Traveling with Trade Show Displays


Traveling for a trade show? If so, you’ll want to do everything possible to ensure all of your trade show items stay intact as you go from destination to destination, while you’re traveling with your trade show displays. However, shipping trade show displays can be exceedingly difficult.

At APG Exhibits, we want to take the guesswork out of traveling with trade show displays. Check out our guide below to find out how you can streamline the process of traveling with trade show displays.

Why Do You Need to Attend Trade Shows?

If your company fails to attend trade shows, it may be missing out on revenue generation and growth opportunities. Here are some of the top reasons to attend trade shows:

generate highly targeted leads

  • You can generate highly targeted leads. A trade show is an industry-wide event, one that likely will bring out hundreds or thousands of business professionals. With a trade show booth in place, your company will be able to generate highly targeted leads. Your business will be able to showcase its brand, products and services to industry professionals over the course of several days, increasing your chances of driving long-lasting customer partnerships.
  • You can identify brand opportunities. Is your brand messaging hitting the mark with your target audience? A trade show provides you with the opportunity to find out how industry professionals are engaging with your brand. It offers a valuable learning experience and may enable you to discover ways to strengthen your brand and improve your marketing efforts.

82% of trade show attendees have authority to buy products

  • You can sell products and services. A recent Center for Industry Exhibition Research (CEIR) survey indicated 82 percent of trade show attendees have the authority to buy products and services. For trade show exhibitors, this means a trade show provides a great opportunity to sell products and services to a broad range of industry professionals. A trade show also provides business professionals with opportunities to meet face-to-face and lay the foundation for long-term partnerships.

Clearly, trade shows are exceedingly valuable, but getting trade show materials to an event can be challenging – that is, unless you know all about transporting trade show displays/booths.

Transporting Trade Show Displays/Booths: What You Need to Know

Transporting trade show displays and booths can be simple. Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the key factors to consider when you need to transport trade show displays.

  1. Planning

You know you need to get your trade show displays and signs to an event. The question is: What do you need to do to ensure that all of your items will make it to the event safely and on schedule?

Ultimately, the more you plan, the better off you will be. With a diligent approach to planning, you’ll be able to have your trade show display cases set up and ready to go as soon as an event kicks off.

Here are several tips that you can use during your planning efforts:

Traveling with Trade Show Displays

  1. Focus on protecting your trade show display cases. When it comes to trade show displays and booths shipping, it is always better to err on the side of caution. Choose a company that specializes in the shipping and handling of trade show displays. By doing so, all of your trade show items will be packed and protected safely. In addition, professional movers will be able to help you determine how to box, dismantle and crate your trade show displays effectively.
  2. Find out what you’ll need to ship to a trade show. The costs associated with trade show displays/booths shipping can add up quickly. Fortunately, those who allocate the necessary time and resources to understand exactly what they will need for a trade show can plan accordingly. These individuals may even be able to cut down on the costs associated with trade show displays/booths shipping.
  3. Learn about volume discounts. Does a shipping company offer discounts if you ship a variety of items to a trade show at the same time? Find out whether a shipping company provides volume discounts, as this may enable you to reduce your trade show displays/booths shipping expenses.
  4. Remember to insure your shipment. The cost of trade show shipping extends far beyond the items that you send to an event. With insurance, you can protect yourself against loss or damage to trade show items, along with potential delays that may prevent your trade show items from reaching you on time.
  5. Label all of your trade show items correctly. What good is a trade show display or sign if you cannot find it? Label boxes that contain all of your trade show items – you’ll be glad you did. If you label your trade show items now, you may be able to avoid the headaches commonly associated with tracking them down at a trade show. Furthermore, boxes that include your company name, the trade show name and your booth number will make it simple for others to bring missing items to you at an event.

There is no need to leave anything to chance at a trade show. If you plan ahead, you may be able to reduce the risk of loss or damage to trade show items and ensure you can set-up and take-down your trade show displays and signs without delay.

  1. Cost

trade shows generated 12.6 billion in revenue

Statista points out trade shows generated more than $12.6 billion in revenue in 2015. Meanwhile, trade show exhibitors want to do whatever they can to maximize the value of trade show displays, particularly in today’s highly competitive global marketplace.

For trade show exhibitors, it is not enough to ship trade show displays and signs to an event and expect immediate results. Conversely, these exhibitors must ensure their trade show booths are shipped properly to maximize the return on investment (ROI) of their trade show efforts.

