Dema show???

[mdb]

DEMA-Dive Equipment Manufacturers Assoc.-used to be a market place, a buying show. For the first 10-15 years SCUBA Retailers could come to DEMA and look at the next years product offerings, all in one hall, at one time. They then could decide which model, color, style, manufacturer, best suited their store. It was a win/win for both manufacturers and retailers. Retailers had the DEMA special pricing, the manufactures knew which models to build for the season and all was well.

Now we have the Diving Equipment and Marketing Assoc. A collection of t-shirts, and sun glasses, and hats, and jewelery, and 10X10 booths with six pack boats, dive sites, multiple "seminars", and parties for various destinations and groups.

DEMA is no longer a true market place for diving equipment distributors. Some folks will still attend for the social aspect and the chance to get away on a legit business trip. Nothing wrong with all that.

The DEMA show will continue, IMHO, to decline until redefined. All this good feedback could be the tipping point.

 

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Is this really the "shakeup" they need though?

I"m not a dema member, but I don't think that opening the show to the "consumer diver" is going to get the "big name manufacturers" to come back to the show and get Dema back to what it used to be. (just my opinion. maybe I'm wrong).

Its difficult to say I guess, from my experience the days of the distinct distribution line (ie) manufacturer, distributor / wholesaler, retailer consumer has blurred dramatically in recent years and in some cases disappeared completely.

Today we find the Asian manufacturer setting up their own retail outlets or marketing directly to the independant retailer cutting out any distributor, we also see distributors cutting out the retailer to a degree by setting up so called "wholesale warehouses" and inviting the consumer in to buy at discounted prices.

So would it lure them back,...... I dont know, but I think quite a few would perhaps reconsider.

I think you will see a few extra big brand names will be added to the list of "not attending Dema 2009" soon, from my chats with some of them the enormous cost and the diluted focus of the show has not been lost on them over the past few years, and this gives them the ideal opportunity to opt out without "loosing face" (for want of a better phrase) with their retail partners.

 

[USIA]

While in Tacoma for the Dive Expo this weekend, I spoke with a lot of other manufacturers about DEMA. The consensus was that it's time in the current format had run it's course. But they also said that if the show would be in Vegas every year, than they would reconsider. While I somewhat disagree, many did not like the idea of allowing consumers in for the final day. For one, this show has already been dilluted with looky lou's and not buyers. The other reason was that the only consumers that would attend these shows would be from people in the local area. In Vegas, there isn't a huge diving community, though it does seem to be growing.

 

[mike_s]

But they also said that if the show would be in Vegas every year, than they would reconsider.

I'm sure that the opposite was said in other years by Florida and East coast dealers/manufacturers saying "I wish it was back east this year, like in Orlando".

(You're never going to keep everyone 100% happy with such a large geographical area, regardless of where the show is...)


where else has it been in the past 10 or so years? I remember one year it was in NewOrleans as one of the other cities... wasn't Houston one of them?

 

[widget]

I'm sure that the opposite was said in other years by Florida and East coast dealers/manufacturers saying "I wish it was back east this year, like in Orlando".

(You're never going to keep everyone 100% happy with such a large geographical area, regardless of where the show is...)


where else has it been in the past 10 or so years? I remember one year it was in NewOrleans as one of the other cities... wasn't Houston one of them?

Yes, Houston, New Orleans and Miami as well, but its been mostly Las Vegas and Orlando.

Strange they dont move it about more isnt it, in the distant past I can remember visiting Dema in San Francisco and Los Angeles as well, but they havent been there for many, many years now.

 

[royalediver]

What do PADI standards have to do with this discussion, Pete? Talk about hijacking a thread...

PADI made two runs at trying to create a trade-show in competition with DEMA and failed. Cronin figured out it was better to gut it from within than to fight it from the outside. Hornsby has now declared himself "El Presidente" for life!!! As one DEMA board member told me "We had one president for life (Cronin) and he's dead." Many have said that this obvious lack of democracy was more than they could take. Balance that with the economy and they are looking to move on.

I don't know where John is now, but I'm sure he's warm.

 

[Leadking]

I was the DEMA president (1994-1997) for 3 years and ran its' trade show committee for a number of years. You ask the questions and I will give the answers.

Q. Why is the general public not admitted?

A. Multiple reasons;

• The hall rental is much higher for a consumer show than for a trade show.
• From a exhibitor standpoint it would amount to local show as few would travel great distances to attend
• The cost of exhibiting for the extra days would be cost prohibitive for many companies.

