More than 160 experts and suppliers to the museums and heritage sector exhibit at the M+H Show each year with the Retail Zone continually expanding in size and importance. Here we talk with the M+H Show Sales Manager Felicity Jolliffe about the retail opportunities at the 2018 Show
What opportunities does the M+H Show offer for retail suppliers?
The show is a fantastic platform to meet with both existing and potential clients. More than 2,000 museum professionals attend the show in order to source new products, services and ideas for their organisation. There is quite often an assumption that the M+H Show is for technology providers only, but the show attracts visitors from all departments of museums and heritage attractions including retail managers and buyers looking to source bespoke products, work with retail consultants or who are perhaps embarking on a complete design overhaul of their shop.
Who exhibits in the Retail Zone?
Anyone who provides merchandise, epos systems, retail consultancy or shop fit out and design. Everything which goes into creating a great museum shop can be found in the Retail Zone. It provides an ideal platform to showcase your services and recent achievements. A number of suppliers have exhibited with us for almost 10 years running and credit the show for gaining new clients that simply wouldn’t have come about had it not been for their face-to-face meeting at the show. We’ve even had suppliers take orders whilst on their stand at the show!
The Retail Zone was formed in response to the unique requirements of museum and heritage shops and their increasing importance to the museum mix
Felicity Jolliffe, Museums + Heritage Sales Manager
How long has the Retail Zone been a feature at the show and what are the aims for the future?
We introduced the Retail Zone at the show in 2012, and it has since grown in popularity both with visitors and exhibitors alike. The Retail Zone was formed in response to the unique requirements of museum and heritage shops and their increasing importance to the museum mix. Bespoke merchandise and the latest technology combine to create award winning shops. Now more than ever museum shops are a key part of the income generation of the museum or gallery. It is therefore very important that we represent these experts and suppliers so that they can sit alongside their counterparts at the show. Going forward we hope to showcase more experts and suppliers that work with retail departments in heritage attractions to better represent these all important income generation streams.
What else does the show offer in terms of retail content?
We run a funding, retail and trading stream of talks at the show which last year featured sessions such as Get the most out of your suppliers and 50 ways to make your shop work harder for you. These sessions coupled with a range of suppliers offering a top-notch range of bespoke products and services, creates the ideal environment to learn new ideas, find new opportunities and discover new ways or working.
For more information get in touch with Felicity Jolliffe