The International Housewares Association (IHA) has teamed up with leading retail trade association, Global Market Development Centre (GMDC)|Retail Tomorrow to help facilitate a series of virtual industry events.
The 2021 Fall Strategic Meetings will offer collaborative trading partner sessions tailored to top retail and wholesale companies, and their supplier and service companies. There will be three sessions –selfcare, general merchandise and housewares – with one running each week from September 28 to October 15, 2021.
The meetings are designed to promote connectivity across retail associations, accelerate long-term business growth and identify, prioritise and address new business opportunities.
Event attendees, including GMDC|Retail Tomorrow and IHA members, will have the opportunity to collaborate with members from each association and discuss issues relating to merchandising, marketing, e-commerce, consumer and shopper insights, omnichannel agility, sales trends and strategies.
GMDC|Retail Tomorrow continues to identify opportunities for more meaningful connections among existing industry partners and the discovery of new partnerships, according to president and CEO, Patrick Spear.
“The selfcare, general merchandise and housewares landscape has evolved at a rapid pace throughout the past year, and as this trajectory continues, this event series is an opportunity to address these changes and prepare for more as we approach the latter half of 2021.”
IHA’s mission is to bring buyers and sellers together regardless of format and the association is excited to work again with GMDC|Retail Tomorrow to connect supplier members and buyer members during the virtual event, according to president, Derek Miller.
“Non-foods is an important and profitable category for grocery retailers and until the industry gathers again in-person next March at The Inspired Home Show, this type of opportunity delivers the kind of new product and supplier discovery that retailers are craving,” he said.
Buyers will indicate their interest in meeting with specific sellers by way of a ranking system to express high interest/some interest/low interest/no interest, while sellers will indicate their interest in any meetings with buyers with a yes/no qualification. Participating companies are not limited in the number of colleagues they’re able to bring to each meeting.
There is no registration fee for the event. Participating suppliers will be invoiced for each meeting scheduled and accepted during the event but can also register for all virtual events and meetings that will take place during the three-week period.
“As doors begin to reopen and our business climate evolves, we wanted to continue to create a seamless and accessible event for all, one that provides convenience and collaboration,” Spear added.
“At the fall event, we look forward to ushering our attendees into a new era of retail with fresh perspectives on how to do business.”
The event registration deadline for the selfcare and GM categories is August 6, and the deadline for the housewares categories is August 20.
Click here for more information and to register for the GMDC|Retail Tomorrow and IHA’s Fall Strategic Meetings.