Promoting Domestic and Overseas Sales Channels for Exhibitors to Explore “Blue Ocean”

China Shoes • China Shoetec 2009 (Spring) was successfully concluded at Guangdong Modern International Exhibition Center, Houjie, Dongguan, PR China on May 7. The 3-day exhibition attracted 15,309 trade buyers and visitors from 72 countries and regions, including Japan, USA, Australia, South Korea, Italy, Spain, India, Canada, Malaysia, Vietnam, Russia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan Region. Overseas buyers and visitors occupied 20% of the total visitors. With the exhibition area of 21,000m², totally 483 exhibitors from different countries and regions were attracted, with 30% new exhibitors, including China, Hongkong, Taiwan Region, USA, Britain, Australia, Brazil, Japan, and U.A.E, etc. Besides, 7 pavilions including Light Industrial Products and Arts-Crafts (CCCLA) with Putian Pavilion, Hong Kong Footwear Association Pavilion, Dongguan Shoe Pavilion, Taiwan Shoe Pavilion and etc. participated in the exhibition. The exhibition area of Dongguan Leather & Footwear Association Pavilion was increased by over 40% than last exhibition. The exhibition was divided into Shoe Zone, Accessory, Leather and Material Zone and Machinery Zone. To facilitate visit and purchase of buyers and the meeting between buyers and exhibitors, two special zones were added in the exhibition: Kid’s Shoes Zone and Synthetic Leather Zone. Ms Qiu, who is responsible for the foreign trade of the Middle East and Australia from Deland Guangzhou International Trade Co. Ltd, said the Kid’s Shoes Zone was very convenient for the companies specialized in kid’s shoe-making. The financial crisis and various negative factors were still impacting shoe market of China. By the excellent sections including exhibition, technological communication, forum, sourcing negotiation and fashion show, the organizer provided a rich and vivid trade platform to be the backup force for development seeking and business opportunity exploration of shoe companies. Massive creation information and business opportunities could be found here, in the place where the latest market information could be provided for decision making, independent innovation and companies’ conversion. .

Under the impact of economic crisis in 2009, exhibitors still took shoe exhibition as important market exploitation channel. Visitors also showed great satisfaction to the effect of exhibition under the crisis and the positive attitude shown by the exhibition. Mr. Tang of Hui Da Shoe Machinery Co.,Ltd., Ms. Ding of Dongguan Shuang Rui Shoe Material Co., Ltd. and Mr. Fu of Dongguan Next Stage Footwear Co., Ltd. expressed that the result of participation and the quality of the visitors/buyers were very good. They intended to expand their booth size in the next edition. Mr. Chang of Narini footwear Co., Ltd. said they got a new order from a South Amercia buyer and they met with some high potential and quality buyers from US, Italy and Spain. He was also satisfied with the participation result and the services provided by the organizers. Mr Qiyao Chang, the vice chairman of Dongguan Leather & Footwear Association mentioned that “this exhibition has provided the opportunities and platform for business hunting, so we organized exhibition pavilion to participate in this fair and I’m satisfied with its result.”

As to the comments of buyers, Mr. I. Vladimir, who was from Russia, found the quality of the exhibitors and the products were good. And he was deciding to place the order with the suitable supplier found onsite. Though this was the first time visited China and this fair, Mr. W. Niepsuj and Mr. P. Tchorowski, who were from Poland, thought it was the trend to import shoes from China as the quality and the price was very competitive to the shoes in Europe. And they wanted to find some shoes made-in-China for the market of Central Europe. Fortunately, they found some potential trading partners on the show and planned to have a factory visit with them later. They thought this sourcing trip was very valuable to them and would come to the show this Nov again.

Initial Innovative Domestic Sales Model in China were Well Received— Stock Zone

To meet the needs of both exhibitors and visitors, by consulting foreign advanced experience, China Shoes • China Shoetec 2009 (Spring) set up Stock Zone the new domestic sales model for the first time in China. By offering all-round services covering concentrative exhibition, negotiation, site storage and logistics, the organizer helped the participants to exhibit and sell stock products with high efficiency. With the support of flexible settlement and trade method, Stock Zone helped shoe companies reducing stock and facilitates buyers to realize small-quantity purchase or purchase with procedure and transportation time saved. The new domestic sales model gained universal appreciation from exhibitors and buyers.

Splendid Concurrent Activities, Domestic and International Sales Channels Exploited to Attract Buyers

It was reported that 60% exhibitors had attached attention to both the domestic and international markets. The organizer of this show arranged special personnel to invite experts at domestic sales to participate in the event and furnished the buyers with diversified services such as free bus, free four-star hotel accommodation, cocktail party. Many famed domestic buyers were attracted, including Belle, Longhao Company, Carrefour, Trust Mart, METRO, HOLA,1000 Color, Baleno, Etam, Masamaso and Vanc. Exhibitors represented by Belle has strengthened move to expand domestic marketing since last year and prepared to march in the domestic market through online shopping websites. On the show, Belle also offered computers for buyers to enjoy the online shopping.

