The first day of the Action Sports Retailer show in San Diego opened notably more somber than the ASR Fall show. The reduction in the size of the show is immediately apparent: the show occupies probably 60% of the floor space compared to the fall 2008 show. The mood in the seminars and panel discussions has been similar: gloomy, with a strong emphasis on basics.

At the first seminar, “Thinking Outside the Box: Staying Relevant in This Market” the four panelist returned repeatedly to marketing basics, admonishing retailers and brands to:

• Identify a market niche for the company
• Differentiate the company from its competitors
• Develop a vision statement and market position statement
• Review the store’s entire inventory and jettison products that are not performing
• Develop a connection to their customers and their community

The second seminar, “10 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Website”  told a similar story for online marketing: businesses need to be aware of basic website design, SEO and email marketing.  Those that do not will be at a significant competitive disadvantage. 

Several manufacturers and consultants talked about manufacturers’  frustration with retailers because too many retailers don’t manage their businesses well. Too few retailers have POS systems, understand inventory management and Open To Buy planning or have websites. The consultants and other commenters expect that many of these retailers will not survive the downturn, leaving the recovery to those retailers that have developed these basic business skills. 

The messages is that retailers and brands that will survive the downturn are those the have strong fundamental business and marketing practices, and all businesses would be wise to focus on the fundamentals now, before they run into trouble.

With its origins in the women’s apparel show that was founded in 1988, WWIN"WomensWear in Nevada"has grown into a destination show with a solid influence in the women’s apparel market. We spoke with Jeff Yunis, president and owner of Miami-based Specialty Trade Shows, which operates WWIN, to find out what makes WWIN unique and how retailers should prepare before attending the show.

WWIN is one of five shows that Yunis organizes with his business partner Roland Timney. Each show focuses on a different type of apparel; WWIN hosts women’s apparel in missy and plus sizes, with an emphasis on smaller manufacturers.  

WWIN is designed for independent retailers. WWIN vendors sell smaller brands that are unique and sell well in boutiques. The vendors are prepared to take orders for immediate delivery and to ship with smaller minimum orders. WWIN attendees remark that the show is both more business-oriented and more comfortable than many other shows. Yunis attributes that to his emphasis on customer service, his ability to meet the different needs of WWIN buyers, and the free breakfasts and lunches. 

Because WWIN has a higher proportion of buyers that are independent retailers, WWIN vendors are more often writing orders for immediate delivery. Shows that cater to larger retailers are likely to have a buyer " a dedicated buyer, not the owner of a store " review the new lines and ask questions, making the purchase later as part of a detailed business decision. Independent retailers like to buy closer to the season, which WWIN vendors understand and expect.

You can sense the difference the type of buyer makes in the atmosphere of the show. Larger shows like MAGIC have huge (and expensive) booths, some of which host their own fashion shows. The Project shows have simpler, smaller booths for small vendors, but the showroom floor is studded with bars and dancing girls. Larger booths at Project look like multi-level dance clubs. Both environments have a strong element of theater. It’s clear that presenting an image is an important part of these shows.

WWIN, however, is composed of pipe-and-drape booths and has the hush of a library, with rows of people sitting and writing orders. There is no music, no dancing, and no alcohol, but there is clearly a lot of business going on, and the environment is much more serious and subdued. 

A small vendor who has shown at several shows, Georgina Estefania, describes the same situation a bit differently in a blog post at Fashion-Incubator.com: at WWIN a higher proportion of buyers are active, dedicated buyers. MAGIC has much more traffic, but it is easier for non-buyers to attend. With out the extravagant booths and major labels, WWIN is much less interesting for non-buyers, so the show has very few non-buyers.  

Another factor in attracting buyers is whether the show has a narrow or wide range of products. Larger shows have a broad range of products, while a show with a more specific focus will necessarily be smaller. Because WWIN vendors are largely aimed at missy and plus sizes, vendors who sell to that market will find a very high portion of the buyers looking for those products. 

Estefania also mentions the organizer’s honesty. As a vendor, Estefania worked with Timney; Yunis works primarily with buyers and the hotel. But both partners share a traditional view of customer service, attending to basic needs and providing special perks, and that attention has kept them popular through the years: despite the grim economic climate, WWIN is sold out for February 2009. 

This year there will be seminars and a few companies that can address the specific needs of smaller retailers, including a credit card company that can help with business credit and a buying service that is popular with longtime WWIN buyers. Another popular feature of WWIN: the vendors’ products line the walkways, reception area, and walls outside the halls on wire-frame “grids”. Buyers can get a preview of the products on their way in, making it much easier for buyers to connect with the right vendors. 

As a special perk to address the economic downturn this year, WWIN secured special discounts from many of the vendors. Buyers will find deep discounts, about 50% off, on 80 items in every category. 

Yunis offers the following advice for retailers who are new to WWIN:

• Don’t be rushed; plan to spend a few days at the show. 
• Bring business cards and some financial information to indicate your credit-worthiness. 
• Many vendors will expect unfamiliar buyers to pay with a credit card. 
• Dress professionally; business casual is OK. 
• Know your budget. Open-to-buy planning is especially helpful. 

During the first two days of the show, vendors will be busy with appointments. Retailers should make appointments with the vendors they know they want to visit and plan on visiting new vendors during the last two days. 

If you will be attending WWIN this year, either as a vendor or a buyer, Retailing Together staff would enjoy meeting you and hearing your feedback on the show.

Update: See this post at Fashion Incubator for links to many other posts about trade shows and trade show trip reports.