This post is prompted by Walter's similar post here.
I was on leave yesterday (Friday) and I took the opportunity to visit the IT Show from 3 - 5.30 pm. It was very crowded. Like me, those who drove had to brave massive traffic jams on roads leading to the exhibition site at Suntec City. Then they had to circle the car park many times looking for an empty parking lot in vain. That is, if they managed to get past the 'Car Park Full' signs blocking several entrances in the first place.
With so much trouble getting there and the fact that I ended up buying nothing (I only got a free anti-virus trial software), I just have to explain why visiting such shows has become almost compulsory for me. I feel that what helps to drawme big crowds to such shows are:
1. Such PC shows are held only 4 times a year and they are strategically timed to coincide with the school holidays. (The other 3 shows of the year are the PC Show, Comex and Sitex, I think - not necessary in that order.)
2. Prices are genuinely more attractive at such shows. Forever falling prices of IT products makes people keep coming back to each subsequent show.
3. One gets to compare very quickly the prices and designs (and sometimes even try out the features) of various products at a one-stop location before making the final decision on which product to buy or not.
4. The free gifts, lucky dips and grand lucky draws are irresistable lures.
5.It may be politically incorrect to say this but the pretty, young and scantily-clad sales promoters do help to draw in the men, who are not only more IT-savvy but are generally humsup. That's why I never bring my wife to such shows. I assure you that the gadgets on display are not the only assets which men gawk at.
Being a gregarious monkey (as Chris alleged), I prefer to shop with others rather than alone. I am not crowd-averse and can survive such crowded shows very well. Sometimes, I have something in mind that I wanted to buy, like in Sitex 2005. I would always check out a booth if it has many people crowding around it.Unlike Chris, being tall helps.
Grateful if you could pen your thoughts here on what draws you to such PC shows.
I was on leave yesterday (Friday) and I took the opportunity to visit the IT Show from 3 - 5.30 pm. It was very crowded. Like me, those who drove had to brave massive traffic jams on roads leading to the exhibition site at Suntec City. Then they had to circle the car park many times looking for an empty parking lot in vain. That is, if they managed to get past the 'Car Park Full' signs blocking several entrances in the first place.
With so much trouble getting there and the fact that I ended up buying nothing (I only got a free anti-virus trial software), I just have to explain why visiting such shows has become almost compulsory for me. I feel that what helps to draw
1. Such PC shows are held only 4 times a year and they are strategically timed to coincide with the school holidays. (The other 3 shows of the year are the PC Show, Comex and Sitex, I think - not necessary in that order.)
2. Prices are genuinely more attractive at such shows. Forever falling prices of IT products makes people keep coming back to each subsequent show.
3. One gets to compare very quickly the prices and designs (and sometimes even try out the features) of various products at a one-stop location before making the final decision on which product to buy or not.
4. The free gifts, lucky dips and grand lucky draws are irresistable lures.
5.
Being a gregarious monkey (as Chris alleged), I prefer to shop with others rather than alone. I am not crowd-averse and can survive such crowded shows very well. Sometimes, I have something in mind that I wanted to buy, like in Sitex 2005. I would always check out a booth if it has many people crowding around it.
Grateful if you could pen your thoughts here on what draws you to such PC shows.
Posts
27 comments:
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the pretty, young and scantily-clad sales promoters do help to draw in the men
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So you're keeping the better pictures to yourself and not sharing in your blog eh?
Ha ha.... your post is a little more lucid than mine on this subject. Did you get anything there? I have always been fascinated by how people just love thronging the exhibitions despite conventional wisdom of avoiding crowds. And the interesting thing is that the customers just love to be hustled, unlike say from Insurance Agents or credit card salesmen!
I don't really enjoy the crowds and it's worse if you can't get any parking, esp in Suntec. During these IT shows, SimLim for example, also have IT show prices. So, yes, you're right, it's either for freebies or for babes ;p
The hen at home is not exactly spring chicken. What better place to ogle at the babes at such shows? Come one, admit it. That's you main purpose, right? No wonder bought nothing.
That thought of looking for a carpark is enough to put me off visiting such place. I'm not rich, but for that couple extra of dollars, I dun mind buying what I want at Sim Lim at my own time and leisure. Lucky draw and lucky dips? Sorry man, I've no luck in these. You've been to so many shows like this, have u won anything before, Victor? So juz dun waste your time and annual leave like that lor.
What's the point of being tall when you have to go round in circles at the Republic Foodcourt looking for your colleagues when they were sitting juz right UNDER your nose??!!! Oh, and your legs can't even reach the ground while were we sitting at the wooden platform by the gigantic tree at Biopolis...
Ivan - If you really can't resist looking at x-rated photos, there is one in a similar post here. They all look the same, except some are more scantily clad than others. LOL.
Walter - No, I didn't get anything there 'cos I didn't need anything. Now I already have 3 PCs at home although 2 are quite old ones. Moreover, nowadays ISPs give away a free PC/laptop with every 2-year Internet subscription. I am expecting another free one in 9 months' time.
Tigerfish - Woah, despite being a woman, you are also quite IT savvy hor? So you are the exception to the rule. Agreed but Sim Lim doesn't have the babes. LOL.
Chris - Do you remember that in Sitex 2005, I... or rather MJM won a wireless keyboard/mouse set for me at one of the shows? Later, I sold it for $60 on Yahoo Auctions. So I've won something before, okay? And regarding sitting under the gigantic tree at Biopolis, I am still better than some people who had to struggle just to get up to the platform, like it was some kind of mountain-climbing manouvre. LOL.
I hate crowds but I would go to at least one PC show a year. I'm not IT-savvy but I would like to keep up to date about the new gadgets.
