Questions to Ask Vendors at Trade Shows
For buyers, owners and first-time attendees walking a show floor with only a few minutes to spend at each booth. The first six questions to ask vendors at trade shows are the ones worth putting to every exhibitor. After them the list follows a longer stop: the product, price and terms including any show special, delivery and support, proof that it works for businesses like yours, and what to settle before you leave the booth.
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The questions
Each question, and why to ask it
Every booth
What does this do, and who is it made for?
Why ask it
Ask it before the rep starts the pitch and you get the short version. If the customer they describe is ten times your size or in another trade, thank them and move on: at a show, ruling a booth out in a minute is a good result.
What are you showing here that is new this year?
Why ask it
Companies often hold launches for the show, so this is the fastest route to what you could not have found on their website last month. Then ask what it replaces: the outgoing version may be marked down on the booth, or it may be the first thing they stop supporting.
Roughly what does it cost for a business my size?
Why ask it
Give them your size in a number, such as locations, users or units a month, so the figure means something. A range is fine at this stage. If no one will name even a range, note that down, since it usually means a sales call stands between you and the price.
Is there a show special, and when does it end?
Why ask it
Get the exact terms: the discount, what it applies to, and the day and hour it closes. Write them on the rep's card or photograph the sign, because a deal you only heard is hard to claim a week later.
If I ordered today, when would I have it?
Why ask it
The answer you want is a date or a number of weeks for an order placed now, when everyone else at the show is ordering too. Ask whether that timing is typical or a best case. If you have a season or an opening to hit, say the date and let them tell you whether they can make it.
Who should I contact after the show, and can I have their direct details?
Why ask it
The person staffing the booth may be a regional rep, a marketer or the owner, and only one of those will answer your email. Leave with a name, a direct address and a phone number, not the general inbox printed on the brochure.
Product
Out of everything here, which would you start a business like mine with?
Why ask it
A booth can hold a whole catalog, and you have minutes. Letting the rep choose shows how well they listened to what you said about your business. If they point at the most expensive thing on the table without asking anything, weigh the rest of their advice accordingly.
Can I see it working, or handle a sample, while I am here?
Why ask it
This is the one thing a show gives you that a website cannot. Pick it up, run it, taste it or click through it yourself instead of watching the rehearsed demo. If the display unit is a mock-up, ask what differs in the one that ships.
Is this one shipping already, or is it a preview of something still to come?
Why ask it
Booths mix current lines with prototypes, and the labels do not always say which is which. For anything not yet shipping, ask for the expected date and whether this company's earlier launch dates were met.
Do you make this yourselves, or do you sell it for another company?
Why ask it
Booths are taken by makers, importers, distributors and rep agencies carrying several brands, and the banner seldom says which. It decides who can change a spec, who answers a warranty claim, and whether the same product is on another stand two aisles over under a different name.
Who is this the wrong choice for?
Why ask it
A rep who can name a poor fit is someone whose claims about a good fit you can believe. If the wrong customer they describe sounds like you, they have saved both of you a follow-up call.
What do I need to have in place already for this to work?
Why ask it
Think of power, floor space, staff time, a certain system, a license or a minimum volume. Requirements like these rarely make the banner. Hearing one at the booth costs nothing, while finding it out after delivery costs a return.
Can you make it in a different size or color, or with our own label on it?
Why ask it
Custom work usually means a larger minimum and a longer wait, so ask for both numbers alongside the yes. If the rep has to check with the factory, add it to the list of things they owe you after the show and get a date for the answer.
How is yours different from the similar one I saw in the next aisle?
Why ask it
At a show the competitor is a two-minute walk away, so the rep expects this and usually has a sharp answer. Take the claim to the other booth and put the same question there. Where both accounts agree, you have a real difference to weigh.
Is it approved for use or sale where I am, and can I see the paperwork?
Why ask it
Safety marks, food and cosmetic rules, electrical standards and import requirements differ by country and sometimes by state, and a product on show at an international event may not be cleared for your market yet. Name the place you would use or sell it, ask for the certificates by email, and check them with your own regulator or adviser before you order.
