THE MART, formerly Merchandise Mart, is woven into the fabric of Chicago’s history as an innovator in culture, art, business, fashion, media, and more. The massive 25-story building which spans two city blocks is home to 15 major trade and consumer shows involving more than 2000 exhibitors each year.
THE MART, formerly Merchandise Mart, is an iconic 25-story landmark in Chicago, spanning two city blocks and serving as a cultural and business hub. Hosting 15 major trade and consumer shows annually, it attracts over 2,000 exhibitors and nearly 10 million visitors each year. With luxury home furnishings, kitchen, bath, and outdoor showrooms, THE MART thrives as a center of innovation and commerce.
As the primary digital partner, Solvative designs and manages THE MART’s main website and develops exhibitor-focused solutions that streamline event operations and enhance attendee experiences.
With millions of dollars at stake from every show and event, and thousands of people needing to know where, when, and how to engage, THE MART approached Solvative in 2013 with the challenge of better organizing its massive inventory of events in a digital environment.
The Challenge
With millions of dollars tied to each event, THE MART needed to digitize and optimize its massive event ecosystem.
Key challenges identified:
Decentralized Systems - Multiple hosting environments and fragmented processes created inefficiencies.
Complex Event Inventory - Thousands of exhibitors, attendees, and internal teams required structured online coordination.
Exhibitor Onboarding Bottlenecks - Manual registration and booth management slowed down operations.
Tight Timelines - Each event website required delivery within a short three-month cycle.
The Solution
Solvative engineered a comprehensive digital transformation strategy centered on efficiency, scalability, and user experience.
Key elements of the solution:
System Streamlining - Migrated to WordPress and consolidated hosting into a unified system, reducing redundancies and simplifying content management.
Automated Exhibitor Management - Developed a secure portal for exhibitor registration, material uploads, and booth management.
Deadline-Driven Development - Established workflows enabling the launch of each event website within a rapid three-month timeframe.
Enhanced User Experiences - Introduced additional tools, including: Exhibitor parking management, System Interactive iPad kiosks for visitor check-ins, Mobile-friendly exhibit space locator for navigation
Comprehensive Support - Provided ongoing maintenance and direct exhibitor support to ensure seamless event execution.
The Result
THE MART’s digital infrastructure was re-engineered into a unified, agile, and scalable system. Exhibitor and visitor interactions became more streamlined, while internal teams gained a centralized hub for managing complex event operations efficiently.
Unified Infrastructure - A consolidated, scalable digital system now supports large-scale events seamlessly.
Centralized Event Management - Thousands of exhibitors and attendees can now be coordinated through one hub.
On-Time Delivery - Event websites are launched reliably within strict three-month deadlines.
Streamlined Exhibitor Experience - Registration, booth management, and promotional uploads became faster and more efficient.
Enhanced Visitor Experience - Digital tools like kiosks, mobile navigation, and parking management improved event-day engagement.
By consolidating systems and automating exhibitor management, THE MART minimized redundancies and reduced the workload for internal teams, resulting in smoother event execution.
Visitors and exhibitors experienced a more intuitive digital journey, from registration to navigation, boosting satisfaction and positioning THE MART as a leader in modern trade show management.
Solvative’s partnership has transformed THE MART’s digital presence, making it an industry leader in event digitization. The streamlined systems reduced operational bottlenecks and elevated exhibitor engagement, while innovative visitor tools improved overall event satisfaction.
Looking ahead, Solvative and THE MART are exploring next-generation technologies—such as 5G integration, visitor journey tracking, and immersive engagement strategies—to further redefine the future of trade shows and event management.
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