Hyve adds 'Connect' initiative to "transform the future of trade shows"

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Feb 14, 2023

Hyve Group’s UK Autumn Fair is to launch Connect @ Autumn Fair with the event organiser claiming the digitalised meeting system will “revolutionise the traditional trade show model”.

Offering a “transformational new approach to buying”, and endorsed by major UK retailers including John Lewis, it aims to “connect retailers and brands on a scale never achieved before”.

From September, Connect @ Autumn Fair will “lead the way for the retail community” and “transform the buying experience” by setting up thousands of buying meetings before the 3-6 September show opens. 

It aims to connect thousands of the UK’s leading buyers and retailers with all 600+ Autumn Fair exhibitors before the event.

Powered by “cutting-edge but easy-to-use technology”, it will allow exhibitors to create leads, orders, and opportunities with buyers, “turning chance meetings into guaranteed connections,” we’re told. 

Over 6,000 meetings are anticipated to take place at Autumn Fair, each one is 15 minutes long and all are ‘double opt-in’, meaning both parties have agreed to meet.

They take place on the stand, “so buyers can explore the full product range”. Buyers can participate in as many double opt-in 15-minute meetings as they like, limited only by availability and mutual interest. If more than 15 minutes is required, a follow-up meeting can be arranged at or after the show, noted Hyve.

Nicola Meadows, Portfolio Director at Spring & Autumn Fair said: “This is the biggest investment we have ever made in Spring & Autumn Fair’s history. 

“Buyer’s time is precious and justifying time away from the retailing space has never been harder. Connect @ Autumn Fair changes all this. Visiting a trade show should not be about chance; buyers can now source and plan their time at the show in advance, and know they are meeting suppliers that will meet their needs.
She added: “With access to extensive information on every exhibitor and product category, from origin and sustainability credentials to pricing and minimum order values, retailers will be able to pre-select meetings with brands whose products most suit their needs.”