Organizers of the 109-year-old Ideal Home Show have announced that it will expand to China this year, marking the first time the long-running event travels abroad from its home base in the United Kingdom. The Chinese edition of the event will take place at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center in December, targeting the burgeoning Chinese middle class with a unique buy-it-now format.
Sales at the show will be done in conjunction with JD.com as the exclusive online retail partner. The massive e-commerce provider will digitize wares at the show to merge the in-person shopping experience with a digital one, allowing consumers to interact with sellers and then buy their products on the spot through a digital shop.
Show officials say the Shanghai event will feature thousands of products belonging to more than 300 brands from 20 countries. Aimed particularly at young couples with families, the show will be divided into six experiential areas including fashion and beauty, food and drink, home renovation, home decoration, smart home, and modern family.
To facilitate the show’s success on new soil, organizers have engaged several distinguished Chinese professionals – an architect, an interior designer, and an international stylist – to serve as ambassadors to the public for the event, which is open to consumers.
“The Ideal Home Show is a great consumer event with a sensational history,” said Zhou Xinyuan, general manager of JD Home & Life’s Home Décor Department. “It has inspired generations of Europeans to embrace the developments of modern living, while bringing together some of the world’s best brands. It is our honor to collaborate with the Ideal Home Show and share the latest industry developments with Chinese families.”
