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Is Comdex Worth It?

By Ed Foster, Section Gripes
Posted on Wed Oct 01, 2003 at 12:47:30 PM PDT

I made up my mind on this years ago, so let's hear from an undecided reader:

For a number of years, we have attended the Comdex Las Vegas show using the free exhibits-only pass. This has allowed us see and demo the new products, as well as find solutions for our clients. Over these years, the show has decreased in size to a point that last year, it was hardly worth the price of our hotel rooms and travel expenses.
This year it came as a surprise that there is no free pass. This makes one wonder, has the show gotten bigger, or does the promoter just want to make more money. Not that I don't want the promoter to make a profit, it just makes deciding whether to go or not a lot harder. I’m sure that there are many people out there sitting on the fence, trying to decide.


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Is Comdex Worth It? | 2 comments (2 topical) | Post A Comment
Nah[ Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#1)
by Anonymous User on Thu Oct 02, 2003 at 09:38:30 AM PDT

Even when it was big, it may have been fun, but was it worth the cost of a trip? I don't think so. If you're not there to establish, reinforce, or exercise a customer relationship, there's nothing you're going to learn in the exhibit hall that won't be broadcast in the industry media in very short order.

[ Reply to This ]


Actually, there were free passes[ Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#2)
by Reziac on Thu Dec 04, 2003 at 09:49:08 AM PDT

... but they weren't handed out like water as in years previous. You had to be "invited" by some vendor (I think I got my invite from eWeek, so it can't be all that exclusive) then go to the Comdex site and apply for free exhibits-only passes.

Personally, I can't see paying to get into just the exhibits -- why should I pay to let someone show me their product? That's like paying to see advertising!

But as to why we didn't go anyway... Vegas jacks up room prices for that week to the point where if you're there on your own nickel, it's not worth the expense just to gawk.
~REZ~
[ Reply to This ]



Is Comdex Worth It? | 2 comments (2 topical) | Post A Comment
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