Twenty six jewellery wholesalers will join Ronnie Shabtay on his second Australian Jewellery Road Show tour this year.
Ronnie Shabtay, the owner of Ronnie Shabtay Fine Jewellery and the organiser of the inaugural Australian Jewellery Road Show which saw 24 wholesalers join forces to take their products to jewellery retailers in five cities last year, said this year’s event is expected to be even bigger and better.
Shabtay said the idea for the Road Show was conceived in late 2011 in response to safety concerns for lone jewellery sales representatives as well as the need for better buying/selling opportunities for wholesalers and retailers.
Shabtay said wholesalers’ response to a mail-out outlining the Road Show concept was “quite overwhelming”
“The incredible response reassured me that this was a concept that was going to work as I had so much support and interest from my peers in the trade,” he said.
The inaugural Road Show, which travelled to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide during September and October last year, was deemed a success by all the exhibitors.
“All 24 exhibitors from our first year are back with the addition of three new exhibiters,” said Shabtay, adding that the Show also had 20 wholesalers on a waiting list.
A “collective decision” will be made at the Road Show’s next meeting to decide, which if any, of the wholesalers can join the event in 2014.
In the meantime, Shabtay said he was looking forward to building on the Road Show’s inaugural success.
This year’s Road Show exhibitors include AM Imports, Cashelle Fine Jewellery, Devino Pearls, Facets Australia, Ellani Collections, Gerrim International, House of Jewellery, Ikecho Pearls, Ironclay Jewellery, Joris Gemstone Traders, Lester Brand, Mark McAskill Jewellery, Mark Milton Fine Jewellery, Miller Diamonds, Najo, Oblo Jewellery, Paul Shadiac Imports, Palloys Group, Peter W Beck, Primassure, RJ Scanlan & Co, R&D Italian Jewellery, Sams Group Australia, Select Diamonds, Storch & Co and Worth & Douglas.
“There is no time like the present to be proactive and I think that our customers will really appreciate the effort we are putting into making this an exciting yet intimate show for them,” he said.
He said the main benefits for retailers attending the Road Shows which will be held in five-star hotels included no need for long-distance travel, extended hours, full catering and most importantly, “ample time to meet with each supplier”.