Hyve cancels 2020's Shoptalk, plans digital meetup

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jun 19, 2020

Hyve Group, which runs the Pure London and Moda trade shows, among many other events, gave an update about rescheduled shows on Friday, as well as those that are continuing to run on their scheduled dates. Shoptalk in Las Vegas has now been cancelled for this year and the firm is planning a new digital alternative as a “proof-of-concept opportunity”.

The company also said all of its events due to take place in Shanghai, China, from the end of next month “are currently set to run as planned”. However, while other markets are reopening at varying paces, “there remains a lack of clarity in some of our core markets”.

It added: “Given the lead time required to prepare a successful event, the continued uncertainty and restrictions on organised gatherings, combined with multiple travel bans — both government- and corporate-imposed — the group has cancelled a number of FY20 events over and above those reported in our last update”.

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As mentioned, its biggest event, Shoptalk in Las Vegas, has now been cancelled having previously been postponed from March to September. It will now resume at its usual time in March next year. Groceryshop, previously postponed from September 2020 to March 2021, will also now return to its original timeframe of September in 2021.

But due to the decision to cancel the Shoptalk 2020 in-person event, the company is also launching “a new and ground-breaking virtual event which will be held online in Q1 of FY21”.

Called Retail Meetup, it’s “a new form of virtual event that will focus on connecting customers with both existing and new contacts. The group expects to facilitate tens of thousands of meetings for more than 2,000 participants”.

Hyve also said this will be "a proof-of-concept opportunity for the group, [and] builds upon Shoptalk's highly successful Hosted Retailers & Brands Program in a virtual format, bringing together established retailers and brands, direct-to-consumer and tech start-ups, large tech companies, venture capital investors, real estate developers, equity analysts, media and others for a broad range of interactions and meetings”.

Hyve didn’t give any updates about its UK fashion events, although Pure London is still currently scheduled to happen from July 19-21 and Moda in Birmingham from September 6-8.

The company has been hit hard by the cancellations of its major shows in the wake of the pandemic and has been claiming on its insurance for 17 events as a result. It said has received a first interim payment of £7.35 million covering a number of these claims.