Dec 5, 2013

‘Wicked Good’ Gifts & Unique Home Accents: New Hall Location, Expanded Selection Headline March 23-26, 2014 Boston Gift Show

As New England’s largest, most important gift show, the Boston Gift Show is the leading source of “wicked good” gifts, unique home accents and new product resources for retailers across the region. Relocating to Hall A at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, the March 23-26, 2014 edition offers New England retailers an opportunity to explore the best mix of products and services in a convenient, relaxed and cost effective environment.

Among the highlights for the March 2014 Boston Gift Show:

Different Hall Location – The Boston Gift Show will move to Hall A inside the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center for the March 23-26, 2014 edition. Hall A is easily accessible from the main Summer Street entrance through the North Lobby. Urban Expositions will provide courtesy shuttles during regular show hours from the South Hall parking lot entrance to the Summer Street/Hall A entrance. Buyers can also access the Hall A entrance through the Westin Boston Waterfront sky bridge, which is connected to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.

Deeply Discounted Hotel Rates for Buyers Starting at $96 – Urban Expositions will be buying down the rates of the show’s already discounted hotel rooms to offer buyers significant savings at hotels conveniently located near the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Retailers can take advantage of these low rates by contacting Urban Expositions official housing company Connections at 855-246-URBAN (8722) or by visiting the travel section of the show site, www.bostongiftshow.com.

Expanded Selection – The well-established Boston Gift Show already offers a wide and diverse product selection conveniently categorized into the Gifts Etc., Souvenir Source, Handcrafted, Made in New England, and Treasures to Go (immediate delivery) sections. Among the initiatives for March 2014, Urban Expositions is working to expand the show’s overall selection, with special emphasis on the Souvenir and Made in New England sections.

Introducing Treasures To Go – Urban Expositions will introduce a new product category to the show floor in March, Treasures to Go, will feature a vast selection of jewelry, fashion accessories and other treasures available for immediate delivery to the trade.

Goody Bag Giveaway – The first 100 stores to arrive at the show on Sunday, March 23 and Monday, March 24 will receive a special tote bag filled with product from many of the show’s exhibitors.

Free Freight Monday – Many exhibitors will be offering free freight on orders placed on Monday, March 24 only. A complete list of exhibitors will be available at the show registration desk.

Parking Rebate – Boston Gift Show buyers will be reimbursed up to $5 for their parking fee. Buyers will need to present their show badge and parking receipt at the special rebate desk located inside the exhibit hall.

Free Buyer Services and Amenities – Boston Gift Show buyers are invited to enjoy free continental breakfast and complimentary refreshments each day in the buyers’ lounge. In addition, they will also benefit from an expanded buyer educational program featuring a number of free seminars throughout the show.

BOSTON GIFT SHOW SEMINAR PROGRAM:

SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2014

Creating In-Store Excitement

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Presented by National Association of Retail Buyers (NARB)

Angela Dalby, co-founder, NARB, will share retail success stories and discuss practical ways to create successful in-store excitement that will keep you guests shopping and returning for more.

MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2014

Your Perfect Social Media Fit

10:30 am -11:30 am | Presented by SnapRetail

Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? Pinterest? YouTube? There are so many to pick from, with new social media sites added continually. Which should you use to engage with customers and drive sales? Attend this informative session to learn which social media sites work best for your store type and target audience.

60 Creative Store Promotions in 60 Minutes

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm | Presented by Patricia Norins, publisher, Gift Shop Magazine

Store promotions and events are a creative and effective marketing tool to help you drive more traffic and sales. Retail expert and publisher of Gift Shop Magazine and Specialty Retail Report, Patricia Norins, will reveal exciting new strategies aimed at giving your customers fun and interesting reasons to frequent your store and spend more money.

Implement a “Buy Local” Campaign and Boost Business

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Presented by Patricia Norins, publisher, Gift Shop Magazine

Buy local campaigns have the proven ability to drive more store traffic and profits for independent retailers. And, consumers are embracing this new “buy local” movement as a way to support the businesses that are a vital part of the community. Join Patricia Norins, Publisher of Gift Shop Magazine and spokesperson for Small Business Saturday, to learn proven techniques for implementing a “buy local” campaign in your store. Attendees will receive a complimentary one-year subscription to Gift Shop Magazine ($30 value) and a “Shop Local” store window cling.

In addition to the full Boston Gift Show seminar program, SnapRetail will be hosting a Customer Forum during the show as well. Scheduled for Sunday, March 23 from 8:30 – 11 am, the program is open to all SnapRetail customers and those interested in learning more about SnapRetail services. Complimentary breakfast provided. During the customer forum, Snap Retail experts will provide information on the latest features and best practices to help customers make the most of their subscription.

SHOW HOURS

Sunday, March 23: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm

Monday, March 24: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm

Tuesday, March 25: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm

Wednesday, March 26: 9:30 am – 2:00 pm

EXHIBITOR/ATTENDEE INFORMATION

For more information on exhibiting, contact show director Erica Davidson at 678.370.0347 or edavidson@urban-expo.com or sales manager Russ Turner at 678.370.0350 or rturner@urban-expo.com. For information on attending, contact Cece Lee at 678.831.457678.370.0332 or clee@urban-expo.com

ABOUT URBAN EXPOSITIONS

Urban Expositions is the largest gift, airport retail and souvenir trade show organizer in the U.S., hosting a total of 32 shows each year. In January of 1996, Urban Expositions launched the semi-annual Philadelphia Gift Show, which has become one of the largest and most successful regional gift events in the nation. Since then, the company has continued to grow through acquisitions and new show development. Based in Kennesaw, GA, Urban Expositions offers a complete roster of trade show management services, including exhibit sales and marketing, operations, exhibitor/ attendee promotions and services, media relations, seminar and event coordination, database development and management. For more information, visit www.urban-expo.com or call 800.318.2238.