Markets for the Decorating Trade
As you build your business, there will come a time when shopping at Home Goods or other retail sources is simply not enough. After all, although you are paid for your time, you make no money on the product, unless your pricing structure is retail plus. Decorating and Staging can both benefit by the addition of an inventory at your fingertips or connections to great vendor resources which will allow you to be able to build in a profit margin on products. There are many wholesale vendors who are decorator friendly and have smaller minimums to fit your business model. The best place to find them…at a tradeshow or market, in a variety of places around the country.
Shop until you drop at AmericasMart!
Most markets will happen at least 2 times a year, and each will have specific parameters for you to have the freedom to shop wholesale. First and foremost is some type of business ID such as a sales tax number. Check the show or Mart you want to attend for their guidelines. In most cases, you will be writing orders for your inventory and it will be shipped to you at your convenience. This is a great way for you to add profits to your business whether shopping for clients or buying inventory on speculation, hoping to resell it to future clients. If you offer staging, this is the perfect way to build inventory…but at wholesale, rent at retail.
This opportunity to buy wholesale may come through permanent locations such as AmericasMart in Atlanta or temporary shows around the country held in expo centers. Here is a list we found at Great Reps!
| 2010 – 2011 SHOWS | ||||
Show Name  |
Location |
Start/End Date |
Year | |
| Dallas Total Home & Gift Market | Dallas, TX | Jun 23 | Jun 29 | 2010 |
| Columbus MarketPlace Show | Columbus, OH | Jun 26 | Jun 29 | 2010 |
| Charlotte Gift & Jewelry Show | Charlotte, NC | Jun 26 | Jun 28 | 2010 |
| NASFT Summer Fancy Food Show | New York, NY | Jun 27 | Jun 29 | 2010 |
| Messe Frankfurt Tendence | Frankfurt, Germany | Jul 2 | Jul 6 | 2010 |
| GIFTEX | Tokyo, Japan | Jul 7 | Jul 9 | 2010 |
| Summer Holiday Show – Northeast Market Center | Billerica, MA | Jul 10 | Jul 14 | 2010 |
| L.A. Mart Gift Show | Los Angeles, CA | Jul 13 | Jul 19 | 2010 |
| Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market | Atlanta, GA | Jul 14 | Jul 21 | 2010 |
| California Gift Show | Los Angeles, CA | Jul 16 | Jul 19 | 2010 |
| Oasis Gift Show | Glendale, AZ | Jul 22 | Jul 24 | 2010 |
| Chicago Market: Living and Giving | Chicago, IL | Jul 22 | Jul 28 | 2010 |
| Western New York Gift Show | Henrietta, NY | Jul 24 | Jul 26 | 2010 |
| Orlando Gift Show | Orlando, FL | Jul 24 | Jul 27 | 2010 |
| Philadelphia Gift Show | King of Prussia, PA | Jul 25 | Jul 28 | 2010 |
| San Francisco International Gift Fair | San Francisco, CA | Jul 31 | Aug 3 | 2010 |
| Las Vegas Market | Las Vegas, NV | Aug 2 | Aug 6 | 2010 |
| Salt Lake Gift Show | Salt Lake City, UT | Aug 5 | Aug 7 | 2010 |
| The Gourmet Housewares Show | San Francisco, CA | Aug 7 | Aug 9 | 2010 |
| GTS Greensboro Show | Greensboro, NC | Aug 7 | Aug 9 | 2010 |
