10 reasons why you should be attending virtual trade shows

Virtual trade shows were introduced to the retail community at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as a powerful alternative to traditional wholesale markets. Buyers can attend these seasonal online events to shop from thousands of wholesale brands and enjoy flexible payment terms that allow them to discover new lines.  

Today, virtual trade shows continue to be a popular option for retailers looking to stock their shelves and make new connections from home. Read on to learn how virtual trade shows like Faire Markets work, the difference between buying from a Faire Market and browsing the online marketplace, and 10 benefits of the virtual trade show format.   

What is a virtual trade show? 

Virtual trade shows such as Faire Markets are similar to traditional trade shows that take place in person at large venues such as convention centers, hotels, and fairgrounds. The goal in either case is to connect brands with retailers who are looking for products like theirs to delight their customers. The main difference is that virtual trade shows are held online so anyone with an internet connection can attend. Brands still showcase their products and expand their wholesale customer base, but they do so with digital booths, virtual catalogs, and special online discounts. Meetings with leads and new customers still take place, but they are arranged through video calls, live chat, and digital presentations rather than by shaking hands and meeting in person. 

Some other key differences between virtual and in-person trade shows are the interactive features that may be available, the global potential, the ease of lead generation, and the low cost of attendance. Retailers may be able to attend Q&A sessions or product demos in the virtual environment, brands can potentially reach buyers across the globe since they don’t have to physically travel to the venue, and it’s easy to collect contact information through online forms. You can do all this without the costs of travel, hotels, meals out at restaurants, and other related expenses.  

How is a Faire Market different from browsing the Faire Marketplace?

Every day of the year, retailers can shop from over 100,000 unique brands in Faire’s online wholesale marketplace with free returns and 60-day payment terms for eligible retailers. So what makes a Faire Market different? For starters, a Faire Market provides access to industry leaders and insights all in one place so you can discover the latest retail insights from our industry partners, trend forecasters, and merchandising experts without leaving your shop or home. Unlike traditional trade shows, there’s no need to step away from your day-to-day business to join the thousands of retailers and brands who come together at these digital events. 

But what makes a Faire Market truly unique is the access to special deals and discounts. Our online trade shows feature brands’ best deals of the season, and we match all discounts up to 5%, so you can save more money and brands can make more sales. Our past Faire Market events have saved retailers more than $104 million and created more than 727,000 new relationships between brands and retailers. 

What are the benefits of a virtual trade show?

If you’ve never attended one before, you might be wondering, “Are virtual trade shows worth it?” There are many benefits of attending trade shows virtually compared with the traditional, in-person format. Read on for all the ways that virtual trade shows can benefit your business—and don’t forget to check out our next Faire Market this summer.

1. Fewer overhead costs

In-person trade shows can be expensive. The cost of travel and accommodation when attending trade shows contributes to the overhead of your retail business. Instead, use the budget that’s typically earmarked for travel on stocking your shelves with the products your customers will love.

It’s free for retailers to create an account with Faire, and it’s also free for both brands and retailers to attend our virtual trade show events. Skip the travel and shop from home.

2. More buying, less hassle

On top of the cost, traveling to trade shows on a seasonal basis to stock up on merchandise can be a hassle and take you away from the important day-to-day operations of your business. With virtual trade show platforms, all you need is an internet connection to do your buying. You can do your wholesale buying anytime, anywhere. Browse from thousands of brands without having to leave your shop or home.

3. The best deals and discounts

At Faire’s virtual markets, brands offer exclusive promotions like discounts and free shipping. In addition, we match discounts on thousands of products, giving retailers access to exclusive pricing and allowing brands to offer steeper discounts and no additional cost. Our past events have helped retailers save over $12 million. 

4. Connect with new brands from around the world

Virtual trade shows allow you to expand your network significantly, giving you the ability to connect with brands around the world. The global nature of online trade shows allows you to form new and lasting relationships with brands you might otherwise miss. 

At the summer 2023 Faire Market, for example, more than 90,000 new business relationships between brands and retailers were formed. The following summer, that number went up to more than 110,000. 

5. Data-driven product discovery

At virtual trade shows, you can browse thousands of brands at your leisure online. Discovering new products is simple and powered by smart, easy-to-use technology. Search for products using a variety of criteria and values—like eco-friendly, premium contemporary, and handmade—to find your next bestseller.

Faire’s powerful data-driven algorithm surfaces products based on known bestsellers as well as your personal preferences as a retailer. The product recommendations you receive are tailored based on what you browse and buy on Faire, ensuring you a custom experience. 

6. Seamless relationship management

Forget about keeping track of business cards—you can easily contact a brand on Faire if you have questions about products or if you need to follow up on an order. Plus, you can reference all of your orders and download invoices from the same portal online. 

7. Plan your buying ahead of time

Virtual markets allow retailers to get a glimpse of the attending brands prior to the event so you can start planning your shopping early. Rather than being overwhelmed with hundreds of booths to visit in a short span of time, virtual trade shows take away the stress and allow you to browse products from new brands ahead of time.

8. Seasonal and year-round purchasing

Many virtual trade show platforms also offer marketplace shopping year-round.

Faire is the industry-leading platform that offers both seasonal online trade shows and 24/7 wholesale buying. You can discover your new favorite brands at Faire virtual markets and then continue ordering from them year-round—anywhere, anytime. 

9. Safe, distanced buying

Virtual trade shows allow brands and retailers to connect from a safe distance, and video tools provide retailers the opportunity to view firsthand how products look and work if they can’t see them in person. These tools will continue to redefine how businesses can connect with customers.

10. Exclusive early access for Faire Insiders

At Faire virtual trade shows, members of Insider—Faire’s membership program—are often offered one day of exclusive early access to market specials. At our upcoming Faire Market, Insiders will be able to exclusively shop market specials starting on January 22, 2024. 

Learn more about Insider for US retailers in the Help Center.

How can retailers and brands prepare for a virtual trade show?

There are a few things you can do to prepare for a virtual trade show, whether you’re sourcing merchandise for your retail business or representing your brand on the wholesale market.  

Retailers: 

It’s important to have an idea of what you’re looking for, set a reasonable budget, and be ready to develop new relationships with brands. This is your opportunity to try out new items for your shop with special deals and discounts that make it easier to experiment, so think outside the box as you shop.

Brands: 

Invest in your virtual “booth” by strategically representing your products and your brand story. Here are some things to consider as you prepare: 

• Take advantage of any available features such as GIFs or HTML5 banners that event organizers may offer.
• Use high-resolution images of your products, create a consistent look and feel for the products you’re featuring, and make sure all your links are working.
• You may want to offer downloadable content to help retailers better understand your products.
• Set up virtual meetings with new customer leads. Your reps should be prepared to answer retailer questions, and you might want to prepare some messaging in advance.
• Be sure to keep track of all those new leads in one place, such as a CRM system.   

Ready to join in? We hope you’ll join us at the next Faire Market and start making new connections.