Dema show???

[SeaLevelScuba]

Pete, its quite obvious DEMA is pretty much self serving to a select few in this industry, that became very apparent for us when we were trying to clean up the listings online for retailers, even when solid proof was delivered by their own employee they refused to clean it up. So it doesnt surprise me that the decision makers at DEMA have their own idea on how to protect their importance to this industry and refuse to change.

That said, I would be willing to pay what my membership dues would've been had I renewed with DEMA to have you give me the time you were trying to give away for free to help me better understand the tools of the NEW demographic we are trying to do business with.

Schott

 

[The Chairman]

Jim,

I appreciate your stance, and this may very well be our last DEMA with a booth. After all, I think we have already paid and it IS in my backyard.

This past year, we have been at a majority of consumer shows nationwide, and they were far more profitable than DEMA was for us. Same people, same booth so I can't tell you why we are so much more successful elsewhere than at "the" trade show. But still our MAJOR avenue of growth has been and will remain the Internet. I know this revelation falls under the "Well, thank-you Captain Obvious! Keep us informed!" category, but it's important to note our basic philosophy here on ScubaBoard: If it's good for Scuba, then it's good for ScubaBoard! We will continue to support and promote each and every Scuba Show worldwide FOR FREE! That includes DEMA, the Surf Show, and all of the consumer shows that happen each and every year! Many of these shows offer us a free booth, and we really appreciate that. We show up to show our support. It's still a loss leader for us, as we rarely (if ever?) cover our expenses! But then, we believe that our presence is "Good for Scuba", and so we come!

 

[The Chairman]

Schott,

I have not written off DEMA yet. I do feel that they need to re-invent themselves, and I don't understand their reticence when it comes to letting us help them. But deep down, they too want what's best for the industry (I think). DEMA is not "bad" for the industry... at least not yet. We'll see if they ever want to improve their track record, or if they simply prefer to be yesterday's news.

 

[mdb]

Schott,

I have not written off DEMA yet. I do feel that they need to re-invent themselves, and I don't understand their reticence when it comes to letting us help them. But deep down, they too want what's best for the industry (I think). DEMA is not "bad" for the industry... at least not yet. We'll see if they ever want to improve their track record, or if they simply prefer to be yesterday's news.

Pete:

You are, truly, one of the SCUBA industry's good guys. Your international board is a well monitored, well used, forum, for all of us to discuss our passion for diving. We go back and forth and have a few turf wars, overall, we all are the same; divers, people who see beneath the waves and, hopefully, can help keep the oceans, rivers, and lakes, clean for the next generation.

DEMA, in the present incarnation, is ruled by a few who work, IMHO, for their own vested interest. Sad indeed.

We did pay our DEMA dues for 2009. I hope that money was used well.

 

[SeaLevelScuba]

Schott,

I have not written off DEMA yet. I do feel that they need to re-invent themselves, and I don't understand their reticence when it comes to letting us help them. But deep down, they too want what's best for the industry (I think). DEMA is not "bad" for the industry... at least not yet. We'll see if they ever want to improve their track record, or if they simply prefer to be yesterday's news.

I hear ya Pete. I don't think outside of having a successful show they really care what the opinion is. There is so much opportunity they could do if they listened to their whole membership as a one member one voice(vote) approach. Over the years of being in the industry, since 1989, I've seen alot of things change and the industry has been fortunate enough to kinda change with it, after all alot of the change was what we were being told from the manufacturers / agencies and DEMA. With the internet becoming an obvious in most households/businesses from where it was just a few short years ago of the "Do you have internet?" age, the manufacturrs / agencies and DEMA cannot dictate what change is really evolving, discussions right here on Scubaboard have changed the opinion of many on many different topics simply because no one point of view was being crammed down the pipe. One thing that hasn't changed alot since 1989 is the affiliations of the BOD of DEMA.

Keep up the good work, you at least get it, there's not many in this industry that has the potential to reach as many with as much impact as what you and your staff has done.

Schott

 

[mike_s]

JI appreciate your stance, and this may very well be our last DEMA with a booth. After all, I think we have already paid and it IS in my backyard.

what does Booth space cost at Dema? (plus what add on's, like power, phone, internet, etc).

This past year, we have been at a majority of consumer shows nationwide, and they were far more profitable than DEMA was for us. Same people, same booth so I can't tell you why we are so much more successful elsewhere than at "the" trade show.

