Even the trade shows are slow!

[westernstargifts]

DH and I spent 2 days at the trade show in Toronto this week. We have been attending the show regularly for many years and have NEVER seen it so slow! Most of the people walking up and down the aisles were sales reps who normally don't have time to leave their booths.

I would much rather go when the show is busy because you don't feel like you are going to be pounced on at every booth by over zealous sales reps. It did have it's advantages, though, because the reps were chatty because they were so bored. It is amazing how much information and tips you can glean from them.

So I guess it is not just on eBay that sales are slow. One person speculated that retailers were saving themselves the expense of attending the show by staying home and browsing through the wholesaler's websites instead. That may be a necessity for some who have had to lay off staff and man the stores themselves but it definitely is not the same as attending the show. That wonderful new product might be right around the corner...:-)

[cartoonsinabox]

We didn't go this year. We now use the internet or order using catalogues. It saves us the plane trip & hotel. But do go in January. The economy is not the same since 2008. Our walk in sales are getting better but it isn't same as years before recession. And Ebay sales have really died. Hoping US economy gets better.

[femmefan1946]

We're going to the British North American Philatelic Exhibition in Victoria over Labour Day.

I haven't seen much in the way of sales from shows in a good few years. The customers seems to be used to club shows where they are either trading duplicates or "spending coins" as DH says.

It is interesting to hang around the supplier's booths and listen to the bottomfeeders complain that the suppliers have the same prices as their local stamp shop. Well, duh!

We go because the real buyers are there, they just are not buying. They are exhibiting and it is a good time to schmooze with them. That can lead to future sales or to consignments to our public auction.

BTW, when I was selling woodstoves, we always tried to get a booth near the ladies' room. Partly for the comfort of the staff (me) and partly because the husbands were at a loose end while the wives freshened up.

[westernstargifts]

We didn't go this year. We now use the internet or order using catalogues. It saves us the plane trip & hotel. But do go in January. The economy is not the same since 2008. Our walk in sales are getting better but it isn't same as years before recession. And Ebay sales have really died. Hoping US economy gets better.

Although we did stay overnight in Toronto we are fortunate to live only 100 miles away. We have come to know many wholesalers quite well by going to the shows. We have even been to dinner with a couple of them.

"BTW, when I was selling woodstoves, we always tried to get a booth near the ladies' room. Partly for the comfort of the staff (me) and partly because the husbands were at a loose end while the wives freshened up."

Now that is brilliant!