many years the IAW has followed a strategy based on three elements: its trade orientation, innovation and networking. It is a successful recipe which has made the trade fair a permanent fixture in the calendar of Europe’s top buyers. This is made evident by the 9,800 trade visitors attending the last event, which was not only a record, but confirmed that the general upward trend was continuing unabated. This was good news for the approx. 320 exhibitors from Germany and across the world – and especially encouraging for the many exhibitors taking part for the first time. Attracting new exhibitors is important as they bring new ideas and new product ranges, and add to the variety of seasonal merchandise, thus ensuring that the IAW remains innovative and fulfils its claim to be a platform for trends.
Following on from the cooperation between the IAW and the INTERNATIONAL HARDWARE FAIR in the spring of 2016, the IAW autumn event in September will now resume its usual schedule and take place from Tuesday to Thursday. Due to other events being held parallel to the IAW at the Cologne exhibition venue the display area is limited to approx. 26,000 square metres in Hall 10.2.
It is therefore recommended that exhibitors book early in order to secure stand space. First-time exhibitors will benefit from the special offer on stand construction and PR to help promote their merchandise at the IAW.
Further information, registration forms for exhibitors and complimentary admission tickets for visitors are available online at www.iaw-messe.de.