Apart from the transformation of market concept, the development science of shoes companies also experienced evident changes. The organizer hoped to cultivate local Chinese brands through this exhibition, “co-packer companies should start to create their own brands and to shift their destiny decided by order-holders before”. Dongguan Yinsheng Shoes Co., Ltd. with it’s brand-Chch and Dongguan Qisheng Shoes Co., Ltd with its brand- TIBAO AUCHEHO also communicated with the organizers about their domestic experience and expected this exhibition could help them walk further on the way of domestic sales.

Many concurrent activities were held on site. On the fashion show, Hong Kong Shoes & Bags Designers Association and Caritas Bianchi College of Careers participated for the first time to show the latest works of the new designer generation of Hongkong. Besides, selected shoe styles of exhibitors were displayed by the fantastic performance of professional models, showing the latest fashion trend of 2009-2010 and the latest design, bringing the most fashion experience to participants, and building a good communication platform for exhibitors and buyers.

 
The exhibition also organized about 10 symposiums which invited senior industry experts from the mainland, Taiwan and Hongkong to discuss hot industry topics, including how to upgrade companies and product value by using design and innovative ideas, exploit domestic sale and emerging market, companies risk management and foreign market access regulations and etc. All the symposiums enjoyed a lot of audiences and were greatly welcomed by the audiences. Totally 700 audiences were attracted. The forum on “Strategies for Developing China Market” was especially warmly received by the audiences, they had deep discussion with the speakers who had rich experience in the domestic sales. Besides, leather from Turkey, shoe industry information of Guangdong famous footwear manufacturer bases and unique culture (including Heshan, Foshan, Longgang in Shenzhen, Chaozhou and etc.), latest works of designers of Hongkong and China, as well as award-winning works of Footwear Design Competition Hong Kong were exhibited in the exhibition area. Ms Wang of Shenzhen Rongen Co. Ltd expressed her satisfaction to the lectures on design and fashion trends. She said through this exhibition, she had found the suitable suppliers. Ms Xue of HOLA also very satisfied with the result of onsite sourcing.

All-round Service for Buyer-----Setting up a Platform for Business Exchange

Based on the experience and customer demands from the last edition, the 9^th China Shoes • China Shoetec has proposed various new measures, supplied professional and humanized service and further enhanced the communication between the buyers and exhibitors. For great convenience for buyers, the organizer has facilitated them with a free shuttle bus among Hongkong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Moreover, “buyers’ cocktail party” with site lucky draw and performance display has also been provided to gather shoes makers and trade buyers domestic and abroad and promote their view exchange under such a relaxing atmosphere, and has received a consensus favor from both exhibitors and buyers. 

Being the best one-stop sourcing platform for middle-and-high grade shoes, materials and shoetec in Asia and the only professional exhibition with UFI international certification in Dongguan, the China Shoes • China Shoetec was jointly organized by China Chamber of Commerce for Import & Export of Light Industrial Products and Arts-Crafts (CCCLA), Messe Düsseldorf China Ltd., Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd. in Hongkong and Guangdong Modern Convention and Exhibition Management Co., Ltd. The next China Shoes • China Shoetec 2009 (Autumn) will stage again from Oct.28-30 in Hongjie, Dongguan, PR China.

China's commerce minister issued a veiled warning to Europe's high-end footwear manufacturers recently as he sought to convince Brussels to reverse contentious anti-dumping tariffs against Chinese imports.
 
The comments from Chen Denming added some tension to a two-day EU-China trade meeting in Brussels that both sides sought to portray as a success.
 
“In these difficult times China is under great pressure to protect its industry from high-end footwear imports from Europe,” Mr Chen said. “The EU should respond positively to our common goal of free and fair trade by immediately announcing the end of the anti-dumping measures on footwear.”
 
The Chinese embassy in Brussels confirmed Mr Chen's remarks, but said that they were not intended as a threat. The commission was not immediately able to respond to the comments.
 
Footwear has emerged as one of the most contentious trade issues between China and the EU.
 
Prodded by Italy and Spain, the EU imposed duties on Chinese and Vietnamese footwear imports in 2006. They were supposed to have lapsed after a two-year period, but were extended in October pending a review that is due to be completed before the end of the year.
 
China claims that the measures have led to a 15 per cent drop in its footwear exports to the EU, from ?2.08bn in 2005 to ?1.78bn in 2007. They have cited footwear as part of a broader complaint about what they view as spurious anti-dumping claims imposed by the EU against a range of goods, from steel to candles.
 
The issue is expected to surface again next week. The EU and China are tentatively scheduled to meet in Prague for a summit meeting.
 
In spite of Mr Chen's comments, both sides hailed this week's encounter as a sign of their commitment to improving bilateral trade ties and stamping out protectionism.
 
“Our meeting is a visible demonstration that the European Union and China are of the utmost importance to one another,” said Baroness Ashton, European trade commissioner.

[Source: Asia Footwear Information www.afnhk.com]