ASD Market Week: The Premier Event of Retail & Sourcing - Stephanie Beringhele

Shivang (00:08)

Hello everyone, today on the show I'm joined by Stephanie Bering-Haley, the force behind ASD MarketWeave, the largest and the most inclusive sourcing show for retailers, resellers, and distributors in the US. Whether you run a neighborhood discount store, select flea markets, source for chain stores, or operate an online storefront, ASD was built with you in mind. It's where thousands of buyers and sellers come together across 19 plus categories to find deals, build relationships, and move real volume.

Stephanie has helped shape ASD into more than just a trade show. It's a platform for growth, welcoming first time sellers, veteran buyers, and everyone in between. In this episode, we talk about what makes ASD unique, why it matters now more than ever, and how it continues to serve as a true marketplace for everyone trying to make retail work. Let's get into it. Thanks a lot for being here, Stephanie. Welcome to the show.

Stephanie Beringhele (00:56)

I am absolutely

honored. Thanks for having me and you know I love talking all things ASD Market Week so I'm very excited about this.

Shivang (01:04)

Yeah, likewise, super excited to have this conversation with you having been at ASD already. It was an eye opening moment for me. excited to get into this conversation. First question from me would be, Stephanie, like, why do you think, you know, small retailers have to think of ASD as a main street show?

Stephanie Beringhele (01:23)

So for smaller retailers, it's probably the only trade show in the circuit that they have control of where their money goes. So a lot of retailers that come through, they source to sell. And when they have the ability to really scout and say, I can control my costs and my margins, and there's a wide variety of products for me to pick from, that's a sweet spot. So I think for us, it's an order writing show.

And they're connecting with generational businesses who want to set them up for success and understand that they're going to need a little help on the way. So I would say that's the key of it.

Shivang (02:00)

definitely. seen it personally, there are all kind of categories on the floor. ⁓ MOQ is never a barrier to work with any of the vendors. There are always, you can find a price for a product at one place and then go find a better deal or have a deal in your hand to be able to negotiate better. it's a place where

is starting a business, has been already in the business, is trying to get more out of their business, they can definitely find more value from being on the floor ASD.

Stephanie Beringhele (02:31)

How shocked were you when you first came? Because last show was your first time. What did you think when you entered the floor?

Shivang (02:38)

I came with no expectations and I left with a lot of value and excitement about the industry in general, in general, saw, of all, were a lot more people and that's what makes trade shows more energetic. You feel more connected because there are so many more people. was able to...

across multiple categories within the same floor, which is very different than a regular show that when you go to a houseware show, when you go to a food show or a grocery shop show or whatnot, it kind of differs in that aspect. And not just that, it had innovative sides of the retail, which I don't think even was existing at that time in the mainstream, like whatnot was there, live shopping and things like that. even having operated in retail for...

eight years before that, I got a turn in terms of what's actually happening in the industry. It gave me a pulse what exactly is going to work and not going to work. it was an amazing show for me for like for a first timer. And was that was the time when I came to say, I can't miss this show because if I want to be in this industry and if I want to be in detail, I can't miss this show.

Stephanie Beringhele (03:42)

Yeah.

And I love that you just said the pulse of the industry. That's why people need to come in. right, there's live selling, that's the future, it's very hot right now. And then product wise, it's where you see trends end and become discontinued or discounted or you also see trends rising up and you can get multiple vendors. It's not just one, two, or three. You scope out, just in case if somebody sells out and they don't have it, but you still know that it's selling within your store and you need more of that quantity.

Shivang (04:02)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (04:16)

Then you go to vendor number two or vendor number three and it keeps your establishment going, which is a good thing.

Shivang (04:23)

definitely. There's a ton of options. There's a lot of different places where vendors are coming from. So if you want to source from a specific country, ⁓ kind of product grade and whatnot, there's a lot of this. There's something for everyone, like sourcing in terms of any kind of product their name brands. There are people who are making their own products in-house manufacturing. it ⁓ feels like even if you don't have a business in mind, you can kind of start.

to people and see that, right, I can sell that online or I can maybe I can do something about it. You know, so it gives a lot of food for thought for people who is a thing, especially you, even if you're, if even if you're not from the retail industry, but you want to be in it, it could be a good place to start for sure.

Stephanie Beringhele (04:55)

Yeah.

Good place for entrepreneurs. If you want to get into the market and you don't know where to start, this is a place for you to really seek out opportunity and then talk to real experts who are gonna help tell you this is the process and here's our advice having gone through it to move forward with it. So I agree 100%.

Shivang (05:25)

Mm-hmm.

definitely. Definitely. And on the flip side, what do you think about the vendors and the distributors that exhibit on ASD floor? What value can they get and do get from the...

Stephanie Beringhele (05:40)

So I think, you know, being on the show floor, get a home base and it's your one opportunity that you get to brand yourself. You get to communicate what kind of goods you're there to offer different retailers. So a lot of times the distributors are the ones that are on the show floor that are walking. They're trying to find deals, trying to find product that then they can go into their network and they're very old school. So these distributors, a lot of them, they're in their trucks going back and forth and they...

consistently move product and inventory once they receive it. So for the exhibitors, we have everything from people that do private label. We've got manufacturers, we've got ⁓ wholesalers, we have people that specialize in close out and liquidated product line. And then of course we've got that person that came up with a brilliant idea and they've got the most juicy on-trend product that they're just announcing to the market. it's where they get to say, does this have any clout?

