Reader Question: How Important Are Showroom Appointments?

Q: I’m planning my first trip to market. Is it mandatory to make appointments?

A: Yes. Well, actually it’s not, but I would STRONGLY recommend it to anyone who’s going for the first time. Why? It’s less work and less confusion for the showroom, and trust me, during market they already have tons of work and tons of confusion going on. It will also save you a headache if the showroom decides not to sell to you — and yes, this can happen. Some showrooms want to check out your area, make sure other boutiques nearby aren’t carrying the line, or they just might want to know who else you’re carrying and what your shop looks like, etc. Even if they do let you place an order, they might check later and decide not to actually FILL your order, so why set yourself up for the disappointment?