It’s easy to pigeon-hole portable display buyers. They want something cheap and easy, and they ignore advice about quality and design.
What Most Corporate Buyers Want
Perhaps that’s true of some portable buyers, but most corporate exhibitors want an attractive, durable, and easy-to-assembly display. They value features like modularity and accessories like monitor mounts, tablet enclosures, and literature trays. Price is important but not at the expense of their brand.
Too often, we undersell them and don’t give them what they need (or want). Why? Because selling on price is faster than selling on features.
Choosing a High-Quality Portable
You’re not going to convince everyone to make the “smarter” decision, and for some, the $2000 display is the right choice. That’s OK. However, they deserve to understand what’s available in the display marketplace, like Symphony. You might be surprised at how often that “pigeon-holed portable buyer” chooses an upscale, high-quality portable.
Did you know that pigeons are incredibly smart? They understand words, have good memories, and can recognize other pigeons and people.
Here’s the super-condensed backstory about the development of the Symphony Portable Display.
In 2019, we were debating whether to continue offering extrusion-based portables. Our portable lines were selling well but not as well as two years ago. Tube-based pillowcase solutions were popular. However, we weren’t interested in a non-structural “copy cat” product. Instead, we decided to tap into our engineering, CNC bending, and design expertise, along with our extensive IP (intellectual property) and invent something totally new and original. Basically a portable that didn’t look like a portable display.
We Identified 6 Major Goals:
#1. Design Flexibility: Mix
and Match Frame Shapes with 100s of Configurations
#2. SEG Fabric: Visually
Clean and Easy-to-Install
#3. Portable No-Tools Assembly: Unavailable
at the Time in an SEG-based System
#4. Durable and Structural Frames: Strong
Enough to Support Larger Monitors
#6. Upscale Appearance: A
Portable That Didn’t Look Portable
Did we succeed? We think so. Symphony is structural, modular, tool-less, and (best of all) elegant. No other portable offers as many accessories or design flexibility. All that plus Classic’s legendary quality, reusable packaging, and detailed setup instructions.
Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, hybrid, and custom exhibit solutions, including Symphony Portable Displays. Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network in North America and in select International markets. For more information, contact us at 866-652-2100 or www.classicexhibits.com.
The proliferation of trade show display websites makes buying a portable display easy. Perhaps too easy. Most exhibitors, especially new ones, know very little about display hardwareand graphics. They see beautiful images of displays with great prices and the convenience of point and click. What arrives, however, may not match the pretty picture or the online description.
Putting the Cart Before the Horse
Sadly “putting the cart before the horse” is a common mistake when buying an exhibit. Displays buyers become fixated on size and price instead of asking the following:
What are our marketing goals for the show or shows?
Is this a short-term or long-term purchase?
Will we need accessories like shelves, locking storage, tablets, or monitors?
And who will be assembling the booth?
Once you’ve answered those questions, it’s time to start shopping. There are two options: an online display website or a local provider. Both can supply you with similar products and prices. Much will depend on your short and long-term trade show marketing plans and whether a provider can support your evolving trade show program with products and marketing advice.
How to Avoid the Most Common Portable Pitfalls
#1. Too Good to Be True Prices.
Otherwise known as the devil is in the details. We’ve all made this mistake. Many portable display websites show really low prices, which are merely the starting point. You then have to add graphics, accessories, cases, shipping which can increase the price by as much as 3X to 6X.
Not all portable websites are constructed this way so it’s
important to compare the “build a bear” pricing with the “what you see is what
you get” pricing.
#2. Quality.
Unlike cars or appliances or smartphones, there’s no Consumer Reports for portable displays. And let’s be honest, the rating system on most websites is suspect. Sure you can watch a video, which may or may not be helpful.
You might not like to hear this, but price is a pretty good
guide. Higher-quality systems with a proven track record tend to cost more. They
use sturdier frames, stronger connections, and better cases and packaging (but
more on that later).
Always ask about the warranty and the return policy. Quality display products are backed by strong warranties and reasonable return policies.
#3. Assembly.
Assembly matters but probably not as much as you think. Some require tools. Others do not, which shouldn’t be the only determining factor when choosing a portable display. Is the assembly process intuitive? Are the parts labeled and numbered? How stable is the display when it’s done?
Remember… you will be assembling the display multiple times over months or even years. Each time it should be faster and easier to setup. If not, then the overall fit and finish may be suspect and/or the materials of questionable quality.
#4. Graphics.
Most portable systems rely on fabric graphics for the larger images (like the main backwall) and direct print graphics for smaller images (for counters or headers). If you’ve shopped for a TV recently, you know the same size screen can vary in price, often by hundreds in not thousands of dollars. Graphics vary too. Low quality graphics are printed on older machines, using thinner materials, and use less ink per square inch. They may look fine until you place them next to higher quality graphics, like your competitor in the booth beside you.
Just as important is the fit on the frame. It must be
perfect or near perfect. Too loose and the graphic appears sloppy and cheap.
Too tight and the images are distorted and fitting them to the frame is like
putting pants on a sleeping bear.
#5. Replacement Parts.
Just assume you will misplace or break a display part at some point. Because you will. It happens. When considering a portable display, always ask the following questions:
Are replacement parts available? Is there a catalog
with prices?
How long will it take to receive the replacement
part?
Is the replacement part guaranteed to fit?
Some portable systems are considered disposable by the manufacturer.