Will all these buyers that are walking by are they actually going to pick up this product? Does it have merit? Do I need to change the packaging? Is it not priced right? So it's the ultimate boot camp for you to just kind of figure out who wants this product and how am I going to get it out?

Shivang (06:34)

Mm-hmm.

definitely. mean, it's from a perspective, you're getting feedback from a variety of different buyers. Someone is selling online, someone has their own discount store, someone has their own warehouse deal store. So you get feedback real-time before even you put your money into manufacturing buying or procuring that product that how consumers and people who sell to consumers react to it. it's also a...

from what I could kind of out of talking to a lot of people who are exhibiting was that they were really for feedback and these buyers who might or might not buy but they still get some kind of a feedback. Okay, should I change my strategy here? Should I should I be sourcing a different product should I be doing something different at the same time get get get a complete pulse of all right. This is how the next year of retail is going to look like for me if I am to adjust.

Stephanie Beringhele (07:44)

And they're very blunt and not blunt in a mean way, but I think that again, there's value in our product and with buyers, especially those that come to ASD, they've been around so they know where that value sits. So they'll let somebody know, I see potential in your product, but I can't sell it unless you change that packaging. And here's why it doesn't work. It needs to be sleeker or I need to have a better quantity or it needs to sit on this kind of shelf line. So.

Shivang (08:03)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (08:10)

They're going to give you direct feedback and at the end of three, four days, you're going to understand exactly what you need to do to adjust or pivot. Otherwise the markets already spoken and these are the ones that are actually writing orders. So you have to make that pivot. Otherwise, there's no one that's going to, you know, want to pick up that product.

Shivang (08:26)

definitely. ⁓ And that's valuable feedback for them, someone, by just being on the floor. They don't have to invest in it and then realize it. as an exhibitor, you get to kind of understand, if I am to stay in the business, what exactly do I need to do with a particular product or with my overall strategy? And not just product, right? Packaging, my payment terms, what exactly is the buyer going to look for to be able to be a lucrative business to source from?

Stephanie Beringhele (08:54)

And it's very interesting. So one of my favorite stories, there's a gentleman that's very well known in our industry. His name is Seth Marks and he was previously with Big Lots and the best story, he grew up at ASD so he's been there for 30 plus years and he got his hands on Mary Kay, which is the makeup, right? And he's like, got this great makeup product. And he was working for a private equity group at the time and he said, I know where I can flip this and I can sell this product.

So he took the money, he invested in a booth, and by day two he still hadn't sold the product. And he at this point told me, goes, was sweating bullets. And you know, here they trusted me to sell and move these goods. Well, by day three, he was able to sell the whole lot. And it's because he just needed that one buyer who saw the potential and the value of that type of merchandise. And he was able to lead with having achieved his objective. And that's what I love hearing. I love stories like that.

Shivang (09:47)

definitely. I I was also very much excited to kind of see the enthusiasm around the liquidation and the closeout industry being mainstream at AASD. It's almost, would say, 20 % of the exhibitors are in some way or the other providing when it comes to closeouts and access inventory and return goods and whatnot, which kind of speaks to the fact that

you know, at least from my perspective, know, ASD being the pulse of retail, it kind of says that, that's a very important part of the retail industry where ⁓ if the main show is promoting sustainability through its practices and through its exhibitors, how much value exists in that? And that, think, also kind of nudges to the buyers that are on the floor that, there might be an opportunity with a product which no one else is seeing.

Stephanie Beringhele (10:34)

It's ⁓ it's very interesting. I think it's very taboo in today's modern society that Consumers do not want to see a brand tarnish goods and take it to the land mine. They don't they want product to have a secondary life And I think that our community is really embracing it. They understand that recovery is important They understand that when they resell they need to make sure that that brand is still protected

So again, they've got networks where they can talk to brands and say, you know what, if I'm going to resell this product and deliver it to an establishment that can sell it and we can recover those costs, or some of the costs that you already did, ⁓ they'll do it. And they'll do it in a way where.

It's easy and everyone benefits from it. So I love seeing that portion of the business and I think it's only going to continue to grow because again, the brands are actually saying I have to start looking at my business a little bit differently and I'm not an expert. I don't have the time to do it. But here's this whole network of companies that specialize in it and they do a very good job of making sure that that product sees a second life.

Shivang (11:35)

definitely. ⁓ by being on a floor like ASD, someone's able to get that conversation real time, face to face, where exactly do you sell? Can you protect the brand that I'm putting in your hands? So ASD becomes a good place for these buyers who might be interested in buying such an inventory to have a real time, a face to face conversation. Where can I sell it? Where can I not resell it? What other products do you have? So it's...

20 % of the floor is, you know, selling particular segment of the retail products, it kind of shows that it's of much importance and there's real value in that for sure.

Stephanie Beringhele (12:14)

And I love the global, it's the global aspect. We get people from all over the world where I think most of our exhibitors are very surprised when they're in their booth. First question, where are you from? And you came all this way and how was the plane ride? But it's so nice. then logistics sometimes, you know, we've had new exhibitors come through where they said, this guy or this lady is willing to purchase this product, but I don't know how to ship it to them.

Shivang (12:23)

Thank

Stephanie Beringhele (12:37)

freight and logistics, I never thought that I would be dealing with somebody over here, but they want to buy a large volume and I want to make it happen. So the neighbor, you know, two rows down says, I can help you out with that. I've got somebody who can help you. So that's where the synergies of this community comes together of, that's not a problem. We've got a solution for you. And there's not that competitive spirit, but more of everyone just wants to sell their product and see it go to a good home. So

Shivang (12:37)

I

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (13:02)

The global aspect is great and I think you're going to see more and more of that, especially what's going on with tariffs. People have to diversify the way that they're sourcing and selling and it's important to the whole global concept right now.

