Rant about 4WD Show Prices

[elkay]

Melb Leisurefest at Sandown is a chance for us to check out the campers of our choice all in one place.  On line tickets $14 each and we make and take a packed lunch and all our drinks and generally have a lovely day out together browsing and meeting lots of nice people. 

Will be a while before we purchase a camper but seeing them all in the one spot allows us to make comparisons really quickly and narrow down the field.

A chance to spend some time together is a bonus.

[Barry G]

Whats worse the last one in melborne was almost the same for parking.
30 odd bucks and i hadnt even walked tbrough the gate yet

If'n you'd arksered you coulderof parked at my place.

[mickmac42]

I don't go any more. I've found it rare to get any real bargains, by which i mean special prices or deals which are better than what's available at the in-store sales any other time of the year. I also object to paying so much money to go shopping. Most shows don't really have anything that would qualify as entertainment. I was pleased to hear TJM decided to stop displaying at the shows in Brisbane and put on show specials in-store. It must be really frustrating for anyone who decides to travel any great distance to a show, only to find out that they could have saved their money and just visited a few stores.

I feel for some of the vendors as well. The fees they have to pay must be crippling, and it probably explains why you see so many of the smaller vendors looking so dismayed on the last day of a show.

Mike

[Bird]

I think there are a lot of sooks out there though that what something for nothing..

when they are charging ARB  85,000 just to plonk their Shit on the floor, and they aren't the biggest displayer - and one of dozens, I think they can afford to make entry free or $10/head at most.. they want you to go there and spend, make me want to go there in the first place.

[DCP]

Boat show in Adelaide where the boats are on the water (where they should be) plenty of FREE parking and a GOLD coin donation as entry fee which goes to Variety Club.
Well done to the organizers. They got it right
 

[Homer_Jay]

when they are charging ARB  85,000 just to plonk their Shit on the floor, and they aren't the biggest displayer - and one of dozens

This is the reason there are no 'real' bargains at these shows anymore. The traders need to cover their costs.

[Spada]

A few years ago when I was inquiring about a particular Melbourne base companies offroad caravan, I rang them to ask if they would be at the Brisbane show. They explained that they don't usually display at shows as their product is custom built to order, and they generally had 8 months worth of production on order, and it wasn't worth paying 30odd thousand to increase the wait time for their product ?

[bobnrob]

Not just shows, but many things... Charge 1/2 the price and not only will more go but bring mates etc.. small profit large turn over...

Worked well for a mate in his 2nd hand shop years ago
His missus worked it through the week, selling stuff at top $$$ with a couple of sales here n there.
He'd work it on Saturday morning for smaller profits, and there would be people everywhere waiting to buy

Can't help wondering of those posting here being against the prices charged, and the lack of 'bargins' to be found at these shows now, run their own business, but would argue how they need to charge higher $$$   

[me217]

looking at going to the sunshine coast caravan show tomorrow. partly to warranty a frying pan, and its also a good excuse to get out the house.

[akarosco]

looking at going to the sunshine coast caravan show tomorrow. partly to warranty a frying pan, and its also a good excuse to get out the house.

What's the story with the pan?
 
[/quote]




Relax, put the diff lock on, climb another sand dune & enjoy the view.

[me217]

a small section of the coating lifted, to me it looks like poor metal prep. but they reckon a rivet shifted.  i contacted them and they said either pay postage both ways or meet them there.

[akarosco]

a small section of the coating lifted, to me it looks like poor metal prep. but they reckon a rivet shifted.  i contacted them and they said either pay postage both ways or meet them there.

Now that's customer service that'll keep 'em coming back.
Care to name them?



Relax, put the diff lock on, climb another sand dune & enjoy the view.

[me217]

diamond t i think the brand is. but as i found out they are under tv2you and also sold as some other brand. so yeah, very trust worthy. on a side note. the non stick is excellent.