Price and terms
Can I take a price sheet with me, or is pricing by quote only?
Why ask it
Paper or a PDF lets you compare booths that evening without relying on memory. Where it is quote only, ask what the quote depends on and give those details now, so the number is waiting when you get home.
What is the smallest opening order you will write, and is it lower at the show?
Why ask it
Some exhibitors lower their minimum for orders taken on the floor, since a new account is why they paid for the booth. If the minimum is still more than you can sell or use in a season, ask whether you can split it across several products.
What does that price leave out: freight, setup, installation, training?
Why ask it
Two booths can quote the same figure and land far apart once the extras are added. List the extras on your notes for each vendor, then compare totals, not headline prices.
Will you honor the show price if I order next week, once I have talked to my team?
Why ask it
Plenty of buyers cannot commit on the spot, and reps know it. Ask them to write the extension and its last day on a card or in an email. A refusal is information too: it tells you how much of the offer is price and how much is pressure.
If I place an order here, what do I pay today and when is the balance due?
Why ask it
Some vendors take a deposit at the booth, some bill at shipping, some ask new accounts to pay in full first. Know which before you sign, and ask how a deposit is treated if the goods ship late or not at all.
Can I change or cancel an order written at the show once I am home?
Why ask it
Show orders get written fast and regretted on the flight back. Ask for the cutoff date and any fee, and have both noted on your copy of the order. What you can do afterwards depends on the vendor's terms and on where you are, so go by what is written down, not by what was said in the aisle.
Do you sell direct, or would I buy through a distributor or rep in my area?
Why ask it
If a distributor sits in the middle, the price you heard at the booth may not be the price you pay. Get the distributor's name and ask whether the show offer carries through them.
What is the suggested retail price, and do you set a minimum advertised price?
Why ask it
For anyone buying to resell, the gap between wholesale and suggested retail is the margin you would live on. Ask whether the vendor sells to consumers on its own website at that same price or below it. What a supplier may require about resale and advertised prices differs by country, so ask how the policy works where you sell.
Do you already sell to other stores in my town, and do you protect territories?
Why ask it
A retailer's question. If the shop down the street carries the same line, the product will not set you apart. Some vendors limit accounts by zip code or distance, so ask what the rule is and what you would have to order each year to keep it.
Who on this booth can approve something off the price list, and are they here today?
Why ask it
Free freight, a smaller minimum or a longer payment window usually needs a sales manager or the owner. A show is one of the few places that person is standing ten feet away. Ask to be introduced and make the request once, plainly.
Delivery and support
Is this in stock now, or made after I order?
Why ask it
Stock on a shelf can leave within days. Made to order means your delivery depends on a production schedule you cannot see, so ask where a new order would sit in the queue.
Which items on this booth are already backordered or close to selling out?
Why ask it
By the second day of a show a rep usually knows which lines are running short. Hearing it now lets you order those first or cross them off, instead of learning it from a shipping notice.
Where does it ship from, and who pays the freight?
Why ask it
Origin sets both the cost and the transit time, and one hall can hold vendors from many regions and countries. Ask whether freight is free above a certain order size, and for goods coming from abroad, who deals with customs and what you would owe on arrival.
Can I pick a later ship date and still get today's price?
Why ask it
Useful when you are ordering for a season that is months off. Have the ship window written on the order, and ask how far the date can be pushed before the price or the stock is no longer held.
How do reorders work: is there a minimum, and how fast do they turn around?
Why ask it
The first order is the easy part. If the product sells or the team takes to it, a slow reorder with a large minimum leaves you empty for weeks. Check whether reorder pricing matches what you are being offered today.
Who installs it or sets it up, and how soon after delivery?
Why ask it
Equipment and software can arrive well before anyone comes to make them work. Find out whether setup is done by the vendor's own staff or a local contractor, whether it is in the price, and how far ahead it has to be booked.
What happens if it arrives damaged or is not what I saw here?
Why ask it
You need three facts: how long you have to report a problem, who pays the return freight, and whether you get a replacement or a credit. Take a photo of the item on the booth as your record of what you agreed to buy.
