FashionGo Unveils Two-Week Online Trade Show in August
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FashionGo, a business-to-business wholesale e-commerce marketplace, will launch “FashionGo Week,” a two-week online trade show starting Aug. 24 designed to bring the trade show format to life in a digital experience for the fast-fashion business.
FashionGo Week expects more than 1,200 apparel and accessories vendors to participate in the online trade show, along with thousands of retailers. Some 420,000 buyers are registered with FashionGo.
Participating retailers include those with online and off-line boutiques, some with several stores, as well as monthly subscription boxes. All vendors and retailers/buyers must present legal documents verifying they are business entities and are given full access to sell and buy. Because it is fast fashion, wholesale prices average around $10 to $20.
Among some of the brands participating are SIWY, XCVI, Kan Can, Lamade and Qupid Shoes.
“As a tech-first platform serving the wholesale fashion industry, we truly value the need for digital experiences that help progress the industry forward and are so excited to launch FashionGo Week, bringing the necessity of in-person trade shows to life from the comfort of home,” said Paul Lee, chief executive officer of FashionGo. “We understand that the industry is fueled with a ‘buy-now-wear-now’ shopper mentality, so offering in-stock and pre-order merchandise with tools to help a bigger sell-through is critical, especially during these uncertain times. We are committed to being the ultimate marketplace for wholesale vendors and retailers to instantly discover and connect.”
Participating vendors will be able to upload videos to present their brand, incorporate their brand story, showcase look books and highlight arrivals on their dedicated brand page. They will be able to note exclusive items for FashionGo Week, which may be featured on the FashionGo main page for all buyers to see. FashionGo will host select vendors on their main page and feature live interviews with them over the two-week period, as well as hold webinar conversations with industry experts on topics such as COVID-19’s impact on business, upcoming trends and customer experience.
Retailers will be able to expand their network with more resources, leverage data to help inform purchasing decisions and control inventory management. On FashionGo, retailers and buyers can search by item or brand in what is an “open” marketplace.
Asked whether they would have launched this online trade show if COVID-19 hadn’t occurred, Lee said, “Our view is the concept of ‘a seasonless calendar,'” adding that COVID-19 was a catalyst with larger trade shows canceling, and they thought it was a good time to do a virtual trade show. “We think this will likely be the new norm,” said Lee, especially with fewer employees and fewer people traveling. “There’s the cost element, too,” he said.
“It’s not like online trade shows will completely replace physical trade shows once the COVID-19 situation gets remedied hopefully soon, but we do think this is the new norm,” said Lee.
For the online trade show, the cost to existing vendors is free, and there is a 12-month contract for vendors who are interested in attending FashionGo. The company declined to divulge the cost to participate and a full-year contract. For retailers, it is free.
FashionGo was established in 2002, and provides tools and data to its participants. Its web site features eight categories, including women’s, men’s shoes, accessories, beauty, handbags and kids. The marketplace operates 24/7, year-round.
FashionGo has its own payments system, FG Pay, which allows retailers to pay with credit cards. Brands and vendors can choose to accept other forms of payment as well.
New brands and vendors can register at fashiongo.net/registration/onlinetradeshow.
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