Reed announced a delay two months today:

This week has been pivotal in our planning for the upcoming Reed Gift Fairs event, scheduled for 20-23 February 2021. Unfortunately, it has become clear that the recent COVID-19 outbreaks are having an impact on our community sentiment.

Prior to these recent outbreaks of COVID-19, we were optimistic that Reed Gift Fairs Sydney would run safely and successfully next month. While we continue to have permission to operate the event under our detailed covid-safe plan with the venue and NSW government, with many of our community based interstate, border closures now mean they may be unable to attend in February. As a result, Reed Exhibitions has taken the difficult decision to revise the show timing and with this in mind, we will be moving Reed Gift Fairs Sydney to the new dates of 17- 20 April 2021, co-located with Life Instyle at the ICC Sydney.

While we understand that this is disappointing news for all concerned, we have as always, built a contingency plan to ensure that we are still able to support our customers over the coming months. Although the impacts of COVID-19 will be with us for longer than anyone may have originally expected, it is imperative that we work together to get back to business in the best way possible.

Why April?

A survey to our retailers at the end of last year showed a strong need for a Sydney show in 2021, with 75% indicating that April would be the preferred alternative month that would allow them to still achieve their business objectives, if we were prevented from running in our usual February dates. Additionally, not only does it give us another 8 weeks for the current pandemic conditions to come under control, it also does not sit too far outside the traditional buying period for many of our customers.

Reed Exhibitions remains committed to helping our exhibitors and retailers transact in these difficult times. Therefore, we are offering you a digital solution from February and a face-to-face solution in April. To help bridge the gap between now and April and to ensure we are still supporting your business sourcing needs during the traditional February buying period, we will proceed with the release of our Big Book – Digital Edition, along with our online Exhibitor Directory as scheduled. 

Further information will be shared in the coming weeks and we hope to see you in April. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service Team on 02 9422 8686.

We thank our community once again for all of your patience and encouragement during this time and we look forward to your continued support over the coming months.

Not proceeding in February was the only option from a couple of weeks ago.

Sales of tea towels and related products have been excellent these last six months. Early data indicate the success is continuing, for plenty of stores.

Often, 2 and 3 are purchased in a transaction and half purchases are males for themselves, because they like the designs. Some even said they would put the tea towel in a frame for their man cave.

For what it’s worth, my take on the success is that it is due to:

• Unexpected. We are not a destination tea towel / apron / oven mitt shop so when they see them it is a surprise, they are noticed.
• Design. The designs are fresh, fun and local.
• Postable. Postable gifts have been very popular.
• Telling a story. Within some ranges, like the one featured here, there are multiple products that work well together, enabling a shopper to tell a story, completing a gift to a target value.
• Price does not matter. You know you have a winning product when shoppers are not curious about the price.

FYI the photo is from my own high street store, from a couple of days ago.