Shivang (13:08)

Mm-hmm.

definitely. mean, when I was at the ASD, I was in the queue. I think I've shared this story with you in the past, but ⁓ I was in the queue and I have this habit of speaking to people, where are you from? I met people from Tanzania. I met people from Asia, India, Australia. So the people are all over the place. People come to visit this show, which kind of speaks to the fact that is where you kind of get to.

with all the biggest distributors and wholesalers and brands themselves create an opportunity for you. So I've met some people who were in the surplus industry in India. And if you look up on LinkedIn and you just put ASDMarket because of hashtag, you'd find so many people posting those photos, which speaks to you. It's really a global, not just from a

a seller perspective, exhibitor's perspective, because that's also a thing at ASG where the exhibitors are from Middle East, from India, other parts of the world. the same time, the buyers are also flocking in just specifically for that show, that five or six day experience of be with the community, learn from each other. completely resonate with the fact of competition. everyone's trying to elevate the industry versus competing with each other.

especially on the floor, it seems, when I was on the floor, I had an experience being to one gentleman you know, he was, started giving me insights about you can go to that trade show, you can do that your business. So that kind of, you know, speaks to the fact that they were not trying to me or whatnot. They're trying to just uplift the entire industry by the right insights in everyone's hands.

Stephanie Beringhele (14:55)

always wish that at our show we had a big map, global map and everyone could just kind of mark where they're coming from. And I think from the perspective of if you see where everyone comes from, it's pretty amazing that everyone is on this particular trade show for doing business, shaking hands, asking questions.

And if you ever try to travel or try to meet people face to face going out to all those areas, you don't have the time to do it. You don't have the time. You don't have the funds. You don't have the bandwidth. So to me, I think that there's two main objectives within the business model. One, I want to trust a face that I know. And I want to be able to look somebody in the eyes and say,

If ask you for that palette, I know I'm gonna get it, right? And it's gonna be exactly what you told me. And there's a sense of warmth and trust that you're building. And at the same time, shows only happen two times a year, at least for ASD, right? There's other shows that are all over, they're very three-day format, four-day format. So then what do you do to keep that year-long connection? And I think that...

That's where you come in and you guys are building your business model to make sure that those conversations continue. People can do business, use the technology and make sure that again, inventory doesn't stay stagnant, but it has fluidity and it's moving to the right owner who again, sole objective is to sell it.

Shivang (16:10)

definitely. mean, our point of view into the market is digitalizing what is actually happening today. And I think it can only scale not just on one side of the equation, but both side of the equation where if you put the right tools in the right people's hand, they are able to do better business. They've already established a connection being on the floor or having spoken to each other. they can kind of digitalize the entire experience and do it better.

Moving on, if I had a specific question in mind, if someone's visiting for the first time, what advice or what can a first time attendee expect from visiting AST?

Stephanie Beringhele (16:50)

Well, they have some homework to do because if you show up just going, I'm here, I'm ready to shop, you're gonna probably be overwhelmed. So I would say every show looks uniquely different. It is done with intent. ⁓ But we've got the tools to help you be successful. We've got a whole attendee relations team that includes myself where we wanna connect with buyers before they even head to the convention center because I wanna know what kind of product are you looking for?

Shivang (17:02)

you

Stephanie Beringhele (17:17)

what's the pain point because I can best direct you and say why don't you start here and then really map out your day. We also have great technology. We've got the ASD mobile app and that is a game changer because you can filter product and it will just help you along your way. So I think that there's online tools, there's our website and then there's real humans, not AI, although I love AI, it helps me every single day of my life.

But you want to hear somebody who's been in the business for a long time say, for your specific strategic needs, I think you need to start in this hall. Here's a few tried and true, and here's some new exciting exhibitors that you should probably stop by and at the rest of the time. This is your ultimate treasure hunt is one of the few shows that I will tell people if you really want to make money for your store, you better go down aisle by aisle. And it's a very hard feat to do because it's a very large show.

⁓ If your curious mind allows you and your feet can handle it Just keep walking those aisle ways you will never ever You'll be so shocked at what you find that's within booths And I think it's gonna excite you and just change your perspective on what can I do different for my business to make sure it's protected for the future

Shivang (18:29)

no, definitely. being on the floor and having used the app myself, I know how useful it is to strategize. At least your day one with respect to these are the people I would love to get in front of, talk to, and have chat with. the exploring aspect, right? It's a long show, so you've got to wear your walking shoes or whatnot. You guys make it easy as well with golf carts and whatnot between the two buildings for sure.

I completely resonate with the treasure hunt experience because that's what you're there for, Other than your day-to-day sourcing of things that you already know you want to buy from other people you already want to meet, you also get to see, right, what else can I source? as a business which is into reselling of goods, that's what you want. You want to be able to out where's my next big opportunity to be able to make money, to be able to make margins. ⁓ And to be able to do that on...

kind of MOQ deals is also very important, right? So that aspect of ASD is definitely unique than any other show. the app as well, like, know, I use the app to kind of see, ⁓ you know, like the buyer basis as well, like people who are coming on the show as well. So if you want to connect with this different buyer, you can do that as well, which is quite unique. Normally, like, you know, conferences and shows would not give about the buyers. And so you can connect not just from the

perspective, but if you have a similar business to somebody else, you just want to exchange insights, have a chat with them on the floor that how do you approach your business in any country that you work in? It's actually it a community aspect is what I would say, because I think the intention you and others at the ESD has, it comes out because you really want people to connect ⁓ versus just transact.

