IFA Berlin 2017: Notes from the European Market
Casun exhibited at IFA in Berlin in 2017. Europe is a different sales problem from North America or the Middle East, and the show made that concrete.
What European buyers asked for
- Documentation before price. Most conversations started with CE and RoHS paperwork, not with unit cost. Buyers wanted report numbers and the test house name.
- Retail-ready packaging. Multi-language manuals, EU-registered importer details on the box, and barcode placement were treated as part of the product, not an afterthought.
- Smaller first orders. Trial quantities were common, with a clear path to repeat volume if sell-through held.
What changed in our process afterwards
We separated the certificate pack from the quotation, so a buyer can forward the paperwork to their compliance team before commercial discussion starts. We also standardised box artwork templates with reserved space for importer details, which cut packaging approval time significantly.
What we would tell a first-time exhibitor
Berlin is a retail-brand show, not a sourcing show. The people walking the hall are product managers and buyers for chains, and they arrive with a category plan for the next season. Bring a roadmap, not a catalogue - and be ready to explain why your unit costs what it costs.
Our current certifications are listed on the certificate page.