CHA Question - Buying @ Convention?
 

Today, while I was at my LSS, they had some flyers for CHA and I asked if they were going. They said yes but they were just going to hold a make & take booth that they couldn't sell anything. When I asked them why, they said it was because "they" (the CHA "people") are not allowing vendors to sell any items, especially new items. (They just relocated to a really fancy part of town so basically ALL of this store is new.) What would be the purpose of allowing the "public" to get into this event if nothing is for retail purchase?

Can someone confirm or deny this for me? I am traveling from South Florida to CHA and I would really, really be able to touch and feel and ultimately purchase product from all the different vendors that will be there.

Thanks to anyone (especially any companies who are planning on attending) who can help me out with this. I've never attended CHA so any advice on what I can expect would be so appreciated!

Well I know that www.papertreyink.com is going to CHA and they are going to be selling stuff. I know that the store owners are upset because they don't think people should get to buy at CHA so I'm not sure how it is going to work. I hope that some other people will respond to this thread too.

What store did you go to? Scrapbook Central/Cherry Blossom Studio?

I really hope that they will have product for sale at CHA or it will defeat my purpose of going!

ITA, my main purpose of going to CHA is to buy stuff! lol I've been saving all of the dollar change I get from the grocery store & taking out $10 or $20 cash back here and there to save up for mad money when I get there!

Yes, I did go to CBS...it was my first time at their new location. I've been to their old place several times and I have to say that I probably wouldn't return to the new place. Have you been there? (PS - I was born & raised in Lake Worth! :mrgreen: )

Hi - I've been to the new store a few times now. I don't get to Coconut Creek too much though. I live very close to Everything Scrapbook & Stamps. I do most of my shopping online!

I'm really keeping my fingers crossed about CHA too! I want to be able to go to one big convention (not like the little expos) and be able to buy stuff too! Hopefully you will get more posts on this. I know that the manufacturers are doing make n' takes as well so that will be fun! I'm sure since it is in Orlando - it will be very busy!

I hardly do any online shopping which is why I'm really looking forward to CHA & buying a lot of goodies there. I'm the type of person who likes to hold products in her hand and feel them and think about them before I buy and online shopping (for craft stuff) just doesn't do it for me. lol

I could be very wrong in this--and if so, I'm sure someone will set me straight pronto--but I seem to have the idea that vendors that sell their product to retail stores CANNOT sell to the public at CHA. But vendors--such as Papertrey Ink--who do not sell via stores (just online) CAN sell to the public at CHA. Can anyone confirm whether that is right?

You know, that would make sense. If a manufacturer of a product is going to be there, why would they allow someone else to sell their product--like an LSS? I can understand that. If there are no sales at all though, that would be rather disappointing. I hope to go to CHA someday, sounds like so much fun!

oooopps, double post.

I went to the cha show with the owner of my local stamp store last year. Unless things have changed this year, you can't buy product. What you can do is pre-order new product. They have show specials and what not, but all was on a pre-order basis. To my understanding the cha show is for wholesale buyers only. One thing that was fun was to see all the new products and to do the make and takes. Maybe because of the economy is has changed this year.

CHA Confusion. CHA is only open to the trade and not to the public and you cannot buy to take stuff with you, only orders. It is meant for shops to see new product (simple version of what it is). The new show is following the normal CHA trade show, it is called the Craft Super Show or something like that. They are encouraging vendors who exhibit at the regular show to stay and exhibit and sell at the new show. It is true that manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers cannot sell at this show. It is technically NOT CHA, but another show entirely and a first effort to cater to consumers.
Margaret

Margaret,
You said that perfectly!

This year in Florida (someone correct me if I am wrong) there is a vendor part "open to the public" Friday and Saturday?? But some vendors will not be there for the public part...this is usually vendors who sell to retail locations only and some of the vendors are going to the Public part only like Papertrey Inc. and they will be selling to the public YEAAAAAAAA!!!! But it doesn't matter because I can not be there!!!! Boooo Hoooo!!:(:(:(

Whomever is going have fun and come back here on Splitcoast and tell us all about it!!

Thank you Margaret for the clarification. Everyone is calling it CHA like I have heard myself several times!

Your LSS should really call to clarify. If they are talking about the consumer show, then they should be able to sell. Wholesalers and distributors can't sell at the consumer show, but retailers can.

I guess I'm not really clarifying myself due to the confusion between calling it CHA and the CHA Craft Supershow. I am going to the Craft Supershow portion. Not the actual CHA itself, I guess.

