Surprising in every respect
The professional visitors showed themselves to be positively surprised by the diversity of more than 500 national and international exhibitors. The exhibitors were impressed by the high quality and intensive presence of the decision makers. This is a positive balance for the M.O.W. 2011.
However, at the beginning the expectations were restrained, but at the end not only the exhibitors but also the visitors of the M.O.W. 2011 took a positive stock of the fair.
The over 500 exhibitors from 32 nations had a convincing offer. Not only the established but also the new exhibitors presented innumerable innovative impulses for the market in a way that would not have been expected by the trade. On the basis of this fact alone many decision makers spontaneously extended their visit to East Westphalia and faced their temporary depression in sales “at home” with fresh courage. This sector is looking for crispy concepts and fresh ideas to revitalize furniture sales. At the M.O.W. they found the perfectly fitting offer. The regular exhibitors convinced with many new product ranges and the innovations of the new exhibitors in the M.O.W. halls also came just in time.
New presence, new assortments
The innovativeness in the single assortment lines surprised likewise following international furniture fairs in the previous months. Intelligent comfort technologies, large system variety, individuality down to the smallest detail, qualitative trading-ups, brand licences from the fashion sector and many storage space solutions provided new approaches for assortments and special offers that were willingly accepted by the trade. In many instances the decision makers came up with something even better.
With a foreign part of 48% the internationality of exhibitors again increased compared with 2010 (by 45%). This emphasizes how highly the M.O.W. is regarded abroad. In particular abroad the M.O.W. is considered as the admission ticket to the volume business sought-after by the trade. After Germany the most strongly represented nations were Poland, Denmark, Italy, Estonia, Turkey, and the Netherlands.
Constant attendance and quality
On the other hand the exhibitors too were surprised about the high quality and intensive presence of professional visitors. The purchasing associations with all their committees were present, but also the large customers from the specialized trade, the mail order houses and on-line trade, the self service/D.I.Y. markets, food discounters as well as special marketing companies. As at all fairs the absence of individual residential customers was compensated by the intensive presence of the foreign visitors and internet players. Consequently the M.O.W. 2011 was pleased about the total unchanged number of over 10,000 professional visitors from the decision maker level.
In MESSEZENTRUM BAD SALZUFLEN as well as in MESSEPARK BARNTRUP Tuesday was the most attended visitor day, whereas Monday and Wednesday divided the second position. The offer, concept, attendance of German and international market leaders but also the higher foreign part of exhibitors attracted even more visitors, in particular, those from Eastern Europe, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
From the visitor statistics you could conclude that on-line marketing is gaining more and more ground in the furniture sector. From the large mail order houses that by now do up to 50 % and even more of their business on-line, offers by associations and residential dealers who increasingly build up Internet shops to the pure internet players – the internet marketing subject is high in the market, especially on the special service provider area in the POLSTERFORUM, hall 19, and not only for visitors but also for the exhibitors in MESSEPARK BARNTRUP. E-commerce with furniture and special assortments is in full swing!
The location issue which arose in MESSEZENTRUM BARNTRUP was all the more surprising for the M.O.W. exhibition management. Based on some exhibitors’ assortment-related changes a rumour put the whole fair location in question. Mr Bernd Schäfermeier, the M.O.W. director’s comment on this was: “We stand by MESSEPARK BARNTRUP as Europe’s platform no. 1 for flat pack furniture, young living, self-service/discount and special assortments!
Less surprising for all participants was the date discussion as side effect for the third M.O.W spring fair. The exhibition management is having discussions with exhibitors and visitors on this subject and will announce a decision in due course taking into account prior and subsequent fairs taking place.
Confirmation of market relevance
On the whole, the positive comments prevailed in East Westphalia after the 5-day fair. Most of the exhibitors could do good business and they were more than satisfied when they concluded the fair on Thursday evening, May 12. Direct contact to all important key customers pays off. It goes without saying that the economic situation was more successful for some companies than for others, but on the whole all participants, i.e. exhibitors and visitors realised that East Westphalia is worthwhile in every respect: there is no other exhibition site where the offer for the middle of the market is shown based on the same large quantity, depth and diversity as at the M.O.W.
„In the last years the M.O.W. never noticed extreme runaways – neither regarding the number of exhibitors nor that of visitors. And in 2011 too, with the 27th edition, this fair has found a steady place in the fair landscape. Consequently it underlines its unalterable position for the future as THE trade fair for the core business with furniture from the low to the upper medium price sector,” affirms Mr Bernd Schäfermeiner, the M.O.W. Directo.
Further information and photographs: www.mow.de. |
