They Came, They Saw, They Placed Lightovation Orders

Lighting showrooms discuss what caught their eye at Lightovation, their buying criteria, and how they felt about the show opening on a Saturday again.

Exhibitors – and even retailers – attending Lightovation who wondered before opening day whether the January show would feel like the strong markets of years past or would have its momentum dampened by winter storms (like last year) or a rampant flu season were pleasantly surprised.  

“This edition of Lightovation was a positive start to the year, and we saw exceptional energy and commerce taking place during the show,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center (DMC). “Lighting professionals arrived with clear buying objectives, strong engagement, and enthusiasm for discovering new products and placing orders. These results underscore Lightovation’s position as the leading residential lighting marketplace in North America.”

According to DMC, this month’s Lightovation delivered its strongest show attendance in multiple years with buyers hailing from all 50 states and beyond. Noting a 25% increase in retail showrooms and trade professionals, DMC stats revealed that interior designers, architects, builders, and kitchen and bath centers made the trek to the DMC campus to view new lighting products, attend seminars and tours, and participate in the Design + Build Day, which offered special educational programming.

Lighting showrooms that I interviewed were pleased by the turnout from their peers and expressed relief that the hustle and bustle at market felt on par with years past. Showroom owners were unanimous in their opinion that manufacturers have elevated their product offerings across the board in all categories.

There were roughly three questions I posed to showrooms:

1. Did you buy from a vendor who is new to you?
2. Did you buy a new category in order to expand your assortment to customers, and
3. Did you go a little edgier in your design choices or play it safe?   

I asked these specific questions after noticing that nearly all of the manufacturers I visited appeared to have made a concentrated effort to ditch auto-pilot and take some chances with color, material, patterns, and shapes. Doing so involves capital risk (creating new molds, experimenting with different forms, and buying more expensive materials) as well as a leap of faith that they are providing what their customers have said they need to stay competitive.   

Just as showrooms I spoke with mentioned carrying new categories to become more of a one-stop-shop for customers, manufacturers did the same — AFX’s foray into the ceiling fan category and Bulbrite’s investment in portable lanterns, flush-mounts, and linear commercial fixtures are examples.  

In the past, when the economy has not been robust, showrooms would tell me they came for the peer networking and the opportunity to sit down with their vendors to discuss terms and sort out any problems rather than being focused on buying more products.

This year, while the economy isn’t fantastic, it has been more or less stable from manufacturers’ and showrooms’ point of view (apart from any new tariffs). For that reason, I believe more showrooms were on a mission to buy unique designs – pressing beyond their comfort zone in some cases – plus make purchases in new product categories. It also appeared that both manufacturers and showrooms conducted their own listening tours of what customers want from them and perhaps that is what has led to some strategic design and purchasing decisions.

 January Lightovation was, “absolutely worth it in all aspects,” said Bruce Bellwood, owner of Tuthill Lighting in Rochester, N.Y., meaning from a product standpoint as well as networking and vendor discussions. Bellwood also bought from a new vendor (but long-time DMC exhibitor) this time. Regarding his other market purchases, they were “almost 100% new items” versus reorders. “The way I look at it, that’s what I come to Dallas for,” he explained.

Another showroom on the lookout for discovering new sources is NW Electrical Supply in Mount Prospect, Illinois. Amanda Wolfe, vp/purchasing & inventory control noted, “I have been watching a few new vendors over the last few shows. There are one or two that I will be adding new displays from that I have not displayed items from in the past. I am also considering a few lines that are newer to our market, but I always proceed cautiously with vendors that I’m not certain of the reputation on their quality control.”    

Who the lighting rep is for her territory is also part of the equation. “It’s important to me which of my reps have a new line. If I know the support I get from that rep on their other lines, I am more likely to support or take a chance on expanding with a new vendor. It is pretty unlikely I will add a vendor to my showroom without some type of local third-party support,” Wolfe explained. She suggested that having a vendor reduce the initial risk for a showroom by offering heavily discounted – if not free – displays for new clients could also influence her purchasing decision.

Wolfe views Lightovation as the opportunity to assess “what is trending, see the scale of items in person, and evaluate all options for the new year. We always refresh 10 to 12 vendor lines with new displays after the January market. This also helps us gain the ever crucial – especially in today’s business climate – FFA days with our key suppliers.”

Gabriel Trinidad of Lighting Inc., which has three showrooms  in Texas, noted that all of the company’s store buyers liked the products from one of the vendors new to market — which makes the case for not missing Lightovation.

Regarding the idea of buying designs that are different from what the showrooms normally offers, Wolfe took note of the rise in portable rechargeable lamps at the show and is considering the category. Trinidad said that Lighting Inc.’s buyers observed some new glass designs at Lightovation that they first saw emerging as a trend at Euroluce in Milan, which lent validity to the style’s staying power and made it a contender.

Michele Ball, owner of Lights Unlimited, with three showrooms in North Carolina, was excited to see new finish colors emerging. “Black feels like it’s losing some momentum,” she said, adding, “polished nickel is clearly making a comeback, and I was happy to see it incorporated into more fixtures.”

Along with new finishes and new categories, showrooms appreciated the innovative displays that manufacturers created to highlight their lines. “Pops of color were everywhere at market. This trend has been growing with each show so I think I am going to pull the trigger on a vignette that focuses on blending this style into home design,” Wolfe remarked.  

Among the exhibitors mentioned most often in lighting showrooms’ discussions of displays that inspired them were Lib & Company and Avenue Lighting – both of which relocated their showrooms this market – as well as Quorum, which completely renovated its showroom space to the extent of removing walls and more precisely delineating its product lines.   

The other big topic on everyone’s minds was the shift in show dates this market that had Lightovation returning to a Saturday opening day versus Wednesday. Reactions were mixed, but almost dead even. Ball noted that the Saturday opening day meant less Dallas city traffic to deal with when traveling to and from the show. Several reps told me that they had customers who could not be away from their stores on the two busiest days of the week (Saturday and Sunday) and therefore had to make their appointments for Monday and Tuesday.

As the DMC has repeatedly warned, because the June edition of Lightovation will coincide with FIFA World Cup matches, making your market travel plans now is imperative. FIFA officials have estimated up to four million people will be attending these matches over several months throughout Texas (roughly 80,000 to 90,000 people expected per match). For June Lightovation, exhibitors, showrooms, and reps need to take advantage of the discounted rates that DMC Travel Services has arranged by booking through that designated DMC service instead of through other third-party groups or by making plans individually with hotels and airlines, which are currently quoting rates that are as much as three times higher. This is especially important for international travelers who wish to visit Lightovation. If you are planning to attend June Lightovation, please make your hotel accommodations early by booking on DMC’s website or by calling Market Travel at (214) 744-7444.