The 2000 PGA Merchandise Show was generally an upbeat affair in Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center, a stark contrast to the past few years when exhibitors and buyers were less optimistic about the coming year.
Apart from the Callaway Rule 35 ball’s debut, no “breakthrough” product came out of the event which has is now more of an exhibition than a true trade show.
So why the optimism? It could be that buyers like the fact that prices for such premium items as drivers have lower suggested retail prices and the Internet has given many manufacturers another outlet for selling product. Whether it proves to be a successful springboard for companies in the year ahead, remains to be seen. However, the show still provides numerous networking opportunities with so many people under one roof over four days – a benefit not easily translated into dollars and cents.
The show had so many exhibitors that booths spilled out into the hallways and meeting rooms. Buyers found it harder than ever to locate the booths they were looking for, but some vendors in the hallways were able to take advantage of the tides of people flowing by, and pull more potential buyers in.