Announcement from Arc Euro Trade Ltd.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by David Clark 1 on 11/02/2012 09:04:01:

Hi John

Did not realise you were a tea total vegetarian.

I always thought you were a beer swilling, meat eating man of the world.

regards David

 

 

 

 

David,

Only on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, unfortunately the show runs from Thursday [ setup day ] to Sunday.

 

Another flat battery in the car park of life

John S.

[Ketan SwaliParticipant @ketanswali79440]

Posted by Nigel Barraclough on 11/02/2012 14:07:27:

….pre-notified reduction in the trade presence by someone I have previously bought items from at the exhibition on a bit of a “spur of the moment” basis.

Nigel B.

Sorry Nigel, I understand what you mean. We all have to make our own decisions, right or wrong.

I am glad that I am being allowed this opportunity to speak. It is better that I start facing this music in advance, rather then experience a mega cannon at the show. Regular visitors have an expectation of what they are going to see from ARC at the show. As there will be a certain level of disappointment, I need everyone to be pre-aware, rather then find out on the day of the event.

 

Ketan.

[StovepipeParticipant @stovepipe]

I endeavour to avoid looking at ARCs website on principle, because I know well that I’ll end up buying something. All right, small beer stuff, but all helps the turnover.

 

Dennis Franklin

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by David Clark 1 on 11/02/2012 09:04:01:

Hi John

Did not realise you were a tea total vegetarian.

I always thought you were a beer swilling, meat eating man of the world.

regards David

 

 

He eats vegetarians

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Come on Tony, that’s a bit strong.

 

I like vegetarians but I can’t manage a whole one

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Resurecting an almost dead thread:-

How's about having Gert sell tools and consumables from the van in the car park?

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Wot?

Bring Gert to the Jolly Boys Outing ?

Are you out of your tiny mind man ?

John S.

[SpringbokParticipant @springbok]

Hi John

Why not pre-order and collect at show that would save postage that is what I do order all of my bits metal etc; then collect, me happy saved postage trader happy knows guarenteed income,

It also saves me haveing to trudge around constantly refering to a bit of paper. I then get more time to look at stands, models, displays without thinking god I have not sourced that item yet… Yes and some would say what about impulse purchasing, a bit like my wife going around a supermarket. Q when are we going to use that A Oh thought we could use it…

.

Ketan,

throwing ideas but I am sure you are makeing a wise decision in this economic climate as I talk to old trader friends at shows and they complain about the cost of stand space but this is not the organisers fault but the hall management . My wife is a show manager for a club not related to ME in any way and had been useing Abbingdon town hall for many years new management, doubled costs reduced services, they pulled out moved up near Birmingham and reduced there old costs by over 30% Who is the looser.

And yes I am a loyal customer

Bob.

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Posted by alan lloyd 3 on 10/02/2012 19:11:27:

Well done Kenan, At last a model engineering supply company that does't think the world stops when theres an exhibition on, Warco, Polly, Chronos etc take note.

Hi ALan,

I understand fully Ketan's decision but if all suppliers took this decision there would possibly be consequences for the viability of exhibitions. Either they would get smaller, or perhaps much higher ticket prices and less choice. One of my main reasons to visit the two exhibitions a year I do is to stock up on small tools, materials and perhaps the odd kit. The exhibition entry costs are offset by savings in postage.

I also like to compare machines and equipment and be able to discuss my needs with suppliers and look at their offers (I always arrive very early before the rush and stay later). Especially as I have had to re equip over he last year or so and visited as many major stands as I could, and have bought a substantial amount of equipment. It would not be cost effective to travel to every major supplier to compare equipment so the exhibition is a must for me. Also I must admit to being an impulse buyer and as well as my grubby shopping list I cannot resist so much shiny alluring stuff laid out on the stands and often spend more than I should but am much more restrained on the intenet. I justify this by the savings on aforementioned postage costs.

I for one find it sad that Ketan has been forced to take his decision as I love to look at his shiny stuiff, but of course needs must. I'm lucky that I live not to far distant from Syston so often have the joy of visiting, incognito of course.

Regards

Terry

[DoddyParticipant @doddy]

Shame you'll not be there with a selection of you're latest small items

The whole point of the show for me is to "feel the goods"

Yes I spend a lot of money online, but I also enjoy spending a pocket full of cash on the day (don't tell her indoors, she'd have a fit if she knew how much)

If other traders follow suit then its unlikely I'll bother to go to the show and I live quite near

Guess this will be the slippery slope of the show and my money will get spent in the "High Street" out shopping with the girls, they know how to spend money, They spend all day "feeling the goods" in the high street shop then come home and go online and buy it cheaper

All it takes is temptation – No goodies on show – No spendy my money 

Hope you give away some top quality catalogues

Edited By David Dodwell on 24/03/2012 07:28:55

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by David Dodwell on 24/03/2012 07:24:44:

They spend all day "feeling the goods" in the high street shop then come home and go online and buy it cheaper

You have summed up in one sentence why the whole show / trading experiance has altered in the last few years. I know what the figures are for a show like Harrogate, Midlands and Sandown but it's not my place to disclose them, Surfise it to say they are into 5 figures and not just into.

