Advanstar Launches Online Trade Show Concept
LAS VEGAS—Visitors and exhibitors at the recent MAGIC, Project and FN Platform trade shows in Las Vegas got a sneak peek of an online concept to be launched by Advanstar, the parent company of MAGIC and its sister shows Project, Pooltradeshow and FN Platform.
All trade show exhibitors will be given a free profile page, where the company can upload a brand bio, contact information and a lookbook, which will be uploaded to a Pinterest-like page.
Registered buyers and retailers will be able to log on for free at www.shopthefloor.com and shop the brands. Items they like can be flagged with a heart, which moves the item to the retailer's personal online lookbook. Items can be emailed to other team members for feedback.
At the end of the day, the retailer can go back to the personal lookbook and move items he or she wants to buy to a shopping cart. The order information is then sent to the brand.
Retailers will also have a dashboard, which generates graphical information about everything they bought, including how much they spent and the brand breakdown.The profiles and line sheets will go live 30 days before the show, so buyers can review lines prior to arriving in Las Vegas. The information will remain up for 30 days after the show for buyers who want more time to finalize their spending.
Currently in beta testing, Shop the Floor will launch officially for the February 2013 show.
During the recent run of the shows, Shop the Floor staffers demonstrated the site's features and functions at kiosks at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Mandalay Bay Convention Center and asked for input about the site's offerings.—Alison A. Nieder