So, my question still remains: Will product be sold at the Craft Supershow? After reading through the thread, I'm more confused than ever. lol

Ohhh, I'm further down south than you :::: waving hi :::: and had planned to attend (now scrapped due to vacation plans) but had heard the same thing - you can see, but not buy. I was surprised to hear that - subscribbing to hear the final news on this!

I just got this off the website ........... yes, the CHA is wholesale only and for vendors, but this year they have the Supershow, the one you mentioned going to, and this part says SHOP the latest creations ......... which sounds like you can buy. How nice would that be!!

>>>But this year CHA is putting on a new show just for consumers (this is where you cheer!). The CHA Craft SuperShow will offer people outside the trade to experience all the fun and excitement of the CHA show!

CHA Craft SuperShow will be held July 31 and August 1 in Orlando, Florida. So it�s a total destination show. Maybe you could talk your family into making it your summer vacation!

Attendees will learn skills and techniques from some of the industry�s hottest artists, try out new products, and shop the latest craft supplies. Craft celebrities will also be on hand, like Mary Englebreit who will give an inspirational presentation and sign books on Saturday, August 1.

Yes, there will be things for sale at the Supershow portion :)

I know for sure Papertrey Ink will be selling product at the Supershow on July 31 and August 1. Nichole has announced that on her blog. They will also be having make and takes.

http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/capt...supershow.html

There are TWO CHA Summer Shows this year, bit the trade show for wholesale customers (store owners and such) and the Supershow for retail consumers.

Is that clear as mud?

Actually, that was crystal clear. TY to everyone who tried to clarify for me!!

Yeah, some. But, as you can see, product you (the consumer) can purchase will be limited to these vendors that have a "$" next to their name.:

http://www.craftsupershow.com/eweb/d...AShowDirectory

As I understand it, if you are a manufacturer that sells to retail stores, you are not permitted to actually sell directly to consumers at the Craft Supershow, but, you can promote your product, have demos, make & takes, etc.

If you are a direct-selling company (do not sell wholesale to retail outlets), then you can sell (?) at the Supershow . . . :confused:

It's kinda confusing. I'm really not sure if I have it straight.

Thanks for sharing that link. I didn't notice many, if any, of the big name papercraft vendors that I thought might be there to do make n' takes & demos, like Making Memories, Basic Grey, Ranger, etc. I always see pictures of their booths at the trade show, and I was hoping they'd be participating in the consumer show as well. I wonder (hope) if they are just not on that list yet.

Thanks for this thread, all the links and explanations. It'll help me decide on whether or not to go :)

i was a little disappointed in the list as well. not that the vendors on the list aren't great, but i was expecting hundreds! isn't the CHA a HUGE show? why aren't companies staying? aren't us end-users worth it?

I know last year's show was smaller than usual, and some bigger/popular names had stepped out at the last minute to save money. Make and takes are expensive, as is renting floor space for the first part of the show.

...so, will everyone without a dollar sign pack up and leave ?...

If they are on the list in the posts above, they will be there. Only the ones with dollar signs will have actual product to sell. The rest will be doing demos and make n takes.

The packing up and leave comments are regarding the number of vendors that will be at the trade show, but not staying to demo in the craft supershow. I guess it comes down to the financial logistics of booking hotels for another three nights, and the related expenses. It's too bad, I'd really like to see some of those people, but I can understand why they might not be able to afford to stay. Especially smaller companies that need to get back to work processing their wholesale orders right away!

I have no inside track on this but I would imagine it's not that end-users are not considered worth it but that the companies are concerned about confusion and disappointment. Imagine a whole bunch of people doing a make and take or browsing through your product, getting excited about the latest dies, stamps or distress paints or whatever and you have to say to them "No, sorry, we can't sell you that" - how disappointing and frustrating would that be? There's even the possibility that it would leave you feeling more negative about the company even though the decision was imposed on them. It sounds like a really weird set-up to me to have a show where attendees will be able to purchase at some booths and not others!

ITA. Not only that, but imagine being a retailer in this situation. You're there to order the latest and greatest that your customers haven't seen, so you can come back and bring it to their store and get customers excited about it. Why in the world would you want to order from Basic Grey if Basic Grey was going to sell it there at the Supershow? It almost cancels out the entire purpose of the show, which is to gain wholesalers and have stores carry your product.

As a store, I wouldn't purchase items for resale from anyone who would sell directly to consumers under my nose at a Supershow, kwim? There were a lot of people who were upset about the arrangement. To reach a happy medium, I think that's why they decided to set it up like they have, where only those that don't wholesale can sell product to consumers. With the economy as it is, our LSS's need all our support, and taking them out of the equation at their own market show isn't the best way. :)

...thanks...i think i understand things a little better now...:mrgreen: