You know the setup- you’re walking by the bandsaw booth, and you really don’t need any more bandsaw blades or gizmos, but there it is- a circle cutting attachment, regularly $49.95, with a big sign “Show Special $25!” At what point do you give in and buy the thing (category ‘nice to have, but wouldn’t use it much…well, maybe at that price’).
I’m wondering how much stuff to lug to a show this winter, may have to fly, so freight costs are a factor.
The "demos" are usually what sucks me into buying.
I like the quote in your profile, Jeff !! :)
I agree, primarily its the demos that get me. If I watch the demo and its something that I want to buy, and I have the money, I will by it at the show. I try to make it worth the time of the person/company doing the demo, even if I only save shipping. Plus I tend to be an impulse shopper.
If there isn't a demo it will depend variably on the amount of savings on the item, including shipping saved, how bad I want the item and how much money I have that I haven't allocated to something else, but even then it still depends more the presentation. Is the display making me think that I can't live without it.
If I am basing something just on price it needs to be around %50+ or something that never goes on sale. If I can wait a few weeks, watch online and get it for basically the same price I will probably wait and buy it more on my schedule.
Thanks, Wayne. In the case of my covers (say the plywood pouch), it might be hard to demonstrate (putting an eight foot sheet of plywood into the pouch in a booth 8' x 8'!), but I do have a scale model, a 1' x 2' pouch with a 1' x 2' piece of 1/4" ply to show how it works. I would probably try to borrow or rent a compound miter saw from a local dealer and put a saw cover on it. It sounds like people like to see the real thing, not just a brochure.
A good example, cut-n-crown, my neighbor was at a ww show and bought the kit after watching the demo. He brought it over to my house for me to try and it just didnt do much for me. I went back to my old methods of cutting crown, well at the AWFS I watched the complete demo. I would have bought one on the spot....if I hadnt tried one already, with limited results.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lloyd Kerry
It has to be a pretty unique item or a substantial discount for me to buy anything... if its %10-20 off what the local store has I'll just go to the local store to help keep it there when I need it.
BTW, sorry- didn't mean to enter this post twice, not sure what happened. I guess I could blame the computer!:confused:
Is it worth the money to give out things like pens, pencils, plastic bags, etc. at woodworking shows? I know everyone can always use a pen, but do they ever notice what's written on it?