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Comdex Canceled For 2004
Stephen Shankland writes "Comdex is canceled -- at least for 2004. The once-imposing tech event lost out to trade shows for specialized niches and consumer electronics, but the Comdex organizers want to bring it back in 2005, according to an executive quoted in our story at CNET News.com."
Narrowcasting does in another hallmark of the industry. What's the bet that when it does return, it's a shadow of itsformer self?
--- "When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school, it's a wonder I can think at all..."
The article claims that "security jitters" are keeping corporate types from travelling, thus hurting attendance. Is it possible that the TSA's reign of terror against airline passengers is more responsible?
Have you read my blog lately?
I went to Itec not long ago and will never attend again. it was 1/5th the size from 2 years ago and everyone had this desperate "please talk to us" look on their faces at all booths.
shows in general are pretty much useless.. overpriced tickets to see a talk by someone who is going to rehash what they said for free online and you already read, and the schwag has turned into crud.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Comdex lost track sometime in the 90's but the real end was in 1995 when it was sold to Softbank.
It went from being a twice yearly Mecca to being a monthly, or bimonthly travelling international 'Disneyland' for marketing.
Prior to the infiltration by 'Windows World' it had been the hard core contact point for developers, implementors, and users, all feeding and grooming the craft (with the spice of some good natured marketing).
There is a real need for what Comdex was just as there is still a need for the every other year show of photographics at Photokina in Koln Germany.
Let Comdex lay in it's grave, quiet in silent repose, and start something unique and alive in the spitit of the original Comdex.
Does the declining attendance reflect the fact that employers are less willing to waste/invest money sending people to "Gee Whiz" conventions?
-PM
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I totally agree. Awesome lineup, and cheap...the Toronto show was sold out long ago (or very close to it IIRC). Oh well, guess I'll have to find something else to do with my time. Comdex has been going downhill since '99 or so anyways. Waiting for the next big trade show to take control.
The passing of Comdex kinda reminds me of when the Playboy Clubs in North America closed down back in the early 1980s (I think). It's the passing of an era, which in itself is not a bad thing. Things change and evolve and there's always the next big thing on the horizon.
;-) Buh-dump dump!
Comdex was killed by a number of things. The internet makes physically attending shows less necessary. Not only that with so many thousands of IT jobs sent overseas, many of those who might have attended in the past are no longer in IT at all. And the current generation of technology (I know, not well defined) has matured somewhat. There just isn't much in the way of mind blowing, paradigm shifting technologies that demand a Comdex. And heck, the consumer tech oriented shows like CES or E3 are more fun!
Will Comdex really be back? Who knows? I won't cry if it isn't because when the time is right, something new and exciting will arrive on the scene. Afterall, the Playboy Club is still gone, but now we have Hooters!
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Ten years ago, computer shows used to be a lot of fun. Vendors had interesting displays, they had non computer related activities, they handed out lotsa cool wampum (swag). Last five years have been BORING at best. I just stopped going. I can get all the product information I need off the web. If vendors can't provide the carnival enviroment I need to make me want to go, well, fine. Comdex has left the building.
I used to exhibit at Comdex in the late 80s and early 90s and it was fun back then, with the exception of the facist Interface Group organization that used to run the thing and would take advantage of everyone they could. Exhibitors would pay years in advance to get a good space and then other people would show up at the last minute with cash and IG would give them premium exhibit space. It was a huge sham. I stopped attending years ago when it got so big that you needed a passport to get from one side of the convention to the other.
I'm sure locals in Vegas are probably thrilled. Most of them hated Comdex anyway.
You could get out of paying if they thought you were special. Heck, I recieved invitations every single year to attend, and was never expected to pay for it.
Not really.
Actually, Las Vegas resorts dread COMDEX because the attendees tend to be cheapskates that leave very little money at the gambling tables.
The resorts actually make FAR more money from the National Finals Rodeo in December, where people attending this rodeo tend to be big spenders that do like to gamble.
Last time I went was in 1996 i believe--the last year in Atlanta. It had already become a showcase for Windows and pretty much nothing else. Might as well have called it MS-Comdex.
I hate to see it go, but if it's time to go let it go.
well part of lollapalooza's failure has to be due to the fact that they cleverly scheduled almost all of the shows for weekdays, since the chronically unemployed are a great market for $100 tickets.
According to an unnamed reliable inside source (I can't remember the cab drivers name), tips from COMDEX attendees far outstrip those from conventions attended by doctors.
If the casino owners have a gripe, it may be that COMDEX attendees posess basic math skills. This is an area in which cowboys are not known to shine.
They took a formally outstanding show and turned it into a place for deep pockets only.
m putex/fact_s heet.htm
AND made it pretty well a "Retail" show.
Are big trade shows dead?
Heck no.
Computex (May31 - June 4 in Taipei, Taiwan) this year had over 1,000 vendors showing, took over 4 big conference spaces in downtown Taipei surrounding the new 101 centre ( tallest building in the world) and over 100,000 registered attendees.
http://www.taipeitradeshows.com.tw/co
There are four good reasons COMDEX is dead:
1) Ziff Davis made it too expensive, too difficult for smaller vendors/manufacturers.
You do not go to a show like this to see what HP, Seagate, IBM and Microsoft are doing. They spend vast sums to tell you that in other media.
2) People from outside N. America do not want to travel to the USA.
3) US unions. To be a vendor at COMDEX cost about $5,000 for a booth space. And over $10,000 to get your goods in and out by the "show services" monopoly.
4) It became a "retail" show. You do not spend good money to display at a trade show to meet 10,000 end user "tire kickers".
You are looking for quality commercial leads. Qualified buyers.
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