Stephanie Beringhele (20:17)

And it's so interesting because we have so many clients where they love that old school printed map. And it hurts our heart because we have it because we want to be very inclusive. And we know that some people, that's just their preference. It's what they're used to. But.

The app allows people in real time to update their product listings and all of a sudden they can include seasonal goods or holidays. So some of the exhibitors take advantage of as buyers come into their booth, they're saying, do you have this product or this way? And then they're saying, okay, this is a trending need. So they can go back into their portal, update it, and then other buyers can find it. So it's the most up-to-date resource for you to use. And I just encourage it and...

It's pretty easy and if you have issues with it, we have at ShowSite support. So you can go to one of the Help Me Desks or we've got a little grip booth and that's specific to the mobile app. again, lean in on our staff. We're here to help and support. We wanna make sure that you find what you need, you find what you want and that you have a good time doing it and that you're not stressed.

Shivang (21:16)

definitely. And I also appreciate the food courts in the middle because then then you can keep yourself hydrated while you're doing that. And they I think they're also strategically placed. cover cover one, you know, cover cover one aisle and then here's a food court for you. I also like that. And there were some at the end of the show as well. So if if you make all the way up there, you can reward yourself with a chocolate shake or a know, a cappuccino or whatever, whatever.

Stephanie Beringhele (21:21)

Yay!

You ⁓

Yeah.

Shivang (21:44)

you like to drink or eat.

Stephanie Beringhele (21:46)

Don't be hungry, you need to stay hydrated and you

need to eat otherwise you're miserable and then you know, business is hard.

Shivang (21:55)

Yeah, definitely, You know, for buyers that visit again and again, like what kind of value do you think they drive by? Because I've seen some videos where, ⁓ you know, buyers are essentially saying, yeah, I visit every year. This is my go to show. I also bring my friends along. what value do you think they drive from being there year after year?

Stephanie Beringhele (22:18)

So I think what ASD does really well and those that come over and over again is they feel empowered on how they structure their storefront and how they position themselves to make money. So with everything that's going on in the world, it's consistently shifting. We are a reflection of the market and the retail space, let's be honest, it's always changing. And there's a lot of elements at play. So.

For the major brands, if those costs go up for these retailers, there's not much that they can do because those are core items that their consumers expect them to have within their stores.

So that's one element that they're not looking necessarily for that at the show. What they are looking for is how do I incorporate a private label? Whether it's a candle, whether it's a chip that's similar to that other branded chip that people will say, I'm gonna save $3 on this pack, it makes sense. So they've got the private label, then they've got closeout opportunity, then liquidated, and then they've got fresh new inventory. So the way that they can configure what's in their store, now they can manage their costs. And now their whole open to buy,

It gets extended a little bit more. So I think that the ones that come back and back, they realize the importance of they're gonna find the right product mix that's gonna sit, help their needs currently. And then they're also, I mean, they're connecting with the exhibitors. They're making relationships where, hey, that one item sold out, I need more of it. Can I get more of it for my store? Because now you're competing with other competitors where if that's a trending item, you wanna make sure that, hey, Henry or Sarah.

Remember me I need a reorder and how quickly can I get this in my store because my shelf is empty and when I have an empty shelf it does not make me any money so I need those goods delivered as soon as I can so I think that's a big element there's also another element of let's say something's trending really well in your store and The exhibit that you went to they're out. They don't have that product anymore. Well when you go to a show if you have the time

Shivang (24:06)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (24:13)

You should tier it where you find three or four exhibitors that have something very similar. And that way if the first one, they don't have it anymore, it's eliminated product, you can now go to two, three or four and find something similar that you know is gonna sell equally well. So margin building, diversifying and making sure that you can continuously pull in product that's gonna make sense for your store.

Shivang (24:36)

makes sense. mean, ⁓ because there's a lot of vendors who have an overlap. If somewhere your sources, your source is struggling, your supply is struggling. can always create a separate source for the same product. So as a buyer, you stay in the business meeting with more. And you you, create a constellation of supplier relationships so that you're always able to get the better margins for yourself. you just visit once you form 10 connections and that's it. Right. But if you come every year,

10 becomes 20, 20 becomes 30. And especially in that kind of an ecosystem, your margins keep improving because now you know more people and now you know more products. And now you get more ideas as to how you bundle them together. it's also the variety of products. just like, if you go to just to an houseware show, you will never get an idea about general merchandise or electronics and whatnot. might be a discount retailer around.

general merchandise, just cosmetics and whatnot. But then you realize, all right, there's some value in as well. have, I, you know, like there was a business right next to me with sold electronics. It's no more there. Maybe the customers want that kind of a good, you can kind of diversify your business just because you have so many options on the floor.

Stephanie Beringhele (25:51)

So true, there's a ⁓ Saudi Arabia company that comes through. They've got 33 megastores. And they came a couple years back and they said, you know what? We're starting to do a shift. We did a little test pilot with some pet products. And they slowly incorporated into their storefront. And it just sold. It just kept selling. So when they came back to the next show, they said, you know what? We actually are going to spend a little bit more time on this product category because

The profits in it make sense for our business model. And so then they'll come this round and they might find something completely different. So we see that trend and then we see another trend of right now with the tariffs that are going on. Brazil just, they just announced a 50 % tariff on Brazil today. Just today it's gonna, I think start on August 1st. So we have a whole international pavilion. It's called Source Direct, it's upstairs but.

