The JAA Australian Jewellery Fair fared reasonably well, according to Expertise Events, the organiser of the JAA Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane jewellery fairs.
Speaking after the close of the three-day event which ran from February 2-4 and featured the latest designs from 60 suppliers, Expertise Events managing director Gary Fitz-Roy said that despite some negative feedback the overall response to the Fair from exhibitors and visitors alike was positive.
“Given the current retail market landscape and how that relates to buying I think we fared reasonably well,” he said.
“We had a lot of good compliments from exhibitors who opened accounts they normally wouldn’t have had the chance to at the Fair.
“Basically, exhibitors who had new products, put some effort into pre-marketing and had a plan of attack did well while those who just took success at the Fair for granted didn’t do so well.
“Exhibitors can’t expect great success at a trade fair if they just turn up. They have to invite their clients otherwise it’s like having a party but not sending invitations to attend!”
Fitz-Roy said the Fair’s co-location with the Reed Gift Fair at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre worked well for many exhibitors although some “didn’t seize the opportunity of gaining access to the gift store market”.
“A lot of exhibitors seemed to have a mental block in regards to gift store owners. They seemed to dismiss them as not being relevant to their market but some gift shops, particularly those in the country, do cross-over and stock jewellery.
“I think some suppliers could have benefitted more if they had kept an open mind.”
Nonetheless Fitz-Roy said he would be sending out a questionnaire to exhibitors and visitors in the next couple of weeks to see if the industry wanted a co-located or stand-alone jewellery fair next year.
“Once we have the feedback we will decide what to do.”
Fitz-Roy said his main focus now was to continue preparing for the JAA Brisbane Jewellery Fair which would feature 50-70 exhibitors, “many of them different to the ones who exhibited in Melbourne”, from March 17-19.