Buyers Market Gets Mobile

GDA Staff -- Gifts and Dec, 12/26/2012 10:14:28 AM

One Acre Ceramics covered jars at Buyers Market of American Craft.BALTIMORE -The Buyers Market of American Craft has added a new service to make it easier for retailers to shop the show in February—smart phone accessibility. Retailers will be able to use their smart phones to locate desired products and favorite artists on the show floor.

The mobile application will allow retailers to navigate the show using a digital and customizable floor map. Other features include search capabilities to allow retailers to "buy local" from artists based in the store's region, or to search for a certain product category. Each search will not only provide the exhibitor names and locations but also map directions to the booth.

"We want to improve their shopping experience: There's a lot of show to navigate and a wide variety of products to choose from. The combined square footage of exhibitor booths alone is nearly the equivalent of two football fields," says Rebecca Mercado, show director. "We're excited to introduce mobile technology to help our buyers find the merchandise they need. When we say that the Buyers Market is committed to innovation, we are referring to even more than great new products."

Buyers can get a head start on planning their buying by visiting the digital floor map already in place on the Buyers Market's website. New exhibitors are added daily and the artists have begun posting their product keywords in the search list.

The Buyers Market of American Craft will take place February 16-18, 2013, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. Registration is now open at http://www.AmericanMadeShow.com. The $35 basic registration fee includes admission for up to four members of a store¹s buying staff, plus access to all retailing seminars, fashion shows and Buyers Market events. Pre-registration ends February 11. On-site registration will be $50. To take advantage of discounted rates at Buyers Market contract hotels near the convention center, register before January 25. For customer service call 866.341.2001 or e-mail BMACregistration@jspargo.com.