That's where you start to have real conversations of saying, okay, if I have to diversify where I source goods now internationally and I have to only lean on China for 50%, but now I need to find that other 50%, what does that look like? You get to again, have real time conversations with different countries and agents and they're gonna say, this is what it's looking like. We think that this is a great factory for you. We've got an agent that can help facilitate it. So there's just all the right people in the right space to really answer those questions. And again,

solve your pain point at the time and say, this isn't working right now, not to say it won't change in another week or two, but if you're looking for a solution or solve, this one might be it. And now you start to build that up a little bit, which is a good thing to do for your business to protect it.

Shivang (27:16)

Mm-hmm.

definitely. I I had an opportunity to go upstairs as well. And the international pavilions are specifically all right. If you are looking to source by country, there are range in a way where, yeah, I can speak. ⁓ And that's really insightful, especially with the trade situation where your supply has to change and evolve, and you get to make connections from different multiple countries. can always pick and choose where exactly you should be sourcing from. you know, there...

Some things that I kind of noticed was that can find Kitchenware or any other product from one country and the other country as well So you can compare where can I source from there's manufacturers from both the countries can even you know, want this exact product from this particular exhibitor But you can get it, you know, you can get it designed if you give the right volume so it becomes a place for somebody to ⁓ You know brainstorm create your own products find the right suppliers

the right countries and if that doesn't work out then you always have another one to fall back

Stephanie Beringhele (28:25)

And new this year, so we have a gown Nancy, actually our whole international team, they're very good. They're very well trained. They're experts in their craft and they're starting to see for China in particular, there's now some of them have distribution capabilities within the US market. And so they have a section that's just dedicated to if you want somebody who has a warehouse or has somebody here in the US, here's the people that you need to talk to. again, that's also going back to the staff and saying, here are my needs.

Shivang (28:31)

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (28:54)

Can you pinpoint a few options for me? And they'll walk you right to that booth just so that you can have that conversation and see where it goes.

Shivang (29:01)

sense. Especially like local distribution is going to become more important. So having those kind of avenues where the suppliers that have already placed their inventory in the US warehouses so that it also increases, it also reduces the amount of time it takes to kind of get you get the product. You can also order lesser quantities and not increase your liabilities as a buyer where if my supply is locally situated already then.

I have to, ⁓ I'm tariff proof in that manner and I don't have to have larger quantities sitting as well. So that's really insightful. think I did not know about that AST.

Stephanie Beringhele (29:37)

Something that's my favorite, I shouldn't have a favorite because we're to play neutral, but I love closeouts. I absolutely love a good closeout. think that the thing is it's already in the US, and I think there's so many misconceptions about it, and we have so many exhibitors that have access to it. They are major brand names, and it just had to be moved because it was a shelf puller.

Shivang (29:46)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (30:02)

Seasonal shifts made it so that somebody couldn't house it anymore. So I always say, don't be scared of closeouts. Great margin builders in the US. They're ready to ship it. And there's some really awesome finds. So take the time. Don't be afraid. Have some fun with that world. ⁓

Shivang (30:09)

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yeah, definitely. And

are excited to be exhibiting in that same world this year, especially given there's so much opportunity in that space where have so much surplus inventory than more than it used to be, especially also retailers having those return goods. So from a buyer's perspective, you can build a business with a very lower cost than what you would pay for the regular goods as well.

Closeouts, I think, in general, are a great way for someone to get started as well. And you'd be surprised if you look at some of these catalogs where there's opportunity in everything. And people would be like, how can this be on closeout? So finding those deals is totally up to buyers. But there are so many on the floor that can help you facilitate that.

Stephanie Beringhele (30:57)

Yeah.

And they are some name brands and a lot of them will say well can't really tell you yet where I got this from but They're great stuff. And I mean it's I'm so glad that you're gonna be exhibiting because again, I think once you have a home base Gives you opportunity I always say travel in twos if you're gonna be at an exhibiting show and you have a space you want somebody who can kind of do the walk around

Shivang (31:10)

and

Stephanie Beringhele (31:26)

And then you need somebody to be at the hub to answer the questions to communicate the brand to be that smiley friendly face. Don't leave a grumpy person in it. If they're going to be grumpy, take them back home. They don't need to be there, but it's a lot of fun. And if you're open, the conversations will lead you to great opportunity.

Shivang (31:26)

Mm-hmm.

Thank

no, I mean, we are planning it in the same manner where, one person would get to, you know, like talk with other exhibitors as well, talk to other buyers and communicate and whatnot at the same time, attend people in the booth. And it's an energetic time. think being on the floor, it's never a dull moment. I've been to some dull shows. I won't name them, but where there's nothing happening, but ASD is nothing like that for sure.

Stephanie Beringhele (32:04)

You

Shivang (32:13)

you know, like, and at least that's what I've heard. But I mean, you can correct me, but I was told that March is the slower one compared to the August, but I felt March itself was busy. I'm not even sure how big is August going to be.

