Shopping for our shoppers - A view from the NEC Autumn Fair 2016

Posted by Patrick Bywater on

One of the things we at Liberty Trading we do on a regular basis is to seek out new products from existing suppliers and just as importantly to find new suppliers so that we can expand the range and find unique items for our customers.

When trying to find new suppliers, we search through the internet, we attend trade shows in the UK and overseas, we research popular products from other sellers to find the manufacturers and so on.  Very occasionally new suppliers approach us...  if it were so easy all the time!

Myself and Justin (e-commerce manager and head buyer) have just finished our second day at the NEC.  When I left home yesterday morning my wife and children all wished me well and hope that I have a good time.  I wished myself luck....

Day 1

We started in the the gift hall (Hall 5) this is the size of around 2 football pitches.  The hall has stalls set out in rows A to M, with a manufacturer / supplier place every 10 meters or so. 

We started in good spirits, chatting freely to some of our good and regular suppliers, Spike Wholesale, Ancestors of Dover, Sunlover, Nemisis Now, Whitehouse Leisure.

We also placed some new orders with new, potentially exciting suppliers that we will start to see product form this autumn in time for Christmas.  The Globe Company (they sell globes..  I like suppliers that make things easy for us!), Mayer Chess (our range of hand painted and unique chess pieces is going to increase, we are excited about that), Intelex group (some great snuggle products that can be warmed in a microwave), Spiral Direct (see the Zombie that attacked us!), and Gringo fairtrade.

At 6pm, the hall seemed very quiet, all of the other buyers had gone home, we trudged out and found an exciting supplier..

 

Day 2

After a full English breakfast, we continued from hall 4 onwards...  Our enthusiasm was a little dulled as out feet ached and our brains were not as sharp as the day before.  However, we founds some exciting new suppliers...  stock to be revealed  *air filled bed is a clue!").   We trudged, talked and found our way to hall 1...

Lets hope we have done our best by the Liberty Trading crew,,

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