ATLANTA -- As the Atlanta International Area Rug Market was in its final days, many exhibitors were busy confirming plane reservations, arranging for products to be shipped on to their next destination, confirming appointments -- in other words, preparing for the next installment of the summer trade show circuit: Las Vegas Market.
With less than three weeks between the two shows it makes perfect sense to question if it's really necessary to have a presence at both. Indeed, the rug manufacturers queried by RugNews.com who do invest in showroom space in both locations, say it is. Whether it's to reach a different type of retail customer, maintain a regional presence or to showcase a different range of products, participating in both Atlanta and Vegas helps these vendors gain access to a wider swath of business.
"I don't see any conflict between Atlanta and Vegas," said Tanuj Gupta, president of Amer Rugs. "If you don't see customers in Atlanta, you'll get them in Vegas. The bad thing is, you'll get exhausted!"
Capel Rugs has been a part of Las Vegas market since its inception, and at the upcoming fair will unveil a new, more prominent showroom space. "We feel like we need to be there for the 13 westernmost states that don't come to High Point or Atlanta," noted Cameron Capel, vice president, national accounts.
"There is very little overlap between the two customer bases of each show," concludes Amir Loloi, principal of Loloi Rugs. "Vegas is more West Coast regional and more international from south of the border and Canada. It's not one versus the other: we get all kinds of customers at both shows."
"The Las Vegas Market really pulls in the furniture retailer and the interior designers," said Jonathan Witt, senior vice president, Oriental Weavers. "[In Atlanta] it's more rug dealers and gift or accessories retailers. Of course, you also have an East Coast/West Coast situation."
Giovanni Marra, director of marketing and digital strategy for Nourison Home, agrees. "In Vegas, we have a lot of potential for new customers. The market draws more traffic from rug and furniture buyers, and it's done a nice job in really pulling in additional traffic."
At Dynamic Rugs, Matthew Rouhanian, president, added that he sees more e-commerce customers in Atlanta, and more of the international segment in Vegas.
And some players even see a difference in the value of the orders they write between the shows.
"We will write more business in Vegas," said Steve Mazarakis, vice president at Linon Home Decor Products. "I'll see some of the big guys there, customers who don't come to Atlanta. And we do business with a lot of the furniture stores that go to Vegas."
But Marra of Nourison Home noted that sales in Atlanta are more profitable. "There isn't as much traffic [at the Atlanta market] but we'll write bigger orders. There's more demand [in Atlanta] for the high end."
The types of products that the attendees are interested in also differs between the two shows.
Said Oriental Weavers' Witt, "In Atlanta, we see more of a focus on higher-end hand knots and antique rugs."
THE QUEST FOR NEWNESS
While most product introductions are mirrored both in Atlanta and Vegas, some manufacturers try to hold back a few debuts for the second show.
"Some buyers come to both, and even if it's two to three weeks later, they still want to see something new," said Rouhanian of Dynamic Rugs. He added that typically his product team will hold back a few items to debut at Vegas.
Ali Momeni, principal of Momeni Rugs, said that the buyers at Vegas seem trendier and more liberal. "This affects the way we display, and what we focus on," he commented. In Vegas, Momeni will highlight its more contemporary offerings prominently, while the more traditional designs are more in the spotlight at the Atlanta market.
All differences aside, as retailers and exhibitors countdown the days to the start of the Vegas market on July 31, they're looking forward to a successful show.
"We're expecting good things for Vegas, says Blake Dennard, senior vice president of Kaleen. "We feel very positively about that show."