Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM SEPTEMBER 2018 56 B U Y I N G G R O U P N E W S T housands of independent appliance, electronics, furniture, bedding, and outdoor entertainment members and vendors convened at Nationwide Marketing Group's PrimeTime event in Las Vegas. PrimeTime is Nationwide's biannual buying show, educational event, marketing summit, and member conference, providing the industry's largest networking opportunity for independent dealers and vendors in North America. While the theme for the show was NO LIMITS, its focus was updating members on commitments made at the group's winter PrimeTime in Orlando. Nationwide's President and Chief Member Advocate Tom Hickman said, "At the last show, we made some commitments to our members. We promised to make it easier and more cost-efficient for them to operate their businesses. Those commitments have driven the Nationwide team every day since, and at this show we'll be reporting back on each of these areas about our progress to date and our path for the future." Nationwide's leadership team shared commitments that, simply stated, included: • Providing best-in-class people, leadership and development programs • Delivering practical marketing solutions with proven results • Offering comprehensive business solutions that simplify or reduce members' cost of operations • Enabling unmatched member access to emerging technologies and digital solutions • Affording members exclusive opportunities via the largest-scale buying opportunity in the market Nationwide additionally committed to leave a legacy of giving wherever the group meets. This show was no exception. Continuing a project begun at the last PrimeTime, the group came together in support of the No Child Hungry organization with a goal to package and deliver 130,000 meals to local children as well as those in storm-ravaged Haiti. When the goal is met, this will bring the total number of meals packaged and delivered by members in a seven-month period to more than 250,000. With 220,000 square feet of product exhibits from more than 200 vendors, the show featured aggressive product discounts and millions of dollars paid to members in instant on-the-spot "Cash Back Now" rebates, kicked off with a two-hour buying frenzy known as PrimeTime Palooza. The show also hosted the launch of two new group-exclusive private product lines. In the furniture category, the new iLeather line from Leather Italia USA not only benefits from select distribution, but also incorporates an exclusive technology that helps the leather resist oil and water-based stains, ballpoint pen marks, tearing, color fading, and more. On the consumer electronics front, Nationwide introduced a private label line of group-exclusive televisions branded BEA, distributed by O'Rourke Sales. One of the show's most popular benefits was the Nationwide Learning Academy. According to Mike Whitaker who directs the academy, "At the last PrimeTime there were more than 5,000 attendees at more than 100 sessions. For this show, we've enhanced the curriculum even more with additional sessions from Google, industry authorities, and the group's internal experts, and it's shaping up to be a record show." The big industry buzz was around digital marketing. Thanks to Nationwide's recent acquisition of Site On Time custom website provider and the group's investment in leading packaged web solutions provider Retailer Web Services, important enhancements were being announced. Dev Mukherjee, president of Nationwide's Prime Digital division added, "We're pleased to announce our Google Premier Partner status at the show – we achieved this based on the advanced digital platform we announced at the last show that is already delivering excellent results for members and select vendors. This elevated partnership with Google gives us access to Google experts – many of whom are presenting at the show or meeting members. Premier status also gives us early access to new Google strategies and technologies to enhance the platform – keeping our members at the forefront of digital marketing." This year's Nationwide PrimeTime returned to the Venetian | Palazzo and Sands Expo Center and is the largest trade show for independent appliance, furniture, bedding and consumer electronics dealers. Please visit www.nationwideprimetime.com for more information about PrimeTime. RO NATIONWIDE DELIVERS ON COMMITMENTS TO MEMBERS AT PRIMETIME Achieves Google Premier status, announces new programs, products and innovation

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