Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
Retailers from all over had plenty to discover at the Orgill Dealer Market, which was held Aug. 22-24 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
Across the show floor, attendees found multiple Product Showcases, a model store, U.S. and Canadian promotional areas, thousands of items from a variety of categories and plenty of buying opportunities.
Melody Fries of Kindersley Castle Building Centre in Saskatchewan described the show as a can’t-miss opportunity.
“This is our fifth or sixth show, and we like that we get to experience so many different things,” Fries says. “We’re looking for new products, and we always go through all the promotional areas to see everything on display. We get some good ideas by walking through the model stores and going to the Learning Center, too.”
Tracy Williams of Long’s Outpost Inc. in Pennsylvania was also looking for new items.
“We always like to look for up-and-coming products, and the Dealer Markets help us stay abreast of the industry trends,” she says.
A Successful Concept
The model stores at Orgill Dealer Markets are popular for retailers looking for inventory and merchandising ideas.
In Chicago, concept store Four Seasons Hardware covered more than 12,000 square feet and highlighted a number of categories, including Paint, Hardware & Fasteners, the Household Department, Hand & Power Tools and Outdoor Living.
It also offered ideas for a number of space-saving techniques, ideas for how to best use sidewalk space and a single-queue checkout to help drive impulse sales.
Product on Display
At each Dealer Market, Orgill puts together several Product Showcases that highlight the breadth of product they offer in different categories. In Chicago, there were five Product Showcases on display.
The Power Tools and Accessories Showcase, which covered 12,000 square feet, gave attendees the opportunity to find new products from a number of leading vendors in that category.
The always-popular Impulse Showcase included a number of impulse products and ways to merchandise them, covering 7,000 square feet of the show floor. The area included snacks, seasonal items and gifts on display, along with merchandising resources such as dump bins and endcap displays.
Other Product Showcases on display at the Dealer Market were the Outdoor Grill Showcase, the Smart Start Showcase and the Spring Planning Showcase, which included the popular Spring is Here lawn and garden program.
Educational Opportunities
The Retail Services area offered a place for attendees to learn about Orgill’s many programs and services. Also located within this space was the Learning Center, where industry experts gave presentations on a number of different topics, including marketing, social media, e-commerce and succession planning.
Orgill’s 2020 Spring Dealer Market will be held Feb. 27-29 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.
