Advantages and disadvantages of trade fairs
Advantages and disadvantages of trade fairs
This article aims to identify and explain some of the advantages and disadvantages of trade fairs. A trade fair is an exhibition where manufacturers show their products to other people in industry and try to get business (Harper Collins Publishers, n.d.). Trade fairs are organised so that companies in a particular industry can display their products and services to the potential buyers, study activities of competitors, and explore current market trends and opportunities. A trade fair is also known as trade show, exhibition, or expo.
Different types of trade fairs
There are three basic types of trade exhibitions i.e. exhibitions aimed only at the consumers, exhibitions aimed only at the businesses, and those aimed at and open to both. The third type is the most common (Lancaster & Reynolds, 2004).
Advantages of trade fairs
Trade fairs offer organisations and their representatives a good opportunity to meet potential customers, and general public. Likewise, they offer the general public and customers a good opportunity to raise issues of concern and discuss them with the representatives.
Organisations can deliver their messages directly to a large number of relevant and interested people. Face-to-face interactions are very effective to influence consumers’ decisions. Trade shows provide organisations opportunities to engage with their customers and general public directly and efficiently.
Organisations can raise awareness of their products and services by participating in trade shows. They can also assess the immediate reaction of the attendees by providing them with a feedback book. Similarly, they can increase their contacts and generate qualified sales leads.
Many trade fairs are open to a large and diverse range of target audiences. This certainly provides organisations with an opportunity to display and promote their products or service to a broader group of people that may have little or no knowledge of their products and services.
Disadvantages of trade fairs
Trade shows can often be very expensive. Organisations need to buy stand space, and pay for the stand designs. Likewise, they need to pay for the accommodation, food, and travel expenses for their representatives who take part at the trade shows. The cost of time out of the office also needs to be taken into account.
The possibility of being overshadowed by competitors is another disadvantage of trade fairs. It is very likely that an organisation’s major competitors are also exhibiting at the event. So, how will the organisation stand out and draw public attention to their stand? Not an easy job!
Participating in trade fairs may sometimes be very stressful and risky. Representatives may sometimes have to deal with hostile attendees whose reactions may be violent or negative. Moreover, by choosing an irrelevant trade show, organisations may display their products to the irrelevant and wrong audiences.
We hope the article ‘Advantages and disadvantages of trade fairs’ has been helpful. You may also like reading Advantages and disadvantages of doing business online. Other relevant articles for you are:
Advantages and disadvantages of online learning
Advantages and disadvantages of franchising
If you liked any of these articles, please feel free to share with others by clicking on the icons below. Also enter your email address at the bottom of the site to ‘Join us’ free for our newly published articles and newsletters.
Last update: 11 June 2019
References/Further reading:
Harper Collins Publishers (n.d.) Trade fair, available at: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/trade-fair (accessed 09 June 2019)
Invest Northern Ireland (n.d.) Trade shows and exhibitions – Advantages and disadvantages of trade shows and exhibitions, available at: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/advantages-and-disadvantages-trade-shows-and-exhibitions (accessed 09 June 2019)
Lancaster, G. & Reynolds, P. (2004) Marketing, 1st edition, New York: Palgrave Macmillan
Photo credit: Image Display & Graphics Ltd
Author: M Rahman
M Rahman writes extensively online with an emphasis on business management, marketing, and tourism. He is a lecturer in Management and Marketing. He is a graduate of Leeds Metropolitan University and London South Bank University.