Dema show???

[racedude1984]

open it up to consumers and maybe get some good deals out there and people would be able to see the products first hand from the company instead of seeing it on a wall with very little info. It is neat to see new products not sure why it's only for dealers only? IMO opening it up to consumers would prolly help the show increase it's size.

 

[cool_hardware52]

open it up to consumers and maybe get some good deals out there and people would be able to see the products first hand from the company instead of seeing it on a wall with very little info. It is neat to see new products not sure why it's only for dealers only? IMO opening it up to consumers would prolly help the show increase it's size.

There are very good reasons to have a trade only show.

There are many consumer dive shows. I'd suggest attending one of these if you want to see the new goodies and interact with the manufacturers.

Mixing the two is a bad idea in my opinion. Many exhibitors will refuse to attend a combination "Trade" and "Consumer" show.

As a side note, until this year DSS has been an exhibitor at DEMA, a trade only show, and at multiple Consumer Shows.

This year DSS will continue to exhibit at consumer shows.

Tobin

 

[Leadking]

I have posted before on DEMA opening the show to the public. This is a non-starter.

Q. How many people will travel hundreds/thousands of miles to attend a scuba show?

A. Not enough to make it work


ps. I venture a well qualified guess that the average DEMA tradeshow costs exhibitors well over $10 million to put on. Do the math!

 

[racedude1984]

I have posted before on DEMA opening the show to the public. This is a non-starter.

Q. How many people will travel hundreds/thousands of miles to attend a scuba show?

A. Not enough to make it work

Well not like it's going to have a "bad" turnout being in florida. maybe if it traveled. Hell even set up that 1 of the days is open to consumers.

just the same question as how many people are going to travel thousands of miles to the SEMA car exhibit and guess what 10's of thousands of people do!

theres options to letting consumers in they just don't care about the actual consumer obviously. They could even make a profit if they wanted to.

 

[cool_hardware52]

theres options to letting consumers in they just don't care about the actual consumer obviously. They could even make a profit if they wanted to.

To conclude that the manufacturers "just don't care about the actual consumer" because they prefer to limit trade shows to those in the trade is quite a leap.

Tradeshows have a purpose, and Consumer Shows have a purpose. Trade Shows really aren't some kinda super elite back stage pass only party for the select few. It's more like watching sausage being made.

To view Tradeshows as some sort of snub to the "actual consumer" is simply ignorant.

Tobin

 

[Leadking]

Well not like it's going to have a "bad" turnout being in florida. maybe if it traveled. Hell even set up that 1 of the days is open to consumers.

just the same question as how many people are going to travel thousands of miles to the SEMA car exhibit and guess what 10's of thousands of people do!

theres options to letting consumers in they just don't care about the actual consumer obviously. They could even make a profit if they wanted to.

Do your homework! SEMA show is NOT open to the general public. See 2009 SEMA Show | Home

 

[racedude1984]

so they wonder why it's going down hill... It's basic business and sign of the times that they need to open it up to consumers and let the consumers see the products first hand and over time it will show the Pro's over the Con's. With the fact that more people are buying on-line and doing there own research on products before they buy them it really wouldn't hurt to let consumers in. The DEMA show seems to be the show of all shows when it comes to dive equipment. I'm sure that the amount of consumers that come in would out weigh the amount of dive shops that stopped coming.

If the show wasn't struggling and people not complaining so much that there is little interst then we wouldn't worry about other options and leave it as a professional show only but thats not the case.

I'm sure most dive shops get enough catalogs of new products anyways to satisfy there inventory.

 

[deco_martini]

open it up to consumers

Won't happen. DEMA is about the retailers meeting the manufacturing and travel channels and keeping their role as "gatekeepers". A model that has been coming apart since the internets made it easier to buy things and book travel.

DEMA is where these people can get together and "the shops" can pick which places to organize travel to by whichever booth offers to pay their bar tab in addition to their comp'd room. DEMA is where your LDS picks out which 3 brands of fin they think you should have the choice of wearing.

They aren't going to give that up and open it up to the great unwashed. Schmoozing and hustling is harder with yokels around.

The trade show in itself is sort of a dying art form. Maybe it isn't the best thing in the internet age. E3, Comdex, and other big tech shows got weird at a point.

The problem with diving is, DEMA is the big show. And its closed. Its the best chance for people to see what is going on, and they have to talk to their LDS afterwards and get filtered information about it. Saying that the little regional shows is an alternative isn't really accurate.

 

[cool_hardware52]

so they wonder why it's going down hill... It's basic business and sign of the times that they need to open it up to consumers and let the consumers see the products first hand and over time it will show the Pro's over the Con's. With the fact that more people are buying on-line and doing there own research on products before they buy them it really wouldn't hurt to let consumers in. The DEMA show seems to be the show of all shows when it comes to dive equipment. I'm sure that the amount of consumers that come in would out weigh the amount of dive shops that stopped coming.

If the show wasn't struggling and people not complaining so much that there is little interst then we wouldn't worry about other options and leave it as a professional show only but thats not the case.

I'm sure most dive shops get enough catalogs of new products anyways to satisfy there inventory.

Why don't you promote a Combo Tradeshow and Consumer show for the Dive Industry?

All those easy $$ to be made just waiting for a guy with all the answers.

Tobin

 

[racedude1984]

Do your homework! SEMA show is NOT open to the general public. See 2009 SEMA Show | Home

Sorry my mistake, you are able to go with a dealer. Alot of shops purchase extra tickets. to take alot of favorite customers. Also if you join the sema club you are able to go.