Jun 11, 2010

NYIGF Introduces New Online Navigation Tools

White Plains, NY — A combination of state-of-the-art technology and old-fashioned personalized customer service will help buyers navigate the August 2010 New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®). New online tools, including an improved exhibitor search with a walking list and heat map download function, will be available to facilitate pre-show planning, and onsite, clear and consistent wayfinding graphics and information stations, supplemented by teams of “greeters,” will help attendees navigate the Fair.

Beginning June 11, search.nyigf.com, a more robust and dynamic search engine, will allow visitors to locate current vendors and find and sort resources by keyword, company name, division, category and venue.Search.nyigf.com, which was developed in consultation with and exclusively for the NYIGF by Whereoware, allows searches to be filtered, saved, and printed along with an accompanying floor plan. The tools are fully integrated with NYIGF’s Online Catalog Gallery, which is powered by Whereoware’s Active Merchandiser™ digital catalog tools.

Beginning August 1, a new mobile application will allow users to access the exhibitor search function on a handheld device for easy onsite reference. The application will be integrated with all major smartphone platforms including iPhone, Blackberry, and Android. In addition, the nyigf.com site will be adapted for easier mobile access before, during, and after the market.

“Last year, NYIGF was ahead of the curve by allowing buyers pre-show access to extensive online product catalogs and vendor information,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. “These new improvements, added functionality and the addition of a mobile app will exponentially improve our exhibitor and product search and will enable retailers to orient themselves and adapt quickly and easily to on-going floorplan changes.”

Onsite, a new “Information Station,” which will be located in the Crystal Palace lobby of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, will clearly outline changes to the Fair and offer navigational tips. Four assisted self-search kiosks will provide access to the exhibitor search function and the ability to purchase seminar and event tickets, and a team of NYIGF greeters – armed with iPads – will be stationed at satellite kiosks at entrances to the show floor at Javits and on both Piers to help attendees find exhibitors, on the fly, and to direct traffic.

The new and improved wayfinding methods have been developed to help NYIGF participants navigate show floor changes resulting from the introduction of new product divisions, reorganization of existing divisions and construction within the Javits Center. Following completion of the Javits Center North expansion in July, the Javits Center will begin the renovation component of the project which mandates creation of protective work zones in active construction areas to include five aisles on Level three and the Level four Galleria, which will be unavailable for exhibits in August.

The physical changes fall in line with the first phase of a three-year “Focus Forward NYIGF 2013” strategic plan, a major reorganization which begins this summer with the debut of Baby & Child, an exciting new division of 200 juvenile product suppliers, the reorganization of 560 Handmade exhibitors into Handmade® Designer Marker andHandmade Global Design classifications and the reintroduction of New York’s Newest, a division of 200 companies participating in the show for the first-time.

NYIGF is the nation’s premier gift, home and lifestyle marketplace, with 2,800 exhibiting companies featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. The summer market takes place Saturday, August 14, through Thursday, August 19, 2010, at the Javits Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94 in New York City. Some 35,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 85 countries worldwide are expected. Information and registration is available online at www.nyigf.com.

Whereoware is a web strategy, design, development and marketing company. With proven success and endorsements from leading players, Whereoware has been serving manufacturers in the gift, home and lighting industries for over 10 years. Founded by gift and home industry veterans, Whereoware has unique insights into the complex operational and marketing challenges within the industry. It turns that expertise into smart solutions for today’s manufacturers. Its Active Merchandiser™ technology powers the Online Catalog Gallery, enabling individual exhibitors to quickly and easily load their own catalogs directly to the NYIGF® website. Exhibitors can change or update their Online Catalog Gallery information in real-time, allowing buyers to browse and search the most up-to-date source of information available across hundreds of catalogs, and thousands of products.www.whereoware.com.