I am still amazed that the GIE-EXPO keeps getting worse every year!

[maelawncare]

How far down does GIE want to run show down! It was great when it was just the EXPO. Since GIE has come in it has just gotten worse every year.

The show used to be on Thur-Fri-Sat-Till noon on Sun With the show being till 7 pm all days expect Sunday.. Last year it was only Thur-Noon Sat. This year, only Thur and Fri and only till 5pm! Plus their workshops are getting worse. Nothing for my employees to go to. I was going to take them this year, now I might now.

They are making it much harder for LCOs to go to this show. Most of us can not take off 2 days, some 3 if they have to drive. I used to go up on Thur and go to the show on all day Fri and Sat then go back over things on Sunday. Now I will have to take off all day Wed to drive the 7 hours to the show and hopefully be able to rush through both inside and outside in just 2 business days.

If it does not get better, this just might be my last year!

[grandview (2006)]

I know what you mean. SIMA is the same way. If your local the trade show closes early and if your working all day and want to go ,it will be closed by the time you get there. They need to do a big local push with mailer to the host community and get them in there so next time they might go to a different city and stay.

[ReddensLawnCare]

I'm going up on Tuesday to be there for a hna seminar. I just hope it doesn't rain this tear. I agree that two days is not enough time
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[Richard Martin]

It's all about the money fellas. As manufacturers cut back on their advertising budgets the amount of money for things like buying space at shows gets cut too. If the shows have less money coming in from the manufacturers then they can't rent space at the halls for as long a period of time. The good times are over.

[easy-lift guy]

This year I will be skipping the GIE-EXPO for some of the reasons already mentioned.
Although I believe the GIE show has been a great show in the past for reasons I am not aware of it continues to become more of a "home show" format which as a vendor I am not interested in at all. Although I do sell out of all my stock from the GIE SHOW every year in the past, this year is not in the cards. With the economy in a holding pattern and the present regime holding out @1600 PA. Ave. I will wait and see about
next year. I do believe that the merging of the Hardscapes with the GIE was a mistake
That the GIE in hine site wishes it never made, but this is my opinion. Last year was a horrible disaster with the catering company literally running out of food shortly after opening up and with no plan B in place many folks just got up and left still others did the same and got a refund in the process. Rant over, I would be curious about any other vendors both current and non attending for this years show opinion about the GIE EXPO.
easy-lift guy

[Richard Martin]

Originally Posted by easy-lift guy

That the GIE in hine site wishes it never made,

Here, let me help you lift these two words up. Hind (as in rear) sight (as in seeing).

[easy-lift guy]

Originally Posted by Richard Martin

Here, let me help you lift these two words up. Hind (as in rear) sight (as in seeing).

Thanks Richard, I guess it was a bit early when I made the first reply.
easy-lift guy

[maelawncare]

GIE, Green Industry Expo, and the EXPO were two different shows. GIE went bankrupt and could no longer function going from city to city every year. Now they run GIE-EXPO. The ones who could make GIE work now run this. It's pathetic and almost just like our country is run.

If you make it harder for us LCOs to come to your show when we are having to work just to get by, we will not come. Same goes for vendors. GIE is just messing up what once was a great show.

[easy-lift guy]

Originally Posted by maelawncare

GIE, Green Industry Expo, and the EXPO were two different shows. GIE went bankrupt and could no longer function going from city to city every year. Now they run GIE-EXPO. The ones who could make GIE work now run this. It's pathetic and almost just like our country is run.

If you make it harder for us LCOs to come to your show when we are having to work just to get by, we will not come. Same goes for vendors. GIE is just messing up what once was a great show.

Please tell the viewing audience how you would run this show?. I for One of many would like to continue participate and attend the best quality and run
shows for my advertising budget.
easy-lift guy

[maelawncare]

Originally Posted by easy-lift guy

Please tell the viewing audience how you would run this show?. I for One of many would like to continue participate and attend the best quality and run
shows for my advertising budget.
easy-lift guy

Hours are my main thing. The quality hasn't dropped too much and the layout has pretty much been the same, other than adding hardscape area. Which I like. There has always been a lot of vendors and hopefully there always will be. More unique and new things is what I go for. I have learned a lot over the years by going and my travel money has been well spent.

Having the show open only during the work week and only 9-5 on thur and 9-4 on fri is stuipd! I normally can't even get through all the inside booths between 9 and 5. Plus the outside demo area. Heaven forbid anyone take a workshop. Opening at 9 isn't the issue. Closing at 5 is. Stay open till 7 and you will probably get more money from people for food as well. 2 hours isn't much time but can make a huge difference if you don't get to see everything.

You are also limiting your audience by only having it 2 days during the work week. People will not drive for hours or take a plan for 15 hour shows. Just not worth the money. I drive 7 hours one way. I will have to take off all day wed-thur-fri just to come down. I used to leave thur night after work and sleep in on Fri since the show ran till 7 and go a few hours Fri. Then spend all day there Saturday and go back on Sunday if I needed to go back over a few things. But needing to be there at opening on Thursday to be able to fit it all in, I will need to leave early enough Wednesday so I can get some sleep. And most people who are in this industry cannot afford to take off 3 days of the work week, which is why you are seeing less. Money is already tight for most, take production time away from them and that just reminds them why they don't go.

We need time to contemplate our spending and if we can't go back because the place is closed we can't spend our money after we figured out we want it. Most people do not just say, hey that's cool lets buy it. They have to think about if it will work into their business.