Wholesalecrafts.com also organizes a trade show called ACRE (American Crafts Retailers Expo) once a year in June in Las Vegas. 2009 was the third year of the show.
There is obviously a fee ($2000 to $5200 depending of the size of the booth) to exhibit at ACRE, but it includes one year of web site presence.
Artists in their first year with the site and with limited amount of accounts can elect to get an emerging artist booth. It has all the benefits of the other booths, except that it is half of the regular size (5‘x10’). But it is a great deal that allows, for about $800, to be on the floor and learn before going for the big bucks booth.
I have posted a review of my ACRE 2009 here.
In 2010, I have decided to not participate. I do think that a participation of 500 stores is too little to justify such an investment. Many retailers now choose to shop online to save on travel expenses.
Also, I cannot stop to wonder if those big trade shows are not dying. For sure they are struggling with less artists and less buyers.
There is also a shadow planning over this show…
The two first years, ACRE was scheduled at the end of April. It sounds like buyers prefer this date.
In 2009, the show had to move to June because of a scheduling conflict with the Las Vegas Convention Center. But 2010 was going to mark a return to the April schedule and I was happy about that.
First, this is cooler. The set up is done without air conditioning!! and this is tough. This year, with my little booth, I thought it was going to be over in a couple of hours. Not at all. It took 6 hours for 2 people to put it together!! not only the sweat was dripping (which is not the worse) but at the end, we both started to feel dizzy.
Then, it was widely advertised by wsc.com that buyers prefer this schedule because it is easier for them to leave their gallery.
It is easier also on the artists who have a little time ahead to work on orders before the summer.
This year, the JCK show at the Sands Convention Center was scheduled in June at the same time than ACRE and it appears that it brought us some traffic.
Well, quite frankly, I think it might have brought some traffic to the jewelry aisles, but not the others. Because pass the first day, my aisle was so empty that we could have played bowling!!!
So, in 2010, ACRE goes back to April. Announcement was made. But BMAC (aka the Buyer’s Market of American Crafts which dominates the arts and crafts trade show market on the East Coast) says that since the spot is available, they will launch a BMAC Las Vegas at the same time than JCK in June 2010.
Ouch, big burn for ACRE who suddenly decided to move its dates to June, certainly thinking about pulling the rug from under the feet of BMAC. But… really… can they?
At the time this decision was made to switch next year schedule in June, there was a big difference of opinion among artists. Some thought this was the worse idea, while some others were delighted. Each side having some very valid points.
The next post will be about the forums.
A bientôt!
Patricia
© 2009 – Unleash the Spirit of Glass!