[Bill]

Worked well for a mate in his 2nd hand shop years ago
His missus worked it through the week, selling stuff at top $$$ with a couple of sales here n there.
He'd work it on Saturday morning for smaller profits, and there would be people everywhere waiting to buy

Can't help wondering of those posting here being against the prices charged, and the lack of 'bargins' to be found at these shows now, run their own business, but would argue how they need to charge higher $$$   

When I owned my own business and looked into pricing  for me to set up at the show I had to decline..
There was just no way I could even come close to making the money back.
Bill

[carlyle]

I go when interested and have picked up some good buys over the years. But you need to go prepared with the products you are after and the prices you expect them to be if shopping for camping/4wd gear. The first 3 or so I went to I didn't and wasn't sure whether the prices were good or not so didn't buy anything.

If going just for smaller price purchases then the savings need to be great to cover entry prices.

If looking at comparing 4wd's or campers/caravans then yes they are worth it.

What gets me though is recently I was travelling back from the central coast to Newcastle on a Sunday and there was a show on. Last day 2pm so only open for 2 more hours and already tents were packing up. They wanted to still charge me full price for myself, wife & 3 kids (kids weren't free) so $50 just to enter to see if maybe there was something still available. This did get on my nerves surely by that stage they could let you in for free.

[Diesel Power]

I know of a Dealership at the Adelaide camping show who had 3 caravans there on display. The site cost $30,000.

[nab]

The retailers at the shows aren't there just to make money selling stuff(if at all), think of it more as advertising. You have at a guess 20,000 people over 3 days looking at stuff that they are interested in, your target market is being handed to them on a plate.

I imagine if ARB (as an example) spent ~$80,000 on TV advertising that they wouldn't reach as many of there targeted clientele as they would at the show, and they get money from sales too!

[speewa158]

When we go to these shows we take food , coffee , cups , snacks & a visa card  . We don't really want to queue for a week to pay the ransom on 1/2 a Luke warm chip  . 
lts always interesting to check out the kit on sale , but not always to buy , as has been said 

[Hewy54]

I agree with most of the comments here, but am not sure where some posters got their information on the price of a display for retailers. I believe $30,000and $80000 may be well off the mark. At the recent Adelaide show, cost was only a fraction of this.

[evolution]

I agree with most of the comments here, but am not sure where some posters got their information on the price of a display for retailers. I believe $30,000and $80000 may be well off the mark. At the recent Adelaide show, cost was only a fraction of this.

I can tell you from experience that especially for a caravan company who have a large site at one of the top tier shows that this would be accurate. 
For the Melbourne show in February it will be over 10000 for us to attend and that would be a site big enough to have two campers with no annexes up.

Cheers
Nick

[Hewy54]

I can also tell you from experience that at the recent Adelaide show it was well under $10000 for a display area large enough for 3 large ski boats in the centre of one of the halls.

[Moggy]

These are the exhibitor prices for the Mackay 2016 Home Show





Whilst not equivelent to what somebody may pay at the bigger shows does give you an idea of costs.

I had a 3x3m inside site, which cost about $1600 ± & then extra for cards, shirts, banner displays etc..... did i get a return.... no probably not but in the economic climate in mackay at the moment it was a case of being seen.

I was actually next to Road Tek Marine & they had a double site & whilst their retailers & i'm service provider the guy there reckons they were way down on previous years for show sales, but again it lifts their profile.

I know Jayco & Complete Campsite had bigger undercover sites so they probably figure its worth it.

Either way if your counting on a home show for sales to cover costs, you could end up dissappointed (in Mackay anyway)

[evolution]

I can also tell you from experience that at the recent Adelaide show it was well under $10000 for a display area large enough for 3 large ski boats in the centre of one of the halls.

Completely agree. It really does depend on where and who the show is with.
For instance some of the really big regional shows we do the figure is under 2000 and that's for a large site.
If we go to a Melbourne show it is roughly ten regional shows we can't afford to do.
However it all comes down to exposure, so that's the coin we are flipping at the moment. For what some of these shows charge the site holders I'm really surprised that the entry fee isn't donated to charity..
Anyway it's all relative I guess.

Cheers
Nick

[Bird]

For what some of these shows charge the site holders I'm really surprised that the entry fee isn't donated to charity..

Agree totally.. and the money they rob from you for parking...
If they want people to go to these things, they have to make it worth your while - and in the recent 5+ years they just don't.

[tedota]

Don't mind paying for parking or the entry fee it's the cost of a hot dog that worries me. $ 8 dollars!!!

Now that's what you call being ripped off!!!