07 October 2024, 00:44
By Furniture News May 20, 2021

Event organiser launches online trading platform

Clarion Events, the organiser of exhibitions including January Furniture Show, Manchester Furniture Show, Home & Gift and Top Drawer, has launched Reveal, a trade ecommerce platform. 

Powered by Treniq technology and designed to complement Clarion's existing live show portfolio, Reveal promises to be "a hub of product discovery, easy ordering, inspiration and insight, 365 days a year – a rotating shop window highlighting the work of amazing lifestyle brands, big and small", says the event organiser. 

Portfolio director Zoë Bonser says: “Regardless of whether buyers are B2C or B2B, the past year has really changed how purchases are made, with 88% of our community telling us that, off the back of our award-winning virtual events, a trade marketplace would be useful to them. What’s more, when a marketplace is available, they want it to be amazing – as shown in a recent Gartner report, where 80% of B2B buyers said they expect an online experience with the ease and efficiency offered by the likes of Amazon. 

"With that in mind, we’ve taken our time to do thorough research, run pilots, partner with the best tech in the industry, and build a platform that is not just a temporary alternative to live events, but an exciting, essential product for our buyers and brands to do business all year round. This marks the next chapter in the holistic Clarion Retail offering, where the seamless integration between Reveal and our world-class events will sit at the heart of everything we do. We can’t wait to share more in coming weeks.” 

With the launch of Reveal bringing the shows within the Clarion Retail portfolio more closely together, the events have also been refreshed.

“It’s been such a shame that we’ve not been able to run our events in a physical format for the past year, but we’ve used this time to listen to our industry and identify what it is people want from our shows – and we cannot wait for the onsite experiences to come," says Zoë.

"This rebrand will breathe new life into our historic events as they make their return to a live format from July, and this is just the beginning in ensuring each of our shows has its own identity, while remaining connected to the portfolio and Reveal as we continue to shape our digital offering. For a combined 130 years, our events have built a legacy of providing the retail, interior and design industries with unmissable opportunities to connect, learn, do business and be inspired, and we look forward to delivering these same exceptional experiences, both in-person and online, for the next 130 years to come.” 

The research programme excuted during Reveal's development included multiple pilots on both the buying and selling sides, says Clarion. Following the pilot, participant Lee Stoller of home furnishings retailer, Stollers, said: “The best thing about having a marketplace is actually having a proper trade hub. The furniture shows epitomise the whole of the industry, and this is 365. I think it’s absolutely essential that we have one. How have we lived without this for so long?” 

Launching with a selection of furniture brands, with other sectors to be added later in the year, Reveal is giving a limited number of retailers an exclusive opportunity to gain early access to the platform from next month – those interested can sign up here. Anyone wishing to feature their products on Reveal can find out more or request a demo here

The first of Clarion Retail’s live events will take place 18th-21st July, with the co-location of Home & Gift and Manchester Furniture Show in Harrogate.

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