Q. Why Orlando and Las Vegas?

A. to Negotiate better contracts with convention facilities. The DEMA show, to be cost effective and to give exhibitors fair exposure, it needs the following;

• Warm climate with additional recreational activities as many attendees use this as their vacation
• Contiguous floor space of 300,000 square feet
• A right to work state so that exhibitors don't have to pay $100 an hour to have someone set up their booth
• Reasonable cost hotels and airline transportation costs for exhibitors and attendees.

You ask, I'll tell.

 

[PhilEllis]

I was the DEMA president (1994-1997) for 3 years and ran its' trade show committee for a number of years. You ask the questions and I will give the answers.

Q. Why is the general public not admitted?

A. Multiple reasons;

• The hall rental is much higher for a consumer show than for a trade show.
• From a exhibitor standpoint it would amount to local show as few would travel great distances to attend
• The cost of exhibiting for the extra days would be cost prohibitive for many companies.

Q. Why Orlando and Las Vegas?

A. to Negotiate better contracts with convention facilities. The DEMA show, to be cost effective and to give exhibitors fair exposure, it needs the following;

• Warm climate with additional recreational activities as many attendees use this as their vacation
• Contiguous floor space of 300,000 square feet
• A right to work state so that exhibitors don't have to pay $100 an hour to have someone set up their booth
• Reasonable cost hotels and airline transportation costs for exhibitors and attendees.

You ask, I'll tell.

Thanks Lee. As always, you provide great professional input. I am dying to know.....what to YOU think about the apparent difficulty DEMA is having getting the "big boys" to attend the show? Is this purely an economic decision for the manufacturers, or are we seeing the decline of DEMA? From your spot on the sunny beaches of retirement, what changes do YOU think should now be made in the organization?

Phil Ellis
Discount Scuba Gear at DiveSports.com - Buy Scuba Diving Equipment & Snorkeling Equipment

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Then why are they ignoring the membership and not enacting term limits? Why can't I bring my disabled wife who is in a wheelchair, and cannot be left alone in a hotel room, unless I or a shop lies and says she is an employee? Why is it so geared towards travel and resorts now when the economy is forcing so many to stay home? If the venues are to keep costs down why does DEMA charge so much to exhibit? Who gets all the money after expenses? Why is the so-called be a diver commercial so expensive to get use of and why weren't all the agencies involved in making it? And why can't I see it? Who came up with the brilliant idea to allow members to buy additional votes? (thereby making sure that smaller companies and individual members have NO SAY in what goes on. Want to increase DEMA membership? Do away with that and give a one member one vote set up a try. Hell I'd even join then as an instructor. The way it is now- screw em. I'll get my info and make my deals on line, on the phone, at a regional show for DIVERS, or through a local shop.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I was the DEMA president (1994-1997) for 3 years and ran its' trade show committee for a number of years. You ask the questions and I will give the answers.

Q. Why is the general public not admitted?

A. Multiple reasons;

• The hall rental is much higher for a consumer show than for a trade show.

• 
  
  I do find this surprising. Why more money for a consumer show? I cannot recall any consumer show I've exhibited at that charged more than DEMA does for a both. Of course most consumer shows are 2-3 days, not 4.
  
  I do agree that combo trade / consumer show is going to have problems attracting both exhibitors and attendees.
  
  
  

  Q. Why Orlando and Las Vegas?
  
  [*]A right to work state so that exhibitors don't have to pay $100 an hour to have someone set up their booth.

  
  Something needs to be done to address the cost of "local drayage" The exhibit halls have a monopoly on moving goods from their loading dock into the booths and back out to the dock. For smaller exhibitors this "drayage" cost can exceed the cost of the booth space. $0.70 - 0.80 per pound is not uncommon.
  
  That's not a big deal if you are a travel company with stack of brochures to bring in. It's quite another matter if you are a manufacturer with a few 1000 lbs of goods and display to transport. If it is cost prohibitive to bring your goods to the show why attend at all?
  
  In addition the companies and personnel employed to actually perform the "drayage" are essentially without liability for damage. They can literally destroy goods and booths, and seem to take pleasure in doing so, without any liability for the damages. Truly ridiculous. Every show I've attended that required drayage has required extensive repairs to my shipping crates and display. One year at DEMA the "drayage monkeys" ran their forklift forks right through my crate and display. I had a smashed display for that years DEMA, and $1000's in damage, and after a lengthy process I was offered $100.
  
  These exhibit halls are now reaping what they have sowed.
  
  Tobin