What is GMDC?

          Founded in 1970, GMDC is an international trade association which represents the health and beauty care, general merchandise and pharmacy industries. We emphasize only these categories; therefore, our member companies, both wholesale/retail and suppliers, are dedicated to achieving their goal of increasing sales and profits in all channels of trade.

You seem to be strongest in the food channel?

         We started in 1970 with just the food channel it wasn’t until 2001 that we amended our bylaws to include all channels. We are very pleased since that time that we have had great positive response from other channels.

Who makes up the GMDC membership?

          The membership base is made up of most of the industry's leading companies from both the wholesale/retail and general merchandise and health & beauty care supplier communities (see the membership listing on this website).

What benefits does GMDC provide to its members?

1. Membership Directory

• Pertinent Company and Personnel Information

2. Educational Foundation Studies

          The following is a sample listing of the studies published in the last several years which are available in the Educational area of this website.

• Whole Health Best Practices
• Whole Health Demographics Study
• Seasonal Best Practices
• Case Studies to Include:
• Birthday Celebration
• Christmas Event Planner
• Halloween Event Planner
• Back-to-School Event Planner
• Valentine's Day Event Planner
• Suncare Event Planner
• Upper Respiratory Event Planner
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Easter
• Summer
• Mom's, Dad's & Grad's

3. CCCnet Capabilities

• Online Registration
• CCC Schedule Preview
• CCC Agenda-Setting
• CCC Enhanced Email Connections
• CCC Note-Taking
• CCC Action Item Follow-Up

What other services does GMDC offer?

Our website services include:
Directory Information
Industry News
Member to Member Email Capability
IRI Benchmarking Information
Educational Foundation Studies
Industry Links

Plus our Educational Foundation publishes many studies designed to help our members increase sales and reduce unnecessary costs in the system. Our latest studies include:

Multicultural Marketing (for both GM & HBC prospects)
Leveraging the Connection Between Pharmacy & the Whole Store (for HBC prospects)
Merchandising for Success (for both GM & HBC prospects)
Jump Starting Top-Line Growth (for GM & HBC prospects)

What is a GMDC conference?

          Each year GMDC conducts two distinct marketing conferences. The General Merchandise Conference is held in late May, early June and the Health and Beauty Care Marketing Conference is held in September. The location of these conferences rotate between the eastern and western half of the United States and are normally held in resort or metropolitan areas. At these conferences, V.P.'s or directors, with their key purchasing personnel, of the wholesale/retail companies meet with the V.P.'s or national sales managers and other decision makers representing the supplier members. The individual meetings last either eight or sixteen minutes and during that time delegates discuss business reviews, logistics issues, operational issues, marketing plans and review new items. During the four days of Controlled Casual Conferences (CCCs) a wholesale/retail member will conduct between 180 to 250 one-on-one appointments with the vendors of their choice..

           General Merchandise in the spring of each year and Health & Beauty Care in the fall of each year. At every GMDC Marketing Conference, you will experience productivity like no other event in the industry. These conferences are designed to help you do your job more effectively by putting you face-to-face with the people you need to see. We call these appointments "Controlled Casual Conferences" or "CCCs." At our GM & HBC conferences, more than 16,000 pre-scheduled table top meetings in a controlled environment will take place.

          GMDC marketing conferences are not "trade shows," "booth shows," or "conventions." The number of appointments a manufacturer receives will always depend upon their product and competition.

Can you attend the conference without being a member?

No, you must be a member to attend.

What retailers attend the conferences?

We don’t know for sure until the registration deadline, but from history we know over 90% of our members do attend.

Because GMDC is an association, only members can attend our conferences. Therefore, you can look at our membership listing and know that these companies plan to attend the conferences (barring any unforeseen circumstances) because they have paid their yearly dues.

Unforeseen circumstances can be anything from buying other stores, opening new stores, company downsizing, etc.

My company has regional/local reps calling on our customers, why do I need to duplicate this effort?

          It’s the opportunity to meet with these retailers first-hand and learn their needs and also check to see how your reps are doing representing you.

Who attends the conferences (what level of personnel)?

For the suppliers we require National Sales Managers or above. For the wholesaler/retailer side V.P./Mgr. of Purchasing with their specific category managers. Since they bring the decision makers, they expect the same from the suppliers.

Is this an order-writing show?

No, GMDC is a contact-making conference; however, that doesn’t mean that orders have not been written during our conferences.

How are the appointments made?

          Each wholesale/retail company registered for the conference receives an electronic choice sheet which includes the company name and product description in alphabetical order for every supplier company in attendance separated by Group A and Group B. The wholesaler/retailer (category manager) can then pick the companies he/she wants to meet with based upon the product description and the supplier's own website.

As a Supplier, Do I get to select who I would like to meet with?

No, the buyers are the ones that do the selections. After the registration deadlines the buyers will have vendor ”choice sheets” to view, these sheets will have your company name, new member beside your name (which is always a plus) and a description of your products as you have given to us plus a link to your website, GMDC’s directory and your solicitation, from this information the buyers will do their selections. This process ensures you that the buyers you are meeting with are interested in your products .

An example where this may help you is let’s say for instance you met with Albertson’s three years ago. They liked your product, but you did not have a program that would fit within their market. Since then you have created a program for them, but at all other trade events they walk right by you thinking you don’t have a program for them. The solicitation will allow you to notify them that you have developed a program specifically for their market, thus giving them a reason to select you for an appointment.

Additionally, if you did not get an appointment with someone prior to the conference, we do have forms that you can utilize to request on-site appointments.

Will I meet with every wholesaler/retailer that attends the conference?

No, however, on average you will have between 30 and 40 appointments depending on your products. Generally, your first year of membership you will have a higher number of appointments due to the fact that our wholesaler/retailers are there looking for new items. By your third and fourth year of attendance you will be at your average.

You can have a virtual appointment with everyone in attendance by participating in the Showcase @ GMDC. The Showcase @ GMDC is a room that only wholesaler/retailers can go in. You can display anything from a retail unit to a complete floor display (maximum size 4’ x 4’). The wholesaler/retailers are scheduled to go in this room and they scan items they are interested in. They get information that you provided to us and you in turn get information via instant email of who is requesting more information. You can then follow-up with them on-site, or immediately after the conference. There is a separate fee of $250.00 per item/display for this service.