So in these hard times you want more people to stand shows so you can feel the goods then go online and buy from eleswhere ?

I can also appreciate Terryd views of attending to stock up, up until a couple of years ago this was my same idea. I'd had a bad show if I hadn't spent over £400, I won't say what a good show was.

However with the internet / web sites and most having some form of free postage over a certain price I can now get what I want cheaper and now, not wait unit the nearest show which could be months away and still forget something like I always did.

What was even more anoying was to wait for a show to find out what I wanted wasn't on sale so time wasted.

John S.

[John CoatesParticipant @johncoates48577]

Must admit I enjoy going to Harrogate and usually spend the £100 or so pounds I put in my pocket plus some credit card action

I do go with a piece of paper which hopefully comes home fully crossed off. Last year I did use the CES pre-order and collect at show method for a Keats angle plate (not yet even machined but at least I have for when I want to start)

I can't see why a supplier couldn't bring prepaid orders to any show for us to collect. Yes it takes up space in the van but it's been paid for so if the punter doesn't show they still have the money. I will be perusing the CES website to see if there's anything else I fancy. It's a good option for presents as I can get a family member to pay for it, collect it then give it to them for fathers day or my birthday which come along afterwards.

I'm getting slightly excited now looking forward to Harrogate. Only a month and a half to wait!! Must hunt out DC this year and say "hello"

John (returning to getting his Elliot 10M motor working)

Edited By John Coates on 24/03/2012 09:54:17

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi Diane

I hope you mean DC Diane Carney?

DC David Clark won't be going this time.

Diane is much closer.

regards David

[Ketan SwaliParticipant @ketanswali79440]

Posted by Springbok on 24/03/2012 05:10:10:Ketan,

throwing ideas but I am sure you are makeing a wise decision in this economic climate as I talk to old trader friends at shows and they complain about the cost of stand space but this is not the organisers fault but the hall management . My wife is a show manager for a club not related to ME in any way and had been useing Abbingdon town hall for many years new management, doubled costs reduced services, they pulled out moved up near Birmingham and reduced there old costs by over 30% Who is the looser.

And yes I am a loyal customer

Bob.

Hi Bob,

The cost of the stand space has not been the issue for us. In real terms, they have not really gone up. Also, most of the exhibitions bring in the numbers in terms of potential targeted customers. The problem is two fold. Most traders in our business have either grown at a reasonable or alarming rate, with very few going out of business. One of the reasons for this growth is the internet. There is a positive and an negative element to this. Bigger audiance, and customers having a wider choice. In turn, prices becoming more competitive, and profits reducing becasue of increasing material costs due to various factors.

As an example: Our financial year ends at the end of this month. A week ago, I checked my figures to find that we were up on sales by 13% over the previous financial year. Great! I thought. We had also reached a milestone figure, and it was celbration time for all at ARC and pizzas were ordered for all. Yesterday, I interrogated the figures a little more. On averaged, our product costs from China had increased by 20% to 30% over the past one and a half years, but our sales prices had only increased by between 8% to 15% for a limited range of products. Why? Fear of competition.

There was a time when we started, we were clearly advised by show organizers that they wanted to present a "balanced show", and if we in any way disturbed this balance, they would re-consider our position for the next year. In other words, they did not want us to upset another trader, so they wanted to limit the number of people selling the same thing, which "in pricipal" is a good thing. However, over the years, this position became diluted, instigated by us as well as other established traders, selling the same stuff, competing with each other for the same business with an ever reducing profit margin. In this instance, we are as much to blame for upsetting the balance, as are the show organizers who continue to bring in new traders – who sell the same stuff as we do – at the shows which they organize. The end winner is the customer – not the trader.

This is not a complaint, but an observation. If you ask other established traders, confidentially, they will tell you the same thing. If you speak with the exhibition organizationers, many of them will have amnesia about the balanced show principal when the subject of new trader entry is brought up , and this is a fact regardless of what they may say, or, they will state legal reasons for their decisions, even when you remind them of what they said six or eight months earlier. Regardless of what they say, they are "in business" in one way or another irrespective of who has organised the show, be it a club or business. All they need is one or two "headline" traders to commit to attending, and in their eyes, the rest will follow. At this time, "honest balanced principals" have left the building. Then again, this is business right?

