19/03/2019 – Fairs&Events

Playtime ventures into China

Playtime Shanghai will be China's first bi-annual kid’s fashion and lifestyle trade show, aiming at a higher-end segment of the market.

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A further location for the Playtime fairs: Shanghai. © moofushi/stock.adobe.com

 

Where and when?

Launching July 23-24, 2019 at "1933 Shanghai", an inspiring and central venue accessible by 2 subway lines, Playtime Shanghai will open one day before CBME, an annual babygear event. Renowned worldwide for its curated selection of brands that place emphasis on creativity and quality, Playtime will continue to defend those same values in Shanghai.

Who will visit and how will we promote?

The Chinese market has its own characteristics, constantly evolving and divided into a great number of different channels that we will be addressing without restrictions:

The offline channels regroup multi-brand boutiques (one successful boutique will quickly transform into 3 to 6 more in the same region!), small to large distributors that can manage up to hundreds of exclusive corners in shopping malls or department stores, chain stores (between 500 to 1500 stores with their own brands but also with 30 % of their space dedicated to other brands) and finally direct sales for companies that open a subsidiary in China and develop a network of their own stores.

The online channels regroup offline channels that all have their own e-commerce links, marketplaces (Tmall, taobao, JD, VIP, etc.), promotional platforms (KOL), WeChat’s direct sales, etc.

We understand most companies' concerns about copyright and we feel it is essential that Playtime Shanghai is a curated trade show that filters its visitors, and ensures that you are in contact with professionals and VIP only. We will not be opening to the general public, and only registered professionals will be granted access to the show.

A team based in Shanghai will work on constantly expanding our database and will contact buyers on a daily basis. To ensure that we keep proper control on visitors' registrations, we will work mainly through direct marketing and use all possible online channels, with a focus on our official WeChat account.

We are also setting up several partnerships with local influencers and magazines, and will relay the information to our international partners.

Needless to say that promotion also comes from the exhibitors themselves, and one of the objectives in selecting brands is to ensure that we create a strong group of brands that has a meaningful capacity to attract professionals.

Brand Selection and Support

In a designers market that’s still emerging in spite of the size of the country, we want to give Playtime Shanghai a natural development that follows the growth of the market itself. For that reason we have decided to limit our selection to 45 fashion, shoes, design and lifestyle brands. It is our responsibility to work with brands that are well prepared and have the capacity to work with us as a group, on developing and accompanying the transformation of the market.

During the two days of the show, our team will always be available to help you understand who’s who and give you all the support you need in English, French, Spanish and Chinese, should you have any questions about a visitor or about the market in general.

If you need more assistance outside of the shows, our two local (but international!) partners can also help you develop your brand in China even further. A conference will be organised at Playtime Paris and a podcast will be available to help you fully understand the market and give you some answers that will help you to better prepare for the show.

Booths and Scenography

We intend to welcome exhibitors and visitors at Playtime Shanghai with a new scenography close to that of a showroom or a concept store. There will be no walls to divide the space and each booth will be thought of as a module with contemporary furniture especially designed for Playtime Shanghai in order to give your products the best exposure possible. Booths will range from 6 to 18 square meters and will be sold a at a price of 380 €/sq.m. all inclusive. A trend space and artists’ exhibits will give the show the creative touch that Playtime is known for, one that gives it an exceptional atmosphere that visitors love so much!

© Picaflor/Sébastien de Hutten