How a trade show exhibitor handles the costs associated with traveling with trade show displays/signs may dictate a company’s success or failure. If an individual commits sufficient time and resources to streamline the shipment of trade show displays, he or she will ensure that these items arrive at an event as needed. This will enable an exhibitor to set up trade show displays and signs and promote a company, its products and its services at a trade show.

costs of traveling with displays

On the other hand, a trade show exhibitor that fails to understand the costs of traveling with trade show displays/signs may struggle to get the best results at a trade show. In this scenario, an individual may rush to send trade show items to an event without considering the safety of his or her trade show displays and signs. As such, when the trade show items arrive, they may be damaged. Perhaps even worse, some of the trade show items may go missing, and when these situations arise, a trade show exhibitor won’t be able to highlight a company, its products and its services effectively.

Taking an in-depth approach to trade show displays/booths shipping is ideal. By doing so, a trade show exhibitor will understand the time and resources needed to get trade show items from Point A to Point B.

Let’s not forget about finding ways to save money on trade show displays/booth shipping, either. Some of the best ways to cut back on shipping for trade shows include:

  • Reuse address and carrier labels. You can remove old address and carrier labels from trade show display and booth boxes and reuse them for future events. This will ensure that all of your trade show items can be shipped back to your headquarters after any event. At the same time, the reuse of address and carrier labels may help you cut down on the costs and time associated with producing new labels.
  • Choose a proven shipping company. Why should you take any chances with your trade show booths and displays? Instead, select a proven shipping company. This business may be more expensive than other shipping providers. Conversely, a proven shipping company will go above and beyond the call of duty to provide peace of mind that your trade show items will arrive safely at your final destination. This means you may be able to reduce the risk of costly, time-intensive problems related to lost, damaged or missing trade show items.

 invest in a display case

–view pictured shipping case product–

  • Get rid of old crates and cases. If you think a crate or case that you’ve used for past trade show events is past its prime, it is probably a good idea to retire it. Remember, a defective crate or case may lead to damage to your trade show displays or booths, but if you invest in a display case, you may be able to avoid the costs of replacing or repairing trade show items that were damaged by a faulty storage container.
  • Eliminate clutter. Let’s face it – clutter can be problematic, particularly when you’re getting ready for a trade show. The temptation to bring as much as possible to a trade show sometimes can be overwhelming. However, try to remain calm, cool and collected as you pack for a trade show. This will allow you to minimize clutter, ship only the trade show displays and signs you need and cut down on shipping costs.
  • Invest in special cases for TVs. TVs are sensitive items that must be handled with care. You shouldn’t expect a crate or case that you use to carry a trade show display to deliver the same results for TVs. Therefore, it is important to use trade show cases designed specifically for TVs. This will ensure your TVs will stay intact when you are traveling to a trade show.

Trade show exhibitors can take control of the costs of traveling with trade show displays/signs. With a consistent approach to trade show planning and shipping, these exhibitors should have no trouble minimizing their trade show shipping expenses.

  1. Safety

You want your trade show materials to remain intact before, during and after a trade show, but ensuring your safety plans go off without a hitch may seem impossible at times.

For trade show exhibitors, safety is paramount. A diligent approach to trade show planning requires you to think about the safety of your trade show materials in advance.

Here are three tips to help you ensure the safety of your trade show materials when you transport them to an event:

  • Give yourself sufficient time to prepare for a trade show. There is no need to wait until the last minute to figure out how you’ll get your trade show materials to a particular destination. Instead, study all of the shipping options at your disposal and choose one that matches your budget and trade show display needs. After you make your final decision, be sure to provide plenty of notice to any company that will handle your trade show materials.

trade show exhibit set up

  • Study the trade show layout. Understand how you’ll need to set up your trade show booth once you arrive at an event. This will enable you to determine which trade show materials to bring and which can stay behind. You then can determine the best way to ensure you can get the right trade show materials to your final destination quickly and safely.
  • Review your trade show materials as soon as possible. Damaged trade show materials are unlikely to do you any favors at a trade show. Check out your trade show materials as soon as you arrive at an event. If you have your trade show items shipped, evaluate their condition as soon as they get to you. That way, you can review the quality of the trade show items and ensure all of the necessary trade show materials are in good shape.

A cautious approach to trade show displays is vital. This approach will require you to prioritize the safety of your trade show materials at all times.

  1. Insurance

Learn about all of the insurance options at your disposal. If you understand how to insure your trade show displays and signs correctly, you can receive guarantees against damage or loss of your items.