So, being in business, we too have to make a business decision, which we have done. Again, this is not an attack on shows, nor is it an attack on new traders. We too were new traders once, and we have only grown thanks to the help and support of our customers. This is just our take on the current climate. Everyone has a mouth to feed, so every trader and show organizer has the right to make their own decision.

Ketan @ ARC.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Ketan,

What happened to my pizza ? Mind you forget that, it's like eating the back off an Ikea wardrobe.

John S.

[Ketan SwaliParticipant @ketanswali79440]

While I am on a roll, heres another observation about shows from estabished traders point of view.

Over the years, new traders – including us – have been introduced to these shows as mentioned above, and further new traders will continue to be introduced, as traders like us decide that they have had enough.

Several attempts have been made by various traders to educate show organizers about the commerial language used by certain new traders in their endevors to promote sales. Depending on the new trader, this commercial language "in my opinion" and in the opnion of some estabished traders has been based on misleading statements of fact, to verying degrees. This has been brought to my attention by various customers and traders alike. I have no problem with new traders using honest language. However, I regularly see the disappointed results of customers who have been mislead by the new ventures at these shows.

You may be of the opinion that it is not the show organizers position to pass judgement on this, and you may be right. I am just expressing my opinion.

I am sure that there will be customers out there who are disappointed with our customer language or service, but we do try to portray "the real" picture, even though we may not succeed in certain cases. When we bring these new trader situations to the show organizers attention, it is looked on as a sour grapes issue, becasue, at the end of the day, they too are in business , and they too just want the traders money .

So, we have to try and work on the principal that if we cannot say anything good about a person, we shouldnt say it . Better to pull out and find out about what happened at the show. I am passonate about my business, and I do get angry when I hear about what was said by a new trader. But again, who am I to judge?…If a customer or event organizer wishes to beleive what is said by one trader or another, it is up to them.

This, built in with all of the other issues I have outlined above has all contributed to ARCs decision not to attend shows.

Ketan @ ARC.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi John S, maybe you just get a pizza-the-action.

Regards Nick.

[Tractor manParticipant @tractorman]

Hi Ketan,

I fully appreciate your business decision relating to the Harrogate show and though it will be a shame not to come away carrying a few bits and bobs from Arc I support your decision 100%.

I have never found a problem ordering from Arc and everything I have ordered has arrived promptly and well packaged. You can't knock that kind of customer service.

Ok, so there won't be small tooling to buy at the stand, but there will be Arc at the show so we can be thankful for that. Now I know the score I will order the small tooling I was planning to buy at the show in advance and have a lot less to lug round the show.

I look forward to seeing you there Ketan and will say Hi and give you my best wishes.

Regards,

Mick

[Ketan SwaliParticipant @ketanswali79440]

Hi Mick,

Please do come and say hi. One of the more positive things I look forward to is talking to customers, and catching up with old friends.

Ketan @ ARC.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by Ketan Swali on 24/03/2012 14:46:08:

Hi Mick,

Please do come and say hi. One of the more positive things I look forward to is talking to customers, and catching up with old friends.

Ketan @ ARC.

While I do all the bloody work…………………………sigh.

John S.

[Ketan SwaliParticipant @ketanswali79440]

Posted by John Stevenson on 24/03/2012 14:48:26:

Posted by Ketan Swali on 24/03/2012 14:46:08:

Hi Mick,

Please do come and say hi. One of the more positive things I look forward to is talking to customers, and catching up with old friends.

Ketan @ ARC.

While I do all the bloody work…………………………sigh.

John S.

In that case, it gives me more time to look around then….thank you…

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Bastard……………

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Internet / mail order isn't the solution for working people unless you have a stay at home partner but even then the delivery will come just when they pop out to the shops. Now I work at home sometimes it is no better as they will always pick the day I'm not there. 90% of my purchases have been at shows, even mill and lathe ordered there. I also do the opposite of 'see at show – buy online' as the info online is normally one stock photo which doesn't lell you fit or finish. It is amazing just how poor internet presentations are. Just for example following another current thread I googled 'boring head' pictures and got 400 hits but only about 4 different actual views. Try it.

Judging by the open space and 'filler' stands at shows I always thought they were desperate for any trader, not trying to balance it.

[blowlampParticipant @blowlamp]

Bazyle.

Click on 'Images', in the upper-left part of the Google page to see loads of piccies of boring heads.

Martin.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Blwolamp, yes and as I said hundreds of pictures that are all pracdtiacally identical and don't show how stiff it is, what the backlash is etc. You need to get hold of it to appreciate what it does. ( I do actually have a couple so know but I'm trying to illustrate a point)

[Author]

Posts