1 in 5 Dallas Market Center buyers were first-timers in 2026
DALLAS – First-time buyers are becoming a bigger share of the crowd at Dallas Market Center. New buyer attendance rose 24.4 percent in 2026, reaching its highest level in five years, according to the market. New buyers now account for 20 percent of attendance, up from 15 percent in 2022.
The increase in first-timers drove overall growth. Buyer attendance across Dallas Market Center’s 15 markets from January through October rose more than 3 percent from 2025.
Buyers came from across the country. Attendance from the Northeast rose 11.7 percent, followed by the Southeast at 6.6 percent, the Southwest at 5.3 percent, the Midwest at 4.4 percent and the West at 3.4 percent, based on buyers’ home regions.
“Retailers and designers from the Northeast to the West Coast are choosing Dallas because one trip puts thousands of brands within reach,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center.
Morris said the market will build on that growth in 2027 with its remerchandised Temps and new resources for independent retailers, including its Retail Ready AI education program.
Dallas Market Center opens 2027 with Lightovation Design + Build Day on Jan. 5, followed by Lightovation, Jan. 6-9, and the Total Home & Gift Market, Jan. 6-12. The Temps will be open Jan. 6-9.
