Our Virtual Expo | The Story
In mid-March 2020, the IndieMe staff watched and wondered how our lives would change, as we began to learn more about the Covid-19 virus. Like ALL of you, we never imagined it could shut down our world and stopped us in our tracks. It was a scenario that never crossed our minds, yet we knew it was big. As March came to an end, we began to see the severity; retailers were forced to close their stores, artists were losing orders, we knew we had to pivot as we witnessed this virus begin to change our lives.
One by one, the traditional trade shows were being canceled. These shows are an important piece of the puzzle to all our customers, whether you are a buyer or a maker. What could IndieMe do that would help bring some semblance of the shows back to life?
Hence, the idea of the Virtual Expo was born. In April and May, we worked diligently to create this virtual trade show that we hoped would give the buyers a place to shop handcrafted and at the same time receive great show specials. A place where our artists could sell their beautiful items and be seen by hundreds of buyers in one week. We promoted and marketed the expo for two months and it turned out, our first Virtual Expo in June, was just what the doctor ordered. The buyers were beginning to open their stores, loved and appreciated the specials, and the artists received many orders and buyer contacts.
After our second expo in September, we are gearing up for our third Virtual Expo, February 10-16, 2021.
Our goal has always been to create a show for the buyer who wants handcrafted and a place where artists sell their one of a kind pieces while making new buyer connections.
2020- WOW! We will get through it and we will be stronger and hopefully wiser. The traditional trade shows will start up again, but IndieMe will continue to produce our Virtual Expo because we feel they can survive and thrive together.
