The HDA Group Merchandising Conference will be held May 4–7, 2026, at the Embassy Suites Downtown Atlanta at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta. The event brings together about 90 manufacturer partners across hardware, electrical, plumbing, automotive, paint, lawn & garden, and pet-supply categories with more than 40 distribution-member companies from around the U.S. Attendees participate in 30-minute, pre-scheduled private meetings often held in manufacturer “living-room suites,” where vendors present new products, sample merchandise, merchandising displays, and program information to distributor buyers. The GMC format is built for direct business — giving distributors access to new suppliers and assortments while giving manufacturers a concentrated opportunity to showcase goods and secure purchase commitments.