Unfair to show goers.

M

Mi.Mike

Joined
Dec 23, 1999
Messages
184
Its 2pm on a Sunday. I just got off work.I just barely make it to a local knife show that closes at 4pm. I pay for my ticket and go inside. Once inside I see about 1/4 of the tables empty. I also see another 5 or 6 packing up. I'm feeling like I'm not welcome with 2 HOURS TO GO. Not to mention I paid to see the WHOLE show. This just isn't fair to the customer. I think if you have a table you should not be allowed to leave early. Or they should not charge for admission. This practice is uncalled for and in my mind it's just plain RUDE.

I feel better now.

Mike
 
I think if you have a table you should not be allowed to leave early.
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That's pretty much the rule at the Oregon Knife Collector's show.
 
Mi.Mike, the general rule for knife shows is that the early bird gets the worm. Usually the most popular makers sell out quickly and the later one comes, the more likely he or she will find tanles empty or vendors simply gone. Try to schedule yourself so that you can get to a kknife show within the first hour or two for the best results.
 
MiMike, I completely agree. Every show I've participated in, the organizers state that you cannot leave early for just that reason. Of course, some do.

The only way to get the best selection, however, is to be there at show opening.
 
The shows I go to have few custom makers. The ones that I saw packing up had loaded display cases. These guys weren't leaving because they were sold out. I heard a couple of them talking about a long drive home. I say SO WHAT !! I drove along way to get to this PARTIAL show.

Mike
 
Hey Mike....

Welcome to BF.com

Your just across the big ditch from me...

Most shows have pretty strick rules about that..I can understand if you are sold Completely out,,although it would be nice if these makers kept a few blades on that table and shot the $hit with customers...


BTW...

Welcome to the Biggest 24/7 knife show on the planet! BF.com..It never closes,,and Everyone who is Anyone can be found right here..

Enjoy..

ttyle

Eric...
 
Welcome Mike: this is a good place to discuss the topic and I could not agree with you more. You will make a big impression on the folks who put on the show by making your sentiments known to them. Also a few posts as to the names of makers who left early might make them more aware of the sentiments they inspire.
 
You should have let the show organizers know how you felt right then, and asked for your money back. That is the only way to assure that they won't let it happen next time.
 
Even if makers are sold out they should stay until the end of the show. Take along a picture album with a lot of knives and take the time to talk to people that are interested enough to support the knife industry by coming to these shows and possibly even buying some knives.

I have worked a lot of trade shows and never have they allowed exhibitors to leave early. If you do you are not allowed to show the next year. When this happens demand your money back. They will get the message.

For the makers that think it is OK to do this because you are tired, sold out or have a long drive home I have to say, too bad. You chose to be there, live up to your obligation or don't do shows. A lot of people can't make it to the show until the last day and they deserve to see everyone there that is supposed to be there. Maybe one of those people that you stayed and talked to will order a knife just because you stayed and talked to him. You never know.
 
Thanks for the welcome.
I've been lurking here for years, yet I rarely post. Theres probably a lot of us out here. I've spent hundreds of enjoyable hours cruising these forums. It takes a lot to get me ranting. But this did it. Anyone from Mich. would know what show (s) I'm talking about. The vendors I talked to said these same people always left early and it bothered them too. Thanks to all of you that stay until the show closes.

Regards

Mike
 
While I TOTALLY agree with your premise.....I am on the other side of the table......literally....and heres how it goes. FRI is the big day, usually right at the bell. Then Sat morning for the guys who couldnt make it on fri.......ditto on Sun morning for the few people who HAD to work or arent that serious about knives. There are VERY few sales on Sun afternoon. I try not to ever leave early...but sometimes there are pressing issues.....like catching a plane or driving a long way before it gets too late. I do feel that you are entirely in your rights to get a refund.....but like it says above; the early bird gets the worm!
Unless maybe you dont like worms....if find them a little gritty!! :)



:p

:p

:)
 
Hi Tom
Just to clarify: the shows I'm referimg to have very few custom makers. There are mostly manufactured and collector knives being shown.
I'm not really at these shows to buy a custom knife. I sure like to drool over them though. Customs are just out of my league. I just like to see and touch and talk about knives at these shows. It's an opportunity for me to see all the goodies we talk about on these Forums. I usually
make a few trades and buy 1 or 2 factory knives.
I'd like to talk knives with the custom makers but I feel I'm taking up time that they could be talking to paying customers.

Mike
 
I agree with you, IF this were an IDEAL world. But someone here said " If ya snooze ya lose". It is very similar to the Five day State Fair in my community(this is a very MAJOR League event). The very last day is Monday, Labor Day. The vendors have been there since the previous Tuesday-Weds. setting up. they are tired, they are going from venue to venue, BUT this is their livlihood.
Monday, the Fair officially closes at 11:00 PM. The Grand finale, the Demolition Derby begins at 7:00 PM. When the very first Demo car starts, the vendors begin the breakdown. they will be out of there by the time the Demo is over. for them, the Fair is over. Their FINEST wares are gone. The creme of the crop consumers have already appeared and have long gone. yes, they are all UNDER CONTRACT to remain upon the Fairgrounds UNTIL the official closing, but for over 100 years the norm is NOT to remain open catering to the public.
This is NOT an opinion. This is simply like the soapy says "as the World turns"

Have a great Thanksgiving......wolf
I cannot spell, it is 0400
 
Originally posted by Matt Harildstad
MiMike, I completely agree. Every show I've participated in, the organizers state that you cannot leave early for just that reason. Of course, some do.

The only way to get the best selection, however, is to be there at show opening.
Click to expand...

There are shows in other fields like that. One of the more popular vendors usually left early with "a long ride home". Guess what? When he went to book a table after the second year of leaving early, he was told that he was not WELCOME to come back
 
If Sundays are so slow and the patrons are of a lesser quality, why not make them 2 day shows? Although it would still be a "long drive home" even on Sat.

Thanks for the interesting and informative comments. I'll try to make the shows earlier but that means one less patron on those already slow Sundays.

Mike
 
At the shows I've been to this year, the makers and dealers aren't leaving because they're sold out, just the opposite in fact. The show traffic and sales are down severely, and these people are just not finding it worth their time to stay until the bitter end.

They don't get any of your admission money. If they aren't selling anything, and they want to save a night's hotel cost, or get on the road early, I don't blame them. By all means, do go after the promoter, because in many cases, it's their lack of promotion that leads to the poor turnouts. This year, though, I think that the economy is also taking a toll on these high dollar luxury purchases.
 
I dunno, I guess I'm just to idealistic.

Have you read Ed Fowlers article in the Jan. issue of Blade?

What a class guy. There is still hope.

Regards,

Mike
 
I know about both sides, I've been making show (good & bad) for 7 years or more. I've left early once.(had to save the babysiter) I know abou long rides too. I say I'll be there, I'll be there.
 
I remember one show that I went to about three years ago. I was working right up until the very last few hours on the last day and frankly, didn't expect to find much. Fortunately, two makers were still there whose work I'd been admiring for sometime. Neither on had any left for sale and one hadn't had any since the first day. But I still got to talk to them, they got to meet me, and I ended up ordering a knife from each of them. The one who had sold out the first day said that it had been one of the most productive shows he had been to and was going home with more than ten firm orders.

There's another side to the snooze-lose scenario. By staying even when the pickings were slim they each made at least one more sale and, I must admit, several repeat sales since then.
 
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