Tag: suitcasing

Outboarding and Suitcasing is Theft, Plain and Simple

In order to protect our valued exhibitors and their investment in attending the SHOT Show and in supporting NSSF’s mission as the industry’s trade association, our rules strictly prohibit solicitation, “suitcasing” or “outboarding” by attendees who transact business at the show or in SHOT Show hotels or other places and do NOT have exhibit booths.

Plain and simple, this type of act is stealing from the show, and frankly, it’s stealing from SHOT Show exhibitors who have invested a lot of money and other resources to exhibit at the show. Acts like these deprive NSSF (as the show’s owner) of income we use to support our many programs and initiatives to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports.

Keep in mind, this is not just a SHOT Show policy; it is an industry standard recognized by the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE). In fact, Clark County law prohibits the commercial use of a hotel sleeping room because this parasitic practice undermines trade shows and the trade-show business, which is so important to the state’s economy.

What are suitcasing and outboarding?

Suitcasing and outboarding are unethical and dishonest parasitic business practices in which non-exhibitors attempt to gain access to trade show attendees and/or exhibitors. These practices skirt the support of the organizer and the industry.

Suitcasing refers to those non-exhibiting companies or persons who go to shows as an attendee but “work the aisles” from their suitcase (briefcase) and solicit business in the aisles or lobby area.

Examples of this include a well-known cutlery maker sending out alerts to potential customers that while they will not be exhibiting they will have personnel walking the show floor and will be offering a SHOT Show Special, and a sight maker that sets up shop at one of our high-top tables in a food concession area. To protect our exhibitors and their investment, we revoked both company’s SHOT Show credentials and escorted them from the show floor.

Outboarding refers to non-exhibiting companies that set up exhibits at off-site locations — hotel hospitality suites or restaurants — and encourage show attendees to leave the show floor and spend time with them.

Examples of this include a well-known firearms maker set up a hospitality room in a hotel off the show floor and invited retailers to leave the show floor and visit their suite. To protect our exhibitors, the hotel agreed to shut down the suite, as provided for in its contract with the SHOT Show. The manufacturer attempted to relocate to yet another hotel, which refused to allow the manufacturer to outboard the show.

Any SHOT Show attendee, who is observed to be soliciting business in the aisles or other public spaces, or uninvited attendees in another company’s booth, will be asked to leave immediately. Likewise, known commercial activity conducted from a hotel guest room or hospitality suite, a restaurant or any other public place in proximity to the SHOT Show by non-exhibiting companies will be shut down. Violators may even be reported to local law enforcement for investigation. Punishments include $1,000 fines and up to six months in jail.

We will have a special hotline number to call during the show should you become aware of instances of suitcasing or outboarding. Those found to be involved will no longer be welcome at the SHOT Show.

Review the SHOT Show’s suitcasing and outboarding policy.

Reminder that ‘suitcasing’ and ‘outboarding’ are not tolerated at SHOT Show

In advance of the SHOT Show, we’d again like to remind any potential rule breakers of the show’s suitcasing and outboarding policy.

We’ve already heard of one non-exhibiting company that was planning to “outboard” the show by setting up a suite in a nearby hotel and luring exhibitors off the show floor to look at its products.

Plain and simple, this type of act is stealing from the show. SHOT Show exhibitors have invested a lot of money and other resources to exhibit at the show, and acts like this deprive NSSF (as the show’s owner) of income we use to support our many programs and initiatives. Please keep in mind, this is not just a SHOT Show policy; it is an industry standard recognized by the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE).

As a reminder, please see the examples below of suitcasing and outboarding. We also encourage everyone to review the show’s official suitcasing and outboarding policy, which is available on the SHOT Show website. We will have a response team at this year’s show looking for this type of activity, and we encourage anyone who sees a violation of our policy to contact the show office.

Suitcasing refers to those non-exhibiting companies or persons who go to shows as an attendee but “work the aisles” from their suitcase (briefcase) and solicit business in the aisles or lobby area.

An example of this occurred last year when a well-known cutlery maker sent out alerts to potential customers that while they will not be exhibiting this year they will have personnel walking the show floor and will be offering a SHOT Show Special. To protect our exhibitors and their investment, we revoked that company’s SHOT Show credentials and escorted them from the show floor.