If you lose a part, then your only option is to buy a whole new display. With
others, getting a replacement part to match your frame is nearly impossible.
Better portable displays are designed and manufactured with exact-fit tolerances and interchangeable parts. The parts are available via quick ship.
#6. Packaging.
Reusable Die-cut Foam Packaging
Very few buyers consider packaging when buying a portable display. A HUGE MISTAKE!
Poor packaging contributes to lost parts, damaged components, dirty graphics, assembly frustration, and overall long-term satisfaction with a portable display. The vast majority of portable displays are shipped using temporary packaging like shrink-wrap, paper, disposable foam, and tape. These are all tossed away at the first show. Then what?
Some portable systems use reusable packaging, like foam inserts, nylon bags, and heavy-duty corrugated boxes. Everything has a spot and every item is protected during shipping. This ensures that the display looks new for much longer and makes it easier to assemble since the components are organized and protected.
Conclusion
Purchasing a trade show display, regardless of the size or price, is a sales and marketing investment. If you’ve ever walked a trade show floor and said to yourself, “Seriously dude?!” about someone’s display then you know the harm a cheap portable display can do to your image. Before buying a display, consider meeting with an Trade Show Exhibit Professional to discuss your needs and marketing goals.
Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, and custom-hybrid exhibit solutions. Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network in North America and in select International markets. For more information, contact us at 866-652-2100 or www.classicexhibits.com.
It’s the Holiday Season. Whether it’s Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or the local flyer, you are constantly being enticed by low prices, many too good to be true. And sadly, many are. Either because the price doesn’t tell the whole story or because of limited quantities.
Many online display websites are masters at enticing buyers with crazy low prices, which on further investigation are not quite as “cheap” as they seem. Then, there’s quality, warranty, and customer service questions to consider as well.
There are two types of online display buyers. Some buyers prefer the “a la carte” approach, which allows them to add only the features they want. Makes sense. Others prefer the “what you see is what you get” experience. No surprises. No hidden charges.
Here’s an example of the a la carte approach with a very attractive price on a 10 ft. portable display. Note the $275 price.
Basically, the $275 includes the tubing and a soft carry case (no graphic). Let’s say you want a double-sided graphic. Now, the price is $975
After selecting the graphic, the next choice is the turnaround time. If you need it in less than 7 business days, there’s an upcharge. In this case, $200 for a three-day turnaround which bumps the price to $1,175.
Although the soft case is included, you want your new display to last more than a few shows. Plus, it makes sense to incorporate a hard case into the booth presentation by adding a graphic. You’re now at $1495 which is considerably more than the original $275 price.
The final two steps are graphic design assistance and adding lights. Graphic design requires a quote, which is reasonable and fair. The lights? Who wouldn’t want lights on a trade show display? Duh?
The final price, excluding shipping and any graphic design charges, is $1595.
Does this mean this isn’t a good value? Depends. It’s a basic tube-assembly 10 ft. display ideal for many businesses, particularly for local events. The graphics may be fine but there’s no way of knowing if the company uses 2nd, 3rd, or 4th generation dye-sublimation printing. Many low-end supplies used direct to surface printing rather than dye-sublimation because it’s less expensive. And, once again, that may be OK if you are only planning to use the graphic for a limited number of shows.
My point, however, isn’t to question the quality of the display. Instead, it’s to demonstrate that online display websites use two different approaches, namely “a la carte” vs. “as shown.” There are merits to both, but it’s important to understand the difference.
At Classic Exhibits, we believe that “as shown” prices are an easier method for exhibit buyers to compare designs and features. It doesn’t require you to “Build the Price” to see the final price. And since all our displays can be modified/customized to the exhibitors preference, drop-down menus can’t possibly list all the available options. That would be a nightmare for the serious exhibit buyer.
Have questions? Give us a call or send us an email. We would love to chat with you.
Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, hybrid, and custom exhibit solutions, including SuperNova LED Lightboxes. Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network in North America and in select International markets. For more information, contact us at 866-652-2100 or www.classicexhibits.com.
We did our math homework on Sacagawea Portable Hybrid Displays. Since 2010, Sacagawea has been our most popular portable display system. Exhibitors have purchased thousands. Literally. And during that time, we continued to make improvements to the packaging, assembly, accessories, and graphics. You have told us repeatedly that no other portable hybrid system matches the Sacagawea for quality, durability, and ease-of-use. It’s simply the best portable display for your corporate clients.
Back to the math. Like any responsible business, we periodically run the numbers to determine if our margins are holding steady. In fact, the margins on Sacagawea have gotten better, so we decided to (wait for it!) lower the prices. Yes, lower the prices! Not only has our bulk extrusion buying resulted in lower costs, but graphics, assembly, and packaging costs have also gotten better.
So, when we say, “We lowered the prices” what does that mean? Some examples with links to the kits in Exhibit Design Search:
All the prices have been updated in Exhibit Design Search. We’ve also revised the Sacagawea Price List, which you can download. As a reminder, the Sacagawea comes with the exclusive 100-Day Money Back Guarantee, a guarantee also offered on Perfect 10, Quadro Pop Ups, and Quadro FGS (Floating Graphic System).
For more information, we encourage you to watch the videos below or, as always, give us a call.
Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, hybrid, and custom exhibit solutions, including SuperNova LED Lightboxes. Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network in North America and in select International markets. For more information, contact us at 866-652-2100 or www.classicexhibits.com.