What warranty or guarantee comes with it, and who handles a claim?
Why ask it
Whether a claim goes to the vendor, the distributor or the original maker decides how long you wait. Ask for the warranty terms to be sent with the quote, because the wording on the page is what you would be relying on.
After I buy, who do I call for help, and during what hours?
Why ask it
The booth is staffed by sales, and the people who would help you later are usually back at the office. Ask whether support is by phone or by ticket, whether it costs extra after the first year, and whether parts and repairs are handled in your region or sent back to the maker.
Proof
Who in my line of business already buys from you, and could I call one of them next week?
Why ask it
A name you recognize is worth more than a wall of logos, and asking at the booth gets the request in while the rep is keen. If they cannot share names, ask them to describe two accounts like yours and what those customers ordered. When you do call, ask whether deliveries matched what was promised at the time of sale.
Is one of your customers at this show today, and could I talk to them?
Why ask it
Shows gather buyers as well as sellers, and a customer you meet in the aisle tends to speak more freely than one on an arranged call. Ask that customer how the first few months went and what they wish they had known at the booth.
Which of these are your best sellers, and which ones do customers reorder?
Why ask it
Reorders mean the product moved off someone's shelf or stayed in use. First orders only mean the pitch worked. If you buy for resale, ask which lines do well in stores or regions like yours.
How long has this product been on the market, and how long has the company been in business?
Why ask it
A new product from an old company and an old product under a new owner are different bets, and neither is disqualifying. With a first-year product, ask how many are in customers' hands so far.
What do customers most often ask you to change or fix?
Why ask it
Most products have a known weak spot, and the people on the booth hear about it all day. A straight answer does more for trust than any award on the banner. Then ask whether a fix is planned or whether it is simply how the product is.
Can I take a sample away, or get a trial after the show?
Why ask it
Samples can be gone before the last day, so ask early. If one will be mailed, give the address on the spot and note the promised date, since sample requests are easily lost in the post-show pile.
Before you leave
What will you send me after the show, and by what day?
Why ask it
Naming the items, such as a quote, a spec sheet and a sample, turns a vague promise into a list you can chase. A vendor who delivers on that date is showing you how they would behave as a supplier.
If you scan my badge, what am I signing up for?
Why ask it
A scan can mean one tailored email or a year of newsletters and calls. Ask before you hold the badge out. If all you want is the price sheet, say so, or hand over a card with the address you prefer.
What do you need from me to turn this into a written quote?
Why ask it
Quantities, sizes, a delivery address or a floor plan are typical. Supplying them at the booth, or that night by email, puts your request ahead of the stack of leads the rep carries home.
Who else should I copy on my email in case you are still traveling next week?
Why ask it
Booth staff go home to a full inbox, and some are temporary help hired for the event. A second name, ideally someone based in the office and not on the road, keeps your inquiry from dying quietly.
May I photograph the product and the price card?
Why ask it
Some exhibitors forbid photos to protect their designs, and some shows restrict cameras on the floor, so ask first. When they agree, get the booth number and the rep's card in the same frame, and tomorrow you will know which picture belongs to which vendor.
If you were me, what would you ask the other booths selling this?
Why ask it
Reps know where their rivals are weak, and they will hand you pointed questions for free. Carry those down the aisle, then come back with the ones the rivals suggest about this booth.
When is this booth quiet enough for a longer conversation, and can I book that time?
Why ask it
First thing in the morning and the final afternoon are often calmer, though each show has its own rhythm. A booked slot tends to get you the senior person and a chair, which is where real terms get discussed.
Where can I see this again after the show closes?
Why ask it
A showroom, a visit from a rep, an online demo or another event nearby all mean the decision does not have to be made on the floor. If the only chance is here, that is a reason to return to the booth before you leave, not a reason to sign today.
