Why doesn’t DEMA open to the general public?

[sabbe]

First, as a consumer interested in buying gear, I'm better served by the demo days like DUI's Dog Days or Mission Rec Mission Tec where manufacturers bring their gear, work with local shops for you to dive before you buy.

Second, if you cut out the LDS and sell direct manufacturer to consumer many LDS will cease to exist.

Third, consumers don't need classes on regulator repair or the myriad of other B2B offerings.

 

[tursiops]

There are certainly people without the credentials to attend DEMA, but maybe they ought to just get the credentials rather than feel left out.

 

[Centrals]

Casinos don’t make their money from high-rollers; it’s the vacation gamblers who turn the wheel. Dive manufacturers may have forgot who pays their salaries.

Macau casinos makes a lot lot more from their VIP clients!

 

[drrich2]

If vendors are booked up with potentially (relatively) high-volume purchase clients, it stands to reason they'd have to 'brush off' regular 'Joe average' divers like me who'd like to walk up and engage in spontaneous discussions about products we might buy one of, or are just curious about with no intention of buying. I could see Joe average then getting on social media claiming the snooty company rep.s had no time for the 'little guy.'

 

[tursiops]

If vendors are booked up with potentially (relatively) high-volume purchase clients, it stands to reason they'd have to 'brush off' regular 'Joe average' divers like me who'd like to walk up and engage in spontaneous discussions about products we might buy one of, or are just curious about with no intention of buying. I could see Joe average then getting on social media claiming the snooty company rep.s had no time for the 'little guy.'

LOL. Even worse (to the "little guy") is if the "little guy" can't even get in to the show to be brushed off.

 

[Lorenzoid]

LOL. Even worse (to the "little guy") is if the "little guy" can't even get in to the show to be brushed off.

I used to fake, or rather get creative in coming up with, credentials to get into some trade shows--not DEMA or other dive-related--in hope of wooing some potential new clients. It was rarely fruitful and wasn't worth my time, but it was kind of fun seeing new products. Sounds like DEMA is stricter with their vetting process than the trade organizations I dealt with.

 

[Scuba Client]

Most shows don't work that way. Attendees buy a pass and that pass is for the length of the show. If the purpose of the convention is for manufacturers to connect with distributors and/or dealers, then it's a more effective strategy to only let those types of people/businesses attend. Here are just a few reasons, but there are more:

1. Attendee lists become far less targeted when the general public is invited. Exhibitors can't market as effectively after the show.

2. Vendors have more difficulty connecting and spending adequate time with REAL leads during the show. It's not always easy to tell who is in the biz vs. who is just looking around. If the audience is too watered down with "others", vendors feel like they didn't get their money's worth or that the attendance was padded to make the show look busier than it is. They may not return if this happens at every event and they certainly will complain about booth costs. (Trade show booth space pricing has skyrocketed in the last 10 years.)

3. Costs are increased for the exhibitors. Those little giveaways actually can represent substantial increased costs when "just anyone" can come in. I've seen entire families sweep these shows just for free merch. These people think nothing of wasting an exhibitor's time.

4. Lots of people crowding a booth discourages real potential clients. Often these people make a note to come back later, but often don't. That's especially true of larger trade shows. We used to do a week long show at the LV Convention Center. It was almost impossible to walk the entire show in that period of time and to see everyone you wanted to see - and that was without added crowding from the general public.

That's just a few things. I've seen this in multiple industries, but especially so for anything hobby related (sports, various crafts, and more). We used to have this issue even at industrial shows (concrete, plating, aerospace, automotive).

Recreational/technical diving attracts marginal interest in comparison to other hobbies, since exhibitions like DEMA are open only to a select few. Manufacturers hire sales reps to make target sales. Under performing managers/sales reps need to be fired. Mass hysteria sells products.

 

[Scuba Client]

First, as a consumer interested in buying gear, I'm better served by the demo days like DUI's Dog Days or Mission Rec Mission Tec where manufacturers bring their gear, work with local shops for you to dive before you buy.

Second, if you cut out the LDS and sell direct manufacturer to consumer many LDS will cease to exist.

Third, consumers don't need classes on regulator repair or the myriad of other B2B offerings.

If you wish to kindle interest in recreational/technical diving then open it to the public. It's a trade show just like any other trade show. The manufacturers can network with their dealers. Most instructors have no idea on how to market their services other than to impress customers with their c-cards and Facebook status.

 

[Scuba Client]

Macau casinos makes a lot lot more from their VIP clients!

They're probably money launderers.

 

[Scuba Client]

To the OP: DEMA is a wholesale trade show requiring a buyer's license to transact business directly with the manufacturers. Confidential wholesale price lists are floating around and dive shops and manufacturers really don't want the diving public to know what those margins are. Industry folks (dive shops, resort shops, etc...) come in from all over the world and most of the manufacturers get fully booked with appointments before the show ever starts. I've been a non-voting member of DEMA for decades and acted as both buyer's and seller's agent over the years. Since it is an industry trade show, instructors (including independent instructors) are considered "industry" but still have to go through a remarkably detailed vetting process. I don't know if assistant instructors or divemasters are included as well (I seem to recall they may have been at one time but haven't kept up on that aspect for a while). Even with only "industry" folk present, the aisles are usually pretty crowded. It takes me an entire day just to walk around the show once - those convention center venues are huge. If I stop for any length of time to talk with old (and new) friends, it can take me two days to walk the entire floor. Throw in attending some of the seminars and clinics and you have used up three days easy. For a couple of the Las Vegas shows I've flown out from So. Cal in the morning, taken a Uber to the Convention Center, made a bee-line for the booth or booths I have an appointment with, do my business and fly home that same day (hopefully with 10% commission on a $250,000 order in my pocket. DEMA is a great experience and I wish everyone could find a way to experience it at least once. It is a working show however and really nothing like the big retail shows (save for the booths and aisles of course). My 2psi.

The key word here is 'network'. The local dive shop has plenty of volunteers (Divemasters) to help out. The Solution Is Simple Safe Effective.

Manufacturers don’t have time for the masses, yet they have time to snoop on this forum.

Under performing dive shops need to close down and get out of town.