Stephanie Beringhele (32:26)

You know, I think that we are a little bit of something for everyone and some people the heat is not their friend So they prefer to go to the March show at the same time. We have a lot of families That in August those those mean school systems they started school a lot earlier So they have to go for first day of school or getting their kids ready and stuff So what I love about it is they're equally good shows. You're gonna see the seasonal shifts and the product

Shivang (32:33)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (32:52)

⁓

But really it just opens up the door for if you are Let's say you're a resort business March might be better for you or August might be better for you Just depends on where you're located when your prime season is so some people unfortunately they have to make the choice of going to only one show and that's only because they have to be in their storefront doing the business, but we always recommend

Shivang (33:01)

makes sense.

Stephanie Beringhele (33:13)

Two shows are great. We'd love to have you for both shows. But if you only can come to one, come to the one that you get. And you can really spend the time, do the shopping, do the sourcing, do the connections, because it's going to help your business.

Shivang (33:15)

I think.

sense. That actually is insightful. Around what's happening with your personal life, you can decide which one to go to. And it's good that it's twice in here, because then if you miss it for one reason, then you can always go to the other one, you'll find value from being in either of them, for sure. hopefully we will exhibit in both the cadences that you guys put together, because seems...

Stephanie Beringhele (33:45)

Yeah.

Shivang (33:52)

are super excited to make it our home base walking on the floor itself was so productive. I am just so excited to be exhibiting and learning even more.

Stephanie Beringhele (34:05)

It's so funny because I think of it as, know, Omnichannel has always been a big word within the retail space. And Omnichannel to me within a trade show is you need your retail space, right? And that's your exhibition space. So that once you have that world and then you can certainly do the email campaigns and the websites and everything else throughout the year. But it's having that little hub. And again, it's just because of the face to face. You want to see the product. You want to be able to validate it.

and make sure that you've earned a level of trust. And I think that's a, goes a long way in this business. Cause you know, there's a few shady characters out there, not at ASD, but there's some shadiness out there in the market. And you don't want to be conned, especially mom and pop, you gotta protect yourself. like I said, look them in the eye and say, what are your terms agreements? I want to see the product. And our guys usually have been in the show for 30 plus years, long time businesses. So they've been through.

Shivang (34:37)

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Thanks

Stephanie Beringhele (34:56)

COVID, they've been through logistic issues. mean, everything that has happened in the market, they've been through it and they're still standing. They're the most grittiest, ⁓ hardworking people that I have ever met. And I think that's another reason that it makes our community so successful and amazing because of these people putting in the work.

Shivang (35:05)

Mm-hmm.

definitely. you know, to that aspect of being in the industry for so long, makes them even less insecure about anything. We are here to build the community because they've seen all the storms. They've been through, you know, 65 year old companies, 30 year old companies, 47 year old companies on the floor, 20 years, 10 years. So, you know, these people have on the, and it's great to see that they all prefer to come to ASD or other shows. would find them.

excited about at least if you look at their social media channels, they like some of them have already started announcing from 1st of July that they would be on the ASD show because it's and their communications as well kind of and we ourselves have started communicating our buyers and to the people who work with us that hey, we're to be on ASD and we'd love to see you there because it's it's almost like you know, like there's a lot of ⁓ excitement and you know, like hope around the second half of the year that hey,

more business can be done by just being on that floor.

Stephanie Beringhele (36:13)

and I love the communication. You know, the great, great grandparents who started these businesses, a lot of them, they did not have social media, they did not have LinkedIn, they did not have YouTube, so use it to your advantage. Get creative, have some fun. There's a client of mine that, so cold imports and closeouts.

Shivang (36:24)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (36:31)

They do Danny's deal of the week and every Monday they launch a really funny funny video that's ⁓ it's raining or there's an inflatable and They're just embracing they know that times are tough. They're very transparent They talk about what's going on in the market, but then they say hey great deal You should jump on it schools around the corner We got a whole lot of pencils and kids still use pencils so get it while it's hot make your store some money, so

Shivang (36:31)

Mm-hmm. I've seen them.

Stephanie Beringhele (36:55)

Take advantage. love that you are announcing that you're going to be at the show. Keep doing it. Find creative ways. You're already doing a podcast, which I think is amazing because you're giving insight and you're leveraging your expertise while you're building your brand. And I think that that's an incredible way to, again, kind of gain that trust within the industry and the community. So you're doing a great job.

Shivang (37:15)

thanks a lot, Stephanie. It means a lot coming from you and super excited to be on the floor and meet you. other things that I'd love to kind of touch with you, like how do you see, so, you know, this is a first-hand experience as well, but do you like, it's easier to say that, you know, ASD is a community hub to feel as someone, you know, experiencing it, but it must be a daunting job for you guys that how do you kind of approach and, like,

ASD as a community hub, like must be a difficult job. So how do you make it a full ecosystem inclusive to others?

Stephanie Beringhele (37:46)

It's ever changing, I'll tell you that. But I think for us, start with, we have an amazing internal team. And our team, we understand the objective and that is to host and put on an event where buyers and sellers and marketers and entrepreneurs can all come together, collaborate, talk about the business and find again solutions for the industry and for the market. So no matter if it is a small mom and pop, all the way to some of the larger box stores.

Shivang (37:49)

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (38:14)

We encompass a little bit of all of it. So it starts with the team. We've got the marketing and ops and sales and attendees. So we all work cohesively together and have weekly meetings. But then it really comes to, exhibitors, hey, buyers and sellers, what's going on in your world? What would you like to see? Like we've got meetings with some of our key retailers. We have a retail advisory board.

