GMDC Launches Innovative B2B Video Exchange Events

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Feb. 02, 2016 -- The Global Market Development Center has launched a next-generation digital event technology – B2B Video Exchanges – that brings together retailer, wholesalers, suppliers and service companies to create commerce in real time. These events are pre-arranged, category-focused meetings between trading partners.  

Building on GMDC’s pioneering face-to-face speed dating meetings, the B2B Video Exchange events are conducted via HD video, directly from participants' offices. The events complement the organization’s slate of bi-annual conferences, by allowing connections and collaboration throughout the year — without the cost of travel or hotels.

“Our B2B Video Exchange brings the deal-making technology of tomorrow into today’s marketplace,” said Patrick Spear, president and CEO of GMDC. “It allows suppliers to talk to retailers about strategic categories at the appropriate time — which helps forge and strengthen industry relationships.”

A key feature of the technology is secure video breakout rooms, which provide an arena for concurrent private meetings between up to 15 retailers and 15 supplier companies. These individual meetings, whether pre-scheduled or ad hoc, allow for pitching, discovering and evaluating products of all types. The B2B Video Exchange platform includes detailed participant company and staff profiles, so information is shared in advance of the breakout meetings. The platform also allows suppliers to send product samples to the participating retailers to stimulate conversation and new product discovery.  

"The alliance with ConnectMii Communications allows GMDC to offer its members and B2B Video Exchange participants the newest technologies for collaboration and communication,” said Mark Barounos, CEO of ConnectMii Communications, Inc., a leader in video enablement, who developed and hosts GMDC’s Video Exchange event platform. “This is truly the launch of a new era of pre-arranged meetings – a next-generation collaboration tool that will allow businesses to plan, produce and go to market with the products and ideas faster and more efficiently.” 

The next B2B Video Exchange event on March 8, will be a forum for the electronics category, with a focus on smart phone accessories and smart homes. Confirmed retail participants include: Amerisourcebergen, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Fred's, Imperial Distributors, L&R Distributors, SpartanNash, SUPERVALU, Topco Associates and Weis Markets, Inc.

“The B2B Virtual Platform is an incredibly efficient use of our time. It not only enhances our experience as members of GMDC, but also enhances the way we do business. We save travel time and money while having the opportunity to meet with customers we may not have the chance to in their specific category’s prime buying season,“ said Jan Winn, director of HBW and GM, BigYFoods, Inc.

GMDC has also scheduled B2B Video Exchange events for categories including cleaning products; vitamins, supplements and nutrition bars; pet care; natural and organic health and wellness; baby and infant products; kitchen essentials and other categories.

For more about GMDC’s B2B Video Exchange and to register for upcoming events, visit https://www.gmdc.org/b2b-video-exchange.

About GMDC

Global Market Development Center (GMDC) energizes members and the marketplace by advancing a culture of Connect-Collaborate-Create-Commerce. As the leading GM and HBW trade association, GMDC is dedicated to serving its ecosystem of more than 600 General Merchandise and Health Beauty Wellness retailers, wholesalers, suppliers and service/solution member companies by enabling consumer-facing innovation and retail reimagined. GMDC's combined member volume represents more than 125,000 retail outlets and more than $500 billion in sales. To learn more, visit www.gmdc.org.

Media Contacts:
Olivia Otterstedt
GMDC
Communications and Marketing Assistant
[email protected]

Todd Smith
Deane | Smith
Co-Founder, President & CEO
[email protected]