ABC Kids Expo does away with specialty-store only day
Kids Today Staff -- Kids Today, 4/8/2011 5:15:39 PM
San Antonio, TX -- The Board of Directors of All Baby & Child has changed its policy of limiting the first day of the show to independent specialty stores only, instead allowing all retailers to attend the show on all days. Previously, mass market, publically traded and e-commerce retailers were only permitted to attend on three of the four show days.
"The ABC Show has grown into an international event for the entire juvenile products industry, and this change in show policy reflects upon this growth, as we continue to improve our product every year," said Jeff Seymour, chairman of the board of All Baby & Child.
Gene Francis, vice-chairman of All Baby & Child, commended the affiliated retail organizations that comprise ABC for recognizing the value of the ABC Show for the entire juvenile products industry, and welcoming all industry retailer participants during the duration of the show.
The ABC Kids Expo will be held on September 23-26, 2011 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
"We are thrilled to see such an enormous response in exhibit space reservations at our new venue in Louisville," said Larry Schur, president of All Baby & Child. "Nearly all exhibit space has been sold."
Larry, although you wrote a lengthy explanation/excuse, you said very little. The truth is that with the specialty store base shrinking rapidly, the ABC board was left with the need to create a more robust show. After all, the more participants & vendors, the more profitable the show is? Right? Plus, I assume you have incentive bonuses that can only be met by expanding the show far outside the specialty store arena.
Your rationalization that specialty stores were somewhat compensated by ABC's funding of Baby Product Experts is a far cry from our "specialty Store Only Show". Nice try.
As for AISS, it failed probably due to the egos and shortsightedness of the 4 buying groups, their boards and administrators.
Was the educational conference basically forced on ABC thru a reclassification of the IRS non-profits status?
tell it like it is - 2011-04-13 20:27:49 EDT
Sorry this is a bit long, but I just want to provide a little bit of the rationale and background on the decision to open the show to all retailers on all days, in case that wss not evident.
The ABC Show was born out of the AISS show and prior to that the individual specialty retailer shows of NINFRA, Baby Furniture Plus, Baby News and USA Baby.
When JPMA ceased their trade show operation, the ABC show became the industry show and has evolved into the largest juvenile products show in North America and arguably the world. The Board of Directors of the show is a partnership of juvenile products manufacturers, both large and small, sales representatives, and specialty store retailers. As such, all decisions regarding show policy are carefully considered and voted on by the full Board. The decision to open the show on all days to all retailers was made by an overwhelming number of Board specialty retailers and manufacturers based upon the needs expressed by the juvenile products industry as a whole over the past few years, and not as a negative response to the plight of the independent juvenile products retailer. In fact, many of you may not realize the hundreds of thousands of dollars that ABC spends each year to help the independent specialty retailer survive, through its specialty store only educational conference and Baby Product Experts program. The educational conference is THE event solely for specialty stores, where they can network with their peers, learn from prominent speakers and panels and transact business one-on-one with their key suppliers in an informal and more relaxed environment. We actually limit the amount of booth space provided to manufacturers during the trade show, to help ensure that manufacturers feature products targeted for independent specialty stores. And there is no cost for specialty retailers to participate in the event. What other educational conference do you know of that provides food, speakers and networking opportunities, all at no cost to its attendees? If specialty stores seek an event all for themselves to help them compete more effectively, this is the event for them, which is reminiscent of the old AISS days event. Likewise, ABC spends hundreds of thousands of dollars each year on the Baby Product Experts program, which helps put specialty stores on a more even playing field, drive traffic to their stores, and gain national exposure with minimal expense. Specialty stores that have not signed up for this program are really missing the boat. So, ABC spends a significant amount of time and dollars supporting specialty stores and its mission statement.
In answer to the comment regarding booth cost savings, All Baby & Child gave back to exhibitors the entire amount, or over $400,000 in the space cost savings it realized based on the move from Las Vegas to Louisville in the form of an extra $1 per square foot early bird discount. This is on top of being the lowest cost booth show in the trade show industry and e have never increased booth prices in the 8 year history of the show. Hope this helps put a perspective on the decision and the fact that ABC is a non-profit organization that gives back to the industry in terms of low cost exhibit space, programs for independent retailers and contributions to charities to benefit young children and families in need.
I always welcome your commentrs or input to:
larry@theabcshow.com
Larry Schur, President
All Baby & Child Corporation
Larry Schur - 2011-04-12 22:38:17 EDT
The ABC board should be ashamed to show their faces. This show was started to be "a cooperation between specialty stores and manufacturers". It went from a specialty only show, to only big boxes on the last day, to one day specialty only, to a free for all. ABC is now no better than the old JPMA show.
bummed retailer - 2011-04-10 12:32:57 EDTAnother example of the big guys ruling the day. SOON.. and I'm agraid too soon. There will be no more specialty stores to shop at or sell to. It's really too bad that Specialty stores are dropping like flies. that is the real reason you have made this decision. Because there are fewer specialty stores.
Shelley Napier - 2011-04-08 18:11:16 EDTManufacturers have yet to see the large discounts that moving the show to Kentucky are supposed to bring.
This is a highly profitable show as it is the only one in the industry. The move was supposed to save exhibitors money......it seems it’s only to make the show executive’s richer.
Upset Manufacturer - 2011-04-08 18:02:06 EDT
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