Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
Hosted at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, the House-Hasson 2024 Winter Dealer Market featured an expanded market floor with over 1,000 vendors, including 140 new vendors and existing vendors the company has been doing business with for many years. Attendance for the market also saw an increase, up 34% from the 2023 winter market.
“We were pleased with last year’s turnout, but January’s Leap Into Savings market shot past what we were expecting in dealer turnout, and we also had big increases in new vendors and booths,” says Steve Henry, House-Hasson president and CEO. “Dealers took advantage of market buying opportunities that will enable them to meet or exceed their margins, and dealer profitability is our No. 1 priority.”
Warehouse sales were up 27% over 2023’s market, and is an indicator of dealer confidence, says Jason
Hanegan, House-Hasson senior vice president sales, growth and development.
“When dealers are pessimistic about the economy, or even cautious about how their sales will fare in the
coming months, they can tend to be more reserved in their buying patterns,” Hanegan says. “However, given
what we saw at the market, it appears dealers are looking forward to robust customer traffic in their stores.”
The market opened with Bonus Buy Breakfasts, featuring 122 bonus buys with discounts up to 50% off and cash giveaways for attendees. Pat McCutcheon, vice president of sales for House-Hasson, says along with an expanded product and vendor selection, the market provided incentives and deals to drive higher margins.
“We wanted to continue to give everybody the opportunity to create margin in their store and keep our dealers competitive within their own practice,” McCutcheon says. “We’re always looking at different avenues to different vendors, while still offering the mainstay categories our dealers want and need for their businesses.”
Other highlights of the dealer market were opportunities for networking, giveaways and prizes, along with an addition of video boards throughout the market floor. The video boards were there to share important market information, including alerting attendees of hot deals and buys taking place at the event. 
Tracey Heveline, owner of Bedford Hardware Plus in Bedford, Kentucky, appreciated the additional space on the market floor and the new vendors House-Hasson brought to this market, as well as the opportunity to shop great deals. Her store has a gift shop, and the new vendors offered some options to stock that part of her operation.
“Our gift store keeps us going in November and December with lots of holiday sales, so I enjoy seeing what’s new at the market to stock in that space,” Heveline says. “I was also interested in the new outdoor products vendor as lawn and garden is another big category for us.”
Cassie Wagner and Vanessa Barnes from Smith Farm Supply were also attending the market, buying for the operation’s 13 locations in Georgia.
“We also appreciate the deals we can get at the markets,” Wagner says. “Once we check off our must-buy list, we enjoy seeing what’s new.”
At the dealer markets and beyond, McCutcheon says he is working to grow relationships between vendors, dealers and House-Hasson. His biggest piece of advice for any new dealers at a market is to put yourself out there and meet someone new.
“Our dealers need us and we need them, vendors need our dealers and our dealers need the vendors. It’s a triangular relationship, and we just want to bridge that gap for everyone, so everyone can be successful,” McCutcheon says. “We’re all on the same team, and getting to know other dealers as a new dealer is the best way to find success. They know what you’re going through.”
The next House-Hasson buying market will take place June 13-15 at the Sevierville Convention Center in Sevierville, Tennessee.
