Exhibitor Update
March 1, 2021
“Over the last year, we have been closely watching the status of large events from a health and public safety perspective, and have consistently sought feedback from our industry about how travel restrictions and mass gathering bans have impacted their normal operations,”
— Derek Miller, IHA President.
ROSEMONT, IL (March 1, 2021)— As state restrictions prohibiting large gatherings remain in effect for the foreseeable future, and government travel restrictions continue to significantly impede domestic and international travel, the International Housewares Association’s Board of Directors have made the difficult but necessary decision that The Inspired Home Show 2021, scheduled to take place August 7-10, 2021 at McCormick Place in Chicago, cannot proceed as planned.
“Over the last year, we have been closely watching the status of large events from a health and public safety perspective, and have consistently sought feedback from our industry about how travel restrictions and mass gathering bans have impacted their normal operations,” said Derek Miller, IHA President. “With the health and safety of our exhibitors and attendees top of mind, we realized that it is infeasible for The Inspired Home Show to proceed in August of 2021.”
Booth space dollars from 2020 exhibitors that rolled over to the 2021 Show as well as that from new 2021 exhibitors will be rolled over to the 2022 Show. Please view the FAQs for answers to exhibitor questions about next steps. For any inquiries not covered by the FAQs, exhibitors should reach out directly to their sales manager.
To help fulfill the need for buyers and product suppliers to connect, IHA will be offering several digital events throughout the year. Additional information about events scheduled for March and April can be found online at Home + Housewares Connect.
The Inspired Home Show 2022 will be held March 5-8 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Complex.
The International Housewares Association is the 83-year-old voice of the housewares industry, which accounted for (US)$394.3 billion at retail worldwide in 2018. The not-for-profit, full-service association sponsors the world’s premier exposition of products for the home, The Inspired Home Show, IHA’s Global Home + Housewares Market (TheInspiredHomeShow.com), and offers its 1,400 member companies a wide range of services, including industry and government advocacy, export assistance, industry and consumer trends through the IHA Market Watch Report, executive management peer groups, a B2B community at http://www.housewares.org, group buying discounts on business solutions services and direct-to-consumer engagement through TheInspiredHome.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Is it true that The Inspired Home Show has been cancelled for August 2021?
Yes, continuing restrictions on the size of gatherings permitted in Illinois and domestic & global travel obstacles have rendered it impossible for The Inspired Home Show to be conducted safely for our exhibitors and attendees.
Are the events cancelled as well?
Yes, all of the physical events at The Inspired Home Show 2021 will not take place as planned.
But, IHA will continue to develop and offer digital events, education and resources for the industry. Please visit Home + Housewares Connect to learn more about current and upcoming digital events and opportunities.
What are the dates for the next The Inspired Home Show?
The Inspired Home Show 2022 will take place March 5-8 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
Will the cost of registration be refunded for attendees?
Registration costs will be refunded to the credit card used for the original purchase. These will be processed by March 13 and may take up to two weeks to appear on a statement.
When will registration open for 2021?
Registration for The Inspired Home Show 2022 will open in May.
Exhibitor Questions
I am an IHA member and was contracted to exhibit at The Inspired Home Show 2020 or 2021 at the time that the Show was cancelled. Will I receive a credit?
All fully paid, contracted member exhibitors for The Inspired Home Show 2020 or 2021 will be credited for a booth of the same size at the 2022 Show and will not be charged the pricing difference for the 2022 Show for the same size booth provided the 2022 space application is received by July 2, 2021, and all membership dues are fully paid and current. Member exhibitors applying a 2020 or 2021 credit will be charged for additional space purchases at the same rate the member was contracted at for the 2020 or 2021 Show provided that the space application is completed and received by the July 2, 2021 deadline along with any payment due.
I am not an IHA member and was contracted to exhibit at The Inspired Home Show 2020 or 2021 at the time that the Show was cancelled. Will I receive a credit?
All fully paid, non-member, contracted exhibitors for The Inspired Home Show 2020 or 2021 will receive a credit towards a booth of the same size at the 2022 Show provided the 2022 space application is received by July 2, 2021. The exhibitor will not be charged the pricing difference for the 2022 Show for the same size booth. Non-member exhibitors applying a 2020 credit will be charged for additional space purchases at the non-member 2021 space rate of $24.00 per square foot. Non-member exhibitors applying a 2021 credit will only be charged for additional space purchases at the same rate the non-member was contracted at for the 2021 Show provided that the space application is completed and received by the July 2, 2021 deadline along with any payment due.
