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Put The Consumer Into CES?
January 1, 2007
I just got back from the 2006 LA Auto Show, actually the second 2006 LA Auto Show. It typically occurs in January but was moved to the beginning of December this year, resulting in there being two in 2006. I went to both.
You have to hand it to the new car/truck industry. The average price of their product exceeds $30,000 and the cost of fuel to run these expensive vehicles is in some cases over $2.25 a gallon and rising. The reputation of their sales people is, to be kind, not good, but still they get millions of people to pay to attend their shows, which are held throughout the year all over the country. Average attendance at the LA show, the 100th edition by the way, is over 1 million, at $10 a head — and that’s just to get in. On top of that, there’s the cost of parking which ranges from $6 to $20 and the cost of food, in the case of my son and me: $26 for two soggy deli sandwiches, water and chips.
But we love it, and I think the majority of those who go to these shows, many returning year after year, do so as well. It has little to do with actually shopping for a new vehicle. We weren’t, and if we were in the market it would make more sense to actually go to a dealer where we could drive whatever we wished. Instead it is just cool to once a year immerse ourselves in all the new vehicle performance, technology and chrome.
Years ago, amid much debate, International CES included one consumer day, allowing consumers to attend the Consumer Electronics Show. This was the first and only time this happened and actually “much debate” is a gross understatement. To this day I don’t know how the forces that wanted to experiment with consumers at the show actually got their way. While there were obviously CE executives who supported it then and may even do so today, I don’t know any of them but do know the other, very vocal, side quite well.
There were many reasons given for not wanting consumers to be there, in my opinion all of them bad. The reasons all came down to: “We’re not set up for them.” That is true, as CES is a dealer show, but so what? Modified, which it could be, it would also be an incredible opportunity to “shout” to consumers about all that we expect them to find and buy on their own.
Some enterprising organization may yet come along to promote regional CE shows that really are consumer shows, just as now happens in almost every state for new vehicles, boats, travel, RVs, home improvements and so many other products sold to consumers. Until that day, I am afraid we will remain the not-nearly-as-much-as-we-could-be consumer electronic industry.
Posted by Bill Matthies on January 1, 2007 | Comments (0)
