DALLAS — The Dallas Market Center will kick off 2007 with several changes, including a new market date schedule in January, an expanded in-house magazine for retailers and a multichannel marketing campaign to stores that includes a new online registration process.
FashionCenterDallas is shifting gears by switching the dates of its women’s, children’s and accessories markets, starting with the January 2007 show. Citing overwhelming retailer demand, FCD will follow a Sunday-through-Wednesday schedule at the market that runs Jan. 28 to 31.
Fashion Industry Gallery, the boutique contemporary, bridge, accessories and designer market located downtown, will follow a Saturday-to-Tuesday schedule for the market that runs Jan. 27 to 30, though no other regional markets across the U.S. have announced a similar shift.
“Over 80 percent of retailers we surveyed made the preference to begin shows on Sunday instead of Thursday,” said Bill Winsor, president and chief executive officer of the Dallas Market Center, parent of FCD.
“They’ve told us that Saturday is a very important day at their stores. A lot of stores are closed on Sunday and Monday. And Tuesdays are typically slow retail days. It just made sense. The retailers spoke, and we listened and responded,” added Cindy Morris, chief operating officer at DMC.
Winsor and Morris also outlined several other initiatives taking shape in 2007, including ramping up the frequency of its in-house magazine. Called InStore, it is sent to retailers to help them build sales and deal with issues such as inventory control, shrinkage and marketing and merchandising.
InStore launched this year and typically ranges from 30 to 50 pages, contains no advertising and is circulated to some 60,000 specialty stores that shop DMC.
“The publication of InStore will be increased from quarterly distribution to six times a year in 2007 due to extremely positive response to the book — it’s a way that we help retailers manage their stores. We will now publish every two months. InStore is also a way to help retailers network, because we get story ideas from the stores,” said Winsor.
“Inventory management is always one of the top five issues that specialty retailers deal with and seek guidance on. These specialty retailers want to compete more effectively against the big-box retailers and not be whipped by the big price-beaters out there. In other words, they want to become destination stores,” added Morris, who cited landlord and leasing issues as other retailer concerns.
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The DMC’s communications strategy with retailers has further intensified with an updated Web site at dallasmarketcenter.com, new telemarketing and e-mail updates about the latest events at the DMC and a new online store registration process.
“We’ve really relaunched our whole communications strategy. We’re ramping up e-mail, direct mail, telemarketing and advertising in trade publications. It’s a huge push to reach out to stores and vendors, especially those from out-of-territory and even other countries,” explained Morris.
In January, the DMC will launch its new FastPass program that allows stores to register for market online and download a bar-code to scan at the DMC registration desk in exchange for a badge and security pass, which prints out for them in a few seconds, much like an electronic boarding card at an airport.
“Everything we’re doing is about helping stores be poised to succeed, and it’s a process that we’re continually refining and building,” said Winsor.