The Army Navy Military Expo (ANME) returns to Las Vegas this month on January 15th – 17th, this time at Ceasar’s Palace. The ANME is for professionals only, offering men and women’s apparel, footwear, patriotic themed items, tactical gear, law enforcement supplies, outdoor gear, and more. David Castlegrant, show manager, tells Independent Retailer, “The ANM Expo is an order writing show. Our exhibitors offer product lines that are unique and appeal to a wide variety of retail stores. We are the largest B2B trade show featuring military surplus and military themed products in all of North America.”
The Army Navy Military Expo has enjoyed an attendance retention rate of almost 90% over the past few years. Their success can be attributed to the continued growth of the outdoor and sporting goods industry, and also to ANME’s superior customer service. “Since early in our history, the ANM Expo pioneered the concept of trade show community,” explains Castlegrant. “We know a lot of buyers by their first name; we make them feel welcome. It’s not a huge show where everyone is face-less and name-less. It’s intimate. We’re very focused on the service element of our show. The telephone is always answered by a human being who can either answer the question or get the caller to someone who can. And, all our email inquiries are replied to within 12 hours. For us, it’s a 52-week operation.”
In addition to the top-notch customer service, the ANME website is also a valuable resource for attendees. “Our website has complete show information for both attendees and exhibitors. The floor plan is updated daily as is the list of current exhibitors. These lists include links to exhibitor websites, which can help first time attendees get a feel for the breadth of product line at the ANM Expo,” says Castegrant. Once a retailer registers for the ANME show, their email address is entered into the show’s email database, which is used to send out show updates, information, exhibitor specials, and other show exclusives that are only available to the ANME community.
Registration is very strong for both buyers and exhibitors for the January ANME show. This comes as no surprise, as their August 2017 trade show event will mark ANME’s 10th anniversary. Both winter and summer ANME shows are free to retailers. Register in advance on the ANME website. “We do our best to make our show an easy and high-service event,” says Castlegrant. For more information and to register, visit www.anmexpo.com.
Upcoming Dates:
January 15th – 17th, 2017
Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, NV
August 13th – 15th, 2017
Tuscany Suites & Casino, Las Vegas, NV