Toy Fair Exhibitors to Reap Benefits & Cost Savings
June 12, 2018 | Exhibitors at the 116th annual North American International Toy Fair will reap benefits from the show’s new contractor, T3 Expo. Toy News Tuesday caught up with Tom Malek, vice president of sales at T3 Expo, to share details about offerings that will enhance the exhibitor experience at Toy Fair ’19 and how companies can prepare for the show.
What will T3 Expo’s role be at Toy Fair?
TM: T3 Expo will provide service and support for exhibitors’ floor and booth space needs through cost-effective solutions. With our innovative and simplified approach to event planning, Toy Fair exhibitors are bound to see savings – in some cases those savings will be significant.
One way in which companies will be able to save on their overall show expenses is by shipping their freight ahead of time via our advance-to-warehouse program instead of directly to the show site. We are able to extend an advance-to-warehouse offering that is much more economical than what is typical in the trade show industry and we encourage companies to plan accordingly to take advantage of this offering.
How else will exhibitors be able to reduce their overall costs at Toy Fair?
TM: One of the biggest expenses for show exhibitors is material handling. T3 Expo offers a flat rate based on a shipment’s actual weight for material handling, instead of imposing minimum weights and charging by 100-pound increments, which is common in the trade show industry. The strategy reduces added charges for companies, such as special handling fees or fuel surcharges, and allows them to budget appropriately for the expense prior to shipment. We also charge labor by the half-hour as opposed to hourly, which will cut down on exhibitors’ overall show expenses.
Any other advice for exhibitors?
TM: Toy Fair ’19 may still be some months away but we know that exhibitors are already planning and budgeting for the show. The T3 team looks forward to working with companies to make a smooth transition into Toy Fair and collaborating with them for their show requirements. We encourage exhibitors to discuss their needs with our staff so that we can come up with a solution that best fits their budget.
Toy Fair exhibitors may contact John Klein, director of event operations at The Toy Association, to facilitate an introduction with T3 Expo representatives.
The 116th annual North American International Toy Fair will take place February 16 to 19, 2019 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. The show brings together more than 1,000 exhibiting manufacturers, distributors, importers, and sales agents to showcase hundreds of thousands of toys and youth entertainment products to global retail outlets.