Tips for Buying at Shows

Buying at tradeshows like the Tucson Gem Show can be daunting to say the least. In 2007, the Tucson Gem Show had at least 35 official shows, each with anywhere from a couple dozen to a couple hundred vendors.

Regardless of the venue, there are some simple steps you can take to avoid being swallowed whole by the show, busting your budget, paying too much, and ultimately having a panic attack.

First off, it's always a good idea to make a list of what you need or want before you get to the show. It's also a good idea to do some research online for pricing and availablility.

You certainly want to get a good deal, and you don't want to find out later that you could have gotten your jewelry, gems, gifts or other items at a cheaper price from the comfort of your own living room.

Next, take a lap of the show, or a portion of the show that is manageable. Try to find vendors that have a lot of merchandise like what you are looking for. The more they have, the better it is for you, as will be explained more fully in a moment.

Take notes on booth numbers and locations. Ask for a card, suss out some prices, and don't be afraid to ask about discounts, deals and show specials. If possible, you should try to find an item, a particular ring, a price point (like price per gram with silver jewelry), or some other metric that will allow you to compare prices from one vendor to another.

While this may be the hardest part, make sure you are comparing apples to apples. One vendor may have silver jewelry for a cheaper price, but his selection may be very narrow, or the quality may be inferior. As you engage a vendor, talk to him/her and see if you trust them. Do the facts they throw out jibe with what you know to be true?

If the vendor tells you his price for silver jewelry is the lowest because he has a special deal with the mine, think long and hard about how this could be possible and why he would do this. Things that seem too good to be true at a tradeshow usually are, and unfortunately there are lots of unscrupulous vendors out there, especially when it comes to semiprecious gemstones, jewelry, and objets d'art.

Next, try to consolidate your purchases with one or two vendors. Remember when you were checking to see what sort of breadth they carried of that silver jewelry or the semiprecious gemstone beads you are looking for? Now is the time this comes in to play.

By putting a bunch of money down with one vendor, you have leveraging power. Your $200 or $5000 will buy a better price than your $20 purchase. This is especially true with regard to foreign vendors that have high costs associated with travel and exhibiting, and typically much lower production and raw materials costs.

Finally, keep your eyes open. Don't get so caught up in your hunt for the hot silver jewelry piece of the moment that you miss out on something that is special or unique. These tradeshows are great for finding things you (and your customers) have never seen before. Take off the blinders and open you mind.

So on that next trip to the regional trade show with 275 vendors, remember: have a game plan, bargain hard, and don't panic!

Article by Mike McGinnis
wholesale silver jewelry by indiasilver.com