Top four furniture exhibitions in Guangzhou, Dongguan, Shenzhen and Shunde are grand events in furniture industry seem to get into embarrassing position in recent years. In the exhibition, there can be heard some voices from exhibitors and purchasers that complain the exhibition is worse and worse. With higher and higher of this voice, top four exhibitions begin to start a series of activities to save it, such as to enhance advertise at home and abroad, to invite stars to join, to invest more in hardware, to held different kinds of forums and so on, however this a series of activities can not push down such complaint. In order to attract more and more foreign guests, furniture exhibitions in Guangzhou, Dongguan and Shunde change their exhibition dates to September to evade vocation in Europe and America. However, is this change acclimated people’s mind or just do the organizers get the wrong massage? We just listen to different opinions from the exhibition.

    Organizer: Expect a Lot to Exhibition

    Shenzhen Furniture Fair, Dongguan Famous Furniture Fair, Guangzhou Furniture Fair and Longjiang Furniture Fair are always held in the same period, but now there are divided. While Shenzhen Furniture Fair is still held in August, Famous Furniture Fair and Guangzhou Furniture Fair change to hold in September, finally Longjiang Furniture Fair also changes to hold in September. On the choice of different exhibition period, each organizer has their hope and expectation. 

    The reason for Shenzhen International Furniture still holds in August is to make a high-quality platform that aims at domestic sales. The 23rd Shenzhen International Furniture Fair was held from August 19 to 22. Organizer thinks after State’s macro-economic policy changes, State’s foreign policy adjusts, State’s land policy tighten, new Labor Law implements and raw materials rises, RMB appreciates, to change in domestic market is a inevitable choice for enterprises. It meets its requirement for Shenzhen International Furniture Fair do not change the date, because it is more helpful for exhibitors to develop, to open domestic market, to enhance their name in domestic market and to promote market share.

    Expectation for Guangzhou Furniture Fair to change its date: to attract more foreign purchasers to come so as to bring more visitors and business opportunities for exhibitors. Guangzhou Furniture Fair always orients export, and their main purpose is to attract more foreign purchasers. European countries and America are used to have a vacation in August, in order to evade this vacation and attract more foreign guests, 2008 Fall Guangzhou Furniture Fair changes to hold in September 8-11. In addition, 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will be held in August, it will not convenience for foreign purchasers to get the visa that is the another reason for Guangzhou Furniture Fair to change its date. Organizer thinks to change the date to September is to evade vacation in Europe and America, to keep away from Olympic Games, which will attract more foreign purchasers to come.

    Expectation for Dongguan Famous Furniture Fair: to keep a balance between domestic sales and export. Comparing with Shenzhen International Furniture Fair aims at domestic sales and Guangzhou Furniture Fair emphasizes on export, Dongguan Famous Furniture Fair pays the same attention on domestic sales and export, who wants to find a balance between them. Finally they change it to September 6 to October 10 to hold Dongguan Famous Furniture Fair, and which reasons are the following two: one is in this August we would hold Olympic Games for the first time, and in the period of Olympic Games, Chinese people would pay more attention to it; if Dongguan Famous Furniture Fair is held in the same period, it can not attract more attentions. And the other reason is just like Guangzhou Furniture Fair, it evades vacation in Europe and America and to attract more foreign guests.

    For Shunde Longjiang Furniture Fair to change its date: to walk into international market. Due to affect by scope and transportation and other reasons, Longjiang Furniture Fair always can not match with Shenzhen International Furniture Fair, Guangzhou International Furniture Fair and Dongguan Famous Furniture Fair, especially for internationalization. However to help Shunde furniture enterprises to enter into international market is always a hope for them. Therefore to change exhibition period is also a necessary choice for Shunde Longjiang Furniture Fair.

    Exhibition: still booming but not prospect any more

    Due to affect by many factors, whole furniture industry faces severe situation from inside and outside, so as one of important marketing ways, exhibition is inevitable to be affected. Although named as “weather report for furniture industry”, top-four furniture fair organizers in Pearl River Delta said before the exhibition that they did not receive much effect. In Famous Furniture Fair (Dongguan), exhibitors are even hard to gain booths, and exhibitors also try their best to decorate their booths and let them look like beautiful and special. But the truth is the exhibition is still booming but not prospect any more.

    Shenzhen International Furniture Fair is the same as its magazine Shenzhen Furniture reports---very wonderful; in the same time the 4th Creative Forum of China Furniture Industry was held, the speeches said by enterprises leaders from Ikea, Hola, Redstar, Yuexing, Hoba have attracted thousands of people; unprecedented  Shenzhen design integrated exhibition attracts so many brand enterprises and franchisers with “Shenzhen Design”. “Design Integrated Exhibition” is initiated by Shenzhen International Furniture Fair in the history of China furniture development, and it has become a highlight in Shenzhen Furniture Fair; famous enterprises in Shenzhen furniture brand alliance and large brands such as Kuka, Metier, Shengruomeng all join to Shenzhen International Furniture Fair. However it is not grand any more. In former years, some exhibitors always use crowded to describe their booths, but now it can be seen any more. Foreign visitors are the fewest, one reporter who has reported Shenzhen Furniture Fair for many years made a joy that he can counted out all the foreign guests join this Shenzhen International Furniture Fair. From this exhibition, after being the single fair in that period, the international road for Shenzhen International Furniture Fair becomes narrower and narrower, and finally it is only for domestic sales.

