Cleveland's Sports & Travel Show

[kaufmanb]

Well, we just spent the last 9 days of our existances at the Cleveland Sports / Outdoors / Travel Expo. While rent was expensive, patrons marveled at the Segway HT and got to ride and experience it themselves. I was hoping for better sales, actually I was hoping for a sales, but I have never seen such TIGHT people in my life!

Every redneck and his daddy was there, and each would spend 5k on a shot gun, but not a one could understand why the HT was so expensive. Now mind you each could justify the price of a Hummer or BMW, but narrow minds must have been required at the door.

I met all kinds of experts, all personal friends of Dean's (yeah...) and all claimed to know everything humanly possible about Segway. And just when you had heard it all, I had a guy argue with me about seeing an infomercial dealing with the HT. He stated, "When you are not using it, you can add an attachment and purify water." I truly argued until I was blue in the face, and just gave up because I knew I wasnt going to win.

It was an expensive lesson, but now I know that the Sports & Travel show isnt for the HT, at least not in the Cleveland market.

On a possitive note: The best experience I pulled away from the show was meeting the most friendly Amish people in the world. Each one was curious about the HT, and when allowed by their faith, they got up and took a ride. It was a most pleasant experience. If it wasnt for the Amish at show, I might I bought a shot gun myself.

Brian Kaufman-Butler
Segway of Cleveland
216-241-6100
www.GoSegway.Net

[wayne]

Guns aren't my thing but for someone to spend 5k on a gun I wouldn't call tight.

How many (estimate) people do you think came to the show those 9 days?

Do you think it was the price or was it those people weren't interested in the Segway?

You know people are funny, they may look once but call a week or two later wanting to purchase one.

Wayne

[kaufmanb]

I asked about attendance and I was told 180,000. I was there every day except St. Patrick's day and there was NO way there were that many people, supposedly that was last years number as well. I was talking to the people around me and they said their sales were less than 1/2 of last years event. They suggest horse shows, like the Equine Affaire or Quarter Horse Congress.

Brian Kaufman-Butler
Segway of Cleveland
216-241-6100
www.GoSegway.Net

[Dragan]

We've decided the Sportsmens shows aren't our thing either. Tire kickers there's always lots of, but buyers are a different thing. The R.V. show market is good, and surprisingly, the horsey set (show jumping especially) is VERY big, both in money and interest. We have a very large show jumping facility here in Calgary (Spruce Meadows...voted the #1 facility of it's kind in the world last year) and they just love the Segway. There's a lot of ego present in that crowd, and if one rider buys one, they all have to get one to keep up with the Jone's.

Trade shows are fun...tiring but fun. It's too bad you have to drop a bunch of money to find out which ones work and which ones don't.

Wayne
www.mysegway.ca

[sholloway]

I've been successful at getting large spaces at trade shows for free. They call and ask for $3500 for a 20'x20' space and I let them know how popular the Segways are and how much fun the demo rides are. I let them know that if they provide a 20' x 50' area I'll come out with several HTs and several cute girls and give demo rides for free. They say no thanks and then about 4 weeks later they call back and set it up. We just did one this weekend at a "luxury expo". We didn't pay a dime. We were either the most popular or second most popular display there (the Maybach got a lot of attention also). Just tire kickers, no sales. Emphasize how much better their show will be with you there, you may have to talk to the show management rather than the sales flunkies.

[KennyG]

Brian,
That's a shame on the public response. Personally, I don't think a "sports Show" is going to draw future Segway owners. We bought our first a month ago and then bought a second one! We love them for our RV travels - maybe future RV shows would be a better venue?

KennyG

[Florida Ever-Glides]

If you had a new XT with a gun rack & beer holder maybe you would have fared better. Good luck anyway...

Tom Jacobson
http://www.floridaever-glides.com

[Stewbonz]

Kenny, RV shows would be a good venue to display the product.
Hi-Fi shows also draw the type of customer that might try a Segway.

JEFF JARVIS
http://www.thailandsegwaytours.com/

[GadgetmanKen]

quote:I met all kinds of experts, all personal friends of Dean's (yeah...) and all claimed to know everything humanly possible about Segway. And just when you had heard it all, I had a guy argue with me about seeing an infomercial dealing with the HT. He stated, "When you are not using it, you can add an attachment and purify water." I truly argued until I was blue in the face, and just gave up because I knew I wasnt going to win.


As far as I know there are no infomercials of this nature. But... what this guy was probably referring to was the segment awhile back that 20/20 did on Dean Kamen's water purifyer and or Sterling Engine. Dean is trying to get it designed to be small enough to put it onboard a Segway and power it or use it to recharge the HT. The interesting part about the Sterling is that, a by product of the Sterling is water. Or sweat, condensation, from the engine, which produces drinkable water. However the purifyer does just that, it purifys water. That is what, I think, the guy was referring to. Did you see the 20/20 special on it? Anyone else see it?

"Wouldn't it be cool, if?...is like Folgers in my cup"

[pam]

I've often thought really EXPENSIVE boat shows might be a good bet, too. I demo'd the HT to a couple who travel several months a year on their boat - just like RVers on water <G>. Nice to have something to get around on when they get into port.
Pam