If I choose not to exhibit at the 2022 Show, will I receive a refund?
No, refunds are only available in the form of a credit towards booth and corner charges for the 2022 Show.
If I choose not to exhibit at the 2022 Show, can I apply my credit toward future Shows?
Credits not applied to the 2022 Show will be forfeited.
If I choose to downsize my booth in 2022, will I receive a refund for the difference?
No refunds will be issued, in whole or in part, even if an exhibitor commits to less square footage than was assigned in 2020 or 2021. Credits are non-transferrable and may only be applied in full.
If I choose to downsize my booth in 2022, will the difference in cost be credited toward future Shows?
How may I use my credit from The Inspired Home Show 2020 or 2021 toward The Inspired Home Show 2022?
Your credit may only be applied to booth space and corner charges for the 2022 Show. The credit cannot be used toward IHA membership dues nor toward other IHA programs and services.
In 2020 or 2021, I paid the discounted early-bird member rate. If I wait to submit my booth space application until after the deadline in 2022, will I be charged the standard member rate and owe the difference?
Yes, you will be charged applicable rates per the posted deadlines. If the early-bird deadline is missed, the exhibitor will be responsible for the difference between the 2020 or 2021 Show discounted early-bird price and the 2022 Show standard price.
In 2020 or 2021, I paid the standard member rate (not the discounted early-bird rate) for booth space. If I submit my booth space application by the early-bird deadline for 2022, will I be credited at the early-bird member rate and receive a refund for the difference?
What if I already contracted with a Show vendor for the August 2021 Show?
Please contact your Show vendor directly to initiate cancellation of services and/or a move to the Show’s new dates in March 2022.
Travel-Related Questions
If I booked my hotel through the official housing provider, OnPeak, how do I cancel my reservation?
All hotel reservations made through onPeak will be cancelled on your behalf in March 2021. When housing opens for the March 2022 Show, you will receive priority rebooking through an email communication.
Can I get a refund for my hotel reservation?
If you booked hotel accommodations through our official housing provider, onPeak, a deposit was never collected nor will a deposit be collected in the future for the cancelled August 2021 Show.
If you elected to book outside of the official room block, please contact the provider directly to determine any cancellation fees.
Can I roll my reservation(s) to the March 2022 room block?
No, all hotel reservations made through onPeak will be cancelled on your behalf. You will need to contact your provider directly to re-instate your hotel reservation.
Can I retain my hotel reservation and/or discount?
No, all hotel reservations made through onPeak will be cancelled on your behalf. You will need to contact your provider directly to re-instate your hotel reservation.
Will IHA be reimbursing flight cancellation fees?
IHA is not liable for costs related to travel to Chicago. Please contact your specific airline carrier to inquire about their change/cancellation policy.
When can I make my hotel accommodations for The Inspired Home Show 2022?
The 2022 official room block will open toward the end of May.
The Inspired Home Show 2022
What are the dates for The Inspired Home Show 2022?
March 5-8, 2022
| Saturday | March 5 | 10:00 am – 5:30 pm |
| Sunday | March 6 | 8:30 am – 5:30 pm |
| Monday | March 7 | 8:30 am – 5:30 pm |
| Tuesday | March 8 | 8:30 am – 3:00 pm |
Where will The Inspired Home Show 2022 be held?
The 2022 Show will be held at McCormick Place in Chicago.
My company has already completed a space application for The Inspired Home Show 2020 and / or 2021, and we plan to exhibit in March 2022. Is there anything that I need to do?
When will the space application for The Inspired Home Show 2022 be available?
The space application for the 2022 Show will be available in May 2021. You will receive an email notification from IHA when the 2022 space application is available.
I was confirmed and assigned to exhibit at the 2021 Show. Will I have the same booth space in 2022 as assigned in 2021?
IHA will work to the best of our ability to place exhibitors in their assigned spaces at the time of the 2021 Show cancellation, however space is not guaranteed. 2022 booth assignment will begin in late July 2021 – your sales manager will work with you on space location using the 2022 floorplan.
I was confirmed and assigned to exhibit at the 2020 Show but did not plan to exhibit at the 2021 Show or was not yet assigned. Will I have the same booth space in 2022 as assigned in 2020?
IHA will work to the best of our ability to place exhibitors in their assigned spaces at the time of the 2020 Show cancellation, however space is not guaranteed. As the 2021 space assignment was well underway, specific space once reserved for 2020 may not be available for 2022. Your sales manager will work with you on space location using the 2022 floorplan.
