8 Steps to Shop Like a Local
People travel from all over the world to shop High Point Market and there are so many incredible vendors and showrooms to explore on top of making sure you get everything done on your agenda.
What if you only have 2 days to shop HP Market? We’re here to guide you!
8 Steps To Shop Market Like A Local
- Know Your Goals, Prioritize & Plan Ahead It is definitely important to plan ahead and accept that you can’t see absolutely everything. That’s where prioritizing comes into play. Create a priority list in advance. For instance are you looking for trends, shopping upholstery for clients, or looking for accessories and artwork? Knowing what’s the most important to you and structuring your days around those tasks will be crucial. It is easy to get distracted, trust us, we’ve been there. This is why the key to success is to constantly review your list to stay on task! With any luck, hopefully you’ll have time at the end of the day to do some exploring!
2. Plan Transportation You should think about your transportation plan and know the location of your destinations ahead of time. HP Market authority offers maps, pocket guides, and great resources online so you don’t have to waste time standing around High Point trying to figure out where to go.
3. Shop By Location & Building Shop showrooms that are close together in the same day instead of bouncing back and forth. For example, if you’re shopping for accessories and trends, spend the majority of your day in the IHFC building. If you’re looking for upholstery, visit the showrooms on North Hamilton. Saving this bouncing back and forth time will be beneficial to you.
4. Make Appointments If you tend to wander or get side tracked, making appointments with showrooms may be a good idea. No need to look for a representative because you will already be on their calendar and most representatives will appreciate this! It may seem obvious, but definitely take advantage of every opportunity to have snacks and drinks that showrooms offer! This can alleviate having to stop shopping for food later.
5. Digitally Document Take lots of pictures of products and their tags- this is so much quicker than writing on a notepad. Then, once you get home, you can organize your photos of products, prices, etc. by project or client rather than shuffling through notes. For sure bring a portable charger for your phone and camera. There is nothing worse than trying to waste time finding an outlet or taking a break to charge devices!
6. Travel Light Try to travel light so you can get around easier and faster. Ask reps. to mail you catalogs/brochures/order receipts instead of trying to carry everything with you during your 2 days. That way, everything will be delivered to you by the time you’re home.
7. Minimize Distractions Be sure to put an “away” message up on your email so you don’t have to worry about checking emails and attending to other projects during the day. This can be a time suck having your inbox ding! Focus on your shopping tasks and try not to get distracted with what is going on at home. You can let your clients know in advance you will be traveling and out of reach. Don’t worry or fret if you don’t have a chance to see everything. You can always search #hpmkt hashtags on instrgram and blogs to see what the buzz is about. Also, remember market is 2 times a year, not every showroom has a lot of new product every market. If you normally only have 2 days per market, switch it up so you are visiting different showrooms each time. This will help prevent you from seeing things you have already seen in the past.
8. Utilize Your Resources Don’t obsess or take too much time searching for one item. Having trouble finding that perfect sofa or piece of art? Utilize showroom representatives to your advantage! Tell them exactly what you are looking for and ask them to help you find it. Entire product lines may not be shown, as most companies are tight on display space. If you are wanting to see a specific item in person, it is worth asking a rep. in advance if they plan to show it at market. Don’t assume entire product lines will be shown.
We’re all about being productive, but also having fun! 2 day market trips are absolutely doable and with these tips and tricks, you’ll be ready to tackle HP Market.
Enjoy discovering HPMKT!
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