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  #31  
Old 15-06-13, 07:18 AM
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Very good point, and one that I obviously hadn't thought about.

I do a lot of coin shows, and typically, there will still be a couple of hundred people showing up at the smaller one-day shows. However, I've seen on many occasions, on the Sunday of a three-day show, you can look around the room and see fewer than 10 people that aren't dealers.

EBay affects all dealers in some way, and has been very beneficial to the people that live in remote areas that don't get any shows. It's made the prices on collectibles across the board drop, due to their everyday availability. Adversely, the tough, hard to find items, have received a nice boost, because of their scarcity and the large number in the buying pool.

Thanks rillette! That was an extremely valid point.

Andy
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  #32  
Old 15-06-13, 01:02 PM
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Great post, thank you so much for sharing.

I love to hear the history of shows, and how they are progressing. Whether they're growing or dying off, it's still important information.

Sometimes, and I'm not saying this is the case, the promoters do not put enough emphasis on advertising their shows, and thus you get a very small attendance.

For this last show.....55 paid attendees is pathetic. Could be many reasons for this, though.
-A conflict with another show
-poorly promoted
-no change in vendors or vendors' stock
-stigma attached to it due to previous shows
-nice weather/poor weather

Andy
Andy My feeling is that the problem with that show is a combination of number 2 & 4 in yr list above. To the best of my knowledge there was no other show in conflict with this one on the two days.
Plus what Clive mentioned in an earlier post concerning the cost of vendor table(s) combined with the other expenses a vendor must put out to attend a two day show. For most it would be two nites in hotel, plus food, plus gas & these could mount up considerably. For a poorly attended show it just does not make sense money wise to attend!

RCN Bryan
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  #33  
Old 15-06-13, 01:10 PM
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However, I've seen on many occasions, on the Sunday of a three-day show, you can look around the room and see fewer than 10 people that aren't dealers.

Three day & two day shows are generally a disaster to all!
One of the reasons CSMMI moved from the three day format at St Catharines was due to the fact that the Sunday was so poorly attended (as in 2010, cannot say on 2011 as did not attend).

The idea was to move to a two day format (ie: Fri & Sat) but I don't think this is any better considering the 2013 showing where both days were very poorly attended!
& of course the location may well have contributed to poor attendance also.

I have found in over 40 yrs of attending shows the BEST FORMAT is a SINGLE DAY show, & as we all know its all over by approx noon, altho all of the single day shows usually go until approx 1400-1500, presumably as the hall must be booked for the entire day.

I know I am DONE with multiple day shows!

RCN B
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  #34  
Old 15-06-13, 02:35 PM
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Honestly, for me, I would never attend both days of a 2 day show, in fact thinking about it, I don't think I would bother attending at all, if the first day was a Friday.

I am not a seller, I am a buyer. I have only sold one item from my collection, and it was surplus to my needs. Right or wrong, as a buyer I am of the following mindset

" I work during the weekdays, therefore if the show starts on a Friday, I would have to take the day off to travel and attend the show. Secondly, if I don not attend on the Friday, there is little point on the Saturday as the great stuff goes out the door first."

Some here may see me as complaining or making excuses for attending, well so be it, but I am certain, I am far from the only one who thinks this way. I think that John Q Public may be intimidated by the perceived "snobbishness" of a "Society Show"

I don't put much stock in the eBay theory, although it makes sense that this and other auctions online may in fact keep some of he long distance collectors from travelling to the shows. I for one like to attend the shows, if for no other reason, than to meet up with other collectors.

I have noted a trend at some shows to have multiple table of people selling knock off cheap crap. I am talking about the piles and piles of 10.00 super knives, German patches, para junk. All that stuff produced in Pakistan and Tajikistan, and what ever other Stan produced this stuff. I understand that these vendors bring people in and money into the pockets of the show organizers. The only thing that bothers me about these guys is their Flea Market style selling techniques.

One thing I have noted in my own trends of spending... I will watch say 10, 12 auctions on eBay at any given moment. I might actually bid on 1 or 2. Win 1. When I attend a show, I usually pick up anywhere from 4-6 nice WWI pairs of medals, a modern grouping, and a badge or so. I do like this hands on thing that you can never get at an Action, online or otherwise.

Nothing can ever replace the joy I get from fondling these little metal discs. Ok that sounded perverted but I think you all get the idea.
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  #35  
Old 15-06-13, 03:20 PM
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Honestly, for me, I would never attend both days of a 2 day show, in fact thinking about it, I don't think I would bother attending at all, if the first day was a Friday.
" I work during the weekdays, therefore if the show starts on a Friday, I would have to take the day off to travel and attend the show. Secondly, if I don not attend on the Friday, there is little point on the Saturday as the great stuff goes out the door first."

