The Product Road Show
From Orlando to Dallas to Las Vegas, HBSDealer editors have been following the business where it takes us on the coop and distributor buying show circuit.
From thousands of stories, here is the skinny on seven.
For the second straight convention, Ace Hardware had an aisle of mini-celebrities, successful contestants on the “Shark Tank” reality TV show. Wheeler-dealer Lori Greiner couldn’t make it, but her stable of inventors drew a crowd.
Salesmen at Grabber Construction Products were introducing themselves to True Value dealers at their Reunion in Dallas. A big part of the story is the non-slip LOK Drive head.
What’s old is new again. The team at Dial displayed a trending Pinterest topic — the combination of classic 20 Mule Team Borax, with Fels-Naptha and Arm & Hammer washing soda, produces a homemade laundry soap for frugal living.
Vintage sodas are making a strong showing at all of the buying shows. Shown here at the Orgill event in Orlando, brands such as Route 66, Nesbitt’s Orange and even Choc-Ola are rocking the shelves.
Oftentimes, a familiar product will take on a new relationship. Here at the Orgill show, Snapper was introduced as a vendor partner.
Merchandising matters. A Wellington mutlipurpose rope display optimizes an endcap at the True Value Reunion. The combination of new products, new programs and merchandising techniques is getting close attention as a holistic trend across the entire trade show circuit.
Ace thinks it has a winner with its Home Plus entry-price-point brand. It’s moving on to more products, and moving into the impulse area.