FDBusiness.com

Taking place on 24 and 25 August 2013, the new Webchance trade fair in Frankfurt gave retailers valuable tips on effective online advertising and sales. The event was held parallel to international consumer goods fair Tendence (24 to 27 August 2013) and its presentation forum – featuring over 20 presentations – was attended by an estimated 2,000 trade visitors. Many of the visitors also took the opportunity to interact with the 27 exhibitors from the online sector and to consult the advice forum for information on online and legal issues.

Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt, comments: “The high level of visitor involvement at the event is a clear sign that the concept is a winning one. Many stationary retailers have used Webchance to find out about the potential of the internet as an additional sales channel and as a tool for cultivating customer loyalty. This means that we were able to offer the trade visitors real added value for their business.”

For their part, exhibitors were also very satisfied with Webchance’s debut event.

Steffen Griesel, Managing Director of e-commerce fullservice provider plentymarkets, says: “The fact that Webchance is held at the same time as Tendence convinced us to get on board – after all, the retail sector is a very interesting target group for us. As online retail sales are growing while those of stationary retailers are stagnating or even falling, we see enormous potential for new customers here. Most of the visitors to our stand were retailers who had no first-hand experience of online sales. This initial contact allowed us to give them insight into the world of online opportunities. In the follow-up stage, we will see whether these contacts translate into new customers.”

Stefan Zessel, Partner Relations Team Leader at shopware AG, comments: “It’s a pity that Webchance was not held on the Monday and Tuesday as well, as we were very taken with the underlying concept of the event. During the trade fair, we were approached by many visitors who were very interested in our online shop software. Attendence, there is plenty of as yet untapped potential, for instance in gift retailing.”

Ricky Arora, Senior Marketing Advisor at RegioHelden GmbH, an agency for measurable internet advertising, is equally positive in his outlook: “Online shopping is taking on increasingly detailed forms – for example ‘google-shopping’ – which in turn leads retailers to seek professional advice for their online activities. Because of this, the Webchance trade fair concept is in keeping with current trends and is sure to be a great success. The trade fair was a resounding success for us. We secured new customers and have already finalised several new contracts – and so are planning to exhibit again next year.”

The speakers are also positive about the new trade fair – not least online marketing expert and author Dr. Torsten Schwarz: “Webchance has provided a great service to the many stationery retailers who came to Frankfurt to attend Tendence, offering them a tailor-made forum for information, advice and interaction. And this is all thanks to the unique pairing of Webchance with a major trade fair like Tendence. When I recall the many questions put by participants to the high-calibre speakers, I have no doubt that there is a very real need for Webchance. Many of the retailers in attendance were given very specific answers to their questions about their online and ecommerce activities. However, a substantial part of the audience also appeared to have not yet gained a foothold in this new growth field – or in some cases were even overwhelmed by the whole idea. Happily, the many valuable pointers and authentic experiences that were related by the speakers helped them to overcome these reservations. I am already looking forward to the next Webchance.”

The series of presentations will also be part of other Messe Frankfurt events in 2014. The next Webchance is scheduled to take place parallel to Tendence 2014.