Shivang (38:25)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (38:38)

So we ask them, what's keeping you up at night? What can we do that's better? How do we reorganize the floor? We have nine neighborhoods. Do we need to scale that back, or do we need to expand on it? Do we need to change one, because the trends are showing us this one area isn't doing very well, and you would rather see more of this. So we have the retail advisory council, and then we talk with our exhibitors a lot. So for the attendee team, we'll reach out to a lot of the clients and say,

We've got a VIP buyer program. Who do we need to get to Vegas? Who do you think will enhance the community and should be there who currently isn't so we can show the value? So I think that you're only as good as you understand your clientele and you need to have constant communication with them to understand what their needs are and then you need to deliver it because if you don't deliver it, they will not return and word of mouth goes a long way and if they don't like it, you know, they're going to say it, but if they love it.

Shivang (39:12)

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (39:31)

or they still find value in it, they're gonna come over again and again and then you said they're gonna tell their friends and that's what keeps us thriving, that's what keeps us going and some people might scale back because they're struggling as a company. That's okay, we embrace that too. You're not the only one. Show up. Now more than ever is for you to do business and to see what's going on in the economy and the market and the industry. So show up so that you can see tomorrow. Don't shut down that business before you have those conversations.

Shivang (39:53)

Mm-hmm.

definitely. mean, experience that you guys are putting together, even for first time exhibitors is great. Like we are a first time exhibitor we get constant communication of how to make it a success for yourself. this is, I've exhibited at other shows as well, not for this particular business, for a different business. a first time exhibitor, you don't get a lot of value in the eyes of the show.

we were able to work with your team to be able to get the booth that we need, the location that we need and whatnot, which speaks a lot about the kind of show you guys want to put together. Because as a first time exhibitor, you haven't provided much value back to the show already. it was really, heartwarming for us to see that the show would put us in a great location where we can feel excited about exhibiting. I think.

guys are doing a great job with that respect where you're all inclusive on first comers. like so being in being in the group of people who have been there for 30 years, 40 years and being there is, know, is something not other shows easily provide. They they put they will put you in in the boundaries of places or whatnot, but you would never have a decision. You would never have a say in it. Right. So having a say itself amazing. Nothing wrong with being on the boundaries. Boundaries are great as well, because

get to kind of cover from, you you're closer to the food court and whatnot. that say in where exactly you're positioned is also very important. And I think ASD is the only show I saw that let me do it.

Stephanie Beringhele (41:31)

that you said that and

we understand it is absolutely it is so scary for you to invest in a show as a first-timer because you don't know there's a lot of unknowns and I think that I'm outside of empowering people to kind of find their little home their synergy of where their booth is located with like-minded product line and stuff like that a lot of people don't understand that we offer a lot of free marketing

And with the free marketing, it's everything from pre-market exposure, and that's within a vendor preview where you get to highlight and feature one of your products with pricing, and that goes to our database. So let's say that little buyer couldn't come because they're going to a graduation or this or that. Guess what? They do get that email saying, look at the coolest new items hitting the market this time. And that allows you to organically find people that either might not show up or, again, before they hit the show floor.

Shivang (41:54)

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (42:23)

And then we have these display cases that are out in the lobby. Our buyers love it because they want a little inspiration. And so they go to the little display. It's curated. And they can see what items are there. And then they say, OK, I need to go to this booth. And we see them write it down. then the little tech ones with more tech, they'll actually put it in their phone and everything. But it's a great way to drive organic traffic and to say, I'm here. I'm here. It's my first time. But here's my product. And hey, buyer, you need to come swing by so I can share it with you.

Shivang (42:35)

Mm-hmm.

mean, it's those boots. It's like, if you need paper pamphlets, they're paper pamphlets. If you don't need technology, then there's technology. So it's great mix. It's almost like the entire ⁓ ecosystem is right over there for you to kind of get what you need sort of a thing. And the 19 categories that are there are also like a good fit, as I was mentioning in the beginning of the podcast where

Stephanie Beringhele (42:56)

Yeah.

Shivang (43:13)

you're in a particular category, there are seven or eight different vendors that are selling that category to you. So you're never going to walk out of there and be like, yeah, this was not a good use of my time. You'll always get something you were looking for or were hoping to kind of get your eyes on.

Stephanie Beringhele (43:30)

Absolutely. have for those that you said it earlier in our conversation. said sometimes buyers don't even understand that Another item could complement their existing

items

in their store and they might benefit from it. we even created neighborhood guides and within it they simply highlight different product and they say like if you're a pet store this might be good for you or if you're a boutique and all of a sudden apparel isn't selling at a level that you need and you have to diversify put in the candle or put in the tumbler right? It's a hot tumbler and curate these vignettes so it talks about

Shivang (43:44)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (44:02)

some seasonal holidays so you could take advantage of it. there again, there's resources for you to inspire and say, can I set my best foot forward and compete in today's market and make sure that consumers see that I'm doing a good job and they want to come in and spend their hard-earned money with us.

Shivang (44:11)

Mm-hmm.

definitely. There's opportunity, a lot of opportunity for complementary bundling, ⁓ expanding into multiple categories and whatnot. ⁓ I was excited to see the ⁓ push on the live marketplace side of things as well. think that's, I mean, it's...

had an understanding of how important life shopping is, but after coming to ASD, I started looking into it and I see, wow, that's such a growing and a big part of the industry where life shopping is now becoming more mainstream. It was a thing before pre-COVID, but it didn't really pick up during that time. But I think post-COVID and push from ASD, it's now going to be a huge, huge, huge aspect of our industry.