What are the member booth space rates for the 2022 Show?
IHA Member rates* for The Inspired Home Show 2022 are:
- Early bird (on or before July 2, 2021): $20.50 per ft2
- Standard (after July 2, 2021): $21.00 per ft2
- Corner fees: $450 per corner
**Member exhibitors applying a 2020 or 2021 credit will only be charged for additional space purchases at the same rate the member was contracted at for the 2020 or 2021 Show.
What are the non-member booth space rates for the 2022 Show?
IHA Non-Member rates* for The Inspired Home Show 2022 are:
- Early bird (on or before July 2, 2021): $29.50 per ft2
- Standard (after July 2, 2021): $30.00 per ft2
- Corner fees: $450 per corner
*Non-member exhibitors applying a 2020 credit will only be charged for additional space purchases at the non-member 2021 space rate of $24.00 per square foot.
*Non-member exhibitors applying a 2021 credit will only be charged for additional space purchases at the same rate the non-member was contracted at for the 2021 Show.
When is the deadline for Early-Bird rates for The Inspired Home Show 2022?
The deadline for early-bird rates for the 2022 Show is July 2, 2021.
What is the space application cancellation date for The Inspired Home Show 2022?
The cancellation date for the 2022 Show is August 31, 2021. Credits applied from the 2020 and 2021 Show(s) are non-refundable. Any and all refunds issued (if any) for companies wishing to cancel their space for the 2022 Show shall be less any credit applied from the 2020 or 2021 Shows.
Does my company have to be a member to qualify for member rates?
Yes, in order to qualify for member rates and to receive the refund in form of a credit that may be due, you must be a member in good standing with all membership fees paid for 2021 and 2022.
How does the 2021 cancellation impact my seniority number?
Seniority numbers are frozen from the 2020 and 2021 Shows for those exhibitors receiving a credit toward the 2022 Show. Companies that cancelled out of the 2020 and / or 2021 Shows will not be guaranteed their previous square footage and location in the 2022 Show even if their seniority was retained.
If I do not exhibit in 2022, will I maintain my seniority for 2023?
Exhibitors are allowed one year of non-participation in a five-year period without impacting their seniority number. We will not count 2020 or 2021 toward that policy; however, if you do not exhibit in 2022, you will be subject to the standard seniority policy.
IHA Membership
What are the IHA Membership periods?
- April 1, 2020 – September 30, 2021
(Twelve-month membership year with 6-month free extension) - October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022
How much are IHA membership dues for Exhibitors at The Inspired Home Show 2022?
April 1, 2020 – September 30, 2021
(Twelve-month membership year with 6-month free extension)
- Companies with Annual Housewares Sales under $10 million – $500
- Companies with Annual Housewares Sales over $10 million – $800
October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022
- Companies with Annual Housewares Sales under $10 million – $1,000
- Companies with Annual Housewares Sales over $10 million – $2,000
How much are IHA membership dues for non-Exhibitors?
April 1, 2020 – September 30, 2021
(Twelve-month membership year with 6-month free extension)
- Companies with Annual Housewares Sales under $10 million – $500
- Companies with Annual Housewares Sales over $10 million – $800
October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022
- Companies with Annual Housewares Sales under $10 million – $1,500
- Companies with Annual Housewares Sales over $10 million – $5,000
Will I have to pay membership for both the 2021 and 2022 membership year(s) to receive my credit for The Inspired Home Show 2022?
Yes, if membership dues are not paid, the non-member rate for 2022 booth space will apply and the cost difference will need to be paid in full in order to exhibit in 2022. Membership dues are not refundable.
What member benefits are included with IHA membership?
Membership is an annual fee and has many benefits and services to assist in business growth and profitability. Benefits can be found online at IHA Member Resources.
Industry Resources & Buyer Connections
What resources are available from IHA between now and March 2022?
IHA will continue to develop and offer digital events, education and resources for the industry. Please visit Home + Housewares Connect to learn more about current and upcoming digital events and opportunities.
How can I connect with buyers before The Inspired Home Show 2022?
All IHA exhibitors should update and maintain their profile on Connect 365, IHA’s Digital Marketplace, as this site provides buyers and news media the ability to search for your company’s products 365 days a year – it is extremely important to keep your content up to date so that buyers are able to find your company, brands and products. Learn more about Connect 365 and Update Your Company Listing.