| Pittsburgh Gift Show | Pittsburgh, PA | Aug 7 | Aug 9 | 2010 |
| CGTA Gift Show | Toronto, Canada | Aug 8 | Aug 12 | 2010 |
| Las Vegas Gift Show | Las Vegas, NV | Aug 8 | Aug 11 | 2010 |
| New York HomeTextiles Show | New York, NY | Aug 13 | Aug 19 | 2010 |
| Minneapolis Gift Show | Minnetonka, MN | Aug 13 | Aug 17 | 2010 |
| New York International Gift Fair | New York, NY | Aug 14 | Aug 19 | 2010 |
| Indian Handicrafts & Gift Fair | New Delhi, India | Aug 15 | Aug 18 | 2010 |
| Summer Gift & Home Accessories Show | Seattle, WA | Aug 18 | Aug 24 | 2010 |
| Denver Gift, Jewelry & Resort Show | Denver, CO | Aug 19 | Aug 24 | 2010 |
| Columbus MarketPlace Show | Columbus, OH | Aug 20 | Aug 24 | 2010 |
| Tupelo Furniture Market | Tupelo, MS | Aug 20 | Aug 22 | 2010 |
| Seattle Gift Show | Seattle, WA | Aug 21 | Aug 24 | 2010 |
| Buyers Market of American Craft | Baltimore, MD | Aug 23 | Aug 25 | 2010 |
| Maison & Objet | Paris, France | Sep 3 | Sep 7 | 2010 |
| International Autumn Fair | Birmingham, UK | Sep 5 | Sep 8 | 2010 |
| Tokyo International Gift Show | Tokyo, Japan | Sep 7 | Sep 10 | 2010 |
| Atlanta Fall Gift and Home Furnishings Market | Atlanta, GA | Sep 11 | Sep 13 | 2010 |
| Dallas Total Home & Gift Market | Dallas, TX | Sep 11 | Sep 13 | 2010 |
| Chicago Market: Living and Giving | Chicago, IL | Sep 20 | Sep 22 | 2010 |
| Las Vegas Gift & Resort Merchandise Show | Las Vegas, NV | Sep 22 | Sep 24 | 2010 |
| Charlotte Gift & Jewelry Show | Charlotte, NC | Sep 25 | Sep 27 | 2010 |
| GTS Greensboro Show | Greensboro, NC | Oct 2 | Oct 4 | 2010 |
| ABC Kids Expo | Las Vegas, NV | Oct 10 | Oct 13 | 2010 |
| New York Tabletop Show | New York, NY | Oct 12 | Oct 15 | 2010 |
| International Home Furnishings Market | High Point, NC | Oct 16 | Oct 21 | 2010 |
| IGES and The Souvenir Super Show | Sevierville, TN | Nov 3 | Nov 7 | 2010 |
| Showtime | Hight Point, NC | Dec 5 | Dec 8 | 2010 |
| Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market | Atlanta, GA | Jan 12 | Jan 19 | 2011 |
| NASFT Winter Fancy Food Show | San Francisco, CA | Jan 16 | Jan 18 | 2011 |
| Dallas Total Home & Gift Market | Dallas, TX | Jan 19 | Jan 25 | 2011 |
| Minneapolis Gift Show | Minnetonka, MN | Jan 21 | Jan 25 | 2011 |
| IDEX Premiere | Orlando, FL | Jan 26 | Jan 30 | 2011 |
| New York Home Textiles Show | New York, NY | Jan 28 | Feb 3 | 2011 |
| International Spring Fair | Birmingham, UK | Feb 6 | Oct 11 | 2011 |
| Messe Frankfurt Ambiente | Frankfurt, Germany | Feb 11 | Feb 15 | 2011 |
| American International Toy Fair | New York, NY | Feb 13 | Feb 16 | 2011 |
| Denver Gift, Jewelry & Resort Show | Denver, CO | Feb 24 | Mar 1 | 2011 |
| International Home & Houseware Show | Chicago, IL | Mar 6 | Mar 8 | 2011 |
| Atlanta Spring Gift and Home Furnishings Market | Atlanta, GA | Mar 12 | Mar 14 | 2011 |
| Dallas Total Home & Gift Market | Dallas, TX | Mar 24 | Mar 27 | 2011 |
| International Home Furnishings Market | High Point, NC | Apr 2 | Apr 7 | 2011 |
| National Stationery Show | New York, NY | May 15 | May 18 | 2011 |
| Showtime | High Point, NC | Jun 5 | Jun 8 | 2011 |