Hyve Group introduces Spring & Autumn Fair Online Marketplace

Hyve Group has detailed the launch of its Spring & Autumn Fair Online Marketplace, an online platform that will enable global partners across the wholesale home, gift, and fashion sectors the chance to trade throughout the year.

The Online Marketplace is a brand extension to the heritage brands Spring & Autumn Fair, two live events which are now complemented by a 365 digital trading platform. It will allow brands to access serious, vetted buyers all year round, deepen relationships started at the live events at the NEC, generate leads and take online orders.

Buyers can find new products from brands, discover new brands online, build their collections and shop with ease throughout the year.

Officially launching on May, 4th 2021, the Online Marketplace will initially be home to 50 curated brands across the gift, toy, homeware, beauty, and wellbeing categories but will also be open to more brands at a discounted rate.

Speaking on behalf of Hyve Group, Julie Driscoll, managing director UK retail and fashion, said: “With the Online Marketplace we are giving our retail community an additional trading platform. Spring and Autumn Fair are the first omnichannel retail trade events in the UK to do this. As we move forward, our focus is on re-fuelling retail for 2021 and beyond, supporting our community in recovering from the pandemic and building back stronger than ever.”

Event director for Spring and Autumn Fair, Jessica Dawnay, added: “We are so excited to be able to offer our audience even more value than before. As the UK’s leading retail trade shows, it is our duty to bolster the retail industry.

“Whilst we know that nothing will ever replace the experience of touching and seeing products at an in-person event, we are excited to be able to bring our community together all year round via digital and omnichannel solutions such as the Online Marketplace.”

Project and digital marketing director, Karin Hausmann, said: “2021 is our new product development year and we are investing to support our customers as they build their future products. We are very excited to be launching the Spring & Autumn Fair Online Marketplace.

“Our top priorities are quality and curation, and we are committed to continuous evolution and building a platform that answers our brands’ and buyers’ needs. Our heritage makes us a trusted partner.”

Hyve Group is partnering with Events United to offer this digital ecommerce platform. Owned by Picaflor, Events United specialises in creating digital extensions to physical events with extensive experience within the retail sphere.

On top of its digital development, Hyve Group will also be launching a Curated Meetings programme for 2021. Designed to connect the community at its in-person shows, the Curated Meetings programme will connect pre-qualified buyers, who are actively sourcing, to relevant, high-quality suppliers through pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings.

The team will be trialing the concept at Autumn Fair 2021 with a full roll out of the programme expected for Spring Fair 2022.

Toy & Edu China and Licensing China will host digital-physical hybrid fairs this year

Toy & Edu China, Baby & Stroller China, and Licensing China will be offering a physical-digital hybrid fair experience this March with an online platform to support toy, baby product, and licensing companies exploring business opportunities in the region.

The virtual marketplace will go hand in hand with the physical fairs that will be held in Shenzhen from March 30th to April 1st this year.

The move follows the heightened demand for online exhibition services against the backdrop of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, Messe Frankfurt’s E-connect 360 will feature a series of digital solutions that ‘go beyond geographical locations and time differences’ to help boost business interaction on a global scale.

A dedicated website will be available by the end of February, giving exhibitors and buyers access to the services all in one place.

Ms Wendy Wen, senior general manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, commented: “We are finding innovative and effective ways to help our stakeholders embrace the digital possibilities driven by the pandemic. As an extension of the three in-person events, the online platform will present brands with valuable opportunities to establish connections and maximise coverage.

“Meanwhile, livestreaming of concurrent conferences and the fair tours will be employed for the first time during the fairs to enhance online participation.”

To replicate face-to-face interactions for those who cannot travel to China, a business matching service will be available on the ‘E-connect 360’ platform four weeks before and after the fairs, allowing industry players to interact virtually and build new relationships in a more flexible manner.

Users can check out business profiles based on AI-powered recommendations or manual searches, and reach out to their preferred business partners using the built-in instant messaging tool. Moreover, it can be used to pre-arrange and hold video meetings during the fairs.

Buyers visiting the fairs in person, meanwhile, can use the business matching programme to schedule appointments with online exhibitors.

Click here for more details and to pre-register for the business matching service.

In addition to business matching, exhibitors can utilise the ‘E-connect 360’ platform to promote their company and product offerings. Brands can submit their product shots along with descriptions and video content which will be made available for viewing on the website.

Moreover, an information centre that highlights the latest developments about the toy, baby product and licensing sectors will provide valuable insights to industry players.

When the fairs open, virtual participants can enjoy livestreaming from the fairground. Fringe programme events such as conferences and the fair tours will be broadcasted live on the platform.