The old format of their shows was Fri, Sat, &Sun with the Fri being for vendors & registered members only but in practice that was a virtually "dead" day, & as you say most of the "good stuff" was gone that day - ie: most sold to other vendors for resale on the other two days. So the format was changed to two days, ie: Fri Sat, but this appears to be a disaster as well, or at least it was for me & a few others I spoke to over those two days.



I don't put much stock in the eBay theory, although it makes sense that this and other auctions online may in fact keep some of he long distance collectors from travelling to the shows.
I agree, neither do I - there is both good & bad about ebay & this is not a discussion of ebay or its merits or lack of.

I for one like to attend the shows, if for no other reason, than to meet up with other collectors.
That I agree with also, its really nice to meet collectors you may not have seen for a while & I frequently meet ebay contacts at shows also.

I have noted a trend at some shows to have multiple table of people selling knock off cheap crap. I am talking about the piles and piles of 10.00 super knives, German patches, para junk. All that stuff produced in Pakistan and Tajikistan, and what ever other Stan produced this stuff. I understand that these vendors bring people in and money into the pockets of the show organizers. The only thing that bothers me about these guys is their Flea Market style selling techniques.
Unfortunately the 905 area shows are getting to that level also & its getting somewhat worse as time goes on. There seems to be a lot more "junk & repro items" at shows than say 10 or 15 yrs ago.

One thing I have noted in my own trends of spending... I will watch say 10, 12 auctions on eBay at any given moment. I might actually bid on 1 or 2. Win 1. When I attend a show, I usually pick up anywhere from 4-6 nice WWI pairs of medals, a modern grouping, and a badge or so. I do like this hands on thing that you can never get at an Action, online or otherwise.
Again am in full agreement with you - NOTHING, NOTHING beats the actual handling of the badge or medal -- to be able to examine it in your hands & make the decision, ebay can be pretty dicey in this regard.

Nothing can ever replace the joy I get from fondling these little metal discs. Ok that sounded perverted but I think you all get the idea.

No problem mate, nothing like handling the object you are about to make a purchase decision on firsthand, & everything you say makes sense & I am in agreement with you!

RCN B
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  #36  
Old 15-06-13, 09:51 PM
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I think that the CSMMI (and other membership-based groups) have to decide what it is that they wish to accomplish.
If the purpose is to host shows then do that and nothing else. Advertise, charge reasonable table rates and take into account competing events.
If you want to be a membership-based group then concentrate on the single 'product' that you offer your members in exchange for their money, the magazine. Increasing its quality of content would be high on the list.
As a membership-based organisation continue to host an AGM as a one-day plus evening event with a decent dinner. Include displays with several prizes and open the doors to the (paying) public to view these displays. But don't try to do a 'show' as you have demonstrated that you cannot.
My tuppence worth.
Clive
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  #37  
Old 15-06-13, 11:48 PM
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As a Buyer this year at the CSMMI show I was very happy...but like Bill my purchase was pre-planned and the show provided the venue for the Seller and myself.

Clive...it was nice to put a face to a name as well. I in fact tried looking for you after our brief introduction as I had with me the Chaudière CFSC that I could have showed you.

The CSMMI leadership has many challenges ahead of it but the most important is as Clive says...they "have to decide what it is that they wish to accomplish." Their 'single product" being the Journal/Magazine has unfortunately been reduced from 4 Journals per year...to 2 Journals and 2 Newsletters. Quality of the content that I have seen ranges from excellent to poor and is dependant entirely upon contributions from the membership.

I went to the Etobicoke show today (albeit late -11am) and the amount of people there (Dealers/Buyers) was considerably more than last weeks CSSMI show. It would appear this group is better at marketing/promotion, have a better format being strictly a 1 day event (really 1/2 day), have a better day (weekend rather than weekday/weekend), costs for Dealers/Buyers to consider(tables/hotels/food/gas etc..) is more palatable, easier to access location (Toronto).

There is much strategic planning ahead for the CSMMI but I definitely like some of Clive's suggestions, in particular 1 day event and Quality Displays.

Mike Kennelly
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  #38  
Old 16-06-13, 02:48 AM
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Dammit Mike - Wish I had stuck around to see your cap.
Double Dammit - I was at Etobicoke this morning also. Jaime Cline wanted a cup of Timmy's Tea in exchange for some photos so, last night at 7PM, I decided to jump in the car and drive down. As you say, a much better show.
Clive
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  #39  
Old 16-06-13, 02:57 AM
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Clive had I known you were attending the show today, I would headed down. I was planning on making the trip but a minor change in plans earlier in the week, held me here in Peterborough.

I could have rearranged things a bit and headed on over to the show. Oh well. Least I still have my gas money and a few extra bucks for my Timmies Double Double. Maybe I can splurge and get an extra large next time instead of a medium.

So far this year, I managed to miss every show. Including the one in Ottawa as I was out of town.
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