Another new year off to a great start! While we know the marketplace has been soft, there has been an almost pre-pandemic vibe to the activity already in 2024. Traffic at shows was good and suppliers brought their A game. Smart retailers were out getting ready for when consumer buying ramps up.
The winter months, January in particular, are indeed a whirlwind. You see so much, hear so much, touch so much that by the end of the month, even with standouts across all product categories, it’s hard to remember all the fine details. FCW’s editors continue to craft stories from the shows — there was a lot to take in.
In the face of what can be information overflow, it’s important to be reminded of the products that can help drive sales on your selling floor this year and connect again with your valued partners. That’s where FCW’s New Product Showcase comes into play. It takes you through some of the shows’ standouts and reconnects you with the supplier and their latest introductions — and trust me, there were many meaningful things to see whether you were in Dallas, Las Vegas or Atlanta, for example.
I came away from show season having seen offerings that held new innovations that will impact what your customer can be promised. Performance attributes such as dent and scratch proof properties along with resistance to water and holding up to active family traffic. Some of these attributes have become the cost of entry so it is important to really get to know what is available.
And make no mistake, there are also offerings that have stunning visuals with each collection made with intent. There were stories to tell too. In these pages, you will be reminded some of the show- stopping products introduced at winter markets.
We’ve made refreshing and reconnecting with what you saw and heard easy. Or, maybe you are seeing a product for the first time. The QR tags inside the New Product Showcase are a simple way to review, renew and get ready for the return of a robust market.