How to work a trade show floor as a buyer
Practical guidance for the conversation itself
Before you walk the floor
Mark your booths on the floor plan
Shows usually publish an exhibitor list and a map ahead of time. Pick the vendors you must see and the ones you would like to see, and leave the rest to chance. Group them by aisle so you are not crossing the hall ten times, and visit the must-sees on the first morning, while samples and senior staff are still there.
Bring your own numbers
A rep can only give a useful price or lead time if you can say how many you need, by when, and roughly what you can spend. Write those three figures at the top of your notes. Add anything that limits your choice, such as shelf space, a system it has to connect to, or a date it must arrive by.
Know what you are allowed to commit to
Settle before you travel whether you can sign an order, how large, and who else has to agree. If you cannot buy at the show at all, the questions under Price and terms about extending the show offer become the important ones.
Carry what an exhibitor will ask you for
At wholesale shows a vendor often wants a business card, a resale or tax number and a shipping address before writing an order or opening an account. What counts as proof that you are a trade buyer differs by show and by country, so read the registration notes and bring whatever they list.
Make one note page per vendor
Use the same headings on every page: what it is, price, minimum, lead time, the show offer and its deadline, and the contact. Six lines filled in at each booth are what make the comparison possible later, and they weigh less than a bag of brochures.
A few minutes at each booth
Introduce yourself in one line
Say what your business is, how big it is and what you came looking for. It replaces the opening pitch and gets you passed to whoever handles accounts like yours. The six questions under Every booth then take about five minutes.
Ask for the price early
If the range is far outside your budget, both of you would prefer to know in the second minute. Price left to the end tends to earn a brochure and a promise to call.
Find the person who knows
Large booths are staffed by a mix of sales reps, product specialists, executives and hired greeters. When a question gets a vague answer, ask who on the booth knows that area. Technical questions and pricing questions usually belong to different people.
Fill in the page before the next booth
Step to the side of the aisle and write while the answers are fresh. Clip the rep's card to the page or photograph the two together. After twenty booths the conversations run into one another.
Leave when it is not a fit
A polite 'this is not right for us, thank you' is normal on a show floor and frees both sides. Hours are the scarce thing at a show, and a long chat at the wrong booth is paid for with a short one at the right booth.
Comparing booths afterwards
Sort your notes the same evening
Go through the day's pages at the hotel or on the way home. Mark each vendor yes, maybe or no, and write one sentence on why. A week later the reasons have faded and only the brochures are left.
Line up the same facts
Put the yes and maybe vendors in a simple table: total cost, minimum, lead time, payment terms, support after delivery and the proof you saw. Use the total with freight and setup included, not the figure on the sign. Every empty cell in the table is a follow-up question.
Weigh the show offer against the whole deal
A discount that expires on the last day is worth taking only if you would have chosen that vendor anyway. Work out what the offer saves in money, then ask whether a slower, better-checked decision could cost you more than that.
Write to them before they write to you
Exhibitors go home with a long list of leads and work through it over weeks. An email from you within a few days, naming the booth conversation and what you were promised, tends to get a quicker and more careful reply than waiting your turn.
Call the references before you order
Use the customer names you collected under Proof. Ask each one the two things a booth cannot show: whether deliveries arrived when promised, and how the vendor behaved when something went wrong.
Where a show visit goes wrong
Signing because the deadline is today
End-of-show offers exist to close orders on the floor. Some are real savings. Ask for the terms in writing and for an extension, and if neither is possible, order only what you would be comfortable owning at full price.
Collecting instead of asking
Tote bags fill with catalogs and giveaways that never get read. One page of your own notes per vendor is lighter and more useful, and the catalog can follow as a PDF.
Stopping only at the big booths
The largest displays belong to the companies with the largest marketing budgets, which is not the same as the best fit for you. At a small booth on the edge of the hall the owner may be the one answering, with the freedom to change terms on the spot.
Letting the badge scan be your follow-up
A scan puts you in the vendor's system on the vendor's schedule. If you want something specific, you still need a name, a date and a list of what is coming.
Trusting the display unit
What sits on the booth was chosen and prepared for the show. Before ordering, have it confirmed in writing that the model, finish, version or recipe you handled is the one that will be delivered.