If your company customarily exhibits in trade shows on a regular basis, your company probably either already owns a trade show display, or is perhaps currently shopping for a trade show display. If you are currently shopping for one, remember that by looking for a display dealer who seems genuinely interested in your needs, and who asks a lot of questions, you are much more likely to find a dealer who will act more like a consultant, and not just somebody trying to sell you something.

A good trade show display dealer will engage you in a conversation about your company, your product line, what your requirements may be for traveling and setup, as well as the types of shows you usually attend, and the standard display booth size you generally choose. Using the information they learn about your company and your trade show plans, they will be able to help you choose the best type of trade show display for your needs.

Depending on the vendor, they might also be able to help you with any signs or graphics that you need for your trade show display. If this isn't a service that they offer, they can probably at least give you some recommendations of companies that do this type of work. They may also offer design services, helping you choose any extras or accessories that you might need to go along with your display. Sometimes they can even provide computer services that allow you to see your trade show display as a 3-D model, which is great for helping to decide upon colors, fabrics, graphics and design for your display, before you commit to ordering it.

When deciding upon a vendor from which to purchase your trade show display, you need to keep in mind that you generally have two options: buying a display directly from the manufacturer, or working with a vendor who sells trade show displays from a number of manufacturers. Both have their advantages and disadvantages to consider.

When you purchase your trade show display directly from the manufacturer, you might find that they are much more likely to be able to make any needed repairs that you require for your display. By comparison, vendors may be able to help you with simple repairs, but if there's anything major involved, they will probably have to ship your booth to a repair facility or back to the manufacturer, in order to get the work done. This may cause some real problems for you if you need some quick repairs before a show, or run into an emergency where you need to get some repairs done immediately. If you are purchasing a trade show display from a vendor, ask them what their procedure is for handling these types of repairs, and then see if you are comfortable with what that procedure is.

On the other hand, when you purchase directly from the manufacturer, your selection will be limited to the models that particular manufacturer makes, as well as being limited to their pricing structure. Working with vendors makes it easy to compare the features and advantages of many different models, because the vendors generally represent many different manufacturers, and as such will have many more options and models for you to choose from. The ability to compare models and prices can make it easier for you to get just the type of trade show display that you want, at a price that fits your company's budget.

Another thing to check, whether you are purchasing directly from the manufacturer, or from a vendor, is what the warranty is on your trade show display. Trade show display can lead a rather rough life. Your display will be shipped, set up, disassembled, and in general handled a lot, not only by you and your company's representatives, but also by shippers, attendees, the set-up crew, and even by trade show visitors. You should make sure that the warranty is adequate, so that you are not incurring a lot of repair costs with your booth, as a trade show booth is usually a long-term purchase. There are some parts, such as display panels, that may vary widely from manufacturer to manufacturer in regards to the length of warranty.

However, on other parts of your display, such as the pop-up frame, you should expect a longer warranty, possibly even a lifetime warranty. Having your display break can cause a serious problem for your company, especially if it is required to be sent back to the manufacturer for repairs. You might miss some scheduled trade shows if it's not returned in time. However, sometimes vendors and manufacturers can fix your display either at their facility, or in the field while in use. You will want to make sure you understand all the details of the warranty and repair agreement, paying special attention to the "fine print".