Toledo Show - Times they are a changing....

[Krazy Karl]

I want to share the reply I got from the director of the Toledo show.

Apparently the Toledo show is very reasonable to attend as a vendor as you will read. There must be other reasons (as a lot of you have said) that is keeping the manufacturers from attending.

Here is the reply and please feel free to send a message to Rick if you feel they need to know feedback as I did. They won't know unless you speak.

Karl,
Thanks for the ideas. The local general public loves the skids of toy flying things. I in fact bought a very cool R/C tank for my grandson from one of those guys, so they do have a place.
I agree that filling the place with 'real' manufacturers would be ideal however there simply are not that many real manufacturers around to fill the place. There is no need to lower our price to attract them. Our booths cost $450 for a 10 x 10 and that price includes FREE electricity, wireless internet, tables, and chairs along with no union issues that all other tradeshows have requiring you to pay fees just to plug stuff in or assemble a booth. Any other tradeshow in the country would cost over $1,500 for a 10 x 10 minimum assuming you buy electricity and wireless internet, a table and a couple chairs. Many are way over that price so the Toledo show is actually the best value by far in the industry. And we have the lowest admission price at the door.
Anyway, thanks for the thoughts and I hope that you otherwise enjoyed the show.
Rick Lederman, Expo Co-Director
President, Soaring Software Solutions, Inc.
(419) 826-0444
128 North Main Street Suite 6
Swanton, OH 43558 USA
https://www.soaringsoftware.com
Tell us how we’re doing
www.soaringsoftware.com/feedback

 

[Chris singer]

That does seem like a reasonable cost. These things tend to be cyclical so i wouldnt despair. Innovation will always help but the show is fun, entertaining and centrally located as well. Well done again.

 

[why_fly_high]

The cost of the booth is cheap compared to some of the tradeshows I attend. The real problem is not really the booth rent. It is expensive to ship a big booth full of stuff. Hotels, meals, transportation, etc. I would bet if they made the booths free it would only increase the number of local vendors.

 

[Xpress]

The cost of the booth is cheap compared to some of the tradeshows I attend. The real problem is not really the booth rent. It is expensive to ship a big booth full of stuff. Hotels, meals, transportation, etc. I would bet if they made the booths free it would only increase the number of local vendors.

That's a big part of it too. Manufacturers have a budget that they have to work with every year, and they have to divide that budget up and pick and choose which shows they want/can afford to go to. With certain aspects of the hobby driving customers away from manufacturers towards new manufacturers (not to point fingers, but generally these models use more than 1 propeller in a vertical configuration), those older manufacturers aren't seeing the kinds of profits they wish to have. Plus, the economy is driving more and more people to be more budget minded with their equipment choices and rather than splurge for the top of the line name brand gear, more are opting for the less expensive equipment, or the less expensive models.

Like I said, this decreases profit margins for the manufacturers we like to see at shows, so they wind up opting out of certain smaller shows in favor of piling their budget into attending the larger shows where more people will be exposed to the product. Shipping costs also affect the budget, and they have been rising every year- all of those fancy products that everybody likes to droll over don't just magically appear. They all have to be boxed up and send over, some of these boxes are large heavy duty crates to protect the models or the engines that are brought along. And some of those vendors have a LOT of product they want to display, which can eat up budget costs. Some vendors are there just to sell and move product, so they have to factor in the cost of bringing pallets of products over so they have plenty of stock on hand to sell- whatever they don't sell has to be packed back onto a pallet and shipped back home.

Hotel and food costs are probably the smallest portion of the budget, but some of those guys like to splurge a bit and bunk up in a fancy hotel with some tasty tasty foods.

Probably the biggest reason manufacturers aren't going to shows anymore is just because of the high costs to get product and people there, then get all that product and people back.

 

[Bartman]

another thing to think about, shows were a necessity back before the internet made high definition photos and video so readily available. the internet allows us to gather in one place also and ask questions where shows used to be where you'd shop, do your research and then make a big purchase for the coming flying season. now shows are more a social opportunity and a place where you can pat the manufacturers on the back and say thanks for a great product.

but if you're using the internet to the maximum extent possible why would you pack a truck and travel to rub elbows potentially with the toy store in the next booth?

i love picking through the swap shops which is still a great feature of most shows but if you think about why shows used to be so popular it isn't really that hard to see why they've tapered off.

now, a fun-fly that is in coordination with the big show, that's a great idea!

 

[Xpress]

now, a fun-fly that is in coordination with the big show, that's a great idea!

But what's better than a fun fly super glue'd to the main attraction? A FREE fun fly super glue'd to the main attraction!

 

[TnAeroNut]

These comments have me thinking I probably won't make the drive up from Nashville. I've not been to the show before but was toying with the idea this year - my wife even said she'd go with me. Sounds like it might not be worth the effort.

 

[Bunky.F.Knuckle]

If you have never been, you should atleast take 1 in. Ive been to all of them since 1990, except for last year.

 

[Bartman]

are you going this year Chris?

I tried to organize our indoor fun fly for this year but Tom from TNT landing gear wasn't up for it and he was a necessary component in order to get the venue again. maybe next year.

 

[Bunky.F.Knuckle]

With a bit of luck, Sunday.