The Quilt Market Quandry: To Go Or Not To Go That Is The Question

Quilts Inc. just announced that the October 2021 Quilt Market in Houston is a go. Now, the million-dollar question is whether or not we, the people of Jaftex, will attend?

The last Quilt Market that I attended was in October of 2019 in Houston. I can’t believe it will be two years until we potentially return yet again. God Bless Quilts Inc. for surviving through Covid and making it another day to have yet another Quilt Market. I sure hope that the October Market gives them the boost of income to help them bounce back and begin recovering from not having the last 3 Quilt Markets.

Now, I would like to explore both the pros and the cons of the Jaftex team attending this year versus holding off until the May 2022 Quilt Market when things will have settled a bit more with Covid.

Let’s start with the pros:

• We would love to see our industry friends.
• We have heard that many of our domestic customers will be going and we would like to keep them company…..and sell to them too.
• Some of our licensed designers will be attending and are encouraging us to join them as they don’t want to be alone. I of course don’t blame them and wouldn’t want them to be lonely.
• We would like to support our customers, the industry and Quilts Inc.
• We would love to show off our latest and greatest products.

Eesh, I am not very impressed with my pros list, but the few pros I have are strong. Now, let’s see what the con list looks like.

• Very few of our international customers are attending due to restrictions in their countries. This is normally a big reason for us to attend as we don’t often see these customers more than 2 times per year. They do play an important role in our business cycle and our ordering cadence.

• We have missed the last 3 Quilt Markets yet our business has never been stronger.
• We have saved so much money not attending and have been able to deploy that money in other meaningful ways to help our customers thrive. Keep in mind that we usually send around 20 people to market and have lots of booths too. All of which adds up to bookoo bucks….think flying, meals, hotels, booths, decorations and so on times 20!
• The traveling is concerning. Is it fair to make my employees attend? I wouldn’t want someone to force me. I don’t even know if I can force someone to attend. Fortunately, some employees have volunteered to attend. Personally, I am not sure I am ready.
• The uncertainties around Covid are still concerning especially in light of people gathering from all over the world and the different strains that are mutating.
• As far as states go, Texas is one of the more liberal and people aren’t wearing masks as religiously as in other places. I personally have gotten the vaccine, yet I still wear a mask and take all precautions as if I weren’t vaccinated. I would rather be safe than sorry.

I believe I hit on the most important pros and cons for attending or not attending quilt market. We will now have to debate and discuss to see what, if anything, we want to do. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, what would you recommend we do in light of the pros and cons? Also, if the tables were turned, would you attend or not?