I think one obvious difference is that other shows are consumer based and this show is "dive industry professional based".

The consumer embraces the internet to help them with their purchase and trip planning, even if they still actually don't purchase the product on the internet but at their LDS.

However, at DEMA, some manufacturers and dive industry professionals (shops, instructors, etc), I think see Scubaboard as a reference of "Don't pay full price at your LDS when you can buy it at __________ for cheaper".

For that reason, I think they likely avoid SB on purpose because they believe that the internet is what is ruining their sales and they don't like having someone come in at say that I can get it at www.__________.com for cheaper.

while they are free to believe what they want...... these are the same folks that will blame "internet scuba web sites" for their own shops downfall as they hang the "going out of business sale" sign on their front doors....

 

[The Chairman]

Gosh guys... you're gonna make me blush.

I don't find it bad that people look out for their own interests. That's something we all do and it's simply a part of self preservation 101. However, it's quite possible to look out for your own interests AND help someone else out at the same time rather than hurting them in the process. It's quite honorable as well.

We need a bigger pie so all of us can have a piece!

There is no need to quibble over who gets the bigger piece of the pie, if it's expanding all the time. You take as much as the market will allow you to take. If it's not enough you have to do one of two things... steal from someone else or MAKE THE PIE BIGGER!!!

That's why I don't sweat the internet startups. I get these questions all the time... Why don't you buy them out? Don't they dilute the market? Aren't they your competition? In reality, when the new startup claims to be the "biggest" or the "best", it only reflects poorly on them. Invariably, they will attract some peeps that have yet to find ScubaBoard (say it isn't so, Joe!). Sooner or later, someone is going to reference a thread on here, and they too will get to check us out. They might like us better... or not. It depends on how busy the forum is, how nice the members are that day and whether my servers are keeping up with the load. You won't catch me going to these sites to promote ScubaBoard... I don't need or want to steal: I want to make a bigger pie!

This is why I say: "What's good for Scuba is good for ScubaBoard!" The tide will cause all boats to rise. No one has saturated the internet and especially no one in Scuba! My biggest competitor is NOT Sport Diving Magazine... it's NFL Football and HBO. It's not facebook or any online Scuba related forum, it's the entire boating and fishing industry. My aim is to convert the golfer/biker/skater into a scuba diving freak-a-zoid.

Take a fresh look at Gene with Dive Industry Association. Do you realize that he goes to the "Surf Show" every year? He's spreading out to other industries as well this year. WOW! He gets it! We need a bigger pie. Guess what? I am a member of the DIA! As small as he is, he is doing a LOT for our industry by trying to grow our pie! I'll make a bet that if you ask him, he will agree that whatever is good for Scuba is also good for the DIA!

 

[cerich]

I don't find it bad that people look out for their own interests. That's something we all do and it's simply a part of self preservation 101.

You are wrong in this case Pete. Self preservation for a non profit that represents something means what the association represents has to come first. In this case the dive industry. If that isn't happening then the basic premise has become distorted.

 

[USIA]

Not to defend DEMA, but one of the major reasons a lot of Manufacturers got upset with DEMA is when they started allowing more and more people into the event. This was pissing off dive stores because instructors were being given dealer pricing on products and buying directly through some manufacturers. DEMA probably thinks that if they get more involved in a consumer based website like Scubaboard, that it would upset manufacturers. I think it is a crock, but I assume that is why they hesitant to Pete's overratures.

 

[Leadking]

They issue DEMA faces from its tradeshow side is that it has two major factions, manufacturing/distribution and travel, to serve. As a former manufacturer, it was my opinion that my customer base was retailers and other distributors. The margins on my products were extremely low and volume is how we survived. Most, but not all, manufacturers, I believe share this opinion. This does not discount that the end customer, the diver, does not need to be addressed, but that is the responsibility of the retailer.

The dive travel segment, to a greater degree, is set up to serve both the retailer and end consumer. With their low margins, but higher price tag per individual sale, can talk/interface with the end consumer and be profitable. This seems to be acceptable to retailers, where if a manufacturer went direct, it would be the kiss of death as far as their retailers are concerned.

That sets up the problem. Manufacturers need to connect with high volume users of their products (retailers) and travel destinations can, generally, make a profit as both the wholesaler or retailer of their product. Manufacturers want a small, highly qualified audience where travel will take divers in general. This is a problem without a fix and has caused DEMA to lose its focus and weaken the show.

Just my opinion.