It is important for inventors to realize that in order to gain the interest of major retailers and catalogers, they must have finished samples, great packaging, appropriate pricing, and other considerations. I always hear stories about people that go to a trade show and walk away with orders but the reality is that most people spend far too much money the wrong way as they feel that they can simply appear at a show and do big business. I have exhibited at likely over 100 trade shows and I never had a major retailer walk in sight unseen and place an order! It just does not happen that way 99plus percent of the time. Truth is, there is a lot of work you must do to be ready to sell the majors....

I beg to differ. I hope others have not been discouraged from going to trade shows. I took my MagnaMarkers to a new product show in Anneheim, CA. I went to exhibitors who show off their new sound reinforcement mixing boards and showed them how my product sticks to their boards to identify use of each input. No more masking tape and magic markers!
I walked away with hundreds in sales and made contacts in big industry.
Slick advertising and pretty packaging can help but they are not mandatory.
I did not have a booth and didn't spend anything other than gas and for copies of sales orders.
Ed Fratus

Good for you! You are an exception to the rule and I am certainly qualified to speak on this subject with my many experiences...

I have never suggested that people not attend trade show...I suggest that people do not stake their lives on them when money is tight. Most people need to exhibit at many shows so that buyers see them and realize they are in business to stay. I have met countless people who have spent thousands of dollars doing shows thinking Wal Mart or Target was going to come in and place a 100,000 order...it just does not happen. I would be curious to learn just how much business you did at this trade show if you care to share...

Anyway, good back and forth and appreciate the comments. The lesson is - consider trade shows of course...but don't bet the farm on them.

Jim