How often do you attend exhibitions?

[Bebeautiful]

how often do you all go to the exhibitions in the uk? I love going there I get sooooo excited it would be really nice to see those of you who go there and introduce ourselves (don't know how that's gonna happen doh) :irked: but it would be reeely nice I think I'm sure that when you go you meet up with your friends and have a great time (unless you are there for work purposes) what do you think?

 

[adelekeegan1]

I've never been to one - for 2 reasons

1. I have a husband who works such long hours so weekends are precious.

2. My credit card couldn't take the strain

I have met quite a few geeks though and some have lived to tell the tale:lol:

 

[suzie49]

Hi I have only ben to 1 and that was Olympia, I was sooo excited and tho a lot of geeks didnt really rate it, i loved it as it was my first..I also met 2 lovely geeks I talk to on here and who have become good friends..got my eyebrows cosmetically enhanced for free as well ...bonus ..xxxx

 

[geeg]

I guess if you had never been to a show in 'the old days' then you may enjoy them but I have to say I no longer do. They have become so tacky and full of people who are non professionals and kids and pushchairs etc ... a far cry from what they used to be like where people really went to buy and not just to browse. Many of the really high quality companies have or are pulling out of the shows .... and it has had a marked effect.

Why is it that when it comes to hair or Beauty, shows are kept professional but when it comes to nails it all seems to fly out the window and you see booths that have nothing to do with nails like ... Tarot Card reading for crumbs sake and hand bags and clip in nylon hair extensions .... I mean what is that all about at a nail show??

 

[pips]

I guess if you had never been to a show in 'the old days' then you may enjoy them but I have to say I no longer do. They have become so tacky and full of people who are non professionals and kids and pushchairs etc ... a far cry from what they used to be like where people really went to buy and not just to browse. Many of the really high quality companies have or are pulling out of the shows .... and it has had a marked effect.

Why is it that when it comes to hair or Beauty, shows are kept professional but when it comes to nails it all seems to fly out the window and you see booths that have nothing to do with nails like ... Tarot Card reading for crumbs sake and hand bags and clip in nylon hair extensions .... I mean what is that all about at a nail show??

My thoughts also Gigi, Olympia was full of none profesional stalls.
I remember seeing the tarot card stall and said to Lou "whats that all about" and we just laughed as no words could describe the look on our faces lol
I average 2 a year, usually G-mex at manchester and then Olympia but this year i did excell & Olympia as well as G-mex end of last year.
I use it more as an excuse to get away for a few days than a buying trip :lol::lol: I do get my bits n bobs that i need though.

 

[Doorie]

I don't really countas I live in Switzerland, but I go to the nationnal one here and work and do nails on possible future clients, really fun, and I usually go to Bologna because it's huge and you can see many interesting things, test products, etc.

hopefully within the nex few years I'll attend to a UK one, have to speak about that to my boss

 

[shell28]

Ive never been to one but would love to at some point

 

[Skyblue]

Ive never been to one but would love to at some point

I have never been to one either but hope to get to one next year

 

[JANEY K]

i don't know what they were like before but ive been to two .one was the norfolk one which was mainly for the general public & was a bit naff and the other was olympia at london excel ..tbo ..the day was a total waste of make-up ,waste of money,waste of coach ticket, i did buy somethings like a wax pot and little bits and pieces...the rest of the show was pardon the pun a bit pants things there that were not even related to beauty ,hair or nails and the day was quite long .it was a bit general public thing as far as i was concerned not for professionals (which confudled me abit)...although me and a college friend did enjoy getting a nail put on by a few NT from Ezflow.

 

[NiftyNails]

I have only ever been to one, but being very new to the industry I am now just finding out about them.

The one I went to was in Edinburgh, and I loved it.

I have to say though, like I find most things, being up in Aberdeen does have its down sides, like most exhibitions are soooooooooo far away

I will make the effort to go to more, but I am not filled with enthusiasum(<sp?) travelling all the way to Olympia say, and it being 'pants' as has been previously discribed!!

 

[Bebeautiful]

I am overwhelmed with all your replies and I find that I can relate to all your comments. I went to my first exhibition in March this year and I was really excited I went through security and when I entered the exhibition hall all I could think of was "WOW". All the different exhibits all the bling bling, nails, bright colours (tarrot card reading, where did that come from lol) ... Then I saw something that caught my eye and I thought to myself "let me go and see if ther is anything that I can buy". Well ... all I remember was literally putting my right foot forward to turn right an I ended up on the floor superman style lol. I tripped on this stupid peice of step which had no indication that it was there and bruised my entire right side - leg, ribcage, arm and shoulder, two kind ladies helped me up and jokeingly asked for "some of what I had" lol. My friends were in hysterics -literally. But you know the worst thing of all is that the exhibit had nothing to do with nails hair or beauty. So the lesson learnt here is to watch your step because the way that the exhibits are set up constitutes a safety hazard. Please let me have your comments, you could start with "dozey dora" :irked: lol

 

[angel fingers]

i attend quite a few, as i work as a demonstrator for lechat nails.
i always love it when geeks come and introduce themselves, its fab.

i too am fed up with organisers letting m.o.p's in and children etc and non industry stuff being there.
when we register as exhibitors i have had to show certificates and insurance etc and yet the organisers let in kids !
i was asked to perform sample nails on a child last time i worked there, i felt really compromised.

 

[geeg]

Shows should not be about getting free treatments and having a fun day out for the family.

Demos and treatments are to impress the buyers. Shows are about SELLING what you have to offer. And buying and seeing all the new things (where are they then??)

Now folks have always had free demos and some do take the mickey but now it has got to ridiculous proportions where folks come in not to buy but to get a free treatment ... waxing, eyelashes etc and they have no intention of buying anything.

People bring their kids and their Auntie Flo who may just buy a nail polish or two on the cheap ETC. and think they have got a real bargain!

For the exhibitors however, the price goes up and up for space and the quality of the attendees goes down and down. This in my opinion is the organisers fault ... the organisers who make a fortune out of the exhibitors, but then don't deliver the professional people and the quality business people who will buy. It's a nonsense and every exhibitor loses money (whether they admit it or not). Unless of course they have wangled a stand for free (as happened at the last show) whilst others have to pay through the nose.

 

[Doorie]

boo it looks like we're quite safe from these in my little country!!!

the location is quite expensive, but we really sold a lot and we did demo and it helped sell and we had a massive influence.

luckily we didn't see babies lol, or ppl who had nothing to do here...

for Cosmoprof it seemed less professionnal in the attendence, no real innovation in the nail world either, which was annoying.