High Point Market Springs Back Dates

Responding to survey results, the High Point Market Authority board of directors voted unanimously to shift the Spring High Point Market's dates from March to April.

The authority hired Exhibit Surveys in late 2006 to analyze the market's spring and fall events and determine when the more than 2,000 buyers, manufacturers and sales representatives polled preferred to meet.

The most recent Spring market, March 25–April 1, a month earlier than usual, was criticized by some for being too close to other markets earlier in the year, including the January Las Vegas Market. It also conflicted with many schools' spring breaks.

"Only 30 percent of the retailers surveyed preferred March, 51 percent preferred April, and the remaining responses were scattered among other months," said Brian Casey, president and CEO of the High Point Market Authority. "We continue to make decisions based on what the majority of customers are telling us. We are very confident that the results of the surveys are reflective of the market's large and diverse constituency."

One thing that won't change is the Monday–Sunday format adopted in 2006. Casey said 42 percent of respondents wanted that timeframe, as opposed to Thursday–Wednesday, voted for by only 18 percent of the respondents.

Something else that will stay the same are the market's Fall dates, Oct. 1–7. Fifty-seven percent of buyers, 59 percent of exhibitors and 47 percent of sales representatives preferred October over September.

High Point recently has made other changes to its semiannual markets:

• a name change, from the Intl. Home Furnishings market to the High Point Market
• a new logo
• a new re-branding marketing campaign
• collaboration with a video company to extend the life of the market year-round with an e-newsletter and other media