The Pros and Cons of Renting Versus Buying a Trade Show Exhibit

There are pros and cons to both renting or buying a display or exhibit for trade shows. Many companies choose to rent a display over and over again even though they could have saved a lot of money if they purchased their display. Conversely, some companies make significant investments in buying a new display and could have saved a lot of money by simply renting. Here are some tips to help you decide which option is best for your company.


Top 5 Benefits of Renting an Exhibit
1 - No large upfront investment required
2 - You do not have to add the exhibit to your balance sheet as an asset
3 - You can deduct the cost of rentals, compared to having to amortize the cost of purchases over multiple years
4 - Change your display style or design as often as you wish without incurring additional expense
5 - No storage fees


Top 5 Benefits of Buying an Exhibit
1 - Save money over time by eliminating a recurring rental expense
2 - You can store your exhibit at your own facility to save on storage fees
3 - Exhibit purchases can be leased or financed to spread the expense out over time
4 - Additional customization options are available
5 - You can make last minute decisions on event participation and know the display is available.


Nowadays almost every exhibit design is available to rent and competition in the rental business has driven pricing down slightly. A good way to decide weather to rent or purchase a new exhibit is to honestly access your needs. If you plan to participate in at least 4 trade shows with the same exact display you should start to consider purchasing your exhibit. If you plan to exhibit in at least 3 events a year, for 2 or more years, using the same exhibit you should definitely purchase.


If you are unsure ask your exhibit company if they would allow you to apply a portion of your first rental price toward the purchase of an exhibit after you had a chance to see how the design works out for you at an actual trade show. If it worked out well and you plan to use it again, you may want to own it. If it does not suite your needs you can try a brand new design for your next event.


For more information on renting versus purchasing an exhibit visit CDSdisplays.com to compare models and options.