Stephanie Beringhele (45:06)

It is growing, growing, and I think people are getting over their fears and saying, I've got a personality. Let me try this out. And it's so nice because Whatnot is coming back this show cycle. They will be in South Lower Hall, so they're going to do their thing. And then over in the beauty section, so you've got beauty, apparel, accessories. There is a company called The Buying Agency, Tony Chan. He's been a buyer for a very long time, and he actually has boutiques that are selling product line.

Shivang (45:17)

That's awesome.

Stephanie Beringhele (45:34)

They get the merchandise from our exhibitors and then real time they get to say, you can pre-order this. Do you like this handbag? And all of a sudden you see the numbers of the pre-order go up and they go back to that booth and they say, we don't just want 100 of these, we need 1500. So it's something that's different for both the B2B space. And then you've seen it, you've got auctions, you've got Poshmark with their live selling.

Shivang (45:39)

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hm. Mm-hm.

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (45:59)

There's just

Shivang (45:59)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (46:00)

so many different elements that people are using it, they're embracing it. You gotta get that side hustle because money is tight and what a fun way to kind of make a few bucks for the household in a unique way. So I love the live selling. I can't wait to see where it takes us. I think it's just beginning.

Shivang (46:07)

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

definitely. I'm hoping to meet a lot more live selling entrepreneurs on the floor this year, especially given what's happening in the industry, because they are sourcing from ASD and other places itself. That's where they're sourcing from, or at least should consider sourcing from, because you get to test what is going to click with your audience as well by getting those products. Maybe make a few reels in the process and get to test the market. And the show is...

enough for you to get response and then go back on day last and be like, Hey, I want to place an order for this. This really did very well with my audience and whatnot.

Stephanie Beringhele (46:46)

Yeah.

So what you're telling me is I'm gonna swing by your booth and we're gonna try live selling together. We'll document it. We'll say this is how it went for us.

Shivang (46:54)

Well, I'm...

Yeah, we can definitely try that. I'm always up for trying new things for sure. For sure. So, know, this, like putting this particular coming cadence, which is like, I guess how much days are left? Like probably like 20 days, exactly 20 days are left to the show. ⁓

that's something for us to kind of move faster as well on getting prepared for the show as well. what do you think ⁓ buyers and the exhibitors can expect this year? What are you guys doing expecting to happen different this year, this particular year than the rest of the years?

Stephanie Beringhele (47:38)

this year, there's a lot of emphasis on, we know there's gonna be deep conversations. And we're very transparent, we're very aware of what's going on in the market. I think there's a lot of concern, there's questions, and I think that at the same time, people are very hopeful, and they're very bullish about ending this year on a positive note. So I think that...

Shivang (47:44)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Beringhele (48:01)

people are gonna be searching for inventory that's available for them to do the business that they need to do. So I would say more cautious, more willing to try product because again that empty shelf syndrome, it's not gonna bode well for our retailers and they need to have product. At the same time I would tell people if you've got inventory that's just been sitting, time to say goodbye. Say goodbye to the product, you know, but.

Only if you've got new fresh product that's coming in because again, it's it's that weird inventory of you just have to know What quantity do you have and where is it best suited and where you're gonna make the most? ⁓ Value out of it where you're gonna make the buck So I think that I'm that's gonna happen a lot in terms of the marketplace. It's almost like a reunion We call it I've heard everything from always like the prom or I've come home and I'm with my family and stuff like that so I think that

Shivang (48:48)

Mm-hmm

Stephanie Beringhele (48:53)

People are really looking forward to saying hi to friends and coworkers and just having a good time and having a few laughs and finding out what's going on. So those are the two things. We've got a few fun things for buyers where they can get buyer bucks and everything like that so you can win some cash, which I think everybody loves. We're going to have a little puppy pavilion where you can adopt up in the source directory or they're going to talk about pets.

Shivang (48:57)

Mm-hmm.

nice.

Wow.

Stephanie Beringhele (49:20)

products and how you can incorporate it in your stores while you get to hold a cute little fuzzy thing. So that'll be good therapy. And that's pretty much it. think all eyes on how do we move forward, what's going on, and just encouragement, encouraging the industry to do the best that they can and everyone to just support each other.

Shivang (49:26)

Nice.

definitely. mean, going to be fun ⁓ and we are super excited to be exhibiting this year. it's been a pleasure speaking to you, about the show. Learned a turn. think anyone who would be listening to it, we'd be able to convince at least 500 more people to come to the show. I'm pretty confident.

Stephanie Beringhele (49:56)

Yeah. Well, before we cut off,

what's your booth number? Where do I find you? Are you going be in South Lower?

Shivang (50:04)

Yes, South Florida booth number is SL47195. So we'd love to see you there and others there. ⁓ looking forward to learning and soaking as much energy as we can from the show.

Stephanie Beringhele (50:17)

I'm gonna give you some food vouchers for some of your buyers so if they come to that booth you can give it to them so we're all in. We gotta feed them.

Shivang (50:20)

Awesome, awesome,

Yes, of course. Yeah, we got to feed them for sure. Awesome. Well, this has been a pleasure, Stephanie. Any last words from you on the show or anything else?

Stephanie Beringhele (50:34)

Nope, just I'm so grateful. Thank you for having me and to everyone who's in the industry. Chin up, talk, communicate, connect, learn, grow, and come on out to ASD. We'll do you right.

Shivang (50:47)

Absolutely, absolutely. Thank you so much. Thanks for your time.

Stephanie Beringhele (50:51)

Thank you.