Outboarding refers to non-exhibiting companies that set up exhibits at off-site locations — hotel hospitality suites or restaurants — and encourage show attendees to leave the show floor and spend time with them.

An example of this occurred last year when rather than exhibit at the 2010 SHOT Show, a well-known firearms maker set up a hospitality room in a hotel off the show floor and invited retailers to leave the show floor and visit their suite. To protect our exhibitors, the hotel agreed to shut down the suite, as provided for in its contract with the SHOT Show. The manufacturer attempted to relocate to yet another hotel, which refused to allow the manufacturer to outboard the show.

Review the SHOT Show’s suitcasing and outboarding policy.

‘Suitcasing’ and ‘Outboarding’ Not Welcome at SHOT Show

In order to protect our valued exhibitors and their investment in attending the SHOT Show and in supporting NSSF’s mission as the industry’s trade association, our rules strictly prohibit solicitation, “suitcasing” or “outboarding” by attendees who transact business at the show or in SHOT Show hotels and do NOT have exhibit booths.

What are suitcasing and outboarding?

Suitcasing and outboarding are unethical parasitic business practices in which non-exhibitors attempt to gain access to trade show attendees and/or exhibitors. These practices skirt the support of the organizer and the industry.

Suitcasing refers to those non-exhibiting companies or persons who go to shows as an attendee but “work the aisles” from their suitcase (briefcase) and solicit business in the aisles or lobby area.

An example of this occurred last year when a well-known cutlery maker sent out alerts to potential customers that while they will not be exhibiting this year they will have personnel walking the show floor and will be offering a SHOT Show Special. To protect our exhibitors and their investment, we revoked that company’s SHOT Show credentials and escorted them from the show floor.

Outboarding refers to non-exhibiting companies that set up exhibits at off-site locations — hotel hospitality suites or restaurants — and encourage show attendees to leave the show floor and spend time with them.

An example of this occurred last year when rather than exhibit at the 2010 SHOT Show, a well-known firearms maker set up a hospitality room in a hotel off the show floor and invited retailers to leave the show floor and visit their suite. To protect our exhibitors, the hotel agreed to shut down the suite, as provided for in its contract with the SHOT Show. The manufacturer attempted to relocate to yet another hotel, which refused to allow the manufacturer to outboard the show.

By suitcasing or outboarding the show, an attendee gains an unfair competitive advantage over SHOT Show exhibitors that have invested money and other resources to exhibit and deprives NSSF (as the show’s owner) of income we use to support our many programs and initiatives. Please keep in mind, this is not just a SHOT Show policy; it is an industry standard recognized by the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE).

Any SHOT Show attendee, who is observed to be soliciting business in the aisles or other public spaces, or uninvited attendees in another company’s booth, will be asked to leave immediately. Likewise, known commercial activity conducted from a hotel guest room or hospitality suite, a restaurant or any other public place in proximity to the SHOT Show by non-exhibiting companies, will be shut down. Those found to be involved with suitcasing or outboarding will no longer be welcome at the SHOT Show.

For more information on suitcasing and outboarding, please visit the IAEE website.

Warning: ‘Suitcasing’ not welcome at the SHOT Show

With less than two weeks to go, excitement is building throughout the industry for the 2010 SHOT Show.

All of our exhibitors have spent considerable time — and money — to be a part of the show, and we at NSSF are working hard to ensure each exhibitor's experience is money well spent.

With that said, anyone who is not a paid exhibitor looking to conduct business at the show should be advised that "suitcasing" is not a welcome practice at the SHOT Show.

Suitcasing is an unethical business practice where companies will gain access to a show and then solicit business in the aisles or other public locations surrounding the show.

An example of suitcasing would be a company choosing not to exhibit at the show, then sending its employees to the show by obtaining attendee badges and trying to solicit business on the show floor or at an off-site restaurant or hospitality suite near the event.

Clearly put: Anyone who solicits at the show is stealing from the exhibitors and all other attendees of the show.

Our policy clearly prohibits any suitcasing or solicitation, and we encourage you to report any such activity to show management.

Revenue from the SHOT Show directly supports NSSF's efforts to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Our exhibitors are not only contributing to their own success by investing in the show, but they are also helping to secure a bright future for our sports and our industry.

Anyone who feels the need to steal from that does not belong at the SHOT Show.