by GUANGZHOU, China — Beginning this month, the China International Furniture Fair is rolling out a new online platform that will match global buyers and the exhibition’s some 4,000 exhibitors and facilitate one-on-one, real-time Zoom meetings at times and locations most convenient to buyers.
The program will run through the end of January 2024, Home News Now has learned.
The forthcoming VIP online business matching sponsored by CIFF is being managed by FurnitureAndFurnishings.com, said to be Asia’s largest furniture export/import e-media.
According to the sponsors, the goal of the initiative is to provide global buyers with information and access to the show’s thousands of exhibitors while saving buyers the time and money of having to physically travel to the show.
A spokesperson for the CIFF Guangzhou InterBiz Club, the group facilitating the VIP online business matching services, explained that interested buyers can fill out a form and after indicating what products and price points they are most interested in, will be matched with exhibitors that best reflect their interests.
With more than 4,000 exhibitors, the CIFF offers buyers limitless selections of adult, youth, outdoor, and office furniture, upholstery, bedding, accessories and more.
“This service is incredibly buyer-centric,” said an event spokesperson. “The buyer simply fills out and returns the attached sourcing form indicating the products, designs and price points wanted. We match them with the best suppliers, then the buyers meet our curated, shortlisted vendors in real time on a Zoom meeting at a location and time best suitable to the buyer.”
The spokesperson added, “The business-matching sessions average two to three hours for each buyer. The meetings with factories take an average of 15-20 minutes each, and we will bring in one factory at a time to meet with you for private discussions.”
Buyers interested in participating can contact Casey Loo at casey@apsmediagroup.com.
