CTIA Plans Retail Zone At March Trade Show

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 2/8/2010

Washington - Citing a growing presence of retailers at its trade show, CTIA-The Wireless Association will launch its first-ever Retail Zone at next month's CTIA Wireless 2010 show.

More than 20 percent of the show's attendees come from the retail sector, and retail "continues to represent a growing segment of the wireless ecosystem," the association said.

 The Zone will feature an Accessories Pavilion, which will house manufacturer and distributor exhibits, and a Retail Resource Pavilion, which "will give dealers the tools to generate new customers and increase productivity," the association said.

 More than 150 companies will exhibit in the zone with products and services designed to improve retail efficiency and profitability, CTIA said. Products and services include point-of-sale solutions, product display innovations, and refurbishing and reseller programs.

"In the past, it's been difficult for retailers to find a single area at a trade show that addresses all their needs," said Ed Legum, consultant and producer of the Retail Resource Pavilion. "Our pavilion is a services showcase offering solutions that retailers can embrace to improve business practices."

"We have seen consistent growth in the number of attendees representing the retail space at CTIA events," added Robert Mesirow, CTIA VP and show director. "Already we've had to expand this area due to high demand."

 International CTIA Wireless is scheduled for March 23-25 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.