Why Buy Portable Pop Up Displays Made In The U.S.?

Why buy portable pop up exhibits made in the U.S. when you can purchase one made in China for less? Aren't all pop up displays more or less the same? Nothing could be further from the truth.

This hub was written in 2008 as more and more product from China was being introduced. This expansion continues and as the owner of a trade show exhibit company I'm now deluged with email after email soliciting overseas products. I remain convinced that buying a U.S. made product is in your best interest.

Actually, I'm surprised to find myself saying this for years ago when I finished college I spent the better part of three years traveling around the world. I have a compassionate interest in the people of many of the countries I visited, including those in Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, Nepal and many others. I remain, in principal, an advocate of open trade.

I'll return you to the body of text written two years ago in a moment. At that time, my reasons for buying U.S. were primarily practical as it relates to getting damaged pop up displays fixed. Now, however, with the state of the U.S. economy, the need for jobs and with the fact that China holds a trade surplus with every country that it trades with..... I think that for the time being we are all going to be better off if we keep the money at home. Here's what I wrote in '08.

What is true is that prices on pop up exhibits has dropped 60% over the last four to five years on U.S. manufactured models. It is also true that while U.S. made pop up kits that once sold for $3600.00 are now available for under $1200.00, there other upgraded kits that have dropped in price from $6000.00 to $3500.00.

That said, if you Google "Pop Up Displays" you will find products on the market for as low as $500.00. These displays in all likelihood, are manufactured overseas. While many people have political preferences when it comes to the question of imports and U.S. made versus foreign manufactured, the reason for choosing an American made pop up displays has nothing to do with politics, but more to do with logistics.

Displays can be damaged in shipping, by sales persons as they set up or repack the display (after a show) or even damaged by fork lifts at the convention hall. In any case, let's presume your pop up frame, which has a Life-time Warranty, is damaged.

Who do you think backs up the Life-time Warranty? The exhibit dealer in the U.S. who sold you your product? Well, yes and no. Your dealer should assume responsibility for making sure that your product gets fixed or replaced however, they generally rely on the display manufacturer to do the work or to replace the frame.

What this means from a logisical standpoint, and why it is important to the company with multiple shows, is that the damaged frame has to be sent back to the point of origin. Thus, you are going to see your new or repaired pop up exhibit frame far sooner if the manufacturer of the frame is located within the U.S. than if it is from China.