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Post by underwatermama on Nov 7, 2014 22:27:26 GMT
I can't remember why I posted here about going to this show but someone asked me to post how it went, so here goes.
I went down there this morning and got there a little after 10. The vendor fair was crowded, but there were noticeably less booths there than when I was last at this event several years ago. It used to take up almost (or maybe all) of the space in the exhibit hall and this year there was probably 1/4 to 1/3 less booths there. I did appreciate that the booths were mostly about sbing products (origami owl and an essential/frangrance oil(?) booth were also there). Lots of shoppers when I got there but then it thinned out, I'm assuming because classes started. I was disappointed that I couldn't find any BasicGrey there, but there were a lot of "last show of the year" specials going on so I think I got a lot of product for what I spent ($70, yikes!). I think I was there about two hours before I was done. I'm a quick shopper anyway, and since I was there alone, probably even quicker than usual.
Would I go back? Maybe. But probably not for a year or two, especially considering the small size of the booth area.
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Post by cmpeter on Nov 7, 2014 22:43:24 GMT
Good to know...thanks for the report. I was there last year and it seemed like a lot of the booths were about page kits. Was it the same this time?
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Post by underwatermama on Nov 7, 2014 23:18:16 GMT
Good to know...thanks for the report. I was there last year and it seemed like a lot of the booths were about page kits. Was it the same this time? Yes! So many page kits LOL. There was no way I could buy those since I feel like I have no idea about what I need to scrap (except for a lot of them) so I ended up buying various lines of paper packs from SEI and Paper Loft instead. And they still have what look to be the same Disney page kits/embellishments that I think I have seen at every show. |
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Post by mrssch on Nov 8, 2014 0:29:37 GMT
This summer at CKC - Houston, I noticed that there were TONS of page kits as well.
This morning, I unpacked the items that I purchased and I am still pleased with my purchases.
My biggest haul was from the Jenni Bowlin Booth. Great items, great booth and Jenni is very, very nice.
My other purchases were random but things that I wanted. I intended to attend the San Marcos show as well but I had to have surgery.
I look forward to next year's CKC.
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mamakven
Full Member
Posts: 407
Oct 2, 2014 22:01:19 GMT
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Post by mamakven on Nov 8, 2014 3:48:29 GMT
that was this weekend?! darnit! i need to pay attention to these things! argh.
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Post by triplettkarla on Nov 8, 2014 16:56:58 GMT
I am sitting here trying to decide whether to go or not went last year with my daughter and her friend it was ok there are a couple companies like to go for . think wlll have a cup of coffee
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zella
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,884 
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Post by zella on Nov 9, 2014 3:43:29 GMT
I've been most years, but I'm glad I didn't go this year as I've heard that the vendor faire was much smaller (and it had already shrunk significantly over the last five years). It's a full day trip for me, and I wasn't interested in any of the classes, so it would have been just for the shopping.
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Post by onescrappygirl on Nov 9, 2014 5:11:29 GMT
Jenni Bowlin booth with Jenni herself! I would have gone for that, but I had a yard full of leaves that needed raking. Hope everyone got some good deals.
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Post by queenbeeof3 on Nov 9, 2014 15:33:41 GMT
When I saw the list of vendors I decided to sit this one out. I instead went to Kent where Scrapbook Nook is having a going out of business sales. I have big hopes for the Portland show however.
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leeny
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,627
Location: Northern California
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 1:55:53 GMT
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Post by leeny on Nov 9, 2014 16:17:50 GMT
At Scrapbook Expo I have noticed the same decrease in vendors. I made a comment to a vendor and he said that the Expo has a formula based on the ticket sales and then they use that formula to secure the vendors. Because there were so many vendors no one was making any money and they needed a way to keep attracting the vendors.
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eastcoastpea
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,252
Jun 27, 2014 13:05:28 GMT
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Post by eastcoastpea on Nov 10, 2014 14:30:43 GMT
Thanks for filling us in.
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Post by underwatermama on Nov 10, 2014 14:46:27 GMT
Jenni Bowlin booth with Jenni herself! I would have gone for that, but I had a yard full of leaves that needed raking. Hope everyone got some good deals. That would have been awesome for any manufacturer booths to be there. I'd have to get my brochure out, but I'm pretty sure it was all resellers. At Scrapbook Expo I have noticed the same decrease in vendors. I made a comment to a vendor and he said that the Expo has a formula based on the ticket sales and then they use that formula to secure the vendors. Because there were so many vendors no one was making any money and they needed a way to keep attracting the vendors. That is really interesting way to fill a vendor fair. I'm pretty sure if there had been more "good" vendors there, they would have had lots of sales. But, on the other hand, I'm still happy that they choose do to this in Bellevue (even though it's called the Seattle CKC) as it's much closer for me to have it there (and no bridges to cross). |
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cherene
New Member
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Post by cherene on Nov 17, 2014 3:37:33 GMT
I was at the convention this year, it was sad to see how small it has become. When I first started to go to this convention the entire floor would be full of vendors and each year it has gotten smaller and smaller. This year they could have closed off half of the floor and still had room for the vendors and tables. I spoke to quite a few vendors and found that not all of the conventions have been this way. I'm not sure if it was because this was the last one of the season and vendors just didn't want to do anymore or if it truly is dying off.
Class sizes were incredibly low. I took three classes that weekend and only 1 was full. All of my friends classes were similar in that none were even close to being full.
The crop wasn't even sold out, there was plenty of room this year. Every other year there have been a ton of vendors that come to the cops and sell their merchandise at great prices - not so this year. Friday night I think there were 7 vendors and all but one or 2 were pretty small tables. Saturday night was worse, it felt like they were dumping whatever wouldn't/couldn't sell - to the point where people at the crop didn't buy anything, it was just "stuff".
I don't know what is going to become of these, I have really enjoyed them in the past and make a girls weekend out of it. Maybe I will head to Portland this year for the first one of the season.
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Post by epeanymous on Nov 17, 2014 18:26:03 GMT
I just saw this thread. I went this year and have been going to the one here for about seven years. There were definitely fewer vendors than when I started attending (I missed last year's so do not know how steep the drop-off was just from that). I was glad to see Stamps of Life there, as I always pick up something from there, and there was a vendor there with reasonable prices on a lot of new-release stamps and dies from other manufacturers (Lawn Fawn and Avery Elle, e.g.), so I got a lot of stuff that I will get use from. There also was a well-stocked CLose to my Heart booth -- I don't have a consultant, so was glad to shop there. As for the rest of it, the fact that EmbellishIt doesn't come any more is really too bad -- I used to get a ton of new Crate Paper and Basic Gray papers and embellishments from them. In general, there were very few vendors selling new 12*12 single sheets of paper or new lines of embellishments. There were several of the discount shops there, and some page kit shops, but if you were going there to get scrapbook paper and embellishments, pickings were slim.
I went to the one in Portland last Spring for the second time, and I do think they have more vendors and a wider variety of vendors, although I don't think they are as huge as I remember these things being years ago.
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