FAQs

Spring Fair is the UK’s No.1 trade show for the gift and home industry, welcoming more than 64,000 visitors through the doors of Birmingham NEC to trade with 5,000 exhibitors over the course of 5 days.

What is a tradeshow?

At a tradeshow exhibitors offer their products at wholesale cost to visitors. This means that products are sold in bulk and at a lower price than the RRP. Visitors (retailers) are then able to sell those products in their stores directly to the customer.

In the case of Spring Fair, exhibitors are often companies that manufacture their own gift and home products and visitors often own or work at independent retail stores, multiples, department stores or online stores.

Why go to a tradeshow?

A tradeshow offers exhibitors the opportunity to display their products to a large audience over a short period of time, to take wholesale orders at the show, and to build industry contacts and leads for future sales.

A tradeshow offers visitors the opportunity to meet their existing suppliers, discover new exhibitors and products and to place orders at the show or at a later date. 

Wholesale Trading

At Spring Fair there will be 5000 exhibitor stands located through the NEC’s exhibition halls, grouped together in their sectors. Each business owns a stand and displays their products as they choose. Our 64,000 visitors enter the arenas and walk around to trade and do business with exhibitors whose products they like.

A keynote speech, seminars and one-to-one business advice

Visitors can attend seminars from successful names in the industry and there will be opportunities advertised to have receive some one-to-one business advice from these industry leaders. All seminars are free of charge and based on a first come first serve basis. 

The Volume Sector and Volume Halls are destinations for volume and bulk wholesale gift and home products. There are many categories of product in the Volume Sector including day-to-day household items, outdoor activity products, and baby care.

The Spring Fair is a trade fair so therefore it is not open to members of the general public. You are eligible to attend if you have buying and purchasing responsibilities or control spend. Independent retail stores, multiples, department stores, online businesses, mail order companies, supermarkets, distributors, importers, wholesalers, multi-channel retailers or those looking to start a retail business (in the next 12months) are all suitable visitors to Spring Fair.

You can register for your free ticket by filling in this online registration form.

To register for a Press Pass please contact us.

Students of Undergraduate level and above (individuals and groups) on relevant courses of study are welcome to attend the show but will not be permitted to trade. Students will be asked to show an NUS Identity card or equivalent student identity.

We advise that children under 16 do not attend the event as this is a trade only event and there are no crèche facilities. A Childs entry pass will be required for all those under the age of 16 – these can only be picked up on the day from the registration desks in the main entrance. Anyone over the age of 16 will be required to register for the event via the normal process.

Entry is free to all trade visitors (or those looking to open a new business in the next 12 months) who register in advance. Entry on the day without pre-registration or a badge is £30.00.

Yes, you may register on arrival to the show however there is an on the day registration and entry free of £30.00 to do so.

Post: If you have opted to have your entry badge posted out to you, your entry badge will arrive within the two week run up the show open. However, if you do not receive your entry badge by post you can still print your e-badge which you will receive attached to your confirmation email once you have registered to attend the show.

Email: If you opted to go green you can print your e-badge at the end of registration or from the confirmation email once registration is complete. If you are unable to print your ticket, don’t worry – just show us your confirmation email on your mobile device.

If you have opted to have your entry badge posted out to you, your Little Black Book will arrive with your entry badge within the two week run up to the show open. If you have opted to go green, to download the Little Black Book via the show website, click here.

NB. The Little Black Book will be available online 3 weeks before the show open and 12 weeks after the show close.

If you wish to edit your registration details, please go to your confirmation email where there is an option to edit details.

NB: The option of having your entry badge posted cannot be changed in the 2 week run up to the show open days as badges will have already been posted.

Registration for the show is non-date specific. Once you have registered and have printed your ticket you are able to attend the show on any of the show open days and as many times as you wish.

Your ticket allows you access to the whole show unless stated otherwise. For example, if your ticket states ‘Press’ you will have access to the show Press Lounge.

Please go to the Registration desks and they will print your ticket for you. Please have a form of ID with you as you may be asked for proof of company name as the show is only open to trade visitors. ID can be in the form of a business card.

Halls 1 – 7, 9, 10, 12, 19 & 20
NEC Birmingham
Birmingham
B40 1N

www.thenec.co.uk

5 to 9 February 2017
(Volume sector opens 4 Feb)

Saturday 4 February (Volume halls / sector only) - 10:00 - 17:00
Sunday 5 February  - 9:00 - 18:00
Monday 6 February - 9:00 - 18:00
Tuesday 7 February - 9:00 - 18:00
Wednesday 8 February - 9:00 - 18:00
Thursday 9 February - 9:00 - 16:00

To find out more about how to get to the Spring Fair, please see our dedicated travel page here.

Standard parking is available in the NEC car parks, with regular shuttle buses to take you from these car parks to the halls. Standard parking is not pre-bookable. Just follow the signs when you arrive. Parking at Spring Fair is free of charge for all visitors.

To find out more about where to stay during your visit to the Spring Fair, please see our dedicated accommodation page here.

Yes, free WIFI is available throughout all the Show Halls at the NEC Birmingham. To connect, select ‘NEC Free Wifi’, and fill in the information form on your browser page.

Themed cafés serving light snacks and refreshments can be found within the halls alongside numerous bars, restaurants and seating areas outside of the halls, offering anything from a quick drink to a more substantial meal. For more information, click here.

Yes, there are cloakrooms available in the main piazza at all show all entrances. Prices start at £1.00 per item. Items are left at your own risk. Large cases accepted within reason.

Full banking facilities are available at the Natwest Bank located in the Piazza outside Hall 4. ATMs are located adjacent to Hall 1.

Yes. To find out more details about disabled access and facilities at the NEC, click here.

On arrival to the show, show guides with floor plans will be available to collect at the entrance.

Alternatively, near to the time of the event a floor plan will be available on the show website.

The number of exhibitors you can see in a day depends entirely on your show objectives. For example you may see only 4 exhibitors in a day and spend at least an hour on each stand speaking with the business owners and placing an order for your retail store. On the other hand, if you are attending to browse product and be inspired you may spend less time at each stand and cover dozens of exhibitors in a day.

Yes, seminars are free to attend.

No, our seminars are run on a first come, first served basis. All we advise is to arrive at the seminar plenty of time before the start time to avoid disappointment.

If you are interested in exhibiting at Spring Fair 2017, please fill in our exhibit form or contact us on the details below:

Spring Fair sales enquiries:

• T: +44 (0)203 033 2223
• E: [email protected]

The Volume GIft & Home Sector and Volume Halls are destinations for volume and bulk wholesale gift and home products.

There are many different exhibitors in the Volume GIft & Home Sector including those that sell day-to-day household items, outdoor activity products, and baby care.

The Volume Hall opens a day early to allow for extra day of trading dedicated to bulk purchasinng.

Grow your business in a big way in the Volume Gift & Home sector. 

View our Volume Gift & Home exhibitors and fill in our exhibitor form or contact us if you would like to exhibit or would like more information about exhibiting.

Not sure if you need a visa to visit the UK? To take a look at the UK Visas and Immigration (formerly the UK Border Agency) website, please click here.

Unfortunately we cannot issue personal/individual letters of invitation for visa purposes. Once you have registered via the show website you will receive a confirmation email which may be sufficient for visa application.