Some of the most common types of insurance for shipping trade show items include:

Corporate Insurance protects trade show materials

  • Corporate Insurance: This type of insurance typically exceeds the coverage provided by shipping companies. It enables you to protect your trade show items from the time they are shipped to a trade show until they are returned to your headquarters. Also, corporate insurance usually is easy to obtain, and many corporate insurance companies are available to assist trade show exhibitors.
  • Carrier or Van Line Insurance: If you work with a carrier or van line for transporting trade show displays/booths, this company will assume liability for the trade show items they move. It is essential to note that this business will only assume a certain level of liability. In most cases, a carrier or van line has “limited liability” that is covered in the base price of the service it provides. This insurance may or may not cover the full costs of your trade show items. Thus, you should examine the level of insurance that a carrier or van line provides to guarantee the full cost of your trade show displays and signs will be covered.
  • Extended Liability Insurance: Depending on the shipping company you select, you may be able to extend the liability coverage. This option may result in additional fees but will guarantee your trade show displays and signs are fully protected.

Make insurance a priority as you prepare for a trade show. With the right coverage in place, you can rest easy knowing that all of your trade show items are protected against damage or loss.

  1. Cases and Bags

Although you may have committed substantial resources to create and purchase eye-catching trade show displays, you’ll need top-of-the-line cases and bags to transport these displays between locations. Lucky for you, many cases and bags are available that make it simple for you to bring all of your trade show items from one destination to another.

There are many reasons to choose outstanding trade show cases and bags, including:

  1. Cases and bags make it easy to transport trade show items.

Moving trade show items can be cumbersome and expensive. You may need to carry large, heavy trade show displays around airports, in taxis and across other locations. Alternatively, you may need to pay exorbitant costs to ship your trade show displays to an event.

With cases and bags, however, you can put these problems in the past. Cases and bags are strong, durable and deliver immediate and long-lasting support. They enable you to transport trade show items quickly and effortlessly.

  1. Cases and bags simplify trade show set-up and tear-down.

No one should be forced to commit substantial time and resources to set-up and teardown trade show displays, but in many cases, trade show exhibitors are forced to do just that.

Thanks to cases and bags, you can carry all of your trade show displays from place to place. This enables you to simplify the process of getting set-up for an event, and once the event reaches its conclusion, you’ll be able to instantly tear-down your displays and store them safely in cases and bags.   

  1. Cases and bags are available for trade show displays of all shapes and sizes.

Are you worried about transporting your custom trade show display to an event? You can choose from many superior cases and bags designed to accommodate trade show displays of all shapes and sizes.

Some of the most popular trade show cases and bags include:

arge molded shipping cases

–view pictured shipping case product–

  • Large Molded Shipping Cases: These cases are ideal if you’re shipping large displays. They are constructed with high-grade materials, ensuring that they can withstand harsh treatment during transit. Also, large molded shipping cases can accommodate up to 18 layers of flat trade show booth panels if you configure these panels horizontally.
  • Deluxe Molded Pop-Up Cases: For those who are searching for cases that pop up into a display counter with graphics, there may be no better choice than deluxe molded pop-up cases. Each of these cases includes a hinged lid with internal light storage, along with built-in wheels and a handle for quick, seamless transportation.
  • Expandable Formulate Display Hard Cases: Take advantage of expandable formulate display hard cases to transport display kits and hanging structures. These cases offer height adjustment capabilities, enabling you to expand and contract the case to match the size of a trade show display. Expandable formulate display hard cases are equipped with built-in wheels and handles to ensure you can move the cases easily.
  • Case to Counter: The versatility provided by a case that converts to a counter or podium is unprecedented. This case features a black fabric wrap that disguises dirt and scratches. You also may consider a case that boasts a full-color graphic wrap that displays your company’s brand or logo.
  • Lumina Light Case: This case includes semi-rigid construction that blends protection and flexibility perfectly. It even boasts padded eggshell foam inserts for exceptional cushioning for your trade show display lights.

There are many terrific cases and bags that you can use for trade shows. As such, selecting the right one may prove to be tough due to the sheer volume of options that are available.

At APG, we possess the skills, experience and team needed to handle your trade show needs. We offer many trade show cases and bags, all of which are constructed to last. You can always count on us for the best prices on cases and bags too.

Check out our large collection of trade show cases and bags today. Or, to learn more about how we can help you with your trade show display needs, please call us at 866-752-2192 or fill out our online form.


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