Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM DECEMBER 2018 58 B U Y I N G G R O U P N E W S N ationwide Marketing Group will return to The Venetian | Palazzo and Sands Exposition Center in Las Vegas for PrimeTime in February 2019. The group's bi-annual show is the largest event of its kind for independent retailers in the appliance, electronics, furniture and bedding industries. Over 4,000 people are expected to be in attendance, and the show promises to continue to deliver unprecedented value to the group's 5,500 member companies. The February show promises to sustain delivery of the five core commitments Nationwide made to the members in 2018. The group committed to deliver: • Best-in-class people, leadership and development programs • Practical marketing solutions with proven results • Comprehensive business solutions that simplify or reduce cost of operations • Access to emerging technology and digital solutions • The largest-scale buying opportunity in the market Nationwide's President and Chief Member Advocate Tom Hickman shared, "We're in the business of solving retail problems for our members, and we never lose sight of our mission at its most simple state: we enable independent businesses. Our group today is very different than we were just a year or two ago, and that change reflects the rapid changes in the industries we serve. The commitments we made to our members and our delivery on those promises has made it easier than ever for dealers to get ahead." Nationwide's Prepare for Share initiative — a comprehensive data-driven program that is now several years underway — paved the way for the group's members to be fully prepared and equipped to capitalize on the opportunities in their respective markets. Patrick Maloney, who leads the Appliance Merchant Team, has seen the results. "The current situation with Sears is something we anticipated years ago, and we've been supporting our members as they've prepared to capture not only those consumers but as they stand ready to capture more than their fair share of consumers in their market daily. This program has found relevancy across all categories, and we've seen our members grow in share in not only appliances, but furniture, bedding, CE, CI, and Outdoor as well." Drawing on that growth and preparation, the upcoming PrimeTime will feature a central theme of "Thrive", as the group's thousands of dealers come together in the desert. The trade show, running February 12-13, will occupy hundreds of thousands of square feet, and will feature over 200 vendors across all categories. Additionally, February 10-11 will be filled with robust opportunities for Members, as these two days are packed with Member meetings, the group's general session, and dozens of educational opportunities with the ever-popular Nationwide Learning Academy in full force. PrimeTime Palooza, which debuted in 2018, will again get the trade show off to a frenzied start, with the 90-minute limited-time, limited-quantity buying blitz again set to usher in the official start of the show. PrimeTime registration is open at www.nationwideprimetime.com. Members and guests are encouraged to register early to secure their show reservations and join thousands of others as independent retailers Thrive in 2019! RO COME TO PRIMETIME TO DO MORE THAN STAY AHEAD Come to Thrive

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