STOWE, Vt.—For the third year in a row, East Coast News and International Video Distributors took over Stowe Mountain Lodge in Stowe, Vt., for their annual Fall Show.
Sixty-four of the industry’s top pleasure product manufacturers and production studios were on hand, showing off both their latest and best-selling products and DVDs to more than 200 retailers.
Over the course of three days, show attendees were able to get one-on-one time with manufacturers and studios, IVD and ECN sales and support staff, and other retailers and buyers in the industry.
“This year’s IVD|ECN show was a phenomenal success,” said Lynda Mort, vice president of sales and marketing. “The purpose of our show is to bring together our customers, vendors and staff to give them an opportunity to interact on a more intimate basis. Our show allows our customers the chance to learn about products, review new releases and spend one on one time with each other. It also gives our customers the opportunity to mingle with other successful business owners and share best practices. I would say this was one of the most intimate and successful shows yet!”
The 2017 IVD|ECN Fall Show officially started on the evening of Sunday, Oct. 22, with a dinner hosted by the IVD|ECN staff recognizing their vendor partners for everything they do. Co-owner Frank Koretsky capped off the night with a short speech where he thanked the vendors for their continued support throughout the year. The following day, after a day full of booth setup, last-minute preparation and customer arrivals, a world-travel themed dinner was held on Monday, Oct. 23, for customers, vendors and staff.
On Tuesday, Oct. 24, and Wednesday, Oct. 25, the Spruce Camp Base Lodge was as active as ever. New for 2017 was the introduction of personalized tablets for customers to use throughout the show. Customers loved how easy they were to use to keep track of their orders. Collections like Pillow Talk from BMS Factory, and Jil from Shots America, both exclusive to East Coast News, garnered a lot of interest. Newcomers to the show such as Fleshlight, Electrastim, and Earthly Body also reported high booth traffic and lots of interest.
“Wow, what a show. I did not think they could top the last two years, but they did,” claimed James Roark-Gruender of Passions Adult Boutique in Columbia, Mo. “Every year after the show, I see my sales increase and I form new, lasting relationships with vendors and reps."
The Calexotics booth was also one of the highlights of the event, having the main room of the show floor to showcase their top collections like Kroma, Scandal, Mini Marvels, and more. The company also sponsored daily afternoon snack breaks for everyone in their booth, featuring Tiny Teasers and Jopen’s Amour line.
“We had our best show to date and received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback on our latest releases,” said Austin Ferdinand of Calexotics. “Being able to showcase our product in the main room contributed to our success and drew large crowds throughout the entire show. Thank you to East Coast News for your partnership and support!”
DVD vendors such as Pure Play Media, Girlfriends Films and Jules Jordan Video were happy to report an uptick in DVD interest. Representing Wicked Pictures, Jessica Drake was on hand to take photos with customers and sign copies of her recent releases, such as An Inconvenient Mistress and her showcase Jessica Drake is Wicked.
“The show that IVD|ECN puts on every year is always amazing, and this year was no exception” claimed Bonnie Kail of Wicked Sensual Care and Wicked Pictures. “With the amount of customers we had at the Wicked Pictures booth to talk about our DVDs and visit with jessica, I can safely say that DVDs are still alive and well, and not going anywhere any time soon.”
To close out the week, on Wednesday evening, dinner guests were asked to wear their plaid and flannel attire for a trip to the mountains. Not literally of course, but the theme of the night was everything camping and rural Vermont, with local merchants on hand to sell various local products such as cheese, syrups, and more. The night was capped off by a giant dance party.
“Our World Revolves Around You” has always been the motto of IVD|ECN, and the annual fall show is proof that they stand by it true and true.