    Organizer of Dongguan Famous Furniture Fair temporarily establishes the eighth and the ninth hall as usual, and the work there is also very smooth. It is said that the scope of this exhibition exceeds the former ones, there are over 830 exhibitors, which is more 50 exhibitors than the previous one. On the eve of the exhibition, International Famous Furniture Fair (Dongguan), it has held the grand ceremony named as “Along with You” that prepares well for it. Although there are more visitors comparing with Shenzhen International Furniture Fair, less visitors comparing with last exhibition. In the first two days, population flow is not bad for Guangzhou Furniture Fair does not open, but since the third day the whole hall is very free. Why more exhibitors enter Dongguan Famous Furniture Fair in such bad background, the main reason is those enterprises which focus on foreign market change to do domestic sales, and Dongguan has a lot of these kinds of enterprises, such as Taisheng, Yangchen, it is reasonable for them to choose to join Dongguan Famous Furniture Fair.

    In March 2008, Guangzhou International Furniture Fair attracted more than 2500 exhibitors, and the exhibition area was up to 450 thousand square meters, which has made a new record of the largest exhibition area in Asia. However in September, Guangzhou International Furniture Fair does not continue the myth in March, it just used seven halls in Section B of Pazhou Hall, and its area is just 130 thousand square meters that is the same as last year. Emphasizing on export, due to purchasing capability weakens in Europe and America for further affect by American subprime lending crisis and foreign purchasers are hard to get the visa during Beijing Paralympic Games, Guangzhou International Furniture Fair does not receive expected result.

    As the late comer of top-four furniture fair in Pearl River Delta, it is not very good for Longjiang Furniture Exhibition that aims at the second and the third brand in domestic market. Lots of first-line brand enterprises in Foshan are willing to join furniture exhibition in Dongguan, Guangzhou and Shanghai rather than participating Longjiang Furniture Fair that is nearby, it can see the bad situation of Longjiang Fair. Board Chairperson of China Furniture Association Jia Qingwen who has been to Shunde several times points out Shunde has held furniture exhibition for continuous several years, nowadays it is not only to find the opportunity for enterprises to get the orders, but also to build the information platform of matching service for insiders.

   Exhibitors: some are happy and some are sad

    Facing the situation of changing the date to September in Guangzhou, Dongguan and Longjiang, but Shenzhen furniture fair is still held in August, some exhibitors are happy and some are bad because of different emphasis points. In the Shenzhen Furniture Fair, reporter has interviewed Mr. Li who is a marketing director at one famous enterprise; Mr. Li said domestic-sales enterprises suffer a lot for top-four furniture fairs held by stage, in which Shenzhen Fair and Dongguan Fair have the most important influence in domestic sales; and top-four furniture fairs held by stage must lead to franchisers’ distributaries and reduce population flow. At the same time, reporter also interviewed some several enterprises that emphasize on domestic sales, in which Mr. Zhu, Marketing Director of one famous enterprise in Dongguan, said if from the view of domestic sales, it hurts both sides for Shenzhen International Furniture Fair and Dongguan Famous Furniture Fair hold in different time. Visitors in both exhibitions are fewer than previous fairs, some insiders predict domestic visitors reduce 1/3 comparing with previous ones. Some exhibitors said if furniture exhibition in Dongguan and Shenzhen continue to hold in different period, it may make exhibitors aim at domestic market to be not active to enter fall furniture fair. But some relevant people said, actually Shenzhen furniture fair does not change its date just because there is not space time in September which is just a only choice for it to hold in the original time.

    Those enterprises that emphasize on domestic sales and export also suffer a lot for this changing exhibition date. In the past, although four exhibitions emphasize on different part, they can bring mutual benefit when holding in the same period, so many visitors from home and abroad are busy in these exhibitions. As a result, many enterprises just need to choose an exhibition so that they can reach their goals to pay both attention on domestic sales and export. However after holding in different period, some enterprises in Shenzshen that focus on domestic sales and export have to join another exhibition in September, which is a hard work for one enterprise taking part in exhibition in continuous two months.

    Comparing the sadness for those enterprises focus on domestic market or both on domestic sales and export, export enterprises are happy to see it change. First of all, the exhibition postpones, which has more time to do preparation for enterprises; in addition, furniture fairs in Pearl River Delta that has changed exhibition period are held in the same time with Shanghai Furniture Fair, so it is useful to attract more foreign visitors.

    Domestic Franchisers: disadvantages from changing date

    Furniture exhibitions in Guangzhou, Dongguan, Longjiang change their time in September, which purpose is to attract more foreign purchasers, but it brings more troubles for domestic franchisers. During the exhibitors, reporter has interviewed some franchisers from Tianjin, Henan and Hebei, they all said it is very inconvenience for Shenzhen International Furniture Fair and Dongguan Famous Furniture Fair hold in separate period, because these two are the largest exhibitions and have the most influence for domestic market, in the past they were held in the same period so that visitors can join them at the same time and to choose the suitable brand. But not the two exhibition time are divided, it is not good for franchisers just joins one exhibition, and it they join the both, they must spend more money and energy. In Shenzhen Furniture Fair, reporter also has interviewed one franchiser for one brand in Dongguan, Mr. Wang, he is not only a agent for one Dongguan brand but also a agent for Shenzhen Dafuhao. Mr. Wang told to reporter that after joining in Shenzhen Furniture Fair, he would not take part in Dongguan Famous Furniture Fair, although he had been told that he won the name of gold franchiser again for one Dongguan brand.

    Except disadvantage brought by the two furniture exhibition held by stage, Dongguan Fair changes its time also brings a trouble for franchisers to set up new shops. Furniture industry is always named as “Golden September and Silver October”, September is the hot season for sales, in the past after joining furniture fair in August, all franchisers have finished choosing brand and to establish new shop to catch up the hot season. It is very haste for them to set up new shops in September and hard to catch up the hot season. Therefore many domestic franchisers appeal to furniture exhibition in Pearl River Delta to be re-held in August in the same period.