Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
It was a busy few days at the Sands Expo Convention Center in Las Vegas, as retailers from all over the world gathered for the Orgill Fall Dealer Market, which was held Aug. 23-25.
With a record number of retailer attendees, and a record number of vendors exhibiting at the show, the halls stayed busy. Orgill customers took advantage of special Market-only pricing, searched for new products, attended a number of educational clinics and workshops and learned all about Orgill’s many programs and services.
“The show’s going very well,” says Ben Mott of Mott Wholesale Inc. in Spurger, Texas. “We’re checking out all the new products, and we’ve already gone through the concept stores and left with some good ideas.”
A Busy Show Floor
There was plenty for retailers to see across 1 million square feet of show floor, which was spread out over two levels and included more than 2,000 vendor booths, two concept stores, multiple product showcases, U.S. and Canadian promotional areas and the Orgill Services area. This area was where retailers could learn more about the many programs and services Orgill offers, and it was also home to the Learning Center, where there were a variety of educational opportunities throughout the three days of the show.
“We’re working on growing our business, so we are spending some time learning about all the different programs Orgill offers,” says Vicki Russell of Reeves Azle Hardware in Azle, Texas. “Orgill really wants you to succeed. It’s not just you buying from them—they’re your partner. I really like that.”
At the Orgill Fall Dealer Market, there was a number of Product Showcases, which highlight the breadth of product Orgill offers in particular categories. This Dealer Market included the following Showcases:
- Spring Is Here
- Worldwide Sourcing
- LED Commercial ReLamp Program
- Winter Goods
- 2019 Grill Program
- Construction Fasteners
- Smart Start
- Plumbing & Electrical
- Impulse
A Successful Concept
At each Dealer Market, Orgill provides retailers the opportunity to browse through full-size model stores, which offer a number of suggestions for store layout, product selection and merchandising techniques.
One of the model stores in Las Vegas was Green River Hardware & Garden, an 18,000-square-foot store that housed about 30,000 SKUs. It offered a number of space-saving solutions for any retailer interested in expanding their inventory without having to increase the size of their store.
The product selection in this model store included a fall/winter set and a Christmas program. Core departments were lawn and garden, outdoor living, hand and power tools, fasteners and paint.
The second model store was the 11,500-square-foot Cider Mill Home Centre, which made its debut at the show. It was 100-percent Canadian-compliant and featured a home center product selection.
Cider Mill Home Centre included a featured power aisle that ran straight to the service counter at the back of the store, making it easy for customers to know where to go to find assistance. The queue-style checkout had seasonal and promotional displays available for customers to see while they waited in the checkout line.
Learning Opportunities
The Learning Center in the Orgill Services area in the center of the Market floor was home to a number of free workshops and seminars during all three days of the show. Classes covered a number of topics, including e-commerce, social media, finances, leadership and more.
Orgill’s Spring 2019 Dealer Market will be held Feb. 21-23, 2019, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.
