Of sales reps surveyed, 28 percent preferred March to 49 percent for April, and an additional 15 percent of the sales reps surveyed also responded ‘whatever the customer wants.

The High Point Market Authority board of directors voted unanimously Wednesday to shift the bi-annual Market’s dates back to a traditional April/October calendar.

According to Brian D. Casey, president and chief executive of the High Point Market Authority, the changes will not impact the 2007 Fall Market dates—October 1 through 7.

“The change in the High Point Market calendar will begin with the April 2008 Market,” Casey said, adding that the modifications to Market’s calendar were made in response to results of an in-depth industry research project focusing on the experiences of Market attendees.” The Market will remain on a Monday to Sunday pattern based upon a review of the research by the Market Authority’s board of directors.

Late last year, the Market Authority engaged Exhibit Surveys, Inc., to assess, analyze and quantify the landscape for the High Point Market. The goal of the project was to identify factors that would enhance the value of attending and exhibiting in the Market and to determine the preferences of when the Market should be held. Surveys were conducted online and via telephone with retailers, manufacturers and sales representatives from more than 2,000 home furnishings companies.

“The preferences were very clear in terms of which months to hold Market,” says Jeff Stanley, executive director of strategic research development at Exhibit Surveys, Inc. “All audience segments preferred the old April and October dates to the new Market months (March and September).”

When it comes to the Fall Market, “Only 33 percent of retailers surveyed preferred September, while 57 percent preferred October,” Casey reports. “Only 18 percent of exhibitors chose September, while 59 percent favored October. An additional 16 percent said, ‘whatever the customer wants.’ Of sales representatives, only 30 percent of sales representatives like September over 47 percent who prefer October, and 15 percent said, ‘whatever the customer wants.’ ”

In terms of Spring Market, “Only 30 percent of retailers surveyed preferred March; 51 percent preferred April, and the remaining responses were scattered among other months,” Casey continues. “Of the exhibitors, only 19 percent opted for March, with 58 percent preferring April. An additional 17 percent of exhibitors responded ‘whatever the customer prefers.’ Of sales reps, 28 percent preferred March to 49 percent for April, and an additional 15 percent of the sales reps surveyed also responded ‘whatever the customer wants.’ ”

While the survey respondents were definitive about which months of the year they wish to attend the High Point Market (April and October), they were divided on the question of which days of the week Market should encompass. The choice preferred the most (42 percent of attendees) is Monday through Sunday, with the second highest response—Thursday through Wednesday—preferred by only 18 percent of attendees.

“We continue to make decisions based on what the majority of customers are telling us,” Casey says.