Toy & Edu China, Baby & Stroller China and Licensing China are organised by Guangdong Toy Association, Guangzhou Li Tong Messe Frankfurt Co Ltd and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. The three fairs will be held at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center from 30 March to 1 April 2021.

New York Toy Fair 2021 cancelled as Coronavirus pandemic continues to cause uncertainty

The New York Toy Fair 2021 has been cancelled owing to the insufficient resolution of the ongoing Coronavirus crisis across the globe, the Toy Association has confirmed this afternoon.

The annual industry event had been moved from its Q1 February slot to a later date, scheduled to take place from May 1st to 4th this year. However, the US industry body has confirmed this afternoon that it will not conduct the interim trade show this year.

Plans for Toy Fair Dallas remain on course for October 2021 while providing an ongoing mix of physical and digital business opportunities for the industry will be the Association’s focus this year.

“Our foremost consideration is the health and well-being of the global toy and play community and setting a clear path forward,” said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of The Toy Association.

“We want to provide our exhibitors, retail buyers, and the larger toy and play community with certainty on important destination shows and the ability to take advantage of immediate opportunities through our year-round buying and selling platform.”

As uncertainty about the pandemic persists, The Toy Association remains keyed into what is possible, stating that it will be concentrating on its digital business offerings, before bringing the industry back together in person for Toy Fair Dallas 2021 from Tuesday, October 5 through Thursday, October 7.

The Toy Association is also looking ahead to Toy Fair New York 2022 from Saturday, February 19th to Tuesday, February 22nd in a newly expanded Jacob K. Javits Center.

Toy Fair Everywhere digital market weeks held throughout 2020 successfully helped toy businesses forge ahead amid the pandemic and brought in more than 3,000 buyers from over 60 countries, proving the global potential of the platform for doing business despite travel restrictions and different time zones.

This February, the digital B2B marketplace will further establish its position as the toy industry’s first and only year-round platform, making new business opportunities possible every day.

The Toy Association will also collaborate with additional prospective retailers throughout 2021 on virtual private product preview events, which in 2020 created new avenues for nearly 400 toy makers to get their products on shelves.

The next virtual event with specialty retailer Claire’s is scheduled to take place February 4th.

“These proven digital opportunities should continue to be a critical part of every toy businesses’ mixed sales and marketing strategy,” said Marian Bossard, executive vice president of global market events at The Toy Association.

“As we look forward to our time together at Toy Fair Dallas 2021 and Toy Fair New York 2022, the proof is in the pudding as to the potential of these digital tools and events to serve our members in reaching new audiences.”

Hyve Group reveals dates for the all-virtual Spring Fair @ Home 2021

Hyve Group has confirmed the dates of its Spring Fair @ Home virtual event, an all-digital show that will take the place of the in-person Spring Fair 2021 that was cancelled last month over the continued uncertainty surrounding covid-19 restrictions.

Running from February 8th to 10th, Spring Fair @ Home has been designed to ‘bring the industry together, even when we remain apart’ by providing a hub for industry professionals in the UK and around the world.

Bringing together the key elements of what makes the show, Spring Fair @ Home will provide key industry insights, as well as a first-hand look at the latest products, trends and collections. Among the exhibitor line up are names such as Coach House, Puckator, Moulin Roty, Paper Salad, T & G Woodware, and Alexander Thurlow.

Julie Driscoll, managing director for Hyve’s retail portfolio, said: “We are delighted to be offering a digital platform for the Spring Fair community this February. Whilst we are working hard towards the return of our physical events, I am so proud that the team have been able to develop a virtual offering that has proved so valuable to both retailers and brands during such a challenging time for retail both here in the UK and abroad.”

Spring Fair exhibitor Steve Cox, UK sales director at Keel Toys, said: “Spring Fair is undoubtedly the most important fair of the year for Keel Toys. At the start of 2021 we all need to get creative to meet with all our key buyers effectively with the lack of physical shows. The Spring Fair Virtual show will be an important part of our mix to present the new ranges for 2021.”

An exclusive content programme will provide access to of-the-minute industry intel, trend insights, peer-to-peer panel sessions, and more.

Dedicated Virtual Showrooms will also provide buyers with an easy and accessible way to discover new brands and see what their current partners have to offer. The Virtual Showroom will provide carefully curated brand line-ups on the Spring Fair website. Dynamic profile will allow brands and designers to put their best virtual foot forward, with capabilities to host videos, lookbooks, brand imagery and more.

Spring Fair @ Home will also see the return of the Product Showcase concept. Giving brands the opportunity to take buyers on showroom tours, or simply talk through their latest collection, the Product Showcase offers exhibitors the chance to submit a five-minute video to be shown to buyers during a sector-specific time slot.

Spring Fair @ Home is open to all buyers and takes place on 8th – 10th February 2021.