Ridgid absence at WW shows

[JackD]

Wow, went to my first WW show yesterday and was pleasently supprised with the huge amount of demonstrations, displays, tool deals...but no Ridgid. I wonder why?

[daveferg]

Jack----think it has to do with HD not supporting/participating in the shows and Ridgid's exclusive ww'ing tool contract with them. Pure speculation on my part, but if HD keeps dropping Ridgid lines of tools, from their stores, you may see more show activity from Ridgid---though who knows.

[JackD]

Dave, was at my local HD the other day and found that the Ridgid display area was now the new appliance area. All of the signs and displays were gone. All of the Ridgid tools were lined up just outside the tool crib as if to be sold off, not waiting to go to a new area. No price reductions tho. Wonder if this is happening elsewhere. Also wonder if HD is dropping them altogether. Do you know when the contract expires?
Jack...

[panamint98]

My HD has three Ridge machings on a shelf six feet off the ground as there display. You can't even look at them they are so high up.
Scott

[daveferg]

Nothing about HD's merchandising would surprise me. While the tool crib is still in tact---it's over-run with Ryobi tools----my local HD---STILL has the old 2424 on display---broken handle on the fence---with no mark-down----not a 3612 in site---after how many months?

[KellyC]

If you ask me, I think the time is coming pretty soon for the contract to be up....I'll be very surprised if it gets renewed. I'm hoping Lowe's will get it.

[Vigs]

I've been to several HDs in Wisconsin and the Ridgid displays have only gotten better.

[ba-doyn]

At the HD near my home in St. Louis (Emerson's home town) they have what looks like all the Ridgid woodworking tools on display...the problem is they are all crammed next to each other that there is no way to get to any of them.

Michael

[Charlie P]

I, too, went to my first woodworking show recently in Houston. Delta and Porter Cable were not there. Neither was Jet. Nor Ryobi, nor Grizzly. Did I see their tools? Yes, demonstrated by the local dealer who, in each case, was almost as clueless as our friends at Home Depot. But the Delta and Jet factories do not sell tools to end users, just as Emerson/Ridgid does not. The dealers do, so the dealers (but not Home Depot) were at the show.

[rmacmec]

Interesting. The WW show I went to in Atlanta had Jet and Delta representatives at various dealers' booths. So while I bought from dealers, I had the expertise of the factory rep.

[Andy B.]

Man it would be nice if Ridgid would came bach to the ww shows.

[KellyC]

I've been going since 1998 and have never seen Ridgid at any WW show...have they ever been there?

[Dave Arbuckle]

Yeah, Ridgid was represented at the show in Mesquite, um (Dave counts back on fingers), aw heck, either 1999 or 2000.

Dave
crummy with dates...

[daveferg]

Went to the Sacramento show two weeks ago----and it was notable that a number of previous vendors were either totally gone or had severly reduced displays. Think the economy has finally caught up with the shows.
Now is probably not the time Ridgid would push to get to the shows.

[Mike3206]

Dave, I would have to disagree. With the economy being the way it is, I think many people would find it a good thing if they knew how good the Ridgid saw was in comparison to an $800 Delta or Jet. Ridgid tools, for the most part are more cost effective than other name brands and could increase sales because people don't want to pay that extra $200

[Andy B.]

Originally posted by Mike3206:
Dave, I would have to disagree. With the economy being the way it is, I think many people would find it a good thing if they knew how good the Ridgid saw was in comparison to an $800 Delta or Jet. Ridgid tools, for the most part are more cost effective than other name brands and could increase sales because people don't want to pay that extra $200 I agree

[daveferg]

Think you missed my point-----sales were slack and these shows do cost money to get to and man. Vendors who sell even more economical products than Ridgid (like Grizzly, Sunhill, etc.) were also not there. From a business perspective, unless the economy picks up, I think the shows could get smaller and smaller. Therefore, it's probably not the best time to break ground.

Don't get me wrong---it would be a pleasure to see Ridgid tools, with a factory rep, who actually knew what he was talking about---as opposed to our experiences with HD. :D

[rmacmec]

This doesn't have anything to do with Ridgid but I was surprised when I saw Dave's post about the decline of vendors at WW shows. I know this is not a blanketing statement but at the one I went to this year, many vendors were surprised at the large amount of sales at the WW show this year compared to previous years. I talked to a few dealers and the consensus was that maybe people were just spending more frugally due to the economy. So when the deals of the WW show came around they brought out their pocketbooks for the cheaper merchandise. A few vendors had sold 2x or more from the previous year. Again, I know that this may not be the case at every WW show, just sharing what I had heard. I'm sorry to hear about the lack of vendors in Sacramento, that had to be disappointing.