Trade Show Display Buying

When buying a trade show display, it's important to consider and watch for the hidden costs. Today there are more options and styles of trade show displays than ever before, and now with the internet, it is possible to buy a trade show display off the web and save a considerable amount of money. But it is also more important than ever to make sure you are really getting all that you are paying for and that you aren't going to get hit with any hidden costs at the time of your purchase or down the road. Of course it's also important to make sure the trade show display you buy really does the job. Exhibiting at a trade show, though expensive, can be one of the most cost-effective means for a business to reach new customers in a face-to-face meeting. It's critical that your trade show display catches the attention of prospects walking by your trade show booth, that it makes you look professional and prepared, that it communicates who you are and what you do, that it differentiates you from all the other trade show exhibitors, and that it draws prospects into your booth (like bees to honey!). In short, while this article discusses saving money on your trade show display purchase, you want to also make sure that you're getting a trade show display that will get the job done... but that's another article.

There are four important hidden-cost-related considerations when buying trade show displays, (1) where you buy your display and the up-front cost, (2) the shipping cost of getting your display from show to show, (3) the cost of maintaining or replacing your display, and (4) the cost of updating or expanding your display.

1) Up-front Costs

In the old days, the local dealer showroom had a lock of selling trade show displays, and this was reflected in the price. If there was only one dealer in town, the prices would be even higher. Now with the advent of the internet, one can purchase trade show displays off of the web. The resulting competition has meant that prices have come down over 50% and more in the last ten years - though there are a lot of dealers that have tried to maintain their pricing. Local trade show display dealer showrooms are a great place to look at the various styles of displays and get ideas, but unless the dealer is willing to negotiate and charge a fair and reasonable price, I would suggest buying your display on the web. If you Google the term "trade show displays" you will be amazed at the number of trade show display companies that are listed. The fierce competition is a good thing for you and your pocket book. Several of the display companies on the internet also offer easy on-line ordering for their trade show displays (some are easier than others).

When you buy a trade show display on-line, it’s important to judge the actual costs of the display. Are you getting a trade show display that will do the job and set you apart at the trade show, meaning more booth traffic and more business for your company? Are all the costs disclosed? Are there design charges, and what are they? How quickly can you get the display (if your show is soon), and are there rush charges? How much is shipping? Is there state sales tax? Have you checked the competition to see what their pricing is on a similar display? Are you getting a quality display that will stand up? Will they stand behind their product? How long has the company been around and do they have customer testimonials and reviews? All of these points are important to make sure you know the true up-front cost of your new display.

My recommendation

Buy on the internet, comparison shop to get the best price, verify how long the company has been in business, and make sure you see and review a list of customer’s testimonials and reviews.

2) Shipping Costs

One problem with buying on-line is that some companies tend to gouge you on shipping. You may think you are getting a great deal until you go to check out and you see the "Shipping and Handling" charges. Yikes! A few of the on-line companies now selling trade show displays take the hidden cost of shipping your order out of the equation by offering free ground shipping. It's hard to hide any cost when it's free. Of course, once you get your new display, you have to think about how many shows a year you will be attending and how you are going to get your new trade show display to and from each show. This accounts for one of the biggest hidden costs in the trade show industry. In the old days, many trade show displays had to be crated and trucked from show to show. Then about twenty years ago, someone invented the "pop up" style of trade show display, which really revolutionized the portable trade show display industry. Pop-up trade show displays are easy to use and look very professional, and now accounts for roughly 70% of the smaller portable trade show displays sold. For a 10ft x 10ft booth space, one uses a 10ft display, which packs into a single shipping case. Unfortunately, a pop-up display’s shipping case will typically weigh 80 to 100 pounds, and can be expensive to ship, especially by air. While the shipping case can generally be checked in as airline baggage, airlines will often charge an oversize and/or overweight baggage fee. So as you can imagine, if you go to multiple shows a year, and especially if you need to ship your display via FedEx Overnight or take it with you on an airline flight (instead of shipping it via less expensive ground service the week before), the costs of shipping can really add up.

Fortunately, there are now alternatives to pop-up style trade show displays. One such alternative is the Signature trade show display from Pinnacle Displays, which is the same size as the traditional pop-up display and includes full color graphics across the entire display, but packs in a shipping case that is half the size, and ends up half the weight, dramatically reducing long term shipping expenses. Other alternatives include pull-up or projector-screen-type banner stands and pop-up style display frames with a single printed lightweight fabric face on them. While these systems are much more portable, they also have their own limitations, so their benefits and limitations should be considered in their totality when making a purchasing decision.

My recommendation

Insists on free shipping for your display order, check the display shipping case’s actual shipping dimensions and weight, and buy the most portable trade show display that still meets all of your needs. Remember that shipping your display from show to show - especially in today’s economy with sky high oil prices - is a cost that will continue to add up over time.

3) Maintenance Costs

Trade show displays can be roughly handled in the rush to tear down an exhibit and leave the show. In addition, FedEx and UPS don't always handle shipments with velvet gloves. It's important to determine whether you are getting a high quality, well built display that will hold up to the rigors of trade show exhibiting. Some companies now offer lifetime warranties on their displays - which is a strong indicator that they have a reliable product and they stand behind it.

My recommendation

Buy a high quality, rugged, and well designed trade show display. If you aren't buying an American-made trade show display, find out in advance how and wear you can get it repaired and how you can get replacement parts. Insist on a long term or lifetime warranties. Look for a company that stands behind their product.

4) Updating and/or Expansion Costs

If your trade show display has graphics (and a good display should, preferably covering the entire display), you'll want to find out how much it will cost to change the graphics, and how easy it is. It's good to know if the display is modular. If you get a 10ft display, can you get another and add it on when your business grows and you want a 20ft display - or do you have to start from scratch? Most trade show display systems today are modular and can easily be expanded, but you'll want to be sure to check on the cost of new graphics as some companies charge a lot more to replace graphics once they feel they've hooked you with the initial display purchase.

My recommendation

Buy a system where the graphics can be changed out piece by piece without having to replace the whole thing. Know the cost of replacement graphics before you commit to buying the display. Buy a modular system so that when your company grows (and it will!) you can add on.

If you understand the four hidden costs outlined above and follow my recommendations when buying your next trade show display, you can maximize the bang-for-your-buck on this critical part of your trade show exhibiting budget. The money you save can be spent on other aspects of promoting your trade show exhibit, or you can simply put it in your pocket with a smile. So buy smart.. and have a great trade show!