The Online Marketplace is a brand extension to the Spring & Autumn Fair live events, offering the retail community an additional trading platform.

Hyve Group is delighted to announce the launch of the Spring & Autumn Fair Online Marketplace, taking the wholesale home, gift and fashion business online, enabling trade with existing and new global partners throughout the year.

Speaking on behalf of Hyve Group, Julie Driscoll, MD UK Retail and Fashion, said: “With the Online Marketplace, we are giving our retail community an additional trading platform. Spring and Autumn Fair are the first omnichannel retail trade events in the UK to do this. As we move forward, our focus is on refuelling retail for 2021 and beyond, supporting our community in recovering from the pandemic and building back stronger than ever.”

The organisers say the new 365 digital trading platform will allow brands to access serious, vetted buyers all year round, deepen relationships started at the live events at the NEC, generate leads and take online orders. Buyers can find new products from trusted brands, discover new brands online, build their collections and shop with ease throughout the year.

Officially launching on the 4th May 2021, the Online Marketplace will initially be home to 50 curated brands across the gift, toy, homeware, beauty, and wellbeing categories but will also be open to more brands at a discounted rate.

Event director for Spring and Autumn Fair, Jessica Dawnay, added: “We are so excited to be able to offer our audience even more value than before. Whilst we know that nothing will ever replace the experience of touching and seeing products at an in-person event, we are excited to be able to bring our community together all year round via digital and omnichannel solutions such as the Online Marketplace.”

“2021 is our new product development year and we are investing to support our customers as they build their future products,” said Project and Digital marketing director, Karin Hausmann. “Our top priorities are quality and curation, and we are committed to continuous evolution and building a platform that answers our brands’ and buyers’ needs. Our heritage makes us a trusted partner.”

Hyve Group is partnering with Events United to offer this digital eCommerce platform. Owned by Picaflor, Events United specialises in creating digital extensions to physical events with extensive experience within the retail sphere.

On top of its digital development, Hyve Group will also be launching a Curated Meetings programme for 2021. Designed to connect the community at its in-person shows, the Curated Meetings programme will connect pre-qualified buyers, who are actively sourcing, to relevant, high-quality suppliers through pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings. The team will be trialling the concept at Autumn Fair 2021 with a full roll out of the programme expected for Spring Fair 2022.

The Spring & Autumn Fair Online Marketplace can be accessed here from 4th May.