Why we're not doing CHA-Winter

CHA is next week, and this is the first year in the past 5 that we will not be exhibiting.  People may speculate that our company is in distress, but it's just not the case.  Several factors contributed to our decision to skip CHA this year, and I'll share them.

1. Many of our customers will not be there.  Due to costs of flying and staying in Anaheim, it's not feasible for many independent retailers to shell out all those expenses, when they could put it into product for their stores.
2. Traffic was way down at the show last year, and is expected to take another significant hit this year.
3. Vicki needed back surgery.  This was the big one, and we needed to do it soon, and the first available surgery date landed just 3 weeks before the show.  (She's doing great in her recovery, too.)
4. Last year at the show, we were approached by a record number of sales people who wanted us to advertise, develop products, and discuss a wide variety of things.  It's irritating to me.  I realize that this is the one time per year their sales managers can get them in one place, and go after a bunch of leads, but we've paid for the booth space, I'm here to see my customers, and you're potentially taking time away from that.  My existing vendors all got an email before the show, saying that while we loved seeing them, our first priority was servicing our customers who came to the show, because without them, we wouldn't be using them as vendors.  It worked, and our existing vendors were very receptive to the idea.  However, it's the ones we weren't using that were the problem.  And to be honest, I think I've only ever used 1 vendor who approached me at a trade show...

Obviously, I have an opinion on the last one, but really, the first three were the decision makers.  We will be in that area for the Costa Mesa Scrapbook Expo, which begins on Feb 13th, out at the Orange County Fairgrounds!

Oh--and yes, we will have new products!  New papers are arriving at the Warehouse this week, new Stamps within the next two weeks, and new ribbons will follow a little further behind!  Yeah!

Happy Scrapbooking!
~~Angie