I usually buy some funny stuff which I don't know how to use.... hahaha. Looks wonderful when the sales promoter demonstrates it.
Yeah, handsome, young men la! Wish they were scantily-clad too! hahaha.....
I love to browse and look at the latest IT gadgets. But I hate crowded places, and of all the crowded places, I hate Suntec city the most.
Once I approached the reception to ask where was Hall 5 and was made to feel really stupid. I never understand why people spend thousands to advertise their exhibitions and don't bother to put the address expecting all readers to know the difference between Suntec and Changi. Another time, my ex-boss at NPB arranged a get-together at a NUS-something joint there. Got all confused by the new roads when I emerged from the carpark.
So nowadays I don't go to Sitec. The savings probably not worth it. To view the gadgets, I go to Challenger superstore at Funan. Occasionally, I go to Sim and walk around. But of course neither places have the attractions that excite my friend Victor.
Your response to Tigerfish:
Woah, despite being a woman, you are also quite IT savvy hor? So you are the exception to the rule.
Victor, dun start your nonsense again. What crap! How is it so that a woman CANNOT be IT savvy? Your thinking is so out-dated and old-fashion. Go do some soul-searching. The world has no more room for bigot like you! Stop being such a sexist. And stop stereotyping people, jeezzius!
I thought of going to look at some cameras but was discouraged by the news of massive crowds. Normally the stores also have gift regularly for cameras etc....so no need to go to PC shows..
Jayne - The government will certainly thank you for keeping the economy buoyant.
Chris - I don't know how to reply to your comment without antagonizing more people. :P
Frannxis - How many cameras do you need? At any one time, you can only use one, right?
Oops sorry, Chun See. I didn't intentionally ignore you. But Suntec really got no Hall 5 wan mah. No wonder, the staff didn't treat that as an intelligent question. (I have no doubt that the person asking that question was... I mean is intelligent.)
I think Suntec doesn't even have a Level 5. That's why the IT Show was held on levels 3, 4 and 6.
well, i was at suntec carrefour. and was wondering whether I should brave the walk to the convention centre to buy a gadget that was cheaper there at $30. My decision was clear, not even $30 will bring me to these crowds!!!
Hi LM, thanks for visiting my blog. I had a peek at yours too. Your nick and blog title sounds so exotic, hence I was surprised that you are also based in Singapore. And you sound a like a fun guy too. :)
Hmmm... some of the prices are attractive. But some vendors are out to fleece customers. The Nikon booth for example, were selling some lenses at a 'special' price - that were even higher than the RRP! And some others sell at RRP but throw in a whole load of low-quality/useless freebies. Buyer beware.
Pinto - If you didn't say, I wouldn't know of such an unethical practice by the very reputable brand name at the IT Show. Indeed, some customers may not know the RRP and fall for the trick. They will probably complain CASE afterwards. In the end, the company's reputation is ruined. Not a very smart strategy.
I'm curious, how come there's no Hall 5? (asking a un-intelligent qns here)
The one at Suntec City is called Spore Int'l Convention & Exhibition Centre whilst the other one at Changi South is called Spore Exposition or something very similar. In the former their exhibition halls are numbered 407, 408 etc. In the latter, they are numbered Hall 1, Hall 2 etc.
So if you saw an advertisement, and you couldn't remember the names of these 2 places, you have to pay attention to the Hall no.
To make things worse, the Sitex and other computer/IT exhibitions are sometimes held in Changi. The venue is not fiexed every year.
Tigerfish - I checked out Suntec City's website and really couldn't find a Level 5 anywhere:
Lobby - Level 1
Ballrooms, Theatre, Gallery & Meeting Rooms - Levels 2 & 3
Exhibition Halls - Level 4
...........................????
Convention Halls - Level 6
No wonder the receptionist considered someone's question about Hall 5 as an "unintelligent" question, haha.
Maybe the ceiling of the Exhibition Halls is two-storey high so the next storey is naturally Level 6. Or maybe it's because of some Feng Shui thingy that they purposely left out Level 5. (You know that Suntec City is designed by a Hong Kong architect who believes strongly in Feng Shui - that's why the 5 buildings are in the shape of the fingers of hand with the Fountain of Wealth in the hand's "palm".)
No. She practically said, You damn fool. that's in Changi. This is Suntec City.
I was also thinking about the Feng Shui thingy but I thought 4 would have been avoided instead ?
Tigerfish - I really don't know why they would rather leave out Level 5 than Level 4. Incidentally if you have taken the amphibous vehicle in the Duck Tour before, from Kallang Basin you could see a giant figure 13 (as tall as the building itself) on the side of Ritz Carlton Hotel. The guide on the Duck Tour said that for the Hong Kong owner of the hotel, 13 sounded like "sure to live (or survive)" when said in Cantonese. Hence the saying, "13 is lucky for some".
Hi! Victor,
My name is Sei Fong, I am currently working on a heritage research project, would like to seek some advise. I couldn't find any email contact to you at your blog, would you be able to drop me an email so I can send you some information? My email is seifong@mediacorp.com.sg
Thanks!
Sei Fong
Victor,
you've been tagged! Go to my latest post for details. hehehe...
Sei Fong - I've replied you separately via email. Fyi, you can usually get someone's email from his blog's profile page, if he/she has chosen to reveal it there. (For Blogspot's bloggers, click on "View my complete profile" link.)
Jayne - Haiz, I knew that there is no such thing as free popiah. Really must work first then eat ah? Eat first, nice then blog, can?
Hi Victor,
You have been tagged by me too, which is from an earlier tag by eastcoastlife. OK go see my latest post for details.
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