Is it just me or have the entrance prices for the caravan & Boat show risen again? Even at the discount price that is over £20 to walk around a place that sells over priced food & drink and has no seating except at exhibitor stands!
In view of the high entrance price unless you are buying a high priced item it is unlikely you will get any bargains. Somehow I doubt whether we will be going this year.
Am I over reacting or does any one else think the same?
We have just changed from camp-let to caravan this year, and having now bought our new (to us) baby I don't *need* to look at new 'vans, but I am busy shopping for accessories
I was debating going to the show, to have a look what was on offer, but I guess what my question is, are the prices discounted at the show for accessories or are they playing to a captive market, so to speak, and therefore charge premium prices thinking that people will get caught up in the moment and just buy?
I agree with Tentz, in so far as the ticket price doesn't really bother me so much as I look at it as a day out more than anything.... however, I wouldn't bother going if I would end up walking round and not buying anything due to the prices being over-inflated... I know that doesn't make much sense, but hey-ho :-)
If your a member of the Caravan Club you can get tickets at a discount price of.
CC advanced discount of £11.50 on the door £15.50 (£1.50 transaction fee)
Voucher price for Tuesday 22nd on the door only £11.50
These prices are on page 47 of the January magazine.
I went last time and considered the price as a day out as we were first time visitors. The only thing we actually bought was a new halty type thing for our dog!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I enjoyed it but would not consider paying last year's price, never mind the new price again now that I have seen it unless I was after a new caravan or motor home. I did not find any real bargains in the equipment sections at all and, with the internet you can always find cheaper!
I don't know what you are moaning about, don't you always have to pay when you go into a shopping centre? Don't Tesco charge you entrance to go into their stores? I'm sure that you pay for mailorder catalugues. Didn't the dealer charge you to look round his vans for sale last time you visited him?
The answer to these questions is probably a resounding NO so why do you put up with admission charges to these shows that only exist to sell goods to you?
If you are required to pay--don't go! The exhibition centres will soon get the message!!
------------- there are 10 types of people in this world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
If it's going to cost £20 per person, we'll not be going either. All our kids are charged as adults most places we go nowadays so it'd cost me £120 just for us to walk through the door without fuel for 150 miles round trip & any food or drink we buy. Sorry to say, they'll end up pricing themselves out of the market, not much point in filling the place with display stands if the customers can't afford to walk through the door.
I go there to the Truck show which is in April when it's on. The entry is FREE but the car park has been £7 the last twice I've been. It's no different to the outdoor sohw, it's still manufacturers trying to sell their products so why are the costs so very different to walk in? Doesn't make sense to me.
just seen the prices for car parking for the Manchester show , this show cant survive with car parking at these prices , most folks want to park outside and walk in, not at those prices £10 for 6 hours , , i was going to go to the NEC to look at the new pennines with a view to changing , but then i thought why should i travel 200 miles round trip and then pay admission to see manufactures products , when i can go to dealers and see the same things , this year i will be given all the shows a miss , they are pricing them selfs out the market , prices will come down if enough don't go , after all manufactures are all bragging how sales are record year on year at shows , so enough must go for them not miss my small contribution
We went last year having won a pair of tickets. We were glad we went as we were looking for a new porch awning and the prices we were offered were better than the internet.
Yes the food and drink there is overpriced but we just took a packed lunch, flask and bottles of water.
Somebody has to pay for the facilities which cost a fortune to keep up. The cost of exhibiting at these venues is out of this world. I know I used to do it. The costs of the tickets goes towards the price of the venue that is charged by the owners not the exhibitors.
There are a limited number of exhibitors who would have to pass on even higher costs on the price of their products if it was free.
Why bother to go when you can see all the latest models at your leisure and free at the dealers. The new vans are always shown on the internet.
If you really are looking for a new van then £15-£20 is not much on a van costing thousands.
An exhibition centre is not a shop. They make a living by charging exhibitors/visitors & selling food just like any other attraction, ie Alton Towers.
Certainly some major manufacturers are/have been absent from exhibitions, citing the high cost of exihbiting, ie a commercial decision. The potential visitor can make a similar decision if they choose.
Like any other attraction, the paying customer knows the cost so they have a choice. It is not a rip off, nobody is being conned. The price must still be low enough to get paying customers thru the door. If there is not sufficient numbers coming thru the door then the paying exhibitors will no longer exhibit.
I guess the NEC knows what it is doing, like Tescos, it exists to make money. Not as a public service.
To John, we did go and have a look at the new pennines and we were glad we did. I also noticed that the special offer new pathfinders with the old canvas were all selling. It did actually also make us realise that we are happy to stay with our 2003 pathfinder for now as, apart from being newer, it really does feel like you are sitting inside the same camper as our 2003. I know the canvas is supposed to be better drying but that's not been as issue for us so far. One day we will go to fixed bed caravan but not yet.
As I said above we went for the first time last year and for a day out the cost was ok but now that we have seen it once, how different could it be this year! Certainly do not expect to find any real bargains in the equipment sections so it is not worth going for that reason though would consider if we were looking for new units and did not have much of a clue about what we actually want.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: NEC prices?
