Page 15 - Nov-Dec 2020 Reporter

Industry NEWS

events with our Dealer Markets, but we of purchasing. “These events certainly don’t want to run their businesses,” Curler says.
also learned through the production of take the place of face-to-face shows, but “With more events added throughout the
our e-Volution Online Buying Event that they do offer some things a live show can’t, year, retailers and vendors will have even
technology can help broaden our reach to like the ability to get a lot done in a short more opportunities to interact and better
more customers and offer unique and richer window of time and eliminating the need to plan their purchasing.”
experiences to everyone who participates in leave your store to travel.” Orgill plans to hold its first Online Buying
them,” Stine says. Orgill’s team also learned a lot from the Event of 2021 from Feb. 8-19, with a pre-
The e-Volution Online Buying Event successful launch of its first Online Buying event planning period scheduled for Feb.
ran from Aug. 24-Sep. 4 and was open Event that can be used to enhance the live- 1-7. This event will be similar to the recent
to Orgill’s entire retail customer base, show experience, Curler adds. Orgill e-Volution 2020 Fall Online Buying
enabling them to take advantage of “Live shows have some distinct Event and will take the place of the live
promotional buying opportunities, shop for advantages and online shows have some Spring Dealer Market, which was scheduled
seasonal merchandise and browse through distinct advantages, but they don’t need for Feb. 25-27.
thousands of new products without ever to be mutually exclusive,” Curler says. “We Orgill will unveil plans for additional
having to leave their stores. plan to utilize all the means at our disposal Online Buying Events and interactive
The online event attracted nearly to offer our customers optimized, multi- educational conferences in early 2021,
10,000 retailers who interacted with the channel experiences throughout the year according to Moore.
thousands of vendors and service providers rather than just limiting ourselves to one “After the first of the year, we will be
participating in the show. In addition to method or the other.” releasing a full schedule of all our online, in-
setting records for the number of retailers In addition to harnessing the best person and hybrid events for the entire year.
participating in a buying event, the online elements online and live shows have to This will include buying events, educational
event also set sales records for Orgill, which offer, Orgill also looks to create a consistent conferences, store tours and more,” he
has now shipped nearly 90% of the orders cadence for these events throughout the says. “Conditions willing, we do expect
placed during the two-week buying window. year that allows more retailers to participate to host a Fall Dealer Market in Chicago in
“This was really a proof of concept for and is also more conducive to buying cycles. August 2021, but from this point forward
us that there is an appetite among both “With only two live events each year, you our events will have an online-first strategy,
retailers and vendors for an online event,” kind of force retailers into buying windows incorporating in-person activities and the
says Jeff Curler, Orgill’s senior vice president that might not work ideally for the way they related benefits as soon as we are able.”

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