When shipping a display product to an exhibition hall or convention center you should find out cost for delivering directly to the show or advanced warehouse. In many cases there will fees for shipping directly to the convention’s loading dock. If you have a portable display there is a more cost effective option for shipping your display back and forth to conventions. Almost any hotel will accept packages on your behalf. If you have a smaller pop up display or banner stand, this shipping method will save you time and money. You can simply bring your display to the show with you and you will not have to pay handling fees from the convention center. Keep reading to find out all the tips and tricks when shipping to convention centers.
In many cases, if your display is very easy to set up, then you can set up the same day of the show. This saves you cost for a hotel and a missed day of work. You can also ship back your display through the hotel so you do not have to wait for the convention centers union to ship your display. This method also reduces the risk of the convention hall loosing or damaging your product! To expand on these options more in depth we will cover the following categories:
- Shipping to a Hotel
- Shipping on an Airline
- When it’s a good Idea to Ship Directly to a Show
- Which products ship and assemble the easiest
Shipping to a Hotel
Almost every major hotel will accept packages on the behalf of guests. Some hotels will charge a fee but it’s usually pretty low. Always remember to ship with “hold for guest” and the arrival date on the shipping label to insure the hotel knows that it’s for a guest. In many cases the hotel staff will bring the item directly to your room. They can also help when shipping an item back. Most of the time the hotel will have a shipping account and just charge the cost to your room. As with any service, there are good and bad hotels out there. It’s best to either call the hotel ahead of time to get an idea of their knowledge about shipping or get a referral from a friend or colleague.
Shipping on an Airline
Shipping via the airline can be a good option at times. Smaller banner stands are carry on items and larger displays can be checked. This only works if the display is lightweight. It would be a nightmare to haul a super heavy display in and out of the airport and back to hotel. Every airline is different so it’s good to check ahead of time on carry on sizes and restrictions as well as rates for larger packages.
When is it a good idea to ship directly to the show site?
Shipping directly to the show site is usually a requirement for larger booths. Truss systems, custom displays, and heavy items are usually required to deliver at the show dock. It’s a good idea to ship to the show if the show is going to assemble the booth or if there is a tight time constraint. Always check the fees before shipping to a show because at times, they can be fairly high. This is a cost that should be analyzed when choosing a display. A large truss system will have to go through show services at every event so be sure to plan ahead.
Which products ship and assemble the easiest?
Banner stands and pop up displays are always the best bet for traveling and easy assembly. The Hop Up display is the easiest product of its size to assemble. Show costs can add up quickly and a pop up display will keep those costs down. Although a pop up is the most economical way to go, it may not get noticed like some other display options. Custom modular and truss displays will stand out and grab attention, but have a higher overall cost. Each company should evaluate if the cost will give a good return. In many industries, it’s very beneficial to get a larger booth and pay the extra costs at the show, because the extra attention will get a much higher rate of new clients. Shipping to convention centers will now be a breeze with all these great tips!